Movie Review - Kiss the Ground

Director: Joshua Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell  
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 84 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Ray Archuleta, Gisele Bündchen, Tom Brady, Patricia Arquette, David Arquette, Jason Mraz, Rosario Dawson, Ian Somerhalder

Description: A revolutionary group of activist, scientist, farmers, and politicians band together in a global movement of “Regenerative Agriculture” that could balance our climate, replenish our vast water supplies and feed the world.

Review: “This is the story of a simple solution, a way to heal our planet”, says actor Woody Harrelson, narrator in the Netflix documentary “Kiss the Ground”. That sounds hopeful and it is, although the first 25 minutes are far from uplifting. Because before we get to the solution, we get an explanation in detail how we ended up here and where things went wrong. In short: pesticides, monoculture and industrialized agriculture.
Because we started ploughing and spraying with chemicals, we killed the microbes in the soil. No healthy soul without microbes. And without healthy soil the CO2, which is normally stored in the soil in large quantities, goes back into the atmosphere. Desertification occurs, driving 40 million people from their land every year. If we continue like this, y 2050 there will be about a billion people on the run as a result of desertification. So much for a brief summary of the first 25 minutes of misery.
No crisis is so great or there are always people out there who won’t give up says Woody Harrelson. For example, we see a regenerative farmer from North Dakota, who saw his harvest fail year after year to due extreme weather conditions. Until one day he ran out of money to buy fertilizer and pesticides and was forced to seek refuge in regenerative agriculture. Not only has he been doing well financially since then, but you can also see a clear difference between his lusg green land and the parched land of his neighbor.  
There is also the story of Loess Plateau in China. Once the most dehydrated and neglected piece of land on earth, until scientist started restoring the land. The images before and after show how a dusty void can turn into a true green paradise.
Besides Woody Harrelson narrating the documentary, lots of famous stars join him in the fight for a better planet. Supermodel Gisele Bündchen and her husband, American footbale player Tom Brady, singer Jason Mraz and actors Ian Somerhalder, Patricia Arquette, David Arquette and Rosario Dawson. All of them know how important our soil is and found a way to help our planet. As Patricia Arquette is committed to compost toilets.
Overall, “Kiss the Ground” is a very interesting documentary and an eye-opener.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 27

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres. 

Action: Bad Boys II (2003)
Tow loose-cannon narcotics cops (Will Smith, Martin Lawrence) investigate the flow Ecstasy into Florida from a Cuban drug cartel.
 

Drama: Apocalypse Now (1979)
A U.S. Army officer (Martin Sheen) serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forves Colonel (Marlon Brando) who sees himself as a god.
 

Comedy: Bridesmaids (2011)
Competition between the maid of honor (Kristen Wiig) and a bridesmaid (Rose Byrne), over who is the bride’s (Maya Rudolph) best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef.
 

Animation: The Willoughby’s (2020)
Convinced they’d be better off raising themselves, the Willoughby children hatch a sneaky plan to send their selfish parents on vacation. The siblings then embark on their own high-flying adventure to find the true meaning of family.
 

Romance: Notting Hill (1999)
The life of a simple bookshop owner (Hugh Grant) changes when he meets the most famous film star (Julia Roberts) in the world.
 

Horror: Sinister (2012)
Washed-up true crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) finds a box of super 8 home movies in his new home that suggest the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose work dates back to the 1960s.
 

Science Fiction: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
A solider (Tom Cruise) fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.
 

Crime: Inglorious Bastards (2009)
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theater owner’s (Mélanie Laurent) vengeful plans for the same.
 

Thriller: A Simple Favor (2018)
Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is a single mother with a parenting vlog who befriends Emily (Blake Lively), a secretive upper-class woman who has a child at the same elementary school. When Emily goes missing, Stephanie takes it upon herself to investigate.
 

Documentary: Icarus (2017)
When Bryan sets up to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller.
 

Family: Mr. Bean’s Holiday (2007)
Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) wins a trip to Cannes where he unwittingly separates a young boy from his father and must help the two reunite. On the way he discovers France, bicycling, and true love.

10s Movie Review - The Experiment

Director: Paul Scheuring
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, Cam Gigandet, Clifton Collins Jr., Ethan Cohn, Fisher Stevens, Travis Fimmel, David Banner, Jason Lew, Damien Leake, Maggie Grace

Description: 26 men are chosen to participate in the roles of guards and prisoners in a psychological study that ultimately spirals out of control.

Review: The Stanford Prison Experiment was a psychological research that took place in August 1971. The research was led by Philip Zimbardo, psychologist and professor at Stanford University. Zimbardo wanted to investigate to what extent character traits influences the interaction between prisoners and guards. Zimbardo himself played the role of director. The ‘guards’ were given clothes that matched their status, as well as a police bat they were allowed to use. The ‘prisoners’ were given prison clothes and ankle cuffs, and their names were replaced by numbers.  
There were all kinds of rules the prisoners had to follow, the guards were allowed to use disciplinary measures, as long as they did not become violent. The test subjects were much more absorbed in their roles than Zimbardo expected, and a large number of guards showed sadistic traits. Even Zimbardo got carried away in his role as prison warden.
“The Experiment” remains partly faithful to the original experiment, and emphasizes the power and sadism the guards displayed. The main roles are played by Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker. Brody is a pacifist who, as a prisoner, is forced to revise his pacifist ideas and Whitaker plays an apparently gentle man who soon turns out to be loving the power he gets.
The shaving of a rebellious prisoner “The Experiment”, just like “Das Experiment”, is based on the book Black Box by German writer Mario Giordano, but the effect is totally different. Hirschbiegel’s film is sibtly constructed, with a lot of attention for character development. The American film adaptation of Paul Scheuring looks more like an episode of “Prison Break”, and that’s not totally strange, since Scheuring is the big man behind the TV series. From the beginning “The Experiment” comes across as rather raw, and the film also goes beyond the original experiment. Personally I think this is a weakness, because Zimbardo’s experiment is interesting enough even without excessive violence.
Although the effect of the story is disappointing, the acting is good, especially Whitaker is sublime. Unfortunately, the script limits the actors in their possibilities and some characters are not given enough attention. For example, the romantic subplot is only partially worked out in the film, making the role of Maggie Grace irrelevant.
I wasn’t impressed by “The Experiment”.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

 

10s Movie Review - Summer of 84

Director: François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell
Genre: Thriller/ Horror/ Mystery/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Caleb Emery, Cory Gruter-Andrew, Tiera Skovbye, Rich Sommer, Jason Gray-Stanford, Shauna Johannessen, William MacDonald

Description: After suspecting that their police officer neighbor is a serial killer, a group of teenage friends spend their summer spying on him and gathering evidence, but as tey get closer to discovering the truth, things get dangerous.

Review: A normally quiet suburban town is plagued by an active serial killer and teenage boys disappearing. Davey is convinced that the killer lives close to him and is determined to prove it. His investigation puts him on the trail of his neighbor Mr. Mackey. He is a seemingly friendly neighbor and also a policeman and he is not on the list of prime suspects. But Davey doesn’t allow himself to be fooled despite everyone declaring him crazy. Together with his friends, he does everything he can do unravel the truth.
“Summer of 84” is a fun horror/ thriller, with a cool 80s vibe. I can see it as a combo of the movies “The ‘Burbs” and “Disturbia” meet TV-series “Stranger Things”. There is enough room for simple character development and a good build-up of tension. It’s a film nobody is really talking about, when it is a really good film that deserves more attention.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

90s Movie Review - Copycat

Director: Jon Amiel
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 1995
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, Dermot Mulroney, William McNamara, Harry Connick Jr., John Rothman, J.E. Freeman, Will Patton, Shannon O’Hurley, Bob Greene, Tony Haney, Danny Kovacs, Tahmus Rounds

Description: Agoraphobic psychologist Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver) and female detective MJ Monahan (Holly Hunter) must work together to take down a serial killer who copies serial killers from the past.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 44: A MOVIE WITH A SERIAL KILLER

Review: There are over four hundred potential serial killers in America, criminal-psychologist Helen Hudson states during her lecture. “Maybe there’s even one in the room right now”. And this turns out to be right, since one is waiting for her in the ladies’ room.
Years later, a number of women in San Francisco are murdered within a short period of time. Each under striking circumstances, but detective MJ Monahan can’t detect a pattern. She asks Helen for help, who is now an agoraphobic who locks herself in her own home. At first, Helen doesn’t seem to keen on helping MJ. But files left at her home make for Helen to join MJ in the investigation.
Helen discovers there is a connection between the murders: they imitate the methods of America’s most illustrious serial killers. With this knowledge they can predict with a high degree of probability the killer’s next steps.
For the time this movie was made, the mid-90s, it has a refreshing take on the detective genre. Since the two leading characters are women and they lead the investigation. Both Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter offer us solid performances.
Director Jon Amiel has paid a lot of attention to character building, which is a good move. This way the viewer can empathize with them so much more. Amiel makes frequent use of the suspense. The term ‘less is more’ really goes for “Copycat”. Even in seemingly boring moments, Amiel knows how to raise tension. For example, there is a scene in the film which Helen wants to get her newspaper. The paper is in a corridor, tow meters away from her door. Because of her phobia, Helen doesn’t want to walk out the door. Desperately she grabs a broom and try the newspaper. The threatening music and the angle of the camera turn this scene into an oppressive and exciting moment.
“Copycat” is an exciting, skillfully made thriller. The film does everything it’s supposed to do and does it really well. The only thing I didn’t like, is that the identity of the serial killer is revealed earlier on in the film. It doesn’t take away from the tension though, but I always enjoy a climax with a face reveal.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

TV Show Review - The Boys (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2020
Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Anthony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominique McElligott, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Elisabeth Shue, Tomer Capon, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Aya Cash, Shawn Ashmore, Giancarlo Esposito

    
Description: A group of vigilantes sets out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers.

Review: Before I started watching this show, I wasn’t very enthusiastic, since we get so many superheroes in movies and now also TV. I had just finished “The Umbrella Academy” which I really liked because it had a different take on it. And the same goes for “Watchmen”, which also took a very different route. But after reading all the positive reviews, I decided to watch “The Boys” and I loved the first season. It was a wild rollercoaster filled with blood and gore, great characters and surprisingly good storylines. I enjoyed the dazzling combination of conflicting interests, cutting edge action and hopeless situations.
This second season builds on the hopeless efforts of an unorthodox group of vigilantes to end the evil Vought International and The Seven, a team of superheroes that works for Vought and is mainly allowed to show up for photo sessions and interviews. They barely fight actual crime, although that’s supposed to be their main task. In reality, it’s all about making money though smart marketing strategies. Vought’s leadership is ruthless when the image of these heroes is compromised, because they earn gold from the merchandise and promotions.
To Vought’s frustration, it’s been rumbling within The Seven for a while now. After they fell into disfavor in season one, A-Train and The Deep are eager to rejoin The Seven. The arrival of the unpredictable and mysterious new hero Stormfront gives the team new dynamic. However, her plans are not immediately clear. She behaves completely different from the good and seemingly incorruptible other members and that makes Vought and Homelander quite nervous.
Besides the fuss within The Seven and the rebellious behavior of Stormfront, the megalomaniac and physically invulnerable Homelander is especially busy with the sudden arrival of ‘super-terrorists’. He considers himself the leader of America, a protector of America. His own hypocritical interests and manipulative manners drive Homelander to murder all of them. His unstable behavior gets even worse when at the same time he decides to interfere more intensively with his son’s upbringing.
The counterbalance in the series is formed by the undercover fighters of the CIA, the titular Boys. The unstoppable Butcher has his own reasons for pushing his boys to the limit in their almost hopeless battle against the powerful, perhaps unbeatable superheroes. This season it will become more clear where his hatred of The Seven and Homelander in particular comes from. And Hughie tries to restore his relationship with Annie, also known as The Seven member Starlight. Something for which he regularly has a hard time with Butcher.
These and other storylines are key and interweave into one of the most original series of the year. The viewers won’t have difficulties in understanding the motivation for the different characters, although the methods used are doubtful. The main motive is clearly survival in a world where danger is almost ubiquitous. How do you successfully fight against demigods, especially when they dismiss murder and innocent victims as an afterthought without ethical objections? And not unimportantly, how do you preserve your humanity in this bloody battle?
The start of season 2 is a bit slow, but eventually the writers manage to deepen the story without stopping the progress of events. You get to know more about certain characters and new ones are introduces. MM was probably my favorite this season, since with Butcher being less present at the start, he unintentionally becomes the leading figure for the boys. I also loved the dynamic between Frenchie and Kimiko. I also realized that Queen Maeve is one of the best characters on the show. She is not pure evil, because she still knows the difference between good and bad. Maeve probably started out just like Starlight, but she is so deep into it all now, it’s hard to go back. The addition of two new characters Stormfront and Lamplighter was very welcome. Stormfront is a really well-written character and perfectly portrayed by Aya Cash. Lamplighter is only in a few episodes but Shawn Ashmore really impresses. And I wished he would be around longer. But the one that really stands out is Anthony Starr as Homelander. He was already a dick in season one, but he is even a bigger dick here. If that were possible. Starr really took in that role and he is a really good actor. Because I constantly want to slap him in the face, when he probably is a really nice guy in real life.
The only negative for me is probably the roles of The Deep and A-Train in this season. The Deep’s storyline isn’t all that interesting and A-Train doesn’t have a lot to do.
I was very pleased with season 2 of “The Boys” and the ending really looked promising. I’m glad I decided to watch this show, because it’s so good.

Unrealistic Movie Stereoptypes

Movies are the perfect way to escape reality. And although it IS a movie, it still bothers me that sometimes very unrealistic things happen in a movie. And there are examples that return over and over again and are now stereotypical moments in movies. I decided to list the most unrealistic movie stereotypes we just keep seeing in movies and that would definitely not happen in real life.
 
Hanging up the phone without saying goodbye
First of all, it’s rude. And second of all, nobody hangs up the phone and ends a phone conversation without saying goodbye. Unless you’re mad off course, but still. In movies they always do it.
 
Easily hacking a computer
Movies make it seem like anyone can hack into a computer, phone or security system with ease. You don’t even have to be a professional hacker or an IT-guy. Just click one button and “I’m in!” And also: the people being hacked in movies always seem to have very easy-to-guess passwords.
 

Male scientist Vs. female scientist
The stereotypical scientist is a mad scientist like Doc Brown in “Back to the Future”. Messy hair, babbling about theories, they look nerdy, often wear glasses. But whenever a woman is portrayed as a scientist, they look like gorgeous fashion models. And I’m not saying that female scientist in real-life are ugly, but the contrast in movies is just too big.
 
The ‘ugly’ girl is actually really hot
This is something your most often see in teen movies. A girl that is considered ugly, nerdy or unpopular, is mostly only wearing glasses and baggy clothes. Once they change this, all of a sudden everyone think she is hot. When all they did is take away the glasses and change her wardrobe. Talking about superficial.
 
Parking spot
When you live in the city, you know how hard it is to find a good parking spot. Well, not in movies. They always seem to find the perfect spot to park their car, in a big city, right in front of the building they need to be.
 
Waking up fresh-faced
I don’t know about you, but when I wake up I don’t look like I just came home from the salon. My hair is messy, I have pillow marks all over my face and eye boogers. The people in movies always look perfect. And also, many just jump into their clothes unwashed and without changing their underwear. That’s not just unrealistic, that’s gross.
 
Untouched breakfast
I only have a smoothy and some crackers for breakfast. I don’t wake up to a table with a large breakfast on it. In the movies those breakfast tables always make me jealous and they hardly touch any of the food on there. Why? It makes me mad.
 

Running/ walking towards the mysterious noise
In scary movies people always tend to walk or run towards a mysterious noise they just heard, whether they are in their own house, outside or in some other location. That makes no sense, especially when most of the time the people are alone and aware of all the horrific shit going on in their town. And to make it worse, they yell “hello”. If there were an actual killer, he would not respond with: Hi, it’s me, the killer”. Me, I would get the hell out of there, find a safe place and call the cops.
 
Agreeing to meet, without an actual place or time
“You want to go out tonight? Yes? See you then”. Said no one ever in real-life. When I set up a meeting, I want to know the exact date, place and time. In movies this is mostly all they say. And the silly thing, they never miss each other. They always meet at the right time and place. This is just stupid.
 

Walking away from an explosion
An action movie cliché that we see a lot is the explosion (always over-the-top). And the hero always walks away from the explosion in a very calm manner. I know you’re tough and everything, but surely that’s not how a normal person would respond to an explosion. We would probably just die.
 
Stopping a wedding
This is a typical thing to happen in a romcom. Someone tries to stop the marriage of the person he or she loves, in order for the love interest to leave with them. First of all, you’re interrupting a wedding. That’s something you just don’t do. And then when the bride or groom leaves the other at the altar and kisses the one who stopped the wedding, the whole crowd starts cheering. Everybody in the audience was there to see the couple they know and love get married, and then some stranger comes in and breaks it up and you have no issue with it?
 
Hair
Women don’t seem to grow any hair on their legs or armpits whenever they are in a desperate survival situation. And also they don’t have periods. I’d like to have that superpower.
 
Fancy apartments and houses
I really would like to know how they do it, but the protagonist in movies always seem to live in a fancy apartment or house they shouldn’t be able to afford in the first place.
 
Unlimited ammo
No matter how many bullets they fire, they never seem to run out of ammunition. But of course only at the most crucial moment. Also illogical: the bad guy always misses. A lot!
 

Attacking on by one
When being attacked by a large number of people, be prepared to get beat up and lose. But not when you’re in a movie. Each villain just waits their turn and they all get they asses kidded by the protagonist one at a time.
 
Unlocked cars
It’s really easy to steal a car in movies, since no one ever locks them. But you don’t have the car keys to start the card I hear you say. They are most likely hidden behind the sun visor. Who keeps their car keys IN the car?
 
Breaking through windows without consequences
I don’t know about you, but whenever you pick up a piece of broken glass you will most likely cut yourself. How is it then that whenever they jump through a window in movies, they walk away from it without any scratches. And how thin is that glass?
 
Fluid dialogue
Whenever an actor stumbles up on their words, they cut and restart shooting the scene. But you never see people mumble, pause or hesitate when they talk. It would be more realistic if the conversations were more realistic.
 
Teenagers looking like 30
It’s well-know that most teenagers cast in movies are not teens anymore. But at least cast someone that actually looks like someone who is still in high school.

Book Review - The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen

Title: The Apprentice
Series: Rizzoli & Isles (Book # 2)
Author: Tess Gerritsen
 
Description: It is a boiling hot summer. Adding to the city’s woes is a series of shocking crimes, in which wealthy men are made to watch while their wives are brutalized. A sadistic demand that ends in aduction and death. The pattern suggests one man: serial killer Warren Hoyt, recently removed from the city’s streets.
 
Review: Again a wonderfully exciting book by Tess Gerritsen. “The Apprentice” is the sequel to “The Surgeon”, which could also be read on its own. But a little inside information is better though. In the ‘prequel’ detective Rizzoli and detective Moore had to deal with horrific murders of women, who were raped and eventually had their uterus surgically removed. The killer, Warren Hoyt, is now locked up.
 
This time Rizzoli is back, without Moore. She gets a call about a murder in Newton. When she finds the lifeless body of a man there, she things of an ordinary murder. But when detective Korsak shows her the couple’s bedroom, she Rizzoli almost knows for sure this is no ordinary murder. Everything points to Warren Hoyt, but her is behind bars. So it must be a copycat.
 
Jane Rizzoli is an interesting character and where in “The Surgeon” the focus was more on Moore, it’s Rizzoli who leads the investigation in “The Apprentice”. And I loved that. I felt like I got to know her better and understood her more.
 
Like its predecessor, “The Apprentice” is a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat and it’s a real page-turner. If you like crime or detective stories, Tess Gerritsen’s books are recommended.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 26

 Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Aquaman (2018)
Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land.
 

Drama: I, Tonya (2017)
Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) rises amongst the ranks at the Y.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.
 

Comedy: Along Came Polly (2004)
A buttoned-up newlywed (Ben Stiller) finds his strictly organized life descend into chaos when he falls in love with old classmate Polly (Jennifer Aniston).
 

Animation: Cloudy and a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
A local scientist (Bill Hader) is often regarded as a failure until he invents a machine that can make food fall from the sky. But little does he know, that things are about to take a turn for the worst.
 

Romance: About Time (2013)
At the age of 21, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) discover he can travel in time and chance what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend (Rachel McAdams) turns out not to be as easy as you might think.
 

Horror: Split (2016)
Three girls are kidnapped by a man (James McAvoy) with a diagnosed 23 distinct personalities. They must try to escape before the apparent emergence of a frightful new 24^th.
 

Science Fiction: Brightburn (2019)
What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister.
 

Crime: The Godfather Part II (1974)
The early life and career of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) in 1920s New York city is portrayed, while his son, Michael (Al Pacino), expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.
 

Thriller: The Gift (2015)
A young married couple’s (Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall) lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance from the husband’s past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light after more than 20 years.
 

Documentary: The Social Dilemma (2020)
Explores the dangerous human impact of social networking, with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations.
 

Family: Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)
The gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

 

10s Movie Review - Jumanji: The Next Level

Director: Jake Kasdan
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Awkwafina, Nick Jonas, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, Rhys Darby, Colin Hanks, Rory McCann, Marin Hinkle, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Madison Iseman, Ser’Darius Blain

Description: The gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

Review: After their adventure in the world of Jumanji, the students Spencer, Martha, Bethany and Fridge try to pick up their lives again. However, Spencer is struggling with his life as a student in new York and longs for a new adventure in which he can take on the form of the tough professor Bravestone. When Spencer goes missing, his friends soon know what happened. Especially when they discover that Spencer has never thrown away the videogame Jumanji. All they can do to save their friend is venture into the world of Jumanji again. But this time, not only the students get sucked in, also Spencer’s grandfather and his elderly friend join the adventure, and Bethany is left behind. Once again, they have to join forces as their old avatars in order to return from the world of Jumanji.
“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” was one of the biggest surprises. A movie I thought I would hate, but actually came to love. So to repeat that success, Sony Pictures (of course) created a sequel. And although it’s much of the same, “Jumanji: The Next Level” still offers a lot of fun-filled and action packed scenes.
With the same game, the same avatars and the same students its more of the same. But the creators made a few adjustments to make it a bit fresher. Danny DeVito and Danny Glover are added and they end up in the avatars that Dwayne Johnson and Kevin hart embody. I’m not the world’s biggest Kevin Hart fan and he was my least favorite in the first film. Because he was being his loud an annoying self, instead of another character. Here his character is taken over by an elderly, slow-talking man that over-explains things. And I loved that! He actually outshines Dwayne Johnson for once.
“Jumanji: The Next Level” is not a necessary sequel, but a welcome one. Because I had tons of fun watching it. Even though it was much of the same, I enjoyed this film.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

TV Show Review - The Boys (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2019
Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Anthony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominique McElligott, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Elisabeth Shue, Tomer Capon, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Simon Pegg     
Description: A group of vigilantes sets out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers.

Review: Seven superheroes. Four guys. Lots of severed limbs, broken bones, crushed eyeballs and bloody scenes. And I’m not even talking about the borderline humor, drugs and a Jesus-like appearance. It’s all very gutsy, but it made me very happy.
Where superheroes are not only dominating cinemas, TV land has also many shows focusing on people with superpowers. And you have to be really good to impress nowadays. It has to be game-changing to stand out. Luckily for us, Amazon brings us “The Boys”.
In short, “The Boys” is about a group of people who, because of the superheroes, lost something or someone in their lives. They fight against ‘The Seven’, who are the seven most famous, most idolized and richest superheroes on earth. Because being a superhero is not only about having special powers, but is mainly about the media. What is the best pose (when am I the sexiest), which charity do we support (and do we get the most money for), with which minority group am I going to be photographed, in which population groups are we the least popular, and so on. Behind this huge façade is the company Vought, which is run by Madelyn Stillwell.
In The Seven there is Homelander, the superman of this world. Nobody is stronger than him and he is charming and kind to the outside world. But deep inside, he is the worst of them all. Others are A-Train, Transluscent, Queen Maeve, Black Noir, The Deep and Starlight. Starlight, aka Annie, is new. Her biggest dream has always been to be one of The Seven. And now she’s in, only to find out the real truth behind it all.
On the other side we have Hugh Campbell, the innocent guy who loses his girlfriend due to one of The Seven. He gets in touch with Billy Butcher, who leads a small group that fights against Vought.
Karl Urban plays Butcher and he is far out my favorite character on the show. He is so good and I love his accent. He is rugged, a no-nonsense loner who has been through an awful lot. And he nails it. Anthony Starr shines as Homelander, who you just want to slap in the face constantly. He is so unbearable. I haven’t felt like this about a character since Joffrey on “Game of Thrones”.
They where a little off with Madelyn Stillwell’s character. Although the performance by Elisabeth Shue us really solid, the character doesn’t always make sense. Most of the times she is super vicious and always five steps ahead. But there are moments that she makes dumb decisions and that was out of character and didn’t make sense to me. I think the writers didn’t know what to do with her.
I love how this series looks at superheroes differently and uses these adored characters as the actual villains. And the outsiders are the actual heroes.
“The Boys” is a fantastic shows that takes the term superhero into another direction that we haven’t seen before yet. And I love it.