Oldies Review - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Director: George Roy Hill
Genre: Western/ Crime
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 1969
Starring: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katherine Ross, Strother Martin, Henry Jones, Jeff Corey, Cloris Leachman

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 4: A MOVIE FROM THE 1960S

Description: Wyoming, early 1900s. Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and The Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) are the leaders of a band of outlaws. After a train robbery goes wrong they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. Their solution: escape to Bolivia.

Review: Four years before “The Sting”, director George Roy Hill brought together Paul Newman and Robert Redford for the first time and formed the fantastic duo of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Hill puts in a legendary performance as a director, with Conrad L. Hall at his side as cinematographer. Who brings something brand new to the market, especially for the time, with the switching between sepia shots and the regular color shots is fantastic. In between, a montage of photographs is used to cover the time of the journey, which fits the film perfectly. All this is once again supported by the lively and cheerful music of Burt Bacharach.
“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” is a fun and enjoyable film. Paul Newman and Robert Redford manage to alternate the blood-curdling chase with plenty of humor. This gives the film a fresh touch and keeps it from being so heavy. I am not the world’s biggest fan of westerns, but there is no denying that “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” is a fun and exciting western.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - Narcos (Season 3)

Season: 3
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2017
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Alberto Ammann, Damían Alcázar, Francisco Denis, Michael Stahl-David, Matt Whelan, Matias Varela

Description: A chronicled look at the war on drugs in Colombia, focusing on the Cali cartel.

Review: After a somewhat messy first episode, introducing old acquaintances and new protagonists, season 3 is in my opinion the best season. The reintroduction of DEA agent Javier Peña and the leaders of the Cali cartel; Gilbert Rodriguez Orejuela, Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela and Pacho Herrera takes time. Most people claim it to be the weakest season, but I think it’s definitely the best.
New important characters also have to find their way in this third season. For example, DEA agents Chris Feistl and Daniel van Ness are important allies of Javier Peña. On the other end of the spectrum, the sons of Gilberto and Miguel play important roles. Perhaps the most central role however is played by Jorge Salcedo. Jorge is the security guard for the Cali cartel, but would like to start for himself. This, like cruelty, is ultimately reason to turn against the cartel.
The Cali cartel has a completely different character than Pablo Escobar’s Meddelin cartel. Where the latter uses overt violence and terror, the Cali cartel is more cunning and underground. By making clever use of corruption and bribes, the Cali cartel manages to extend its tentacles into the core of (political and judicial) power. As a result, Gilberto manages to strike a deal with the government on a surrender without costing the cartel leaders money, power and position. With the help of Jorge Salcedo’s inventive wiretapping device, those within the cartel who oppose this plan are soon killed. Unfortunately for the cartel, DEA agent Peña has other plans. He manages to capture and imprison the mastermind behind the cartel.
This is the prelude to a political and military joust between the cartel, a corrupt Colombian government and an unwilling U.S. government. The latter seems to have an interest in keeping the government in place. It only makes Peña more motivated in his fight against the Cali cartel. While Peña does everything in his power to roll up the cartel, Jorge maneuevers between his family, the Cali cartel and the DEA. At the same time, the Cali cartel is defied by inner struggles. Not only is the surrender contested, but by picking up Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, other leaders see an opportunity.
Season 3 is so strong in part because of the cast surrounding its protagonists. Think bookkeeper Guillermo Pallomari, widow Maria Salazar, Chepe Santacruz Londoño. Chepe, in fact, knows how to combine humor and cruelty with great skill. The power struggle between Jorge Salcedo and Miguel’s son, David Rodriguez (a Colombian version of King Joffrey) adds an extra dimension to this season. With that, I always found agent Javier Peña a much more interesting character then Steve Murphy, who was the focus on in previous seasons. Now it’s Peña who shines and him being portrayed by an excellent Pedro Pascal makes it extra interesting for me.
Season 3 offers everything an exciting mafia series should offer; a touch of truth in a nicely set up drama. Probably not a popular opinion, but season 3 of “Narcos” is definitely its best.

10s Movie Review - Gerald's Game

Director: Mike Flanagan
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Carla Cugino, Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas, Carel Struyken, Kate Siegel

Description: A couple (Carle Cugino, Bruce Greenwood) tries to spice up their marriage in a remote lake house. After the husband dies unexpectedly, the wife is left handcuffed to their bed frame and must fight to survive and break free.

Review: Gerald handcuffs his wife Jessie to the bed of a remote lake house they are vacation in. for Jessie, this adventure turns into torture when Gerald suddenly dies of a heart attack, while her still being cuffed to the bed.  
2017 was a year that Stephen King had many of his films being adapted to the big screen. His book series “The Dark Tower” finally turned into a movie and the remake of “It” was a huge success. In addition, Netflix presented us with “1922” and “Gerald’s Game”.
One thing is for sure, “Gerald’s Game” is not the easiest book to film. The story largely takes place in the mind of Jessie who is chained to a bed while her late husband is being eaten by a stray dog. Yet director Mike Flanagan manages to squeeze enough suspense out of this plot.
This success is largely due to the intense acting of Carla Cugino as Jessie. As the fear, hunger and thirst begin to take their toll, she turns more an more into herself. We too escape from Jessie’s plight for a brief moment, only to be confronted with the nightmares of her past.
These interludes deepen the complexity of Cugino’s character and ensure that the film never becomes boring. Flanagan’s dedication to character development makes “Gerald’s Game” both a robust King film adaptation and an effective psychological horror film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

TV Show Review - Narcos (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2016
Starring: Wagner Moura, Pedro Pascal, Boyd Holbrook, Alberto Ammann, Paulina Gaitan, Joanna Christie

Description: A chronicled look at the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, as well as the many other drug kingpins who plagued the country through the years.  

Review: The Netflix original series “Narcos” tells the story of Pablo Escobar and the fight against drugs in Colombia. Especially because of the latter, the desire of the series’ creators to want to make a season is understandable. Season 2 is about the last phase of the life of Pablo Escobar.
Escobar is portrayed superbly by Wagner Moura. Actually, all the performances are strong. The series is authentic because the characters speaks Spanish and it uses TV images of the actual events.
Season 2 is just as raw and rough as the first. The big difference is that the pace is much slower. This only benefits the series. It gives more room for the characters, but also more time for the story. This season is only about the last month of Pablo Escobar’s life, the story continues to captivate every episode.
As mentioned before, the main storyline is the downfall of Pablo Escobar, but also the rise of the rival Cali cartel. The latter make good use of the fight against Pablo Escobar and his Medellin cartel. The story is still told from the perspective of DEA agent Steve Murphy, but actually has multiple perspectives. Such as from partner Javier Peña (my crush Pedro Pascal) who chooses to work with a branch of the Medillin cartel and thus indirectly the communist rebels and the Cali cartel. The relationship of Tata with Pablo is also explored further. So much that it turns out that their love for each other ultimately meant the final downfall of Escobar.
Despite the large number of storylines events and characters, “Narcos” is very easy to follow. The intense, rock-hard battle is portrayed crystal cleat and regularly supported by authentic TV footage from the news. The character of Pablo Escobar has lost all sympathy. In season 2 it is only about survival. In the beginning he succeeds quite well. Especially since he has the police pretty much under control and even manages to kill his biggest legal opponent. However, his other enemies and former friends smell blood and, as so often, it ends in a bloodbath.
“Narcos” clearly shows that a man who thinks he can conquer the world can also fall very hard. Symbolically, it goes from unprecedented wealth to a shabbily dressed ending in flip flops. It is raw and explicit in its violence, but has a compelling story. “Narcos” season 2 is amazing, probably even a little better then season 1.
 

Netflix Friday - Volume 39

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

Action: The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017)
The world’s top bodyguard (Ryan Reynolds) gets a new client (Samuel L. Jackson), a hitman who must testify at the International Criminal Court. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time.
 

Drama: Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
True story of Heinrich Harrer (Brad Pitt), an Austrian mountain climber who became friends with the Dalai Laa at the time of China’s takeover of Tibet.
 

Comedy: Dumb and Dumber (1994)
After a woman leaves a briefcase at the airport terminal, a dumb limo driver (Jim Carrey) and his dumber friend (Jeff Daniels) set out on a hilarious cross-country road trip to Aspen to return it.
 

Animation: Mr. Peabody and Sherman (2014)
The time-travelling adventures of an advanced canine (Ty Burrell) and his adopted son, as they endeaver to fix a time rift they created.
 

Romance: Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
A recently windowed man’s (Tom Hanks) son calls a radio talk-show in an attempt to find his father a partner.
 

Horror: Midsommar (2019)
A couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown’s fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.
 

Science Fiction: The Great Wall (2016)
In ancient China, a group of European mercenaries encounters a secret army that maintains and defends the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.
 

Crime: Spy Game (2001)
Retiring CIA agent Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) recalls his training of Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) while working against agency politics to free him from his Chinese captors.
 

Thriller: 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.
 

Documentary: Born to Be Free (2016)
Revelatory investigative film made by three intrepid, free-diving journalists Gaya, Tanya and Julia, about the global trade in wild sea mammals.
 

Family: Pluk van de Petteflet (2014)
On a quest to find a new home young Pluk in his little red crane wagon ends up in the Petteflet. He moves in to a little deserted tower room and quickly befriends some of the inhabitants and animals from the Torteltuin, the beautiful garden of the place. When he finds out the Torteltuin is about to be destroyed, Pluk and his friends are willing to try everything to stop it.

 

10s Movie Review - The To Do List

Director: Maggie Carey
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Sarah Steele, Johnny Simmons, Rachel Bilson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Andy Samberg, Connie Britton, Clark Gregg, Donald Glover, Nolan Gould, Scott Porter

Description: Feeling pressured to become more sexually experienced before she goes to college, Brandy (Aubrey Plaza) makes a list of things to accomplish before hitting campus in the fall.

Review: Brandy Klark is the smartest girl in class. Her room is filled with diplomas and awards and a brilliant career is in the works. She has a bunch of great friends and a wonderful summer job at a local pool. So nothing to complain about right? But there is. While Brandy knows everything about math and history, she knows absolutely nothing about sex. So it’s about time for extra lessons.

In order to brush up on her knowledge, Brandy makes a to-do list of sexual acts and then works through her male circle of acquaintances. Her sister has some tips and her mother brings along a tube of lubricant. All this has to lead to deflowering in the place where half the city lost their virginity, in a parking lor at Beaver Creek (no pun intended).

Those who find that Beaver Creek is funny, will have fun with “The To Do List”. The film is a string of lame jokes, flat jokes, predictable jokes and non-funny jokes. Someone pushes Brandy into the pool, Brandy loses her top, Brandy takes a bite of a fake turd that turns out to be a real turd, Brandy applies mayonnaise instead of sunscreen. The to think that these aren’t even the weakest jokes.
Since the characters barely impress either, all attention to the film quickly disappears. And it’s kind of questionable why all those well-known actors show up for this movie. And I find it kind of offensive that pressuring your friend into having sex before going to college, just to fit in. Or is that just me?
“The To Do List” is a comedy that pairs explicit sex talk with lame jokes and characters that remains as flat as a dime. I liked Bill Hader, but I always like Bill Hader. So, that’s a plus!

Rating: 2/ 5

10s Movie Review - Blackfish

Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 83 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: John Hargrove, Samantha Berg, Mark Simmons, Dean Gomersall, Carol Ray, John Jett, Jeffrey Ventre

Description: A documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales.

Review: In 2010 the makers of “The Cove” received an Oscar for their shocking documentary. With their portrayal of the Japanese dolphin hunt and all the bloody scenes it entailed, the consumption of dolphin meat in the Asian country was exposed. In addition, the idyllic and romantic image of the dolphinarium was done away with a stroke. Flipper may have given the impression of enjoying himself immensely and appears to be performing tricks with all the pleasure in the world, the reality is much grimmer. The marine mammals were cornered in a Japanese bay and bloody butchered for their flesh and imprisoned in the dolphinarium. If you hadn’t developed enough of an aversion to dolphinariums after seeing “The Cove”, “Blackfish” might be the deciding factor.
The dolphin’s big brother, the orca aka killer whale, has it at least as hard. The appearance of the black and white whale is a lot more serious and threatening than that of the dolphin. Dolphins have the bad luck that their facial expressions and gurgling always make them seem to be laughing. The orca is a dangerous sea predator with remarkable social qualities and intelligence. A diver tells the emotional story of the capture of a group of young orcas who were cornered. Their parents, uncles and aunts did not flee, but in solidarity stayed nearby a few meters away when the young animals were caught. The young orcas did not survive and had to be cut open and stuffed with stones before being sunk to the bottom of the sea.  
As if the misery surrounding the capture wasn’t bad enough, the scope of “Blackfish” is even greater. This is also where it takes a different path than “The Cove”. There have been at least seventy cases in recent decades of incidents in which trainers in dolphinariums were killed, suffered very serious injuries or narrowly escaped them. The marine parks, of which the American Sea World is by the largest and best known, were happy to seep the incidents under the rug. In their view, the orca is a harmless and peaceful animals and it is actually always the trainer’s fault that accidents occurred. However, many former trainers and scientist agree that it is the captivity of the animals and the complete desperation that drives them to this behavior. The orca male Tilikum is a notable case in point. He cause a fatal accident in Canada in the 1990s. despite this, Sea World in Florida bought Tilikum where he caused trainer Dawn Brancheau to die a gruesome death in 2010.
It is a one-sided story. Documentary filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite can do little about it because Sea World did not want to cooperate. The only backlash given comes from a former trainer. On the other hand, she pushes her message hard. Despite the lack of an adversarial approach, the filmmaker succeeds in sketching a fascinating history of Tilikum and the many wrong decisions that the money-grubbing man has made. The image of trainers at the mercy of the orcas are both shocking and fascinating. There is some effect, because “Blackfish” is presented almost as a thriller. Downright shocking is the way Sea World tries to blame the accidents on the trainers. Touching and heartbreaking are the stories about mother orcas crying when their calves are taken from them.
The main conclusion of this impressive documentary is that sensitive animals like orcas simply belong in the wild

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Born to Be Free

Director: Gayane Petrosyan
Genre: Documantary
Runtime: 74 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Gayane Petrosyan

Description: Revelatory investigative film made by three intrepid, free-diving journalists Gaya, Tanya and Julia, about the global trade in wild sea mammals.

Review: After documentaries like “The Cove”(2009) and “Blackfish” (2013), we get “Born to Be Free”, where three free diving women investigate the global trade in wild sea mammals, focusing on the Beluga whale.
Just like many films about climate change, this film about trading wild mammals, humans are pointed out as a disturbing element. You should leave animals in their natural habitat. But people do anything for money, even if it endangers another living being’s life.
“Born to Be Free” is an interesting documentary about the sad fate of a number of beluga whales, which in the end spreads to other species that are also being captivated and tolerate just as little.
Everything is well explained and the message is good and clear. It might not have the impact as the aforementioned documentaries, but it still left and impression on me.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 38

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

Action: Escape Plan (2013)
When a structural-security authority (Sylvester Stallone) finds himself set up and incarcerated in the world’s most secret and secure prison, he has to use his skills to escape with help from the inside.
 

Drama: A Sun (2019)
A family of four fractures under the weight of unmet expectations, unexpected tragedy, and uncompromising pride.
 

Comedy: Coming to America (1988)
An extremely pampered African Prince travels to Queens, New York, and goes undercover to find a wife that can he can respect for her intelligence and will.
 

Animation: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
A wild stallion is captured by humans and slowly loses the will to resist training, yet, throughout his struggle for freedom, the stallion refuses to let go of the hope of one day returning to his home herd.
 

Romance: My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
When a woman’s (Julia Roberts) long-time friend (Dermot Mulroney) reveals he’s engaged, she realizes she loves him herself and sets out to get him, with only a few days before the wedding.
 

Horror: The Witch (2015)
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.
 

Science Fiction: Godzilla (2014)
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.
 

Crime: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
The tory of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1986 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
 

Thriller: The Interpreter (2005)
Political intrigue and deception unfold inside the United Nations, where a U.S. Secret Service agent (Sean Penn) is assigned to investigate an interpreter (Nicole Kidman) who overhears an assassination plot.
 

Documentary: The Mind Explained (2019)
Ever wonder what’s happening inside your head? From dreaming to anxiety disorders, discover how your brain works with this illuminating series.
 

Family: The Flintstones (1994)
In a parallel modern-day Stone Age world, a working-class family, the Flintstones, are set up for an executive job. But they learn that money can’t buy happiness.

10s Movie Review - Icarus

Director: Bryan Fogel
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Bryan Fogel, Grigory Rodchenkov, Dave Zabrinskie, Don Catlin, Scott Brandt, Ben Stone, Richard Pound

Description: When Bryan Fogel sets 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.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 3: A DOCUMENTARY

Review: It is, of course, the dream of every documentary filmmaker, that something happens during the production of your documentary that suddenly gives you a truly remarkable story to tell. The Oscar-winning Netflix documentary “Icarus” is the epitome of this type of documentary. Beginning as a story about an amateur athlete who wants to find out through self-examination whether people perform better because of doping, the entire tone of the documentary changes when it suddenly finds itself at the heart of the biggest doping scandal in sports history.
Bryan Fogel has been a top amateur cyclist all his life. Just like many others he was a big fan of Lance Armstrong and you feel immediately that this documentary is made from wanting to understand the betrayal of Armstrong and others. Fogel was particularly curious to investigate the influence of doping on sports performance, and because he had just finished a surprisingly 14^th place in the toughest multi-day amateur cycling race in the world, the Haute Route, he decided to try to finish even higher the following year with the use of doping. The top 10 was incredibly good, and something in the documentary insinuates that this could never have happened ‘cleanly’.
Because he wants to do it all very neatly and safe, he decides to approach American anti-doping doctors, as well as WADA (the worldwide anti-doping agency). Because it is a rather tricky subject, one of the most prominent doctors rather quickly does not dare to help him anymore, but he has a friendly colleague from Moscow who will probably dare. And during the first Skype conversation with Grigory Rodchenkov you immediately notice a joviality and genuine interest that Bryan probably didn’t expect either. Their collaboration goes smoothly from the start, no matter how weird Bryan finds it how easily testosterone and other doping products are discussed. He submits to Gigory’s firm doping regime, gets to know tricks to avoid doping controls in the process, and then it’s time for the new Haute Route. Seven days later, when the race is over and Bryan, with his 32^nd place finish, is just about to conclude that doping therefore not made him perform better, Grigory’s name suddenly appears in the international press as the head of the corrupt Moscow anti-doping laboratory, which, especially around the Sochi Games, did everything that everyone outside Russia had forbidden. Grigory’s initial reaction is one of “Oh well, it’s just a game”, but soon it appears safer for him to leave Moscow.
On the one hand it is a pity that Fogel’s conclusion about doping is logically pushed directly into the background by Grigory’s revelations, because that also seemed to become incredibly interesting. On the other hand, right after the first year, Grigory tells us they’ve only been busy on the second floor of the ‘doping house’ and that there’s a bit more possible on the second and third floors. But at that point the documentary literally turns into a geopolitical thriller of unprecedented proportions. Indeed, it is primarily Grigory’s hard drives that provide WADA with evidence of a 100% state-sponsored doping program, so the fact that Putin called him “an idiot” on national television, seems to proof Grigory really knew too much. But one of the striking things in this documentary is that Fogel just became friends with Grigory and he really wanted to help him get the information out, but also to be able to live safely somewhere in America, despite the fact that his wife and children had to stay behind in Moscow. And at one point Fogel himself is the one who gives the doping authorities Grigory’s information.
Even though Fogel obviously plays with your emotions by cutting revelations in voiceover with images of Putin in such a way that only the cinematic sound design is missing to bring the film to a climax. This works very well, because it gives an even more untrustworthy image than he already has. To what extent this is closer to the truth I do not knowl the documentary does fit in our Western view of Russia of course. But because former President of Sports, Moetko, is also allowed to tell his story, I get the feeling that Fogel wanted to paint as broad a picture as possible, given the public distance that the government has had to take with respect to Rodchenkov.
“Icarus” is a very good documentary and I really understand why it won and Oscar.

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - The Guest List - Lucy Foley

Title: The Guest List
Series: -
Author: Lucy Foley
 
Description: On a small island off the coast of West Ireland, guests have gathered for the wedding. The bride and groom are online magazine publisher Julia “Jules” Keegan and celebrity host and survivalist Will Slater. They’ve gathered their relatives and loved ones to celebrate in true destination wedding style, with plenty of champagne and fashionable people. But as a storm brews, the guests and their shared histories collide with one another, and when the lights go out, a body is found. Between Will’s old boarding school friends and Jules’s close friends and relatives, there’s plenty of secrets and intrigue to around. As old secrets get revealed, the question remains is, who did it and why?
 
Review: Jules and Will can’t believe their luck. The day has finally arrived: their wedding on a beautiful island off the Irish coast. While the final preparations are being made and the guest are slowly arriving, a storm breaks out outside. No one can leave the island. Old sores arise, long forgotten feuds are fought over and the mood on the island becomes increasingly grim. But no one could suspect that one of the guests was capable of murder. Everyone has secrets. Everyone has a motive. One of them will not leave the island alive. But who?
 
In “The Guest List” we follow several characters including Jules. Jules is thirty-foir and the owner of a successful magazine. She is about to marry her fiancé Will who is also very successful himself. In fact, he is a well-known actor of the television program Survive the Night. With such a successful couple comes a wedding that is arranged down to last detail. For Jules, that means a wedding on a remote island. The story is told from a wide range of perspectives and from different characters: the bride, groom, groomsmen, a half-sister, wedding planner and the plus-one. It is the perfect set-up for a classic whodunit type story. It’s filled with secrets, lies and betrayal.
 
Lucy Foley has managed to create a very strong and exciting whodunit. I was into the story from chapter one. The setting is perfect for a story like this and I could totally picture it. Telling the story from multiple perspectives makes it more interesting. You don’t only get to know the characters better, it also adds to the mystery of it all. They all seem like loose ends at first, but eventually they are all tied together. Foley did this very well, working toward that final conclusion.
 
Foley created interesting characters, all with their own stories, secrets and histories. Everyone remained mysterious up until the unfolding of the story. A number of plot twists in the story were very surprising, which is really hard to accomplish these days.  
 
I’ve always loved whodunit stories. A good murder mystery is difficult to write Lucy Foley did an amazing job and created a modern mystery with classic touches. And I really enjoyed Foley’s writing style. This was my introduction to her, so I will be checking out more of her work.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

TV Show Review - Narcos (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2015
Starring: Wagner Moura, Pedro Pasal, Boyd Holbrook, Alberto Ammann, Paulina Gaitan, Joanna Christie

Description: A chronicled look at the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, as well as the many other drug kingpins who plagued the country through the years.  

Review: ‘Plato o plomo’, or ‘silver or lead’ is the choice you had when you encountered Pablo Escobar. In seasn 1 of “Narcos”, viewers can see what happened if you chose one of the two options. In ten episodes we are introduced to one of the greatest drug traffickers to have ever existed.
The series revolved around three characters. The first is Pablo Escobar, played by Wagner Moura. Moura does a great job of portraying the character of Escobar. One moment you admire him and the next you are disgusted by him. Escobar is one of the most interesting drug lords to ever exist. He went from being a poor street kid from a disadvantaged neighborhood in Colombia to a cocaine dealer who made a million dollars a day in his heyday.
The others are DEA agents Steve Murphy and Javier Peña. Murphy is a young American agent whose personal goal is to put Escobar behind bars. It is also Murphy who takes us into the story and provides the narrative. Which is a bold choice, since the series is about Escobar. Peña is the cop more known in the district of Colombia and is familiar with how things work there. Together they try to bring down Escobar. Boyd Holbrook and Pedro Pascal are both really solid in their roles, though I did wish Pascal had more screen time then Holbrook.
In the first season, we learn how Escobar allows his drug cartel to become one of the largest in the world. Escobar knows that he wants and thinks he can make anything happen. Anyone who works against him is given a choice: plato o plomo. In other words, you either allow yourself to be bribed or you will be shot. Agents Murphy and Peña do everything to stop the regime of Escobar.
The story is structured in such a way that at first you can still admire Escobar, but eventually you become more against him. He is a smart businessman and shares his wealth with the less fortunate. As the power of his cartel grows, so does his ego. And Escobar slowly loses himself in the madness that his wealth has created.
In addition to the story of the struggle between the police and the drug traffickers, as a viewer you also learn a lot about the political history of Colombia and the struggle between America and communism. For example, we follow the story of President César Gaviria, who regularly faces difficult decisions that could potentially cost him his life. It is interesting to see how two warring factions both tried, in their own way, to fight for the Colombian people.
The strength of the series is its authenticity. The story is supported by real footage from the time, so that as a viewer you are sometimes reminded with amazement that all the violence and bizarre events in the series really happened. The creators’ choice to have Escobar and his associates speak Spanish also contributes well to this, because often movies and shows do everything in English to make it more accessible for viewers.
“Narcos” is a fantastic show, I don’t know why I didn’t watch it sooner.

10s Movie Review - A Sun

Director: Mong-Hong Chung
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 156 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Chien-Ho Wu, Yi-Wen Chen, Samantha Shu-Chin Ko, Kuan-Ting Liu, Greg han Hsu, Apple Wu, Ivy Yin, Chen-Ling Wen, Chih-Ju Lin

Description: A family fractures under the weight of unmet expectations, unexpected tragedy, and uncompromising pride.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 2: A MOVIE IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE THEN ENGLISH

Review: “Seize the day, draw your plan”. That’s the decisive motto of driving school instructor Mr. Chen. He is deeply disappointed when his youngest son A-Ho ends up in prison after a violent incident. From now on, he tells his wife that he only has one son, A-Hao, a well-read, intelligent boy. Meanwhile, his wife tries to keep the family together.
“A Sun” is a move you really have to take the time for. A film that’s on Netflix and will probably be ignored or overlooked by most people. And that would be a shame, because it’s a beautifully photographed, powerfully acted film. It might be a bit of a slow burn, but ultimately it’s a fascinating drama about themes such as expectations, family ties and forgiveness. It was awarded many times at Asian film festivals. Just yet to be discovered by a broader audience.

Rating: 4 / 5