00s Movie Review - The Great Debaters

Director: Denzel Washington
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Jurnee Smollett, Nate Parker, Kimberly Pearl, Denzel Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, Gina Ravera

Description: Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) is a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school’s first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship.

Review: “The Great Debaters” is a very nice film about the emancipation of the black community in the US. It’s about racial inequality in schools (and society) in the 1930s.

Denzel Washington plays teacher Melvin Tolson, who inspires students to start the first debate team, eventually challenging Harvard University.

Denzel Washington is a fantastic actor, but also directed “The Great Debaters”. He proved earlier with “Antwone Fisher” that he is capable of directing a good film. And he shows it again with “The Great Debaters”.

Overall, “The Great Debaters” is an inspirational story, well-told and performed. A film I believe many people have not seen yet.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Trial by Fire

Director: Edward Zwick
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Jack O’Connell, Laura Dern, Emily Meade, Chris Coy, Jeff Perry, David Wilson Barnes

Description: The tragic and controversial story of Cameron Todd Willingham (Jack O’Connell), was sentenced to death in Texas for killing his three children even after scientific evidence and expert testimony bolstered his claims of innocence.

Review: A renowned director and some fine actors, accompanied with a strong story: you would think that such a film would find its way to the general public. “Trial by Fire” was released in 2018, but it’s only just now that people are all watching it, since it was added to Netflix.

The film tells the story of Cameron Todd Willingham, a man living in the slums of Corsica, Texas. He looses his three young children in a house fire. After an investigation, Willingham is found guilty of the crime and is sentenced to death. As Willingham is dragged though a rough an tough and unfair trial, he always maintains his innocence. In doing so, he gets the help from Elizabeth, who wants to proof that Willingham was wrongfully accused of murder.

The film is based on a true story and an article written by David Grann. It’s a sad story, you wish has a happy ending. It’s just crazy that this actually happened, and of course in Texas. The state with the most people receiving the death penalty.

Really strong story, well-performed by both Jack O’Connell and Laura Dern and a fulm you really should watch.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Scream VI

Director: Matt Bettenelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Genre: Horror/ Mystery/ Thriller
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Courtney Cox, Hayden Panettiere, Tony Revolori, Dermot Mulroney, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jack Champion, Liana Liberato, Josh Segarra
 
Description: In the next installment, the survivors of the Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York City.

Review: The survivors of the Woodsboro attack have moved to New York, but a new Ghostface is also coming to make this city unsafe.

“Scream”(2022), really just the fifth installment in the series, had a double feature. As the characters in the film state, it is a ‘requel’, a sequel and reboot merged together. It worked as a fresh start, but was just as much a continuation of all the previous parts. This way, fans, both old and new, could get something out of the film. With “Scream VI”, Woodsboro is officially in the past. This small town is traded in for New York.

With the change of scenery, the so-called formula is dressed up just a little differently again. New York is a busy city with much more going on. This makes the situations more exciting than usual. A crowded subway, a small shop or sneaking into a house in broad daylight to kill someone. It’s all possible. Ghostface hasn’t been this ruthless in ages and the murders are more bloody than before.

Right from the opening scene, you expectations are played with. You know how a Scream movie opens, but this time we go longer than usual and are presented with a fun twist. After that, “Scream VI” takes its time to provide character development for the four survivors of the previous movie. They all deal with the traumatic experience differently. The sister duo, Tara and Sam, played by Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera, impress the most.

The sixth installment in the series manages the balance between honoring the old and taking a new direction well. The meta and satirical tone is still present, which I always liked about all the films, such as the “rules of the game”.

“Scream VI” is a bit more serious than some of its predecessors and the film makes a statement that the old characters are no longer needed to continue this franchise. Enjoyable watch, solid enough, fun twist at the end, a bit over the top maybe. But if you liked the previous films, you will have a good time watching this too. And I think there are move Scream films to follow after this sixth installment.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - The Institute by Stephen King

Title: The Institute
Series: -
Author: Stephen King
 
Description: In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, “like the roach motel,” Kalisha says. “You check in, but you don’t check out.”

In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don’t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.
 
Review: Luke Ellis, a 12-year-old boy from Minneapolis, is kidnapped from his home one night, by a mysterious team. He wakes up in a room that looks exactly like his own, but doesn’t have a window. Soon he meets peers who have been similarly kidnapped and inform him: they are locked up in The Institute, a facility for children with psychic powers. Luke and some of his friends are telekinetic and others telepathic. At first glance, the facility’s staff seems friendly, but turns out to have no good intentions. They experiment on the children and as those increase, more and more of Luke’s friend disappear into the secret half of the institution. Luke concocts an escape plan, but no one has ever succeeded to do so.   
 
At first glance, “The Institute” is not Stephen King’s most original work; children and adults with paranormal abilities have been popping up throughout his career from his debut “Carrie” to “The Shining”, “Firestarter” and “The Green Mile”, and many others. Its influence over the years is evident. This book felt a lot like the storyline of Eleven in the Netflix show “Stranger Things”.
 
Despite that not be the most innovative theme, King’s “The Institute” is an exciting, entertaining and at times moving story. The book gradually builds to a strong climax that reveals everything and more than you as a reader expect. I loved that ending. This book si more sci-fi, thriller and fantasy than gory horror. And much attention is paid to underlying themes of friendship and good versus evil. But there is still suspense in this story.
 
What I find very good about this book is that it’s both a good start for Stephen King newbies and recommended for his fans. I don’t think it’s one of his best books, because it is at times very uneventful and it drags a bit. But still a pretty good read.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

90s Movie Review - Gattaca

Director: Andrew Niccol
Genre: Drama/ Science Fiction/ Thriller
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Tony Shalhoub, Gore Vidal, Elias Koteas, Blair Underwood

Description: A genetically inferior man (Ethan Hawke) assumes the identity of a superior one (Jude Law) in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 21: A MOVIE SET IN A DYSTOPIAN WORLD
 
Review: In the near future, it will be possible to have children through genetic engineering. This way the parents can choose what color hair their child will have and also things like eye color and other physical characteristics. Also in terms of intelligence and genetic weakness, the children can be modified and thus there will be almost only perfect children. Vincent Freeman, however, is not; he was just brought into the world in a normal way. He experiences problems with this, as all perfect people get the best jobs. Vincent also has a dream to go into space, but due to a heart defect he will never qualify for this. Then he meets Jerome Morrow. He is genetically adapted, but is in a wheelchair due to an accident. In order to survive, he sells his genetic material to people who can use it. Vincent uses Jerome’s DNA to make his dream come true. The plan succeeds, but when a murder is committed, Vincent finds himself in trouble when he must go to great length to keep his genetic imperfection hidden.

Andrew Niccol has written and directed “Gattaca”. The film is a combination of science fiction, drama and thriller. Science fiction, because the story takes place in a dystopian future and thus not because of space battles. It’s about a future society, where people can have the perfect child through genetic engineering. All traits can be carefully chosen and, in addition, all genetically determined diseases are gone. However, the main character Vincent is a normal person who does not have all the advantages that a genetically perfect one does.

The story is well written and has excitement and entertainment in it. The characters come across as believable, including their actions, and they are well explored. The theme about genetic engineering is still relevant today, and therefore the movie has not lost its power so many years after its release.
It seems like a quite simple movie, but Andrew Niccol has added several layers to the story. Without moralizing to much, he shows the consequences of a perfect society and what effect this can have on some people.
Ethan Hawke has always been an actor I like to watch. He manages to convey his character’s struggles well. He is human and vulnerable, which in in contrast to the perfect people that populate the world around him. Jude Law’s character Jerome is genetically perfect who despite this fact, still did not find happiness. His performance is also convincing. Uma Thurman, although strong as well, plays Vincent’s love interest, but her character isn’t as developed as the aforementioned Vincent and Jerome.

The atmosphere of the film is sterile and cold, a perfect setting to create the right mood for this film. This all makes “Gattaca” a very interesting film with a captivating story. The combinations of genres works well and the world building and set design are really good. Highly recommended when you enjoy movies about dystopian and future societies.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Book Review - The It Girl by Ruth Ware

Title: The It Girl
Series: -
Author: Ruth Ware
 
Description: April Coutts-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford.

Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead.

Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide… including a murder.
Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead.
Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide… including a murder.
 
Review: April was the first person Hannah met when she came to Oxford. April was the ultimate It-girl, and together with Will, Hugh, Ryan and Emily they formed an inseparable group of friends. But by the end of the second term, April is found dead. Now, ten years later, Hannah and Will have built a life together and are expecting their first child. John Neville, the man convicted for April’s murder, has died in prison and Hannah is happy that she can finally put the past behind her. But when a journalist tells Hannah that Neville may have been innocent, Hannah dives back into the mystery, not knowing which of her friends she can and cannot trust.
 
This is the second book by Ruth Ware that I have read. “The Turn of the Key” was the first and this book really blew me away. “The It Girl” didn’t quite have the same effect, but I did enjoy it. Especially the second half of the book.
 
The chapters alternate between the past and the present. In the past, we see how Hannah meets April and how she eventually found her dead. In the present we follow Hannah’s current life working in a bookstore, being married to Will, expecting her first child and trying to get answers to new questions revolving around this mystery. I love dual timelines, although this is not a constant in the book. I think about two thirds of the way in, we only follow present day.
 
The setting, Oxford University, gives this book a dark academia vibe. Something Ware knows will do well with readers. The first half of the book is pretty slow and not very eventful, but when you pass the halfway point, there is more tension and suspense, and the mystery becomes more interesting. The reveal and final plot twists aren’t the most surprising, but I was okay with it. One part of the reveal I particularly liked, the culprit I somehow predicted.
 
The characters are all well-developed, but most of them are highly unlikeable. I never mind that in books, because even if you don’t like the people in the story, you still want to see the mystery get solved. At least, I do.
 
I do believe that there are many thrillers that did it better, but “The It Girl” is a solid book. A little slow in the beginning, but eventually it pays off. I think most Ruth Ware fan will enjoy it, but this is not your typical favorite.
 
Rating: 3, 5/ 5

Movie Review - The Whale

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton, Ty Simpkins
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 20: A MOVIE THAT MAKES PEOPLE CRY
 
Description: A reclusive, morbidly obese English teacher (Brendan Fraser) attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter (Sadie Sink).

Review: Charlie is obese and, due to deteriorating health, wants to make one more attempt to make amends with his estranged daughter Ellie. He is severely obese and can barely move around his own house. As a result, “The Whale” plays out only within these enclosed walls.

Brendan Fraser gives “The Whale” a heart and soul. He needs to be in the middle and knows exactly how to hit that spot, making his acting even more impressive. Indeed, it’s difficult to look at Charlie: he is dirty, sweaty, severely obese and he goes on eating unhealthy food. This makes it somewhat difficult to elicit sympathy for him. Because how can you sympathize with a man who won’t let himself be helped?

The film balances this by, on the other hand, providing Charlie with a good character. Someone who sees the positive in you and wants to help other people as far as is still possible in his situation. Because of his poor health, he wants one mor chance to make amends with his estranged daughter Ellie. Director Darren Aronofsky gives Ellie anger and pain and that comes from a place of frustration and disbelief; slowly she must realize that her father does not have long to live. Their dialogues together are vulnerable and the of the film is abrupt. Yet this works.

“The Whale” works because the film deals with this intense subject unbiasedly. For example, we never find out why Charlie does not seek outside help and just continues to live unhealthy. The “why” is not important here. The continuing theme is about the choices you make, how they affect others and the consequences they have. That you still sympathize with Charlie in the end proves that the film possesses a strong emotional core.

The film is based on a play, which is very noticeable. The film feels a lot like a play. It’s a gripping movie, with fantastic performances by Sadie Sink and Hong Chau, but especially Brendan Fraser, who won a well-deserved Academy Award for this role.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Mother

Director: Niki Caro
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Gael Garcia Bernal, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick
 
Description: While fleeing from dangerous assailants, an assassin (Jennifer Lopez) comes out of hiding to protect her daughter she left earlier in life.

Review: The murderess at the center of “The Mother” is never given a name, simple the mother. And indeed motherhood is the only thing that drives her. The viewers get to know her when she is pregnant and interrogated by the police after her deal with shady individuals Adrian and Hector goes awry. They want revenge after she betrays them, and what better revenge than getting back at the mother through her child?

Jennifer Lopez succeeds well in portraying the mother as a nuanced character. In this dark thriller, everything is heavy and negative, but thankfully Lopez does not adapt her performance to a cliché story. Although she is though in her actions, there is also a warmth in the way she protects her daughter and talks to an old friend. Too bad, then, that the script doesn’t give her much to work with.

“The Mother” neatly takes the expected steps with just enough focus so that it doesn’t become a really bad movie. The action scenes are entertaining enough, although the editing could be a little better at times.

This thriller does not constantly keep you on the edge of your seat, but the pace is fairly even. It is only when the mother teaches her daughter to protect herself that the narrative settles down and thus allows room for the daughter’s development. Just unfortunate that she eventually doesn’t use much of what she has learned.

Lopez already doesn’t have much to work with, but the villains are even more sparsly fleshed out. In his very limited screentime, Gael Garcia Bernal still puts a certain flair and terrifying charisma into his character. Next to him, Joseph Fiennes really falls flat, unfortunate he has the larger role of the two. Bernal is a way better actor.

“The Mother” is a popcorn film that will be forgotten in no time, but it’s by no means a bad movie.  

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Missing

Director: Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Storm Reid, Nia Long, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Tim Griffin, Daniel Henney
 
Description: After her mother (Nia Long) goes missing, June (Storm Reid) tries to find her from home, using tools available to her online.

Review: In 2018, the thriller “Searching” was released in which a father used modern (social) media and apps to search for his missing daughter. The viewer was only shown his online activities and the format was original and the story had some surprising twists. Four and a half years later, the same creators release “Missing”. Same format, new characters, different story. And again, lots of surprises and just as entertaining.

This time it revolves around teenager June, who maintains a troubled relationship with her overprotective mother Grace after the death of her father. When Grace undertakes a romantic trip to Colombia with her new boyfriend, June is happy to have a moment of total abandonment. But when she wakes up on the day she has to pick her mother up from the airport, Grace and her boyfriend never show up.

We get right into the mystery, just little introduction, but that’s not needed. It’s very clear that Grace and June have a rocky relationship. When June realizes her mother is missing, she starts her own investigation.

Directors Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick do not take a moment to slow down with their screenplay and make you increasingly curious about the true circumstances of the disappearance. The screens, apps, chats, cameras, searches, facetime calls and messages all pass by, but the filmmakers manage to convey the information to the audience in an orderly fashion.

The story constantly leads us in certain directions, eventually taking a different path and ending with a twist that you could not see coming. Even when the clues were there, at the time of seeing them, you don’t know how to place them in the story yet.

“Missing” is, just like “Searching”, a well-crafted thriller with some strong plot twists and a really solid Storm Reid as the lead.  If you enjoyed “Searching” you will feel the same about “Missing”.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Title:  Daisy Darker
Series: -
Author: Alice Feeney
 
Description: After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80^th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tidal island. Finally back together one last time, when the time comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.
 
The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. Then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…
 
Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide comes in and all is revealed.
 
Review: When you read a thriller by Alice Feeney, you know you can expect a surprising reveal or plot twist. Although this is different from previous books I read by her, that final reveal is again one that I did not see coming.
 
Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Literally. But after years of avoiding each other, her family comes together for the 80^th birthday of her grandmother, Nana. The venue is Seaglass, Nana’s gothic mansion on an island that can only be reached at a low tide.
 
When the family arrives, secrets surface one by one. And things get worse when they are cut off from the mainland for eight hours during the tide. Add to that a severe storm and the party is complete. Especially when at midnight, Nana is found dead. An hour later, so is the next family member. They are being murdered one by one. To find the culprit, they will have to face their secrets.
 
“Daisy Darker” was obviously inspired by “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie, which involves a group of strangers invited to a mansion by a mystery guest on a remote island and are also killed one by one. Here it’s a dysfunctional family. “Daisy Darker” is not as much of a page turner as “And Then There Were None” or Alice Feeney’s other books “His & Hers” and “Rock Paper Scissors”. And I felt kind of meh throughout the book. It was just fine, enjoyable, but nothing special. But then there is that reveal and the plot twists. And that’s what made this book so much better. It even makes you want to read it a second time, to see if you can spot the clues. Maybe the culprit could be predicted, but the shocking ending is way more complex and original. That bumped up my eventual rating of the book by a point.  
 
If I would recommend you an Alice Feeney book, I would probably not go with this one, but it’s still a book worth reading.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Director: James Gunn
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Comedy
Runtime: 150 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Uwuji, Will Poulter, Elizabeth Debicki
 
Description: Still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoek Saldana), Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their own, a mission that could mean the end of the Guardians if not successful.  

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 19: A SEQUEL
 
Review: The first film from 2014 was considered by Marvel to be a risk, with a small change of success. Who knew that an ensemble film about a group of misfits, including a foul-mouthed CGI raccoon and a verbally limited tree could lead to such success. It has been visible from the start that director and writer James Gunn believed in this team of misfits and has heart for them, because, in my opinion, this is the best series within the MCU. And he ends this trilogy with a bang. Just to be clear, I loved this movie and the review might not be subjective.   

The Guardians have settled on Knowhere, trying to give their lives shape after the loss of Gamora. That is going relatively well, until priestess Ayesha (whom we met in volume 2) comes for revenge and sends her perfect fighting machine Adam Warlock. In a fight, Rocket is seriously injured and to save his life, the Guardians must find out how the genetically engineered raccoon was ‘created’. To do so, they must delve into his past. And I’m telling you, it’s the saddest story you will ever see in a Marvel film.
Rocket, or experiment 89P13, turns out to be a creation of the High Evolutionary; a scientist who has set himself the goal of creating the perfect race and the perfect society. In the process, the self-appointed Messiah makes a lot of victims, lots of innocent victims. And with that he is by far the most evil Marvel villain yet. And I will add him to my list of most hated movie characters ever. The antagonist, strongly portrayed by Chukwudi Iwuju, holds the key to Rocket’s recovery.

The film clearly takes a darker path than its predecessors. The opening tune illustrates this perfectly. No upbeat song as usual, but an acoustic version of Radiohead’s melancholy “Creep”. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is definitely still a funny sci-fi action comedy, but the emotional depth and somewhat heavier subject matter make it a more mature film. The caption on the poster says it all: “once more with feeling”. And I felt all the feels.

The plot consists of two storylines that converge at the end in a blistering finale. In the main story, which has all the action and humor, we follow the Guardians on their crazy and beautifully designed space adventure, in which, among other things, they take on a copy of Earth and a completely organic space station against the genetically engineered misfits of the high Evolutionary. The subplot serves as an emotional counterpoint, telling the equally wry and touching, but also sad story of Rocket’s genesis. Rocket has always been my favorite of the Guardians, but he most definitely is my favorite Marvel character of all-time as well. This one hit me hard.

James Gunn shifts incredibly cleverly between the two well-written storylines, alternating dramatic seriousness with humor, and CGI action spectacle with story and character development. With a well-balanced phasing, he keeps attention firmly from beginning to end, and with his once again phenomenally compiled playlist, he adds an awful lot of color to the film.

The highlight of the film are the perfectly cast, imperfect characters. All Guardians have their flaws and this is precisely what makes them so interesting. Their noble actions are partly motivated by a desire for redemption from an often dark past. This provides the team of misfits with an approachable humanity.

Nebula, meanwhile, is a full-fledged fun-loving Guardian and finally begins to thaw out, while Gamora, returned from the past and remembering nothing, takes her place as the pessimist of the group. It is a stroke of genius to have the sisters switch roles because with the new group dynamic, Gunn avoids a repetition of moves. Peter Quill’s character steps a bit to the background this time, Groot is in the prime of his life and the ever-dry Drax along with Mantis, provide the film’s comedic highlights. But Rocket is everything to me in this film.

I’m giving “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” a perfect rating, purely out of emotion, because to me this trilogy is the perfect one and it’s very near and dear to my heart. The series had a perfect conclusion with this emotional rollercoaster. I literally cannot fault it.

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - The Quiet People by Paul Cleave

Title: The Quiet People
Series: -
Author: Paul Cleave
 
Description: Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are succesful crime writers. They have been on the promotional circuit, joking that no one knoew how to get away with crime like they do. After all, they write about it for a living.
 
So when their seven-year-old son Zach goes missing, the police and the public naturally wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been sayin all this time…. Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
 
Review: We meet Cameron and Lisa Murdoch, a married couple and a successful crime writers duo. Together with their son Zach, they live the good life. Zach is not you typical child, he requires special care and sometimes has raging outbursts. Cameron and Lisa have it under control, but there are still moments were it’s difficult.
 
The book starts with Cameron who is spending the day with his son, where certain things happen which will affect both Zach and Cameron. Later, Zach goes missing. Cameron and Lisa are the first suspects, since they have joked about the fact that they can commit the perfect crime because of their work as crime authors. Consequently, public opinion is quick to judge and point the finger at them as well, and a veritable media circus erupts.
The fact that Zach is somewhat difficult to deal with, Cameron’s unfortunate actions, the fact that Lisa and Cameron are crime writers and public opinion is quickly formed, are the main plot points of the book. Author Paul Cleave manages to intertwine this with the police investigation and a number of possible scenarios about the disappearance.
 
As a reader you are thrown back and forth and you don’t know who you can believe or not. The book has a medium pace, but constant tension. The writing style is smooth and it holds your attention. Cleave’s way of explaining things is sometimes a bit too elaborate, but not to the point it gets annoying.
 
The story is told from two different perspectives, Cameron and Detective Kent, and you only know that due to the narration. The chapters itself don’t tell you whose perspective you are following, until you start the chapter. But two storylines really help in a story like this.
 
Besides finding Zach, there is much more going on. Human prejudice, resentment, mistakes that are made, events that can be interpreted in multiple ways make it very difficult to get an overview of what really happened. While reading you have no idea which direction the story will be going in. The type of reveal/ twist has been done before, but it’s still surprising and well-done. Even though this is not a story where you can think along and then try to solve the mystery yourself, it’s a compelling and tense story that will keep your attention almost the entire time.
 
Rating: 3, 5/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Spiderwick Chronicles

Director: Mark Waters
Genre: Adventure/ Fantasy/ Family/ Drama/ Action
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, David Strathairn, Nick Nolte, Seth Rogen, Martin Short, Sarah Bolger, Andrew McCarthy, Ron Perlman

Description: Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother (Mary-Louise Parker), twin brothers Jared and Simon (Freddie Highmore), along with their sister Mallory (Sarah Bolger), find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures.

Review: There are countless magical beings living in our world, of which we know nothing because we cannot see them. We humans only see them, if they want us to. Arthur Spiderwick discovered that and started writing a book about all the secrets these creatures. He indexes his findings in a scientific way, until he found out that with all this knowledge, evil forces could wipe out all other fantastic creatures and then be powerful enough to take on humans. He hid the book in his house and put a protective magic circle around it so that the evil creatures could not reach it.

Of course, such a secret does not stay hidden forever. Eighty years later, distant reltives of Arthur Spiderwick movie into his old house. Helen and her three children Mallory, Jared and Simon have decided to move there after the divorce. Jared is the one that finds the book and he releases the evil creatures.

The story of “The Spiderwick Chronicles” might not be the most original family fantasy films, but it sure as hell is one hell of a great time. The idea of children suddenly discovering a fantastical world full of magic has been done so many times, but you can do it in so many ways. “The Spiderwick Chronicles” has enough concept of its own to stand out.

The excellent acting of young Freddie Highmore in a dual role contributes to that. The two kids he plays are clearly two different boys with their own body language and personalities. Great voice performances also by Seth Rogen, Martin Short and Nick Nolte.

“The Spiderwick Chronicles” is not an earth-shattering or innovative film, but it is an entertaining family film with suspense, humor and fun design (some parts might be a little too scary for the littlest viewers).The film has a nice pace and fortunately follows its own internal logic.  

Rating: 3,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - The Bob's Burgers Movie

Director: Loren Bouchard, Bernard Derriman
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Adventure
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: H. Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, Dan Mintz, John Roberts, Eugene Mirman, David Wain, Zack Galifianakis, Kevin Kline, Larry Murphy, Gary Cole, Nick Kroll

Description: When a sinkhole in front of Bob’s Burgers threatens the Belchers’ plans for a successful summer, Bob and Linda try to keep their business going, while the kids attempt to save the restaurant by solving a mystery.

Review: The biggest challenge in making a feature film from a television series is making sure to strike the right balance between offering the regular viewers what they are used to and getting the new audience into a world unfamiliar to them. The makers of “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” took a successful approach: launching into a story without any explanation that both parties will have a great time with.

Bob and Linda are keeping themselves and their three children afloat by running a struggling burger joint. They are tight on money and it is getting tense, whether they will be able to make the monthly lone payment. The obstacle that can’t be solved in twenty minutes this time: a giant sink hole appears in front of their restaurant and a dead body is found in is. With no one able to access their restaurant, Bob and Linda have to find a way to make money and Tina, Gene and Louise are trying to solve the mystery of the dead body.

“The Bob’s Burgers Movie” is not a movie that goes for depth, but I never expected that or want that. It’s a fun, entertaining, hilarious film, that will be a joy to watch for both fans of the series and those just introduced to it. Personally, the mystery that the kids are trying to solve, was my favorite part of the film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - 8 Mile

Director: Curtis Hanson
Genre: Drama/ Music
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Eminem, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Taryn Manning, Omar Benson Miller, Anthony Mackie, Michael Shannon

Description: Follows a young rapper (Eminem) in the Detroit area, struggling with every aspect of life, wants to make it big but his friends and foes make this odyssey of rap harder than it may seem.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 18: A MOVIE ABOUT MUSIC
 
Review: “8 Mile” tells part of the life story of Marshall Mathers, made famous as Eminem, and more or less plays himself in his film debut. It is the story of a white boy in Detroit, who hangs out mostly in black circles, within a community defined by rap culture and neighborhood rivalries. B-Rabbit, the character Eminem plays, belongs to this community because he is actually just as disenfranchised as the black youth: he lives in a trailer, barely educated, poor, with an alcoholic mother and an estranged father.

The few bright spots in his life are his little sister, his loyal group of friends and his remarkable rap talent. Encouraged by his best friend Future, Rabbit ventures into the exclusively black rap battles, rap duels in which opponents must verbally beat each other up. And the audience decides who the winner is.

It’s pretty straight-forward how the story will largely unfold, no surprises here. Eminem does do a fine job and has enough conviction to keep us interested. And these rap battles are the highlight of the film. It’s a solid film with an equally solid story, but nothing spectacular.

Rating: 3/ 5