Movie Review - The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Director: Aaron Horvath, Michal Jelenic, Pierre Leduc
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Action/ Adventure/ Comedy
Runtime: 92 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen
 
Description: A plumber named Mario (Chris Pratt) travels through an underground labyrinth with his brother Luigi (Charlie Day), trying to save a captured princess (Anya Taylor-Joy).

Review: Thirty years ago, there was a movie adaptation of the wildly popular Super Mario games. This was a giant failure. I’m glad they decided to give it another try, in the form of an animation. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is such a fun film.

In this movie, an origina story of Mario and Luigi has been created. Thus, we get to see the family of the plumber brothers for the first time. They just started their own company and have not yet managed to get jobs. When they do, their first job goes horribly wrong. In addition, the New York borough of Brooklyn suffers from overflowing sewers. Since Mario and Luigi could use a little success, they decide to “save New Yorj”. But instead, they get sucked into a sewer pipe and end up in underground world. Luigi is stuck in the dark world of Bowser and Mario meet Princess Peach in her Mushroom Kingdom.

Once Mario and his brother have entered this world, the writers pull out all stops to match the games, complete with power-ups. It looks great and it’s tons of fun. They did change up Peach’s character a bit. Instead of playing the damsel in distress, as usual in the games, she fights along with Mario this time. And I liked this change.

Even though the world if Super Mario is already quite extensive and diverse, they ingeniously manage to involve Mario Kart and the Donkey Kong series in the adventure. And Jack Black voicing Bowser is probably the best choice of the entire film.

Videogame adaptations have always been tricky, but the succeeded here. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is a colorful, action-packed, adventurous and funny film for all ages and a guaranteed good time.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Director: Peyton Reed
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonathan Majors, Corey Stoll, Kathryn Newton, Bill Murray
 
Description: Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) are dragged into the Quantum Realm, along with Hope’s parents (Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer) and Scott’s daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton. Together they must find a way to escape, but what secrets is Hope’s mother hiding? And who is the mysterious Kang (Jonathan Majors)?

Review: “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is the third part in the “Ant-Man’ series. Peyton Reed is again the director, having now directed the entire trilogy.

Since the Avengers are at rest, the threat and action is moved to a place where Ant-Man and his family have been before: the Quantum Realm. The ultimate threat in the film comes from one person and that is Kang, a mysterious man living in the Quantum Realm. Jonathan Majors portray him and does this so well. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is primarily the film within the larger MCU that serves as his entrance, and this is the film biggest achievement. Otherwise, plenty happens, but it’s all not very innovative or exciting. The stakes are not terribly high, outside having to save family and loved ones, which is fairly predictable.

The performances are good, the humor is there and I just love Paul Rudd. He can do no wrong. But if it weren’t for the character of Kang, this movie was not per say necessary.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Extraction 2

Director: Sam Hargrave
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Olga Kurylenko, Idris Elba
 
Description: After barely surviving his grievous wounds from his mission in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Ryler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is back, and his team is ready to take on their next mission.

Review: In this second installment on the “Extraction” series, Chris Hemsworth returns as mercenary Tyler Rake, who barely survived his last mission. Now recovered, Tyler and his team are ready for a new mission. “Extraction” was a good film film, but nothing extremely groundbreaking or memorable. “Extraction 2” still doesn’t feel like that, but it surely is a step up from this first film.

Tyler has to safe his ex-wife’s sister from her criminal husband, who has been living in a prison with their two children. What seems like a simple mission, ends up in a blood bath.

“Extraction 2” is full of genre clichés, but it by no means disappoints in the cinematographic department. The fight scenes are all very well-choreographed and especially that outbreak scene in the prison is shot masterfully. They edited in a way it looks like one continues shot and I always love it when that’s done well.

“Extraction 2” is nowhere innovative, Chris Hemsworth does his job very well and so does director Sam Hargrave. And the film keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. With its raw character, this second installment offers a rebuttal to the streamlined action of recent blockbusters. Despite a contrived plot, it’s a shame that this movie can’t been seen on the big screen. Because the action scenes look amazing.

Better then the first, great visuals, but very predictable.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - The Island by Adrian McKinty

Title: The Island
Series: -
Author: Adrian McKinty
 
Description: After moving from a small country town to Seattle, Heather Baxter marries Tom, a widowed doctor with a young son and teenage daughter. A working vacation overseas seems like the perfect way to bring the new family together, but once they’re deep in the Australian outback, the jet-lagged and exhausted kids are so over their new mom.
 
When they discover the remote Dutch Island, off limits to outside visitors, the family talks their way onto the ferry, taking a chance on an adventure far from the reach of iPhones and Instagram.
 
But as soon as they set foot on the island, which is by a tightly knit clan of locals, everything feels wrong. When a shocking accident propels the Baxters from an unsettling situation into an absolute nightmare.
 
When Heather and the kids are separated from Tom, they are forced to escape alone, seconds ahead of their pursuers. Now it’s up to Heather to save herself and the kids, even though they don’t trust her, the harsh bushland is filled with danger, and the locals want her dead.
 
Review: For newlywed Heather, a trip to Australia with her husband Tom and his two kids Olivia and Owen is a dream come true. Heater has never traveled outside the U.S. before, and she hopes for better contact with her stepchildren. But as with any family vacation, little goes as planned: it’s too hot, the kids are bored and the promised koalas are nowhere to be seen.
 
When a chance meeting with another couple yields and invitation to Dutch Island, a private enclave where you can spot wildlife, it seems like the answer: isn’t that the adventure they all need? Dutch Island, however, is private for a reason. When their visit leads to a horrific accident, Heather must make a decision that changes everything. And they must run for their lives.
 
For newlywed Heather Baxter, a trip to Australia with her husband Tom and his two teenagers Olivia and Owen is a dream come true. Heather has never traveled outside the U.S. before, and she hopes for better contact with her new stepchildren. But as with any family vacation, little goes as planned: it's too hot, the kids are bored and the promised koalas are nowhere to be seen.
 
If you want an action-packed, thrilling and exciting read, “The Island” might just be book for you. I was hooked from the first page and it was a real page-turner. The plot is well-developed and the tension is well built. The characters are strong, especially Heather is a great character to read about. And the setting is amazing. A must-read thriller if you like them with non-stop action.
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Title: The Broken Girls
Series: -
Author: Simone St. James
 
Description: Vermont, 1950. There’s a place for the girls whom no one wants, the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It’s called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it’s located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship is blossoming. Until one of them mysteriously disappears.
 
Vermont, 2014. As much as she’s tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister’s death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister’s boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can’t shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.
 
When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past. And a voice that won’t be silenced.
 
Review: Set in Vermont in the 1950s, four girls share a room at Idlewild Hall, a boarding school for girls. All of them being disowned by their families for different reasons. Reliant on each other, a deep friendship develops. When one of the girls suddenly disappears, they are unanimous that the truth must come out.
 
Years later, someone has plans to have the haunted Idlewild Hall restored and turned back into a school. Journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot understand this; her older sister Deb was found dead on the grounds of Idlewild Hall twenty years ago. The culprit is behind bars, but Fiona has never been able to let go of the case. She doubts the truth. She decides to write a story about the renovation of Idlewild Hall, to find out the truth about the past.
 
I’ve had several of Simon St. James’ books on my shelves. This was the one I heard about the most and I decided to pick it up first. I’m glad that I did, because I loved “The Broken Girls”.
 
We follow two storylines, the one set in the 1950s and one that takes place in 2014. Fiona manages to unravel the real story of Idlewild Hall piece by piece. Past and present blend together beautifully and once again a story with dual timelines manages to captivate me from start to finish.
 
In the chapters set in the 1950s we meet four young girls that go to Idlewild Hall, each time a chapter is told from another girl’s perspective. This way each of them get a voice and they become all are well fleshed out. All girls have a feeling of not belonging anywhere and together they form their own little family.
 
The 2014 timeline is completely told from Fiona’s point of view. An interesting character, driven, determined and smart. She want to find out what really happened to her sister, but stumbles upon other mysteries revolving around Idlewild Hall. I thought I wasn’t going to enjoy the supernatural element, but I surprisingly did.
 
“The Broken Girls” is a very well-written and strong mystery, that remains in the dark for a long time. The setting, Idlewild Hall, is atmospheric and eery. Friendship, suspense, fear and unprocessed grief are all themes in this story. It’s the type of book that will stay with you for a long time.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - First Man

Director: Damien Chazelle
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler, Jason Clarke, Corey Stoll, Patrick Fugit, Ciarán Hinds, Ethan Embry, Brian D’Arcy James

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 24: A MOVIE FROM A DIRECTOR YOU LOVE
 
Description: A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.

Review: The true story of Neil Armstrong, the astronaut who became the fist man to walk on the Moon.
Director Damien Chazelle mainly tries to show that Neil Armstrong was a man of heart and feeling. A man who has a trauma to deal with in the form of a child death. That the loss and the almost obsessive drive for ambition and accomplishment also took their toll is elaborated somewhat less accurately. Armstrong’s family had to put up with a lot by having to put up with a father who only looked after his family with one eye.

With that, “First Man” does stumble on two minds. Space fans, above all, want to know how Armstrong and his men pulled it off. In this respect Chazelle does not disappoint and the fans are amply served. The director shows us creaking cockpits, makeshift repairs, predicaments and roaring rocket engines.
At the same time, the personal drama surrounding this achievement is flat. There could have been a lot more interaction between Ryan Gosling’s Armstrong and his wife Janet, played by Claire Foy. What effect this all has on Janet and their children isn’t shown much.  

Visually this movie is amazing, it proofs why Damien Chazelle is one of the great of his generation. “First Man” is nothing like his previous films “Whiplash” and “La La Land”, completely different theme, based on a true story, no focus on music or Hollywood.

This movie was tough to get through because of the pace. It’s extremely slow and I felt that the entire time. So, overall, it looks good, has a great performance by Ryan Gosling and an interesting story. But the drama lacks and the pace was way too slow for my liking.

Rating: 3/ 5

Top 5 : "Black Mirror" Episodes Season 6

“Black Mirror” is back after a long absence. The sixth season seems to be deliberately breaking away from what the series is supposed to be. Maker Charlie Brooker takes Netflix to task on several occasions. Instead of writing a full review for the season, I will rank the five episodes worst to best, with mini reviews for each episode.
 

5. Mazey Day
Director: Uta Briesewitz
Starring: Zazie Beetz, Danny Ramirez, Clara Rugaard, Robbie Tann, David Rysdahl
This episode charges against unscrupulous, old-fashioned paparazzi terrorizing stars. Rather a look back to the past than an extrapolation of the present, where everyone uses their smartphone to take photos. This episode is set in the 2000s. Bo (Zazie Beetz) is one of these paparazzi photographers, struggling with her conscience when a celebrity caught on camera commits suicide. At the same time, movie star Mazey Day is involved in a hit an run and doesn’t seem to be able to forget about it. Bo sees on the news Mazey hasn’t been seen in a while, making it her mission to find her. And she ends up finding something unexpected. I believe this was the shortest episode and they have more to tell than can fit in 40 minutes. This way, the story feels rushed and unfinished. I did like the unexpected turn the story took, but this episode really suffered from the runtime.
 

4. Joan is Awful
Director: Ally Pankiw
Starring: Annie Murphy, Salma Hayek, Michael Cera, Himesh Patel, Avi Nash, Ben Barnes
The dull, cowardly routine life of Joan, a mid-level tech executive, is thrown into disarray when a streaming service airs a popular show about her life: Joan is Awful. Salma Hayek plays her and re-enacts her daily life. Real-life Joan becomes an outcast and everything goes downhill. This is a very meta and self-mocking mindfuck. It’s funny and crazy and very entertaining. Although poop-jokes are never funny. Only downside.
 

3. Loch Henry
Director: Sam Miller
Starring: Samuel Blenkin, Myha’la Herrold, Daniel Portman, John Hannah, Monica Dolan
Filmmaker Davis (Samuel Blekin) visits his mother in his hometown near Schotland’s Loch henry: he wants to shoot a documentary about an environmentalist. Tourists in his hometown dropped stopped visiting after serial killer Ian Adair kidnapped and tortured people to the death in his basement. Davis’ father Kenny, the local policeman, was injured trying to arrest Adair and later died. Together with his girlfriend Pia, he decides to make this crime story their topic for the documentary. A story with deeper layers and secrets revealed as you go along. It has a slow start, but eventually has some great WTF-moments. Probably the darkest and most disturbing episode of this season.
 

2. Demon 79
Director: Toby Haynes
Starring: Anjana Vasan, Paapa Essiedu, Katherine Rose Morely, David Shields
In this thrilling, at times hilarious episode, a lonely Indian shoe saleswoman (Anjana Vasan) brooding internally over her racist co-worker Vicky (Katherine Rose Morely) cuts her finger on an amulet with runic characters, summoning demon in-training Gaap (Paapa Essiedu). He takes the guise of her idol, Boney M singer Bobbby Farrell, and explains to her that she must kill someone each day for the next three days to prevent an apocalypse. Dark comedy with a bittersweet twist. And I loved Vasan in her role, she was so good.
 

1. Beyond the Sea
Director: John Crowley
Starring: Aaron Paul, Josh Hartnett, Kate Mara, Auden Thornton, Rory Culkin
This was a stand-out for me, what a fantastic episode. Astronauts Cliff (Aaron Paul) and David (Josh Hartnett) are on a years-long space mission in an alternate 1969. To combat loneliness and cabin fever, the duo uploads their consciousness to a replica: an android copy living on Earth with their family. Until David’s family is murdered before his eyes and his replica is set on fire by a Charles Manson-like cult that wants to restore the natural order. Concerned about David’s possible suicidal depression, Cliff occasionally grants him use of his replica. This leads to psychological complications. Josh Hartnett and especially Aaron Paul are very strong on their roles. I was invested in this story from start to finish and the ending went in a different direction then I expected it would go.  
 

 

Book Review - Whatever It Takes by Paul Cleave

Title: Whatever It Takes
Series: -
Author: Paul Cleave
 
Description: When seven-year-old Alyssa is kidnapped, Deputy Noah harper decides he will do what ivt takes to find her – but that means crossing lines he can never come back from. Finding the girl safe, isn’t enough to stop Noah from losing his job, his wife, and from being kicked out of Acacia Pines. He’s told if he ever returns, he’ll be put in jail en left there to rot. Now, 12 years later, comes a phone call. Alyssa is missing again and her father wants him to honor the promise he made to her all those years earlier – that he would never let anything bad happen to her again. To find her, Noah is going to have to head back to the pines, and come face to face with the past…
 
Review: Former deputy sheriff Noah harper has lost everything he had. Searching for the missing young girl Alyssa Stone, he goes way overboard in interrogating a suspect. In the process, he mistreat the Sheriff’s son to elicit a confession from him. The discovery and rescue of the missing girl subsequently cannot prevent Noah from losing his job, his wife and his hometown.
 
Twelve years later, he receives a phone call that Alyssa is once again missing. He returns to Acacia Pines, the town where his roots lie and where really no one is waiting for his arrival.
 
The story is surprisingly multifaceted and features a number of residents of the fictional town of Acacia Pines. In addition to their own behaviors, the inhabitants also have their own motives. As a result, a story filled with violence and suspects. Clues are served alongside numerous twists that help us unravel what happened. It’s set in a small town, a great setting for a story like this. Author Paul Cleave describes it very well, you can easily picture it, even though it’s fictional. Noah has known all these people his whole life, but he doesn’t know who he can and cannot trust.
 
It was an enjoyable book, I liked the twists and the ending. I will definitely explore more of Paul Cleave’s backlist.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - Strange World

Director: Qui Nguyen, Don Hall
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Gabrielle Union, Lucy Liu, Alan Tudyk

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 23: A DISNEY ANIMATION
 
Description: The legendary Clades are a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest and most crucial mission.

Review: In “Strange World” we are introduced to three generations of the legendary Clade family, as they try to work together and navigate the unknown, treacherous land beneath their own world. Searcher is a family man who is out of his element on an unpredictable mission, he rather stays on his farm. Jaeger is Searcher’s larger-than-life explorer father. Ethan is Searcher’s 16-year-old son, who secretly wants to adventure like his grandfather, much against his father’s will.

I totally missed out on “Strange World” when it first came out. It only played in theaters for a short amount of time, before it hit Disney+. And in case of “Strange World” it says something about the quality of the film. It’s one of the worst films by Disney I have seen in years. The animations are very different from what we are used to from them and the story itself doesn’t really hit any nerves. It’s all about family relationships and that has been done way too many times, and much better. The film doesn’t really connect with the viewer, because you don’t know who to sympathize with.

Strange World doesn't really connect with the viewer, because there are too many main characters, and so as a viewer you can't really choose who to sympathize with. Is it the father, the son, the grandson, mother, expedition members, etc. The out-and-out story where Strange World is now set has its origins in American and Asian cultures, but is not so familiar that it really evokes recognition in the viewer.

One thing I did like, was the LGBTQ+ representation and different ethnicities were represented as well. Kudos for Disney to bring that to the attention.

All in all, there is a reason why many people missed “Strange World”: it’s just not a very good animation, it doesn’t have a memorable story or characters and I already forgot most that happened. So you can see that even Disney has a miss ever once in a while.  

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Review - Fast X

Director: Louis Letterier
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Adventure
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Vin Diesel, Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, John Cena, Jordana Brewster, Natalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, Scott Eastwood, Brie Larson
 
Description: Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family are targeted by the vengeful son (Jason Momoa) of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes.

Review: Let’s just start by saying that I’ve never been a fan of the “Fast & Furious” series. Cars are not something I’m particularly interested in, the characters I don’t care about and the action gets more and more ridiculous. Can “Fast X” change my mind? NOPE!

Movies that rely on elaborate special effects or 3D experiences are best viewed in a movie theater. The same goes for this film, because visually this movie is stunning. And lots of non-stop action. But that’s as far as I can go with the positives. I truly hated this movie.

In this already tenth installment of the series, Dante Reyes wants revenge on Dom Toretto and his family, for killing his father. He sets up a trap to get them all together and tries to kill them. But Dom fights back.  
The first film was okay, I don’t dislike that, it was about street racing. A cop versus a street racer and they became friends. But as this series has continued, the street races turned into stunt shows, with one car stunt even more ridiculous and over-the-top as the next. It’s like they are trying to make each movie even more implausible than the previous one.

This film series has almost every modern-day action star in it, from Vin Diesel to now Jason Momoa. Call me old school, but I do prefer the Schwarzeneggers and Stallones of this world when it comes to mindless, fun action flicks. An although Vin Diesel is the heart and soul of this franchise, and it’s very clear he puts everything in his role, the rest of the cast I couldn’t care less about (I barely remember the names of these characters, that’s how invested I am).

Jason Momoa is the newest addition to this series, as the villain Dante Reyes. He was the only reason I was a tiny bit excited to see “Fast X”. But even that was ruined. Momoa’s take on his villain role is pretty silly. He feels like a Joker-like villain, a cheerful psychopath. But he made it cartoonish. It kind of felt like a Roadrunner versus Wil E. Coyote cartoon, the way he was going after Dom and his family.
I also got a little tired of those let’s-bring-back-every-character-that-was-ever-in-this-franchise reveals, as some clever surprise that nobody would ever expect.  

I know these movies aren’t supposed to be taken too seriously, they are self-aware and that I can at least appreciate. But overall, “Fast X” is just not a good movie. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s crap, but I honestly can’t take another ‘Fast & Furious” movie. There will be more, for sure. Maybe next they will go to space!

Rating: 2/ 5

Book Review - The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

Title: The Kind Worth Killing
Series: Henry Kimball/ Lily Kintner # 1
Author: Peter Swanson
 
Description: On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that’s going stale and his wife Miranda, who he’s sure is cheating on him. Ted and his wife were a mismatch from the start—he the rich businessman, she the artistic free spirit—a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but has now become a cliché.

But their game turns a little darker when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she’s done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help.” After all, some people are the kind worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse. . . .

Back in Boston, Ted and Lily’s twisted bond grows stronger as they begin to plot Miranda's demise. But there are a few things about Lily’s past that she hasn’t shared with Ted, namely her experience in the art and craft of murder, a journey that began in her very precocious youth.

Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.
 
Review: Suspense, confusion and merciless are just a few words that describe “The Kind Worth Killing”, my introduction to Peter Swanson.
 
It all starts with Ted Severson and Lily Kintner who meet at Heathrow Airport. They end up talking over a few martinis and after a while, Ted tells Lily that his wife Miranda is cheating on him with their contractor Brad. He tells her he wants to kill her and Lily unexpectedly replies that he should. And so the two make plans to kill Ted’s wife.
 
“The Kind Worth Killing” is a very well-constructed book. It is divided into three different parts and is told from multiple POV’s. You experience the story from different perspectives and this makes the book interesting.
 
The book has a lot of bad and mean characters, revenge, deception and intrigue, and many unexpected twists and turns. Author Peter Swanson really manages to construct his characters well, there is great development and they are all very fleshed out. This extensive description of all the characters and their pasts and motivations, make that this story is increasingly intriguing.
 
In “The Kind Worth Killing” nothing is what it seems. Everything unfolds in a very different way than you would expect and it’s very surprising and unpredictable. With each part you are left confused and shocked, wondering what will happen next, because the story keeps you guessing constantly. And I love it when I have no idea of what’s going to happen next.

“The Kind Worth Killing” is a definite page turner, one of the best books I read this year and definitely a new favorite thriller on my list.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

 

90s Movie Review - Kiss the Girls

Director: Gary Fleder
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Mystery/ Drama
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Ashely Judd, Cary Elwes, Brian Cox, Bill Nunn, Richard T. Jones, Jeremy Piven, Tony Goldwyn

Description: Police hunting for a serial kidnapper are helped when a victim (Ashley Judd) manages to escape for the first time.

Review: Eight kidnapped women. All eight beautiful. All eight talented. All eight have fallen into the hands of the “collector” who calls himself Casanova. The hunt is on for him. With difficulties trying to trace him, they get the help from Alex Cross. When one of the girls, Kate McTiernan, manages to escape, she is determined to help Detective Cross in order to find Casanova and free the other girls.

I have always loved this movie and I have rewatched it many times. The story is strong, the character of Alex Cross is interesting and Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd work very well together. There is enough tension and the mystery is one to keep you on the edge of your seat. It has a vibe like “Se7en”, though not as good of course, but it has the same atmosphere at times.

Maybe the climax is a bit cliché and predictive, but overall “Kiss the Girls” is a really good mystery thriller.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Creed III

Director: Michael B. Jordan
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Michael Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Phylicia Rashad, Mila Davis-Kent
 
Description: Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life, but when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy (Jonathan Majors) resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight.

Review: An underdog who keeps fighting despite many setbacks to finally walk away with the win. That is the essence of the ‘Rocky” film series, for which Sylvester Stallone wrote the script in 1976 and himself took on the role of the man also known as The Italian Stallion. Meanwhile, almost fifty years later, “Creed III” is the ninth film in this series and the part in which the torch is finally passed to Adonis Creed.

After the evens of “Creed II”, Adonis is in the prime of his life. He has since retired as a boxer and is living a happy life with his family. One day, he meets his childhood friend and boxing prodigy Damian, who has been released after a long prison sentence. Damian is eager to prove that he deserves a chance in the ring.

Sylvester Stallone has always been the heart of the series, even in the “Creed” movies where he was only a side character. Stallone is not part of “Creed III”, in any shape or form, and you can tell. You miss Stallone. And as a fan of the series, it is unfortunate that he is not featured in the film. But this did give lead actor Michael B. Jordan the chance to debut as a director and a chance to focus fully on Adonis. That certainly worked. “Creed III” is a more raw story and one in which the lines between good and evil in the form of Adonis and Damian are less obvious than in earlier films. That is one of the film’s strengths. Both sides are clearly told, which makes you understand both character’s motives.

One thing I also loved is the beautiful way they deal with Adonis’ daughter Amara, who was born deaf (as we learned in the second “Creed” movie). I love the connection between father and daughter.
I really liked how the boxing matches were designed, even though they shift in style a lot. That is something that bothered me a little bit. They should have stuck with one style to make it more coherent. The close-up shots were fantastic though.

“Creed III” is a good film that further explores the world around Adonis Creed and show him stepping out of Rocky’s shadow. But I did miss Stallone here. Which means, that Adonis Creed is not yet strong enough as a character to make me forget about Rocky Balboa.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

Title: As Good As Dead
Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (# 3)
Author: Holly Jackson
 
Description: Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle... and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears...
 
Review: “As Good As Dead” is the third and final book in the “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” series by Holly Jackson. So far, I have loved this series. I was really excited to finally read this last one. And it did not disappoint.
 
Pip Fitz-Amobi is used to online threats by now, but there is one that she can’t let go: who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears? And the threats are not just online, Pip has a stalker, but of course the police doesn’t take it seriously. So Pip does what Pip does best: she is investigating herself. As she seems to be solving cases more often then the police do. She finds a link between the stalker and a local serial killer, who is behind bars. And Pip suspects that again, the wrong person is being accused of the crime.
 
It's a Young Adult series, very popular, but also very dark. And this is the darkest one yet. It is again a whodunit, but there is a big twist at the halfway point of the book that really blew my mind and turned it upside down. It takes a completely different path, but in this case it was surprisingly good and does not follow the same path as many whodunit’s do. This is the least popular book of the three, and I think that dark twist is the reason for many. If I would have to rank the books, this would also be my number three, but mostly because I missed the mixed media element. It’s still present, don’t get me wrong, but less then the other two. That’s the only reason I didn’t give it a perfect score.
 
The book again deals with themes like friendship, justice, murder, social media, crime. But again, Jackson made everything a lot darker this time. It sometimes doesn’t even feel like a YA novel anymore. But I liked that about this book, while I can understand that fans of the series might see this as a downside. For me it felt like a logical step, because you want to avoid repetition.
 
As for that midway twist, it left me staring at the pages for a moment. I did not expect that at all, but I absolutely loved it. This book eventually plays with morals, what’s the right thing to do, did the character do the right thing? Most choices are controversial, but make this book so much better.
 
“As Good As Dead” is also the biggest book in the series, but you don’t feel it for a second. You just fly through it, it’s an intense ride of emotions. I think Holly Jackson wrote a fantastic trilogy. I’m not a series reader, but I haven’t been this invested in a book series since “The Hunger Games”. Well done Holly Jackson!
 
Rating: 4, 5/ 5

Book Review - The Marriage Act by John Marrs

Title: The Marriage Act
Series: -
Author: John Marrs
 
Description: Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills — the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.
But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives — monitoring every word, every minor disagreement — and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honor and obey.
 
Review: “The Marriage Act” is set in Great Britain, in a near future, in the same ‘universe’ as “The One” which came out in 2016 and I read last year. “The One” is about how you can be matched to your soulmate due to DNA. In “The Marriage Act” couples take the next step: marriage. The right-wing government encourages people to get married, making it the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single. The couples who choose ‘Smart Marriage’ are being monitored and every single disagreement or struggle will be heard. This way they believe that everyone will love, honor and obey.
 
In this world, we follow five couples, each dealing with the ‘Smart Marriage’ in a different way. An ambitious vlogger who wants to use ‘Smart Marriage’ as her way to earn more followers, an elderly couple dealing with an illness, a gay couple who gets the help from a relationship responder (working for ‘Smart Marriage’), a couple who is about to divorce and a couple where one is working for ‘Smart Marriage’ and is starting to feel guilty.
 
This whole concept is actually frighteningly plausible and it does not take much imagination to see a world of surveillance and intrusion. This marriage act has taken control of every aspect of citizen’s lives. If you enter into a ‘Smart Marriage’, you get better living communities, priority in health care, all kinds of financial incentives and tax breaks, and more legal rights. But if you choose to remain single, or live together unmarried, you will be treated as second-class citizens. By upgrading, you agree to have the so-called Audite registration boxes installed in your home, and if AI determines that your marriage needs attention, different levels of support will be given. One is a relationship responder who can move in with you for a while, assessing your marriage. It’s an intrusive process that can ultimately decide whether you can stay married or not. There is one storyline, that focuses on this element of the ‘Smart Marriage’.
 
Without giving away major plot points, “The Marriage Act” is compelling, shocking and engaging to read. I simply couldn’t put it down. It follows a similar set-up as “The One”, following multiple POV’s, which I always love in books. We get to meet different people, all on a certain side of this marriage act, dealing with ‘Smart Marriage’ in their own way. Some vouching for it, others going against it, some still in doubt. You read about some really unsympathetic people, but there are a few really good people in it as well.
 
The whole scenario is absolutely horrifying, but it does who show dangerous it can be to let AI define people’s lives. You see what this marriage act does to people. “The Marriage Act” has some good social commentary. And each storyline is interesting to read about, for its own reason. There are many twists throughout the entire book and some were really shocking. Just the prologue alone, it sets the tone for the book and makes you want to never put it down.
 
If you also loved “The One”,  you will most definitely enjoy “The Marriage Act”. I did, even a little bit more. Certainly will recommend it to people.
 
Rating: 5/ 5