100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 115: Toni Erdmann

Director: Maren Ade
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 162 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Peter Simonischek, Sandra Hüller, Michael Wittenborn, Thomas Loibl, Trystan Pütter, Hadewych Minis, Lucy Russell, Ingrid Bisu, Vlad Ivanoc, Victoria Cocias, Radu Banzuru, Anna Maria Bergold, Ingrid Burkhard, Manuela Ciucur, Cezara Dafinescu, Julischka Eichel, Klafa Höfels

Description: A practical joking father (Peter SImonischek) tries to reconnect with his hard working daughter (Sandra Hüller) by creating an outrageous alter ego and posing as her CEO's life coach.

Review: Inspired by her own father, a joker, director Maren Ade created a very personal project. He was the one that thought her not to take life too seriously. And this message is clear in “Toni Erdmann”.
The title figure, based on Ades father, is a created character. His actual name is Winfried. He didn’t really make it in life, but loves it anyway, with his absurd sense of humor. Winfried is very different from his daughter Ines, who is a hard working business woman. They don’t have a lot in common. And that becomes painfully clear for Winfried, when he visits Ines in Boekarest, where she works. Ines hardly has any time for her dad, he just gets in her way. Winfried sees how Ines grew to be a woman without humor and who is relentless on the work floor. He has to do something, but only Toni Erdmann can help.
Erdmann is simply Winfried with fake teeth and a black wig. Off course Ines knows this, but she allows this character to enter her high society business life. And Erdmann manages to win over the big shots, with his crazy charisma and bizarre anecdotes.
Toni Erdmann/ Winfried is one of the most magical characters I have seen in a while. That’s all thanks to Peter Simonischek, who portrays him masterfully. And Sandra Hüller, who plays daughter Ines, can easily keep up with him.
“Toni Erdmann” is about two completely different people, both broken in their own way, whose relationship has to be rebuild. The creation of Toni Erdmann has to make this happen.
The film has a good balance between drama and comedy and it’s one of the most original and surprising films I have seen this year.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched For My Challenge (October 2017)

A pretty mediocre month for movies. Did some rewatches, but also watched some crappy ones. Thank goodness for a few good film. Here are my favorites, that I watched for my challenge for the month of October.

5. Need For Speed
I thought it was going to be a sad repetition of the “Fast & Furious” movies. Well, no. It was more enjoyable then I expected it to be. And Aaron Paul….

4. Ghost in the Shell
This movie is mostly great because of its visuals and because of Scarlett Johansson. I don’t think it’s a very memorable movie, but I’m definitely happy about watching it.

3. Starter For 10
I like these stories. Nothing special, just a boy next door kind of story. And I really enjoyed it.

2. Going in Style
This film could easily be super cheesy. But it’s a really good comedy. Zach Braff did a good job directing, but if it weren’t for Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin, it would just be like any other comedy. So much fun!

1. Boyz n the Hood
What a good film. I love the nineties vibe, strong story and solid performances. Never saw it complete, I’m glad I did now.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Little Evil

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 114: Ghost in the Shell

Director: Rupert Sanders
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Science Fiction/ Thriller
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Michael Pitt, Juliette Binoche

Description: In the near future, Major (Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world's most dangerous criminals.

Review: In 1995 director Mamoru Oshii released the anime classic “Ghost in the Shell”. It’s set in a future where body parts can easily be replaced by cybernetic parts. Director Rupert Sanders got the task to turn it into an American live action film.
We meet Major, a young woman who was in a terrible accident. She has been given new life thanks to robotic factory Hanka Robotics. Because she is the first of her kind, Major is used as a super weapon, specialized in tracking and killing hackers and terrorists. When you look at the story, it’s been simplified. Existential problems are a bit watered down, but the question ‘what makes us human’ isn’t completely ignored.
Visually “Ghost in the Shell” looks amazing. It was clearly inspired by “Blade Runner”. And the soundtrack is also really cool. Scarlett Johansson is supposed to carry this film and she is clearly perfect for this role. Johansson is a great action heroin. “Ghost in the Shell” has its flaws, but it’s visually stunning and Scarlett Johansson is really strong.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 113: Boyz n the Hood

Director: John Singleton
Genre: Drama Crime
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 1991
Starring: Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Regina King

Description: Follows the lives of three young males (Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut) living in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence and future prospects.

Review: “Boyz n the Hood” is John Singleton’s Hollywood break. He shows us the life in black ghetto’s. Because of this sad situation in the backstreets, African Americans have no prospects whatsoever. Violence and crime is the only way to get money and respect for many young kids.
The film starts with a group of friends that grow up to be young adults. For under privileged kids it isn’t easy to get a good education or even a job.
Young Tre manages to escape the criminal life, due to his idealistic dad. For his friends Doughboy and Ricky it’s a little harder. Doughboy has a gang and has been in and out of jail a couple of times. His brother Ricky is a young father and is trying to get a scholarship for a good college. In “Boyz n the Hood” we see the lives of these three boys.
The acting is pure, war and sincere. Every character is portrayed in a very convincing way. The film has become a heart breaking portrait of the other side of society. Besides the violent scenes in the film, it really tries to tell us something. It has a very strong message.
“Boyz n the Hood” is an impressive film.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 112: The Great Wall

Director: Zhang Yimou
Genre: Action/ Fantasy/ Adventure
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe

Description: European mercenaries searching for black powder become embroiled in the defense of the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.
Review: “The Great Wall” is a spectacle that is a complete miss. With the great wall, they mean off course the wall in China. And here a legend is told. Fictional off course. Because the Chinese empire has been at war with a reptile species, that attacks China every 60 years, to get world dominance. Why they are there isn’t important. William Garin and Pero Tovar have been looking for black powder and stumble upon the wall. They are captured and off course it’s that time the reptiles come back.
“The Great Wall” is everything but great. The action is filled with over the top slow motion shots, the monsters are an animated mess and the characters have no depth whatsoever. Special effects are really important for a film like this, but they are really bad. It all looks super fake.
The film also misses a good build-up of the story. As viewers we are thrown into the conflict immediately and have no context. And because the characters are forgettable and we don’t care about them, this is such a disposable film. Why the hell did Matt Damon and Willem Dafoe appear in this film? A waste of talent.

Rating: 1,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 111: Going in Style

Director: Zach Braff
Genre: Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Matt Dillon, Christopher Lloyd, John Ortiz, Ann-Margret, Joey King, Peter Serafinowicz, Kenan Thompson

Description: Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, three lifelong pals risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money.

Review: Joe has trouble keeping up when his bank tells him he loses his house in 30 days, when he doesn’t pay his mortgage. His friend Willie hardly sees his daughter and granddaughter, who live on the other side of the country and hides a serious kidney problem. And their friend Albert fills his days teaches music class to untalented kids. The three know each other through their work at a factory and are currently enjoying their pension. At least, they are supposed to. Because their former bosses decide to pause their pensions. Joe, Willie and Albert have had it and decide to rob a bank.
“Going in Style” is directed by actor and creator of “Garden State”, Zach Braff. He must have thought to have gold with three actors of this standard. It doesn’t even matter what you let them do. And that’s the power of this film, the comical interaction between the three main characters.
The sentimental part is kept to a minimun. “Going in Style” shows men who can be themselves, love their families. The main characters are all likeable in their own way, I don’t think this movie would have worked as well as it did, if it where three random lesser known actors. It’s Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin that make this movie. With that, there are some fun supporting roles, especially Christopher Lloyd is worth mentioning.
The part where the three men are planning their heist is the most fun. Testing their criminal capacities, trying to rob a local supermarket, it’s so hilarious. This comedy really made me laugh out loud, something most comedies nowadays can’t even do. Most people wouldn’t call “Going In Style” a great film, but it’s mostly the sympathy you have for the characters and the interaction between the three gentlemen that win you over. It’s one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in the past years. And that’s thanks to Caine, Freeman and Arkin. Highly enjoyable movie.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 110: Evita

Director: Alan Parker
Genre: Drama/ Musical
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 1996
Starring: Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Pryce

Description: The hit musical based on the life of Evita Duarte (Madonna), a B-picture Argentinian actress who eventually became the wife of Argentinian president Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce), and the most beloved and hated woman in Argentina.

Review: Musicals are sort of my guilty pleasures. I don’t feel guilty for loving “Singin’ in the Rain” and “La La Land”, in my opinion the two best musicals ever made and two of my all-time favorite movies. If I loved “Evita” I would feel guilty, because it’s not a very good musical. And thankfully I don’t love it.
When the film starts, it’s all over the place. Shifting in timelines, from when Evita was young to her death and back. Very confusing and messy. The songs are good, the execution of them not so great. Madonna is just not the right choice for this role, I never believed her. I think the only I liked in this film was Antonio Banderas, who sort of tells the story.
Such an interesting story and the film is based on a very successful and strong stage musical. Just as a movie, it didn’t really work.

Rating: 2/ 5