Absence

Tomorrow I will leave for Galapagos, for little over two weeks. Together with my big brother Frank I will start an epic adventure of beautiful nature and wonderful animals. I'm so excited! That means I won't be posting anything on my blog (reason why top 5 Thursday is already up). When I return, I will give you a full story with photos. So long and see you soon! X Joyce

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (July 2015)

I didn’t see a lot of new ones this month, but I did see lots of great movies this month, so let’s get into it. (I’m sharing it today, because tomorrow I’m going away for a couple of weeks. I wanted to get this top 5 out before I left).

5. Terminator Genisys

The long awaited sequel (or prequel, or reboot… lots of messing with timelines) and it was especially a lot of fun because of the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger. I read a lot of bad reviews, but I really liked it.

 

 

4. Paddington

What a sweet movie. I remember the stories of Paddington when I was a kid and it was quite nice to see him come to life in a movie.

 

 

3. Ruby Sparks

I like unconventional love stories, and “Ruby Sparks” definitely is one. From the makers of “Little Miss Sunshine” so you know what you can expect. Well, actually you don't because it's a pretty strange story.

 

 

2. John Wick

Totally unexpected, but this movie was seriously awesome. Anyone who still says Keanu Reeves can’t act, please watch “John Wick”. So kick-ass!

 

 

1. Inside Out

Surprise, surprise, a Pixar movie is number one! “Inside Out” is so much fun and it’s very original. All the emotions where just great, I think sadness was my favorite of them all. People with kids, go see it! People with no kids, also go so it!

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Death at a Funeral

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 93: Terminator Genisys

Director: Alan Taylor

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 126 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, J.K. Simmons, Matt Smith, Courtney B. Vance

Description: John Connor (Jason Clarke) sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back in time to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), but when he arrives in 1984, nothing is as he expected it to be.

Review: “Come with me if you want to live!” This and many other classic quotes from the previous Terminator movies are heard in this long awaited sequel. Or is it a prequel, a reboot? Lots of messing with timelines.

The futuristic war against Skynet is finally won, thanks to John Connor, here played by Jason Clarke. Skynet did manage to send a T-800 to the past to kill Sarah Connor, John’s mother. John sends his most trusted partner Kyle Reese back in time to protect his mother. It’s better that you don’t know more about the plot, but it does get complex.

There are lots of references to the previous movies in the franchise, and some look like they have been literally copied. What makes this movie extra fun is the return of the big man himself: Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s like he’s never been away. Emilia Clarke is good as Sarah Connor and Jason Clarke does a good job as well. Jai Courtney, who plays Kyle Reese, is really great to look at, but he isn’t a very good actor.

The role of Arnie as Terminator is more human and his relationship with Sarah Connor is sort of touching. It reminds you about him and John Connor in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”.

This movie is pure action and in that section the movie isn’t very original. It does all look very spectacular and grand.

I read a lot of reviews for “Terminator Genisys” (why is it spelled like this by the way) and I read many bad ones too. I didn’t think it was a bad movie. You shouldn’t expect it to live up to “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” or even the first film “The Terminator”. That’s the problem, many people compare it or expect too much. Just take it as it is, which makes “Terminator Genisys” a good action/ science fiction film, entertaining as hell and for the fans a lot of nostalgia as well.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Monthly 4: July 2015

It was a weird month. A month where I had to make a hard decision, discovered new friendships and it was shown to me that I have the most awesome family and friends. Here are my favorite moments of July 2015.

 

 

1. When I’m feeling down, my friends and family always know how to cheer me up. Since December 2014 there is a new person that does that too: Vayèn!

2. After a tough couple of weeks I made a very difficult decision: quit as a teacher and start something new. What that new is, I yet have to discover. But I went out with a bang, having a great time with my co-workers (Inge and Matty on the photo.

3. With that same Inge and Matty I went to the amusement park Phantasialand in Germany. Fun time, which also always needs some cotton candy. It’s so bad for you, but it’s also soooo good!

4. A couple of days after our rollercoaster adventure, Matty, Inge and I went to Cologne. We climb the stairs of the “Kölner Dom” (533 steps up, 533 steps down!). It was a fun day!

Movie Trailer Sunday (199)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Digging for Fire

Description: The discovery of a bone and a gun send a husband and wife (Jake Johnson and Rosemarie DeWitt) on separate adventures over the course of a weekend.

Director: Joe Swanberg

Starring: Jake Johnson, Rosemarie DeWitt, Sam Rockwell, Orlando Bloom, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Ron Livingston, Melanie Lynskey, Sam Elliott

Trailer: Trailer "Digging for Fire"

Comment: Great cast, I love Sam Rockwell. And Jake Johnson is one of my new favorite people!

The Good Dinosaur

Description: An epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.

Director: Peter Sohn

Starring: Raymon Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, A.J. Buckley, Steve Zahn, Anna Paquin, Sam Elliott, Frances McDormand,

Trailer: Trailer "The Good Dinosaur"

Comment: A new Disney-Pixar movie always makes me happy!!!!

Spectre

Description: A cryptic message from Bond's (Daniel Craig) past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

Director: Sam Mendes

Starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, Naomie Harris, Ben Wishaw

Trailer: Trailer "Spectre"

Comment: "Make me disappear...." I think Christoph Waltz is a great villain.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Description: After being symbolized as the "Mockingjay", Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and District 13 engage in an all-out revolution against the autocratic Capitol.

Director: Francis Lawrence

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks, Sam Claflin, Natalie Dormer, Donald Sutherland, Stanely Tucci, Jena Malone, Woody Harrelson, Robert Knepper, Toby Jones, Jeffrey Wright

Trailer: Trailer "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2"

Comment: "The game is coming to its end". Epic full trailer, can't wait!!!

Freeheld

Description: New Jersey police lieutenant, Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore), and her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Ellen Page), both battle to secure Hester's pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Director: Peter Sollett

Starring: Ellen Page, Julianne Moore, Michael Shannon, Steve Carell

Trailer: Trailer "Freeheld"

Comment: This looks beautiful.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 92: John Wick

Director: Chad Stahelski

Genre: Action/ Thriller

Runtime: 96 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Mygvist, Willem Dafoe, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane

Description: Ex-hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.

Review: After the death of his great love Helen, John Wick sees no hope. She did make sure John got one las gift: Daisy, a puppy to ease the pain. When he gets attached to the little dog, all hell breaks loose. Three men break into his house and kill his dog, only because they want John’s car. What the men don’t know is that John used to be a hitman, one of the best in the world. And he is ready to pick it up again to take on the scum who killed his dog.

Movies like “Taken” showed us that many people like a good revenge story. “John Wick” gives those people exactly what they want. Combined with lots of dry humor and bloodshed. The action scenes look amazing, which is logical because director Chad Stahelski used to be lead Keanu Reeves’ stunt double.

I always believed Keanu Reeves was a good actor, when many people doubted that. He always had this stoner like image, but in “John Wick” he really shows of his acting chops. His character is very interesting and cool.

Although the story is minimal, it’s executed so well the movie doesn’t bore you one minute. The clean, film-noir style really works. The only thing missing is a good bad guy. Michael Nyqvist really tries to make the best of it, but it never really convinces.

“John Wick” is a surprising movie, because my expectations weren’t that high. It’s perfect entertainment and it stays on a high level the entire runtime. I highly recommend this film.

Rating: 4/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: How I Met Your Mother Characters

I love this show and I never did a top 5 or any other item regarding “How I Met Your Mother”. Here are my favorite characters ranked.

5. Lily Aldren

Although she has a cute-like appearance, Lily is far from innocent. She is known to be an extremely sexual person. Lily can also be a rather manipulative person, when she doesn’t approve of something she will go out of her way to change it. Being a kindergarten teacher she has also developed a sense of justice.

 

 

4. Ted Mosby

Ted is a hopeless romantic, being a strong believer in destiny and constantly searches for his soul mate. He is an architect and later a college professor. Ted has some annoying flaws like correcting grammar (which I also do) and he can be very whiny.

 

 

3. Barney Stinson

Barney is a lady’s man and has no intention of settling down. He is very persuasive, has a somewhat childish personality but also has a more tender and soft side when it comes to his family. His friends think Barney has some unusual and annoying habits, like lame catchphrases, sometimes talking in a high pitched voice and spacing out.

 

 

2. Marshall Eriksen

Marshall is very polite, loving, caring and confident, but also extremely emotional. He is very passionate about what he does and cares deeply for his family and friends. Marshall is very superstitious, believes in myths and loves “Star Wars”. I think, of all the characters, I’m most like Marshall.

 

 

1. Robin Scherbatsky

Robin works as a journalist and was born in Canada. She is often made fun of because of that and sometimes she realizes she is the only Canadian in the group. Robin has some strange interests, like guns, cigars and dogs. Robin hates nicknames. She is a fiercely independent woman.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: -

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 91: Ruby Sparks

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Genre: Comedy/ Romance/ Drama

Runtime: 106 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Chris Messina, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Steve Coogan, Elliot Gould, Wallce Langham, Alia Shawkat

Description: A novelist (Paul Dano) struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.

Review: Make up your ideal woman and then all of a sudden she is in standing in your house. This is the story in “Ruby Sparks”. Calvin is an ordinary young man who wrote a successful book in his high school years. He lives in a beautiful apartment and still holds lectures and presentations about that book. Everyone is waiting for his next novel, but Calvin is struggling with writer’s block. When he dreams about a beautiful girl, his psychologist advices Calvin to write about her. He names her Ruby Sparks and starts writing about her. And she comes to live. Calvin starts a romance with Ruby and whenever he wants something from Ruby, he just writes it down. It looks like the ideal situation, but it isn’t.

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris already made “Little Miss Sunshine” together, a movie that won over a lot of hearts. This time the duo creates another comedy, with a romantic touch. The script is by Zoe Kazan, who plays Ruby.

Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano form a great couple with great chemistry. In the first hour of the film it’s more comedic and Dano shows of his comedic talent. Kazan didn’t only write a fun and original script, but she is also a really pleasant actress to watch. Chris Messina, as Calvin’s brother Harry, is also great in his role and has some great scenes. With them there is also Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Elliot Gould and Steve Coogan, all in relatively small roles.

The high level the movie has the first hour, gets lost a bit in the second half, because the comedy has to make room for more drama. That drama doesn’t work as well as the comedy. It feels forced. In “Little Miss Sunshine” it did work.

“Ruby Sparks” is a fun and sweet film, that sometimes feel like a fairytale. It’s never overly sweet or cliché and it is very original. An unconventional love story.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (198)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Suicide Squad

Description: A secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency

Director: David Ayer

Starring: Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Ben Affleck, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevigne, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Common, Jay Hernandez

Trailer: Trailer "Suicide Squad"

Comment: "I'm just gonna hurt ya, really, really bad..." Awesome looking trailer!

Sisters

Description: Two former sorority sisters decide to throw one last house party before their parents sell their family home

Director: Jason Moore

Starring: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, John Cena, John Leguizamo, James Brolin, Dianne Wiest, Bobby Moynihan,

Trailer: Trailer "Sisters"

Comment: Hey girl! Fey and Poehler are probably the funniest female duo. Ever.

Joy

Description: The story of a family across four generations and the woman who rises to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty.

Director: David O. Russell

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd

Trailer: Trailer "Joy"

Comment: Gotta see this!

The Revenant

Description: The frontiersman, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), who in the 1820s set out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling.

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson

Trailer: Trailer "The Revenant"

Comment: It looks amazing. Hardy and DiCaprio in one movie!!!

Fort Tilden

Description: A comedy about Allie and Harper and their needlessly difficult journey to the beach.

Director: Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers

Starring: Bridey Elliott, Clare McNulty

Trailer: Trailer "Fort Tilden"

Comment: Crazy fun!

Movie Battle: Captain America: The First Avenger Vs. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This time I decided to go for two movies in a franchise. I love Marvel movies, they are really successful and this guy is my favorite superhero and Avenger. I’m talking about Captain America. Already two standalone movies, so Cap is fighting himself in this battle: “Captain America: The First Avenger” Vs. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”

 

 

ACTORS

Captain America: The First Avenger: Chris Evans is a good choice for Captain America aka Steve Rogers. A strong performer, but also a great action star. His chemistry with Hayley Atwell, as Agent Peggy Carter, was fantastic and her performance is also memorable. Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci have great supporting roles. Hugo Weaving is a believable villain, but Red Skull is a little bit underused.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Chris Evans is getting more comfortable in his role as Captain America. A bigger role for Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson. The best addition is Scarlett Johansson, as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. The chemistry Evans had with Hayley Atwell in the first movie, he now has with Johansson. In a different way, but the two work well together. Robert Redford is also a good addition to the cast.

STORY

Captain America: The First Avenger: It’s the origin story of Steve Rogers becoming Captain America. I like the setting of the story and how it was executed.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: The movie is this time set in modern times. The story has some surprising twists. This is a strongly written script.

EFFECTS

Captain America: The First Avenger: The movie looks stunning, with the 1940s as the movie’s background. The action scenes are fast paced and look good.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Again a fantastic looking movie. The action scenes look even better and are even faster, because of the modern look. And there was only a minimal use of CGI in this film, which makes it even more amazing that the film looks so good.

WINNER

Although I love “Captain America: The First Avenger”, probably more than most people, I choose the second movie in this franchise. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” was just slightly better.

Top 5 Thursday: James Cameron Movies

This director has so many awesome movies, that it’s about time for me to rank my favorites. And no, “Titanic” isn’t one of them!

5. The Terminator

The first in the very successful (and still ongoing) franchise. Arnold as a bad guy, Michael Biehn kicking ass, Linda Hamilton before she becomes a bad ass herself. Super awesome film.

 

 

4. True Lies
Probably James Cameron’s most entertaining movie. It’s one of those films I can watch over and over again, and it still entertains me.

 

3. Avatar

Sceptical at first, didn’t see it in theatres. Now I regret it, because it’s one of my favorite movies. It has a message and it looks stunning.

 

2. Aliens

One of the scariest movies and also one of the best sequels ever made. Sigourney Weaver is so bad ass. The fact that there is literally nowhere to go and you’re surrounded by creepy aliens, scares the living sh** out of me.

 

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

If you thought “Aliens” was a good sequel, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” is probably the best sequel ever made. Everyone knows this movie. It’s one of the few movies that made tough guys cry. And Arnie is super awesome!

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: The Abyss

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 90: Maps to the Stars

Director: David Cronenberg

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 111 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Robert Pattinson, Olivia Williams, Sarah Gadon, Carrie Fisher

Description: A tour into the heart of a Hollywood family chasing celebrity, one another and the relentless ghosts of their pasts.

Review: They may be loved by the audience, but the life of a movie star isn’t all that glamourous as you might think. Classics like “All About Eve” and “Sunset Boulevard” showed us this and also “Mulholland Drive”. Director David Cronenberg gives us an insight on the life of film stars, in his very own way. Dark with a little satire.

Croneneberg’s movie, which was selected in Cannes, looks like a dark comedy. It’s a movie that shows us the ideal Hollywood life, which is not that perfect at all. The base is a serious drama, but it’s filled with irony.

The characters that are introduced in the first half hour of “Maps of the Stars” seem to have nothing to do with each other in the first place. Along the way the characters intertwine and we see that they all try to use or take advantage of the other. They all want to keep their status and their glory days are already behind them.

Julianne Moore plays a great role as Havana Segrand, a maniacal actress who still thinks she is one of the best in Hollywood. Moore has a strong opponent in Mia Wasikowska, who plays a film fan with a dark past. John Cusack, who is one of my favorites, doesn’t get enough to do. He has great moments, but his role is simply too small. The role of child star Benji is a bit too much of a caricature instead of an actual person. Robert Pattinson’s role is practically useless.

The Hollywood in “Maps to the Stars” is a nasty, rotten place filled with shameless and egocentric people. I didn’t like the movie very much and it’s really hard to explain why. It was a strange film, unpleasant to watch. Not bad, but not a movie I will ever rewatch either.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (197)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice

Description: Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City's own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis' most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it's ever known before.

Director: Zack Snyder, Scoot McNairy

Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Ezra Miller, Holly Hunter, Cal Gadot

Trailer: Trailer "Batman V Superman Dawn: of Justice

Comment: The comic con trailer came out. Still not used to Ben Affleck as Batman. The trailer got me more excited though.

Goosebumps

Description: A young kid teams up with the niece of young adult horror author R.L. Stine (Jack Black) after the writer's imaginary demons are set free on the town of Greendale, Maryland.

Director: Rob Letterman

Starring: Jack BlackAmy Ryan

Trailer: Trailer "Goosebumps"

Comment: Not quite how I remember the books, but okay.

The Finest Hours

Description: The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.

Director: Craig Gillespie

Starring: Chris Pine, Eric Bana, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster

Trailer: Trailer "The Finest Hours"

Comment: This could be just a great as "Pearl Harbor", so.... *sarcasm*

Jenny's Wedding

Description: Jenny Farrell (Katherine Heigl) has led an openly gay life - except with her conventional family. When she finally decides to start a family and marry the woman they thought was just her roommate, the small, safe world the Farrells inhabited changes forever. They are left with a simple and difficult choice - either change with it or drown

Director: Mary Agnes Donoghue

Starring: Katherine Heigl, Tom Wilkinson, Alexis Bledel

Trailer: Trailer "Jenny's Wedding"

Comment: This actaully looks really good.

Brooklyn

Description: In 1950s Ireland and New York, young Ellis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) has to choose between two men and two countries.

Director: John Crowley

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen

Trailer: Trailer "Brooklyn"

Comment: A movie I really want to see.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 89: Inside Out

Director: Pete Docter, Ronaldo Del Carmen

Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Family/ Drama/ Fantasy

Runtime: 95 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, John Ratzenberger, Frank Oz, Bobby Moynihan

Description: After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school.

Review: Ideas for an original film are often easier than you might think. The creative minds of Pixar used director Pete Docter’s childhood experiences for “Inside Out”. When he was a kid, his family moved to Denmark for work. Pete’s sister had no trouble adapting to the situation, but Pete himself didn’t feel at home right away. Years later Pete saw the same with his daughter, who was on the edge of puberty at the time. The idea for “Inside Out” was born and he started to fantasize about what went on in the human mind and how certain emotions happen.

Like in “Up”, Docter manages to grab the audience from the first moment, with emotion. We see a baby being born and we see her first emotions: Joy and Sadness. The girl is Riley and we see her grow up in Minnesota. Together with Joy and Sadness, there is also Fear, Disgust and Anger. They rule Riley’s emotions. When Riley is eleven, her family moves to San Fransisco. A new city, a new house, a new school; Riley and her emotions have a lot they struggle with.

Rats that can cook, roots falling in love, toys coming to life; where does ixar get all those original ideas? “Inside Out” fits this perfectly. The coming of age story has been done so many times before, but never this original.

“Inside Out” has a lot of funny moments, but also manages to touch us. Not only with the opening scene. In fact, you will feel every emotion while watching the film. As always, the movie looks fantastic. It takes you on an emotional rollercoaster.

Pixar did it again. It made an animation that doesn’t only entertain you, but also manages to touch you and it will stay in your memory. Great piece of cinema for the whole family.

Rating: 5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Breakup Movies

We’ve all been there: bad breakups. In movies it’s also a common theme and here are the five best movies about breakups.

5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Jason Segel wrote this very touching and funny comedy, that also happened to be hilarious. Oh and yeah, this is that movie where Jason Segel gets naked.

 

 

4. Silver Linings Playbook

There’s nothing sadder than watching someone refuse to accept the end of a relationship, but that’s what makes the burgeoning romance between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence’s manic lovebirds so powerful. It’s only once Cooper’s character learns to let go of the woman who abandoned him he can see the woman who’s right in front of him.

 

 

3. Crazy Stupid Love

Love can go crazy, make you crazy, it simply makes people crazy. After his wife wants a divorce, because she slept with her boss, Cal Weaver befriends playboy Jacob. Jacob teaches him how to talk to women and how to get a woman home. It’s such a great comedy, with a fantastic cast.

 

 

2. (500) Days of Summer

It was a sleeper hit. “(500) Days of Summer” alternates between the good and the bad moments between Summer and Tom, even though they seem like the perfect pair.

 

 

1. High Fidelity

Rob Gordon is going through yet another breakup and he even lists his top 5 breakups of all-time. And that’s why it got my attention. “High Fidelity” isn’t just the best breakup movie, it’s one of the best movies ever.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: The War of the Roses, Blue Valentine

Monthly 4: June 2015

Better late than never. Here are my favorite moments of June!

 

 

1. I finally did it, I got a bob line! I wanted this for such a long time, but I was a bit scared. So bit by bit I did it. And it looks kinda nice.

2. Vayèn really lights my day every time I see her. Irene and Evelien visited me with her and my day was better again!

3. My dad did an amazing job on putting all my photos on the wall. And I can expand it whenever I want.

4. We went on a school trip to the zoo. It was a fun day with the kids and my co-workers.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 88: Paddington

Director: Paul King

Genre: Comedy/ Family

Runtime: 95 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Ben Wishaw, Imelda Staunton, Michael Gambon, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walter, Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, Matt Lucas

Description: A young Peruvian bear (Ben Wishaw) travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven.

Review: A movie about a talking bear. Is it like “Ted”? NO! “Paddington” is a family film, based on the stories of Michael Bond.

Paddington is a young Peruvian bear, who travels to London. He is taken in by the Brown family. Paddington is ready for a new adventure, but there is also a woman after him to put him in a museum.

The story follows the classic good versus bad routine, but this works especially for the younger viewers. The movie has great (visual) humor and a very strong cast. And Paddington bear himself looks amazing and recognizable.

“Paddington” is a real fun family film. It’s heartwarming, funny, adventurous and entertaining. It’s really worth every minute of your time.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 87: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Comedy/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 101 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, Pete Plszek, Johnny Knoxville, Jeremy Howard, Danny Woodburn, Tony Shalhoub, Tohuru Masamune, Whoopi Goldberg, Minae Noji, Abby Elliot, Madison Mason

Description: When a kingpin threatens New York City, a group of mutated turtle warriors must emerge from the shadows to protect their home.

Review: It started out as a parody, but the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles became extremely popular in the 90s. Comics, a TV show, toys and their own movie.

The announcement of a new Michael Bay produced movie was received skeptical. It appeared that the turtles weren’t mutated turtles, but aliens. This was just a rumor, because the story stayed very close to the original. Although there are some adjustments here and there.

In “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” the turtles aren’t portrayed by professional fighters in costumes, but they are full CGI creations. But before we get to see them, we meet reporter April O’Neill, assisted by her cameraman Vernon. Wanting more excitement, April digs deeper into the whereabouts of the infamous Foot Clan, led by the evil Shredder. During her investigation, she discovers the turtles and their master Splinter.

The opening prologue is really impressive, in comic book style. The individual characters stay close to how they were intended: nerdy Donatello, leader Leonardo, joker Michelangelo and rebel Raphael. And they look pretty good, but there is a CGI overkill. Shredder looks different, more like he should be in one of the “Transformers” movies. And Splinter lost its original look as well. The story also feels uninspiring, but there is only a few directions you can go into with four giant turtles. But the budget was obviously spend on the action sequences. The movie also has lots of humor. I caught myself laughing a couple of times, because it really felt like the old cartoons again.

Megan Fox is great eye candy, but she hasn’t improved her acting since the “Transformers”. Will Arnett doesn’t really get a lot to do. His comedic talent was a little lost.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is entertaining, but not very good. If you are familiar with the cartoon from the 90s, you’re not completely satisfied, because it could have been a lot better. But it could also be a lot worse. It’s not as bad as I expected it to be.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 86: Death at a Funeral

Director: Frank Oz

Genre: Drama/ Comedy

Runtime: 90 minutes

Year: 2007

Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Rupert Graves, Alan Tudyk, Daisy Donovan, Kris Marshall, Andy Nyman, Jane Asher, Peter Dinklage, Keeley Hawes, Peter Vaughan, Ewen Bremner, Thomas Wheatley, Peter Egen, Jeremy Booth, Angela Booth, Angela Curran, Kelly Eastwood, Gareth Milne, Brendan O’Hea

Description: Chaos ensues when a man tries to expose a dark secret regarding a recently deceased patriarch of a dysfunctional British family.

Review: “Death at a Funeral” is a comedy about a funeral where nothing goes according to plan. When the casket is brought to the elderly house the oldest son Daniel opens it and says: “Who’s that”? Them bringing the wrong casket is only the beginning of all the mayhem. The film is about taking responsibility. Not for yourself, but also for the people around you. Not that the main characters do that. Dad did. That’s why everyone is sad about his passing. But dad also had some secrets.

The power of the film is the script and the good ensemble cast. One by one the characters are introduced. Invalid uncle Alfie, the successful writer brother, and the other brother that wants to become a successful writer, the mom that hates her daughter in law, the hypochondriac best friend, the stoner. And then there is that little man that no one knows. What is he doing at the funeral? All this makes it to a fun, dark and enjoyable comedy.

Best roles are for Ewen Bremner, who once had a one night stand with one of the relatives. And also Alan Tudyk, who accidentally used a drug. Together with the rest of the cast, it’s a great film for a broad audience.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (196)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Queen of the Desert

Description: A chronicle of Gertrude Bell's (Nicole Kidman) life, a traveler, writer, archaeologist, explorer, cartographer, and political attaché for the British Empire at the dawn of the twentieth century.

Director: Werner Herzog

Starring: Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Robert Pattinson, Damian Lewis

Trailer: Trailer "Queen of the Desert"

Comment: This looks gorgeous

Staten Island Summer

Description:

Director: Rhys Thomas

Starring: Ashley Green, Bobby Moynihan, Kate Walsh, Jim Caffigan, Gina Gershon, Graham Philips, Colin Jost, Cecily Strong

Trailer: Trailer "Staten Island Summer"

Comment: Filled with SNL stars!

London Has Fallen

Description: In London for the Prime Minister's funeral, Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) discovers a plot to assassinate all the attending world leaders.

Director: Babak Najafi

Starring: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Melissa Leo, Radha Mitchell, Angela Bassett, Aaron Eckhart, Jackie Earle Haley

Trailer: Trailer "London Has Fallen"

Comment: Was the first one such a success?

Steve Jobs

Description: Follows the life and legacy of Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender).

Director: Danny Boyle

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Seth Rogen, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels

Trailer: Trailer "Steve Jobs"

Comment: Hopefully it's better than that other biopic!

Creed

Description: The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.

Director: Ryan Coogler

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan

Trailer: Trailer "Creed"

Comment: Yeah, a spin-off!