100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 118: Vacation

Director: John Francis Daley
Genre: Adventure/ Comedy
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Chris Hemsworth, Leslie mann, Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Charlie Day, Ron Livingston, Norman Reedus, Keegan-Michael Key, Regina Hall, Kaitlin Olson, Michael Peña

Description: Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) takes his own family on a road trip to "Walley World" in order to spice things up with his wife (Christina Applegate) and reconnect with his sons.

Review: We live in a time of reboots and remakes. Superhero franchises, foreign films get an American version and classics are remade. Within the comedy genre there are also some popular films that need a modern touch. “Vacation” is one of them. It’s technically not a remake, but “Vacation” is feeding of its original version from 1983.
Rusty sees that his wife is unhappy and he is worried about the continued bickering between his two sons. The solution: a family road trip to an amusement park.
In the original film the characters where family people, with whom you could identify and you would sympathize with. This doesn’t go for this film. The characters lack depth and it’s hard to feel for them. The humor is at times fun, but it’s mostly juvenile jokes. The movie does have humor, some situation are really funny. The Seal song “Kiss from a Rose” is a funny recurring joke for example. And the guide they meet on the way, that is played by Charlie Day was hilarious. And some thumbs up for the cameos, Chris Hemsworth and Chevy Chase. But they just take it too far sometimes, which makes it unbelievable.
Overall, this comedy does make you laugh but isn’t of a high level. The original 1983 film is far superior, but “Vacation” is fun for one night.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 117: The Shallows

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 86 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Blake Lively

Description: A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy (Blake Lively) is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.

Review: When it comes to shark movie, there is only one masterpiece: “Jaws”. Hollywood has made many terrible films featuring this animal, some even more ridiculous than others. It looks like “The Shallows” is a more serious try again, and it does succeed for most of the runtime.
Medical student Nancy traveled a long way to visit a secret beach in Mexico, the place her mother once visited and told her about. Because her friend is in bed with a hangover, Nancy decides to go surfing by herself. When she is knocked off of her surfboard and is wounded, she discovers she intruded the territory of a great white shark. She manages to climb upon a rock formation, but high tide is kicking in soon and Nancy has to find a way to survive.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra realizes it’s scarier to not show the shark. This works and makes the movie thrilling and a real nail biter. Later in the movie, the shark gets shown more often and it looks pretty good. “The Shallows” is a pretty scary film and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Towards the end, the film loses its credibility.
We get to know Nancy a little bit, we know her backstory and I really sympathized her. And that’s where “The Shallows” doesn’t fit into the B-movie category. Although the story may not be the most genius, the character is interesting and the film looks really good. Collet-Serra’s directorial style is beautiful, he uses a bright color palette and slow motions. The images under water are stunning. And the director managed to make Blake Lively look at her absolute best. Lively does a very good job by the way. Solid performance.
“The Shallows” is pure summer entertainment. And it’s an actual good shark movie, Hollywood needed that. Although the credibility is lost towards the end, the film is overall better than I expected it to be. And who didn’t love the sidekick Steven Seagull?

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (256)

Here are this week's trailers.

Kidnap
Director: Luis Prieto
Description: A mother (Halle Berry) stops at nothing to recover her kidnapped son.
Starring: Halle Berry
Trailer: Trailer "Kidnap"
Comment: Looks like no-brainer fun.

La La Land
Director: Damien Chazelle
Description: A jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) falls for an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) in Los Angeles.
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, J.K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt, John Legend
Trailer: Trailer "La La Land"
Comment: I'm jumping for joy!!!

Manchester By the Sea
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Description: An uncle (Casey Affleck) is forced to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy's father dies.
Starring: Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler, Michelle Williams, Matthew Broderick, Gretchen Mol, Tate Donovan
Trailer: Trailer "Manchester By the Sea"
Comment: It looks absolutely stunning!

A Dog's Purpose
Director: Lasse Halström
Description: A dog looks to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes and owners.
Starring: Josh Gad, Britt Robertson, Dennis Quaid, Logan Miller
Trailer: Trailer "A Dog's Purpose"
Comment: DOGS!!!!

A United Kingdom
Director: Amma Asante
Description: Prince Seretse Khama of Botswana (David Oyelowo) causes an international stir when he marries a white woman from London (Rosamund Pike) in the late 1940s.
Starring: David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Tom Felton, Jack Davenport
Trailer: Trailer "A United Kingdom"
Comment: It looks absolutely beautiful!

Top 5 Thursday: Movie Logics That Make No Sense

Sometimes things happen in movies, that make seem logical in the movie world, but don’t make sense in real life. I assembled a list with the five movie logics that make no sense.

5. The keyboard works magic
Nowadays you can achieve a lot with just one click of the mouse. But in movies everything has to be done by frantic typing on the keyboard. And they don’t even look at their fingers. Even the best typist make errors by typing that fast.

4. Destroy the screen, destroy the computer
The computer is the brain, but somehow people in movies always think that if they break the screen, it also destroys the computer. Well, no. The data will still be there.

3. Landing in water will save you
It’s seen so many times. People who jump into water from a great height. It looks like their landing on a cloud, but in real life it’s like landing on concrete. It’s super dangerous and it will not save you. At least not without breaking anything.

2. Just a concussion
No matter how hard or how many times someone is hit in the head, they only pass out for a while and then just walk it off. Normally it would cause some sort of brain damage or it might even result in death.

1. Fight one at a time
Whenever a hero a heroin has to fight a group of enemies, they always seem to attack one at a time. It would be more effective if they just attacked him all at once, but chivalry apparently still exist in fight scenes.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Last second bomb disarmament, Bullets can throw people, No goodbyes when ending a phone call

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 116: The Hitcher

Director: Robert Harmon
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 1986
Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey DeMunn

Description: A young man (C. Thomas Howell) who escaped the clutches of a murderous hitchhike (Rutger Hauer)r is subsequently stalked, framed for the hitcher's crimes, and has his life made into hell by the same man he escaped.

Review: He should have listened to his mother. Jim says it: “My mother told me never to do this”, when he picks up a hitchhiker. The hitcher acts weird and eventually Jim gets him out of his car. But the nightmare is just about to start for him.
The action and tension in the film are its strongest features. The pace is high and you’re constantly on the edge of your seat. Kills, collisions, shoot outs, explosions. But the constant threat is there as well and you feel it.
The identity of the hitcher stays mysterious and you don’t now his motive either. This adds to the tension and suspense of the film. My fellow Dutchman Rutger Hauer plays one of his best roles in “The Hitcher”.
Although the film is so action packed and thrilling, the believability of the film is questionable. And some developments raise questions as well. But this doesn’t bother you that much, because it’s a very strong thriller.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 115: Little Shop of Horrors

Director: Frank Oz
Genre: Musical/ Comedy/ Horror
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 1986
Starring: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, John Candy, Bill Murray, Christopher Guest

Description: A nerdy florist (Rick Moranis) finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed.

Review: The story was first told in 1960, in the movie “The Little Shop of Horrors”. This movie is known for a few things: the short time it was filmed in (two days), the first appearance of Jack Nicholson and the doubtful quality. The last one didn’t stop producer David Geffen to turn it into a stage musical in the 80s. First he described it as the worst idea ever, but “Little Shop of Horrors” grew to be a huge hit. Eventually they made a movie version of this stage musical, directed by Frank Oz. And again a success.
And I understand why this is (still) a great and un musical. The songs are catchy and good, the cast is fun, the humor is dark and funny, the set looks great and the camera work is stylish. And Audrey II, the talking plant, looks amazing. For a movie from 1986, it looks stunning. Real craftsmanship.
“Little Shop of Horrors” is a great adaptation of a stage musical, a funny and comedic musical. Don’t take the film too seriously and you will definitely enjoy it. I love “Little Shop of Horrors”.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 114: Runner Runner

Director: Brad Furman
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 88 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Justin Timberlake, Gemma Arterton, Ben Affleck, Anthony Mackie, John Heard, Bob Gunton

Description: When a poor college student (Justin Timberlake) who cracks an online poker game goes bust, he arranges a face-to-face with the man (Ben Affleck) he thinks cheated him, a sly offshore entrepreneur.

Review: In 2011 director Brad Furman scored unexpectedly with “The Lincoln Lawyer”, a strong thriller that boosted Matthew McConaughey’s career. The follow up movie “Runner Runner” is ambitious, but misses inspiration and feels mediocre.
Richie Furst is an ambitious young student and is introduced to quick money, beautiful women and luxury. But off course he is not made for a world like that and it gets him into trouble. Richie is played by Justin Timberlake and the boss he has to face is Ben Affleck. To pay for his college Richie gets his money by gambling online. But one day, he gambles it all away and he feels like he was cheated. Richie decides to find the man behind the website, Ivan Block, who lives in Costa Rica.
The way the story goes is very farfetched and feels illogical. The movie does have a good pace at the beginning. But the movie collapses pretty quickly. The movie is filled with clichés. And the acting isn’t all that great either. Justin Timberlake is not a good actor, especially not for a leading role like this.Ben Affleck I was never a fan of and in “Runner Runner” he didn’t win me over. Gemma Arterton has the thankless job to play the woman between the two men, when she has so much more to offer as an actress. And Anthony Mackie is also underused.
With all that, “Runner Runner” is extremely predictable. You just know what’s going to happen and you don’t really care either. “Runner Runner” is a mediocre thriller, that I will forget in an instant. Forgotten!

Rating: 2/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 113: W Delta Z

Director: Tom Shankland
Genre: Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Melissa George, Tom Hardy, Selma Blair, Paul Kaye, Sally Hawkins

Description: A calculating killer coerces a detective to pay for his previous mistakes.

Review: The cover of the DVD says it’s “Se7en” meets “Saw”. And that’s sort of true. A police duo is trying to find a serial killer who tortures the victims before killing them. Gladly the focus is more on the police work than the torturing, although the ones that we get are pretty gruesome.
Helen Westcott is a young police officer that has to team up with veteran Eddie Argo. They find a pregnant woman with the letters WΔZ carved in her belly. They are looking for a serial killer.
The film has a raw and grim atmosphere. It’s an overlooked thriller. You can see it drew inspiration from movies like “Se7en” and “Saw”, but it also has many original aspects. There is a twist, that is very surprising, but for me a bit farfetched. Overall “W Delta Z” is a pretty good thriller.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (255)

Here are this week's trailers.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Description: Picking up immediately after the events in Resident Evil: Retribution, humanity is on its last legs in Washington D.C. As the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity's final stand against the undead hordes, Alice (Mila Jovovich) must return to where the nightmare began - Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse. In a race against time Alice will join forces with old friends, and an unlikely ally, in an action packed battle with undead hordes and new mutant monsters. Between regaining her superhuman abilities at Wesker's hand and Umbrella's impending attack, this will be Alice's most difficult adventure as she fights to save humanity, which is on the brink of oblivion.
Starring: Mila Jovovich, Ruby Rose, Ali Larter, Iain Glenn
Trailer: Trailer "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter"
Comment: It says 'the final chapter'. Is it really?

XOXO
Director: Christopher Louie
Description: Six strangers' lives collide in one frenetic, dream-chasing, hopelessly romantic night.
Starring: Sarah Hyland, Ione Skye, Hayley Kiyoko, Ryan Hansen, Graham Phillips
Trailer: Trailer "XOXO"
Comment: Meh....

Arrival
Director: Denis Villeneuvve
Description: A linguïst (Amy Adams) is recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications.
Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker
Trailer: Trailer "Arrival"
Comment: A new trailer, this looks so exciting!

Same Kind of Different As Me
Director: Michael Carney
Description: International art dealer Ron Hall (Greg Kinnear) must befriend a dangerous homeless man (Djimon Hounsou) in order to save his struggling marriage to his wife (Renee Zellweger), a woman whose dreams will lead all three of them on the journey of their lives.
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou, Jon Voight
Trailer:
Comment: Maybe.... I'm not sure. It looks super sentimental.

Hidden Figures
Director: Theodore Melfi
Description: A team of African-American women provide NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space missions.
Starring: V=Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, Kevin Costner, Jim Parsons
Trailer: Trailer "Hidden Figures"
Comment: I always love a film with a strong female cast.

Top 5 Thursday: Epic Moments from "Game of Thrones" Season 6

Because we have to wait a year for new “Game of Thrones” episodes, I decided to rewatch all the old episodes. I’m going to create a series of top fives, where I will share with you the most epic moments in every season. This week, season 6.

5. Arya Kills Walder Frey
On her way home to Winterfell, Arya had to make at least one stop. With the help of a false face, Arya feed Walder Frey his children and then cuts his throat. Repaying him for the murder of her mother and brother.

4. Sansa’s Revenge
Sansa has gone through a lot and has the worst luck. After escaping Winterfell and Ramsay, things are finally looking up. And Sansa got her revenge. After Jon Snow beat up Ramsay, he was tied up and accompanied by his own dogs. Who he hadn’t fed for days. Bad luck for Ramsay this time, killed by his own dogs. Sansa watches and when she walks away, we can see a little smile on her face.

3. Jon Snow is Alive
After being stabbed multiple times by his fellow men of the Night’s Watch, the whole world was in shock. But “Game of Thrones” wouldn’t be “Game of Thrones” if it shocked us again. Melisandre used a spell on Jon Snow and eventually brought him back from the death.

2. Jon Snow and Sansa Reunite
This had been a long time coming. After escaping winterfell and Ramsay, Sansa finally joined up with Brienne, who brought her to Castle Black. It was a touching moment to see Jon Snow and Sansa finally embrace.

1. Battle of the Basterds
We were promised a battle and we got the battle of all battles. Despite being outnumbered, Jon Snow decides that the time is right to go to battle with Ramsay Bolton. The battle was fierce and probably the best thing I’ve ever seen on “Game of Thrones”.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Hold the Door, Return of the Hound, Cersei’s Revenge, Ned Stark Isn’t Jon Snow’s Father, Tyrion Named Hand of the Queen, Brienne Saves Sansa, Daenerys the Unburnt, Second Siege of Mereen, Tommen Commits Suicide, King in the North, Meet Lady Mormont

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 112: Suicide Squad

Director: David Ayer
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Crime
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Cara Delevingne, Jai Courtney, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jay Hernandez, Adam Beach, Scott Eastwood, Ben Affleck

Description: A secret government agency recruits a group of imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency, which inevitably leads to chaos.

Review: DC Comics got a crazy follow up for “Batman V. Superman”, which was a big and epic film, but was way too long and didn’t meet our big expectations. “Suicide Squad” is a daring film with fun characters, but it’s a bit messy.
“Suicide Squad” is set right after the happenings in “Batman V. Superman”. Amanda Waller decides to fight fire with fire, in the crime filled world they live in now. She assembles a groups of criminals that are all messed up in their own way. She wants them to fight the evil in the world and finally do something good. If they don’t cooperate, they will be killed.
The start of the film is an introduction to the characters. That’s a big part of the opening, but the film is very fast paced and holds that tempo the entire film. But some of the members of the suicide squad get more attention than others. Especially Deadshot and Harley Quinn get more focus, but they are also the most interesting characters of the bunch. Both Will Smith and Margot Robbie do a fantastic job portraying them.
Jared Leto plays the Joker and he does it in his own way. His interpretation is okay, but he doesn’t succeed as well as Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger did with their performances of the same character. And the Joker isn’t in the film that much either. Cara Delevinge as Enchantress is just strange. I didn’t like her and her character never gets interesting. And I hated that weird voice she had.
The editing of the film is the biggest problem. It’s very messy and it sometimes looks like scenes were cut and it was all edited without giving it the proper attention.
“Suicide Squad” has enough entertainment and is very fast paced to keep my attention the entire runtime. Overall the film is messy, but Will Smith and Margot Robbie make up for a lot. It has action and humor, but it’s not DC’s big comeback.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 111: The Gift

Director: Joel Edgerton
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, Joel Edgerton, Allison Tolman, Busy Philipps, David Denman

Description: A young married couple's (Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall) lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance (Joel Edgerton) from the husband's past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light after more than 20 years.

Review: Simon and Robyn trade cold Chicago for sunny California, to build a new future and maybe even start a family. Simon isn’t the man to sit still and look back to at the past. His new job and their new house should only mean good things for them. Until they run into an old classmate of Simon. This Gordo has always been a bit weird, he leaves gifts for the couple and comes over unannounced. Quickly Gordo’s presence starts to affect Simon and Robyn’s life.
“The Gift” is a stalker film, a home invasion thriller and also a revenge film. A healthy relationship starts to show cracks after a man from the past comes into their lives. The film has an old fashioned thriller feel to it, like for instance “Fatal Attraction” did and it also has the suspenseful atmosphere that we know from Hitchcock movies. It’s clear that Joel Edgerton, who stars and directs, is a great Hitchcock fan.
The movie is never really surprising, up until the end. But there is always a threat, which makes it the thriller that it is. The glass house the couple lives in is used perfectly for this and the camerawork is also great. It all lifts the tension. Edgerton manages to create tension and build it, both physically and between the characters.
The characters are the strongest part of “The Gift”. Simon looks like a trustworthy man, but there is so much more to him. And it’s good to see Jason Bateman in something other than a comedy. Gordo is mysterious, he creates confusion, fear, awkwardness. Robyn looks like a strong, independent woman, but deep inside she is fragile and struggles with the past.
Joel Edgerton isn’t only a chameleon as an actor, but also did a great job as a director. “The Gift” is a true gift.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (251)

Here are this week's trailers.

Bad Santa 2
Director: Mark Waters
Description: Fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) teams up once again with his angry little sidekick, Marcus (Tony Cox), to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve.
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Kathy Bates, Christina Hendricks
Trailer: Trailer "Bad Santa"
Comment: I really enjoyed the first film, but comedy sequels don't have a good reputation.

The Sea of Trees
Director: Gus van Sant
Description: A suicidal American befriends a Japanese man lost in a forest near Mt. Fuji and the two search for a way out.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Naomi Watts, Ken Watanabe
Trailer: Trailer "Sea of Trees"
Comment: I heard it was boohed at Cannes, but the trailer looks so good.

Arrival
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Description: Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist (Amy Adams) is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat.
Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker
Trailer: Trailer "Arrival"
Comment: Can't wait to see this.

Allied
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Description: The story of intelligence officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt), who in 1942 North Africa encounters French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Reunited in London, their relationship is threatened by the extreme pressures of the war.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Lizzy Caplan, Matthew Goode, Jared Harris
Trailer: Trailer "Allied"
Comment: Robert Zemeckis finally brings us a new film!!!

Complete Unknown
Director: Joshua Marston
Description: As a man (Michael Shannon) contemplates moving to a new state with his wife for her graduate program, an old flame - a woman (Rachel Weisz) who often changes identities - reenters his life at a birthday dinner party.
Starring: Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates, Danny Glover
Trailer: Trailer "Complete Unknown"
Comment: Intriguing!

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 110: Knock Knock

Director: Eli Roth
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas

Description: When a devoted husband and father (Keanu Reeves) is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Review: Eli Roth likes to provoke. In 2002 he debuted with the bloody “Cabin Fever”, but it was “Hostel” that put him on the map. Roth also writes and produces, but in his directed films there are always three elements present: sex, blood and sadism. The blood shedding in “Knock Knock” is only minimal, but the other two ingredients are very present. It’s a home invasion thriller, like “Funny Games” was, but adds a dose of sex to it.
Devoted husband and father Evan stays home alone for the weekend, to work, when his wife and kids are leaving for trip. When Evan is working late, two beautiful young girls knock on his door. Standing in the pouring rain and lost, Evan plays the good Samaritan and lets them in to use his computer. They eventually take advantage of his hospitality and Evan wished he never let those two girls inside his house.
The movie never really gets scary or exciting. The movie is basically a chain of bad dialogues and really bad acting. I’ve always defended Kenau Reeves, because I think he is not as bad as people say he is. In “Knock Knock” his acting is terrible, I’ve never seen him this bad. And there is even a Nicolas Cage moment, a serious over the top scene that is very laughable.
I normally like Eli Roth films, but “Knock Knock” is not one of them. What a bad film.

Rating: 1,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Epic Moments from "Game of Thrones" Season 5

Because we have to wait a year for new “Game of Thrones” episodes, I decided to rewatch all the old episodes. I’m going to create a series of top fives, where I will share with you the most epic moments in every season. This week, season 5.

5. Jon Snow Gets Stabbed
Jon Snow’s fellow me of the Night’s Watch lure him into a trap, by telling him his uncle Benjen has returned. Instead he finds a cross with the word traitor on it and he is stabbed to death.

4. Sansa and Theon Escape
Sansa’s existence for the past few years has been completely miserable. Her father was killed, she was betrothed to a monster, her mother and eldest brother were murdered, she believed that her two younger brothers had been killed as wel, she was forced to marry Tyrion and when she finally and when she finally escaped she was stuck with Littlefinger. Somehow the show managed to make things even worse for Sansa, as she married Ramsay Bolton, the one character more psychotic then Joffrey. Theon, who had been tortured by Ramsay, eventually helps Sansa escape.

3. Cersei’s Walk of Shame
Cersei Lannister is a woman used to getting what she wants, regardless of the cost to others. It was Cersei who granted the High Sparrow a position of power within King’s Landing, and Cersei who delivered Loras and Margaery Tyrell to him. This time, though, things didn’t got all her own way. After being broken down to the point of confessing her sins, the next step is to atone for them in front of her people. Her head shorn and clothes stripped away, she was forced to walk the streets of King’s Landing, being verbally abused, having things thrown at her, and being completely humiliated.

2. Riding Drogon
After Jorah’s victory during the Great Games, the Sons of the Harpy launch their biggest and most direct attack yet, emerging at random within the crowds and mercilessly slaughter those in their way. The target is of course Daenerys. She is herded in the middle of Daznak’s pit, along with Tyrion, Missandei, Jorah, Daario and a handful of Unsullied. She is accepting her fate, until Drogon saves his mother.

1. The Battle of Hardhome
This was a mind-blowing action sequence. It started with Jon and Tormund attempting to negotiate with the Wildlings living at Hardhome in order to get them to The Wall. Any plans were thrown into disarray when wights attacked them and all hell broke loose.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Daenerys Meets Tyrion

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 109: 28 Weeks Later

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Genre: Drama/ Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Catherine McCormack, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Imogen Poots, Idris Elba, Harold Perrineau

Description: Six months after the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. But not everything goes to plan.

Review: When it comes to horror sequels, they seldom succeed. Most of the time it’s nothing new and just a a repetition of the previous film, but then worse. “28 Weeks Later” is the sequel to the fantastic film “28 Days Later” and it’s one of the few good horror sequels.
In “28 Days Later” the British population is completely extinct by a mysterious zombie virus and the American army has taken over control. 28 Weeks after these happenings they want Brittain to repopulate.
The original was very scary, those zombies are terrifying especially because they are so fast. “28 Weeks Later” also has that, but adds a bit more gore to it all. It’s visible that Danny Boyle didn’t direct this film, the camera work is a bit more chaotic and much quicker. But it’s a good way to add effects to the film.
“28 Days Later” is still the better movie, but I think “28 Weeks Later” is a strong horror sequel with a good cast.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 108: The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Director: Guy Ritchie
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Adventure/ Crime
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Hugh Grant, Jared Harris

Description: In the early 1960s, CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working to proliferate nuclear weapons.

Review: Since his Sherlock Holmes movies were a success, director Guy Ritchie looks like someone who can bring back old franchises. This time it’s “The Man from U.N.C.L.E., based on a televions show from the 1960s. And although the film isn’t as memorablem “The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is definitely a very entertaining comedic espionage.
During the cold war, the American CIA agent Napoleon Solo joins forces with the Russian KGB agent Ilya Kuryakin. Not very surprising is their rivalry at the beginning of the film. During an action packed opening, Solo manages to escape Kuryakin, together with the beautiful car mechanic Gaby. Gaby is the daughter of a nuclear scientist who is missing and she is probably the only clue to a potential conspiracy.That’s the reason why the two agents decide to work together.
Of course working together is not going to go smoothly, because of the differences between the two. And the interaction between actors Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer is fun to watch. Cavill works his charm as womanizer Solo and Hammer is more physically present. But it’s Alicia Vikander who steals the show as Gaby.
The atmosphere and the look of the film is great. It’s like we are really in the sixties. The location, sunny Rome, is perfect and the costumes are beautiful.
“The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” isn’t as surprising as espionage rival “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was, but certainly entertaining and enjoyable.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 107: We Bought a Zoo

Director: Cameron Crowe
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Family
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford, Angus Macfadyen, Elle Fanning, Patrick Fugit, John Michael Higgins

Description: Set in Southern California, a father (Matt Damon) moves his young family to the countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo.

Review: Director Cameron Crowe is mostly known for his film “Almost Famous”. “We Bought a Zoo” is his first family film, based on a true story where a widowed man and his two kids move and buy a struggling zoo.
Benjamin Mee doesn’t have a lot of experience as a parent, because for his job as a journalist he was on the road a lot. He quits his job writing and eventually finds a beautiful house that comes with a zoo. And he buys it.
Matt Damon plays the lead and I loved his character. It’s really easy to relate to him, a man just trying to deal with his wife’s death and his kids. Especially his son, who he just can’t seem to reach. Him buying a zoo is part of the process Benjamin is going through. Scarlett Johansson is also good in this film, I also sympathized her character a lot. And the little girl Rosie, so adorable!
“We Bought a Zoo” is such a great film, very underrated. Okay, it’s bittersweet, but who cares. I loved the film and I think everyone should see it sometime. It put a big smile on my face in the end.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (250)

Here are this week's trailers.

Rules Don't Apply
Director: Warren Beatty
Description: An unconventional love story of an aspiring actress (Lily Collins), her determined driver (Alden Ehrenreich), and the eccentric billionaire (Warren Beatty) who they work for.
Starring: Lily Collins, Haley Bennett, Alden Ehrenreich, Alec Baldwin, Matthew Broderick, Chace Crawford, Paul Sorvino, Annette Benning, Ed Harris, Candice Bergen, Warren Beatty, Steve Coogan, Martin Sheen
Trailer: Trailer "Rules Don't Apply"
Comment: Another Howard Hughes story.

The Girl on the Train
Director: Tate Taylor
Description: Rachel (Emily Blunt) takes the train every day to her imaginary job every morning and night at a specific time because she got fired when she drank way to much on a lunch and yelled at a client and lost the company their business...
Starring: EMly Blunt, Haley Bennett, Luke Evans, Justine Theroux, Rebecca Hall, Alisson Janney, Laura Prepon, Lisa Kudrow
Trailer: Trailer "The Girl on the Train"
Comment: A new trailer, it got me even more excited for this film. Can't wait!

The Magnificent Seven
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Description: Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Haley Bennett, Vincent D'Onofrio, Peter Sarsgaard, Matt Bomer, Cam Gigandet
Trailer: Trailer "The Magnificent Seven"
Comment: A remake that I'm actually looking forward to seeing.

xXx: Return of Xander Cage
Director: D.J. Caruso
Description: Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) is left for dead after an incident, though he secretly returns to action for a new, tough assignment with his handler Augustus Gibbons.
Starring: Vin Diesel, Ruby Rose, Samuel L. Jackson, Nina Dobrev, Toni Collette, Rory McCann
Trailer: Trailer "xXx: Return of Xander Cage"
Comment: Do we really need him to return???

Dunkirk
Director: Christopher Nolan
Description: Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France are surrounded by the German army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.
Starring: Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Harry Styles, James D'Arcy
Trailer: Trailer "Dunkirk"
Comment: Just a little glimpse, can't wait to see a full trailer.

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (July 2016)

I didn’t watch a lot of (for me) new movies this month, but I did manage to make a top 5. Here are my favorite films for my Challenge and the month of July.

5. Jason Bourne
Not as good as the other three films in the series, but “Jason Bourne” did have a lot of action and of course a great performance by Matt Damon. But it was in fact Alicia Vikander with the best performance.

4. 300
A movie I never completed and this month I finally watched the entire film. “300” is a great looking movie, action packed, entertaining and spectacular.

3. Strangers On a Train
Alfred Hitchcock hardly ever disappointed us with his films. This thriller is again amazing, about two strangers that meet each other during a train ride and make a pact.

2. 10 Cloverfield Lane
A movie that was very secretive before its trailer was released. Most of the film takes place in an underground bunker with only three characters. A really good film.

1. The BFG
As a girl who grew up with Roald Dahl’s children’s books, I was super excited about “The BFG”. And it didn’t disappoint. It looks magical and fantastic and I loved mark Rylance as the BFG. And Ruby Barnhill as Sophie, so good!

They Almost Made the Top 5: Sexy Beast, Frankenweenie, Ghostbusters