Movie Reviews - Papillon

Director: Michael Noer
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Rami Malek, Tommy Flanagan, Eve Hewson, Roland Møller, Nina Senicar, Michael Socha, Christopher Fairbank, Joel Basman, Fernanda Diniz, Ian Beattie, Brian Vernel, Nikola Kent, Yorick van Wageningen

Description: Wrongfully convicted for murder, Henri Charriere (Charlie Hunnam) forms an unlikely relationship with fellow inmate and quirky convicted counterfeiter Louis Dega (Rami Malek), in an attempt to escape from the notorious penal colony on Devil's Island.

Review: Without hope he would have never survived the fourteen years in prison. He had a purpose, a goal: he had to escape. Everyone must have heard about Frenchman Henri Charrière, nicknamed Papillon, because of a tattooed butterfly on his chest. Three years after his autobiography was released, director Franklin J. Schaffner translated it to film, with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman as his leading men. Now, the Danish director Michael Noer, tries it again. The story is still interesting enough and it’s a very strong film.
Paris, 1931. The French night life blossoms with Moulin Rouge and so does the criminal activity behind the scenes. The life of jewel thief Henri Charrière changes into hell, when he is accused of murder and sentenced for life. In large groups, men are transferred to a prison island. And according to the warden, only a fool will try to escape. Because there is hardly any chance of surviving it. But Papillon is still determined to escape.
To escape, he needs money. He meets millionaire Louis Dega. He is obvious bait for the other prisoners, so they can help each other. The contrast between the two is very big, but they share the same fate.
Charlie Hunnam plays his role very convincing, but it’s Rami Malek who is sublime. He impresses the most. The images are beautiful and the soundtrack as well.
It’s hard to translate fourteen years of someone’s life to movie, even with a long runtime. Noer had to make choices in what to show and what not. He managed to select the right moments and show the important aspects of Papillon’s life in prison. His years in solitary, his time on Devil’s island, his friendship with Dega.
I didn’t expect much, like most of the times with a remake. But I was pleasantly surprised and ended up loving this film. Very strong performances and a story that, to date, is still interesting enough to keep my attention for over two hours.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movies to Look Forward to - January 2019

Bye bye 2018, hello 2019! Overall, 2018 wasn't a special movie year, so I'm very interested in what 2019 has in story for us when it comes to movies. Starting with January!

January 3rd – Replicas
Director: Jeffrey Machnamoff
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alice Eve
Description: A scientist becomes obsessed with bringing back his family members who died in a traffic accident.

January 10th – Creed 2
Director: Steve Caple Jr.
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, Milo Ventimiglia
Description: Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa, heavyweight contender Adonis Creed faces off against Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago.

January 17th – Glass
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, James McAvoy, Sara Paulson
Description: Security guard David Dunn (Bruce Willis) uses his supernatural abilities to track Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), a disturbed man who has twenty-four personalities.

January 23rd – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Director: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, America Ferrara, Kit Harington, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, F. Murray Abraham, Craig Ferguson
Description: As Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless' discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup's reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind.

January 31st – Green Book
Director: Peter Farrelly
Starring: Marhershala Ali, Viggo Mortenson, Linda Cardellini
Description: A working-class Italian-American bouncer (Viggo Mortenson) becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist(Marhershala Ali) on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.

January 31st – Instant Family
Director: Sean Anders
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Octavia Spencer
Description: A couple find themselves in over their heads when they foster three children.

Top 20: Favorite Movies of 2018

Like last year, I decided to make a top 20 of my favorite movies. And 2018 did bring us some gems. It’s based on Dutch release dates, so you might see some movies on this list that are originally from 2017, but came out in 2018 in The Netherlands. And if you miss some movies, it’s possible that it won’t be released here until 2018. It was very tough to create this list and I had to leave of some really good ones. But here are the 20 best films of 2018, according to me.

20. Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut is a perfectly-formed love letter to teenage girls and their long-suffering mothers everywhere. Gerwig channels her own upbringing in Sacremento into the coming-of-age story of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson. Saoirse Ronan is dependably excellent as Lady Bird. While Laurie Metcalfe teases out subtle tear-jerking emotion as her fraught but deeply caring mother.

19. The Death of Stalin
The insult comedy of Iannucci somehow fits the backroom dealing of 1950s Soviet Union. The silly physical comedy, particularly in the early scenes where the men discover Stalin’s corpse, is the best. Iannucci seems to be a master of finding humor in the bleakest scenarios imaginable, exposing the petty human foibles behind history’s greatest horrors.

18. Black Panther
“Black Panther” creates a rich and vibrant world. And the fact that it is the first time we witnessed a majority black cast, tells a powerful and positive back story within the shell of a mainstream superhero blockbuster.

17. Game Night
At first sight, “Game Night” doesn’t look particularly exceptional. Another R-rated US comedy with high concept conceit and Jason Bateman’s bemused face across the poster? But, in a surprise to almost everybody, “Game Night” turns out to be one of the best comedies of the year (if not the best). Thanks to the pointed script, stellar performances and a genuinely intriguing story.

16. Deadpool 2
Directed by one of the guys that killed John Wick’s dog, David Leitch and presented by the studio that killed Wolverine. “Deadpool 2” is not for the faint of heart. Lots of swearing, blood spilling and pop-culture references. Ryan Reynold’s superhero is that savage friend that consistently yells sick burns at everyone while the audience goes, “nice”. Meta as you like, it’s hyper-referential, very funny indeed and has one of the best post-credits sequences in any Marvel movie ever.

15. I, Tonya
Tonya Harding has gone down in the history books as, primarily, a villain. ‘The incident’ at the 1994 Winter Olympics, dwarfed her considerable achievements in figure skating. Craig Gillespie’s propulsive and slickly-edited biopic seeks to re-dress that balance. “I, Tonya” shifts between conflicting viewpoints, but largely presents Harding as a flawed but wronged woman who fought her way through abuse, neglect and prejudice. Margot Robbie is utterly compelling, but it’s Allison Janney who steals the show as Tonya’s hateful mom.

14. Annihilation
“Annihilation” is one of the best sci-fi films of the last years. It’s a mind-blowing trip into an inscrutable heart of darkness that marks writer and director Alex garland as one of the genre’s true greats. It’s an unsettling and hallucinatory tale of destruction and transformation, division and replication. It’s frighteningly unique.

13. Searching
A missing-persons thriller taking place entirely on a computer screen. In effect, the film reverse-engineers an entire character and set of life experiences in ways that we, the users of social media, could probably afford to if want to better understand each other. It’s a world experiences by all of us, in which social media, regardless of identity, is both a glue that binds and a reflection of personal isolation. The way this simple story was executed and how it adds some surprising plot twists, is just excellent. Originality in Hollywood isn’t dead yet.

12. Under the Silver Lake
“Under the Silver Lake” is a down-the-rabbit-hole movie, at once gripping and baffling, fueled by passion and dread but also by the code-fixation opacity of conspiracy theory. The movie is impeccably shot and staged, with an insanely lush soundtrack. When it’s over, you fell like you’ve seen a meta-mystery made by someone who is friends with David Lynch.

11. Love, Simon
“Love, Simon” is the most relatable high school movies of the year and it also just so happens to be groundbreaking in its depiction of a gay character in a mainstream teen flick. Director Greg Berlanti treat all of his characters with empathy, but Nick Robinson is a revelation as the titular Simon. He has charm to spare and “Love, Simon” marks him as a major talent, keeping Simon likeable even when the film’s revealing his shortcomings. This is also a movie that does away with stereotypes. It’s a rare group of movie high-schoolers you’d actually want to hang out with. And it’s a joy to watch the romantic mystery unfold, with unexpected surprises and second-guessing assumptions.

10. Avengers: Infinity War
The movie that left us all wanting more and with so many unanswered questions. But it deserves to be on my list for the sheer audacity of a cast that size and for being the culmination of 18 movies and 10 years’ planning. It’s even cinema and the box office goes to prove it. The only movie I saw in theaters this year more than once.

9. A Quiet Place
“A Quiet Place” came out of nowhere to become one of the best films of the year and for me the best horror film of 2018. And that’s because of its simple storyline, expert performances and ironically its use of sound. It’s a tale about family life and how complicated familial relationships can be at times, especially post-apocalypse. Add to that a strong horror element as the family are stalked by the invaders and remain in an almost constant state of fear at the sound of any noise whatsoever. And it’s a thrilling ride from start to finish. The movie barely puts a foot wrong.

8. Isle of Dogs
This is a masterpiece of modern stop-motion work, right up there with “Kubo and the Two Strings” and that other Wes Anderson stop-motion “Fantastic Mr. Fox”. As with any Wes Anderson movie, “Isle of Dogs” is jam-packed with lovably quirky characters, imaginative ideas, playful banter, and the kinds of perfectly framed shots you could easily hang on your wall as art.

7. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
I can’t think of any other movie franchise, where the movies get better each time. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is the finest action film since 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road”. The intertwining of the personal and professional provides a sturdy backbone for a series of set pieces that, especially in IMAX, are nothing short of astonishing. And that helicopter chase scene is one of the best action sequences I have seen in years. And Tom Cruise may be in his 50s, but he’s still got it! He is the definition of a movie star.

6. A Star is Born
You may have experiences the four existing versions of this tale, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut. It’s a pure drama, that refuses to let you go until it’s wrung you dry of every single emotion. It’s funny, dramatic, heart-wrenchingly sad. Lady Gaga was surprisingly good in her first ever leading movie role. And “A Star is Born” has a killer soundtrack!

5. Christopher Robin
“Christopher Robin” is without a doubt the cutest, sweetest and most heart-felt film of 2018. Seeing A.A. Milne’s beloved characters come to life and going on an adventure with them is such a fun and likeable journey.

4. A Bohemian Rhapsody
It took forever to get made, but what we got was worth the wait. And eventhough it’s paint-by-numbers storytelling, the film is compelling. And Rami Malek plays the role of a lifetime. You get the feeling you’re never watching an actor, you are watching Freddy Mercury. And that last 20 minutes of the film are the absolute highlight!

3. Paddington 2
Paul King’s sequel to 2015’s “Paddington” is a sheer joy, infused with comic instpiration and irresistible sweetness. The set pieces are uniformly inventive, the hybrid live-action/ CGI aesthetics are superb and the cast is fantastic. Only the hardest hearts could resist its good-natured charm.

2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Frances McDormand’s turn as Mildred, a mother experiencing intense grief in the wake of her daughter’s brutal death, is one of deep-welled sadness. The film’s morally complex characters, from Woody Harrelson’s sympathetic but defeated police chief, to Sam Rockwell’s racist doofus cop continue to linger in the memory of nearly a year after release.

1. The Shape of Water
My absolute favorite, number one film of the year. Guillermo Del Toro’s fishy fairytale won big at the Oscar’s and it was well deserved. It’s a beautiful, shamelessly sentimental love story between the mute woman Elisa the fish-man creature from some watery surface. Unconventional love stories are my favorite kind of love story.



Honorable Mentions: The Florida Project, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, Ready Player One, Darkest Hour, Incredibles 2, The Post

Movie Reviews - Aquaman

Director:  James Wan
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 144 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park, Michael Beach

Description: A daredevil designs and operates his own theme park with his friends.

Review: It appears that the underdogs in the superhero world, get the most colorful films with a lot of creativity and freedom. “Aquaman” is a spectacular and very overwhelming film.
“Aquaman” is hard to analyse, because James Wan makes the same mistakes as many other directors: the film is long, the narrative is a bit unclear and some characters are very one-dimensional. But somehow you walk out of the cinema with a big smile.
Because “Aquaman” has tons of charm. And not in the sense of “ultimate popcorn entertainment’, because these movies are easy on the eyes but very forgettable. “Aquaman” is also pure eye candy, but there is one big difference: the movie is never boring, never too serious and embraces absurdity. The film is visually stunning, wonderful filmed and a treat for the senses.
There are several films that you can see influenced Wan in making “Aquaman”. “Indiana Jones”, “True Lies”, “Avatar”. It’s two hours of mind blowing action and visual effects.
Jason Momoa is a great choice for the title role. After seeing him as Aquaman, it’s hard to think about someone else in the role. And that means he did a good job!
DC still doesn’t win it from Marvel, but James Wan did a solid job. It’s a hell of a thrill ride and extremely entertaining!

Rating: 3,5 / 5

80s Movie Review - The Breakfast Club

Director: John Hughes
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 1985
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Paul Gleason, John Kapelos

Description: Five high school students, all different stereotypes, meet in detention, where they pour their hearts out to each other, and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.

Review: “The Breakfast Club” is a high school film with actual characters, a dose of humor and even a bit of drama. For me, a classic.
On a Saturday morning five students of a high school have to stay for detention. The frustrated teacher Richard Vernon tells them to stay in the library, sit still, don’t talk and write an essay about who they are. The five students are all very different and all run in different friend circles: The rebel John Bender, sports jock Andrew Clark, nerd Brian Johnson, outsider Allison Reynolds and princess Claire Standish.
Although the students aren’t allowed to talk or move, they disobey the rules. The five get to know each other better and find out that they aren’t that different after all. The characters have depth and chemistry, you feel like part of the small group. It’s probably the best high school film ever made and it inspired many other movies. In almost every film or TV show the stereotypes introduced in “The Breakfast Club” are used.
“The Breakfast Club” is a great film, that influenced a lot of other movies in the genre.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Under the Silver Lake

Director: David Robert Mitchell
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 139 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Topher Grace, Jimmi Simpson,Zosie mamet, Callie Hernandez, Riki Linhome, Summer Bishil, Grace van Patten, Patricj Fishler, Luke Baines, Laura-Leigh Claire

Description: Sam (Andrew Garfield), intelligent but without purpose, finds a mysterious woman swimming in his apartment's pool one night. The next morning, she disappears. Sam sets off across LA to find her, and along the way he uncovers a conspiracy far more bizarre.

Review: After the atmospheric horror film “It Follows”, director David Robert Mitchell does something unexpected with “Under the Silver Lake”. He creates an ambitious art house film with a hint of neo-noir. It’s a sensational and hypnotizing ride, but only if you like cryptical and creative adventures that lead to nothing. It’s absurd, weird and artistic. Not for everyone.
Sam is a nobody. He smokes weed in a grim apartment in Los Angeles, filled with vinyl records and Hitchcock posters. Watching his gorgeous neighbor, entertained by his fuckbuddy and weird encounters with dead animals. The film has a strange tone from the start, it’s all over the place. You have no clue what Sam is up to, but his neurotic tics and strange happenings are enough to keep you interested.
After the introduction, Sam goes on a neo-noir adventure when his pretty neighbor goes missing. His paranoid brain looks for patterns and conspiracies. Secret codes, hobos, fallen movie stars, hidden messages in music, corrupt elites and dog killers. When you read this random list of words, you know it’s a strange film. But it’s the good kind of strange.
It’s understandable that “Under the Silver Lake” got mixed response during the Cannes film festival. This is one of those typical films that has a small, specific audience. And I think only a few people will appreciate it. I am one of those people.
I really loved seeing Andrew Garfield as Sam. A different film and role for him, but he did a great job. “Under the Silver Lake” felt like a mix of “Mulholland Drive” and “The Big Lebowski”. If you like both movies, you will like this one too. If you don’t like one or both film, you won’t like this either.
“Under the Silver Lake” is definitely not a film for everyone. And many people won’t see the brilliance of this film.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Christopher Robin

Director: Marc Forster
Genre: Adventure/ Family
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Brad Garrett, Toby Jones, Peter Capaldi

Description: A working-class family man, Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor), encounters his childhood friend Winnie-the-Pooh, who helps him to rediscover the joys of life.

Review: Winnie the Pooh belongs to us all. I think we all grew up reading A.A. Milne’s stories about the honey loving bear and his friends Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga and Roo. You are warned, this movie has a high level of cuteness! Before Disney got its hands on the Marvel universe, Winnie the Pooh was its best-selling merchandise title. And many people claim that this film was just for that purpose. I think there is a much deeper meaning and it’s one of the sweetest films I have seen this year.
The film centers around Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh’s human friend. In the opening scene we see young Christopher Robin, Pooh and all the other friend during a farewell party. Christopher has to go to boarding school and won’t be able to visit his forest friends. Leaving is friends also means leaving his past behind and a part of himself.
When we meet Christopher again, he is a grown man, married with a daughter, working for a suitcase company. All he does is work and he barely has any time for his wife and daughter. But then there is Pooh. Because Christopher lost a little too much of his old self.
Losing your childhood, losing your fantasies, all for a mind numbing job. The longing for getting in touch with you inner child and all the great things you experiences as a child. Something that Disney does very well and this movie captures perfectly. And there is nothing wrong with this formula, it’s a perfect family film. And with all these great, recognizable characters, that candy sweet message at the end never bothers you.
“Christopher Robin” is one of the most adorable, sweet and kind hearted movies I have seen this year. Loved it!

Rating: 5/ 5

90s Movie Review - The Witches

Director: Nicolas Roeg
Genre: Horror/ Family/ Fantasy
Runtime: 91 minutes
Year: 1990
Starring: Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher, Jane Horrocks, Anne Lambton, Rowan Atkinson, Bill Paterson, Brenda Blethyn, Charlie Potter, Sukie Smith, Rose English, Jenny Runacre, Annabel Brooks, Emma Relph, Nora Connolly

Description: A young boy stumbles onto a witch convention and must stop them, even after he has been turned into a mouse.

Review: There are certain children’s movies, that aren’t actually children’s movies. “The Witches” is one of those, based on a book by Roald Dahl. There is more to it, things that kids would probably not understand or will overlook. Director Nicolas Roeg had to adapt his style. We know him from movies like “Don’t Look Now”, they are full of symbolic, double meanings and aren’t chronologic. In “The Witches” it’s all very clear and the story is told chronologic. The mystery isn’t in the theme, but the dark characters, beautiful camera work and special effects. The grand high witch, wonderfully played by Angelica Huston, is truly scary. As a kid, it freaked me out. And the two talking mice look realistic, especially for that time.
Character Luke is the typical Roald Dahl hero, a brave kid with a big heart. And grandma is likeable. Rowan Atkinson catches your eye as the clumsy hotel manager, but it’s Angelica Huston that shines. She portrays pure evil, someone that will haunt many children’s nightmares.
The camera work is very well done. The scenes with Luke and Bruno as mice are shot wonderfully, it’s seen from a very low perspective.
The negative is the ending. Director Roeg changed the ending. As a big fan of Roald Dahl’s work, that’s not appreciated.
All in all, “The Witches” is an excellent adaptation of the classic children’s book. A bit too scary for the little ones, but the story was very well executed.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Jungle

Director: Greg McLean
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Thomas Kretschmann, Alex Russell

Description: A group of friends join a guide for a trek into the Bolivian jungle, searching for an Indian village. The men soon realize that the jungle is a difficult place to be.

Review: Daniel Radcliffe exchanges his nerdy look for a more rugged backpackers look for this intense survival drama. A bit predictable, but with a strong performance by Radcliffe.
The film is based on the true story of Yossi Ginsberg and his travel companions. They decide on the search for an Indian village in the Bolivian jungle. A guide escorts them, but they group realizes it’s not an easy task. The jungle becomes their biggest enemy.
Daniel Radcliffe has come a long way from the Harry Potter films that made him a star. He never managed to lose that image, but he comes awfully close here. He shows that he can be a strong performer.
It’s beautifully filmed and the way it’s showed to us how Yossi hallucinates is shot really well too.
It’s not very special overall, but it is a solid survival drama.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Reviews - Lady Bird

Director: Greta Gerwig
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein, Jordan Rodrigues, Odeya Rush

Description: In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl (Saoirse Ronan) comes of age in Sacramento, California.

Review: What do you want to be when you grow up? Many people who are on their dead bed don’t even know the answer to that question. But for some it’s clear very early on in which direction their life is going. For some it’s an eternal search. Teenager Lady Bird is somewhere in between. But can you blame other fort his?
Actress Greta Gerwig already wrote a handful of screenplays and made her directorial debut about a decade ago. But with “Lady Bird” she shows herself as a true filmmaker. The central character in this coming-of-age story is teenager Lady Bird and her search for her purpose in life. And her relationship with her mother is a big part of that. One moment they are listening to an audiobook together in the car, filled with emotion. The next minute, Lady Bird throws herself out of that car after a discussion with her mom.
She is actually called Christine, but because she is bored of the dull life in Sacramento, she decides to give herself the name Lady Bird.
The quest for adulthood is a common given in movies, because it makes room for character development. And that’s something that keeps a dramedy interesting. But in “Lady Bird” everything falls into the right place. And not only because of Greta Gerwig. Also actress Saoirse Ronan, who plays the title role.
“Lady Bird” is not the kind of film with rigorous twists or melodramatic changes and happenings. And this all makes this film very relatable. And Gerwig doesn’t force a moral on you either.
Not only Ronan deserves praise. Also her movie mom, played by Laurie Metcalfe, deserves to be mentioned.
“Lady Bird” is an excellent coming-of-age story, very well performed by Ronan and Metcalfe and a great director Greta Gerwig.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Reviews - Tully

Director: Jason Reitman
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Ron Livingston, Mark Duplass

Description: Marlo (Charlize Theron), a mother of three hires a night nanny (Mackenzie Davis) to help with her newborn.

Review: Since her role in “Monster”, Charlize Theron belongs with the best of the best in Hollywood. For her role in “Tully”, Theron gained a lot of weight to get ready for the role.
Theron plays Marlo, a mother of three. She just gave birth to her third child and because she feels like dealing with everything on her own, she hires a night nanny, named Tully. At first Marlo feels uncomfortable around Tully, but they develop a strong bond. Why Marlo and her husband are having a third child is a big question, since their son is hard to handle and very difficult to read. And with the birth of daughter Mia, motherhood is officially too much for Marlo. 
When Tully enters her life, Marlo starts loving life again. And even her marriage gets a boost. But eventually Marlo can’t be without Tully anymore.
The contrast between Marlo and Tully is very big. Young versus old, free versus bound, energetic versus exhausted: it’s a little predictable. The focus is on the two of them and Marlo’s husband Drew hardly gets any attention.
Charlize Theron is really strong. A beautiful actress like her who always dares to be ‘ugly’ and show the human side of a character.
It isn’t until the end of the movie, that you come to realize it was actually a good film. Because of that ending. Without that, this film is pretty standard.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Movie Reviews - Action Point

Director: Tim Kirby
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 84 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Christ Pontius, Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Dan Bakkedahl, Eric Manaka, Joshua Hoover, Connor McVicker, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Johnny Pemberton, Michael Everson, Aidan Whytock, Matthew Peterson, Aidan Scott, Ashley Dickerson, Matt Schulze, Camilla Wolfson, Patrick De Langhe

Description: A daredevil (Johnny Knoxville) designs and operates his own theme park with his friends.

Review: What do you get when you combine “Jackass” with a true story about a dangerous amusement park. Well, “Action Point”. D.C. is the owner of that park, that doesn’t really care about any safety rules. Not very surprisingly this role is played by Johnny Knoxville.
The acting is not that good and the characters are very one-dimensional. And this film is constantly looking for a way to hurt Knoxville, like we’ve seen happen to him on “Jackass”.
They added a secondary storyline, about D.C. and his daughter and how he is about to lose custody over her. They didn’t really pay a lot attention to that part, it could have been left out.
“Action Point” is at times funny, but it had a lot more potential.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

Movie Reviews - Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, Alec Baldwin, Michelle Monaghan, Wes Bentley

Description: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.

Review: Seldom do movies in a series get better by each release. But for the Mission: Impossible franchise that is definitely the case. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is the sixth film in the franchise and the best so far!
“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” was directed by Christopher McQuarrie and he also directed the sixth installment. The stunts and action sequences are bigger, more dangerous and more spectacular. And in this case, bigger is better. Tom Cruise still does all of his own stunts and that fascinates me. It helps the authenticity of the action sequences and makes it look amazing.
And the fight scenes are also fantastic. Perfectly choreographed. The same goes for the chase scenes. It doesn’t matter if it’s with cars, motorcycles or helicopters, they are all memorable. And then that bombastic music in the background.
But “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is more than just an action packed spectacle. The story is strong and so are the characters. Twists, turns and surprises, all present like any spy themed film should have.
If you are a fan of the franchise, you shouldn’t miss this one. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is the best film in the series.

Rating: 5 / 5

Movie Reviews - Ant-Man and the Wasp

Director: Peyton Reed
Genre: Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline lilly, Michael Douglas, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Judy Greer, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne

Description: As Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) balances being both a Super Hero and a father, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.

Review: After the big spectacle that is “Avengers: Infinity War”, Marvel studios gives his fans a moment to breath, with the smaller but also important “Ant-Man and the Wasp”. The first film from 2015 was very well received and was a true joy to watch. With director Peyton Reed returning, we get a trusted and very solid sequel with a high tempo and a high entertainment level.
Scott Lang is home on house arrest and his allies Hank and Hope are wanted. But somehow to cross paths again and have to work together. Don’t expect big threats, but a more personal touch and individual life situations that are on the line.
Paul Rudd was already a big surprise as Scott Lang and again he does a great job. But the biggest enrichment in this film is the introduction of The Wasp, portrayed by Evangeline Lilly. Hope is a strong power woman, not afraid to take the lead or to get her hands dirty.
The humor is also what made the first film strong. Again clearly present in the sequel. Especially character Luis, played by Michael Peña. And Langs sassy daughter Cassie.
For an soactacular adventurous action movie, “Ant-Man and the Wasp”is fairly small and that is what Marvel needed right now. And the fans, after all we had to deal with in “Avengers”Infinity War”.
“Ant-Man and the Wasp” eventually doesn’t manage to live up to the first film, but it is a fun time, filled with humor and good characters. I really enjoyed it and it’s a movie I would rewatch.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Movies to Look Forward to - December 2018

The end of the year is in sight and just one more motnh left for new movies to be released. Here are the movies to look forward to in the month of December.

December 6th – Kursk
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Starring: Colin Firth, Léa Seydoux, Michael Nyqvist, Matthias Schoenaarts, Max von Sydow
Description: The film follows the 2000 K-141 Kursk submarine disaster and the governmental negligence that followed. As the sailors fight for survival, their families desperately battle political obstacles and impossible odds to save them.

December 6th – Mortal Engines
Director: Christian Rivers
Starring: Hugo Weaving, Stephen Lang, Robert Sheehan, Hera Hilmar
Description: A mysterious young woman named Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar) joins forces with Anna Fang, a dangerous outlaw with a bounty on her head, and Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan), an outcast from London, to lead a rebellion against a giant predator city on wheels.

December 12th – Ralph Breaks the Internet
Director: Phil Johnston, Rich Moore
Starring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Jack Brayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Alfred Molina, Ed O’Neill
Description: Six years after the events of "Wreck-It Ralph", Ralph (John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman), now friends, discover a wi-fi router in their arcade, leading them into a new adventure.

December 13th – Aquaman
Director: James Wan
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Willem Dafoe, Leigh Wannell, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Beach
Description: Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, and must step forward to lead his people and be a hero to the world.

November 19th – Mary Poppins Returns
Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Emiy Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Angela Lansbury, Emily Mortimer, Ben Wishaw, Meryl Streep
Description: Decades after her original visit, the magical nanny returns to help the Banks siblings and Michael's children through a difficult time in their lives.

November 20th – Bumblebee
Director: Travis Knight
Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Justin Theroux
Description: On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken.

November 20th – Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsay, Rodney Rothman
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Hailee Steinfeld, Live Schreiber, Mahershala Ali, Jake Johnson, John Mulaney, Lily Tomlin, Shameik Moore, Bryan Tyree henry
Description: Spider-Man crosses parallel dimensions and teams up with the Spider-Men of those dimensions to stop a threat to all reality.

10s Movie Review - Free Fire

Director: Ben Wheatley
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 87 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy, Sharlto Coperly, Jack Reynor

Description: Set in Boston in 1978, a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs turns into a shootout and a game of survival.

Review: The cultural influence of director Quentin Tarantino is clearly present in Ben Wheatley’s “Free Fire”. It’s filled with action and morbide humor and is basically set in one location. But Wheatley doesn’t manage to succeed completely.
In an abandoned warehouse in Boston, a group of criminals come together to close a weapons deal. The group with the money: IRA-member Chris, Justine, old Frank and hitmen Stevo and Bernie. The group with the weapons: South African Vernon, ‘failed’ Black Panther member Martin and Gordon and Harry. Chaperon is the bearded Ord.
It’s clear from the start that they don’t want to have anything to do with each other. It doesn’t help that Harry and Stevo had an argument the day before. Tensions get high and it soon escalates. Bullets flying all over the place, people hiding and getting hurt and not knowing who is on which side.
“Free Fire” has two basic elements: humor and action. The shootings are filmed in all kinds of ways, to keep it interesting, but even with almost 90 minutes runtime the film drags a bit sometimes. It’s all a bit too chaotic to stay interesting constantly. You’re actually waiting for something to happen.
The humor takes some time, but eventually it’s strong and it has a macabre touch. This is the strong point of the film. “Free Fire” is an entertaining film, but doesn’t stay interesting the entire runtime. It’s saved by the good humor.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - This is the End

Director: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Danny McBride, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Robinson, Paul Rudd, Mindy Kaling, Aziz Ansari, Kevin Hart, Rihanna, David Krumholtz, Emma Watson

Description: While attending a party at James Franco's house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.

Review: Relaxing with his friend Seth Rogen, smoke some weed, play video games and eat junk food. That’s the weekend Jay Baruchel had in mind in “This is the End”. Sadly for him, that chill weekend ends up in the apocalypse.
Against his will Jay joins Seth for a house warming party at James Franco’s house. The new mansion is filled with Hollywood’s finest. When Jay and Seth quickly go to a store, they witness a weird happening where people are sucked into the sky. It’s followed by a giant sink hole in front of Franco’s house.
“This is the End” is a comedy that can go two ways: you either love it or you hate it. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have proved themselves before, with the comedy “Superbad”. And again they manage to make us laugh. It’s the end of days, packed with simple, tasteless jokes and pretty enjoyable (sorry to say) death scenes of famous movie stars. By mocking themselves and Hollywood, “This is the End” never has a dull moment.
“This is the End” is a film that is self-aware and not to be taken too seriously. The actors exaggerate their own character, and that’s why it’s a fun movie that I love. A guarantee for laughs.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Director: Stefano Sollima
Genre: Action/ Crime
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Catherine Keener, Jeffrey Donovan

Description: The drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro).

Review: “Sicario” was a great success, but it’s not the type of movie you expect a sequel for. The story didn’t leave a lot left to even suggest a sequel.
But like most sequels, “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” can’t live up to the first film. The sequel has to work without genius directo Denis Villeneuve, cinematographer Roger Deakins and leading lady Emily Blunt. Those were three elements that made the first film so strong. That Blunt wasn’t asked back is actually logical, due to the storyline. Hers was done at the end of “Sicario”. But she is missed as the moral compass of the film and the person you can identity with.
Main character in “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” are Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro, this time in a leading role). Both characters are antiheroes and do things you would probably not agree with. In a moral sense that is. There is no nuance and they don’t blink while abducting a young girl.
The screenplay is really good and the dialogues too. It is never repetitive and different from the first film. It’s a really pleasant film and a solid sequel. But I think they needed Villeneuve to get it to the same level as his film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Bohemian Rhapsody

Director: Bryan Singer
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aiden Gillen, Tom Hollander, Mike Myers, Allen Leech

Description: A chronicle of the years leading up to Queen's legendary appearance at the Live Aid (1985) concert.

Review: ‘Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?’ The two first lines from Queen’s most famous hit “Bohemian Rhapsody”. And those two lines describe the life of charismatic lead singer Freddie Mercury, who was constantly struggling between his life as showstopper on stage and his doubting social life.
When “Bohemian Rhapsody” was released in 1975, critics were divided. Was it a masterpiece or experimental crap? Whatever you think, nowadays it’s a timeless classic and radio station still often play it. According to the record company Queen presented it to in the days, the radio stations were never going to play a six minute song. But Freddy and his guys decided to release it anyway and turn their back to the record company.
Mercury was born in Zanzibar, as Farrokh Bulsara, and grew up in an Indian family in London. He was always extraordinary and had a distinctive look due to his teeth. When three band members of the band Smile tell him he can never be a lead singer because of his teeth, Mercury has his answer ready: he was born with four extra teeth, which eventually give him a wider range. Hired, and Queen was born.
Mercury becomes their front man and he is the one that calls the shots. He is extravagant, a showstopper and gets his band in unknown creative territory. No one has ever heard anything like Queen or saw anyone like Mercury.
Most hits were born due to creative differences, arguments and the experimental nature of Mercury. This is the focus in the first half of the film. The second half is more focused on Mercury and his inner struggles.
All the actors look like the bandmembers, but it’s Rami Malek that steals the show. From beginning to end, you got the feeling that you’re not watching an actor but you’re actually seeing Freddy Mercury. He looks, walks and talks like Mercury and his performance is unforgettable.
The biopic ends with the memorable performance Queen delivered at Live Aid in 1985. It wasn’t only a highlight for the concert, but also a comeback for Queen. This part of the film is the biggest highlight and the film ends with a bang. Every detail in this sequence is right and Rami Malek is hypnotizing as Mercury. Really mind blowing!!!
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is the biopic both Freddy Mercury and Queen deserved. Definitely one of the best films of 2018.

Rating: 5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Director: David Yates
Genre: Adventure/ Fantasy/ Family
Runtime: 146 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Nighy, Bonnie Wright, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Jason Isaacs, John Hurt, Miranda Richardson, Evanna Lynch, Rhys Ifans, David Thewlis, Robbie Coltrane, Brendan Gleeson, Timothy Spall, Clémence Poésy, Warwick Davis, Helen McCrory, Julie Walters, Toby Jones, Imelda Staunton, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, Fiona Shaw, Richard Griffiths, Matthew Lewis, Chris Rankin, Mark Williams

Description: As Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) races against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, he uncovers the existence of three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.
Review: The last book in the Harry Potter series was split into two films. Although the film is very long, there is more room for development. This is in fact only half a film. It’s foremost a buildup to the second part and the climax.
The length is something that you feel here. Although it’s only half the book, it takes two and a half hour. And many scenes are repetitive, where Harry, Hermione and Ron are searching for the Horcuxes.
The three main actors have become better over the years, but only Emma Watson can easily keep up with the once that have more experience, like Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith. It’s visible that Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint still have a lot to learn.
I don’t think it was the best decision to split the final book in two films, because this is probably my least favorite of all the films. However, together with the second half of this film, it is better.

Rating: 3/ 5