Movie Reviews - Green Book

Director: Peter Farrelly
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini

Description: A working-class Italian-American bouncer (Viggo Mortensen) becomes the driver of an African-American classical pianist (Mahershala Ali) on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.

Review: Tony Lip, also known as Tony Vallenlonga, worked at the Copacabana in New York in the 50s and 60s. When the Copacabana is closed due to construction, Tony gets a job as a driver. This job would change his life.
Viggo Mortenson plays Tony, a ‘bullshitter’ with a big heart. Because he has a wife and two kids, he can’t wait for the Copacabana to be re-opened. So he takes on a job as a driver for Dr. Shirley. Don Shirley, played by Mahershala Ali, is not a medical doctor, but a very gifted concert pianist. And he is an African American man. Tony drives him around the country for his tour, that in 1962 is still pretty racist. Tony still has some prejudice about African American people, but is fascinated by Shirley and really needs the money. Shirley isn’t only a talented pianist, he is also very well-read, intelligent and well-mannered. He is the complete opposite of Tony. And they are both bias. Tony learns how life is for a black man in the south, were racism rules and rich men pay big money to see Shirley play. But also refuse to serve him in restaurants or let him use their dressing rooms or rest room.
The green book in the title, is a book that had all the locations in the south if the US that a black man was allowed.
“Green Book” is directed by Peter Farrelly, one half of the duo that made comedies like “Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something About Mary”. So that he directed a now Oscar-winning movie, is kind of a surprise. You do feel that this pretty heavy theme, is brought with a lot of humor and it’s very light-hearted. It’s never a heavy movie.
Viggo Mortensen is one of the most versatile actors in the business and I loved him in the role of Tony Lip. And together with Mahershala Ali, he forms a great duo. The two actors are the heart of the film, they carry it. Ali even took home the Oscar for best supporting actor, which is very well-deserved.
Although it’s a pretty light-hearted film, “Green Book” does have depth. But it’s all very safe and this way it’s accessible for all audiences. It’s a pretty straight-forward film and it could use a bit of an edge. It’s not sugar sweet though, but it’s a feel-good film that will please the large audience. And that’s exactly why it won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

TV Show Review - True Detective (Season 3)

Season: 3
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2019
Starring: Mahershala Ali, Stephen Dorff, Scoot McNairy, Michael Rooker, Carmen Ejogo, Ray Fisher

Description: A macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks and a mystery deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods. Detectives Wayne Hays (Mahershala Ali) and Roland West (Stephen Dorff) investigate this dark crime.

Review: The first season of “True Detective” was a sensation. Unknown what to expect, every episode was as intriguing and the mystery kept viewers on the edge of their seats. It had interesting lead characters and the show captivated everyone until the end. So the bar was set for the second season. A new story, new characters, but as expected, it never met the success of the first season.
Season 3 starts again, with a new story and new detectives. We meet Wayne Hays in 2015, who is being interviewed for a TV show about a case of a missing child, that he worked on in the 1980s. In the 1990s more information became available. So this story is told during three time periods: the original investigation in the 1980s, the reopening of the case in the 1990s and the look back in 2015.
In 1980, two kids disappear and detectives Wayne Hays (Mahershala Ali) and Roland West (Stephen Dorff) investigate this case. When we see the conversations held in 1990 and 2015, we learn that conclusions are drawn that will probably be revisited.
While the investigation is shown in three different time lines, we also get to know Hays and what this case does to him. He meets his wife and mother of his children. The scenes between Hays and his wife Amelia, shows us character development as well.
Although we follow three timelines and they switch constantly, it’s never hard to follow.
The performances are really good. Mahershala Ali steals the show and carries it easily. But Stephen Dorff as well, he is really strong in his role.
The third season of “True Detective” manages to come closer to season 1, when it comes to style, atmosphere, the story, the characters, the performances and how invested you will be. It’s still not as good as the first season, but it comes awfully close.

80s Movie Review - Footloose

Director: Herbert Ross
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Music
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 1984
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Chris Penn, Sarah Jessica Parker

Description: A city teenager (Kevin Bacon) moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.

Review: It sound a bit silly, a town that has banded rock music and dancing. And it kinda is. But somehow, “Footloose” is still a fun film, filled with great 80s music.
Ren McCormack is a city boy, who moves to a small town with his mother. Rock music and dancing is banned, but Ren and his new friends are going to rebel against that. Ariel is the reverend’s daughter, the man who started it all. And of course she falls for Ren.
Two things I love about this film: the music and the choreography. It looks good, makes you happy and you instantly start moving in your chair. And especially the dance montages are my favorite.
“Footloose” isn’t really a timeless classic, but after so many years it’s still a fun film to watch. The story is still a bit silly and the performance are a bit flat. But overall, it’s a great dance film.

Rating: 3 / 5

TV Show Review - Luther (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Number of episodes: 4
Year: 2011
Starring: Idris Elba, Ruth Wilson, Dermot Crowley, Warren Brown, Michael Smiley, Paul McGann, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Aimee Ffion-Edwards, Kierston Wareing

Description: DCI John Luther (Idris Elba) is a near-genius murder detective whose brilliant mind can't always save him from the dangerous violence of his passions.

Review: John Luther, a complex man with a complicated personal and professional life. Luther is a very intelligent man, explosive, aggressive, emotional. And in season 2 we get to know the detective a little bit more. His relationship with Alice is strange, but also the relationship between him and Mark.
After the happenings at the end of season 1, we’re back in London and there are some changes. DS Ripley is back in uniform, Alice is in a mental hospital and Luther ‘plays’ Russian roulette with his father’s gun.
Luther wouldn’t be Luther if he didn’t ask Ripley back. Because his loyalty is worth much to Luther. DSU Schenk leads a new team and Luther and Ripley join him. There they meet DS Erin Gray, who does everything by the book, unlike Luther and Ripley.
Season 1 had six episode, this season has only 4. And there are two cases, taking over two episodes each. Alice is out of the picture, so we need a new red thread. This comes in the form of Jenny Jones, a prostitute working in the adult film industry. Her mother thinks it’s involuntary and Luther comes to the rescue. I’d rather see more of Alice, but this is also an interesting change.
“Luther” is a show that grabs you, thanks to again the fantastic performance by Idris Elba in the titular role. His very honest and realistic emotions are something many of us can relate to. How it doesn’t let him go. And we can somehow also understand the blind trust that Schenk and Ripley have in him.
Again, a really great season.

10s Movie Review - Bad Times at the El Royale

Director: Drew Goddard
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 142 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, Nick Offerman

Description: Circa 1969, several strangers, most with a secret to bury, meet by chance at Lake Tahoe's El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one night, everyone will show their true colors - before everything goes to hell.

Review: Many times I thought about Quentin Tarantino, while watching “Bad Times at the El Royale”. And that’s a compliment to director Drew Goddard, who is still looking for his own voice but is very talented. Goddard decided to use the non-chronological narration and it works!
The El Royale hotel stand on both Californian and Nevada ground. The border runs right through the middle of the hotel. And the hotel is some strange clientele. The mysterious Father Flynn, soul singer Darlene Sweet, slick salesman Laramie Sullivan and hippie girl Emily Summerspring. All of them have secrets, including the hotel itself.
Goddard has an eye for atmospheric detail, manages to create unusual camera angles and builds up the tension. It looks fantastic. Especially one scene, with Darlene singing “You Can’t Hurry Love” shows what a great filmmaker Goddard actually is.
All characters have their own reasons to be in the El Royale and the less you know from the start, the better. Jeff Bridges is strong as always. But it’s Chris Hemsworth who steals the show as Billy Lee. It takes a while for him to enter the story, but when he does, he really does.
“Bad Times at the El Royale” is a really good film, that looks great and has amazing potential. I enjoyed it from start to finish!

Rating: 4/ 5

Academy Awards 2019 - Results

Who watched the Oscars last night? Well, I did. And I said I felt lucky. I was so wrong, because this year the Academy finally decided to be more surprising. In one way, it's a good thing. Because I like to being surprised. Some wins really made me extra happy this year.

Spike Lee winning for best adapted screenplay, for "BlacKkKlansman". He is a man with a voice that should be heard, someone with an important message to tell. And he finally got the recognition he deserved.

No Disney winning the animated feature award, but "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse". Not so much a surprise, but a great change. This category has gotten so predictable, I'm glad that this year it wasn't Disney or Pixar (even though I love them).

Olivia Colman is a fantastic actress, I already knew that. But I'm glad that she was finally recognized by the Academy. Her performance in "The Favourite" is amazing. I sure as hell thought Glenn Close was going home with the best actres award. I was wrong.

Mahershala Ali is one of the greatest discoveries of the past years. And him winning the best supporting actor award for "Green Book" was one of the few wins I was sure of. Well-deeserved.

Alfonso Cuarón took home two awards, for best director and best cinematography, for the movie "Roma". He is a genius director and maybe even more a briljant cinematographer. Very cool to see him take away both awards.

The best picture category is Always the hardest to predict, but this year I was absolutely sure "Roma" would win. Wrong again! Underdog "Green Book" won and it was actually the movie I was hoping for.

Academy Awards 2019 - Predictions

Tonight it's Oscar night. And here are my predictions for the 2019 Academy Awards. I'm feeling Lucky this year!!!

Best Motion Picture of the Year: "Roma"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Rami Malek, "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Best Performance by and Actress in a Leading Role: Glenn Close, "The Wife"
Best Performance by and Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali, "Green Book"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Regina King, "If Beale Street Could Talk"
Best Achievement in Directing: Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"
Best Original Screenplay: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, "The Favourite"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowirz, Kevin Wilmott and Spike Lee, "BlacKkKlansman"
Best Achievement in Cinematography: Alfonso Cuarón, "Roma"
Best Achievement in Editing: Barry Alexander Brown, "BlacKkKlansman"

Best Achievement in Production Design: Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart, "Black Panther"
Best Achievement in Costume Design: Ruth E. Carter, "Black Panther"
best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling: Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia Dehaney, "Vice"
Best Achievement in Music Written for a Motion Picture (Original Score): Terence Blanchard, "BlacKkKlansman"
Best Achievement in Music Written for a Motion Picture (Original Song): Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt, "A Star is Born" (Shallow)
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing: Tom Ozanich, Dean A. Supancic, Jason Ruder and Steven Morrow, "A Star is Born"
Best Achievement in Sound Editing: Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou, "First Man"

Best Achievement in Visual Effects: Dan DeLeeuw, Kelly Port, Russel Earl and Daniel Sudick, "Avengers: Infinity War"
Best Documentary Feature: "Free Solo"
Best Documentary Short Subject: "End Game"
Best Animated Feature Film: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"
Best Animated Short Film: "Bao" Best Live-Action Short Film: "Marguerite" Best Foreign Language Film of the Year: "Roma"

TV Show Review - Luther (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2010
Starring: Idris Elba, Ruth Wilson, Dermot Crowley, Warren Brown, Michael Smiley, Paul McGann, Indira Varma, Steven Mackintosh, Saskia Reeves

Description: DCI John Luther (Idris Elba) is a near-genius murder detective whose brilliant mind can't always save him from the dangerous violence of his passions.

Review: When I started this show, I thought there were enough British detectives. But when you’ve got Idris Elba as your lead, it’s a little different. Elba turns a very standard role into something special.
At the start of season 1, we see Luther chasing a man, who seemingly has abducted and killed girls. We see how Luther can rescue him from falling down, but he purposely doesn’t. because of the investigation of this happening, Luther can’t work until the investigation is finalized. He is asked back. Soon we learn he is in a difficult relationship with his wife Zoe and that, on the first case back, he starts getting a strange connection with the supposed suspect. The question we all ask is, why would you let him work as a detective, when you know all this? Well, because he is the best on the job.
The red thread in this first season, is the connection between Luther and Alice, the woman we meet in the first episode. Her parents were brutally murdered and Luther knows she did it. But there is no evidence and Alice walks away. but because Alice is Luther’s equal when it comes to intelligence, the two form an unlikely bond.
I’m glad the show doesn’t fully focus on that. This is the only part that you can only understand if you see all episode. The rest can also be watch separately. Each episode focuses on a new case.
I’m definitely going to continue this show. Not only because I simply love detective stories. Idris Elba is magnificent and created an interesting character I want to explore more.

10s Movie Review - Moonlight

Director: Barry Jenkins
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Janelle Monáe, Jaden Piner, Edson Jean, Jharrel Jerome, André Holland, Shariff Earp, Patrick Decile, Herveline Moncion, Duan Sanderson, Alex R. Hibbert, Herman ‘Caheei McGloun, Kamal Ani-Bellow, Keomi Givens, Eddie Blanchard, Rudi Goblen

Description: A chronicle of the childhood, adolescence and burgeoning adulthood of a young, African-American, gay man growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami.

Review: The 2017 edition of the Academy Awards was filled with diversity, thank goodness. With bigger productions like “Fences” and “Hidden Figures”, to smaller films like “Loving” and “Moonlight”. With eight nominations, “Moonlight” was the most popular choice and it won the best picture award. And although the film doesn’t avoid clichés, the way the story is told is anything but ordinary.
Chiron is an introvert boy, living in a bad neighborhood in Miami, tortured with a pretty tough life. His mother is a drug addict and he is the constant mark of bullies. Director Barry Jenkins introduced Chiron in three chapters in his life, that had a certain turning point: as a kid with the nickname ‘Little’, as teenager and as an adult. Every chapter defines his identity, formed by his surroundings, but also his own hopes and fears.
In the first chapter, Chiron meets drug dealer Juan, who eventually becomes a father figure for him. It’s a bit ironic that the man who’s selling drugs to his mother, becomes an important man in Chiron’s life. Chiron is constantly struggling between the hate for his mother and the love for his surrogate father.
In chapter two, Juan is out of the picture. He passed away, his mother is still addicted and in school teen Chiron is still an outsider only his friendship with Kevin keeps him going. Especially when the two admit their feeling for each other. Unfortunately they age is marked by aggression and early manhood and the duo is dramatically parted.
When Chiron is an adult, he is not the weak boy he used to be. He has become a man of the street, a drug dealer. Despite ,or maybe thanks to, his childhood he follow into Juan’s footsteps. As if he was meant to be there. His mother is sober and waiting for a way to restore her relationship with her son. And when he meets Kevin again, he sees that his life didn’t go the way he was hoping for.
The ingredients of Chiron’s life – drugs, violence, sexuality – don’t sound like anything new. But Barry Jenkins reuses these elements and creates and audiovisual experience that will stay in your mind. It’s the way Chiron’s story is told, the style Jenkins used with color and sound.
While the three chapters about the same character are one story, it almost feels like three separate stories all carried by great performers. Each actor gave his own turn to Chiron, which makes his character feel more realistic.
The actors portraying Chiron get great support from Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris, who respectively play Juan and Chiron’s mom. Two of the people with a big influence on Chiron’s life.
“Moonlight” is a well-deserved Academy Award winner (even though I preferred “La La Land” that year).

Rating: 4,5 / 5

Five to Watch - Movies About Stalkers

With “You” and “Dirty John” being popular shows on Netflix, I came up with the theme for this item. Movies about stalkers. Here are five films I think are not as well-known or deserve more attention. And I think you should definitely give them a shot.

The Crush
When 14-year-old Darian develops a crush on journalist Nick, who rents an apartment from her father, she will go very far to get what she wants. It’s fun to see a stalker in the form of a teenage girl, played by a very young Alicia Silverstone.

The Fan
Robert DeNiro plays baseball fan Gil Renard, who has developed an unhealthy form of worship for baseball player Bobby Rayburn, played by Wesley Snipes. A movie that not a lot of people know, but it’s pretty good.

Fear
Nicole is a sheltered teenager and she meets David at a rave. She immediately becomes smitten, but David has a violent streak. Nicole’s father starts looking into that, but David is going to cause them all a lot of grief.

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
A movie you should definitely not watch when you are hiring a nanny. Rebecca De Mornay plays a nanny in “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle”. Her husband killed himself and she loses her child. She becomes the nanny of a young family, where she embarks on a mission of vengeance against the mother and her family.

One Hour Photo
Sy Parrish is a strange obsessive loner. He attaches himself to the lives of his costumers, which unspool in batches of the photo he develops for them. He’s particularly drawn to the Yorkin family, who actually notice him, where other people pass him by. In addition to collecting copies of all of Yorkin’s photos, he begins to start taking photos of the family on his own. A real creepy and different role from Robin Williams, who portrays Sy.

TV Show Review - Dirty John (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2018
Starring: Connie Britton, Eric Bana, Juno Temple, Julia Garner, Jean Smart, Alan Ruck

Description: Debra's (Connie Britton) seemingly perfect life is disrupted as she falls for a handsome doctor (Eric Bana) who sweeps her into a whirlwind romance. But her handsome new beau pulls Debra into a sinister game of psychological manipulation.

Review: Giving love a second chance. But what if the seemingly perfect guy turns out to be a sociopath? That’s what’s happening in “Dirty John”.
“Dirty John” is based on the podcast by the American crime journalist Christopher Goffard. He takes on true crime stories. In his first podcast, he focuses on John Meehan.
We meet Debra Newell, a successful interior designer with three grown children and a beautiful house. Through a dating website she meets John Meehan, a charismatic anesthesiologist. Debra falls for him immediately. They are living together within months and married not long after. But Debra’s family doesn’t trust John. And they have good reason for it.
They rush through the beginning of their relationship, but it’s hard to fault that. Because John’s illicit intentions don’t stay hidden very long. That’s good, it has good pace. But it’s pretty hard to understand why Debra is falling for John so hard, because it all goes so fast.
Connie Britton plays Debra, and she is such a talented actress and I always love watching her. But despite Britton’s best effort to bring her character to life, there’s not much going on with Debra. In the beginning, I was hoping for a little more depth in her character, but after seeing the third episode, it was clear what the shows priority was: explore the killer’s point of view and keep the victim scared senseless. It’s not Britton’s fault, her character is just very bland.
Eric Bana plays the titular John. And his performance only pays off when John shows his true colors.
The daughters, played by Juno Temple and Julia Garner, are probably the best part of the show’s acting. Even though their characters are pretty annoying at times, they steal the show. And Jean Smart, playing Debra’s mother, is also very strong. When it comes to the story. I expected so much more. Off course John wasn’t the man that Debra thought she’d married, but what he does to Debra in the period they are together, isn’t all that shocking. I felt no danger, when Debra really was in danger. The true feeling of threat isn’t really present. When it comes to the stalker theme, “You” did a way better job.
The show does scare you in a way, that any guy could be a ‘John’ and women could be lured in easily. But overall, “Dirty John” wasn’t as good as I thought it would be.

Movies to Look Forward to - March 2019

March has a lot in store for us. Some of these movies, are on my must-see list, that I made at the start of 2019. Here is what you should look forward to in March.

March 6th – Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larsson, Jude Law, Samuel L. Jackson, Mckenna Grace, Lee Pace, Ben Mendelsohn, Annette Bening, Djimon Hounsou, Clark Gregg
Description: Carol Danvers (Brie Larsson) becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.

March 7th – On the Basis of Sex
Director: Mimi Leder
Starring: Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer
Description: The true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Felicity Jones), her struggles for equal rights, and the early cases of a historic career that lead to her nomination and confirmation as U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice.

March 7th – The Mule
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Michael Peña, Taissa Farmiga, Andy Garcia, Laurence Fishburne, Alison Eastwood, Dianne Wiest, Clifton Collins Jr.
Description: A 90-year-old horticulturist and Korean War veteran (Clitn Eastwood) is caught transporting $3 million worth of cocaine through Illinois for a Mexican drug cartel.

March 14th – Arctic
Director: Joe Penna
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen
Description: A man (Mads Mikkelsen) stranded in the Arctic after an airplane crash must decide whether to remain in the relative safety of his makeshift camp or to embark on a deadly trek through the unknown.

March 21st – Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Elisbeth Moss, Winston Duke
Description: A mother and father (Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke) take their kids to their beach house, expecting to enjoy time with friends, but their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some visitors arrive uninvited.

March 27th – Dumbo
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Eva Green, Danny DeVito, Alan Arkin
Description: A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer.

March 27th – The Aftermath
Director: James Kent
Starring: Keira Knightley, Jason Clarke, Alexander Skarsgård
Description: Post World War II, a British colonel (Jason Clarke) and his wife (Keira Knightley) are assigned to live in Hamburg during the post-war reconstruction, but tensions arise with the German (Alexander Skarsgård) who previously owned the house.

10s Movie Review - Hell Fest

Director: Gregory Plotkin
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 89 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Amy Forsyth, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Reign Edwards, Christian James, Matt Mercurio, Roby Attal, Tony Todd

Description: A masked serial killer turns a horror-themed amusement park into his own personal playground, terrorizing a group of friends while the rest of the patrons believe that it is all part of the show.

Review: Setting a slasher horror film in a horror theme park. It seems like a great idea. Because in all the haunted house and mazes, masked idiots turn up everywhere and you never know if it’s real or not.
Six friends are going to this amusement park, called Hell Fest, and they are the potential prey for a masked killer. And like any slasher film, the characters are exchangeable and stereotypical. There is nerdy Natalie and her best friend Brooke, who is a bit slutty and very different from Natalie. Taylor is the extremely energetic roommate of Brooke. There is Brooke’s boyfriend, pretty boy Quin. Gavin is the shy and depending love interest of Natalie and Taylor’s boyfriend Asher is the jock.
It’s no drama if slasher films use clichés like this, as long as the film is bloody and over-the-top. But when the setting is supposed to be scary, the actual horror happening kind of fades into the background. And the creators aren’t very good in creating jump scares. You can see it all coming.
There is also no logic in this film. The group we follow in this film, is constantly alone in the haunted houses. No other visitors or even security guards are seen when they are inside. This makes it unrealistic. And the killer’s motive is non-existing.
“Hell Fest” shows no creativity, no logic, is messy and very forgettable. And I don’t care who lives or dies in the end. Me, someone who scares pretty easily, thought it was a bit dull.

Rating: 1,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - A Simple Favor

Director: Paul Feig
Genre: Crime/ Comedy/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Rupert Friend, Henry Golding, Linda Cardellini

Description: Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is a single mother with a parenting vlog who befriends Emily (Blake Lively), a secretive upper-class woman who has a child at the same elementary school. When Emily goes missing, Stephanie takes it upon herself to investigate.

Review: Director Paul Feig is known for his comedies, like “Bridesmaids” and “Spy”, but also gave us the reboot of “Ghostbusters”. He decided to exchange the comedy for thriller. But he never manages to completely lose the comedy/ slap stick element, which changes the dynamic of this crime thriller.
Stephanie is a widow, taking care of het son Miles all by herself. To earn money, she makes ‘mommy vlogs’. When Miles wants to have a playdate with his school friend Nicky, Stephanie meets Emily. Emily is an upper-class woman with a sharp edge and a mysterious vibe. The two become friends. When one day, Emily asks Stephanie to pick her son from school, Emily disappears. Together with Emily’s husband Sean, Stephanie starts her own search for het new friend.
The best things about the film are actresses Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. They shine in their roles and are perfectly cast. And they work very well together and apart.
The sloppy script and strange directorial choices make you forget about all that, sadly. The film is set up as a crime film, about a missing friend. But in between it has some comical touches here and there. Towards the end, it feels strange, especially because there was a very serious plot twist before. I don’t think Feig really knew where he wanted to got with the tone of the film, he couldn’t find a balance. He tried to much at once. And because of that it sometimes feels like a parody on the thriller genre. But without convincing comedy. I actually feels more like a very long episode of “Desperate Housewives”, only less enjoyable.
The film had a great set-up and a good start. And two fantastic actresses filling in the main roles. But sadly that wasn’t enough to save the film.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

Movie Reviews - The Favourite

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, Nicholas Hoult

Description: In early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend, Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz), governs the country in her stead. When a new servant, Abigail (Emma Stone), arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah.

Review: Women in costume dramas are mostly sweet damsels in distress with deer eyes. Films like “Love and Friendship”, “Lady Macbeth” and “The Beguiled” changed that format and showed us powerful women undermining the patriarchal system. Using two things: their intelligence and their sexuality. We can add “The Favourite” to that list too. It’s a sharp and vile costume drama, where three women fight for power.
At the start of the 18th century in rural England: Queen Anne sits on the throne, but struggles with her physical and mental health. She has rage outburst and nobody seems to find a cure for her skin condition. She puts her trust in Lady Sarah, who ambitiously focusses on the war situation with France.
At that same time, Abigail enters the court, as a maid. Because Abigail found a herb that can heal the queen, she becomes a new lady of interest for Queen Anne. Which makes Lady Sarah very jealous.
“The Favourite” is not a righteous costume drama. Words like ‘fuck’ and ‘cunt’ are used quite frequently and the women are extremely vile towards each other. But this all doesn’t lower the class of the film.
The writing is masterful and the way they handle the concept of victim and suspect is exceptional. In all characters you can see both a victim and a suspect. Which makes it hard to feel more sympathy for one character over another. The characters sort of move like pieces on a chess board, constantly changing position on the hierarchical pyramid.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos, who also made “The Lobster” and “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”, is a director you either love or hate. I was a big fan of his previous films and again he amazed me with his style. I like a good costume drama, but this is so different from others in the genre.
The three women, played by Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, are all excellent. No one steals the spotlight, they are all in that spotlight.
As all of Lanthimos’ movies, “The Favourite” is not for everyone. I loved it!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

TV Show Review - You (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2018
Starring: Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail, Shay Mitchell, Ambyr Childers, Luca Padovan, Zack Cherry, Nicole Kang, John Stamos, Kathryn Gallagher, Daniel Cosgrove, Victoria Cartagena, Mark Blum

Description: Clever bookstore manager Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) relies on his savvy Internet know-how to make the woman of his dreams (Elizabeth Lail) fall in love with him.

Review: “You” is a new Netflix show, created by the brains behind “Riverdale” and “Supernatural”, “Arrow” and “The Flash”. After seeing this first season, I can best describe it as “Dexter” meets “Pretty Little Liars” meets “Gossip Girl”.
The show follows Joe, a friendly and charming man who manages a bookstore, restores rare and old books and is friends with the kid next door who is in a problematic realtionshio with his mother and is happy with Joe’s attention. When Joe falls for one of his clients, Guinevere Beck (Beck for friends), we meet the other side of Joe. Because he becomes a psychotic stalker.
From the moment he meets Beck, Joe sees it as his task to make her life better and to save her from the toxic people in her life. It starts by secretly watching her and finding out details about her life via social media.
The first season of “You” is full of tension and is intriguing. It keeps your attention from beginning to end and it’s hard to stop watching. Penn Badgley, who we now from “Gossip Girl”, is very convincing as Joe. Both as the creepy stalker and the charming do-gooder. Elizabeth Lail plays Beck, who does a good job as well portraying the gullible and naïve writer-to-be. What I think is done so well, is that for some reason the ‘villain’ in this show, is not actually the real villain. Even though he does bad things (very bad thing), somehow you can never really hate Joe. But Beck and the people around her are the people you really start to dislike.
“You” is a strong thriller series, that doesn’t let you go while watching it. It’s mysterious and surprising. Season two will be released in 2019 and I can’t wait!

10s movie Review - Unsane

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 98 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Claire Foy, Jay Pharaoh, Juno Temple, Joshua Leonard, Sarah Stiles, Amy Irving, Matt Damon

Description: A young woman (Claire Foy) is involuntarily committed to a mental institution, where she is confronted by her greatest fear--but is it real or a product of her delusion?

Review: In 2013, director Steven Soderbergh announced his retirement and become a painter. But that didn’t last long. First with the TV-show “The Knick”. He realized that film making is what he loves most. Even before he returned with “Logan Lucky”, he announced the movie “Unsane”, which he filmed in secret.
Not only did he film it in secret, he did it within a month in 2017. Soderbergh filmed the entire movie with an iPhone 7 Plus in 4k. You would think that this film would have terrible quality, but that’s not really true. It’s visible in a few moments, but overall this way of filming adds to the realistic and raw feel of the film.
Sawyer Valentini tries to start a new life, with a new job in a new city. But the trauma of the stalker in her past life, still haunts her. So she talks to a therapist. Sawyer has to fill in some standard forms. And before she knows it, she is committed to a mental institution. Sawyer goes through a personal hell, between people who are completely mad and people who are, like her, healthy. And one of the nurses seems to be her stalker. Or is it just in her head?
Soderbergh leaves it to question for a long time, if Sawyer is really losing her mind or if she is sane. We find out the truth, but I think they should’ve waited later in the film. The film still does have some elements of surprise, things you didn’t see coming.
“Unsane” is a strong thriller, where you constantly have that realistic feel where it could happen to you too. Claire Foy is really good in her role, she carries this film.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Five to Watch - Movies with Unlikely Friendships

With “Green Book” now in theaters and it being nominated for a lot of big awards, it’s time for me to take a look at those film about friendship. Not just any friendships, but unlikely friendships. People you wouldn’t expect to become friends in the first place. Here are five films I think are not as well-known or deserve more attention, that focus on an unlikely friendship. And I think you should definitely give them a shot.

Warm Bodies
“Warm Bodies” takes the done and redone zombie apocalypse plot in a comical and innovative new direction. Creating an endearing and empathic look at a zombie’s inner monologue. “Warm Bodies” doesn’t only focus on the lingering emotional capacity of zombies, but also on the healing power of love. The film follows a growing relationship between zombie R and Julie, as well as the friendship between R and fellow zombie M. These two relationships are practically the definition of unlikely.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
It’s a British historical-drama, based on the novel of the same name. This Holocaust drama, explores the horrific realities of a World War !! extermination camp from the point of view of two 8-year-old boys. One of the boys is a son of the camp’s Nazi commandant and the other is a Jewish inmate. The forbidden friendship shared between a young Jewish inmate and the son of a commandant surely has its consequences, terrifyingly so as a matter of fact. But through the eyes of innocent, unrealized children such a taboo relationship doesn’t seem so strange anymore. In fact, it seems exceedingly natural and appropriate.

Lost in Translation
The film revolves about a recent college graduate and an aging actor, who develop an unorthodox relationship after a chance meeting in a Tokyo hotel. In spite of a rather dramatic age difference, the two find themselves facing similar struggles, both philosophically and emotionally. Bob and Charlotte are both in unhappy marriages, attempting to cope with the lack of intimacy and compassion that the both deal with from their significant others. But their relationship isn’t only unique due to their similarities, the connection they share resonates with many and stays with you long after the film reaches a close.

Gran Torino
Sometimes a friendship needs to overcome a more serious barrier, such as the bigotry of racism of Walt Kowalski in “Gran Torino”. In the film, as Kowalski’s neighborhood changes her becomes more bitter and insular, until someone threatens the only thing he has left to care about: his car. When his shy teenage neighbor Thao is pressured into trying to steal the car by a local gang, Kowalski steps in, making him the reluctant hero of the neighborhood. When Thao’s family force him to make up for the attempted robbery by working for Kowalski, it sets into motion an unlikely friendship that will change both their lives.

Due Date
Up-tight architect Peter Highman and aspiring actor Ethan end up having to travel cross-country together after the pair of them are kicked off their plane and placed on a no-fly list. Two mismatched guys forced to go on a road trip together, it sounds so simple, yet it is delightful. Ethan might be just the friend that Peter needs in his life.

10s Movie Review - Hacksaw Ridge

Director: Mel Gibson
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 138 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn, Hugo Weaving, Sam Worthington, Rachel Griffiths, Luke Bracey

Description: World War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people, and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.

Review: Mel Gibson didn’t really grew in popularity, due to his anti-Semitic outbursts and alcoholism. Ten years after his directorial debut, Gibson sits in the director’s chair again for this war film about a true American hero. His impressive comeback “Hacksaw Ridge” tells the story of Desmond Doss, who managed to save 75 fellow soldiers during the battle of Okinawa, by dragging them away from the fire line.
Desmond Doss didn’t want to carry a gun, due to his religion, let alone fire one. So at all times, he was unarmed. At first, the other soldiers and his superiors think he is crazy and want him gone. Because he will not protect his fellow soldiers. And Doss becomes the mark of jokes and they try to get him to leave. But Doss stays and eventually gets permission to join without a gun and become a medic.
Whenever the soldiers step foot on Hacksaw Ridge, the film becomes more brutal and unnuanced. But the images are filmed so well and it looks very realistic, but it’s not for the faint of heart.
Even though there is a lot of war violence going on, Gibson never forgets to focus on his main character. And that’s all because of Andrew Garfield, whose performance is so strong and believable. Vince Vaughn can easily make you forget about his silly comedies and is also very solid in his performance. But the best supporting role is for Hugo Weaving, who plays Desmond’s father.
The film does follow some standards, as we know them from other war movies. It has clichés and it knows when to make certain decisions at the right moment in the film. And sometimes it gets a little too sentimental.
A great comeback by director Mel Gibson and a fantastic performance by Andrew Garfield.

Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Other Boleyn Girl

Director: Justin Chadwick
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portmann, Eric bana, Jim Sturgess, Eddie Redmayne, Juno Temple, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Rylance, Alfie Allen, Kristin Scott Thomas

Description: Two sisters (Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson) contend for the affection of King Henry VIII (Eric Bana).

Review: ”The Other Boleyn Girl” is based on the bestselling novel by Philippa Gregory and follows the sisters Anne and Mary Boleyn. Both women were love interest for Henry VIII at the beginning of the 16th century. Their love triangle cause for a lot of pain and sorrow.
The art of being a woman is to let men believe that they are in control. It’s a lesson that Anne takes on from her mother. Anne Boleyn is the woman that shook England. Henry VIII committed adultery with her. The story is well known, but in “The Other Boleyn Girl” they focus on sister Mary.
The two Boleyn sisters are complete opposites, but love each other unconditionally. It’s Natalie Portman who steals the show in this film. She is a believable ‘evil’ sister. The acting of the other cast members is okay, but not very special. The script is what makes this film so good. It’s a very well written screenplay.
The book is of course much better, but I always enjoyed watching “The Other Boleyn Girl”.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Thoroughbreds

Director: Cory Finley
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/Crime/ Comedy
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anton Yelchin

Description: Two upper-class teenage girls (Anya Taylor-Joy), Olivia Cooke) in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems-no matter what the cost.

Review: “You’ve got a creepy friend”. “I know”. It’s one of the dialogues from “Thoroughbreds” and forms a simplistic overview of the film, where two teenage girls plan on killing one’s stepfather. “Thoroughbreds” is a film that won’t be liked by everyone, but one things is clear: it has a very talented cast and director.
Lily and Amanda are two friends, that lost touch. Amanda’s mother got the two back together, so that Lily can tutor Amanda. Lily is living with her mom and stepfather and a huge house and attends an upper-class boarding school.
Amanda on the other hand is an outsider, who physically isn’t capable of having any emotions or feelings. She thought herself to cry on commando. Her extraordinary behavior drives the people around her mad, so Amanda’s mother seeks contact with Lily again. But the two girls form a deadly combination.
After the opening scene, you already know “Thoroughbreds” is a special film. We see Amanda staring at a horse. In a later shot, we see a knife. Later we find out what happened and why. Next, we see Amanda getting out of a car and entering Lily’s giant house.
The two girls seem complete opposites at first, but on a deeper and darker level they are more alike. And the performances by the two girls are fantastic. Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy are both excellent and cast perfectly. I also has a role by Anton Yelchin. This marks his last film, since he died in 2017.
Director Cory Finley is also very talented. It’s his directorial debut and he leaves a great impression with “Thoroughbreds”. It’s a stylish film with dark humor and depth.
Even if it’s not your cup of tea, just watch if for the talent involved in this film. That will make it worthwhile.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Glass

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Spencer Treat Clark

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.

Review: M. Night Shyamalan is a very good director, but made some movies that a lot of people hate. He was praised for the thriller “The Sixth Sense” with that amazing twist. And “Signs” and Unbreakable” were also very well received. “The Village” I liked, but most people had mixed feelings. And the rest, we don’t really want to talk about. But gladly in 2016, Shyamalan came back with another amazing film: “Split”. Which was surprisingly tied to “Unbreakable”, from 2000. And with now “Glass” we got a trilogy that no one saw coming.
We already know the character in “Glass”, they were introduced to us in “Unbreakable” and “Split”. I recommend you’d see them before, but it’s possible to watch “Glass” without that knowledge. The story is very interesting and off course we’re all waiting for that twist. And all the films finally come together at the end. Before that, it’s not very clear where the movie is heading. James McAvoy is fantastic in his role, like he was in “Split”. It’s amazing to see his range of emotions and expressions and how easily he goes from one personality to another. He is definitely the highlight of “Glass”. The performances by Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and Sarah Paulson are also very solid.
The atmosphere in “Glass” is realistic and grim. And in the superhero world, that’s a welcome addition, because they are mostly bombastic and colorful.
“Glass” is a good film, but it could have been great if it got a little more substance. “Unbreakable” and “Split” were definitely better. But I am glad I saw “Glass”.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Velvet Buzzsaw

Director: Dan Gilroy
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Renee Russo, Toni Collette, John Malkovich, Zawe Ashton, Natalia Dyer, Billy Magnussen, Tom Sturridge

Description: After a series of paintings by an unknown artist are discovered, a supernatural force enacts revenge on those who have allowed their greed to get in the way of art.

Review: “Velvet Buzzsaw” is a horror satire focusing on the empty and cold art sector in Los Angeles. After it premiered at the Sundance Filmfestival, it can be seen on Netflix.
The story starts at the Miami Beach Basel Art Fair, where art advisors are looking for ‘the next best thing’. Here we meet the art critic Morf Vandewalt, his friend Josephina, art advisor Gretchen, gallery owner Rhodora and PR-machine Jon. All big names or rising stars in the art business.
One day Josephina finds the dead body of her upstairs neighbor, Vetril Dease. He has no family or friends and was a very quiet and to-him-self man. She finds a huge art collection in his house, all painted by him. All of his art is fascinating, yet morbid and disturbing. Dease wanted all of his art to be destroyed, but Josephina decides to show it to the world. When they explore the paintings, it turns out Dease painted with his own blood. When the paintings are exposed, strange deaths start to occur.
Possessed paintings is not very original, it’s a horror cliché. But director Dan Gilroy gave it a modern touch and made it less cliché. The deaths that occur are very original, but “Velvet Buzzsaw” never really gets scary.
Gilroy also directed “Nightcrawler” and reunites with Jake Gyllenhaal and Renee Russo. That was an intense, disturbing and on-point film. “Velvet Buzzsaw” sadly isn’t. Gilroy isn’t out to scare the audience, but it’s also missing suspense. Yet, it’s an entertaining movie, even though I expected more.
Taking a unoriginal cliché horror element and turning it into something more original. That’s been done. But it’s not as exciting as I thought it would be.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Predator

Director: Shane Black
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Thriller
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown, Thomas Jane, Alfie Allen, Jake Busey, Yvonne Strahovski

Description: When a young boy (Jacob Tremblay) accidentally triggers the universe's most lethal hunters' return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist can prevent the end of the human race.

Review: With “The Predator”, director Shane Black tries to bring the nostalgia back to life, from the 1987 original (Fun fact: Black was actually in that film). The film is iconic, especially because of its one-liners coming from Arnold Schwarzenegger.
And they use these one-liners, but change them. Auch…. Not very clever. Then only clever choice is to copy the level of ‘macho’ from the original.
The film never gets scary or exciting. It’s a very messy film with no memorable characters, besides the Predator himself off course.
This movie wasn’t really necessary, I’ll stick with the Arnold Schwarzenegger film.

Rating: 2 / 5

10s Movie Review - The Happytime Murders

Director: Brian Henson
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 91 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Leslie David Baker, Joel McHale, Cynthy Wu, Michael McDonald, Mitch Silpa, Hemky Madera, Brennan Spens, Ryan Tran, Fortune Feimster, Bill Barretta

Description: When the puppet cast of a '90s children's TV show begin to get murdered one by one, a disgraced LAPD detective-turned-private eye puppet (Bill Barretta) takes on the case.

Review: In “The Happytime Murders”, the Sesamestrees and Muppet-like puppets lose their innocence. With this comedy, Brian Henson seems to rebel against his father Jim Henson’s legacy. Jim Henson was the mastermind behind “Sesamestreet”, “The Muppet Show” and “Fraggle Rock”. Brian Henson used them for a more adult themed film in “The happytime Murders”, where we see a parody of the film noir detectives like “Chinatown” or “L.A. Confidential”. A promising idea, but cringing humor.
Where in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” people lived in the same world as cartoon characters , puppets live together with people in “The Happytime Murders”. Puppets have the same rights as people, but are treated like second-hand citizens. Phil Philips was the first puppet cop hired by the L.A.P.D., but due to an incident he got fired. Since then he is working as a private detective, had a drinking problem and can’t seem to leave the past behind him. When a serial killer is out there murdering the cast of the former TV show ‘The Happytime Gang’, Phil is forced to work together with his former (human) partner Edwards.
From the first minute it’s clear it’s not a normal muppet-like film. Especially when Philips has to visit a sex shop for his first case. It causes hilarity. At first. But very early on in the movie, it falls into juvenile and cringeworthy jokes.
I really loved this concept and I was looking forward to seeing this film. But it only manages to meet my expectations in the first 15 minutes. It’s all downhill from there.

Rating: 1,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Moana

Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
Genre: Fantasy/ Animation/ Musical
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Auli’I Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk, Oscar Knightley, Troy Polamalo, Puanani Cravalho, Louise Bush

Description: In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the Demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) reaches Moana's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the Demigod to set things right.

Review: Disney is planning to bring a lot of classic animations to life in the form of real-action. But luckily we also get to meet new heroes and heroines. We meet Moana, the daughter of a Polynesian tribe leader. She goes on a quest for demigod Maui, to save her island.
Disney explores another new cultural background and adds a new heroin to the Disney universe. Moana is a strong and independent young woman, who can easily take care of herself. She fights, sails and leads. A modern ideal in comparison with the classic princess, who simply falls hopelessly into prince charming’s arms. And talking about knights in shining armors, who is looking for romance, “Moana” is not that film. The focus is on the adventure and that’s nice for a change!
It’s not only because of the emancipation and the modern roles that makes “Moana” fit in this modern world we live in now. It also kills all the stereotypes. Moana actually has curves and is a believable character.
I’m glad Disney changes the standards from time to time. They did create heroic female leads before, like in “Mulan” and “Brave”. And “Moana” is a great addition to the list. It looks beautiful, which isn’t a surprise with Disney. It’s such a colorful and vibrant film. It has great action scenes, but it does miss a villain. The humor is also solid and the songs are catchy and well written (by Lin-Manuel Miranda).
There are some moments where “Moana” goes back to the predictable Disney territory and it does miss a bit of spirit here and there.
A great new recipe, different in a good way.

Rating: 4 / 5