10s Movie Review - Eighth Grade

Director: Bo Burnham
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Jake Ryan, Daniel Zolghadri, Fred Hechinger, Imani Lewis, Luke Prael, Catherine Oliviere, Nora Mullins, Gerald W. Jones, Missy Yager, Shacha Temirov, Greg Crowe

Description: An introverted teenage girl (Elsie Fisher) tries to survive the last week of her disastrous eighth grade year before leaving to start high school.

Review: “Eighth Grade” got the feared R-rating in the US, because they claimed it wasn’t suitable for viewers younger than 17 years old. It happens a lot, but “Eighth Grade” is that movie that not only centers a thirteen year-old girl, but also aims for an audience in that age category. Director Bo Burnham got some options, to cut certain elements and make it ‘more age appropriate’ ( it was based on a few ‘fucks’ and a scene were they talk about oral sex), but he stood by his film. To make a statement, he showed the film in all states for free, where age was not an issue.
Insecure teenager Kayla doesn’t exactly have the most spectacular social life. She is a wallflower and even named “most quiet” in her school. Her non-stop social media activity might make you think differently. Because each free moment Kayla has, she spends on her phone or laptop, scrolling through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. She even makes her own YouTube videos, where she gives advice about daily struggles. But everything she does online, does reflect her personality or interests. It’s simple her way of showing the world she is out there and she hoper to receive some attention.
“Eighth Grade” manages to deal with daily teen struggles in a serious way and I think many kids that are Kayla’s age, will leave this film thinking about it. Because it’s not a light film where all the misfortune that happens will eventually go away and problems solve themselves. It’s more a film with a bittersweet ending. And that’s a good thing. Burnham didn’t sugar coat anything. He takes Kayla and his viewers very seriously.
“Eighth Grade” is an honest film. It tells the story with present-day themes of teenagers, without become preachy about social media. It’s clear that, while reading between the lines, social media knows who to play with the insecurity of people, but it’s not a necessity for a 13-year-old girl to feel better about herself.
The film feels realistic, because the people in the film feel like actual people you could meet on the street. The dialogue doesn’t feel scripted, is raw and genuine. And most of all, Elsie Fisher who plays Kayla, is the beating heart of “ Eighth Grade”. A kind girl, without any vanity, who simply doesn’t understand why people are mean to her when she’s always nice to everyone.
“Eight Grade” should be viewed in school, to kids in Kayla’s age category. And showed to their parents as well. Because it’s an important film, that needs a bigger audience.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

Movies to Look Forward to - November 2019

It's officially becoming colder outside, so a perfect time to go to the cinema and cuddle up with a bucket of popcorn and some good movies. Here are the movies I'm looking forward to for the month of November.

November 7th – Doctor Sleep
Director: Mike Flanagan
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Jacob Tremblay, Cliff Curtis, Bruce Greenwood
Description: Years following the events of “The Shining”, a now-adult Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) meets a young girl with similar powers as his and tries to protect her from a cult known as ‘The True Knot’ who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.

November 7th – Last Christmas
Director: Paul Feig
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Serafinowicz, Patti LuPone
Description: Kate (Emilia Clarke) is a young woman subscribed to bad decisions. Her last date with disaster? That of having to work as Santa’s elf for a department store. However, she meets Tom (Henry Golding) there. Her life takes a new turn. For Kate, it seems too good to be true.

November 7th – Midway
Director: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Luke Evans, Patrick Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, Darren Criss, Nick Jonas, Aaron Eckhart
Description: The story of the battle of Midway, told by the leaders and the sailors who fought it.

November 17th – Western Stars
Director: Bruce Springsteen, Thom Zimny
Starring: Bruce Springsteen
Description: Live concert performance of Bruce Springsteen singing songs from hi album ‘Western Stars’.

November 21st – The Good Liar
Director: Bill Condon
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Description: Career con artist Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do-widow Bettl McLeish (Helen Mirren) online. As Betty open her home and life to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her, turning what should be a cut-and-dry swindle into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life.

November 21st – Zombieland: Double Tap
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, Bill Murray, Rosario Dawson, Dan Aykroyd, Luke Wilson, Thomas Middleditch
Description: Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahasse (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.

November 28th - Knives Out
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Toni Collette, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon, Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer, Katherine Langford, Don Johnson, Jaeden Martell
Description: A detective investigates the death of a patriarch of an eccentric , combative family

10s Movie Review - The Other Woman

Director: Nick Cassavetes
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Leslile Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Don Johnson, Taylor Kinney, Nicki Minaj

Description: After discovering her boyfriend is married, Carly (Cameron Diaz) meets the wife (Leslie Mann) he’s been betraying. And when yet another love affair is discovered, the three women team up to plot revenge on the three-timing S.O.B.

Review: “With a lawyer, a wife and boobs we form a killing machine”. This is the revenge plan lawyer Carly and her fellow ‘victims have set up. Carly, Kate and Amber are all being fooled by the same man. Neurotic Kate is married to him, Carly thought she was exclusively dating him and Amber is seemingly only there for the sex. They accidentally find out about each other and what their man, Mark, has been up to. Their revenge has to be so sweet, but in director Nick Cassavete’s “The Other Woman” is sadly leaves with a bitter taste of frustration.
Further then giving him some laxatives, hormone treatment and some ‘special shampoo’ they really never go. And the shady business he is running in the Bahamas, which never really gets clear, enters the story in warp speed. Cassavetes invests most of his time into introducing us to the characters and the blooming friendship between Carly and Kate.
Later we are introduced to bombshell Amber, played by Kate Upton. A gorgeous woman, but that’s seemingly the only purpose she has. Because after her introduction, she’s like the third wheel and never gets to do anything of any significance. Leslie Mann, whom I usually adore, starts to work on your nerves pretty quickly here. Here overall charm that we are used to, is totally gone. And Cameron Diaz has also had her best days.
“The Other Woman” is entertaining, but mostly cringe worthy. And the slapstick humor os totally off.

Rating: 2/ 5

Movie Reviews - Eli

Director: Ciarán Foy
Genre: Thriller/ Horror/ Drama
Runtime: 98 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Charlie Shotwell, Max Martini, Kelly Reilly, Sadie Sink, Lili Taylor

Description: A boy (Charlie Shotwell) receiving treatment for his auto-immune disorder discovers that the house he’s living in isn’t as safe as he thought.

Review: Young Eli has lived most of his life on the inside of a plastic bubble. And every time he leaves the house, he has to wear suit covering his entire body. He has an auto-immune disorder. Together with his parents, Eli travels to a house where a special doctor specialized in treating people with such disorders lives. But once they are there, Eli starts to see strange things and knows the house isn’t very safe at all. The treatments are painful, but he is also being tortured by seeing things that probably aren’t even there. At least that’s what everyone else says. Only the mysterious neighbor Haley believes him and knows that something shady is going on in that house. Eli starts to distrust the doctor.
“Eli” is a spooky mystery horror film. At first sight, it’s a standard ghost story set in an old mansion with all clichés of ghostly appearances. Some jumpscares hre and there, but everything is too cliché to become scary. Halfway through, this changes and eventually we get to a unpredictable conclusion.
I think the scariest thing is Eli’s personal horror, the decease he has to live with. Not being safe outside, but also not inside. And putting his life in the hands of the strange Dr. Horn.
Even though the movie has a surprising twist ending, I did predict other elements of the film. I will of course not spoil them for you. But the eventual conclusion will also answer some question you have throughout the movie. So, it is necessary to watch the entire film. Even if you think you’re watching yet another haunted house movie.
Overall, “Eli” starts out like an average film in its genre, but eventually pays off. Not a movie that will be remembered for long, but it’s an okay horror flick.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Reviews - Joker

Director: Todd Phillips
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Shea Whigham, Bill Camp

Description: In Gotham City, mentally-troubled comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: “The Joker”.

Review: One of the movies I was most looking forward to this year. A film that should save DC, when it’s Marvel and Disney that rule Hollywood. Looking forward on how they are going to treat this origin story of one of the most iconic DC villains. But also how Joaquin Phoenix, just as eccentric as he his talented, was going to portray the Joker.
You can say many things about this crazy clown, but not that he is a superhero. To mark “Joker” as a superhero film, is wrong. Even though the film is set within the superhero universe. Gotham may look like you average American city, it does have its own laws an rules. With some social criticism here and there, “Joker” is mostly a mix of action and sharp dialogue in a totally crazy environment.
And crazy it is indeed. From the first moment, Arthur’s hysterical laughter and awkward dancing grabs you by the throat. Where Heath Ledger surprised us all with his portrayal of the Joker in 2008, he showed us a character in a further state. Because the only thing we were missing there, was his backstory. It was the mystery that made Ledger’s Joker so great. Joaquin Phoenix gets the task to show us how he has become the Joker and why he is the way he is. He is a loner, lives with his ill mother in a crappy apartment and transforms into one of the most legendary movie characters of the past decade. The question is why, and we get an answer.
The hard thing for an origin story to do is, to create an interesting and grabbing story, even though you know how it ends. We all know, that in the end he takes on his persona of The Joker to the fullest, but the story of how he got there has to be strong to keep an audience interested the entire runtime. And what we get is a series of unpredictable incidents, which make the outcome even more crazy.
Everything that isn’t Joaquin Phoenix, is a sideshow. The beautiful shots, nods to previous films, the subtle use of music or the strong performances by Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz. “Joker” is in many ways a masterpiece, but it doesn’t count when Phoenix isn’t in the center of all this. He is the reason why many people were so excited for this film. Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto all played this role before him and they all had a different take. So whoever wants to follow this line of performers, is a brave man. Phoenix never imitates or copies anyone, he gives the character his own spin with its own quirks and manners. Every frame with Phoenix in it, he makes it his own. You have to watch him, you only see him. He probably is closest to Ledger’s version of the Joker, but in no means we need to compare the two. If Phoenix doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for this, I have no faith in humanity anymore.
“Joker” is definitely one of the best movies of 2019 and it will most certainly end up on my list of best films at the end of the year.

Rating: 5/ 5

TV Show Review - Peaky Blinders (Season 5)

Season: 5
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2019
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Joe Cole, Tom Hardy, Sam Claflin, Natasha O’Keefe, Packy Lee, Finn Cole, Kate Phillips, Aidan Gillen

Description: In the wake of the Wall Street Crash, Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) faces new dangers from unexpected quarters.

Review: The fifth season of “Peaky Blinders” is one to remember. In these six episodes, we see Thomas Shelby slowly slide down, barely sleeping and his alcohol and drug abuse is excessively high. And brother Arthur also gets deeper into misery.
This season mainly evolves around those two, where Polly plays the incredible role of the dame that can not be messed with. The Peaky Blinders, and Tommy especially, are attacked from all corners. Danger is everywhere, even within their own group.
Tommy is ambitious. He becomes a member of the parliament, proofs to be an outstanding spokesman and stands out. But there is another man that does this: Oswald Mosley. He is the devil himself and he easily gives viewers chills. We see the rise of his fascism.
Tommy wants to do something good for a change, but will he succeed? The wives of Tommy, Arthur and Michael all play an important role, besides Polly, in this fifth season. The downward spiral that starts in the first episode, eventually becomes a slide which seemingly has no end. The story is well told and all actors have become their characters, which make them extremely believable and somewhat frightening.
The last three episodes are all some to look forward to, but that final episode will leave you breathless. With an ending that will make you want more. Season 5 of “Peaky Blinders” is one of the best. Especially for the character of Tommy Shelby: we see his demolition as a leader, husband, father, brother, but most of all as a man. That downward spiral will definitely be something to build on in the next season.
“Peaky Blinders”, after 5 seasons still a show that manages to make their characters vulnerable and touches you as an audience.

Movie Reviews - John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

Director: Chad Stahelski
Genre: Action/ Crime
Runtime: 131 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Jerome Flynn, Lance Reddick, Angelica Huston

Description: John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is on the run after killing a member of the international assassin’s guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head, he is the target of hit men and women everywhere.

Review: John Wick is back. His name is a well-known fact within the perfectly choreographed fight scenes and highly stylized décor. The third film in the series, picks up where part two has left us. And it’s a fun ride!
John Wick is trying to find his way through rainy New York. He has a 14 million dollar prize on his head, but that’s what happens when you murder a member of the International Assassin’s Guild. And he did this in the Continental Hotel, which is supposed to be neutral ground. Within this gigantic world, everyone is trying to catch John Wick. And like the manager of the Continental Hotel tells him: “Si vis pacem, para bellum”. Or better, if you want peace, you better prepare for war.
John Wick still fights with the consequences of avenging his dead dog. The location and new characters offer more entertainment then depth and the plot sometimes even feels irrelevant. But, let’s be honest, it never really was relevant. It’s mostly the amazing looking fight scenes that we’re all looking forward too.
These action scenes are all fantastic, original and very well-choreographed. The opponents seem more dangerous, the situations more bizarre and mostly more creative. Even in the first half hour, Wick fights his attackers in a room filled with antique weaponry: old revolvers, muskets and knives. And later he used horses. Every fight had new surprises and each fight is intense.
And in those action scenes we see the best acting as well. Keanu Reeves’ face gives away a lot.
Where the first “John Wick” movie surprised everyone, we didn’t expect to be needing a complete trilogy. But we did and we love it. It’s a very solid and consistent trilogy as well. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the series didn’t end here.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Fractured (2019)

Director: Brad Anderson
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Sam Worthington, Lily Rabe, Lucy Capri, Stephen Tobolowsky

Description: A couple stops at a gas station, where they 7 year old daughter’s arm is fractured. They hurry to a hospital. Something strange is going on there. The wife and daughter go missing.

Review: Ray Monroe, his wife Jaonne en their daughter Peri are on a trip to their family for Thanksgiving. On the way there, Peri falls and fractures her arm. They race to the nearest hospital, but something strange is going on there. And when Peri is taken away for further tests, she and Joanna disappear.
I’m always in the mood for a good, strong thriller. And when it’s set in a place you would rather not find yourself, like a hospital, in only adds to the creepy atmosphere. This production is perfect for the darker times of the year, for fall and winter. “Fractured” is a grey toned film, which makes the film darker as well.
When you’re watching “Fractured” you really have to pay attention to detail. Nothing is what it seems and you don’t not truth from fiction anymore. Sam Worthington leads this film and does a really good job.
“Fractured” is your typical ‘edge-on-your-seat kind of thriller, with and ending you don’t see coming.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Director: Vince Gilligan
Genre: Action/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemmons, Jonathan Banks, Matt Jones, Charles Baker, Bryan Cranston, Krysten Ritter, Robert Forster

Description: We follow Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) after the events captured in the finale of “Breaking Bad”. Jesse is now on the run as a massive police manhunt for him is in operation.

Review: The story of Walter White has ended, but that of “Breaking Bad” hasn’t. At least, the story of the nice science teacher growing out to become a relentless drug lord, but the story of Jesse Pinkman is still unfinished. Walter White would have never walked the path if he didn’t coincidentally walk into his former student Jesse. He was Walter’s ‘lab partner’ and entrance to the drug world. Where, in five seasons, Jesse was either Walter’s friend or enemy. Walter’s downfall to the drug underworld was always a nice contrast to Jesse’s developments from macho loser to a young man that wasn’t very profound but became more aware of ambition, guilt and responsibility. And his status as a character is big, since he is the only character next to Walter White to appear on each episode of “Breaking Bad”. And he even wasn’t supposed to survive the first season initially.
In the last few episodes of the series, Jesse was imprisoned by some drug producing neo-Nazis. His role was even a little passive, that a suicide mission by Walter was necessary to get him out. “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” is a sequel of sorts, with the goal to let Jesse take matters in his own hands. At the end of “Breaking Bad” it looked like he was driving into a hopeful future, but “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” shows us everything is a little more complicated. With the complete police force of Albuquerque looking for him, he is all on his own. Everything he has learned in the five seasons of the show, he has to use in his advantage. And he has to fight for his freedom.
If you haven’t seen “Breaking Bad” it’s a tough watch, because you are missing a lot of information that you need to see this film. See the series first, before watching this movie. But the film is especially well focused. Don’t expect some kind of ‘farewell tour’ of all the well-known locations and faces that we knew from the show. It’s a two-hour epilogue that give all the events from the series extra weight. Some of the characters make and appearance (both in the current story as in flashbacks), but not only to please fans. The have a purpose in Jesse’s story. Every conversation with friend or enemy is about who Jesse is, was and will become.
This all means that they are fully leaning on Aaron Paul’s acting. Even though Paul won three Emmy Awards for his role as Jesse Pinkman, it was mostly because of the interaction he had with Bryan Cranston’s Walter White. And he is not present in this story. But this gives Paul more room to create a character outside the shadow of Walter White. And when they return to events that happened on the show (flashbacks), it’s immediately clear that it’s past Jesse, because of his attitude. So I can conclude that Aaron Paul can easily carry this film, he does a fantastic job.
“El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” is written and directed by Vince Gilligan, who was also one of the forces behind “Breaking Bad”. His directing is great, but it’s especially his writing that deserves praise. Instead of uninspiringly mixing up some old “Breaking Bad” elements just to please fans, he tells a character driven story that goes forward from were the story left us at the end of the final season. It’s a small scaled story, but Gilligan manages to get everything out of it. Every time Jesse gets a step closer to escaping Albuquerque, a new obstacle pops up.
I was skeptical about “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie”, because I thought it was made as pure fan service. But it’s definitely more than that and a really good movie. You should watch the series first, before checking this out. It is necessary to understand the character.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

TV Show Review - Unbelievable (Limited Series)

Season: Limited Series
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2019
Starring: Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, Kaitlyn Dever

Description: Based on the true story of Marie Adler (Kaitlyn Dever), a teenager who was charged with lying about having been raped, and the two female detectives (Toni Collette, Merrit Weaver) who followed the path to the truth.

Review: “Unbelievable” is a dramatized version of a true story and inspired y the essay “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” that won a Pullitzer prize in 2015. In the essay the story of Marie Adler is told, a young woman being accused of lying about her rape. And how two detectives helped her and other victims in an unbelievable way.
“Unbelievable” starts with eighteen year old Marie Adler, who has been in a world of pain since she was three. Marie isn’t your average cheery and joyful teenager, that burst of energy and laughter. Adler is troubled and not just a little bit. When she is attacked and raped in her own home, the misery becomes even worse. But when nobody believes her, Marie feels like nothing in her life can ever be good.
From the first moment you meet Marie, you feel the deepest of empathy. Two cops who think they no better, they will anger you as a viewer. You get angry at the men and at the system. But two self-assured police women team up to find the serial rapist. Grace Rasmussen and Karen Duvall are total opposites, but they have one thing in common: they are extremely driven.
As a viewer, you are taken on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Anger and disbelief are first, but also sorrow, pain and relief pass by. The Netflix series tells the story without any prejudices. It is as it is. But the images of the rape make it painful that a woman, whatever woman, will never lie about something like this. Thank goodness for Marie there still are good people, like Rasmussen and Duvall, who form a great team and do everything to find the truth.
“Unbelievable” also shows what the victims go through and what mess they are left in after the fact. The series does this without sensation or judgement. The pain and sorrow that the victims go through speak for themselves. That makes it extra painful that some people still look at those crimes and its victims with so much disbelief. Women would not lie about such an act and the show also makes clear that they will never feel safe again.
The cast is great and the direction as well. The story is never told as a sensation. It’s a sad story about the search for justice and to rediscover hope and trust in mankind. This drama series is definitely one to put on your must-see list.

TV Show Review - Peaky Blinders (Season 4)

Season: 4
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2017
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Joe Cole, Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody, Natasha O’Keefe, Packy Lee, Finn Cole, Kate Phillips

Description: The Shelby family reunites and has to face yet another enemy: the Italian-American Luca Changretta.

Review: Season 4 of “Peaky Blinders” is mostly centered on the return of the Shelby family. Th return of old behavior and the return of friends and foes.
At the start of the season, the family is completely torn apart. The consequences of season 3 are present and traumatic. When each of the members of the Shelby family receive a card, it’s cleat they are in great danger. This threat brings the family closer together again. One of their own gets killed in the process, which make vengeance a big drive to overrule all the differences between the family members.
The danger comes in the form of Luca Changretta, the son of the man Arthur once killed. Changretta is out for revenge and he is a worthy opponent that you don’t want to mess with. And he gives other enemies a chance to get back at the Shelby family as well. For instance, Alfie Solomons. His organization is key in the battle between Changretta and the Peaky Blinders.
The other danger is the upcoming communist movement. Tommy Shelby has to work extra hard to prevent his factories from falling due to the strike. And union woman Jessie Eden is a strong opponent in all this.
The cat and mouse game between Changretta and Shelby delivers us some old fashion spectacle and tension. Arthur falls back into his old role and no challenge is too big. His religious wife Linda is dragged into the Shelby world even more. And Polly beats an emotional breakdown to serve her family the way she does best.
There are a few critical notes. The fact that Tommy Shelby solves everything with sex, whenever a woman enters the screen. And in this season it gives him a new challenge. Luca Changretta’s character is really good, but Adrien Brody is sometimes a bit too much and Changretta becomes more of a gimmick than an actual character.
Especially towards the end of the season, “Peaky Blinders” reaches its old level. Straight forwards, violent and a strong plot. And the acting is, as always, fantastic.

Movie Reviews - Rocketman

Director: Dexter Fletcher
Genre: Drama/ Music
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Taron Edgerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard, Gemma Jones, Tate Donovan, Stephen Graham

Description: A musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Elton John’s (Taron Edgerton) breakthrough years.

Review: In almost every article about this Elton John biopic “Rocketman”, it’s being comaired to “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which came out in 2018. This isn’t strange, since both films focus on a British singer of the same generation that are outstanding musicians, struggle with alcohol, drugs and homosexuality, who take on a stage name and have a flamboyant trademark. Both movies are named after their biggest hit. And Bryan Singer directed “Bohemian Rhapsody”, but initially was meant to be directed by Dexter Fletcher, now director of “Rocketman”.
Both movies are very different when it comes to style. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was a more conventional biopic, but “Rocketman” is a musical. Where Elton John tells his life story through song. It’s a logical choice, but not for a biopic about the titular musician. But it works really well. All songs were re-recorded for this film and everything was sung by leading man Taron Edgerton himself. Especially the first hour of the film is very strong, when eventually the story will follow a more conventional path as well. We see Elton in a toxic relationship with John Reid and he eventually can’t resist the alcohol, drugs and other men. His career isn’t only in danger, but also strong bonds he has with certain people. It’s the cliché part of a musical biopic.
Taron Edgerton is a good choice for Elton John. The young actor proofs that he is a capable singer and he can carry a movie. He doesn’t always sound like Elton John, but that’s not an issue. He did his own singing, which makes it more authentic and his acting is tremendous.
I was surprised by some heavy themes in the story. I didn’t know Elton John’s story at all and I was quite shocked about his past and everything he had to deal with in his life.

Rating: 3,5/ 5