10s Movie Review - Little Monsters

Director: Abe Forsythe
Genre: Comedy/ Horror
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Lupita Nyongo’o, Alexander England, Josh Gad, Nadia Townsend, Kat Stewart, Stephen Peacocke, Diesel La Torraca, M.J. Kokolis, Moana Nikora, Saskia Burmeister

Description: A washed-up musician (Alexander England) teams up with a teacher (Lupita Nyongo’o) and a kids show personality (Josh Gad) to protect young children from a sudden outbreak of zombies.

Review: With her Oscar-winning break-out role in “12 Years a Slave” it looked like Lupita Nyongo’o had a steady job in Hollywood as dramatic actress, but since then she has chosen all sorts of genre films to add to her resumé. She was a CGI-animated character in the latest “Star Wars” films, was in Marvel’s “Black Panther” and played a very impressive double role in horror film “Us”. The Australian film “Little Monsters” is also a horror film, but in the comedy genre. And let that be my favorite type of horror film. And although technically Nyongo’o isn’t the leading character in the film, as Miss Caroline she is a consistent eye-catcher in the film. As a kindergarten teacher she manages to keep her kids’ attention at all times, but also the adults that come near her. Nyongo’o is extremely charming in this film.
And leading man Dave sees that too. He is a struggling musician and just broke up with his girlfriend. Dave is staying with his sister Tess and her son Felix. When Dave takes Felix to school, he immediately falls for teacher Miss Caroline, Audrey for friends. He tries to impress her, she is not falling for his superficial gestures. Dave volunteers for and excursion to the local petting zoo, but this trip doesn’t really go as planned when a sudden zombie outbreak happens.
For some reason this petting zoo is stationed next to a military base, where this outbreak occurred. Miss Caroline and Dave have to work together to keep the class safe, but she uses a different method. Instead of telling them what’s going on for real, which would definitely scare them, Miss Caroline tells them it’s a game and present the situation in a somewhat child-friendly way.
That touches the learning curve for the crude Dave. After the zombie outbreak, he immediately comes into physical action, but above all he has to learn other ways in which he can be helpful. His personal growth makes him the main character, but his female opponent is a very important player in how she inspires him to do so. It is therefore no coincidence that he keeps calling her Miss Carloine, even though she repeatedly requests that he just uses her first name Audrey.
It is the fine portrayal of the character that makes “Little Monsters” worthwhile. At first, Miss Caroline clearly doesn’t like Dave very much, but instead of expressing that through all sorts of nasty remarks, she just remains polite. For Dave, the obligatory scene in the opening phase is when he comes home to find his girlfriend with another man. But while many films present this situation as a big surprise that drives the male protagonist to turn his life upside down, here is it only a confirmation of a completely deadly relationship. After all, the opening scene already showed that this coupe was in a permanent state of quarrel, making him just as guilty of this situation as they are. Dave does not have to count immediate sympathy from the viewer, but will have to earn it.
The focus is more on the characters than on the zombie-aspect of the film, which is more a bonus given than the base of the film. Fortunately, the film gets away with that quite well by keeping it all nice and small. “Little Monsters” may never be very exciting or over-the-top hilarious, but at times it is very endearing. And that’s still quite unique for a zombie film.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Countdown

Director: Justin Dec
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Elizabeth Lail, Talitha Eliana Bateman, Jordan Calloway, Peter Fascinelli, Tom Segura, Dylan Lane, Tichina Arnold, P.J. Byrne

Description: When Quinn (Elizabeth Lail) downloads an app that claims to predict the moment a person will die, it tells her she only has three days to live. With the clock ticking and a figure haunting her, she must find a way to save her life before time runs out.

Review: Looking for a new app, a couple a partying teens accidentally finds the app ‘countdown’, which tells you how long you have to live. Everyone downloads it and one of the girls sees she only has a few hours to live. Of course, no one takes it seriously and continue partying. When this girl goes home, she dies, exactly like the app predicted. Through her boyfriend, nurse Quinn learns about this app and together with her co-workers they all install the app. And Quinn finds out she only has three days to live.
What would you do if you knew you had three days left? Shift plans. And that’s exactly what the app doesn’t allow, because then you break the terms of use and you’ll be tormented by a demon for the short time that’s left. The premise sounds promising, a combination of “The Ring” and “Final Destination”, with even a hint of “Grey’s Anatomy”. But it’s one of the worst horror films I have seen in a long time.
The film is filled with unnecessary jump scares and really overuses them. And it never gets scary, at all. Because when the scares really have to be there, they simply don’t work.
The acting is okay, nothing bad here. It’s basically the bad script that brings this film down. It’s so poorly written. The film has a lot of subplots. Like a character that is all of a sudden introduced midway of the story and some kind of love story develops, that no one is really interested in. But the worst subplot is that of this doctor Quinn works with, that forces himself on her in a pretty violent way. She is clear she doesn’t want it and pushes him away. And then this doctor sues her for sexual harassment. Seriously? This doctor even becomes the main villain for a short part of the story, which makes it even more ridiculous.
And with bad writing also come some cringeworthy dialogues. There is this priest character, that was clearly brought in as the comic-relief, that literally says “Hallelujah high five”. And there are more bad quotes like this.
“Countdown” could have been a fun horror flick, because it had a good starting point. But it’s a total crap pile.

Rating: 1,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Isn't It Romantic

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 89 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine, Priyanka Chopra, Jennifer Saunders, Betty Gilpin, Brandon Scott Jones

Description: Natalie (Rebel Wilson) is disenchanted with love and mysteriously finds herself trapped inside a romantic comedy.

Review: The New York architect Natalie does everything to stand out at work, but sadly people just see her as the girl who gets them coffee and sandwiches. And instead of designing the next beautiful building, she only gets to design the parking garages of those buildings. Natalie is cynical about love: she hates romcoms and things the only reason men would marry her are for a green card. Her life isn’t a success and she gets even more unlucky, when she is mugged and ends up in the hospital. But when she wakes up, the nightmare is about to start: she is stuck in a romantic comedy and Natalie herself is the leading lady.
Rebel Wilson plays Natalie and she is one of those actresses you either like or not. I do enjoy watching her, even when she can be a little too much at times. But for a comedy like this, she is the perfect choice.
“Isn’t it Romantic” is a romcom that is self-aware and mocks other films in the genre. It makes fun of the typical clichés we all know from these films, like stopping a wedding and dress-up montages.
Wilson makes turns this film into a fun time and it will make you laugh out loud sometimes. It’s definitely not one of the best in its genre, but it is a super enjoyable film when you’re in the mood for something funny and light-hearted.

Rating: 3 / 5

10s Movie Review - Ready or Not

Director: Matt Bettinello-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Genre: Thriller/ Horror/ Comedy
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Samara Weaving, Mark O’Brien, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

Description: A bride’s (Samara Weaving) wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.

Review: “Ready or Not” is entirely set on and around the estate of a ealthy family that owns its fortune in large part to the production of board games. Young Grace will know this too, because as soon as she wants to start the wedding night with her new husband Alex, a rather special tradition intervenes. It prescribes that someone who marries into this family has to play a randomly chosen game on the wedding night with the other family members. In Grace’s case this turns out to be hide-and-seek. She is told beforehand that participating is more important than winning, but in this game losing turns out to not be an option either. There is a rather mature variant being played: Grace is the only one who has to hide, after which the whole in-law family tries to find her… and finish her off.
An explanation for this thirst of blood lies in the conviction of the family members that they are cursed and will die if they do not catch their prey before sunrise. Well, as if that initial premise wasn’t bizarre enough. But somewhere the film can hardly be judged on this utterly idiotic premise, because in its banality it is so wonderfully simple. And I did love this concept. The film doesn’t pretend to be high art for a moment (although the set design does look like a living piece of art), so let’s not try to make it that way.
The fact that the viewer remains in limbo right up to the last scene is the main reason the film works.
Samara Weaving is without a doubt the best thing about “Ready or Not”. Fairy unknown with the bigger audience, Weaving does a fine job in carrying this film and her character is fantastic. She had to undergo a lot of and we see her character develop withing the runtime of the film. With mentioning character development, there is also the downside of the film. Most of the characters don’t have depth and their motives are a vague.
I always like it when something goes against your expectations. But I think everyone was pleasantly surprised by “Ready or Not”. I love a good thriller/ horror film that is combined with some good laughs. It’s a definite fun time and an original premise. No masterpiece by all means, but super fun for the horror fans among us.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

TV Show Review - The Sinner (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2017
Starring: Jessica Biel, Bill Pullman, Christopher Abbott, Dohn Norwood

Description: While are the beach with her husband and son, Cora Tannetti (Jessica Biel), for reasons unknown, stabs a beachgoer to death, sparking a police investigation.

Review: Sometimes man’s psyche is underestimated. In a number of unstable people, one wrong moment or wrong event can turn into drama. Unfortunately, this is often pointed out to us often enough. However, it turns out more often that such a person had already had something more on his mind and had done something terrible before. The things that get under your skin the most are often only the people who didn’t even have a criminal record for their attempt at destruction. These cases grab you extra hard, because you are so curious what drove those people to their deed. “The Sinner” tells exactly such a story.
The story follows Cora Tannetti. A happily married woman and mother of son Laine. Her life doesn’t feel perfect, but it does it for her. A day at the beach with the family only turns out to be a complete reversal. This seemingly normal mother stabs a young man to death in broad daylight, in the presence of many beach visitors. Of course, Cora is arrested by the police and the case seems to be closed. Nevertheless, detective Harry Ambrose want to know more about Cora’s motive. As it turns out, this doesn’t seem to be there at all. Cora did not know the man. She doesn’t know why she did what she did. This obvious murder case turns out to be much more complex than initially thought. The killer is known, but what’s the motive?
“The Sinner” triggered me when I saw the trailer, as this felt like a crime series with a completely different twist. As a viewer, you witness the murder. So it’s not a whodunit, where they are looking for the killer. It’s more of a search for why it happened. And the first episode really sets the tone for the series. The murder is depicted very graphically and if you’re not used to blood and violence on TV, it will hit you extra hard.
Jessica Biel deserves a lot of credit for her role as Cora. It’s not an easy role to play and she really brings the character to life.
After this shocking first episode, which was very strong, it could only go downhill. I was afraid they couldn’t keep that same high level of intensity. And although you think you get the answers to why Cora did what she did pretty early on in the series, nothing is exactly what it seems. A lot of plot twists and character shifts occur along the way. The eventual climax isn’t very surprising, I had a prediction earlier on in the series. But the way they handled the story and they worked towards that end, was creative enough to keep me interested.
“The Sinner” is a good crime thriller, which I watched in one sitting. I was invested the entire time, even though the eventual climax wasn’t the biggest surprise of the series.

10s Movie Review - Murder Mystery

Director: Kyle Newacheck
Genre: Comedy/ Crime/ Mystery
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton, Terence Stamp

Description: New York cop Nick (Adam Sandler) and his wife Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) go on a Europe vacation to reinvigorate the spark in their marriage, but end up getting framed and on the run for the death of an elderly billionaire.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 9: A GUILTY PLEASURE MOVIE

Review: “Murder Mystery”, starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, is as the title might spoil, a murder mystery or a so-called whodunit. But with a comical twist.
Aniston and Sandler teamed up before, for the comedy “Just Go With It” and both are very experienced in the comedy department. But for both this is their first mystery film.
They play married couple Nick and Audrey Spitz. He is a New York cop, she a hairdresser and they are about to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary. When they got married, Nick promised Audrey to take her to Europe someday, but he never did. Audrey confronts him with that, and Nick books a last-minute trip to Spain, telling her he had it all planned for her. On board of the plane, Audrey meets the charming Charles Cavendish, who invites them on his uncle’s yacht. When a murder occurs, Audrey, who loves reading murder mysteries, and Nick, a wannabe detective, are wanted for that murder. But they try to solve the crime themselves while on the run from Interpol.
Take an Agatha Christie book, set it in the 21st century, add some self-mockery and clichés and that’s the base of “Murder Mystery”.
This is your typical guilty pleasure film and a good time. Because of the perfect comedic timing of both Aniston and Sandler and how well they work together, most of the jokes work. The film is aware of its clichés and the story is actually pretty simple and not very original.
“Murder Mystery” is a definite fun time and the film is a quick and easy view.

Rating: 3 / 5

Movies to Look Forward to - March 2020

Our shortest month is coming to an end. Let's see what March has in store for us, when it comes to movies:

March 5th – The Invisible Man
Director: Leigh Wannell
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge
Description: When Cecelia’s (Elisabeth Moss) abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

March 19th – The Quiet Place II
Director: John Krasinski
Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Djimoun Hounsou, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
Description: Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path.

March 26th – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Director: Marielle Heller
Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper
Description: Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) and journalist Tom Junod.

March 26th – Mulan
Director: Niki Caro
Starring: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Li Gong, Jason Scott Lee, Nelson Lee, Yosan An
Description: A young Chinese maiden (Yifei Liu) disguises herself as a male warrior in order to save her father.

TV Show Review - The Stranger (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2020
Starring: Richard Armitage, Shaun Dooley, Siobhan Finneran, Jennifer Saunders, Jacob Dudman, Misha Handley, Brandon Fellow, Anthony Head, Paul Kaye, Stephen Rea, Hannah John-Kamen

Description: Follows the lives of suburban families whose secrets and lies are made public by the appearance of a stranger.

Review: The story revolves around Adam Price, a loving father of two boys and married to Corrine. Is wife is a teacher and treasurer of their son’s football club. When Adam is approached by a stranger, who tells him his wife faked a pregnancy, his life falls apart.
A good novel doesn’t make for a good TV series. “The Stranger, bases on the book by author Harlan Coben, proves that. The series is filled with tension and unexpected plot twists, but “The Stranger” feels a bit schizophrenic.
It starts with the theme song, which clearly doesn’t fit the overall series. And although it looks like a quality show, it’s more like a soap opera. The screenplay is fine and works, that’s not the problem, it’s they way it is executed. It has its moments, but overall the show misses logic and several important questions stay unanswered (and will probably always stay that way, because it’s not hinting a second season).
The series is just long enough to stay interesting, but overall it’s not the best Netflix has brought us when it comes to crime/ thriller series. You don’t miss out if you skip it.

80s Movie Review - The Karate Kid

Director: John G. Avildsen
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 1984
Starring: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, William Zabka

Description: Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and his mother move to California for a new job. He struggles to fit in, as a group of karate students starts to bully him for dating a rich girl (Elisabeth Shue) from their clique. It’s up to the Japanese landlord, Miyaji (Pat Morita), to teach him karate.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 8: A MOVIE FROM THE YEAR YOU WERE BORN

Review: Daniel Larusso moves from the East coast of America to a small town on the West coast. His mother got a job here and Daniel isn’t really happy about the move. He tries to make the best of it and connects with the local teens. Daniel meets Ali, a beautiful young woman who seems to be interested in Daniel as well. But her former boyfriend Johnny isn’t happy about this at all. He is one of the best students at the local karate school and uses his skills to bully Daniel. Daniel wants to learn karate too and gets help from the Japanese handyman Miyagi, who teaches he everything that he needs to know about the sport.
“The Karate Kid” was released in 1984 and was a big hit at the time. And for many people today it is a classic that brings back good memories. It has a catchy and entertaining story, characters you sympathize with, a dose of drama and romance, rounded off with some humor and action. The story is somewhat simple, but it eventually has more layers. And themes this movie focuses on are still very topical to date.
One of the strongest elements of the film is Pat Morita and his character Miyagi. He earned an Oscar-nomination for this role and he will forever be linked to this character. The character has been further elaborated well, certainly on closer examination. Ralph Macchio is good as Daniel too, but when he is in a scene with Morita, it’s clearly Morita that steals the show.
The film is not timeless, because the bad guy is stereotypical for any 80s film.
“Karate Kid” is a great movie that touches topics like bullying, friendship, honor and believing in yourself. Topics that still matter today.

Rating: 4 / 5

TV Show Review - The Mind, Explained (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Documentary
Number of episodes: 5
Year: 2019
Starring: Emma Stone

Description: Ever wonder what’s happening inside your head? From dreaming to anxiety disorders, discover how your brain works with this illuminating series.

Review: In the mini-series with five episodes of an average of twenty minutes, the makers show in scenes how each part of the brain works. Themes like memory, dreams, anxiety, mindfulness and psychedelics are spotlighted. The documentary series originated from a collaboration between Netflix and Vox, an American news and opinion website.
The purpose of memories is to preserve the past. Then why are they so unreliable? That’s the key question in the first episode: Memory. The episode focuses on how memory works. From the opening scene, several recognizable moments in global history are shown: from the moon landing, the knocking down of the Berlin Wall and the death of Princess Diana to 9/ 11.
The episode shows how fragments locked up in people’s brains about where they were and what they did on September 11th 2001, are actually not accurate at all. Our memories are sometimes inaccurate because different parts of our brain merge memories with different pieces of information. A champion of global memory competitions discusses the technique she uses to study, for example, a series of hundred numbers.
The second episode “Dreams”, focuses on whether our dreams have a real meaning, and whether or not they serve a purpose. During our sleep, our emotional brain is active, while the rational brain is switched off. In addition, we only dream a fifth of the time we sleep. It may not be new information for many, but it is brought in an entertaining way.
The first two episodes are the most interesting, but getting deeper into themes like anxiety, mindfulness and Psychedelics is also very interesting.
Emma stone narrates it and she has a very pleasant voice to listen to. And she does enough to enthuse the viewers about the subject and to lead them through each episode. It’s a but dry material, but through personal interviews, studies, graphs, archive footage and hand-drawn cartoons, the series manages to stimulate curiosity about how our brains work. “The Mind, Explained” is a simplistic but clear documentary series.

TV Show Review - Our Planet (Mini-Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Documentary
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2019
Starring: David Attenborough

Description: Documentary series focusing on the breadth of the diversity of habitats around the world, from the Arctic wilderness and mysterious deep ocens to the vasr landscapes of Africa and diverse jungles of South Africa.

Review: If I have to describe the Netflix documentary “Our Planet” in only a few words, I would say it’s beautiful, groundbreaking, but also poignant and with a message.
I think most people don’t realize it enough, but the planet we live on is a world full of beauty. During a beautiful journey along all continents we see how complex Mother Nature is. For “Our Planet”, images of nature and its inhabitants have been made in fifty countries and seven continents. A camera crew of sic hundred made a groundbreaking documentary with Sir David Attenborough as narrator. In this genre this series is unique and nature has never been seen so sharply before.
With eight episodes Netflix has a spectacular nature documentary in its hands. Besides lots of beauty this documentary also shows cruel images. In the second episode there is a heartbreaking scene. This documentary shows how dozens of walruses fall from meters high cliffs. The animals are forced to clamber further and further afield, now that they barely find enough ice to rest on. The receded ice plains are the result of climate change. This very impressive nature documentary shows how vulnerable this world is. A golden tip, because it doesn’t get more beautiful than this.

TV Show Review - Westworld (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2018
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris, James Marsden, Tessa Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, Luke Hemsworth, Rodrigo Santoro, Jimmi Simpson

Description: Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, explore a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.

Review: On of the better new shows on HBO is without a doubt “Westworld”, which premiered its first season in 2016. This futuristic series takes the audience to a theme park of some sort, where rich people can let their fantasies come to life. Settings in which they wouldn’t dare to enter in the real life. And they can do anything in Westworld, steal, kill, rape, it will not have consequences. Because the victims are ‘robots’ made by Robert Ford and Bernard Lowe. And is Bernard that takes one of the most important roles in season 2. His character made for a huge plot twist in the first season.
After Ford dies, Bernard realizes a lot is going wrong in Westworld. The hosts, what they call the robots, start having memories and want to live their lives without being controlled by Delos’ company, who is also responsible for Westworld’s existence. Bernard starts his own investigation to the truth of what is happening and who is responsible for all the chaos. This brings him to lots of revelations about the happenings and himself. Delos’ troops are also send to stop the hosts from causing more trouble and chaos. Some of the hosts have completely set their own goals and want to go to the real world. Leader of the rebellion is Dolores Abernathy, who becomes relentless when trying to achieve her goals.
Another important storyline in season 2 is the mysterious man in black. He is one of the people that visited Westworld, but he never left and he is on a new mission. The last storyline that is of any importance is that of Maeve, who has memories of herself living in a house with her daughter, before she became the madame of prostitutes in a saloon. In her quest, she wants to find out the truth behind these memories.
The first season was surprising, unique, mind-blowing and had some surprising plot twists. the second season is just as great. Again great visuals, fantastic performances by the cast, plot twists and we get deeper into the characters and see backstories.
2020 will give us a third season, which will be different if I have to believe the trailer. But this second season definitely leaves us wanting more.

00s Movie Review - Océans

Director: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Pierce Brosnan (narrator)

Description: An ecological documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Part thriller, part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 7: A MOVIE SUGGESTED BY A FAMILY MEMBER

Review: When the credits roll across the screen, you realize what a massive undertaking “Océans” filming must have been. Over a period of four years, the makers of this documentary travelled all continents and filmed around the coasts of Madagascar, New Zealand and Antarctica during no less than seventy expeditions. The end result is nothing less than impressive and sets a new standard for nature documentaries.
With “The Travelling Birds”, an Oscar-nominated documentary about migratory birds, the Frenchman Jacques Perrin, known mainly as an actor had already earned his spurs in the genre of nature documentary and is doing even more with “Océans”. With an astronomical budget of fifty million euros and the most up-to-date technological equipment at his disposal, Perrin, together with co-director Jacques Cluzaud, dived into the marine world with the intention of showing the viewer how diverse life in the ocean is.
The first hour of “Océans” is of unparalleled beauty. The overwhelming images follow each other in rapid succession to the point where you almost wish Perrin would take a step back because at some point it will be too much to process. One of the countless highlights in this part of the film is a beautiful scene on the seabed between two exotic creatures, reminiscent of a classic shoot-out from a western. But also a scene in which a sea turtle is watching a space launch from afar is, although most likely staged, considered beautiful.
What sets “Océans” apart from other nature documentaries such as “Planet Earth”, with which the film will often be compared, is the use of the voice-over. The BBC series had at its disposal the authoritarian voice of Richard Attenborough who explained everything that could be seen on screen. “Océans” does not do this. The voice-over, in the English version spoken by Pierce Brosnan, is used sparingly and serves not so much as a guide to what is happening on the screen but more as a guide that you occasionally take by the hand. “Océans” is therefore much more of a descriptive than an explanatory documentary. The film looks at his subject full of wonder and awe and tries to evoke a general feeling of surprise in the viewer rather than discussing all the details in detail.

Rating: 4 / 5

80s Movie Review - Dangerous Liaisons

Director: Stephen Frears
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 1988
Starring: John Malkovich, Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoosie Kurtz, Uma Thurman, Keanu Reeves, Peter Capaldi

Description: A scheming widow (Glenn Close) and her manipulative ex-lover (John Malkovich) make a bet regarding the corruption of a recently married woman (Michelle Pfeiffer)

Review: France, just before the revolution. To take revenge on an old flame, Marquise de Merteuil asks Vicomte de Valmont if he wants to seduce the innocent new fiancée of her ex-lover. If Valmont provides written proof of her conquest, he receives a reward. Valmont agrees, but has actually set his sights on the chaste Madame de Tourvel.
“Dangerous Liaisons” is a film based on the play by Christopher Hamtons, “Les liaisons dangereuses”, which was based on the novel by Choderlos de Laclos from 1782.
The film is stylish, seductive, clever and incredible entertaining. And the cast is fantastic. We see a very young Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves. But Michelle Pfeiffer shines in her role as Madame de Tourvel. John Malkovich plays the manipulative Valmont, in an excellent way. But it’s Glenn Close, in one of her most vicious roles to date, that steals the show. Every scene she is in, belongs to her.
A film filled with intrigue, deceit and manipulation, all set in in 18th century France. With a really strong cast this film makes for an entertaining movie night.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Uncut Gems

Director: Bennie Safdie, Josh Safdie
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Adam Sandler, Keith Williams Richards, Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel

Description: A charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. Howard (Adam Sandler) must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win.

Review: Because of lies and making the wrong choices, jeweler Howard Ratner gets increasingly cornered in the Netflix-original film “Uncut Gems”. Adam Sandler in a completely different type of role, the best he has been. If you want to be taken seriously as a comedian, you have to also take on serious roles. That’s when you win prizes. Look at Jim Carrey, who took a turn for the serious roles in movies like “The Truman Show” or “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, or Robin Williams, who won an Oscar for his role in “Good Will Hunting” and earned a nomination for “Dead Poets Society”. This time it’s Adam Sandler, the uncrowned king of juvenile comedy, who proofs he has a serious side. In “Uncut Gems” he plays the gambling addicted jeweler and it’s the best he has ever been. And only an awkward nervous laugh is what you get, when you see him Sandler’s Howard Ratner get into trouble again.
Showing of a lot of bling, with his fake teeth and leather jacket. Howard is unreliable and so unsympathetic that it is hard to sympathize with him. The film has chosen a different path and avoids all the standards you would expect in a film like this. The style it is filmed in has a nervous touch and this tension is only added more with the soundtrack.
“Uncut Gems” is a surprising and entertaining film, filled with nervous energy. It is a bit long with over 2 hours of runtime. Adam Sandler gives a fantastic performance, even though the Academy Awards completely ignored him. I hope he decides to take on more roles like this.

Rating: 4 / 5

10s Movie Review - Parasite

Director: Bong Joon-Ho
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 131 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo, Woo-sik Choi, So-dam Park, Jeong-eun Lee, Hye-jin Jang, Ji-hye Lee, Ji-so Jung, Myeong-hoon Park, Seo-joon Park, Keun-rok Park

Description: All unemployed, Ki-taek and his family take peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks, as they integrate themselves into their lives and get entangled in an unexpected incident.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 6: A MOVIE EVERYONE HAS SEEN BUT YOU

Review: South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho has been an established name in international film circles for years. Bong made his debut in 2000 with “Barking Dogs Never Bite”, but broke through in 2003 with the police thriller/comedy “Memories of Murder”. After that, he established his name with films like “The Host”, “Mother” and the English-language films “Snowpiercer” and “Okja”. With his latest film “Parasite” he won a Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival, the most renowned film award in the world. “Parasite” is a layered and successful satire on South Korean class society that could have taken place in any capitalist society. Hilarious, unpredictable and not to be missed.
As in most of his film, Bong combines dark comedy with layered social criticism and a popular genre. It’s really hard to define just one genre for this film and it’s best to know as little as possible about “Parasite” before watching it. Because at first, it seems like a light hearted comedy, but it transforms into something completely different. And you realize it after it has already happened.
The premise seems simple: the poor Kim family live in a small basement-like apartment and can barely keep their head above water. Son Ki-Woo gets a unique possibility. An old schoolfriend of his is traveling to go to college and asks Ki-Woo to take over his tutoring job for the teenage daughter of the wealthy Park family. When he is accepted by the family, he manages to find a way to get his sister and his parents a job for the family. All under different names and they must not know they are related. His sister Ki-Jeong becomes the young son’s art teacher, father Ki-Taek becomes their driver and mother Chun-Sook gets a job as the new housekeeper.
The first act of the film is really funny, even hilarious at times. On one hand because of the way in which the Kims lie and deceive the Parks and allow the rich Parks to do so because they have become alienated from the world thanks to their wealth, and are purely focused on and within themselves. On the other hand, the implementation of Ki-Woo's plan works like a kind of heist film, including forging documents, costumes and coming up with convincing background stories. The Kims, however, do not rob a bank, but provide themselves with well-paid jobs in order to finally make a bit of a normal living. They can even afford wifi instead of having to steal it from their upstairs neighbors, which can only be received above their toilet.
With this given alone, “Parasite” would have been a successful film, but there is a turning point in the film (which I will not mention). This makes the film even better and more surprising and it keeps surprising until the end credits start rolling. Director Bong doesn’t only do this with an excellently and very well-crafted script, but also with visual metaphors, two fantastic set pieces and an outstanding cast.
And of course with the ancient contradictions between rich and poor. The Kims may be the crooks, but compared to the Parks they remain the sympathetic underdog. Until that turning point, after which everyone's world changes forever. Water plays an important role in “Parasite” and is masterfully used by Bong to emphasize the differences between the Parks and the Kims. But as the English saying goes: 'blood is thicker than water'.
“Parasite” is a must-see for every movie fan, because it will definitely be an unforgettable movie experience.

Rating: 5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Director: André Øvredal
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn, Lorraine Toussaint, Kathleen Pollard, Deborah Pollitt, Victoria Fodor, Marie Ward, Mark Steger, Javier Botet, Troy James, Kyle Labine, David Tompa, Karen Glave, Stephanie Belding

Description: On Halloween 1968, reclusive Stella and het two friends meet a mysterious drifter, Ramón, and uncover a sinister notebook of stories.

Review: Some names in Hollywood create high expectations. Like Guillermo del Toro for instance. “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” has a screenplay written by Del Toro, who also produced the film. His name is on the poster. The film is loosely based on the short stories by Alvin Schwartz and directed by the Norwegian André Øvredal. But the film is a bit disappointing.
It's not a direct adaptation of Schwartz’ stories. Instead, some of his stories were bundled into a somewhat coherent narrative about the fears of the teenagers who play the main roles. It’s 1968, in a sleepy American town, where Both Halloween and the Vietnam war are awaiting. Teenager and aspiring writer Stella, her friends Auggie and Chuck and newcomer Ramón are running from a group of bullies and end up in a mysterious, abandoned house.
One day, a girl lived her and she wrote ghost stories in an old book. When Stella finds this book and takes it home, she finds out it is a very special book. There is some sort of a curse on it and the book starts to write stories about Stella and her friends. And whenever they appear in a story, their life isn’t safe.
Many of the almost isolated horror moments are confrontations between the teenager in question and a monster. People are chased, there is some growling and flickering lights, but the variation is hard to find. The only exception is a somewhat older teenager who is confronted with a huge pimple on her cheek before a school performance.
The film had such a promising starting point, but is overall not that special. The film does have some really creepy monsters, but overall it’s a film with a few cheap jump scares. But even for a scaredy-cat like me, this wasn’t the ‘scary story’ that the title promised me. It could have been so much more.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - 6 Underground

Director: Michael Bay
Genre: Action
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Dave Franco, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Corey Hawkins, Adria Arjona

Description: Six untraceable agents, totally off the grid. They’ve buried their pasts so they can change the future.

Review: Under the names One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, six people work together to eliminate notorious criminals. They all disappeared by staging their own deaths. As ghosts from the past living in freedom, they are all brought together by One, a billionaire mastermind and leader of the team. With their unique skills, they start a mission to change the future. A mission in Florence brings them to Rovachs, the blood-thirsty dictator of Turgistan.
After Michael Bay broke through in the mid-90s with the spectacular action film “Bad Boys”, “The Rock” and “Armageddon”, he spend half of last century making Tranformers movies. From 2007 to 2017 he delivered us five films in this franchise. And they were all not that great. Which is pretty much the standard for a Michael Bay movie. They are all spectacular, but not that great. With a budget of 150 million dollars, Bay made the Netflix film “6 Underground”.
And from the first minutes of the film, you can see where that budget went, because like any Bay movie, it’s super flashy, sexy and over-the-top spectacular. Because the film looks fantastic.
As a viewer, you’re kind of searching for the how and what in the story. But there is hardly any time to take a breath and think about this. There is not really a very deep story here. But what this movie lacks even more is logic. Why is the death driver being replaced by a trained sniper? And is it just me or is One the worst person to be a leader of this team? And if they want to do good, why do they keep on driving into crowds and probably killing innocent people? I think a film like this doesn’t need logic, as long as it doesn’t take itself too serious. Unfortunately Michael Bay always takes himself very seriously.
Ryan Reynold is the lead in this action flick and he is surrounded by a cast that looks great on paper. And it doesn’t surprise you that all of them look beautiful, are almost flawless at what they do and don’t really have any depth. The dialogues are exchangeable and sometimes even unnecessary and the jokes feel like the ones that didn’t make it in any of the “Deadpool” films.
It's clear that “6 Underground” is all about the visual flair and spectacular action. Don’t expect any more then that.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

TV Show Review - Sex Education (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2020
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Aimee Lou Wood, Tanya Reynolds, Patricia Allison

Description: Teenager Otis (Asa Butterfield), with a sex therapist mother (Gillian Anderson), teams up with high school classmate Maeve (Emma Mackey) to set up an underground sex therapy clinic at school.

Review: The first season of “Sex Education” was one of Netflix’ biggest surprises and a huge success overall. Although not for the faint-hearted, “Sex Education” season 2 is again e hit and I am longing for more.
The second season of the series starts with a somewhat explicit. Otis finally got comfortable with masturbation and in the opening scene we see him ‘enjoying himself’ in bed, the shower, the woods and in the car. The tone is set for season 2. Which starts with a chlamydia outbreak. A lot of naming and shaming and most of all hysteria at school. That last is what Otis claims it is. After he broke with friend Maeve, he is no longer consulting students about their sexual problems. But not for long, because this ‘outbreak’ brings them back together. But there is competition, in the form of his own mother, who is providing sex education at their school.
Season 2 is nothing new, but it has all the ingredients that make “Sex Education” great. Themes like love, friendship, violation, honesty, family, boundaries and being yourself are talked about in a light-hearted and heartfelt matter. The series is very outspoken and relatable and they makers don’t shy away to touch up on difficult themes.
I couldn’t recommend “Sex Education” enough, it’s a definite must-see. And season 2 lives up to the hype of the first season. I can’t wait for another season of Otis and his friends dealing with all these problems.

TV Show Review - Sex Education (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2019
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Aimee Lou Wood, Tanya Reynolds, Patricia Allison

Description: Teenager Otis (Asa Butterfield), with a sex therapist mother (Gillian Anderson), teams up with high school classmate Maeve (Emma Mackey) to set up an underground sex therapy clinic at school.

Review: People who are prudish can better ignore “Sex Education”. In this fantastic drama by Netflix, sexuality in the broadest sense of the word is examined and portrayed in a humorous, warm and sincere way. Less than a month after the release date, on February 1, 2019, Netflix announced that “Sex Education” would return for a second season. That's not surprising when you consider that within four weeks, an estimated 40 million households have watched the series.
“Sex Education” tells the story of Otis Milburn and his environment. Otis is sixteen, a virgin, a tad shy and struggling to masturbate. His mother Jean is a sex therapist, doesn’t do relationships and always over-analyzes her son. Together they live in a beautiful house in the English country side, which is covered with pornographic images, sex toys and erotic art. Jean works from home and advices clients about their sex lives. Even though Otis is unexperienced himself, he has a lot of psychological knowledge.
The series starts on the first day after the summer break. Otis and his best friend Eric ride their bikes to school. Eric tells Otis that all their classmates had sex this summer. Otis gives sex advice to Adam, the bully in school. And Maeve witnesses this and sees an opportunity. She convinces Otis to start a sec therapy clinic at school. And they discover that many kids in their school have issues with their sexuality. The way the story is told around Otis and his mates growing to adulthood is very refreshing.
Unlike other coming of age stories, “Sex Education” tackles the subject of sexuality in a more authentic way. Instead of just pure underpants fun, glorifying alcohol and drug use and romancing sex, there is more stratification and ambiguity in the way these subjects are dealt with in ”Sex Education”. In a light-hearted way, various sides of issues that are generally in the taboo area are addressed. For example racism, abortion, erection problems, panic attacks, feminism, homophobia, masturbation and revenge pornography. It is clever of the makers that they cover these subjects without the series turning into one big valley of tears. As far as I am concerned, that is the great strength of the series.
The acting lifts the series to a higher level. Asa Butterfield portrays Otis in a very special and sincere way. Gillian Anderson is brilliant as his free-spirited yet concerned mother with razor-sharp remarks. The rest of the cast consists mainly of newcomers who play excellently. For instance, Emma Mackey convinces as a rebellious teenager, Connor Swindells is a perfect bully and Aimee Lou Wood and Tanya Reynolds provide the necessary laughs as teenage girls on a voyage of discovery. Ncuti Gatwa deserves a special mention as Eric. It's amazing how he manages to play a dark, flamboyant, gay boy who effortlessly switches between comic, tragic and combative without going completely over the top. As far as I'm concerned, Ncuti is the great discovery of the series.
The series is also great visually. The use of color, the surroundings and the decoration are a feast for the eyes. Thanks to the clothing and choice of music, the series seems to take place in the 80s. Yet the characters all have smartphones and watch porn on computers. Several decades seem to merge into “Sex Education”. According to maker Laurie Nunn, the series is a tribute to 1980s films such as “The Breakfast Club” and “Pretty in Pink” by the king of teen comedy, John Hughes. The themes covered turn out to be universal and timeless. All in all, “Sex Education” is a more than successful, surprising series in the genre. A new favorite series for me!

10s Movie Review - Happy Death Day 2U

Director: Christopher Landon
Genre: Horror/ Thriller/ Comedy
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard Phi Vu, Suraj Sharma, Sarah Yarkin, Rachel Matthews, Ruby Modine, Steve Zissis, Charles Aitken, Laura Clifton, Missy Yager, Jason Bayle, Caleb Spillyards, Jimmy Gonzales, Peter Jaymes Jr., Rob Mello, Kenneth Israel, James W. Evermore

Description: Tree Gelbman (Jessica Roth) discovers that dying over and over again was surprisingly easier than the danger that lie ahead.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 5: A HORROR MOVIE

Review: Although a lot of sequels have been made for slasher films over the years, this type of film doesn't always lend itself to that. After all, many such films end with the unmasking and killing of the killer, which means that the makers have to wriggle into particularly strange curves in order to reduce this threat. Resurrections, copycats, successors... it's all been done before. The sequel to “Happy Death Day” actually uses a method that has probably never been used before in slasher history: a new killer because of an alternative universe. That probably sounds completely ridiculous, but actually fits perfectly in a series like this. After all, playing with time and space is already in the DNA of the first film.
A sequel to “Happy Death Day” may seem like a pointless undertaking because by the end everything was perfectly finished, but of course there was still a pressing question: why did the protagonist Tree constantly relive the same day? Admittedly, the main source of inspiration for “Groundhog Day” didn't explain why the grumpy weatherman Phil Connors kept waking up on the same day, but the approach of that film was that this protagonist had to learn how to become a better person and could use some resits. It is therefore quite plausible that there was a higher power behind it. In “Happy Death Day”it’s a little different, because it was a completely different type of film: a slasher with a wink, in which it was all about unmasking a murderer. Personal growth as a result of the situation was more a bonus than a requirement.
Fortunately, “Happy Death Day 2U” doesn't take long to figure out what it was all about: three of Tree's fellow students developed a machine in their university lab that accidentally created the time loop. Why exactly Tree ended up in it, and how she managed to leave it by surviving the day, are follow-up questions you shouldn't think about for too long. Tree sighs at a certain moment when she herself thought that her constant repetition of the same day might have had a comical reason, but now she just has to accept that she is the victim of the scientific banter of some overzealous students. So if you're disappointed with this statement: rest assured, the main character doesn't know what to think either.
There's no time for more contemplation, because to her great frustration Tree ends up back on the day she had to experience so many times in the first film. Maybe a somewhat easy-going starting point for a sequel, but fortunately there is variation in the circumstances. The day may be the same, but due to interdimensional travel some details differ in the well-known scenes. For example, Trees' boyfriend is now together with her bossy roommate, Tree is not having an affair with her teacher and her roommate is not going to let her live. Simple variations, but all so workable that this sequel does not become a predictable repetition of moves. From a meta-textual perspective, this approach fits pretty well. The attraction of sequel films is for the most part in the recognition, but without any variation, viewers soon get the feeling they are being bought. “Happy Death Day 2U” plays nicely with that...
By the way, the film starts with a nice piece of deception, by hinting that this time a supporting actor from the first film acts as the main character who gets caught in a time loop. This might have worked, even if you end up in the segment of the remake sequel: the same story but with different characters. In hindsight, it's a good thing that the familiar main character has been retained. All the knowledge and assertiveness that she acquired during the previous film is retained. Tree ends up in a universe where her mother is still alive, causing her to face a dilemma: stay here and settle into a life that is not quite hers, or return to the familiar life with all the loss that goes with it? Of course she will make the right decision at the end, but her development in the previous film is indispensable.
Many horror series gradually become a parody of themselves and although “Happy Death Day 2U” hasn't reached that point yet, this time the self-mockery is a lot more prominent than last time. This is also possible to neutralize the scientific hocus pocus, although it is also noticeable that in the humor the edge is regularly sought out. Tree always has to reset the day, which results in a remarkably corny montage of creative suicides. Even the nowadays almost obligatory set up for a future part turns out to be a part of a fun encore. “Happy Death Day 2U” may not be a hilarious comedy or a blood-curdling horror film, but in today's horror landscape it is at least one of the few films that dares to wink at its audience with pleasure.

Rating: 3 / 5