Five to Watch - Movies About African American History

Black Lives Matter. Something that is on topic now and probably always will be. It’s sad to say that racism is still something this world has to deal with. And you can complain about hearing about this topic, but what about the people that have to deal with it every day? And that’s why I decided to pick five movies that deal with this topic. I chose five overlooked or underrated film about African American history, that I think everyone should see.

Malcolm X
Okay, this might not be an underrated  or overlooked film, but I still know too many people that have never seen it. It's a biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a smalltime gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam. The movie is based on “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Alex Haley and directed by Spike Lee. It’s a well-balanced, and fairly nuanced tale about Malcolm X’s development, with an excellent performance from Denzel Washington in the titular role.

Loving
The story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple whose arrest for interracial marriage in 1960s Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the Supreme Court’s historic 1967 decision. Also based on true events. It’s a strong, subdued drama about the ridiculous law that kept white people from marrying black people.

Selma
It’s an impressive first film about the life of Martin Luther King. The film focuses on the monumental protest march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965, that forced president Lyndon B. Johnson to have equal rights for African American voters, for they were not allowed to vote. David Oyelowo stars as Martin Luther King and does this very well, subtle, embodying the man who changed so much in the world.

Fruitvale Station
Oscar Grant III starts the 31st of December in good spirits, but then gets involved in a subway riot. It’s a raw and realistic film, also based on a true story. Made for less then a million dollars and a very impressive debut by director Ryan Coogler.

Glory
During the U.S. Civil War, Robert Gould Shaw leads the first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudice from both his own army and the Confederates. A strong war drama, with excellent performances by Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington.

10s Movie Review - Thor

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Genre: Adventure/ Action/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Renee Russo, Idris Elba, Jaime Alexander, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Clark Gregg, Jeremy Renner

Description: The powerful but arrogant Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

Review: Superheroes often carry a big burden. Whether it’s trying to control their super powers or hiding their identity; a hero has a big responsibility and has to deal with that daily. And that’s no different for Thor, the God of thunder.
The fate of the world is again hanging by a thread and the man with the hammer is the one to fight the evil. After he unleashes an ancient war with the Frost Giants, his father Odin banishes him for ignoring his orders and sends him to Earth. There it seems that Thor is unable to handle his hammer Mjolnir, until he shows that he is a true hero will he rekindle his powers.
Thor has a rich background story, as well from Norwegian mythology as the comic books that started in 1962. Thor is the only God amongst the Avengers. He comes from a world other then Earth. His world is visualized amazingly, it looks stunning.
Once Thor joins the Earthlings, there is room for humor. At first, Jane thinks he is a homeless guy, but when S.H.I.E.L.D. shows up Jane knows there is more to him. The humor never overshadows the action and the comedy is mostly very dry and always well-timed.
The creators try to avoid the black and white view on good and evil as much as possible. This makes for an interesting battle between brothers Thor and Loki, even though you know which one embodies good and which one is evil.
This is one of those films that makes or breaks due to the casting of its main hero. Chris Hemsworth stars in his first major role and he is the perfect choice. Hemsworth is undoubtably one of the most beautiful peope Hollywood has to offer, but with that he is also extremely charismatic and has humor that suits his character. Natalie Portman, who plays his love interest Jane, is mostly seen as the better actor of the two, but she never manages to step away from Hemsworth’s shadow. It feels more obligated for her.
“Thor” is a great film, highly entertaining and fun.

Rating: 4 / 5

10s Movie Review - The Cloverfield Paradox

Director: Julius Onah
Genre: Adventure/ Drama/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Daniel Brühl, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Chris O’Dowd, John Ortiz, Aksel Hennie, Ziyi Zhang, Elizabeth Debicki, Donal Logue

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 22: A MOVIE WITH A.I. IN IT

Description: Orbiting a planet on the brink of war, scientists test a device to solve an energy crisis, and end up face-to-face with a dark alternate reality.

Review: Without any big marketing campaigns, Netflix all off a sudden dropped “The Cloverfield Paradox”. That makes this film the third film in the Cloverfield universe. This franchise started in 2008 with “Cloverfield”, where a group of young adults flee for a gigantic monster in New York City. It was a found footage film and a sudden success. The long-awaited sequel came eight years after that. This was a surprise that came out of nowhere. The connection between the two films was thin but “The Cloverfield Paradox” had to connect the two.
The voice-over at the start of the film tells us that Earth is dealing with an energy crisis. For reasons unknown, it wasn’t possible to get green energy from the wind or sun. All hope is set on a particle accelerator, called The Shepard, and the crew of a space station called Cloverfield is testing it. But after two years they don’t have any results and all hope is lost. And that with a war that is about to break on Earth.
When they do succeed, strange things start to happen on board of the Cloverfield Station and everyone starts doubting what’s real and what’s not. Through one of the crew member’s husbands we get to see some images from Earth, that there are monsters walking around.
I have problems with the timeline. There was a scene in “Cloverfield” where you can see a satellite falling from the sky (you have to pause the film to notice it) and it now suggests that it was the satellite from “The Cloverfield Paradox”. But when you see the monsters, you know that this isn’t right. Since the monsters in this film are way bigger and at the moment the satellite crashes in “Cloverfield”, there were no monsters yet. And in this one there are.
And everything that happens on board of the space station feels like only half the work. Some separate ideas they threw together in a story they wrote, which makes the film inconsistent and feel a bit lazy. The dialogue also feels uninspired.
Even though there is a great cast, none of them succeed to impress. But with the material they have to work with, you can’t really blame them. Overall, “The Cloverfield Paradox” left us guessing even more than after the first two films. And there is normally nothing wrong with that, I like comparing theories with other film fans after seeing a film. But “The Cloverfield Paradox” was supposed to connect “Cloverfield” and 10 Cloverfield Lane” and didn’t manage to do that.

Rating: 2 / 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 5

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.

Action: Inception (2010)
A thief (Leonardo DiCaprio) who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O.

Drama: The Iceman (2012)
The story of Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon), the notorious contract killer and family man. When finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife nor daughter had any clue about his real profession.

Comedy: The Disaster Artist (2017)
When Greg Sestero (Dave Franco), an aspiring film actor, meets the weird and mysterious Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) in an acting class, they form a unique friendship and travel to Hollywood to make their dreams come true.

Animation: Ponyo (2008)
A five-year-old boy develops a relationship with Ponyo, a young goldfish princess who longs to become human after falling in love with him.

Romance: Juliet, Naked (2018)
Annie (Rose Byrne) is the long-suffering girlfriend of Duncan (Chris O’Dowd) who is obsessed with now faded singer-songwriter Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). She finds herself in an unlikely transatlantic romance with Tucker.

Horror: The Mist (2007)
A freak storm unleashes a species of bloodthirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.

Science Fiction: I Am Legend (2007)
Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City (Will Smith) struggles valiantly to find a cure.

Crime: The Highwaymen (2019)
The untold true story of the legendary detectives (Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson) who brought down Bonnie and Clyde.

Thriller: El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
“El Camino: A Breakin Bad Movie” follows fugitive Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) as he runs from his captors, the law and his past.

Documentary: 13th (2016)
An in-depth look at the prison system in the United Stated and how it reveals the nation’s history of racial inequality.

Family: Paddington (2014)
A young Peruvian bear (Ben Wishaw) travels to London in search of a home. Finding imself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven.

Ranking the Franchise - Iron Man

I just rewatched all the “Iron Man” movies. I like them, although he’s definitely not my favorite superhero or Avenger. It’s because of Robert Downey Jr. that I really enjoy watching these films. Today I will be ranking all three “Iron Man” movies.

3. Iron Man 2 (2010)
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a good movie. But of the three, this is the one I liked the least. Mostly because of how Tony Stark doesn’t really develop much in this film. At the end of “Iron Man 2” he is exactly the same as at the start of the first. And Mickey Rourke doesn’t get enough to do as the villain. Don Cheadle though is a great addition to this franchise, who took over the role from Terrence Howard. And the introduction to Scarlett Johansson’s character is also pretty cool. “Iron Man 2” isn’t more then an acceptable follow-up to an important first film.

2. Iron Man 3 (2013)
“Iron Man 3” was a better sequel. The film is iron strong (no pun intended) and we actually saw great character development with Tony Stark. Not just as Tony but also as Iron Man. I really liked the fact that Tony has to fight for what’s right with and without his suit. I liked the twist of the Mandarin, but Guy Pearce as Killian is not always convincing as the villain.

1. Iron Man (2008)
The movie that was the base of the current Marvel Cinematic Universe. And a great origin story. Pretty straight-forward, but because of Robert Downey Jr. it has become a phenomenon. Downey Jr., the only man that can play a likeable asshole.

10s Movie Review - Iron Man 2

Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Mickey Rourke, Leslie bibb, Olivia Munn, Don Cheadle, Kate Mara, Paul Bettany, John Slattery, Clark Gregg, Garry Shandling

Description: With the world now aware of his identity as Iron man, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father’s legacy.

Review: Two years before the sequel was released, “Iron Man” was an unsuspected hit. It was a straight-forward comic book tale that made it special due to its great lead.
Although the first film wasn’t very surprising, the last scene where Tony reveals to the public that he is Iron Man, was. This created the path for a sequel. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is nothing like the other superheroes out there. Heroes like Spider-Man or Batman see their task as a burden and try to keep their identity hidden. But Tony is someone living the good life and not being ashamed of it, but simply has an eccentric hobby that he uses to fight bad guys. This is no different in “Iron Man 2”.
Tony makes it seem easy to live as a superhero with his identity out in the open and you wonder why some of them want to keep their identity hidden. Well, the government pressures him to hand over his inventions. And his character reveal draws the attention of a Russian criminal that has some unfinished business with the Stark family. This Ivan Vanko gets, after his first confrontation with Iron Man, help from a guy named Justin Hammer. He is a weapons manufacturer who is always one step behind Tony. An alliance with Vanko could work for both Hammer as Vanko.
Ivan Vanko is played by Mickey Rourke, who got his Hollywood comeback due to “The Wrestler”. But in “Iron Man 2” there is not a lot for him to do. Babbling in a Russian accent, but mainly silent, he is mostly physically present in the action scenes. Another newcomer to the film is Scarlett Johansson, who is Tony’s new assistant. First it seems like a thankless role, until it’s uncovered who she really is. But the best newcomer is Don Cheadle, who takes over the role of James Rhodes from Terrence Howard, who played this role in the first film. A character being played by a different actor than the previous film is a tough job, but Cheadle nails it and we’ve already forgotten about Howard.
The intention of a series is that you see a clear development in characters, in this cast Tony Stark. But at the end of “Iron Man 2” he is just the same guy as the first film. In doesn’t dig deep enough to give Tony the development he needs.
“Iron Man 2” is a fun and very entertainment sequel, that is mainly good because of an excellent performance by Robert Downey Jr.

Rating: 3/ 5

00s Movie Review - Iron Man

Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Action/ Drama/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Clark Gregg, Leslie Bibb

Description: After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.

Review: “Iron Man” was the first movie in the MCU. Tony Stark is on top of his weapon imperium and he loves the good life: gambling, fast cars, beautiful women and fancy gadgets. Stark is good at making weapons, but never really thought about the people it might affect. After a demonstration, Tony is kidnapped in an Afghan cave. He has to replicate the ‘Jericho’, some sort of super rocket. Instead he makes an armor to escape.
It's an origins story: the hero, that lives a life without purpose and decides to use his expertise to fight evil.
Tony Stark is, on paper, not a very sympathetic paper. He is a hedonist, makes weapons, is a bit arrogant and a real womanizer. And since he is the hero, you have to make him likeable somehow. And by casting Robert Downey Jr. that actually happened. Downey Jr. is completely believable, but he never seems to take himself too serious. And it’s really hard to dislike him.
The film isn’t as action packed as you might think, but has a great build-up of the main character.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Brawl in Cell Block 99

Director: S. Craig Zahler
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Don Johnson, Udo Kier, Marc Blucas

Description: A former boxer-turned-drug runner (Vince Vaughn) lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly.

Review: Bradley Thomas gets fired from his job and finds out his wife is cheating on him. He still wants to give his wife a good life, so he starts working as a drug runner. They buy a beautiful house and his wife gets pregnant. When he ends up in jail, he thinks it’s going to be an easy 7 years. Until his wife gets kidnapped and some dangerous men in the business want something in return.
Over the years, Vince Vaughn has been in a lot of different roles. In the past years he has been in several silly comedies, where he is usually very loud. But I think I prefer Vaughn in more serious roles. And the role of Bradley Thomas is perfect for him. A loving husband, choosing the wrong path, but staying within the lines of his moral compass. He knows how to play it rough, but has a good heart. One of Vaughn’s best work to date.
The film has a pretty long runtime, over two hours. But despite this and the fact it builds up slow, the film never bores you. And there is also a good balance between drama and action.
To watch this film, you do have to be able to endure some graphic fight scenes. “Brawl in Cell Block 99” is very violent. Although that final shot is clearly a dummy.
“Brawl in Cell Block 99” is a surprisingly strong and entertaining prison/ revenge movie.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

Director: Michael Fomignaro
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Jordan Fisher, Anna Cathcart, Janel Parrish, John Corbett, Holland Taylor

Description: Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo) have just taken their relationship from pretend to officially official when another recipient of one of her old love letters enters the picture.

Review: After the popular film “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”, there of course had to be a sequel. The first film was a fun and easy watch, especially for a teen audience. But can the sequel live up to the hype of the first?
In “To All the Boys: P.S. I Love You” Peter and Lara Jean are a couple and they are very happy together. But then there is John Ambrose, one of the boys that received an old love letter written by Lara Jean. And that’s the moment where Lara Jean starts doubting her feelings, because John Ambrose is such a sweet and nice guy. Who will she eventually chose?
Lana Condor and Noah Centineo returns as Lara Jean and Peter, who again convince us of their chemistry. They are a real cute on-screen couple. Centineo is your typical teen heartthrob.
The story of “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” is less original and just a simple romance story of a love triangle. But for the targeted audience, it’s yet another fun feel-good romcom.

Rating: 3 / 5

10s Movie Review - Audrie & Daisy

Director: Bonnie Cohen, Jon Shenk
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Audrie Pott, Daisy Coleman, Charles Coleman, Melinda Coleman, Ella Fairon, Holly Fairon, Jim Fall, Delaney Henderson, Paige Parkhurst, Lawrence Pott

Description: A loot at the effects that online bullying has on the lives of teenagers and their community.

Review: “Audrie & Daisy” focuses on teenage girls that dealt with sexual assault and the effects it had on the online community. We see how several girls in that age group deal with the aftermath.
Audrie Pott is one of them. At a party she is the victim of sexual assault and pranks. Some of the kids think it’s funny to draw on Audrie with a sharpie, while she is unconscious. But it’s not some innocent practical joke, because even the private areas of her body get drawn on. When the news spreads fast on the internet and via texts and videos of the incident circle the internet, Audrie can’t handle all the hate she’s getting and commits suicide.
In California Daisy suffered a similar incident, around the same time as Audrie. Together with her friend Paige they hang out with some older boys and they both get sexually assaulted while being intoxicated. Daisy deals with it differently. She changes her looks and hides behind that. But she ultimately starts talking to other girls around the country that been in a similar situation.
Internet bullying is the most dangerous form of bullying out there, since it’s difficult to find where it all started and it’s even more difficult to make it stop. And it’s hard to control for parents, since they do not always see what their kids are doing online. But it spreads so fast and kids that age can be extremely mean. Many people don’t even realize what a seemingly innocent prank or joke can do to a person, especially when the people think they are invisible to the person they’re doing it do. And since everyone is doing it, why not tag along. But as this documentary shows, it’s not without consequence and it has different effects on different people. Audrie kills herself because she couldn’t take it anymore and there are many Audries out there.
It's a small documentary, with a big impact. This is the type of film that schools should show so kids get more aware of the effects bullying has on someone. And that if something like this happens to you, you should report it and talk about it with an adult.
“Audrie & Daisy” is a good documentary that will have an impact. Very brave of the girls that were in this film to tell their stories.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

What's in a Movie Year - 1991

Taking a look at the year 1991, picking my 10 favorite movies from that year in random order.

Beauty and the Beast
An arrogant prince is cursed by a witch and turned into a beast. He can only become human again when someone learns to love him for who he is, before the last pebble of the magic rose falls. When he meets Belle, who is looking for her father, things change. This is still my favorite Disney animation to date and one of the best they studio ever created. The music is catchy and beautiful, the characters are memorable and loveable and the message is strong.

Point Break
An FBI-agent goes undercover to catch a gang of surfers who may be bank robbers. This is the ultimate 90s movie. Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves star in it and I think it became a cult classic over the years. Director Kathryn Bigelow treats her audience to a fantastic series of action sequences including skydiving.

JFK
It’s a visually engaging thriller about the assassination of president Kennedy. Director Oliver Stone unfolded a conspiracy theory, which was first written about in the book “On the Trail of the Assassins”, written by Jim Garrison, played by Kevin Costner in “JFK”.

Boyz ‘n the Hood
The directorial debut by John Singleton, about the life in a black community in South Central Los Angeles. The film shows a community that is constantly on edge, violence overshadows everything and there hardly needs to be a reason for it to burst. The film focuses on two brothers, Doughboy and Ricky. It’s a raw drama that is still relevant today.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day
In “The Terminator” from 1984, Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayed to cyborg for the first time. He’s back, and even better. One of the rare moments that a sequel is better then the original. This time Arnie is the good version of himself and tries to save John Connor, instead of killing him. It’s a strong action film with, for that time, groundbreaking special effects.

The Silence of the Lambs
Rookie FBI-agent Clarice Starling is investigating a series of murder. She has to interrogate a genius serial killer for this: Hannibal ‘the Cannibal’ Lecter. This character became an instant iconic villain due to Anthony Hopkins’ fantastic performance. And even though Jodie Foster as Starling is the lead, Hopkins steals every scene he is in.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
The tale of Robin Hood is one of the most recycled stories in Hollywood. It’s been told in so many ways, but this has always been my favorite. Even though it’s definitely not the best, it holds a special place in my heart. After returning from his crusades, Robin Hood tries to defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham and save the woman he loves. Kevin Costner might not have been the best choice for Robin Hood, but I loved him. And Morgan Freeman, Alan Rickman and Christian Slater are all great. And my favorite song ever is from this movie.

Barton Fink
With this absurd tragic comedy and Hollywood satire, where a young playwriter starts working for a film studio, the Coen brothers proved their talent. And Especially in the bizarre dialogue. It’s probably an overlooked film by the directing brother duo, but its definitely one worth watching.

Cape Fear
Robert De Niro plays Max Cady, a convicted rapist released after serving a fourteen year sentence. He starts staling the family of the lawyer that originally defended him. In my post about movie remakes, I already stated that this was one of the few films that was better than its original. It’s not one of the first film you think of when talking about director Martin Scorsese or Robert De Niro, which is a shame.

The Addams Family
The film is based on a TV series. It follows scary Gomez Addams and his morbid wife Morticia, who have creepy kids and unpleasant house guests. And this morbid humor with unforgettable characters became an instant cult classic. The story isn’t really special, but it’s the characters and their trades that make this film so fun.

10s Movie - 13th

Director: Ava DuVernay
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Melina Abdullah, Michelle Alexander, Corey Booker, Dolores Canales, Gina Clayton, William Jelani Cobb, Malkia Cyril, Angela Davis, Craig, DeRoche, Dacid Dinkins, Baz Dreisinger, Kevin Gannon, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Marie Gottschallk, Newt Gingrich

Description: An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation’s history of racial inequality.

Review: "13th” is a poignant documentary about centuries of racism in America. It is explained how each time a new system arose to oppress the Afro-American population. For example, companies today have their clothes made by inmates, for a small percentage of the minimum wage. Director Ava DuVernay, known for her movie “Selma” about Martin Luther King, uses this corrupt American prison system to expose contemporary racism.
DuVernay lets a variety of intellectuals explain how slavery was an economic system, just like the prison system today. A so called ‘double-whammy’: making a profit at the expense of the misery of a population you despise anyway. The only difference between then and now is that you can no longer call black people ‘niggers’, at least in public. Criminals is a better synonym. One speaker compares this change to ‘new cancer metastases’.
This ‘cancer’ is coming to light more than ever thanks to technological progress. Images recorder with smartphones record police brutality, which turns out to be more structural than thought. Events such as the death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford in 2012 symbolize centuries of injustice. All this leads to the conclusion that legislators, policemen, entrepreneurs and journalist are applying double standards. For example, the possession of 1 gram of crack by an African-American is punished harder than the possession of a 100 grams of cocaine by a white American.
Such contradictions and anecdotes are exemplary of DuVernay’s approach. She shares as much information as possible with the viewer. In doing so, she can logically not ignore current political affairs, or in short: Donald Trump. Archival images of the Republican presidential candidate reveal his racist disposition. In his campaign Trump constantly talks about ‘The good Days’, when the police were still able to chase away demonstrators with brute force.
“13th" is a fantastic documentary and it will open your eyes. Some information that was shared made me sick to my stomach, how corrupt the justice system in America actual is. The final conclusion is undeniable: black lives do matter.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

90s Movie Review - Babe

Director: Chris Noonan
Genre: Family/ Drama/ Comedy/ Adventure
Runtime: 89 minutes
Year: 1995
Starring: James Cromwell, Christin Cavanaugh, Hugo Weaving, Miriam Margolyes, Danny Mann, Miriam Flynn, Russi Taylor, Evelyn Krape, Michael Edward-Stevens, Charles Bartlett, Paul Livingston, Roscoe Lee Browne, Magda Szubanski, Zoe Burton, Paul Goddard, Wade Hayward, Brittany Byrnes, Mary Acres

Description: Babe, a pig raised by sheepdogs, learns to her sheep with a little help from Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell).

Review: This is the story of a little pig, named Babe, that lives on a farm and is raised by sheepdogs. This way Babe learns how to herd sheep and Farmer Hoggett sees that this pig is special.
“Babe” is the perfect family film. Images of the young pig and the other farm animals are heartwarming and melt all our hearts. And there are many lessons learned in this film as well. Lessons about friendship, stereotypes and judgement. And each animal has its on character trade. “Babe” also has some great comical moments and the animals look great (because they use animatronics and puppets sometimes).
“Babe” deals with some ‘grown-up themes as well, but is mainly focused on a younger audience. And this way the film is an easy watch and will warm your hearts. And even though it’s a mid-90s film, it’s not outdated at all and will still entertain many youngsters today. If you can still eat meat after watching this film…

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Remakes That Were Better Than the Original

Remakes or reboots, not everyone is a fan of it. Neither am I, especially when it comes to the horror genre. I think it’s just a lack of inspiration and originality in Hollywood. But ever so often there is a remake that actually exceeds it predecessor. Only a short list, but here are the movie remakes that are (without a doubt) better than the original.

Little Shop of Horrors (1986) - Original from 1960
The film is considered a cult classic today. The original is from 1960 and was a low-budget film. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman turned it into a musical and that’s where the 1986 movie version is based on. It’s a dark comedy with catchy songs and fun performances by Rick Moranis and Steve Martin. There is another remake planned for “Little Shop of Horrors”.

The Thing (1982) – Original from 1951
“The Thing From Another World” was one of the best science fiction film of the 50s. But it was Jon Carpenter’s 1982 version that brought us the most scares and it grew out to be one of the most beloved horror classics.

The Fly (1986) – Original from 1958
The first “The Fly” was a science fiction horror film, about a scientist that accidentally turns into a fly. For the time, the late 50s, it was a pretty shocking film. But the remake from 1986, by director David Cronenberg, is so much better. And shocked even more. Jeff Goldblum, who plays the leading role, is transformed into a fly bringing it to us in a pretty graphic an gruesome way.

Scarface (1983) – Original from 1932
I think many people don’t even know that this is a remake, because Al Pacino is the only Tony Montana we can think of. And there is a reason for that, since the 1983 version is the one that impressed us and is a favorite for many movie fans.

Cape Fear (1991) – Original from 1962
One way to get on this list, is to remake a film that wasn’t that great to begin with. The original “Cape Fear” was a pretty bland thriller. Director J. Lee Thompson was replaced by Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro took over the role that Gregory Peck played. There is a constant threat present and De Niro is fantastic in his role as the psychopath Max Cady.

Casino Royale (2006) - Original from 1967
James Bond is a franchise that reinvents itself each time. Since the Pierce Brosnan Bond movies weren’t all well-received, they decided to give 007’s image a boost. And that happened with “Casino Royale”, which is in my opinion even the best Bond movie ever made.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Original from 1979
Although the original is already pretty great, George Miller remade his own film and topped himself. Everything in this movie works, from the performances by Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy to the extreme action and stunt work. I think this is the most well-received remake ever.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) – Original from 1956
It’s an intriguing remake of the Sci-fi classic from 1956. Alien plant lifeform takes over the body and personalities of people. How this works stays unclear until the end, but the genius of this film is that everyone is suspicious and you don’t know who is human and who’s been taken over. The way the camera moves and sudden close-ups build up the tension. And then there is that shriek….

Movie Review - Swallow

Director: Carlo Mirabella-Davis
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Haley Bennett, Austin Stowell, Denis O’Hare, Elizabeth Marvel, David Rasche, Luna Lauren Velez, Zabryna Guevara, Laith Nakli, Babak Tafti, Nicole Kang, Olivia Perez, Kristi Kirk, Alyssa Bresnahan, Maya Days

Description: Hunter (Haley Bennett), a newly pregnant housewife, finds herself increasingly compelled to consume dangerous objects. As her husband (Austin Stowell) and his family tighten their control over her life, she must confront the dark secret behind her new obsession.

Review: It all seems so perfect. Hunter married a rich man and she wants to do everything to make her Richie happy. Her in-laws bought them a house as a wedding gift and it turns out Hunter is pregnant. But it’s no fairytale at all, Hunter’s life feels oppressive. Everyone underestimates her, but most off all she does it herself. Hunter has to meet a lot of expectations and her life doesn’t feel hers anymore. Until she swallows a marble.
There is a disorder where people feel the urge to swallow objects that are normally not for consumption. It’s called pica, which sounds innocent. But for Hunter is anything but that. And since there is also a baby growing inside her it makes it extra risky. Or as her in-laws call it ‘the future CEO of the company’. Hunter doesn’t seem to be enjoying being pregnant, only consuming indigestible objects bring her little moments of joy. Horror and thriller have many forms. Whether it’s jump scares, gore, suspense, it does something to all of us. “Swallow” has none of these things, but because of its content it makes you shiver and cringe and there is this constant nervous vibe hanging over it. And it’s a very uncomfortable film that pays with emotions. Hunter finding a new obsession is one thing, but finding out what lead her to it is also pretty creepy.
The film is strong when it comes to style, with unusual frames and clean shots. This adds to the feelings Hunter is experiencing and the pressure she is feeling from her cold husband Richie.
“Swallow” is almost completely leaning on Haley Bennet, who doesn’t really feel at home in her new house. She has to be one-dimensional for the people around her, but to the viewers she has many layers. Bennet is excellent as Hunter.
“Swallow” is not an easy watch and has some disturbing images. And it’s also an uncomfortable watch, which definitely does something to you. In a very original way.

Rating: 4 / 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 4

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.

Action: Ready Player One (2018)
When the creator of a virtual reality called the OASIS dies, he makes a posthumous challenge to all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder hos fortune and control of his world.

Drama: Birdman (2014)
A washed-up superhero actor (Michael Keaton) attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.

Comedy: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
A high school wise guy (Matthew Broderick) is determined to have a day off from school, despite what the Principal (Jeffrey Jones) thinks of that.

Animation: Bee Movie (2007)
Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld), a bee just graduated from college, is disillusioned at his lone career choice: making honey. On a special trip outside the hive, Barry’s live is saved by Vanessa (Renee Zellweger), a florist in New York City. As their relationship blossoms, he discovers humans actually eat honey, and subsequently decides to sue them.

Romance: Destination Wedding (2018)
The story of two miserable and unpleasant wedding guests, Lindsay (Winona Ryder) and Frank (Keanu Reeves), who develop a mutual affection despite themselves.

Horror: The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for, discovering the truth behind the cabin in the woods.

Science Fiction: Gravity (2013)
Two astronauts (Sandra Bullock, George Clooney) work together to survive after an accident leaves them stranded in space.

Crime: Molly’s Game
The true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became and FBI target.

Thriller: The Prestige (2006)
After a tragic accident, two stage magicians (Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale) engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other.

Documentary: Becoming (2020)
Join former first lady Michelle Obama in an intimate documentary looking at her life, hopes and connection with others during her 2019 book tour ‘Becoming’.

Family: Babe (1995)
Babe, a pig raised by sheepdogs, learns to her sheep with a little help from Farmer Hodgett (James Cromwell)