Movie Review - Da 5 Bloods

Director: Spike Lee
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 154 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mélanie Thierry, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Walter Hauser, Jasper Pääkkönen, Johnny Nguyen, Jean Reno

Description: Four African American war veterans battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.

Review: Spike Lee goes in search of the African-American experience of the Vietnam War. The result is and extremely subversive film that turns the genre upside down. At the same time Lee manages to shed light on the underexposed history of many young black men who fought for America in several wars. “Da 5 Bloods” is a strong indictment of imperialism, capitalism and institutional racism in the United States. Which make this film extremely topical and it looks like Lee made this film only last week.
At the end of his previous film, “BlacKkKlansman”, Spike Lee drew and emotional parallel with the United States of the present with his bizarre historical narrative. In “Da 5 Bloods”, Lee does the opposite; the film is set in the present, but goes back to different figures and events from the complicated past of the U.S. in “Da 5 Bloods”, four African-American veterans return to Vietnam to collect the remains of Norman, their squad leader for the soldiers at the time. It soon turns out that the four men have yet another motive to visit the jungle of Vietnam. During the war they found a chest of gold bars, which they buried in the jungle. The prospects of the riches threatens to drive the group apart more and more.
“Da 5 Bloods” is a wild journey through the jungle. The aspect ratio changes several times during the film. Again and again this results in a different aesthetic experience. The ratio changes for the first time during a flashback shot with an old camera. The nice thing about these flashbacks is that the actors play their younger self, but they don’t use any rejuvenation effects. And it works very well. Archival footage is used several times as well, for recorded speeches of people like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Each time a historical figure is discussed, it is highlighted with a photograph.
Do not expect an epic “Apocalypse Now”-lie tale of the war. The film contains action scenes, but it focusses more on the characters and the story. The strength of the film lies in the depth the film seeks and the great acting. Especially Delroy Lindo is great, as the war traumatized and guild-ridden Paul. One of the highlights is seeing Paul trek through the jungle with a Trump cap on his head, while he increasingly loses himself in paranoia and delusions.
“Da 5 Bloods” is not an easy watch and a long sit. There are some moments that are hard to stomach. Specifically one archive photo of an infant, that will definitely stay with you for a while. Lee doesn’t hold back and show everything. And aside from “Da 5 Bloods” being a really good film, is had humor, fantastic cinematography and exciting scenes. And Lee wouldn’t be Lee if he didn’t use his political agenda, which also happens to be a strength of the film. “Da 5 Bloods” is therefor an important film that offers a different perspective on the Vietnam War. Or as Paul puts it: “we fought in an immoral war that was not ours, for rights we didn’t have”.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

Movie Review - The Half of It

Director: Alice Wu
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Comedy
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Leah Lewis, Alexxis Lemire, Daniel Diemer, Collin Chou, Becky Ann Blaker, Wolfgang Novogratz, Enrique Murciano

Description: When smart byt cash-trapped teen Ellie Chu (Leah Ewis) agrees to write a love letter for a jock (Daniel Diemer), she doesn’t expect to become his friend or fall for his crush (Alexxis Lemire).

Review: Since her well-received debut “Saving Face” from 2004, director Alice Wu has remained fairly quiet. Now, sixteen years later, Netflix finally releases her second feature film. And with “The Half of It” she once again illuminates an Asian protagonist with lesbian feelings, but this time at a high school in the fictional town of Squahamish. Don’t let the lightness of the film distract you too much from the good message it contains.
There is a strange amount of A’s in Ellie Chu’s class. Ellie sells essays, mostly about philosophy and literature, to other students. If her teacher hadn’t enjoyed reading them so much, she would have turned in Ellie a long time ago. Just when Ellie’s financial distress is greatest, classmate Paul comes up with an assignment she would otherwise never accept: write a love letter to the most beautiful girl in the class, Aster. An additional complicating factor is that Ellie herself has had her eye on her for a long time.
It's actually a retelling of the story of Cyrano de Bergerac, but with a contemporary twist. Director Wu also shows that she is influenced by “The Remains of the Day”, by referring extensively to this story about people who can never be open about their feelings. And perhaps even more, it’s about the masks the characters put on. Ellie looks like a somewhat naïve geek, concealing her sexual preference. Aster loves literature and art, but behaves as expected of her as the most popular girl in school. And Paul, with Ellie’s help, acts a lot smarter to win Aster.
Casting is everything with these kinds of stories, and Wu has succeeded in doing just that. Leah Lewis has a look that makes it easy to underestimate her. However, her voice is the most mature in the whole movie. When she’s full of irony talking to her teacher, you’re immediately struck by the fact that these words come out of her mouth.
When the three main characters, Ellie, Paul and Aster, come together something great happens. Because of his feelings for Aster, Paul really wants to do his best to grow as a person. In addition, purely out of instinct, he becomes the friend Ellie needs to get out of her shell. And disguised as Paul, she knows how to give Aster the push not only to walk the path of least resistance. So how much the setup of this triangular relationship might have always been doomed to fail for someone, it’s kind of refreshing to get a story where not every character gets what they want. It's also nice that “The Half of It” fully recognizes the intensity of love at this young age, but doesn’t overly romanticize them.
Let’s hope Alice Wu doesn’t wait another 14 years to make a new film. “The Half of It” was worth the wait, but I hope we hear from her more often from now on.

Rating: 4 / 5

TV Show Review - Better Call Saul (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2016
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorne, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, Michael McKeen, Ed Begley Jr.

Description: The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) in the time before he established his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Review: Looking back at last season’s ending, Jimmy’s in the courthouse parking garage. Inside are Kim Wexler and Howard Hamlin, who are waiting to introduce Jimmy to his upcoming new boss of the Santa Fe law firm Davis & Main. Jimmy meets senior partner Clifford Main and his two associates, but takes Kim aside. He asks her if anything would change between them if he takes the job. To which a surprised Kim reacts that one has nothing to do with the other. Jimmy accepts the answer and returns to the rest of the group, informing them he kindly declines the job offer. Later, Kim confronts Jimmy, now relaxing in a hotel pool, with his choice to miss the chance of his lifetime.
The first season of the “Breaking Bad” spin-off turned out to be a big success, which clearly showed that it good hold up the sky-high expectations everyone had about it. The second season picks up exactly where we were left off. “Better Call Saul” has a unique way of telling the story of Jimmy, from before he became the Saul Goodman we all know from “Breaking Bad” and even how he became who he is in “Better Call Saul”. It has a cautious pace, the storylines develop slowly, but the whole season is full of character and plot development. It’s a well-considered but also risky choice to stretch a season to ten episodes. However, creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould once again created a great atmosphere in a real-life rhythm, with an amazing sense of detail.
In this season Jimmy and Kim, with whom he maintains a personal and professional relationship, are within reach of the top of their careers. Jimmy is about to sign a contract with law firm Davis & Main, and Kim works for HHM. Yet neither of them are convinced that this is the right destination at this stage of their lives. Meanwhile Mike becomes increasingly involved in the dangerous drug world, when he comes into conflict with Hector Salamanca. This last storyline is a great addition to “Better Call Saul” and I’m glad Mike is a big part of season 2 as well. That’s a strength of the series, every character has his or her share and always influences the storyline in one way or another.
Bob Odenkirk is the most important person in the series, but it’s mainly Rhea Seehorn who brings the most depth to this season. Jimmy and Kim are two different individuals, and even though they both don’t quite want to believe this yet, Kim is constantly at odds with her morals.
Chuck also has a big role in the second season. Where in the first season we saw Chuck mainly as Jimmy’s envious brother and particularly hating Jimmy’s shady methods, this season he has turned out to be somewhat of a villain. Chuck is not much to blame, but because of the cleverly written storylines you automatically have the most sympathy for Jimmy. Even if I’s Jimmy who is bending the rules and the real crook, while Chuck is the one doing things by the book. And for this reason you can see that both Michael McKean and Bob Odenkirk really shine in their roles. And it’s the brother’s feud that left us with a cliffhanger, that probably sets the direct tone for the third season.

Oldies Movie Review - Dirty Harry

Director: Don Siegel
Genre: Action/ Drama/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 1971
Starring: Clint Eastwod, Harry Guardino, Reni Santoni, John Vernon, Andrew Robinson, John Larch, John Mitchum, Mae Mercer, Lyn Edgington, Ruth Kobart, Woodrow Parfey, Josef Sommer, William Paterson, James Nolan, Maurice Argent

Description: When a madman calling himself “the Scorpio Killer” menaces the city, tough as nails San Francisco Police Inspector “Dirty Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) is assigned to track down and ferret out the crazed psychopath.

Review: San Francisco is startled by a sniper-killer who leaves notes demanding ransom. However, the mayor doesn’t want to cooperate and therefore the police has to catch the sniper. Designated candidate for this kind of job is “Dirty” Harry Callahan. Harry is not exactly the most law-abiding officer. He has no problem catching criminals in a less conventional way or forcing confessions. That makes Harry quite the tough cop.
The sniper strikes a few more times, but only when he kidnaps a young girl the mayor is willing to negotiate. Harry has to deliver the ransom, without any of his tricks.
I think “Dirty Harry” was one of the first films where we saw a cop like Harry Callahan in a leading role. A cop that doesn’t really mind the rules and the law. Clint Eastwood, who is already a cool guy, plays a really cool role. His one-liners are genius. “Dirty Harry” is a very strong crime thriller and this is definitely a must-see.

Rating: 4 / 5

Five to Watch: Movies Under 2 Hours

These days, it seems like every movie is two hours or even longer. Some go up to 3 hours and over. And I can understand that you want to watch a film, but don’t have the time or energy to watch a long movie. There are in fact a lot of movies that are under two hours and I decided to select a few. Here are five picks for movies that are under 2 hours and might not be on your radar.

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
Seventeen-year-old Nadine is a moody outsider. Only her history teacher and best friend Krista can get her approval. Nadine’s world collapses when Krista starts dating her brother Darian. The formula of “The Edge of Seventeen” is well-know, it’s a high school film, but it’s so well-executed. It’s an honest teen dramady with vile dialogue, great pace and a lot of heart.

It Follows (2014)
With a simple yet original idea, director David Robert Mitchell delivers a layered and intelligent horror film. Jay’s brand-new boyfriend gives her a curse after they had sex for the first time. From that moment on she will always be haunted by an entity, that changes shape, and wants to kill her. “It Follows” has dreamy images of Detroit’s suburbs in decay, a Carpenter-like synthesizer soundtrack, nerve-wrecking slow chases and some well-planned scare moments make for a haunting feeling that will haunt you for a long time to come.

All is Lost (2013)
Only one actor, a few lines of text and a boat as the backdrop. Does that captivate you for an hour and a half? Absolutely. Director/ screenwriter J.C. Chandor proves that he can create a blood-curdling thriller without dialogue and an ensemble cast. Robert Redford, 75 during the shooting of it, delivers one of the greatest performances of his career and an unnamed sailor who ends up in a storm and has to survive. “All is Lost” convinces as an adventure film ans as a study in minimalism.

Sing Street (2016)
Dublin in the 1980s. Colin tries to escape his forced family by starting a band. He wants to impress the mysterious girl of his dream. It’s a comic music drama, with an awesome soundtrack and the cool 80s as a backdrop.

Short Term 12 (2012)
“Short Term 12” is your typical American indie film. Twenty-something Grace and Mason work in a shelter for underprivileged youth and in the meantime try to maintain a somewhat difficult relationship with each other. If you take the well-know elements for granted, you will discover a gem of a film, full of warm hearted characters, compelling drama and an authentic-looking insight into the youth care sector.

Movie Review - Sonic the Hedgehog

Director: Jeff Fowler
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Family/ Comedy
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Neal McDonough, Tika Sumpter, Adam Pally, Lee Majdoub

Description: After discovering a small, blue, fast hedgehog (Ben Schwartz), a small-town police officer (James Marsden) must help him defeat an evil genius (Jim Carrey) who wants to do experiments on him.

Review: The lightning-fast game hero Sonic couldn’t escape Hollywood’s urge to make a film about everything. This is the first film about the blue hedgehog, released a bit later then planned. The reason was the reaction to the first trailer, where the audience complained about Sonic’s look. Was this a smart move? Very! Because that first trailer made this film look terrible and a possible flop, but “Sonic the Hedgehog” was surprisingly good.
In the prologue, Sonic explains to the viewers where he is from. It’s a quick telling about why he has been living on planet Earth for years now. He is a bit lonely, he fantasizes about having friends. When Sonic is playing baseball, again alone, he gets frustrated and causes a nation-wide power-out. And with this, he becomes the target of the mad scientist Dr. Robotnik, who wants nothing but to capture Sonic. Together with Sheriff Tom, Sonic tries to stop Robotnik and his deadly drones.
“Sonic the Hedgehog” is a family film. No heavy themes, straight-forward good guy/ bad guy story, simple entertainment, witty and fun. Jeff Fowler, making his directorial debut, ticks all the boxes when it comes to clichés and that’s okay here. The first film about Sonic is amusing and sometimes a movie doesn’t have to be more than that.
Fowler scores when he goes all-in during the action scenes. The director knows how to play with the supersonic powers of the titular character. Although often not the most original, it looks amazing.
Let’s talk about Jim Carrey, who plays Sonics rival Dr. Robotnik. It’s a cartoonish villain, so Carrey is the perfect choice. Over-the-top, weird, crazy, it has Carrey’s name written all over it. Ben Schwartz, voicing Sonic, is also a very good choice.
After so many bad video game to movie adaptations, I’m happy to say “Sonic the Hedgehog” isn’t one of them. I expected a silly, dumb cash-grab of a movie, that wasn’t good at all. Well, I was very surprised to get an actual good movie and a real fun time for the entire family. Stay after the credits, because there is a hint at a sequel (of course).

Rating: 3,5 / 5

TV Show Review - Better Call Saul (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2015
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorne, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, Michael McKeen

Description: The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) in the time before he established his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Review: It was the most anticipated series of 2015, that debut in February of that year. The spin-off of one of the best series ever made: “Breaking Bad”. That the series would be a success was a given. The question was just how big. And since “Better Call Saul” was the number one cable series in America that year, it proofs that is was very big. Add to the overwhelmingly positive reviews and you have a series that might even be as good as the series it was based on. The first season of “Better Call Saul” is good, at times very good.
We follow the adventures of James ‘Jimmy’ McGill, before he becomes the Saul Goodman we know from “Breaking Bad”. In “Better Call Saul” we see how he became the super lawyer, but there is no mention of that just yet. Nobody takes Jimmy seriously and it frustrates him. He also takes care of his brother Chuck, who is the partner at a big law firm and is now dealing with a medical condition that prevents him from leaving the house.
In this season we see how Jimmy tries to get a place in the legal profession. We also see Mike Ehremantraut, who was a people’s favorite in “Breaking Bad” and in fact one of my favorite characters as well. We see how Mike ended up in Albuquerque. Does Jimmy manage to earn respect and establish his name? And why do they call him ‘”Slippin’ Jimmy’? We’ll get answers to these questions in this first season.
“Better Call Saul” is definitely one of the best show of the moment and the performances are extraordinary. The series contains of high quality shots, spot-on cinematography, just like its predecessor. Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, also responsible for the success of “Breaking Bad”, once again succeed in making a series where we can exactly see what they were planning on making. It looks beautiful.
It's not one storyline the first season focuses on, there are several storylines which might not make it as catchy or memorable. The best episode was “Five-O”, which was carried by Jonathan Banks, who plays Mike. It was separate from the rest and didn’t feature a lot of Jimmy. It’s almost the ugly duckling episode of the season. But it’s a magnificent episode and very necessary.
Before I finish, I do want to mention Bob Odenkirk, who is the star of the show and the titular character. Odenkirk is a great actor, he already proved that in “Breaking Bad”. And here too. Throughout the season, Jimmy’s development is certainly rewarding. The pace is slow, but you can understand where Gilligan and Gould want to go. Odenkirk has and will have plenty of opportunity to embody multiple facets of Jimmy. Just look at the sharp dialogues and how convincingly Odenkirk knows how to bring it. So no complains about the acting. However, he does not (yet) have the gravitas that Bryan Cranston had. Cranston commanded every scene he was in and his Walter White will probably always be one of the greatest acting performances in TV history. You hated him for who he was, but at the same time you wanted him to slip further into madness. Jimmy McGill is not yet that kind of character and that becomes clear when you watch the episode “Five-O” and see how Jonathan Banks steals the show.
I’m late to the party, since I’m only starting “Better Call Saul” now. But I’m glad that I did, because it looks like this will become a new favorite eventually. I really loved the first season and something tells me it’s only going to get better.

Netflix Friday - Volume 9

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

Action: The Meg (2018)
A group of scientists exploring the Marianas Trench encounter the largest marine predator that has ever existed: the Megalodon.

Drama: The Impossible (2012)
The story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Comedy: Ghostbusters (1984)
Three former parapsychology professors set up shop as a unique ghost removal service.

Animation: Flushed Away (2006)
The story of an uptown rat (Hugh Jackman) that gets flushed down the toilet from his penthouse apartment, ending in the sewers of London, where he has to learn a whole new and different way of life.

Romance: La La Land
While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and actress Mia (Emma Stone) fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.

Horror: Insidious (2010)
A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Science Fiction: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
When their relationship turns sour, Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergo a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories.

Crime: Dirty Harry (1971)
When a madman calling himself “the Scorpio Killer” menaces the city, tough as nails San Francisco Police Inspector ‘Dirty’ Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) is assigned to track down and ferret out the crazed psychopath.

Thriller: The International (2009)
An Interpol agent (Clive Owen) attempts to expose a high-profile financial institution’s role in an international arms dealing ring.

Documentary: Amanda Knox (2016)
American exchange student Amanda Knox is convicted and eventually acquitted for the 2007 death of another student in Italy.

Family: Free Willy (1993)
When Jesse (Jason James Richter) learns that a beloved killer whale is to be killer by the aquarium owners, the boy risks everything to free the whale.

10s Movie Review - Interstellar

Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Drama/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 169 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy, Wes Bentley, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, Ellen Burstyn, Matt Damon, John Lithgow, David Oyelowo

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 26: A MOVIE MADE BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

Description: A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival.

Review: Spaceman Cooper leaves his two children, when he decides to take part in a space mission to find an alternative planet for the decaying Earth. Time is relative, according to Einstein, so a trip to the first planet they visit takes Cooper an hour or three, but in our perception of time more than twenty-three years. Back at the base station, Cooper sees a video of his family. In a few minutes he sees that his family has dramatically changed. Daughter Murp, is as old as him now and son Tom is a father himself. “Interstellar” leans heavily on family ties, which gives it a huge emotional load.
The story is very complex and it is best to just let it take you away. Cooper became a farmer, after a traumatic crash, since Earth is in dire need of food. Another planet offers the only solution, but mankind has stopped space travel. At school they even learn that the mission to the moon was only a clever propaganda move. Cooper’s clever daughter Murphy think’s she is getting signals from her bookcase. What and who is unclear. Martians? Gravity? But Murphy thinks it’s a ghost. However, this silent force and a dust storm lead Cooper and his daughter to a remote space lab.
Christopher Nolan and his writer brother Jonathan are both men with great ideas and an unparalleled ability to transform their vision into images. And you can see that in “Interstellar”. You have to really pay attention or know a bit about physics to fully understand the complicated concept of black holes, wormholes, fourth and fifth dimension and the theory of relativity. Each time you are reassured with the realization that in the end, it is the dramatic aspect that the Nolan brothers want to focus on. Only Christopher Nolan knows how to combine all these difficult angles with compelling drama and spectacular space trips. Surprisingly, they are often very simple principles such as love and loss. “Interstellar” is overall a very ambitious movie. It’s clear that movies like “2001: A Space Odyssey” or “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” were major inspirations for Nolan.
“Interstellar” is anything but a simple space adventure, a film you really have to focus on and let yourself be overwhelmed by. And the soundtrack is one of the best in years. A fantastic film, that doesn’t feel like it’s almost three hours long.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Dames 4

Director: Maurice Trouwborst
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Hannah van Luntren, Jennifer Hoffman, Sarah Chronis, Tibor Lukácx, Henry van Loon, Ko Zandvliet, Huub Smit, Sophie van Oers, Renée Fokker, Elisa Breuger, Guido Pollemans, Martijn Hillenius, Ludwig Bindervoets, Hugo Maerten, Sanne Gloria Verboom, Jurjen van loon, Kristen Denkers, Rixt Leddy, Guido Schilperoort, Walter Bart, Tessa du Mee, Maaike Martens, Ozlem Solmaz, Peter de Witte, Chris Peters, Jadi Gerritsen, Harry Hooijberg, Ryanne van Dorst, Wouter van Couwelaar, Gijs Hoffs

Description: Immature thirty-something Wyne (Hannah van Lunteren) starts a women’s amateur soccer team in hope reconnecting with her settled-down best friend Nanda (Jennifer Hoffman)

Review: They do wear soccer outfits and on a good day they know on which position they play. But this soccer team, with women in their thirties, doesn’t really know how to play the game or how to arrange everything.
Like other Dutch films “All Stars” and “My Name is Joe”, “Dames 4” isn’t really about soccer at all. It’s the red thread through the story, that connects the characters. But it’s actually about Wyne and her best friend Nanda. Nanda is serious, can’t wait to settle down with her long-time boyfriend and is even thinking about having children. Wyne never grew up, loves her single life, doesn’t want a family life and can’t stand the fact that everyone around her is having babies. So when Wyne sees she is losing her friend Nanda, she decides to start a soccer team in order to keep spending time with her.
Apart from Wyne, none of the characters really have any depth and we don’t get to know them very well. Most of them are stereotypical or even caricature-like characters. The writing is witty at times, but overall a bit lazy and filled with sex jokes.
I didn’t like the direction Wyne eventually went in. It felt out of character and as determined as she was the entire film, that’s how quickly Wyne eventually choose her future path and set all her hopes, dreams and principals aside. It was like looking at a complete new character, it didn’t fit her.
It's a short film and a lot has to be told. “Dames 4” didn’t fully succeed in doing that right.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

What's in a Movie Year - 2007

Taking a look at the year 2007, picking my 10 favorite movies from that year in random order.

Zodiac
In the late 1960s/ early 1970s, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac killer, an unidentified individual who terrorized Northern California with a killing spree. With this special film about a serial killer, director David Fincher proves his class. In a semi-documentary style, he has made a haunting and exciting film about three men obsessively chasing a serial killer.

Ratatouille
It is Pixar’s eight feature-length animated film and it is about a young rat Rémy who dreams of becoming a chef in a top restaurant in Paris. The extremely cuddly Rémy gets a little help and ends up in the former 5-star restaurant of his idol, the late chef Gusteau. He makes an unusual alliance with young kitchen worker Linguini, who is talentless but very ambitious. “Ratatouille” is one of my favorite Pixar movies of all-time. Not only the technical mastery impresses, the film superbly combines serious matter and comical moments. The story is layered and offers top entertainment for all ages.

Juno
Juno is a sixteen year old girl who unexpectedly gets pregnant by a boy from the running team. She has to decide what to do with the yet unborn child. “Juno” writes witty and clever dialogue for this comic drama, that gets stronger and stronger towards the end.

Into the Wild
Chris McCandles is highly educated, the son of wealthy parents, but absolutely uninterested in social success. He decides to give his money away to survive in the wilderness and ends up in Alaska after a long journey. Is he brave, naïve or both? Director Sean Penn turns the true story into a somewhat bombastic epic about the search of a misguided soul for himself. Beautiful images, great performances, clever editing and an unforgettable soundtrack by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder.

Atonement
The young worker Robbie is falsely accused of rape by the thirteen year old sister of his girlfriend Cecilia, in a film adaptation of Ian McEwan’s book. Excellent performances by James McAvoy, Keira Knightley and Saoirse Ronan and fabulous camerawork. Just look at that take on the battlefield around Dunkirk.

Hot Fuzz
In Sanford, ominous things happen. The gardens are too neat, the façades too clean. Not village can become ‘Village of the Year’ three times in a row without a bad practice behind it. Policeman Danny Butterman and his over-ambitious colleague Nichols Angel are investigating. After their success with the zombie film parody “Shaun of the Dead”, director Edgar Wright teamed up with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost again. And they gave us the best comedy ever made. It’s a comedy with masterly jokes and uncomfortable melancholy, that will make my day any time.

Lars and the Real Girl
This sweet, witty drama about a particularly shy young man who experiences great love with a sex doll was widely praised. His brother and sister-in-law are very worried about his unconventional romance, but gradually the village community decides to accept the inflatable Bianca. It’s a totally crazy story with a big, warm beating heart and it remains perfectly balanced. Largely thanks to the restrained, touching performance by Ryan Gosling in one of his best roles.

There Will Be Blood
Early twentieth century miner Daniel Plainview finds oil. By plodding day and night he manages to build on his initially modest success the only one who doesn’t fall for his smooth talks about the wealth he can bring to farmers is the charismatic preacher Eli Sunday. It’s a surprising epic about the rise of a misanthropic oil baron with excellent performances, especially by Daniel Day-Lewis, who once again immersed himself completely in his role.

Eastern Promises
With “A History of Violence” director David Cronenberg made a compelling portrait of the beast in an everyday man. Two years later he teams up with Viggo Mortensen again. This time Mortensen plays the omniscient Russian driver for a highly criminal Russian family in London. A very overlooked crime drama, with excellent performances by Viggo Mortenson, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl and Vincent Cassel.

No Country for Old Men
Vietnam veteran Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead Mexicans in the Texas desert, a car full of drugs and a suitcase with money. He takes the money with him and is soon chased by Anton Chigurh, an assassin who prefers to kill with a slaughter pistol. the disillusioned sheriff Bell can only watch from a distance. In this brilliant modern western, the action takes place out of the frame in the crucial scenes. That doesn’t mean the Coen Brothers are sparing with blood, bullets and corpses. An excellent script and especially well-performed by Javier Bardem who won an Oscar for his role as Chigurh.

Best Joel Schumacher Movies

Director Joel Schumacher sadly passed away on June 22nd. He might be known for adding nipples to Batman’s suit, but his resumé contains some really good thrillers and well-known movies that have been loved by many. To honor Schumacher, I decided to make a list of his best films.

St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)
A drama about seven people in their twenties studying and competing against things like drugs, love and the art of living together. It’s a typical eighties film, with a lot of famous faces from that era.

The Lost Boys (1987)
This is one of my favorite teen horror films and vampire films ever. It’s a colorful mix of action, horror and comedy. And it stars the hippest teen actors from that time. We follow two brothers who have just moved to the coastal town of Santa Cruz and are starting to suspect that there are vampires living there. Not a subtle movie, but highly entertaining.

Flatliners (1990)
A group of medical students wonder if there is life after death. They have a plan to investigate it: they stop their hearts and brain activity, stay dead for a short time, and then let themselves be resuscitated. After which they try to remember the afterlife. Gradually, the risks don’t seem to outweigh the results. It’s a solid thriller with a good cast, who were all at the start of their careers.

Falling Down (1993)
On a sweltering hot day in Los Angeles, William Foster is stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work. He leaves his car behind and goes into town by foot, but his anger takes over. When he doesn’t get breakfast at a diner, because it’s ‘lunchtime’, he freaks out. It’s a fascinating story in which we slowly but surely discover why William is so angry, and why agent Prendergast has to stop him. This is in fact one of Schumacher best films, with an excellent performance by both Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall.

The Client (1994)
The eleven-year-old Mark Sway witnesses the murder of a senator. He becomes the target of gangsters and corrupt politicians. Lawyer Reggie Love supports him, but they have to deal with the over-ambitious prosecutor Roy Folltrigg, who is not interested in the boy’s well-being. It’s based on a John Grisham novel and it’s a well-made thriller.

A Time to Kill (1996)
Even though the film was nominated for A Razzie Award for worst written film grossing over $ 100 million, I did enjoy this courtroom drama. It has a strong cast, with especially Samuel L. Jackson impressing (he was nominated for a Golden Globe). The plot revolves around him, portraying Carl Lee Hailey, who murders his daughter’s rapist in Mississippi. An inexperienced lawyer is defending him, but finds the Ku Klux Clan and prosecutor Bickley on his way.

8MM (1999)
Nicolas Cage stars as an investigator researching the identity of a victim in a ‘snuff movie’. This brings him into physical and emotional contact with the world of human cruelty. The film has tension and some gruesome moments. Also a movie that is underappreciated.

Phone Booth (2002)
Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, when he secretly tries to call his mistress. After he hangs up the phone, the phone rings and Stuart picks up. From that moment on, he’s being held inside the phone booth. The man on the other end of the line proves to be someone who got him and his surroundings at gunpoint. The sniper demands that Stuart thinks about his own life and sins. The film is almost entirely set in a phone booth. It’s a very good thriller, where you will stay on the edge of your seat the entire runtime.

Veronica Guerin (2003)
This movie is based on the true story of journalist Veronica Guerin, who wrote pieces about Dublin’s drug lords for two years. They were, of course, not amused and decided to have her killed in 1996. As a historical document, Veronica Guerin is surprisingly subdued and timid for someone like Schumacher. One of his best movies.

Ranking the Franchise - The Lord of the Rings

When I was visiting some friends, we started talking about “The Lord of the Rings” and ever since that evening I’ve been wanting to rewatch the trilogy. So I did and also found the opportunity to rank the three films. And there is simply no bad movie in this series. Here is my ranking of the films, and it was very hard to do, since it comes down to very little details.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
After the fellowship fell apart, our heroes go their own way in this dark sequel to the first film. Frodo and Sam are accompanied by the ambiguous Gollum. And the genius behind Gollum is born in the incredible performance of Andy Serkis. The themes of the trilogy become much more explicit and moving, because the countries of Middle-Earth realize that they have to stand together to defeat this great evil. The film is most memorable because of the impressive battle of Helm’s Deep.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Frodo and Sam finally complete their journey to destroy the One Ring in the conclusion of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. For some, the film may take a little too long, after all it is over 3 hours long. But you can’t blame Peter Jackson for taking the time to find the right note to finish his magnum opus. Moving and emotionally driven, “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” is a perfect finale to an amazing fantasy film trilogy.

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The film that started a phenomenon. This first “Lord of the Rings” film introduced moviegoers to iconic characters such as Gandalf, Frodo Baggins and Aragorn. A group of nine companions embark on a dangerous search for Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring before the dark Lord Sauron takes control of Middle-Earth and director Peter Jackson imbues the story with enough atmosphere, sharp images and epic stories to have created a film that can easily be considered the “Star Wars” of his generation, in terms of cultural impact. The first film is, and always will be, my favorite in the series.

10s Movie Review - The Lego Batman Movie

Director: Chris McKay
Genre: Animation/ Action/ Adventure/ Comedy/ Family
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Zach Galifianakis, Jenny Slate, Conan O’Brien, Billy Dee Williams, Zoë Kravitz, Eddie Izzard, Seth Green, Ellie Kemper, Channing Tatum, Adam Devine, Hector Elizondo, Jonah Hill

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 25: A SUPERHERO MOVIE

Description: A cooler-than-ever Bruce Wayne (Will Arnett) must deal with the usual suspects as they plan to rule Gotham City, while discovering that he has accidentally adopted a teenage orphan (Michael Cera) who wishes to become his sidekick.

Review: The fun we can have with these little plastic bricks and puppets. And not only kids. “The Lego Movie” already showed us how much fun and how creative you can be with Legos. And one of their characters, Batman, has his own Lego movie now.
Be sure you are ready from the opening titles, since that’s where the first jokes start. Batman’s deep tones narrate everything. What comes next is a fast paces animation, filled with sharp and clever jokes and a lot of nods to pop-culture.
The opening scene is a funny spoof of an attack by the Joker, only to end in a crazy rock song where Batman beats everyone. For the Joker everything gets worse when Batman tells him he’s not his special enemy. Because Batman needs no one, he thinks. Next we see him, sitting all alone in his Batcave.
While Joker and all the super villains from movie history are creating their masterplan, Batman finds a boy in his cave. An orphan, whom he accidentally adopted. This boy, Dick, wants nothing more then to be Batman’s sidekick.
The film has a moral, that together is better then alone, but it’s not one of the morals that they force on you. “The Lego Movie” was an ode to creativity, “The Lego Batman Movie” does it too but with a less creative story. But it’s one fun party for the whole family. The comedy is original and it looks stunning.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 8

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

Action: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Following the Normandy Landings, a groups of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper (Matt Damon) whose brothers have been killed in action.

Drama: Lion (2016)
A five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman, David Wenham) after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he (Dev Patel) sets out to find his lost family.

Comedy: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles.

Animation: Kung Fu Panda (2008)
The Dragon Warrior has to clash against the savage Tai Lung as China’s fate hangs in the balance. However, the Dragon Warrior mantle is supposedly mistaken to be bestowed upon an obese panda (Jack Black) who is a novice in martial arts.

Romance: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Lara Jean (Lana Condor) is a teenage girl whose secret love letters are exposed and wreak havoc on her love life.

Horror: Christine (1983)
A nerdish boy buys a strange car with an evil mind of its own and his nature starts to change to reflect it.

Science Fiction: Jurassic Park (1993)
A pragmatic paleontologist (Sam Neill) visiting an almost complete theme park is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park’s cloned dinosaurs to run loose.

Crime: Django Unchained (2012)
With the help of a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz), a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) sets out to rescue his wife (Kerry Washington) from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Thriller: The Da Vinci Code (2006)
A murder inside the Louvre, and clues in Da Vinci paintings, lead to the discovery of a religious mystery protected by a secret society for two thousand years, which could shake the foundations of Christianity.

Documentary: Virunga (2014)
A team of brace individuals risk their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas.

Family: The Karate Kid (1984)
A boy (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 (Elizabeth Shue) from their clique. It’s up to the Japanse landlord Miyagi (Pat Morita) to teach him karate.