Series: -
zaterdag 29 oktober 2022
Book Review - The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
Series: -
Movie Review - Mr. Harrigan's Phone
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Horror/ Mystery
WEEK 43: A MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK
The reason the two have such a good bond is because they both lost their mother at a young age. Craig likes being with him because he is not well-liked at school and is more concerned with getting rid of the bullies. The wise old man recognizes this and teaches him wise life lessons.
For the people afraid of horror: you can watch this. It is not horror. It’s at most a mystery thriller, with drama elements. The focus is on the bond between the two main characters. What is their connection. How is it that Craig still gets messages on his phone when the man has died. And what about the wishes he expresses on Harrigan’s voicemails and their outcomes?
Donald Sutherland, who plays the titular Mr. Harrigan, doesn’t have a big role, but plays it convincingly. Wise and sly but also fragile. Jaeden Martell, who was also in “It”, another film based on a Stephen King book, and holds his own against the veteran. Martell portrays a believable, insecure teenager.
“Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” is a film I enjoyed, not one of the best Stephen King adaptations, but definitely not in the worst category either.
Rating: 3,5/ 5
TV Show Review - House of the Dragon (Season 1)
Genre: Drama/ Fantasy
Review: “Game of Thrones” was a huge success for HBO. Perhaps the last show that almost everyone seemed to watch. The spin-ff “House of the Dragon” is supposed to be its successor. But despite it’s set in the same fantasy world as “Game of Thrones”, the series has become a different kind of series.
The series contains fewer characters than “Game of Thrones” and also takes place in fewer different locations. The drama revolves around the Targaryens and related families Velaryon and Hightower.
The game for the throne begins with the death of the queen, after which King Viserys is left with only one child: Princess Rhaenyra. He appoints her as his heir and makes everyone swear allegiance to her, despite the fact that he himself came to power only because most of the lords of Westeros did not want his niece Rhaenys on the throne: would rather have a distant cousin on the throne who does not seem suitable, than a woman.
Viserys is expected to remarry very quickly after his wife’s death. He choses Alicent Hightower, his daughter’s childhood friend and daughter of his hand Otto Hightower. Alicent and Viserys soon have their first child together: a son, which makes him the first male heir to the throne. We get many time-jumps after that and follow these characters over a twenty year period. Rhaenyra and Alicent become increasingly enemies, despite attempts at rapprochement. The men around them want power and do not shun violence, murder or war to do so.
Structurally, “House of the Dragon” is set apart to cover those many years. Sometimes several years pass between episodes, which is mostly explained in dialogue. There is even ten years between episode five and six, after which all the younger characters are played by different actors, including Rhaenyra and Alicent, who have suddenly become adult mothers of multiple children (sometimes hard to keep up which child is which).
Daring as we had just gotten used to the young actresses Milly Alcock and Emily Carey. But Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke take over with dignity. To get to know the characters, the structure is slow at first, but then sometimes suddenly jumps quickly from dramatic climax to climax.
So far, “House of the Dragon” is definitely better than the last season of “Game of Thrones”, but not even close to when the successful series was at its best. It has more dragons though, which is a huge plus.
Movie Review - Bullet Train
Description: Five assassins aboard a swiftly-moving bullet train find out that their missions have something in common.
“Bullet Train” is a highly entertainment film with not a dull moment in it. Besides the amazing action scenes it contains, in colorful neon lights of modern Japan, the actors get every chance to shine in a film that actually takes place almost entirely in one location. And aside from all the spectacle, the actors especially shine in the conversations their characters have with each other. Brad Pitt infuses his character with a genuine amazement at everything, while as a reborn person he clearly forgets what industry he works in. Tangerine and Lemon make a delightful duo, while Prince makes everything to her liking.
The action and humor that alternate at a high pace make the film a cinematic ride to be fully enjoyed. Towards the end, it doesn’t quite manage to maintain that perfect pace, but that’s forgivable.
“Bullet Train” is a ride you won’t soon forget. The combination of humor and action works perfectly. The great action scenes and delightful conversations follow each other at a good pace. And the cast manages to hold your attention. With Brad Pitt as the stand-out. A movie I didn’t expect to love as much as I did.
Rating: 4,5/ 5
Movie Review - Elvis
Genre: Drama
“Elvis” is the type of movie that depends on the performance of the lead actor. Now matter how good the story is, a mediocre portrayal of The King will break the film. And from the first moment you see Butler as Elvis, you see Elvis, not an actor playing him. And the fact that he sang everything himself, makes it even more incredible!
The story itself is told from the perspective of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ manager. Tom Hanks portrays him. He is actually known as Dries van Kuijk and came from Breda, The Netherlands. And even though he always claimed to wanting the best for Elvis, he wasn’t a good man. And Hanks does a fantastic job, as always, in a more villainous role, which is something we don’t often see from Hanks.
As every Baz Luhrman movie, the film looks gorgeous and stylish. And with a runtime of more than 2,5 hours, the movie never gets boring. It has a fast pace, where there is almost no time to catch your breath. I wouldn’t have mind some quieter moments here and there. Thanks to great performances, this movie is definitely worth watching.
Rating: 4/ 5
zondag 23 oktober 2022
Movie Review - Pinocchio
Genre: Family/ Adventure
WEEK 42: A CHILDREN’S MOVIE
Tom Hanks works together with director Robert Zemeckis again, who he made “Forrest Gump” with. Such a big name as Hanks naturally attracts many fans, it was a reason for me to watch it. As Geppetto, Hanks is merely the creator of Pinocchio and then fades into the background.
The story has no faults. The donkeys, the fairy, the whale and the evil fox and cat: we know it all from the original fairy tale. All the elements are in it again this time. And it all looks beautiful. Even though it’s a live-action film, most of the film is still animated, or computer animated anyway. The film is filled with CGI, when many things could have been recreated with practical effects. Because of this, the film really loses its magic and pure beauty, that we know and love from the animated film.
This is one of these movies I really wished I loved, but I didn’t. Probably my least favorite of the recent Disney animations brought to life in live-action.
Rating: 2,5/ 5
zaterdag 22 oktober 2022
Movie Review - Black Adam
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction
“Black Adam” is a very messy film. The story goes down thanks to the script. The structure is way off. In many films, story technical flaws are forgivable. But in this case, it distracted tremendously from the pacing, and thus the entire movie experience.
It takes very long for the story to get going. The introduction of Black Adam himself is well done and pretty cool. But until near the end of the film, our main character has completely no motivation. He has no needs, no purpose, he just exists in the film. And the plot itself jumps back and forth. Initially they have to stop Black Adam, but soon they choose a completely different route, which does not really work. This is why the eventual ‘plot twist’ feels confusing and cheap, and why the film does not flow nicely. The entire film just feels like a collection of events.
Dwayne Johnson, always an entertaining actor, seems like a good choice for the role, but he doesn’t really feel comfortable in his role. He plays a very emotionless character. Which seems logical, with the backstory he has. This also gives the film a very serious tone. And there is nothing wrong with that, but when characters like Atom Smasher and Karim, purely in the movie for comic relief, are trying to break this tone with their jokes, it feels out of place.
There is also the introduction of a new superhero group called the Justice Society, consisting of Cyclone, Hawkman, Dr. Fate and the aforementioned Atom Smasher. Among them, it’s only Dr. Fate who really leaves an impression and is interesting enough to actually care about. That’s mostly due to actor Pierce Brosnan and his experience. We are supposed to feel something for Cyclone and Atom Smasher, who have no chemistry, when we are clearly looking at potential love interests. And Hawkman’s character was anything but original, but his costume was really cool though.
The film is entertaining enough, because of the high quality of action, something to be expected from the DCEU. Maybe an overkill of slow-motion scenes, but that’s something I could forgive.
Unfortunately, the technical feats do not save “Black Adam”. The poor structure, lack of interesting characters and weak editing, make this for a very “meh” experience. Kudos to DC for shining the light on a lesser known superhero, sadly not very well executed. I went in with no expectations, came out feeling I could have also just watched it at home.
Rating: 2/ 5
90s Movie Review - Eye for An Eye
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Starring: Sally Field, Ed Harris, Kiefer Sutherland, Beverly D’Angelo, Olivia Burnette, Alexandra Kyle, Joe Mategna, Keith David, Philip Baker Hall, Geoffrey Rivas, Charlayne Woodard
Review: When Karen McCann is stranded in a traffic jam on her way home one afternoon, she calls her eldest daughter Julie who is busy preparing for youngest daughter Megan’s birthday party. While on the phone, she hers Julie opening the door to a man and then being attacked. Panicked, Karen tries to get home and call the police. Once home, her world collapses when it appears that Julie has been murdered after being raped. A short time later, the killer Robert Doob is caught. But unfortunately, he is released after an error. Karen’s shock and grief slowly turn to disbelief and anger. Karen and her husband Mack join a support group for parents who have lost someone due to violence. There Karen meets a man who teaches her how to take justice in her own hands. But though she desperately wants to kill Doob, she can’t follow through. Until Doob strikes again. Karen is determined Doob has to pay for his actions.
“Eye for an Eye” has an excellent start, the first few scenes are very intense, and the way they portray the grief of losing a child, is very well done. The feeling of revenge quickly takes over. And the grief that the family feels is lost. Karen’s search for justice is understandable, yet it takes over way too fast. It is in fact very original that it’s the mother in this case, and not the father. In most movies with a revenge arc, after a child was murdered, it’s the father that seeks justice.
“Eye for an Eye” is a solid thriller, because it starts out so strong and has great performances. But overall an it’s very average.
Rating: 3/ 5
zondag 16 oktober 2022
Book Review - In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead
Series: -
TV Show Review - The Watcher (Mini Series)
Genre: Thriller/ Horror/ Mystery
Review: Halloween is just around the corner and Netflix know damn well how to get you ready for that. Just in: “The Watcher”. A series, based on true events, about a married coupe and their two kids who buy their dream house.
The show started off super strong. The first two episode were really creepy, terrifying at times, where you just want to double check if you have locked every door and window in your house. The tension doesn’t stay consistent, but the mystery does.
Like the couple, you are constantly trying to figure out who is writing those letters and why this person keeps such close tabs on the Brannocks. It is loosely based on true events, which makes the thought of everything even scarier.
The ending might leave you a bit unsatisfied, but it makes sense, since that’s what really happened. A series easy to binge, perfect for Halloween.
zaterdag 15 oktober 2022
Movie Review - Werewolf By Night
Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Adventure
WEEK 41: A SUPERHERO MOVIE
The film is made to look like an old-fashioned monster movie. The black and white films from the 1930s like “Frankenstein”, “The Mummy” and “The Invisible Man”. Not only because it’s black and white, also because of the style and the way it looks like old film was used. I love the atmosphere, the classic horror features, it’s clear that first-time director Michael Giacchino is a fan of these classic films. Giacchino, who is known as a composer, logically composed his own score.
Marvel wouldn’t be Marvel if it didn’t add a bit of humor, because this sometimes gory horror film does have it. Especially when the monster in the maze (not spoiling which classic monster this is) has its name revealed. That made me laugh.
I really like when Marvel decides to shine a light on the lesser known Comics. And then do something original with it, something different than what we usually get from them. A Marvel movie that will most likely fly under the radar, but one you should definitely see if you get the chance. And if you don’t like it, it’s not even an hour long, so it won’t hurt.
Rating: 4/ 5
Book Review - Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Series: Before the Coffee Gets Cold (#1)
TV Show Review - Dahmer (MIni Series)
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
The other thing I loved about this series, is that it’s not you typical biographical story, about how a serial killer became who he became. We follow the story through different points of view. And especially from the sixth episode on, this show does this in the best way possible. We see the story from the perspective of a victim and his family, the next door neighbor that had been calling the police for a long time before they eventually took action and Jeffrey Dahmer’s father. You see what effect Dahmer’s actions had on the different lives.
Most credit, when it comes to performances, should of course go to Evan Peters. He really gets into character and I can’t imagine how difficult of a role this would be to play. I sure hope he plays a more happier role next. But high praise to Niecy Nash too, who played next door neighbor Glenda.
Whenever there is a portrayal of a non-fictional character, even when evil, makers always try to make him human and try to give also focus on a more sympathetic side. But Dahmer never becomes sympathetic.
I do understand the controversy that comes with this series. Dahmer’s family, the family of the victims, it feels like they are exploited and they have to relive this traumatic experience. But isn’t that with every true story being turned into a movie or series? And if you can’t deal with this theme, just don’t watch it. I believe “Dahmer” was a really strong series, depicting the story in a unique way.
Movie Review - Luckiest Girl Alive
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Mystery
Ani seems to care much about what others think of her, constantly trying to be the best. She is a much hated figure, because of her alleged involvement in a school shooting when she was younger. A documentary filmmaker wants to get her on camera to talk about this incident: something she has never done in all those years. In flashbacks, bit by bit, we get to see the lead-up to the tragedy and the trauma that she still carries with her.
Young Ani is excellently played by Chiara Aurelia, Mila Kunis is adult Ani, and is also very good. Aurelia has some real difficult scenes to play and Kunis has the job to show us who she became 20 years later, with that trauma ticked beneath the surface.
I don’t think “Luckiest Girl Alive” is by any means a groundbreaking or super memorable film, but it does one thing so well: Ani is a victim of victim blaming and slutshaming, which is depicted very realistically in this film. And the way Ani deals with it, is raw and might make you uncomfortable. But also very realistic. And for that reason alone, I can definitely recommend this movie.
Rating: 3,5/ 5
10s Movie Review - The Way Back
Genre: Drama/ Adventure
WEEK 40: A WAR MOVIE
“The Way Back” is based on a true story recorded by Polish lieutenant Slavomir Rawicz in “The Long Walk”. In this book, Rawicz describes how, as a prisoner, he escaped from a Siberian gulag and embarked on a harsh journey, from Siberia through Mongolia and finally ending up in India after crossing the Himalayas. A journey of more than six thousand kilometers.
Ever since the publication of this book, in 1956, there have been doubts about the veracity of Rawicz’s story. Indeed, no evidence of it has been found, and it remains to be seen whether he could ever have managed to escape from the gulag where he was imprisoned. In the end, Peter Weir decided to dedicate the film to three unknown survivors who would have made such a journey, and to build the rest of the film around the book and present it as a fictional story in order to avoid controversy.
It was expected beforehand that “The Way Back” would become a major Oscar favotie because of the epic nature of the film and because six-time Oscar nominee Weir has never won the award before. It soon becomes clear, however, that the film cannot quite live up to those expectations. This has nothing to do with the good direction or excellent actors, but more to do with the screenplay that pays too little attention to the mutual group dynamics of the prisoners who undertake the journey together.
It's hard to keep a film without some form of conflict interesting, and while “The Way Back” does a nice job, it’s a shame that 133 minutes of little happens other than a long hike. Even when, in time, a young girl (well played by Saoirse Ronan), joins the group and forms a bond with the oldest member of the group (Ed Harris).
This all makes for a pretty straightforward film. A group of people with just one goal and the entire film is devoted to that goal. Good, but not great.
Rating: 3, 5/ 5
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