Book Review - Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Title: Five Survive
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: Thriller/ Young Adult
Published: 2023
 
Description: Eighteen year olf Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. Ans as the wheels are show out, one by one, the friends realize that this is no accidents. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.
 
A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. No everyone will survive the night.
 
Review: A group of six friends, touring in an RV to go spend Spring Break at the beach, strand in the middle of nowhere, when the RV breaks down. When they find out, all the tires have been shot out, they know something is wrong. This is too big of a coincidence. A sniper is keeping them at gunpoint. He knows all of them by name and knows that one of them has a secret that he is willing to kill for. The friends have to figure out which secret it is he wants. Because, everyone has secrets.
 
The setting is great, stranded in the middle of nowhere, just one location, with danger lurking. Cell phones not working and no one around, add to the scary atmosphere. Even though these things are pretty predictable ingredients, I did enjoy that part.
 
We are dealing with teenagers in this book. Aside from Red, you don’t really get to know the characters very well. Some of the are just the siblings and the boyfriend, they have no depth. Red was the only fleshed-out character and you understand her rhyme and reason to everything. Overall, these characters make dumb decisions and I hated Olive.
 
Even though this was a thriller with high stakes for the character, I never felt on the edge of my seat. This book went up and down for me. Some moments I was really into it and loving it, and at times I was just sighing and annoyed by the characters.
 
I was so excited for this book Holly Jackson, I love her “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” series. This is her first standalone and it was really disappointing. I do want to continue reading Jackson’s novels, this was the only slight miss, where I have already read 4 hits.
 
Rating: 2,5/ 5

Book Review - Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

Title: Neverworld Wake
Author: Marisha Pessl
Genre: Young Adult/ Mystery/ Fantasy
Published: 2023
 
Description: Once upon a time, back at Darrow-Harker School, Beatrice Hartley and her five best friends were the cool kids, the beautiful ones. The the shocking death of Jim, their creative genius and Beatrice’s boyfriend, changed everything.
 
One year after graduation, Beatrice is returning to Wincroft - the seaside estate where they spent so many nights sharing secrets, crushes, plans to change the world – hoping she’ll get to the bottom of the dark questions gnawing at her about Jim’s death.
 
But as the night plays out in a haze of stilted jokes and unfathomable silence, Beatrice senses she’s never going to know what really happened.
 
The a mysterious man knocks on the door. Blithely, he announces the impossible: tim for hem has become stuck, snagged on a splinter that can only be removed if the former friends make the harshest of decisions.
 
Now Beatrice has one last shot at answers… and at life. And so begins the Neverworld Wake.
 
Review: “Neverworld Wake” is a book that takes you to a world between reality and illusion. I didn’t have any expectations, but the book took me by surprise.
 
Beatrice hasn’t seen her friends in a year. Once they were a close group and very popular in school, until the unexpected death of one of them changed everything. When Beatrice is invited to a private party with the old group, she decides to go, hoping to learn more about her boyfriend Jim’s death. When there, a mysterious man knocks on the door. He tells them they are stuck in time, a problem that can only be solved if they make an impossible decision.
 
I do read Young Adult novels from time to time. This book felt so much more mature though. The story is very original and I love the constant mysterious atmosphere. You have no idea what will happen next and it has some good twists (besides from the ending, I kind of predicted that one). But still, the book didn’t blow me away and there were some moments that dragged.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Road House

Director: Doug Liman
Genre: Action/ Crime
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Connor McGregor, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Lukas Cage, Austin Post
 
Description: Ex-UFC fighter Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.

Review: These days, Hollywood finds its inspiration in old films, deciding to remake a lot of them. “Road House” is one such remake that gives a popular film of the past a modern twist. This often does not lead to the most original and good films, but maybe this action spectacle will make you forget about the 1989 version with Patrick Swayze. News flash: it will not.  

In “Road House” we meet Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter who takes a job as a bar in Florida. This bar is troubled, with guests constantly breaking into brawls. But Dalton finds out there is more behind this constant violence.

Of course, you should not take this movie too serious. The film in general looks fine, the fights are nicely choreographed and it has some smooth editing. But aside from Jake Gyllenhaal’s character Dalton, you don’t get to know any of the side characters. Giving them no background, they are just there, all very disposable characters.

Jake Gyllenhaal carries this one through. He is one of my favorite actors, he is in some of my most beloved movies. But even he could not save “Road House”.  

The antagonist in the story is Knox, a psychopath who uses violence just for the sake of violence. He is portrayed by MMA fighter Conor McGregor. Please, for the love of God, never let this man on a film set ever again. Talking about over-acting. He feels like a caricature. His character is most implausible thing you will find in an already implausible film.

You are left with nothing but silly entertainment. Thank goodness for Jake Gyllenhaal, but I prefer the 1989 version.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Review - Anyone But You

Director: Will Gluck
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, Hadley Robinson, Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths, Gata
 
Description: After an amazing first date, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben’s (Glen Powell) fiery attraction turns ice-cold, until they find themselves unexpectedly reunited at a wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple.

Review: Bea and Ben meet by accident, which leads to a spontaneous date. Due to an awkward misunderstanding, things end badly and they never see each other again… until Bea’s sister gets married to Ben’s friend. The wedding takes place in Australia where Ben and Bea are forced to be around each other. Their plan: pretend to be a couple to solve their problems.

It's a enemies-to-lovers and fake dating trope that has been done many times before. It has been done better, but definitely worse too. A romcom fails when the two lead have no chemistry. That’s one thing they do have: Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney are great together and sparks fly. There are genuine romantic (and sensual) moments as well as good jokes. So, with these elements “Anyone But You” wins.

But, it’s just not refreshing enough. And way too many romcom cliches. Which I don’t mind, when done well. It’s also way too predictable. And aside from Ben and Bea, no character feels like an actual person. They feel like fictional characters and have conversations that would never be real. It feels cartoonish.

It is a typical romcom, perfectly watchable with two fun leads. But also pretty forgettable.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

80s Movie Review - Terms of Endearment

Director: James L. Brooks
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 1983
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels, Danny DeVito, John Lithgow

Description: Follows the hard-to-please Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) looking for love and her daughter’s (Debra Winger) family problems.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 12: A FILM THAT HAS WON AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE
 
Review: Aurora and her daughter Emma are all by themselves after their husband/ father passes away. Emma is about to get married to Flap, a man Aurora finds not to be right for her. Flap also seems to hate Aurora. While Emma marries him, seeing that he is boorish and unfaithful, Aurora tries to live a life without her daughter. Eventually falling for her next door neighbor Garrett.

“Terms of Endearment” won 5 Academy Awards in 1984. Shirley MacLaine won for her role as Aurora and Jack Nicholson for his portrayal of Garrett. But it also took home the Best Picture Award, which I really don’t understand. Unpopular opinion, but I did not like this movie and I don’t believe it’s really that good. The fact that it has drama in it and I did not care about a single character, says enough. This is one of those Oscar-winning movies that I just can’t get behind.

Rating: 2 / 5

90s Movie Review - A League of Their Own

Director: Penny Marshall
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 1992
Starring: Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Lori Petty, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, Anne Ramsay, Anne Cusack, Megan Cavanagh, Bitty Schram, David Strathairn, Jon Lovitz, Bill Pullman

Description: Two sisters (Geena Davis, Lori Petty) join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amid their own growing rivalry.

Review: “A League of Their Own” is a movie I grew up watching with my family. 

When World War II threatens to shut down Major League Baseball, a candy manufacturing magnate decides to create a women’s league to make money. Dottie Hinson is a terrific hitter and gets an offer to tryout, but she is content where she is. He younger sister, pitcher Kit, loves the game so passionately but is not as much of a talent. Kit gets to tryout, but only if Dottie comes too. Both women eventually go and get into the team, that is led by drunkard and former baseball player Jimmy Dugan. More and more people start showing up to the games and it becomes a huge success. 

I always found “A League of Their Own” so much fun to watch. It reaches a broad audience, because it mixes up things many people love: comedy, drama and sports. 

Tom Hanks is my favorite actor and he can’t do anything wrong in my eyes, but even non-fans have to admit that his portrayal of coach Jimmy Dugan is hilarious and very memorable. ‘There’s no crying in baseball!’ I also loved Geena Davis in her role. The rest of the acting is maybe not that fantastic, but the cast works really well together and they make it work. 

“A League of Their Own” is a fun film, a film that never bores. A definite favorite.

Rating: 5 / 5

Book Review - The Fury by Alex Michaelides

Title: The Fury
Author: Alex Michaelides
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Published: 2024
 
Description: Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex-movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and sped Easter on her idyllic Greek island.
 
I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time, - it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind… and a murder.
 
We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse – a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered.
 
But who am I? My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a tory unlike any you’ve ever heard.
 
Review: Lana Farrar leads a reclusive existence, after a tumultuous life as a famous actress. Every year she invites her best friends to her idyllic Greek island to celebrate Easter and escape the English weather. But this year, the seven friends are beset at night by the fury, a local storm that rises suddenly and cuts the island off from civilization. A night that will end in violence and murder. One of them must be the culprit, and old friendships give way to hatred, jealousy and vindictiveness. A cat-and-mouse game ensues
 
I like the setting of a remote location, where retired actress Lana Farrar stepped out of the spotlights and left Hollywood. You quickly learn that there is a lot of drama between all these friends. Jealousy, secrets, secret admiration, revenge, vicious schemes, toxic relationships, poor choices and lots of manipulation. It goes from bad to worse. And I love reading about rich people drama.
 
I’m a big fan of Alex Michaelides previous books: “The Maidens” and especially “The Silent Patient”. So my expectations were really high for “The Fury”. The story is told through the character Elliot Chase, who tells his story as it were to you, the reader. He tells you from the start that he can not be trusted. I really liked this form of narration, it felt fresh. Michaelides has thrown in several plot twists, but unfortunately I found these twist a bit disappointing. In this regard, I found “The Fury” to be nothing like his previous thrillers.
 
The story had a lot of potential, the setting and all the drama felt promising. And I did enjoy these elements. But as the story progressed, I began to realize that the story didn’t really grab me. Although I did like the narrative style very much. This was just an okay mystery thriller for me.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

20s Movie Review - Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Director: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Genre: Fantasy/ Adventure/ Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 134 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis, Justice Smith, Hugh Grant, Regé-Jean Page

Description: A charming thief (Chris Pine) and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they tun afoul of the wrong people.

Review: After a theft that went wrong, Edgin and Holga try to get their lives back on track. This is harder than expected, as one of their friends seems to have betrayed them. To set things right and prove himself to his daughter, Edgin joins Holga and other magical misfits on an epic adventure full of bizarre monsters and plans that don’t always go according to plan.

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is a blockbuster the way we know them: special effects, action spectacle, funny main characters and an okay story. Yet the film distinguishes itself by cleverly making fun of both the game on which it is based on and the fantasy genre. The simplicity of the story and characters are also a definite plus.

Although a wide audience can enjoy this film, fans of the original game are rearded. Many typical things from the game occur: spells, failed plans and unnecessarily long backstories give the film a fairly authentic tone. But the writers took some creative liberties and this worked really well.

The magical side of the world where the story takes place is used in the craziest way. It gives the film a refreshing quirkiness. Aside from the CGI, there are also lots of practical effects and remarkable costumes.

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” makes for a great viewing experience, which I now wished I had seen in the cinema. A strong cast portraying fun characters, and enjoyable world and setting with an entertaining story. A movie I will definitely rewatch at some point.

Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - The Silencing

Director: Robin Pront
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Mystery/ Thriller
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Annabelle Wallis, Zahn McClarnon, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jason Jazrawy, Melanie Srofano, Charlotte Lindsay Marrow

Description: A reformed hunter (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) living in isolation on a wildlife sanctuary becomes involved in a deadly game of cat and mouse when he and the local Sheriff (Annabelle Wallis) set out to track a vicious killer who may have kidnapped his daughter years ago.

Review: Rayburn Swanson lives alone on a wildlife sanctuary. After his daughter disappeared 4 years ago, he lives a life of solitude and protects the area. When a mysterious killer appears in this sanctuary, he and the local Sheriff try to figure out who he is and if he might have been involved in his daughter’s disappearance.

The setting is perfect for a thriller like this, somewhere in the chilly woods in northern US. The film is nowhere remarkable or original, but it’s engaging and suspenseful and I don’t get all the negative reviews this film is getting.

The script aims higher then a no-nonsense and taut thriller about the search for a killer. Director Robin Pront gives the characters more depth increase dramatic potential. And that’s successful for most part. The Sheriff dealing with a moral dilemma, Rayburn’s personal demons.

The film is somewhat predictable, but overall it’s a pretty solid thriller that I really enjoyed and kept me engaged the full runtime.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - A LIttle Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Title: A Little Life
Author: Hanya Yanagihara
Genre: Fiction/ Contemporary
Published: 2023
 
Description: When four classmates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they’re broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity.
 
Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and price. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome – but that will define his life forever.
 
Review: “A Little Life” tells the story of four friends who met in college and spend their lives together in New York City. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity.
 
The story focuses mainly on the life of one of these friends, Jude, who carries with him a traumatic past and as a result not only struggles with himself but also with the relationships with others. The book discusses various themes such as friendship, trauma and love. In addition, “A Little Life” beautifully depicts the complexity of human emotions.
 
The book is both heartbreaking and beautiful, the characters feel real and their stories touch you to the depth of your soul. It’s very well-written, with an almost poetic use of language and wonderful sense of detail.
 
Be prepared that this book deals with very heavy topics of child abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, self-harm and suicide. It’s a very sad book and it got me emotional on several occasions.
 
Author Hanya Yanagihara uses an authorial narrator, who alternately zooms in on the various characters, giving you as a reader a deeper understanding of their thoughts and emotions. This makes for a memorable reading experience. Only downside is that it’s really long and slow paced, which I felt at some parts of the story.
 
This book is very emotional, but so beautiful. I understand why so many people love it and why it’s on so many favorites-lists.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Oldies Movie Review - The Sting

Director: George Roy Hill
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 1973
Starring: Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Robert Shaw

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 11: A MOVIE FROM THE 1970S
 
Description: Two grifters (Robert Redford, Paul Newman) team up to pull off the ultimate con.

Review: After the complete success of cowboy film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”(1969), director George Roy Hill and lead actors Paul Newman and Robert Redford reunited four years later for the equally successful “The Sting”.

Two small time crooks, Henry Gondorff and Johnny Hooker, teak up to take on Doyle Lonnogan, using their wits and slight-of-hand tricks.

“The Sting” is basically a modern version of Favid and Goliath, with Newman and Redford playing the small David character and Robert Shaw is the big-time villain. It’s has a good portion of comedy in it, without becoming a slapstick, which would made this a completely different movie. “The Sting” has won 7 Oscars (out of 10 nominations) and is such a joy to watch. I just love young Newman and Redford together.

I really loved this movie experience, just a bit more than “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Dune: Part Two

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Genre: Science Fiction/ Drama/ Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 166 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Léa Seydoux
 
Description: Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.

Review: It’s finally here: Denis Villeneuve’s long-awaited second part of his epic film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel. “Dune: Part Two” offers an engaging, lucid and spectacular continuation of the story and tells interesting things about myths, colonialism, ecology, religion and fate. But it impresses above all with its great visuals.

It is a sequel, because it’s the second film, but they are not two separate films. They form a whole and one can not be viewed without the other. Part two picks up when Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica have been taken in by the Fremen, the indigenous people of sand planet Arrakis. What follows is the evolution of Duke’s chils Paul into Maud-Dib, or Lisan al-Gaib. An evolution with extreme consequences.

Villeneuve has focused on the development of Paul, who brings together moderates and fanatics and struggles with his identity. The film has a geopolitical and (post-) colonial layer, with Arrakis as the oil-rich Middle Each, House Atreides as the more progressive Europe, House Harkonnen as representatives of the nihilistic dictatorships pursuing unscrupulous colonial policies and the emperor as the puppeteer.
I was very impressed by Austin Butler, who is a new character and the villain Feyd-Rautha of this second part. Timothée Chalamet manages again to proof that he can easily lead a big film. And Rebecca Ferguson, as Lady Jessica, really showed a nice transformation of her character.

The camerawork is mesmerizing, the way these amazing action scenes were shot.

I already loved the first film, but “Dune: Part Two” is even slightly better. It’s a true epic sci-fi saga, with a complex world with equally complex characters. I just can’t wait for this saga to continue.  

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

Title: The House Across the Lake
Author: Riley Sager
Genre: Thriller/ Mystery
Published: 2022
 
Description: Casey Fletcher a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing: a tech innovator, Tom is rich, and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.
 
One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other – and the longer Casey watches – it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she uncovers eerie, darker truths that turn a tale of voyeurism and suspicion into a story of guilt, obsession and how looks can be deceiving.
 
Review: Casey has lost her husband, is constantly drinking and lost her acting job. She is now trying to escape reality by staying at her family’s lake house. Spying on the people that live in the house across the lake, Tom and Katherine, is her idea of passing time. When one day she saves Katherine from drowning, the two become friends. When Katherine all of a sudden goes missing, Casey is sure her husband Tom has something to do with her disappearance. But the truth is much more complicated.
 
Riley Sager is a favorite for me, I have liked all but one of his books. And I can now add this one as well. I have read all of them now. The setting for me is already a win. A lake house in autumn time, with only a few people around. Casey is a complex character: she is troubled because she lost her husband Len not that long ago. She drinks a lot, but says she is not an alcoholic. And her acting career is also not going well. Because Casey is almost always intoxicated, she is an unreliable narrator. One of my favorite things in thriller books.
 
The book only has a few characters aside from Casey, but you have no idea who you can trust or not. Because, besides her next door neighbor Eli, all the people that are staying at their lake houses, are strangers for Casey.
 
People had warned me for the crazy twist in this book. And they weren’t wrong. It’s really nuts and not something you can predict (if you did, you’re either a liar or a psychic). It is really original and surprising, but it was a bit too much for me. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. The book had five-star energy, up until that twist. That’s the reason I knocked of a full star.
 
“The House Across the Lake” is a really good thriller, solid atmosphere and great suspense building. And it’s well done by Sager to provide so many twists and reveals with the story being set at one location (the lake and its surroundings) and with just a few characters. I just couldn’t really get behind that crazy twist.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Damsel

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Genre: Fantasy/ Action
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett, Robin Wright, Nick Robinson
 
Description: A dutiful damsel (Millie Bobby Brown) agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt.

Review: Elodie marries a handsome Prince, so her family can have a more fortunate life. However, she discovers that the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to pay off an old debt and is thrown into a cave. She will then have to rely on her wits and willpower to survive.

The term ‘damsel’ is often used in fairytale-like stories, as the damsel in distress. A woman in need of help. The damsel in this story, could need some help, but doesn’t have anyone to lean on. And she perfectly manages on her own. Elodie is portrayed as a self-reliant young woman.

We don’t get much backstory. We are introduced to Elodie and her family and dive into the story right away. We don’t learn much about the other girls that had to endure the same fate as Elodie. The film does flow smoothly and “Damsel” is a very easy watch.

The acting is fine, Millie Bobby Brown does a good job as Elodie. The rest of the actors don’t get much to do. Her character only has a short amount of time to really develop, but I did like following her journey of survival.

The special effects look really good. The dragon is imposing and really stands out.
“Damsel” is a fine fantasy film, I really enjoyed it and it’s entertaining.

Rating: 3/ 5

20s Movie Review - Rebel Moon part 1: A Child of Fire

Director: Zack Snyder
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Anthony Hopkins

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 10: A SCIENCE FICTION FILM
 
Description: When a peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant moon finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical force, a mysterious stranger (Sofia Boutella) living among its villagers becomes their best hope for survival.

Review: There are many films out there that have stories and a premise that has been done before. “Rebel Moon” is one of those movies. It’s set exactly like “Star Wars” and has the plot of “Seven Samurai”. Very lazy Zack Snyder.  

In an oppressed galaxy, there is a planet with a farming village that supplies grain. The oppressors have discovered that less grain is bing recorded than produced. They visit the village and demand almost their entire harvest. Kora, one of the inhabitants, decides to travel into space to gather a team of warriors who can train her people to become fighters before the oppressors return.

I guess Snyder had a high budget, but the CGI looks pretty bad. It looks like a B-movie, but just slightly better. There is a lot going on in this movie, but not a lot of it is memorable. And for a so-called sci-fi epic, it’s pretty boring at times.

It’s save to say that I did not enjoy “Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire”. The sequel is coming to Netflix in April, which I’m not really interested in.

Rating: 2/ 5

20s Movie Review - The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Director: Francis Lawrence
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Drama
Runtime: 157 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Viola Davis, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Peter Dinklage

Description: Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) mentors and develops feelings for the female District 12 tribute (Rachel Zegler) during th 10^th Hunger Games.

Review: “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is the fifth movie in the Hunger Games franchise, based on the 4-part book series written by Suzanne Collins. The story is set many years before “The Hunger Games”, before we meet Katniss Everdeen.

In this film we see a world recently torn apart by war. there were many deaths, but above all there was hunger. A lot of hunger. Therefore, the instigators of the war, the districts that must listen to the autocrat in the Capitol, must pay. Every year 24 children, two from each districts, are drawn by a lot and thrown into an arena. They have to fight each other to the death, only one can come out alive and will be the winner. And the whole event can be followed on TV.

The “The Hunger Games” books, was one of the first series I absolutely loved. And I believe they did a fantastic job with the movies. This prequel came 10 years after the last book, “Mockinjay”, was released. In 2020, so not that long ago. We jump to the 10^th Hunger Games, which seem to be waning in popularity. Dr. Volumnia Gaul wants the games to continue at all costs. It is up to the students of the prestigious Academy to turn the children of the districts into a spectacle. They are all assigned one, and must coach them.

One of those students is Coriolanus Snow, the 18-year-old son of a deceased war commander. To the outside world, his family still has a lot of prestige, power and money, but in reality he is emaciated, broke and living on soup and cabbage. If he wants to continue his studies after the Academy, his tribute must win. Lucy Gray Baird is the poor girl from District 12 that he has to mentor.

Coriolanus Snow is of course the same person as President Snow, as we met him in “The Hunger Games”, the relentless, merciless leader of Panem. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” shows you his backstory, of how he went from a hungry schoolboy to a ruthless tyrant. He falls in love with his tribute, Lucy, which should show us that he ones had feelings and heart. But somehow, I can never get behind it, I never feel respect, compassion or sympathy for young Coriolanus. Because I know who he will become. And although you are rooting for Lucy, her character didn’t do anything for me. I also didn’t like all the singing, it felt out of place. Rachel Zegler is a great singer, but you don’t have to use this quality every moment you get.

Viola Davis plays Volumnia Gaul, a pretty disturbing character. Loved her. And Peter Dinklage play Casca Highbottom, the brilliant mind behind the Hunger Games. It’s just a small role, but he steals every scene just like in “Game of Thrones”. He really fits into this world. Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman is portrayed by Jason Schwartzman, the presenter of the Hunger Games. And he has a link to Cesar Flickerman, Stanley Tucci’s character in the original “The Hunger Games” films.

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is a long sit, with over two and a half hours of runtime. But when you want to give a character depth and also show a lot of world-building, it’s necessary. And I didn’t mind, it didn’t feel like more then 150 minutes. And the actual Hunger Games is also a big part of the movie, which was really well-done. And it felt like a “Hunger Games”-movie, it fits in with the other four films. But the movie doesn’t stop right after the Hunger Games. For we see, and this is very well portrayed, how Coriolanus Snow changes from that schoolboy into a power-hungry, ruthless man, who will pulverize anything and anyone in his path towards his goal.

Overall, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is a good film, I enjoyed it, but didn’t care for the characters as much as I did with the other films.

Rating: 3,5/ 5