Top 10: Worst Movies I Watched for My 2016 Challenge

Sadly enough I was also exposed to some terrible films, crap piles, shitty flicks, snooze fests and simply ‘why did they make this’ – films. Here are the 10 worst films I watched for my challenge.

10. Last Tango in Paris
People call it a classic, but I think this was a terrible film. And besides that, this film creeped me out. Especially after reading about that ‘rape’ story. Not Marlon Brando’s best work.

9. Black Christmas
Do horror remakes ever work. “Black Christmas” at least doesn’t proof that. All you want is for all those annoying frat girls to get slashed. That’s never a good sign.

8. Knock Knock
I’m always defending Keanu Reeves when people call him a bad actor. He isn’t. But even I couldn’t protect Reeves from this pile of shit. What a dumb film, which looked so promising. I hated this movie. And I still can’t understand how two idiot girls could outsmart Reeves’ character so easily.

7. The Ape
As much as I love James Franco, I hope he erases this from his resumé. Not a good film, not interesting, weird, it makes no sense.

6. Point Break (remake)
As much as I love the original with Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves, that’s how much I hated the remake. It was like I was watching one long extreme sports commercial. The movie sucks and is not memorable whatsoever.

5. Little Nicky
I know we shouldn’t take this movie to seriously, but it’s such a ridiculous movie. I can take a lot from Adam Sandler, I forgive him for a lot just because I think he is so funny. But “Little Nicky” is just too much ridiculousness for my liking.

4. Neighbors
It sounded like so much fun, especially with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd involved. But this was such an unfunny film, I can’t remember laughing even once. No, “Neighbors” was really bad.

3. Sharknado
Although I love shark movies, this was just too stupid. Especially seeing how serious the actors are in this film. I secretly always love to watch bad shark movies, just to laugh at them.

2. Cube
Someone lend me this film, she was so excited about this film. But “Cube” is the second worst film I have seen this year. I haven’t seen acting this bad in a while. What a crap fest.

1. I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer
Another sequel to an already not that great franchise. This movie has nothing to do with the original stories and there is no reason or explanation why the hook man is following these people. When the killer turned out to be a supernatural being, I just couldn’t bear to watch it. I sat it out though.


Dishonorable Mentions: The Lone Ranger, He Knows You’re Alone, Absolute Beginners, Unfriended, Pixels, Hush, New York Stories, Nine, Vacation, Runner Runner, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Secret in Their Eyes

Top 10: Best Movies I Watched for My 2016 Challenge

The great thing about the 100 Movie Challenge is that I sometimes watch films that I would normally not even pay attention to. It’s a time to rediscover classics or see the movies you missed in the 2000s or 2010s. I watched a bunch of fantastic films, I narrowed it down to this top 10 list. Here are my favorite films I watched for my 2016 challenge.

10. Lars and the Real Girl
This was such a weird story, but it was so heartfelt and honest. And we got Ryan Reynold’s amazing performance to thank for that. He proofs that he doesn’t always have to play the sexy charmer, he can play a lonely geek as well.

9. The Jungle Book
Disney’s uncanny adaptation of their own beloved animation from 1967. It was a blockbuster, it was a technical film. Besides Mowgli, all the sets and characters were computer generated. The visuals are stunning. “The Jungle Book” was one amazing movie experience.

8. The Nice Guys
I already loved Shane Black’s “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”. Teaming up Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe was probably one of the best ideas of 2016. They are an irresistible pair. Energized by a dry wry cynicism. It’s crime comedy at its best.

7. Arrival
“Arrival” is an unusually intimate science-fiction epic, that takes the story of humankind’s first contact with an alien race and turns it into a downright poetric meditation on fate, time, love and the limitations and essential universalities of communication. Amy Adams gives a fantastic performance, she carries this film. Director Denis Villeneuve has a flawless record so far.

6. Room
Brie Larson earned all the headlines for her role as Joy, her Oscar winning performance is so convincing and heartbreaking. But her movie son Jacob Tremblay very nearly steals the show. It’s through his eyes we experience the traumatic set of events.

5. Spotlight
“Spotlight” is driven purely by the simplicity of its story. A group of journalists exposing a scandal in the Catholic Church. The film had my attention from start to finish, it has great performances and I loved everything about this film. It deserved that Oscar.

4. The Apartment
I discovered Billy Wilder films this year and I came to the conclusion that I really love this director. “The Apartment” is such a fun film, great acting and it’s basically set in only one location.

3. Some Like It Hot
This is the other Billy Wilder film I watched this year, and loved! It was hilarious. It’s such a funny story, two men disguising as women so that they can play music in an all-women’s group. And although it’s clear that they are two men, nobody sees it. This is one fo the best comedies of all time!

2. La La Land
Damien Chazelle’s first film was “Whiplash”, an Academy Award winning film. He’s back with amusic movie of an entirely different variety. “La La Land” is a heart-eyed musical about two lost Los Angelinos who find each other. I’m seriously in love with this film. This one’s for the classic movie fans.

1. The Princess Bride
This movie has everything and know how to combine all those genres in the most perfect way. Adventure, action, romance, comedy, drama, it’s all there. It’s one of the best fairytales ever told, with humor, mockery and heartwarming moments. Definitely a new favorite on my all-time list.


Honorable Mentions: The General, City Lights, Beasts of No Nation, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Little Shop of Horrors, We Bought a Zoo, Mr. Holland’s Opus, The Soloist

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 170: Captain Fantastic

Director: Matt Ross
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Samantha Isler, Annalise Basso, Nicholas Hamilton, Shree Crooks, Charlie Shotwell, Trin Miller, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn, Elijah Stevenson, Teddy Van Ee, Erin Moriarty, Missi Pyle, Frank Langella, Ann Dowd, Galen Osier, Hannah Horton, Res Young, Thomas Brophy, Mike Miller, Greg Crooks, Louis Hobson

Description: In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father (Viggo Mortensen) devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent.

Review: In a time that superheroes rule cinema, the title of the tragi comedic road movie “Captain Fantastic” can be a bit misleading. Director Matt Ross delivers a heartwarming comedy and family drama. A film that pretty much flew under the radar, but has to be watched by lovers of Indie films.
Ben and his wife Leslie turned their back on modern society and moved into the North American nature. They passed their ideals to their six children, all with a unique name, together with crucial skills to survive in the wilderness. They get lessons in philosophy, history, physics, biology and literature, on a level that is far above their age category. When Leslie is haven’t health issues, she is admitted to a hospital far away from mother nature.
The plot reminded me of a mix between “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Into the Wild”. “Captain Fantastic” manages to create a good balance between comedy and drama.
The center of this film is the amazing performance by Viggo Mortensen, as father Ben. His way of raising his kids may look like a commune, but at the same time his children are much smarter and more fit than the kids that go to school or play videogames all day. The question is: is Ben crazy or is it the world around him?
The film gives you a lot to think about. “Captain Fantastic” is such an endearing film, a film with a lot of heart. And that conclusion, with the song “Sweet Child O’Mine” is simply beautiful.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 169: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Director: Frank Capra
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 1939
Starring: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee, Thomas Mitchell, Eugene Pallette, Beulah Bondi, H.B. Warner, Harry Carey, Astrid Allwyn, Ruth Donnely, Grant Mitchell, Porter Hall, Pierre Watkin

Description: A naive man (James Stewart) is appointed to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down.

Review: Frank Capra has his own style and his stories are often about the everyday man against the system. This is also the case for “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. We follow Idealist Jefferson Smith who is going into politics, but collides with political corruption.
Who else than James Stewart to play this Mr. Washington. He is an idealist, always friendly and has a dose of humor. And he is so down to earth. He is also genuinely amazed by Washington and its history and architecture. The reason to put in the senate, is that he is a naïve man that is easily influenced. Or so they think. Smith wants to fight the corruption.
“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is a timeless classic about good and bad. The acting is strong and the script is rather daring, especially for that time. Definitely a must-see.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 168: Nocturnal Animals

Director: Tom Ford
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon, Isla Fisher, Laura Linney, Armie Hammer, Michael Sheen, Andrea Riseborough

Description: An art gallery owner (Amy Adams) is haunted by her ex-husband's (Jake Gyllenhaal) novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a veiled threat and a symbolic revenge tale.

Review: Fashion designer Tom Ford proved with his film debut, “A Single Man”, that he isn’t only good with a needle and a sketchbook. The film was a masterpiece, not only from esthetic perspective. But also the themes and the characters were delicate and had depth. Ford took his time to direct his second film. “Nocturnal Animals” also focusses on relationships, regret and nostalgia to old romance. But it’s completely different movie.
At first sight it looks like art gallery owner Susan Morrow has it all. A good job, a beautiful house and a loving and handsome husband. But nothing is as it seems. Financially she isn’t doing well and she is estranged from her husband Hutton, who cheats on her while on a business trip. When Susan gets a message from her ex-husband Edward and he sends her a manuscript of his novel, she starts looking back on the life she once had. Susan left Edward for Hutton and hasn’t seen him in nineteen years. In Edwards’book, he tells the story of Tony Hastings and his family who are harassed by a group of criminials, while on the road. While Susan reads this story, she remember the life she had with Edward.
The story lines couldn’t be any different, but also have an emotional connection. Susan’s is more introvert and has a lot of thought in it. While Tony’s is extravert and explicit. Surprisingly enough, there is a perfect balance between those storylines. Tony is on a mission and has to find peace, while Susan has urges and desire but doesn’t show it.
Again Tom Ford manages to tell an esthetic story, but also enters the soul of the characters and the audience. Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal (the last has a double role) are both very strong in “Nocturnal Animals”. Michael Shannon is also worth mentioning. Aaron Taylory-Johnson plays one of the worst characters I’ve seen in a long time, what a terrible person. Great performance as well.
“Nocturnal Animals” is a film that gets under your skin.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 167: La La Land

Director: Damien Chazelle
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Romance/ Musical
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, J.K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt

Description: A jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) falls for an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) in Los Angeles

Review: Even if you’re not a fan of musicals, “La La Land” will mesmerize you. The ode to love, passion, creativity and dreams by director Damie Chazelle stands out and manages never to fall into clichés.
Chazelle uses two characters to tell the story about people who desperately want to make it in Hollywood. Emma Stone plays Mia, a waitress who wants to be an actress. But she is dealing with disappointments and rejections. Ryan Gosling has an even bigger goal as Sebastian, to become a pure jazz musician without any commercial concessions. But he works at a restaurant where nobody really listens to him. By Mia does and they go on an incredibly journey together, trying to pursue their dreams.
“La La Land” isn’t just an ode to all those themes I mentioned earlier, but also an ode to the classic film and classic musical. Nowadays musicals aren’t what they used to be, but “La La Land” got it right. The characters don’t suddenly burst into song, the songs all seamlessly weave into the story.
It’s the most beautiful film I’ve seen in 2016, it constantly amazed me and it put a big fat smile on my face. The film looks beautiful. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have perfect chemistry and they are both sublime in their roles. The music is fantastic and I loved every minute of “La La Land”.
“La La Land”. And instant classic that many movie makers should take as an example.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 165: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Director: Gareth Edwards
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelson, Jimmy Smits, James Earl Jones

Description: The Rebel Alliance makes a risky move to steal the plans for the Death Star, setting up the epic saga to follow.

Review: Hollywood loves nostalgia and uses it to please movie fans. And off course “Star Wars”, mother of all fan franchises, couldn’t be left behind. With “The Force Awakens” the series got a new life and it’s ready to fascinate a new generation. But we go back in time, before the Death Star was destroyed. And if you want to know how this plan was born, you have to see “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”.
We all know what happens to the Death Star, but we never knew how much trouble the Rebellion had to go through to reach that goal. Leading character is Jyn Erso, a troubled young woman who is asked to help the rebels to find her father, Galen Erso. Galen was taken by the empire when she was very young, to help Krennic build his ‘dream of death’. Galen does manage to inform the people on the outside and that’s where Jyn comes in. Together with rebel captain Andor she is trying to find the truth behind the Death Star.
Gareth Edwards directs this movie and it looks like he was the right choice, after he reinvented the success of “Godzilla”. He gave it a darker look and he does the same with “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. The heroes aren’t as heroic as the characters in the original films. The rebellion still has to finds its way. The film has moral depth and the characters have dimension as well. And the movie doesn’t have a dull moment.
Off course there is some nostalgia present. A cameo from R2D2 and C3PO and the seamless transition to “Star Wars: A New Hope”. But most of all Darth Vader. What a joy to see him on the big screen again.
Not knowing what to expect from this film, I was very happy to see how good “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” actually is. A must for every “Star Wars” fan.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 164: Some Like It Hot

Director: Billy Wilder
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 1959
Starring: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe

Description: When two male musicians (Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis) witness a mob hit, they flee the state in an all-female band disguised as women, but further complications set in.

Review: Jerry and Joe are two musicians. When they witness a mob hit, they flee the state and join an all-female band disguised as women.
“Some Like It Hot” manages to combine three subgenres perfectly. It’s a crime comedy, which never gets scary. It’s a romantic comedy, with sensuality, lies and misunderstandings. And it’s also a farce, where everything that can go wrong will go wrong. It’s obvious that the two disguised women are men, but the facts that the other characters don’t notice makes it an absurd comedy.
Marilyn Monroe is type casted as the somewhat dumb blonde that wants to score a rich man, but she does makes some clever remarks here and there. And Sugar is smart enough that she isn’t that smart. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are hilarious as Joe and Jerry, alias Josephine and Daphne. If a movie like this would be made now, the humor would be juvenile and tasteless. Curtis and Lemmon make it entertaining and funny.
I love “Some Like It Hot”, it’s one of the greatest comedies of all time!

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 163: Stealing Harvard

Director: Bruce McCulloch
Genre: Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Jason Lee, Leslie Mann, Tom Green, Dennis Farina, Megan Mullally, John C. McGinley, Richard Jenkins, Martin Starr, Chris Penn

Description: A middle-class man (Jason Lee) turns to a life of crime in order to finance his niece's first year at Harvard University.

Review: The plot for “Stealing Harvard” is as simple as the film itsel. John once made a primuse to us niece, that if she ever got accepted to college, he would pay for it. When the time arrives, he just got the that money. But he is about to marry his fiancée and buy a house. To keep his promise to his niece, he asks his loser friend Duff for help.
The film isn’t as bad as I would think, especially since it stars Tom Green. Jason Lee plays a likeable character, somewhat reminding me of his character Earl in “My Name is Earl”. Some other supporting roles are for Leslie Mann, Megan Mullally and John C. McGinley, which are fun as well. Tom Green is, as always, over the top and not that funny. At least I don’t find his humor that laughable.
It’s okay, the movie is easy to sit through, but also pretty forgettable.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 162: Holy Rollers

Director: Kevin Asch
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 89 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Bartha, Ari Graynor

Description: In Brooklyn, a youth from an Orthodox Jewish community is lured into becoming an Ecstasy dealer by his pal who has ties to an Israeli drug cartel

Review: Sam Gold is a young man whose life is run by his Orthodoc Hasidic Jewish upbringing. E lives at home, works with his father and will marry only the women he is set up with. This all changes when he accepts a job from Yosef. A free trip tp Amsterdam, he will carry Ecstasy through customs, when Sam thinks it’s medicine he is shipping. When Sam does find out, he quickly discovers the financial benfits.
The film is based on real events. The film’s setting is interesting, but fails to develop. There is a great story to be told, a Jew struggling with the abandonment of his family and faith in order to make good money. This is neglected and there is a love triangle in the middle of it. This isn’t as interesting as the story believes you to be.
“Holy Rollers” is mediocre.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 161: Twilight Zone: The Movie

Director: John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, George Miller
Genre: Horror/ Thriller/ Comedy/ Fantasy
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 1983
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Albert Brooks, Vic Morrow, Doug McGrath, Charles Hallahan, Rainer Peets, Kai Wulff, Sue Dugan, Debby Porter, Steven Williams, Annette Claudier, Joseph Hieu, Al Leong, Stephen Bishop, Thomas Byrd, Scatman Crothers, Bill Quinn, Martin Garner, Selma Diamond, Helen Shaw, Murray Matheson, Peter Brocco, Priscilla Pointer, Scott Nemes, Tanya Fenmore, Evan Richards, Laura Mooney, Christopher Eisenmann, Richard Swingler, Alan Haufrect, Cheryl Sochler, Elsa Raven, Kathleen Quinlan, Jeremy Licht, Kevin McCarthy, Patricia Barry, William Schallert, Nancy Cartwright, Dick Miller, Cherie Currie, Bill Mumy, Jeffrey Bannister, John Lithgow, Abbe Lane, Donna Dixon, John Dennis Johnston, Larry Cedar, Charles Knapp, Byron McFarland, Christina Nigra, Lana Schwabb

Description: Four horror/sci-fi segments directed by four famous directors, each of them being a new version of a classic story from Rod Serling's landmark television series The Twilight Zone (1959).

Review: “Twilight Zone: The Movie” is based on the television series “The Twilight Zone”. It starts of with a prologue and then tells us four different stories, directed by four different directors. Two men are driving a card in the night and start reminiscing about old TV shows, like “The Twilight Zone”. It’s the set up for the film.

Segment # 1:
Bill Connor missed out on a promotion and spills his guts while having a drink in a bar with some friends. His words don’t come easy and bothers some other customers, because he is pretty racist. When Bill leaves the bar, he himself is the victim of racism and hatred. John Landis directs this part and it has a dark atmosphere. It’s somber and intense, but doesn’t really develop.

Segment # 2:
Mister Bloom arrives at the Sunnyvale Rest Home, as a new citizen. Bloom befriends many of the people living there and convinces them that you are as old as you feel. Steven Spielberg directed this second segment. The idea is good and it does have some good moments, but the story gets a bit too sentimental.

Segment # 3:
Teacher Helen Foley accidentaly hits the young Anthony with her car. She brings him home and meets his family. Anthony’s family acts strange, but so does Anthony. And this all happens because they are afraid of Anthony. Joe Dante directs and adds more humor to his story. It has a light horror undertone. Dante was definitely influences by cartoons and it is sometimes funny, especially because of the overacting of the actors. But the ending is again a bit too sweet.

Segment # 4:
John Valentine is afraid of flying, but he has to go by plane. He has to do everything to keep his fear under controle. But when he thinks he is calm, he sees a strange creature on one of the wings of the plane. He sees its trying to break one of the engines and off course no one believes John. The director for this story is George Miller and this is the only story that I liked completely. It gives you a claustrophobic feel and it has some scary moments. John Lithgow plays his role as Valentine very well. It’s the best story in this film.

I expected a bit more quality from those four amazing directors. It’s and entertaining flick, but only the last story really nailed it.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 160: Jersey Boys

Director: Clint Eastwood
Genre: Drama/ Musical
Runtime: 134 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Christopher Walken, John Lloyd Young, Vincent Piazza, Freya Tingley, Michael Lomenda, Francesca Eastwood, Erich Bergen, Kathrine Narducci, James Madio, Mike Doyle, Billy Gardell, Steve Schirripa, Joseph Russo, Erica Piccininni, Jeremy Luke, Elizabeth Hunter, Steve Monroe, Renée Marino, Lacey Hannan, Donnie Kehr

Description: The story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group The Four Seasons.

Review: “Jersey Boys” is based on the life of singer Frankie Valli and his group The Four Seasons. Like the stage version, the story is told in four chapters. Each one of the members tells the story from his perspective. Frankie, whose actual name is Francesco Castelluccio, works as a barber in New Jersey. He has a great singing voice and it doesn’t take long for someone to notice that. With his best friend Tommy DeVito he constantly gets into trouble. Tommy ends up in jail, Frankie doesn’t. Together with Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio they form The Four Season.
The many hits that The Four Seasons had, don’t have the focus in director Clint Eastwood’s film version. Eastwood never goes down the traditional road. For instance “Invictus”, where he uses the rugby world cup to tell the story of Nelson Mandela. And also “Mystic River” and “Million Dollar Baby” managed to be successful this way. In “Jersey Boys” we see how the group comes together, their first steps as professionals. There is no drama there. Frankie’s life is told in warp speed. He meets a woman, the next scene they get married and later we see he has a daughter. Eventually he has three and he has become a bad father, but how and when all that happened is never mentioned.
Eastwood didn’t manage to tell the details of Valli’s personal life, but in that last act he makes up for that a little bit. The screenplay is the biggest miss for “Jersey Boys”. Eastwood has to tell so much, he has no time for it. And the film is over two hours long.
The cast, although mostly unknown, has talent and they really do a good job. The songs are the best part of the film. “Jersey Boys” is a nice film, but the stage version was a lot better.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 159: Creed

Director: Ryan Coogler
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Andre Ward, Tony Bellew, Ritchie Coster, Jaco ‘Stitch’ Duran, Graham McTavish, Malik Bazille, Ricardo McGill, Gabe Rosado, Wood Harris, Buddy Osborn, Rupal Pujara

Description: The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.

Review: Sylvester Stallone turned 70 in 2016. The actor has a great career, but mostly two characters define it: John Rambo and Rocky Balboa. And that last character he reprises in the sequel/ spin-off “Creed”.
Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed. Boxing rival and friend of Rocky. Adonis never knew his father, because he died before he was born. As a teenager, Adonis goes in and out of foster homes and prison. Apollo’s wife looks him up and decides to take him in. Although Adonis has a good job and just made a promotion, he is not happy there. He quits his job to become a boxer, like his father. He travels to Philadelphia to visit Rocky Balboa and asks him to train him.
“Creed” is directed and also partly written by Ryan Coogler, who worked with Jordan on “Fruitvale Station”. Coogler has to work hard to convince the viewers, because many scenes might remind you of other Rocky films or might feel cliché. But there are more layers and there is more to this film than meets the eye.
The challenging fights are what make this movie excel. The ring fights are shot perfectly and have some dramatic twists. Michael B. Jordan is really good in his role. And Stallone shines, in the role he was always meant to play.
“Creed” is a fantastic film, that grabs you and captivates.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 158: The Maginificent Seven

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Genre: Action/ Western/ Adventure
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Etha Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, Byung-Hun Lee, Manuel Garcia Rulfo, Martin Sendmeier, Haley Bennett, Peter Sarsgaard, Matt Bomer

Description: Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.

Review: Remakes are dangerous and most often I don’t like them. The original “The Magnificent Seven” is one of my favorite classic westerns. This remake has a double risk. The original by John Sturgess was already a retelling of the legenday “Seven Samurai”, translated to a western. Director Antoine Fuqua doesn’t only have to fight the popularity of the 1960 film, but also has to refresh the well-known story. Luckily for us, “The Magnificent Seven” is not a bad remake.
Fuqua takes his time with the introduction and really focusses on the charisma of Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke. All three are convincing. Washington as the calm bad-ass, Hawke as tence sharp shooter and Pratt as a cowboy with a sense of honor.
The violent opening sets a certain tone, but then “The Magnificent Seven” turns into a more standard western. Lots of action, pretty shots of landscapes and a big dose of testosterone. For the genre it’s good, but it never reaches the same level as the original.
The final battle of the movie is action packed and it’s one giant spectacle. Beautifully shot.
“The Magnificent Seven” is a good film when you think of it as an original film. When you compare it to the original, it’s better than average. Very entertaining and a good cast.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 157: Black Christmas

Director: Glen Morgan
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 84 minutes
Year: 2006
Starring: Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Andrea Martin, Oliver Hudson, Kristen Cloke, Crystal Lowe, Karin Konoval, Dean Friss, Robert Mann, Jessica Harmon, Leela Savasta, Kathleen Kole, Cainan Wiebe

Description: An escaped maniac returns to his childhood home on Christmas Eve, which is now a sorority house, and begins to murder the sorority sisters one by one.

Review: When he was younger, Billy killed his family. Now he is improisoned and tries to escape every year around Christmas. His goal is to return to his childhood home and celebrate Christmas there. He never managed to escape, until this Christmas. The house Billy used to live, now belongs to a sorority. The girls celebrate Christmas there, when all of a sudden they receive strange phone calls. From Billy, who warns the students he is going to kill them.
“Black Christmas” is a remake of the 1974 horror classic. The runtime of this film is short, which is perfect for a film like this. The story starts immediately and the tempo is high. But this also has a down side. The characters are very one dimensional, even the killer. You really don’t care who lives or dies, in fact almost every girl in this sorority house is unlikeable. And when they die, they die in the same way. No originality there.
“Black Christmas” is a disposable and forgettable horror flick.

Rating: 1,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 156: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Director: David Yates
Genre: Adventure/ Fantasy/ Family
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alison Sudol, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Zoë Kravitz, Johnny Depp, Ron Perlman, Samantha Marton, Jon Voight, Dan Fogler

Description: The adventures of writer Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in New York's secret community of witches and wizards seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book in school.

Review: When “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” was released, it was the end of an era for Harry Potter fans. The last film about the adventures of wizard Harry Potter. But writer J.K. Rowling wasn’t done with the wizarding world either. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a spin-off and she wrote the script for the movie herself. And thank goodness the magic is still alive.
It’s supposed to be a complete new franchise, with five movies in total. And I couldn’t be more excited! We meet Newt Scamander, a zoologist who studies mysterious fable creatures and keeps them in a magical suitcase. He travels to New York, but his animals manage to escape. The story is set seventy years before Harry Potter is even born.
Eddie Redmayne is really good as Newt Scamander. It’s like Redmayne always belonged in this universe, he fits perfectly. He is charming yet very unworldly. I also really liked Dan Fogler as Kowalski, a Muggle. He is the comic relief and he is sort of represents the audience. The one Newt explains everything to. Colin Farrell is the villain, sort of, and he is strong in his role as well.
With traveling outside the UK, the story has created room for many new characters, decors and situations. Wizarding is different in America. Muggles, called No-Maj, aren’t allowed to interact with wizards. But Rowling also connects the parallel tot he real world, to discuss themes as apartheid, oppression and intolerance. This gives the spin-off an extra layer.
But the amazement is what I love about the film. All the great fairytale like creatures we get to meet, like the Niffler, Pickett the walking stick animal and Frank, an eagle like bird.
Also the décor and costumes are fantastic, combined with an amazing musical score by James Newton Howard. Director David Yates, who directed the Harry Potter films since “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoeniex”, knows his material and again did a great job bringing this magical world to life.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 155: Taking Woodstock

Director: Ang Lee
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Liev Schreiber, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Dan Fogler, Imelda Staunton, Eugene Levy, Henry Goodman, Jonathan Groff, Mamie Gummer, Kevin Sussman, Skylar Astin, Demetri Martin

Description: A man (Demetri Martin)) working at his parents' motel in the Catskills inadvertently sets in motion the generation-defining concert in the summer of 1969.

Review: Director Ang Lee decided to work with a lighter theme this time, after movies like “Brokeback Mountain” and “Lust, Caution”. “Taking Woodstock” it the end result.
A film with the word Woodstock in the title, will give the audience certain expectations. The rock festival will always be legendary and is seen as a turning point in world history. Ang Lee focusses on the organization of the concert, more than the event itself. The film is based on the memoires of Elliot Tiber, a man that accidentally became important in that organization. Elliot works at his parent’s hotel, that is having trouble. No tourists and his parents don’t see the seriousness of the problem. Elliot sees an opportunity when a city nearby is organizing a concert, but its permit is declined. He arranges a permit himself and shows the terrain. But more people are interested in coming to the concert than Elliot would have ever imagined.
“Taking Woodstock” was criticized, because the movie didn’t show anything from the concert itself. And I kind of see where it’s coming from. I know it wasn’t Lee’s intention to reconstruct the concert, but in a movie about Woodstock they could have given us a little bit of the music. Lee focusses more on the feeling that the concert gave the many visitors and how lots of young people became adults during this festival. Elliot has a tough relationship with his parents and is clearly struggling with his sexuality. Woodstock is a turning point for him.
The movie could easily fall into cliché. Elliot’s development isn’t as present, because it’s alternated with eccentric supporting characters, like Vietnam veteran Billy, the transsexual Vilma, but also the chaos that Woodstock causes.
Like many others, I expected to see more of Woodstock itself. This makes it a little disappointing. But overall, “Taking Woodstock” is a pretty fun film.

Rating: 3/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (November 2016)

I watched some really good films this month, but many mediocre ones as well. Mostly some newer films, not a lot of classics Here is my list of November.

5. The Girl On the Train
Despite all the negative reviews, I still think it’s a very strong thriller. Because of the story and the solid acting, “The Girl On the Train” isn’t your average thriller. The fact that people went into this movie thinking it was the next “Gone Girl” was this films downfall. It is a good film.

4. The Walk
I didn’t really expect it to be this good. Especially that last half hour kept me on the edge of my seat. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is fab!

3. Hell or High Water
A 2016 film that pretty much flew under the radar. I wish more people would see it, because it’s so beautiful. And well performed by Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges and Ben Foster.

2. Beasts of No Nation
An intense drama, touching and grabbing. Idris Elba, whom I’m a fan of, is fantastic in “Beasts of No Nation”. Great film.

1. Arrival
This movie met my expectations and was absolutely phenomenal. I love how they focused on the language aspect and Villeneuve went so in depth. Amy Adams was brilliant and “Arrival” is one of the best of 2016.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Goosebumps, Patriot Games, Schone Handen, Citizen Kane, Cache, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Doctor Strange

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 154: Doctor Strange

Director: Scott Derrickson
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McADams, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins

Description: A former neurosurgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) embarks on a journey of healing only to be drawn into the world of the mystic arts.

Review: We all know Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor and the X-Men. They are all famous Marvel heroes. But there are also superheroes that are a bit more mysterious and unknown. Movies like “Guardians of the Galaxy”, “Deadpool” and “Ant-Man” proved to be a success by telling the tale behind the lesser known Marvel heroes. “Doctor Strange” is also one of the films, about apparently one of the oldest heroes Marvel has created. Stephen Strange is a neurosurgeon who gets into a terrible car accidents. He is not able to use his hands properly anymore, so he takes on a journey into the world of the mystic arts.
“Doctor Strange” features a lot of dark magic and parallel realities. For the movie there needed to be a lot of action to express the powers of the character. We meet a somewhat arrogant Stephen Strange, a cynical doctor that is the best in his profession. He has a big, luxury appartement and the ladies like him. But Strange is also a distant man, almost irritatingly stubborn. When Strange wakes up after a car accident, his hands are completely fractured and he knows he will never hold a scalpel. Strange does want to find a way to heal and goes to the Kathmandu. There he meets ‘The Ancient One’. She teaches him to use his mind in many different ways.
Benedict Cumberbatch is really good in his role. He adds some scepsism and sarcasm to his role. The interaction between Cumberbatch and Rachel McAdams is fun to see.
The décor of the film is fantastic, which sometimes remind you of “Inception”. The action is good as well. It can get a little busy at some points, but it looks stunning.
Doctor Strange is a tough character. He is physically not as strong as some other superheroes, so it will not speak to everyone. What he can do with his powers, needs to be explained.
“Doctor Strange” is a good Marvel film, but probably won’t make my favorites list.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 153: The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Director: Ken Loach
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Liam Cunningham, Pádraic Delaney

Description: Against the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence, two brothers fight a guerrilla war against British forces.

Review: Director Ken Loach is a master in telling intimide stories. Heavy, personal themes. In “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” is tells the story of one of the most important chapter in Ireland’s history.
Loach manages to create a negative image of the fight against British occupants, with a constant threatening atmosphere. There is no peace and the heroism of the Irish men is never heroic, because the price the pay is high. Although Loach focusses on the Irish side of the story and the English are a one-dimensional evil people, he never chooses a side. It isn’t an anti-British film.

Rating: 4/ 5