10s Movie Review - Mute

Director: Duncan Jones
Genre: Mystery/ Science Fiction/ Thriller
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux

Description: A mute bartender (Alexander Skarsgård) goes up against his city’s gangster in an effort to find out what happened to his missing partner

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 6: A FILM WITH PAUL RUDD
 
Review: Berlin, sometime in the future. Bartender Leo, mute since and accident in his youth, and waitress Naadirah make a nice couple. That ha can’t talk and had rather old-fashioned Amish ideas, she actually likes. But Naadirah has a secret, and before she can tell Leo, she disappears without a trace. Leo goes looking for her, and stumbles upon some remarkable surgeons.

This film immediately reminded me of “Blade Runner” in setting and style, but also a bit of “John Wick”. It’s an interesting blend of film noir and science fiction. The film suffers from a somewhat messy script, but does succeed in having a good final twists. A fairly unknown movie, that I feel is worth watching.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - Hold the Dark

Director: Jeremy Saulnier

Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 125 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgård, James Badge Dale, Riley Keough

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 51: A MOVIE SET IN WINTER

Description: After the deaths of three children suspected ro be killed by wolves, writer Russell Core (Jeffrey Wright) is hired by the mother (Riley Keough) of a missing six-year-old boy to trach down and locate her son in the Alaskan wilderness.

Review: In chilly and icy Alaska, director Jeremy Saulnier finds a background that makes his characters unpredictable. So when Russell Core, a wolf expert, arrives there to assist a mother whose son was taken by wolves, he doesn’t realize what he’s getting into. A loose soldier, a trigger-happy Indian and a mother whose isolation seems to transform her into some kind of wandering demon are not immediately pleasant company, however. The quiet Core fortunately finds an ally in the stable sheriff, but both soon prove defenseless. The darkness, the snow, the wolves and the void prove maddening and relentless.
 
The plot is draped around the atmospheric location and therefore just flutters. For example, the mother character is not particularly strong developed even though her actions should function as the story’s starting point. “Hold the Dark’’ seeks to reflect on the state of the human spirit in an environment that seems to be consumed by time and nature, but the attention quickly turns to be dormant tension and gory actions for lack of depth, giving this movie the allure of an action thriller rather than a haunting psychological drama.
 
“Hold the Dark” holds the attention, though you’re not sure what you’re looking at. The cleverly staged narrative takes shape in thoughtful compositions of light and shadow, in which actions are unpredictable. But it’s the action packed moments that stick with you more than the understated psyche. Promising, yet not quite successful.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - The Northman

Director: Robert Eggers
Genre: Drama/ Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 137 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Claes Bang, Willem Dafoe
 
Description: Young Viking prince Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) is on a quest to avenge his father’s (Ethan Hawke) murder)

Review: At an early age, the Viking prince Amleth witnesses a dramatic event: his father, King Aurvandil, is brutally murdered by Uncle Fjölnir. Crying and enraged at the same time, Amleth flees across the sea in a rowboat. And he has one goal: avenge his father by killing Fjölnir.

So begins “The Northman”, an unprecedentedly brutal revenge epic by director Robert Eggers. The American director and screenwriter previously made the arthouse gems “The Withc” and “The Lighthouse”, both movies I loved. And what was true for those film, is also true for “The Northman”: it’s not a movie for everyone and it’s not for the faint of heart.

“The Northman” has become, in every fiver, a faithful Eggers film, in which folklore, occultism, bloodshed, and other unmitigated horror merge like iron in a furnace of fire. The story is fairly straightforward and has its origins in exactly the same source as William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: the Scandinavian legend “Amleth of Jutland”. But there are also echoes of movies like “Gladiator” and “Conan: The Barbarian”.

Alexander Skarsgård plays the main character Amleth and is clearly in his element here. Amleth’s quest for revenge begins at one point to take on such grotesque proportions that you gradually begin to wonder whether his mission is still justified. This is a very clever achievement, because judging from the king’s murder scene you would say: yes, of course. But it’s not quite as simple as that in the end in “The Northman”, as perspectives can be blurred. Nicole Kidman is the other actor to watch in this film. She plays Amleth’s mother and she is wicked! There is especially one scene that she was so good in, I was watching it with my jaw dropping to the floor. Such a strong performance.

So far, 2022 isn’t the best movie year. And I will be giving “The Northman” the first perfect rating of the year. This will definitely be on my favorites list at the end of the year. And even if it’s not your cup of tea, “The Northman” will be seen as one of the best films of 2022 by critics, and I totally agree.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Godzilla Vs. Kong

Director: Adam Wingard
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Bryan Tyree Henry, Julian Denison, Kyle Chandler, Demián Bichir, Lance Reddick

Description: The two most powerful titans are opposite of each other: the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong.

Review: When the giant ape Kong is deployed to find a mysterious energy source, his presence attracts the attention of Godzilla. It’s only a matter of time before these two titans go into battle with each other.
“Godzilla Vs Kong” is a movie I’ve been looking forward to ever since I heard it was in the making. And what a treat it is to see it in theaters, after them being closed for so long.
After “Godzilla” (2014), “Kong: Skull Island” (2017) and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019), we have now arrived at “Godzilla Vs Kong. It is not the first time the two iconic monsters meet but today the level is higher. And the result is breathtaking. As in the previous Monsterverse films, the makers have a good eye for detail, scale and action, keeping the way these gigantic creatures move not only believable, but spectacular.
Like its predecessors, this film has little time for the human characters. They aren’t provided with a lot of depth. But the majority of them do serve a purpose in the movie. Especially the little deaf girl Jia, who has a special bond with Kong. This is the heart of the story and the scenes between them are heartwarming. And they are in the film just the right amount, because when you go to see “Godzilla Vs King” you want to see some monster action, epic fights and spectacular battles. And that’s exactly what you get. Depth of characters isn’t needed at all, because you hardly care about the people in the film. But, as I stated before, they have a purpose in the story.  
I wouldn’t have mind if the film was a bit longer. But “Godzilla Vs Kong” did end perfectly in my eyes. Without spoiling anything, they gave both monsters a good ending of this story with it being believable if they were real.
I was so glad that I got the chance to see it on the big screen, because this is a movie you should see in theaters. The movie didn’t disappoint and it was pure entertainment with fantastic visuals.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Long Shot

Director: Jonathan Levine
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, O’Shea Jackson Jr., June Diane Raphael, Ravi Patel, Bob Odenkirk, Andy Serkis, Randall Park, Lisa Kudrow, Alexander Skarsgård

Description: Journalist Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) reunites with his childhood crush, Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron), now one of the most influential women in the world. As she prepares to make a run for the Presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter and sparks fly.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 38: A POLITICAL MOVIE

Review: Opposites attract. A given for many romantic comedies. But when the chemistry is bad, it doesn’t work. Luckily for us, the very different Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen work super well together. A very unlikely duo in a very different kind of romcom.
First, the contrast: Rogen plays the cheeky investigative journalist Fred Flarsky. He refuses to work for a money-hungry media tycoon and quits his job. Theron is Secretary of State Charlotte, very ambitious and wants to run for President. The two know each other from their childhood. When their paths cross at a party, Fred manages to make an unforgettable impression on Charlotte. Because she has to work on her sense of humor, she hires Fred to write her speeches.
Although there is a high degree of predictability present, it doesn’t bother here. Because director Jonathan Levine invests in his characters, their attraction, journeys and setbacks. Which makes “Long Shot” not one of those disposable romcoms, but one with actual depth and dimensional characters. With that, the predictability is easy to forgive.
“Long Shot” also constantly keeps balance. Fred and Charlotte go through palpable emotions and doubts. The supporting characters are simply their for support, they never try to outshine the main characters, they aren’t annoying and are above all functional for the story.
The ending might be a tad to sweet, but overall “Long Shot” is a great romcom set with a political background and two leads that work better together then you might expect. I also love the fact that there is a strong moral compass here: fight for what you love, no matter what the majority thinks. A good, strong comedy.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

TV Show Review - Big Little Lies (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 7
Year: 2019
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Adam Scott, Alexander Skarsgård, James Tupper

Description: After the death of Perry, the five women involved are all dealing with it in their own way. And new problems form for each of them.

Review: What can you say about an unnecessary second season to a good show, that got so many nominations and prizes. How can I explain to you that the second season of “Big Little Lies” didn’t need to happen, but was so good that it really doesn’t matter. The second season is really good and Meryl Streep steals the show.
Streep does everything well, as Celeste’s mother-in-law, with her snappy returns and sharp one-liners. Her Mary Louise Wright has a sad background and this reflects on her and the people around her. The mother of the deceased Perry moves in with Celeste, to help her with the twins. But she is actually there to find out what really happened to Perry. And when she finds out about Ziggy, who is also Perry’s son, Mary Louise doesn’t go easy on Jane either.
It’s off course not just Streep, the rest of the cast is sublime as well. The storylines are good, as are the scripts and the direction. Bonnie is going through an emotional rollercoaster, Renata has to deal with bankruptcy and Madeline and Ed are facing a rough patch. But what this season is mostly about is dealing with loss, the past, the present and pain.
The first season was good and it ended well. It was good the way it was, so it didn’t need a second season. But now I am very happy that there is a second season, because it’s such a joy to watch all those strong actresses perform at their very best.
The ending could suggest a third season, but that is very unlikely.

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 97: The Legend of Tarzan

Director: David Yates
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Djimon Hounsou

Description: Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård), having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.

Review: “The Legend of Tarzan” is the newest film directed by David Yates, whom we mostly know for his “Harry Potter” films. This is the first film since and before he returns to the wizard world with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. Can Yates make this other book series into a success? Personally, I wasn’t very excited about this film.
Leon Rom works for the Belgian king Leopold. In his name he is send to Africa to find valuable diamonds. Unfortunately for Rom, Mbonga, the leader of an African tribe isn’t, planning on handing these diamonds over to him. Mbonga does want to make a deal: when Rom can deliver him Tarzan, he is willing to give the diamons to him.
“The Legend of Tarzan” isn’t an origian story. We meet Tarzan when he has already left the jungle and leads a life in England as John Clayton, with his wife Jane. Under false pretenses, the couple is lured to Africa. They immediately fall into the trap of Rom, where Jane is abdicted and Tarzan has to save her.
There have been many movies about Tarzan, even a Disney film and a couple of tv shows. But in 2016 Africa isn’t as mysterious as it was a hundred years ago, when these stories were released. This somewhat old fashioned story of a man between wild animals, will it still speak to the audience? Yates tried to add a little more depth to the script, themes like slavery, colonization and racism. A brave try to make Tarzan a bit more political correct.
Although they tried to add more depth, “The Legend of Tarzan” is still a basic story about a damsell in distress waiting fort he hero toe save her. And although the action scenes are spectacular, there is only a handful of action sequences and it’s nothing that we haven’t seen before.
Alexander Skarsgård has the looks fort he role, but is missing the charisma to convince me. His cool, distant behaviour fit him perfectly as vampire in “True Blood”, but not so much as Tarzan. Margot Robbie gave her character a little bit more spice, but her role is a bit thankless. She can do more then this. Christoph Waltz plays the villain, but he is doing a routine job. Samuel L. Jackson is the best part of the film, although he only has the role of the sidekick.
“The Legend of Tarzan” isn’t a terrible film. The film starts off slow, but eventually does have some entertaining elements and is sometimes even funny. It’s a straight forward adventure film, a light film that won’t stay with you for very long. Overall “The Legend of Tarzan” is okay, but nothing special.

Rating: 2,5/ 5