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 - # 141: Beasts of No Nation

Director: Cary Fukunaga
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Idris Elba, Abraham Attuh, Ama K. Abebrese, Opeyemi Fagbohunge, Richard Pepple

Description: A drama based on the experiences of Agu (Abraham Attuh), a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country.

Review: “Beast of No Nation” is the first original drama film for Netflix. And it’s a big gamble. It isn’t just a serious arthouse film, but also an expensive production with risky shots. And the cast is relatively unknown. But the talented director Cary Fukunaga, known for the first season of “True Detective” and the movie “Jane Eyre”, is someone you can trust with a project like this.
“Beasts of No Nation” opens in an unknown African country. There is a civil war going on, rebels are fighting the government. The country has safe zones, like the village of leading character Agu. He hardly notices anything of the war going on. But that safe feeling ends. The rebels are getting closer and there is decided to evacuate women and children. In all the chaos, Agu is left behind with his father and brother. The government troops mistake Agu and his family for rebels and his father and brother are killed. Agu manages to escape, but ends up in the hands of the rebels. There Agu is trained to be a soldier.
The main theme is the dehumanization of child soldiers. It appears that there are still almost a half million child soldiers on our planet, which makes this film topical. The film is focusing on one boy going through the process of becoming a child soldier.
Agu is played by Abraham Attah. He manages to touch us and projects his emotions very well. But Idris Elba, who plays Commandant, is phenomenal. He is scary in his presence, but he is also a man you will understand and respect. Elba created a fascinating character.
Netflix made a great choice to make “Beasts of No Nation”. The film shows the horrors of war and the sad truth about child soldiers. The result is impressive.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (210)

Here are this weeks trailers.

 

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Description: A continuation of the saga created by George Lucas set thirty years after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).

Director: J.J. Abrams

Starring: Harisson Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis, Adam Driver, Max von Sydow, Warwick Davis, Lupita Nyongo'o

Trailer: Trailer "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens"

Comment: This was the one everyone was talking about this week!

Jane Got a Gun

Description: A woman (Natalie Portman) asks her ex-lover (Joel Edgerton) for help in order to save her outlaw husband (Noah Emmerich) from a gang out to kill him.

Director: Gavin O'Connor

Starring: Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Rodrigo Santoro, Noah Emmerich, Boyd Holbrook, Joel Edgerton

Trailer: Trailer "Jane Got a Gun"

Comment: Bad ass Portman.

Life

Description: A photographer for Life Magazine is assigned to shoot pictures of James Dean.

Director: Anton Corbijn

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Dane DeHaan, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley, Peter Lucas, Lauren Gallagher

Trailer: Trailer "Life"

Comment: Dane DeHaan actually looks a lot like James Dean here.

Joy

Description: Joy is the story of a family across four generations and the woman who rises to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty.

Director: David O. Russell

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rosselini, Édgar Ramirex, Diane Ladd, Elisabeth Röhm

Trailer: Trailer "Joy"

Comment: The new trailer looks even better, want to see this!

Beasts of No Nation

Description: A drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country.

Director: Cary Fukunaga

Starring: Idris Elba, Abraham Atta

Trailer: Trailer "Beasts of No Nation"

Comment: Not a new trailer, but I heard so much about this film lately. I really need to check it out.