00s Movie Review - Mission: Impossible 2

Director: John Woo
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2000
Starring: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Thandie Newton, Dougray Scott, Richard Roxburgh, Brendan Gleeson, Billy Baird

Description: IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is sent to Sydney to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called “Chimera”.

Review: Ethan Hunt returns, and is now called to Sydney to find and destroy a dangerous disease called Chimera.

Before starting my rewatch of all the movies in the “Mission: Impossble” franchise, I did remember that the second installment wasn’t the best. But now that I’ve seen it again after so many years, I realize it’s actually pretty bad. It’s just shamelessly action-packed, yet still taking itself seriously, when it’s actually a bit ridiculous. And I now most of the films in this franchise are filled with action and are pure popcorn films, but they do have substance. “Mission: Impossible 2” feels so different from the rest for some reason.

The story isn’t well written. The acting is pretty bad, I hated the villain. Dougray Scott is not convincing as a bad guy and I never took him seriously. Thandie Newton who plays Nya Hall, the love interest/ ally of Ethan Hunt, although doing her best, is overly sexualized and I think she could have been more this movie then just the pretty woman functioning as the decoy.

I did like the soundtrack, that was definitely in my wheel house. With lots of ripping guitars.
Long story short, this is the odd one out in the “Mission: Impossible” series. And I did not like it.

Rating: 2/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Village

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2004
Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Brendan Gleeson, Sherry Jones, Adrien Brody, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Pitt, Judy Greer

Description: A series of evens tests the beliefs of a small isolated countryside village.

Review: If you think of director M. Nigh Shyamalan’s best movies, you think of “The Sixth Sense”, “Unbreakable” and “Signs”. “Split” and “The Visit” will also come to mind. Usually “The Village” is not on that list. And I will not say it’s my favorite, but I certainly believe it’s much better than most people claim it is and feel it’s a bit underrated.

The film is set in an isolated village, with a close community of people that live a sober yet happy life. When dark things start happening, the villagers are made to believe it’s the inhabitants of the forest that are warning them to keep out. But the truth is hidden.

The film is never scary, but there is a lot of suspense that you constantly feel. You know something is wrong, just not yet what that is.

The film has a star-studded cast and Bryce Dallas Howard plays the main female character. She is really good and I loved her in this film. The ending/ twist is something most people don’t really like, but I personally always liked the twist of the film.

I think this movie deserves a little mote love then it’s getting. It’s absolutely not a bad movie. It’s slow and doesn’t rely on scares, but has a lot of atmosphere and a very good premise. With a surprising twist, that I just happened to like.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

 

 

 

00s Movie Review - Gangs of New York

Director: Martin Scorsese
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, John C. Reilly, Stephen Graham, Henry Thomas, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Jim Broadbent, Eddie Marsan

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 49: A MOVIE WITH AND ACTOR/ ACTRESS YOU DISLIKE
 
Description: In 1962, Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) returns to the Five Points area of New York City seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis), his father’s killer.

Review: In “Gangs of New York”, director Martin Scorsese resents his cynical vision of the extremely bloody gang wars that plagued Manhattan in the mid-nineteenth century.

The film opens with a bloody battle in the Five Points area, where Irish immigrants clash with the American-born Nativists, led by the ruthless William cutting, knows as Bill the Butcher.
Sixteen years later, the son of the murdered Irish gang leader, returns to the neighborhood. Unfortunately, this characters, Amsterdam Vallon, doesn’t quite come into his own, but there is no doubt about his revenge against Bill the Butcher. This is one of those stories where you kind of side with the villain, because his character is way more interesting and fleshed out, not because he’s more likeable. And that is largely thanks to Daniel Day-Lewis, who portrays this ruthless gang leader as a charismatic psychopath. He created an instant classic movie villain. He steals the entire movie and makes Leonardo DiCaprio completely fade into the background. Not to speak of Cameron Diaz, who in my eyes was miscast. And I believe that they could have left her character out completely, she adds nothing to the story and you don’t care about her.

But “Gangs of New York” has more to offer than Day-Lewis’ monumental acting. Above all, the film fascinates with the almost maniacal detail with which the Manhattan of 1862 was reconstructed. The film looks stunning. We are plunged into an anarchic society. Scorsese has already showed us at length that Manhattan was nothing less than hell on earth in previous movies, but he has just mentioned that existence there in the nineteenth century was many times more miserable.

In Taxi Driver and Bringing out the dead, Scorsese had already shown us at length that Manhattan was nothing less than hell on earth. He had just never mentioned that existence there in the nineteenth century was many times more miserable.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Albert Nobbs

Director: Rodrigo García
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Brendan Gleeson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

I WATCHED THIS FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 12: A MOVIE FILMED IN A PLACE YOU VISITED
 
Description: Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close) struggles to survive in late 19^th-century Ireland, where women aren’t encouraged to be independent. Posing as a man so she can work as a butler in Dublin’s most elegant hotel, Albert meets a handsome painter and looks to escape the lie she has been living.

Review: Nineteen-century Ireland was a poor and sad country. The difference between the poorest and richest was enormous and many people, especially single women, lived a poverty-stricken life. One way for a single woman to live an independent life was to dress up as a man. And that is exactly what Albert Nobbs did. Albert had been working as a butler in various hotels since she was 14. With her breasts strapped tightly under a corset, she serves guests in the hotel like a true gentleman. Her secret keeps her from forming friendships and relationships, yet deep inside she years to live a normal life. Preferably with a partner.

In 1982, Glenn Close already starred in a play based on the short story “The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs”, and it has always remained a part of her.

The film starts with no introduction. The task for the viewer is to observe how the main characters in the film are served. We see Albert’s averted gaze, the appreciation the guest have for him and the staff’s fear of making mistakes. “Albert Nobbs” leans mostly on details and on Glenn Close. She did a wonderful job portraying Albert.

But even though the performance by Close is memorable, “Albert Nobbs” itself isn’t. The plot itself doesn’t manage to captivate as strongly as the protagonist. As a result, feelings of emptiness and loneliness prevail once the credits roll.

Rating: 3 / 5

Movie Review - The Banshees of Inisherin

Director: Martin McDonagh
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan
 
Description: Two lifelong friends (Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson) find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.

Review: If there is one movie you need to put on you viewing list this year, let it be “The Banshees of Inisherin”. For me, the pairing of director Martin McDonagh and his two leads Colin Farrel and Brendan Gleeson, was enough reason for me to check it out. This trio teams up a second time after “In Bruges”, which is one of my all-time favorite movies. Although they once again provide a top shelf film, “The Banshees of Inisherin” has become a very different movie.

The story is set in 1923 during the Irish Civil War. most Irish people wonder with great anxiety what the future will rbing them, except for Pádriac who lives on the fictional island Inisherin. Like his sister Siobhan who is known in the village as an old spinster, he is content with what he has. Pádriac spends almost all his time with his animals and his best friend Colm, with whom he spends numerous hours in the local pub. It is a friendship that the Irishman suspects will never end, until one day Colm announces that from now on he want to devote his life to more meaningful conversations and composing music. In that new life, there is no place for Pádriac.

A parable about friendship that shows above all its fragility. It’s a very special kind of film you rarely see. McDonagh returns to his British-Irish roots after the downright fantastic “Thee Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri” (also a favorite of mine), and tells an intriguing, deeply human story about mortals for whom the world is no bigger than their village.

“The Banshees of Inisherin” is a cinematic gem not to be missed. The wonderfully beautiful film is touchingly funny, the cast is outstanding. Colin Farrell gets better with age and the role of Colm is right up Brendan Gleeson’s alley. Although the year has only just begun, it seems that with this title, I already have a candidate for my favorite film of 2023.

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Assassin's Creed

Director: Justin Kurzel
Genre: Fantasy/ Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling, Michael Kenneth Wiliams

Description: Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha and gains the skills of a Maser Assassin, before taking on the secret Templar society.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 46: A MOVIE BASED ON A VIDEOGAME
 
Review: Movies based on videogames aren’t really successful, with a few exceptions of course. This time, it’s “Assassin’s Creed”. The film has an incredible cast and it looks amazing. But its execution is a soulless misinterpretation of the game, that might even be on the list of worse videogame adaptations ever made.

The real potential of “Assassin’s Creed” lies in three unique elements, all of which were butchered. First, “Assassin’s Creed” belongs to the sci-di genre, but this is extremely poorly utilized. The basic elements are still accurate: Abstergo is a secretive company that kidnaps people from certain bloodlines, such as Callum Lynch, to put them in the so-called Animus. An imaginative device that finds in DNA the genetic memories of one’s ancestors, and creates a holodeck-like simulation in which history can be experienced. In the game, these simulations show a fine collision between history and technology. In the film Callum has zero influence on the simulation. He simply undergoes the story as Aguilar.

Second, the relationship between Callum Lynch and his ancestor Aguilar. The game always works with two storylines, where the Animus driver and ancestor are quite different but gradually grow together. This “synchronization” is hardly named in the film. It also never plays with themes of reality or identity. The scenes in medieval Spain are simply three long flashbacks that serve only as action scenes or plot vehicles.

Finally, the mysterious story is told with the subtlety of a children’s series. For example, the film opens with a piece of text, leaving nothing in the dark. Where the mystery slowly unveils in the game series, there is hardly any subtlety present in the film.

They put so much effort in the visuals of the film, but totally ignored the essence of the game’s story. And also completely wasted the talented cast that they had. I’m not a big games, but I don’t believe fans of this game like it. I just know this movie sucked.

Rating: 2/ 5
 

00s Movie Review - In Bruges

Director: Martin McDonagh
Genre: Comedy/ Crime/ Action
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, Clémence Poésy, Thekla Reuten

Description: Guilt-stricken after a job gone wrong, hitman Ray (Colin Farrell) and his partner (Brendan Gleeson) await orders from their ruthless boss (Ralph Fiennes) in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be.

Review: The movie starts confusing. A hit gone wrong, we overhear a phone conversation, the person in question has to hide in Bruges. We hear an Irish accents, IRA maybe? What kind of movies is it going to be? And medieval Bruges doesn’t look like the setting for a gangster movie. Then the dialogue between leading characters Ray and Ken starts. Like Vincent and Jules from “Pulp Fiction” they talk a lot and nothing seems to happen. Until Ray meets a girl and Ken gets a phone call from their boss Harry.
In the story that follows, the pieces of the puzzle fall in its place. Why they are in Bruges, what happened and what is going to happen. That build-up at the start seems perfect now, because we understand the characters and their motives. The way to the climax is long and the characters are important for the decisions they will make.
That’s how you build the tension and this is how a movie’s credibility stays up. Martin McDonagh, who directs but also wrote the script, takes us on a winding road. The power of the film is the well written script. But also the cast. Especially Colin Farrell is challenged, for doing something he isn’t used to doing. Farrell’s character is developed and has depth. His best role so far. And Ralph Fiennes is great as boss Harry. With his cockney accent he portrays one of the most hilarious villains, without ever getting ridiculous or forgetting that he is a serious villain.
It’s a special gangster film, on a wonderful location, great cast and a very well written script. It’s not a happy film, but there is enough humor to it. It’s a surprising, lively movie.

Rating: 5/ 5
 

10s Movie Review - Green Zone

Director: Paul Greengrass

Genre: Action

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan

Description: Discovering covert and faulty intelligence causes a U.S. Army officer (Matt Damon) to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region.

Review: It is 2003, the American have now invaded Iraq because Saddam Hussein is said to have weapons of mass destruction at his disposal. On of the teams that had to look for these weapons in Iraq is led by Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller. The government has obtained the locations of the weapons from a source secret to the outside world, which calls itself ‘Magellan’, However, when Miller’s team seems to miss the mark for several times, Miller begins to doubt the information. CIA agent Martin Brown shares Miller’s concerns, but high-raking government official Clark Pounstone stick with his informant. Miller decides to cooperate with Brown to get to the truth. Meanwhile, reporter Lawrie Dayne tries to find out Magellan’s identity.

The alleged presence of weapons of mass destruction; it was one of the main reasons why America invaded Iraq in 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s regime. “Green Zone”, based on the (non-fiction) book “Imperial Life in the Emerald City” by journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran, focuses on the search for these weapons. However, it is certainly not only about the search itself, but also about the conspiracy around it. Because in (the fictitious) “Green Zone” it soon turns out that things are dirty: the government bases the search on information from an invisible informant but nothing is found in any of the designated places. One of the people responsible for searching these locations is Chief Roy Miller, played by Matt Damon. When they yet again find nothing at the location they are searching, Miller starts distrusting the source and it’s up to him to get to the bottom of it all.

“Green Zone” is directed by Paul Greengrass, who also directed Matt Damon in “The Bourne Supremacy” and The Bourne Ultimatum”. Both strong films. “Green Zone” doesn’t reach that same level, but it’s still a skillfully made political action thriller. The film’s story is fictional, but contains elements that are based on the truth. The film is very realistic.

Rating: 3/ 5

00s Movie Review - 28 Days Later

Director: Danny Boyle
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns, Alex Palmer, Noah Huntley, Christopher Dunne, Emma Hitching, Alexander Delamere, Kim McGarrity

Description: Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.

Review: Jim wakes up, 28 days after an epidemic infection outbreak, in a hospital in London. When he leaves the hospital, he sees that the streets of London are abandoned, trash everywhere, cars and busses in the middle of the street. When he visits a church he is confronted with the aftermath. People with serious rage are coming after him. When he flees, Jim meets Mark and Selena. They tell Jim what really happened and the three join forces. When they visit Jim’s parents, who killed themselves, they decide to go out and find more survivors.
A lot of horror films don’t have the best script or story, but the movie is scary anyway. “28 Days Later’ doesn’t have an ingenious plot either, but it’s very well shot. The power is especially in the silences. Normally music and sound effects build up tension, but here it’s absolute silence. You have to focus on the dialogue, which makes you more involved with the characters. And the strong cast also helps making this movie as believable and convincing as it is. Unlike a lot of horror movies, this movie has characters with depth and you actually care about them. And the performance are also great.
This is a must for every horror fan, it’s definitely one of my favorite horror movies.

Rating: 5 / 5

00s Movie Review - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Director: Mike Newell
Genre: Adventure/ Family/ Fantasy
Runtime: 157 minutes
Year: 2005
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Timothy Spall, Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Robert Pattinson, Stanislav Ianevski, Clémence Poésy, Mark Williams, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Warwick Davis, David Tennant

Description: Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself mysteriously selected as an under-aged competitor in a dangerous tournament between three schools of magic.

Review: Harry Potter has been challenged before, but the challenges he has to face in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” are from an entire different caliber.
The fourth installment in the series is a big spectacle. We start at the Quidditch World Cup, but quickly go back to Hogwarts. There Dumbledore tells the student about the Triwizard Tournament. Three different schools, including Hogwarts, will have to face three challenges. Three champions are chosen, but the goblet of fire spits out one more name: Harry Potter. No one knows how his name got in the cup, because he isn’t allowed to participate. Harry has to compete.
Although the movie is a visual spectacle and there is a lot of action, the emotional development is minimal. This was an important film in the series, because of a certain character reveal. But “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” isn’t the most memorable of the bunch. And the movie is very long with its two and a half hours.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Paddington 2

Director: Paul King
Genre: Adventure/ Family/ Comedy/ Fantasy
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Ben Wishaw, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Imelda Staunton, Michael Gambon, Peter Capaldi, Hugh Grant, Brendan Gleeson, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent

Description: Paddington (Ben Wishaw), now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, only for the gift to be stolen.

Review: The British have a thing for bears, at least when it comes to children’s literature. Pooh, Rupert, SuperTed, Baloo. And they also have a special place for Paddington, with his signature red hat and blue coat. The first film, I liked very much. It was loveable and heartwarming. But “Paddington 2” I absolutely love and is even more loveable and heartwarming!!!
Paddington lives a happy life with the Brown family and puts a smile on all his neighbor’s faces. His wish is to find the perfect gift for his aunt Lucy, who lives in South America. Because aunt Lucy also dreams of a trip to London, Paddington finds an antique pop-up book about the British capitol. He gets a job to earn money to buy this gift.
If you don’t like this movie, you seriously suck! It’s only the British that can manage to add so much humor and warmth to a film like this. There is a good mix of adventure, tension, slapstick humor and tenderness. Even the extreme situation of Paddington going to jail, is brought to us with warmth and heart. Paddington is an example for us, he stays polite in every situation, without being annoying or sugar sweet.
Hugh Grant plays the villain in this second film. He is a egotistical, self-loving actor, who has his eyes on the same book as Paddington. But for other reasons. And Grant is really solid as the bad guy.
You don’t have to be a kid to love this film. “Paddington 2” puts an instant smile on your face. I love this film!

Rating: 5 / 5

10s Movie Review - In the Heart of the Sea

Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Drama
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Benjamin Walker, Tom Holland, Ben Wishaw, Brendan Gleeson, Michelle Fairley

Description: A recounting of a New England whaling ship's sinking by a giant whale in 1820, an experience that later inspired the great novel Moby-Dick.

Review: “In the Heart of the Sea” tells the true story of the Essex, a ship under attack of a giant sperm whale. The story inspired the literary classic “Moby Dick”. In this film, author Herman Melville is still looking for inspiration for his novel. He finds one of the survivors in a small village and asks for his story.
The film convinces at the start, with a very realistic setting and the 19th century pioneers who want to sail to the end of the world to collect whale oil. The adventure at sea looks amazing.
The story starts with George Pollard and Owen Chase. The two have to form a team while at sea. Chase is the most capable man to be captain, but Pollard gets it due to his family name. When they set sails, it is clear that Pollard isn’t a good leader.
The scenes with the whale are the best, but sadly there aren’t a lot of those. The whale isn’t present that much anyway. In the end, “In the Heart of the Sea” is more of a survival movie.
The film has a really strong start, but eventually misses depth and didn’t give me what I expected.

Rating: 3 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 52: Suffragette

Director: Sarah Gavron
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Ben Wishaw, Brendan Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Romola Garai, Meryl Streep

Description: The foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.

Review: In “Suffragette” we go back in time and see how the battle for equal rights for women began.
At the end of the nineteenth century, women in England wanted to be more than just the wife of a husband. They protested, but nothing happened. Men nodded their heads and hoped for this nonsense to pass. But instead of that, a group of women decided to take a different path. Their movement, the Suffragettes, did everything to get women to vote. In this story, Maud Watts joins the Suffragettes, because she wants to fight for the same right.
The film has some big names: Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson and a small part for Meryl Streep. But this movie belongs to Carey Mulligan. She plays Maud Watts and has to carry this film. And she can. She makes the film effective, touching and matter. It’s stories like this that make me appreciate what people did for human rights in world history.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 115: The Guard

Director: John Michael McDonagh

Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Comedy

Runtime: 96 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot, Mark Strong, Rory Keenan, Fionnula Flanagan, Dominique McElligott, Sarah Greene, Katarine Cas, Pat Shortt, Darren Healy, Laurence Kinlan, Gary Lydon, Ronan Collins, Dermot Healy, Dominick Hewitt, Sharon Kearney, Michael Og Lane, Conor Moloney, Giedrius Nagys, Mark O’Halloran, Wale Ojo, Eamonn Olwill, David Pearse, Gary Robinson, Owen Sharpe

Description: An unorthodox Irish policeman (Brendan Gleeson) with a confrontational personality is partnered with an up-tight F.B.I. agent (Don Cheadle) to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.

Review: Brendan Gleeson is a late bloomer. It wasn’t until he was 34 that he got his first movie role. For years Gleeson has been the supporting actor, with movies like “Braveheart”, “Michael Collins”, “Gangs of New York” and “Cold Mountain”. And he was also in the “Harry Potter” series. It was director Martin McDonagh that thought Gleeson could carry a film and he give him one of the leads in “In Bruges”. McDonagh’s brother John Michael McDonagh got Gleeson for “The Guard”, a crime comedy like no other.

Gleeson plays Gerry Boyle, a cop in western Ireland. Gerry has his own rules. He tries drugs that he finds at a crime scene, drinks beer while still on the clock and spends time with call girls. Whoever comments, can expect a sharp response. Gerry is not political correct and very unconventional. American FBI agent Wendell Everett, a role by Don Cheadle, has come to Ireland to solve a drug case. He has to work with Gerry. Two completely different men working together on a big case.

Brendan Gleeson does a great job portraying the rude Gerry. One crude remark after another, he seems like a real ass. But somehow Gleeson manages to give him some charm as well. We see that he can be caring, in his own way. He is a man that has toughened himself to hide his true vulnerability. Then there is Wendell, goodie two shoes living by the rules. The chemistry between Gleeson and Cheadle is good. Fun roles for Liam Cunnigham and Mark Strong, as the semi-philosophical drug criminals and Fionnula Flanagan as Gerry’s foulmouthed mother.

“The Guard” is especially strong because of its dialogue and acting. The sharp oneliners are so enjoyable, even if they are harsh, and Brendan Gleeson is so good. If you like dark comedies, with typical British humor and that are different and cynical, you should definitely watch “The Guard”.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 5: Green Zone

Director: Paul Greengrass

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Michael O’Neill, Khalid Abdalla, Antoni Corone, Yigal Naor, Sean Huze, Said Faraj, Martin McDougall, Lewis Alsamari

Description: Discovering covert and faulty intelligence causes U.S. Army officer Miller (Matt Damon) to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region.

Review: We follow Chief Warrant Officer Miller, an American officer who leads a team whose task is to track down weapon of mass destruction. The information the team has seems more and more unreliable.

Miller is a loyal soldier that was send into war for the wrong reasons. Based on his ideals he starts an investigations when he is asked to just do his job. Matt Damon manages to convince the viewers, even though he doesn’t have a lot to work with. To tell the story, the plot introduces a series of very well cast roles, that don’t get enough screen time. Journalist Lawrie Dayne is a sharp investigator, played by Amy Ryan. The same goes for Brendan Gleeson, who plays CIA agent Martin Brown. Oscar Isaacs, as marine Briggs, is seriously underused.

The source material of “Green Zone” has a political note, but director Greengrass made it into a limited drama with a talented cast and lots of action, with the potential to be a political intrigue story.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 158: Edge of Tomorrow

Director: Doug Liman

Genre: Action/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Noah Taylor, Brendan Gleeson, Jeremy Piven, Laura Pulver, Charlotte Riley, Jonas Armstrong, Madeleine Mantock, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Tony Way

Description: Military officer William Cage (Tom Cruise) is brought into an alien war against an extraterrestrial enemy who can reset the day and know the future. When Cage is enabled with the same power, he teams up with Special Forces warrior Rita (Emily Blunt) to try and end the war.

Review: Tom Cruise hasn’t done anything noteworthy for a while. His last success was “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” in 2011. But Cruise didn’t give up and he decided to work together with director Doug Liman. “Edge of Tomorrow” may sound like just another action/ science fiction blockbuster, but it isn’t. It’s an amazing movie experience.

In the not so far away future, an invasion of aliens cause a lot of trouble in the world. The untrained officer William Cage ends up right in the middle of it. He’s frightened and dies within five minutes in the field. But then he wakes up and relives that exact same day. Not just once, he stays within that day and keeps dying every single time. He meets soldier Rita, who starts to train him. Cage doesn’t only get stronger, but he gets closer to the solution. Together with Rita he is trying to beat the aliens.

Movie fans will see similarities with movies like “Groundhog Day” and “Source Code”, because there the lead character relives the same day over and over again. And the look of the soldiers and aliens might remind you of “Pacific Rim”. But Doug Liman creates a complete new end product with those ingredients. Whenever Cage lands on the beach, he has to die hundreds of times to make progress. Liman avoids dullness by keeping up the pace and showing us slightly different versions of that same day. And the movie is really easy to follow despite the unconventional way of storytelling.

Tom Cruise can finally be the actor again that we want him to be. He isn’t your standard action hero, because his character starts out as a real coward. He is afraid and rather flees than fights. Along the way he finds out he can’t run anymore and he has to face his fears. Emily Blunt really proofs that she can be a kick-ass action star, Blunt was wonderful in it.

I have to be honest, I was skeptical before I saw this. But I’m glad I was wrong, because “Edge of Tomorrow” is the Tom Cruise movie I have been waiting for. The script feels fresh, it has great action and is also surprisingly humoristic.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 119: The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Director: Peter Lord, Jeff Newitt

Genre: Animation/ Family/ Adventure

Runtime: 88 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton, Jeremy Piven, Salma Hayek, David Tennant, Brendan Gleeson

Description: Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) sets out on a mission to defeat his rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) for the Pirate of the year Award. The quest takes Captain and his crew from the shores of Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London.

Review: If you are a pirate or a scientist, eventually it’s all about the fame, the booty or the girl. At least, if we believe “The Pirates! Band of Misfits”. We see how a failed pirate tries to win the ‘Pirate of the Year Award’ and how Charles Darwin discovers a rare parrot.

“The Pirates! Band of Misfits” is a so-called Claymation, made by the companies Aardman and Sony. It gets an English touch because of the voice actors, the absurd humor and the atmospheric streets of 19th century London. The American touch is noticeable because of the movies moral and postmodern humor. Like a 19th century scientist playing around with a Rubik’s cube and funny remarks about the Academy Awards. With that the film is filled with physical jokes and word jokes.

The movie isn’t innovative, but it looks stunning. And “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” is a successful animation with a high entertainment level. That it never lives up to movies like “Chicken Run” and “Wallace and Grommit”, doesn’t matter. We weren’t expecting that.

Rating: 3/ 5