Movie Review - The Sheep Detectives

Director: Kyle Balda
Genre: Mystery/ Adventure/ Comedy
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Patrick Stewart, Emma Thompson, Nicholas Derry, Regina Hall, Bella Ramsey, Nicholas Galitzine, Brett Goldstein, Rhys Darby, Conleth Hill
 
Description: Every night shepherd George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.
 
Review: “The Sheep Detectives” is a surprisingly charming and inventive film that cleverly combines the classic whodunnit with humor and charm. The film is a must-see for fans of quirky mysteries and feel-good cinema. In short: it’s a whodunnit with sheep as the amateur sleuths, which sounds ridiculous but is absolutely fantastic.

When the beloved shepherd George Hardy dies under mysterious circumstances, his flock of sheep is left devastated. Every evening, George would read detective stories to his sheep. What he didn’t know was that the animals understood everything. Since the local police are completely off the mark, the sheep decide to take matters into their own hands. They set out to fins clues, interrogate the humans suspects in their own unique way, and prove themselves to be brilliant detectives.

Hugh Jackman shines in his simplicity. He appears mainly in flashbacks, but his warm and sympathetic performance serves as the film’s emotional anchor. The sincere bond between him and his flock gives the story and unexpected emotional depth.

The talking sheep steal the show. With voices provided by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston and many others, each sheep is given a unique personality. The humor shifts effortlessly from visual slapstick for younger viewers to sharp, witty dialogue for adults.

The film has a cozy, countryside vibe, that perfectly complements the charming mystery. It feels like a so-called cozy mystery. But for the seasoned amateur sleuths, the resolution of the murder case could be a bit predictable.

“The Sheep Detectives” is one of the most surprising films of the year. It’s a lovingly crafted feel-good movie that will entertain both young and old. Anyone in the mood for an original atmospheric comedy with a touch of mystery absolutely shouldn’t miss this one.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Upside

Director: Neil Burger
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman
Description: A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy man with quadriplegia (Bryan Cranston) and an unemployed man with a criminal record (Kevin Hart) who’s hired to help him.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 48: A MOVIE SET BU SOUTH-AMERICA
 
Review: Dell Scott makes his living from shady dealings and benefits. The latter seems to be coming to an end when his probation officer forces him to apply for a job and so he has to look for a real job. Dell has no intention of throwing himself into an honest job, however, and so he does everything but his best during various job applications. Until the moment he steps into the penthouse of millionaire Philip Lacasse. Lacasse is paralyzed and is therefore looking for a caretaker. A job for which the inexperienced Dell is totally unsuitable. Yet Philip sees in him the ideal person to help him and give his dormant life a new impulse. An impulse that will completely turn his life, and those around him, upside down. But a completely new world also opens up for Scott that makes him question the things he believed in until then.

“The Upside” is an American remake of the French film “Intouchables” from 2011. That movie was a huge success and I also absolutely loved it. The story is based on the true life friendship of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and Abdel Sellou and was before this already depicted in the documentary “A la vie, à la mort” in 2003. You could say, a remake of “Intouchables” is not really necessary, which I would agree too. But to be honest, I’m not mad about “The Upside”.

When you compare the two, “Intouchables” is without a doubt the better movie. But looking at it, not thinking of the original, “The Upside” is actually a really good, heartwarming film. Bryan Cranston can do no wrong in my eyes and I liked him in his role. But it’s actually Kevin Hart that steals the show here. I seem to prefer Hart in roles like this, where he has his comedic moments, but they are not taking the overhand. He can do light drama very well. And Hart and Cranston are also very good together.  

I highly enjoyed “The Upside” and would still recommend it.

Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - Little Miss Sunshine

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2006
Starring: Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Bryan Cranston, Wallace Langham

Description: A family determined to get their young daughter (Abigail Breslin) into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.

Review: In the American tragi-comedy “Little Miss Sunshine” we meet the Hoover family. A family with eccentric and quirky members. It’s a road movie and the members of the family get to know each other and themselves better and everything changes after this trip. 

“Little Miss Sunshine” has quality. The script is executed very well and the humor is fantastic. If it’s a VW van that malfunctions, the extreme positivism of father Richard or the comments that the coke sniffing grandpa gives his family, it’s great humor.

Up against those hilarious moments, there are also some surprising emotional scenes. This gives it all a perfect balance between comedy and light drama. The Hoovers are real people, although not ordinary, you come to love all of them.

The cast is amazing. Young Abigail Breslin is the shining star of the bunch, with a bright future ahead. Alan Arkin is very funny as grandpa and Steve Carell really impresses as depressed suicidal uncle Frank. Toni Colette, Greg Kinnear and Paul Dano also perform very well.

“Little Miss Sunshine” is one of those movies that puts a smile on your face. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. 

Rating: 5/ 5

TV Show Review - Better Call Saul (Season 6)

Season: 6
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Number of episodes: 13
Year: 2022
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorne, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, Giancarlo Esposito, Mark Margolis, Tony Dalton, Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston

Description: The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) in the time before he established his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Review: The sin that many film and television makers commit when making prequels, us putting the familiar characters in mortal danger. It’s an empty way of cheating suspense, because the story is set in the past, we know in advance that these characters are going to survive. “Better Call Saul”, thankfully” has pretty much never been guilty of this. In this final season, everything falls neatly into place.

WARNING: THIS REVIEW MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!

The opening of the final season differs from that of the previous five seasons. Instead of black-and-white images showing what the absconding Jimmy McGill, better known as Saul Goodman, is up to, a different kind of prologue immediately picks up after the cliffhanger of season five. what concerns Jimmy after the events of “Breaking Bad” is not addressed untiol a later episode.

Just as the creators know their audience by avoiding life-threatening scenes, they also know that fans expected the timeline to collide with the perils of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman in this final season. It does, but not in the way we thought it would. In theory, it’s interesting that the two storylines will intertwine, but in practive that would take away from the focus of the series. Which, therefore, thankfully stays with Jimmy.

SO once he’s at the point where the world to know him as Saul Goodman, the creators for the most part take us into the “present” where we see what he’s made of as Gene. As manager of a cinnamon roll bakery in a mall, he kept a low profile for a long time but in the last season, a random passerby recognized him from the commercials of his lawyer days. Is Gene the version of Jimmy who has learned from his mistakes? Or is he creeping back into the role of Slippin’ Jimmy, the con man who gets away with it more often than not?

The biggest question that surfaced years ago is how his wife Kim Wexler fits into the picture. She seems to be the linchpin of Jimmy’s life, so where will she be the moment he becomes Walter Whites lawyer? This final season finally provides an answer to that, revealing how (un)important she really is to him. In addition, we also memorably learn the conclusion of the chronic bashing of Howard Hamlin, Jimmy and Kim’s former boss who has been the target of their harassment since they left.

As it always does in this world, actions have their consequences. They shaped Jimmy into who is was and who he is. As with its predecessor, at many points in “Better Call Saul” the tension was incredibly high, but the pace was always slow. This continues in a final episode that doesn’t rely on sensation or action, but keeps you captivated by leaving you wondering. Where does this end? What’s his plan?

The season flies by thanks to the usual top-notch acting and the sleek cinematography that regularly recalls the visual work of the Coen Brothers. There was once a rumor that the spin-off series about Saul Goodman was going to be a comedy series, but it’s a blessing that the creators stuck to their established style.

Unlike Walter White, Jimmy McGill continually switches paths in life. Somewhere he wants to be free of his shenanigans, but somehow it’s in his nature. He is constantly in the middle of good and bad.
Like “Breaking Bad”, “Better Call Saul” is one of the few shows that has no single bad season, it’s solid throughout. I loved the show, hated that it had to end, but it ended perfectly. And many questions we had Saul Goodman, after “Breaking Bad”, were answered. The circle is complete and I couldn’t be happier with the result.

10s Movie Review - The Infiltrator

Director: Brad Furman
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, Diane Kruger, Benjamin Bratt, Jason Isaacs, Amy Ryan, Olympia Dukakis

Description: A U.S. Customs official (Bryan Cranston) uncovers a money laundering scheme involving Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Review: In the late autumn 0f 1993, Pablo Escobar, the biggest drug lord of all time, was shot dead when he was arrested. At the height of his power, the Escobar cartel was running sixty million dollars a day. To control El Patron’s trade, a meshed network of intimidation, bribery, corruption and infiltrators was set up. The efforts of U.S. customs detective Bob Mazur eventually led to the taking down the network. Mazur, who wrote down his experiences as an infiltrator in a bestseller, focuses on the money laundering system Escobar was using to cover up his practices. The attack seemed to be the best defense in this case. Together with his partner Emir Abreu, Mazur wanders the cemeteries of Florida in search of suitable alter egos for their undercover operation. T eventually became the late Italian Roberto Musella who formed the cover-up for Mazur.  
In Brad Furman’s film adaptation of Mazur’s book, Escobar walks by in a hotel lobby at the very end. In this crime-thriller based on true facts, he’s mainly interested in uncovering the network that facilitated the services of Escobar and other drug lords. Escobar is the boss who stays out of the picture. Mazur is a family man whose job is difficult to reconcile with his home situation. When Mazur is about to plunge into the life of the fictional aviation magnate Bob Musella, his wife sighs that this really should be the last job. In reality, Mazur continued his secret operations for a few more years. His alter ego Musella is a pathetic Italian who does jobs for the mafia and thus easily wins the trust of the Colombians. However, Mazur is constantly on his guard and the practices with which he hopes to unmask the cartel are inventive but at times also messy. Tactics is not only to win the trust of the drug lords, but also to admit them to his carefully constructed private life. Quick thinking and flexibility are highly necessary. As soon as Mazur, during an intimate treat from a stripper, reveals that he engaged, and inexperienced fellow agent has to show us as his fiancée.
Furman gives us an unparalleled insight into an environment that revolves around false trust, good suits, overpriced jewelry, shady deals and striking people with hidden agendas. The environment of the mid-eighties forms a strange mixture of nostalgia and brutal crime. Furman succeeds in portraying this quite boldly, but it is precisely the seriousness of the crimes with which the cartel is involved that is not really apparent. Mazur plays a slick guy who dos play a role, but also likes it all. He jeeps a constant eye on the purpose of his mission, but we get disappointingly little so see, for example, how dangerous work affects his private life. The policeman knows how to separate the two worlds well and without wanting to violate reality now: it would have been better for dramatic effect if the realities had come together and created an impossible conflict.
The filmmaker also loses himself in a messy scenario, that seems like a sequence of strong stories and doesn’t always excel in subtlety. Mazur experiences few setbacks in his mission and if there are any, they are very easily put aside. Yet there are moments when Furman excels in his acting directing. Precisely because there are so many opposing interests and everyone has to constantly look over his shoulder, fascinating dilemmas arise that are dealt with intelligently and in an exciting way by leading actor Bryan Cranston. He is assisted by experienced actors like John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt and Diane Kruger. “The Infiltrator” is an entertaining and artisanal ‘true crime’.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Movie Reviews - El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Director: Vince Gilligan
Genre: Action/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemmons, Jonathan Banks, Matt Jones, Charles Baker, Bryan Cranston, Krysten Ritter, Robert Forster

Description: We follow Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) after the events captured in the finale of “Breaking Bad”. Jesse is now on the run as a massive police manhunt for him is in operation.

Review: The story of Walter White has ended, but that of “Breaking Bad” hasn’t. At least, the story of the nice science teacher growing out to become a relentless drug lord, but the story of Jesse Pinkman is still unfinished. Walter White would have never walked the path if he didn’t coincidentally walk into his former student Jesse. He was Walter’s ‘lab partner’ and entrance to the drug world. Where, in five seasons, Jesse was either Walter’s friend or enemy. Walter’s downfall to the drug underworld was always a nice contrast to Jesse’s developments from macho loser to a young man that wasn’t very profound but became more aware of ambition, guilt and responsibility. And his status as a character is big, since he is the only character next to Walter White to appear on each episode of “Breaking Bad”. And he even wasn’t supposed to survive the first season initially.
In the last few episodes of the series, Jesse was imprisoned by some drug producing neo-Nazis. His role was even a little passive, that a suicide mission by Walter was necessary to get him out. “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” is a sequel of sorts, with the goal to let Jesse take matters in his own hands. At the end of “Breaking Bad” it looked like he was driving into a hopeful future, but “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” shows us everything is a little more complicated. With the complete police force of Albuquerque looking for him, he is all on his own. Everything he has learned in the five seasons of the show, he has to use in his advantage. And he has to fight for his freedom.
If you haven’t seen “Breaking Bad” it’s a tough watch, because you are missing a lot of information that you need to see this film. See the series first, before watching this movie. But the film is especially well focused. Don’t expect some kind of ‘farewell tour’ of all the well-known locations and faces that we knew from the show. It’s a two-hour epilogue that give all the events from the series extra weight. Some of the characters make and appearance (both in the current story as in flashbacks), but not only to please fans. The have a purpose in Jesse’s story. Every conversation with friend or enemy is about who Jesse is, was and will become.
This all means that they are fully leaning on Aaron Paul’s acting. Even though Paul won three Emmy Awards for his role as Jesse Pinkman, it was mostly because of the interaction he had with Bryan Cranston’s Walter White. And he is not present in this story. But this gives Paul more room to create a character outside the shadow of Walter White. And when they return to events that happened on the show (flashbacks), it’s immediately clear that it’s past Jesse, because of his attitude. So I can conclude that Aaron Paul can easily carry this film, he does a fantastic job.
“El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” is written and directed by Vince Gilligan, who was also one of the forces behind “Breaking Bad”. His directing is great, but it’s especially his writing that deserves praise. Instead of uninspiringly mixing up some old “Breaking Bad” elements just to please fans, he tells a character driven story that goes forward from were the story left us at the end of the final season. It’s a small scaled story, but Gilligan manages to get everything out of it. Every time Jesse gets a step closer to escaping Albuquerque, a new obstacle pops up.
I was skeptical about “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie”, because I thought it was made as pure fan service. But it’s definitely more than that and a really good movie. You should watch the series first, before checking this out. It is necessary to understand the character.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Isle of Dogs

Director: Wes Anderson
Genre: Animation/ Adventure
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Tilda Swinton, Yoko Ono, Ken Watanabe, Fisher Stevens, Liev Shreiber, Courtney B. Vance, Angelica Huston

Description: Set in Japan, Isle of Dogs follows a boy's odyssey in search of his lost dog.

Review: Wes Anderson is a unique filmmaker. One we can’t compare to any other filmmaker in Hollywood. He shines with his humor, mix of arthouse and commercial cinema. That last is because of all the great actors and actresses he always manages to get. Anderson already proofed with “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, that stop-motion is right up his alley. And “Isle of Dogs” is another one of his masterpieces.
All Japanese vocals are translated by a translator, computer or exchange student. This is what we see at the start of “Isle of Dogs”. The barking of the dogs is indeed English. And it’s true. A lot of Japanese. And not all is translated, but that’s not necessary. The most important tale is told by the animals.
Dogs had to fight for their position in Japan for ages. But in the fictional metropole Megasaki, the four legged friends are no longer welcome. A dog virus broke out and mayor Kobayasho orders to send all the dogs to a trash island. The dogs try to make it their own place. But their peace is disturbed when Atari, the mayor’s nephew, crashes onto the island while looking for his dog Spots.
It’s clear Wes Anderson is not a big fan of 3D. All the dogs are almost always seen in a frontal position, from the side or from above. I love his style, it has charm and it’s never too much. You are amazed by everything without losing your focus of the story.
“Isle of Dogs” is a modern fable about (literally) and underdog that tries to better the situation with unity, wit and humor. Wes Anderson has done it again!

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 126: Why Him?

Director: John Hamburg
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Bryan Cranston, James Franco, Zoey Deutch, Megan Mullally, Keegan-Michael Key, Cedric the Entertainer

Description: A holiday gathering threatens to go off the rails when Ned Fleming (Bryan Cranston) realizes that his daughter's (Zoey Deutch) Silicon Valley millionaire boyfriend (Jame Franco) is about to pop the question.

Review: Ned and Barb are being invited to spend the holidays with their daughter Stephanie. Once they arrive, they meet her new boyfriend Laird, who isn’t exactly the ideal son in law.
“Why Him?” is a pretty funny comedy, directed by John Hamburg. A father meeting his daughter’s new boyfriend isn’t a new concept, but the cast makes it better then you would expect. I think James Franco is very funny, but his personal assistant (played by Keegan-Michael Key) steals the show in his scenes.
“Why Him?” doesn’t work all the time. Bryan Cranston doesn’t really shine and some of the jokes are a bit distasteful. It’s a comedy that will entertain you while having a lazy day on the couch. Funny yet missing the mark sometimes.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 50: Power Rangers

Director: Dean Israelite
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Ludi Lin, Becky G., Elizabeth Banks, Bryan Cranston, Bill Hader, Matt Shively, Cody Kearsley, David Denman, Robert Moloney, Anjali Jay, Sarah Grey, Morgan Taylor Campbell, Caroline Cave, Kayden Magnuson, Lisa Berry, Wesley MacInnes, John Stewart, Fiona Fu, Clayton Chitty, Austin Obiajunwa, Kenneth Tynan

Description: A group of high-school students, who are infused with unique superpowers, harness their abilities in order to save the world.

Review: Nostalgia. That’s a key word nowadays in Hollywood. Sequels, prequels, reboots new interpretations and TV show adaptations. If you were born in the early neighties, the Power Rangers were a good memory for you. I’m from the early eighties, so I think these superheroes weren’t cool enough for me when I saw them on TV. I never really liked the TV show, found it a bit kitschy and cheesy. But this film looked a lot more serious and it looks like the makers were inspired by “The Breakfast Club”.
The teens, that eventually become the Power Rangers, meet each other during detention and are all stereotypical (jock, geek, outsider, rebel, cheerleader). The characters don’t get a major introduction. They added actors Elizabeth Banks and Bryan Cranston to the cast, but they can’t really take the film to a higher level.
“Power Rangers” is a 2017 movie that you can easily skip, I think even for the fans of the TV show.

Rating: 2/ 5

Movie Favorites: Drive

Synopsis: A mysterious man (Ryan Gosling) who has multiple jobs as a garage mechanic, a Hollywood stuntman and a getaway driver seems to be trying to escape his shady past as he falls for his neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) - whose husband is in prison and who's looking after her child alone. Meanwhile, his garage mechanic boss is trying to set up a race team using gangland money, which implicates our driver as he is to be used as the race team's main driver. Our hero gets more than he bargained for when he meets the man who is married to the woman he loves.

 

 

Unique Selling Point: Magnificent montage, great camera work. An easy switch between fast action sequences and slower scenes. Sharp dialogues and on edge humor. The acting is strong, the movie is visually stunning, this is powerful cinema. Very impressive and intriguing.

Most Valuable Player: Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel, it’s pure art.

Best Moment: The elevator scene. Driver and Irene are in the elevator when he sees the other passenger is carrying a gun. Driver wants to protect Irene and he pushes her back, kisses her and then he smashes up the guys face.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 14: Argo

Director: Ben Affleck

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 120 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Chris Messina, Zeljko Ivanek, Titus Welliver, Keith Szarabajka, Bob Gunton, Richard Kind, Richard Dillane, Omid Abtaho, Page Leong, Farshad, Cea DuVall, Sheila Vand, Ryan Ahern, Bill Tangradi, Jamie McShane, Tate Donovan, Matthew Glave, Roberto Garcia Christopher Stanley

Description: Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent (Ben Affleck) launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1980.

Review: November 1979, Iranian students occupy the American embassy in Teheran, to enforce extradition of the Shah. Over fifty Americans were taking hostage and were released after fourteen days, after the Shah died. Six embassy staff members did manage to flee on that same day to the Canadian embassy. With a science fiction movie as a cover, they managed to escape after three months. In 1997, Bill Clinton released information about this mission, with a big role for CIA man Tony Mendez. This is a perfect story for a movie.

Director Ben Affleck choose Rodrigo Prieto as his cinematographer, who is known as the cameraman for Alejandro Gonzálex Iñárritu. This makes all the images authentic. This sets the film of to a good start and the thriller plot can develop. “Argo” looks perfect as a time period piece, with the characters constantly smoking, big glasses and televisions with buttons. In the second half of the film, the pace gets faster. This is a good thing. The movie is build slow and then picks up the pace.

“Argo” does have its weak points. Director Affleck is great, leading actor Affleck, who looks like Al Pacino in “Serpico”, doesn’t manage to convince you completely. As a CIA man he does, but the demons he has (drinking, failed fatherhood) don’t really reach the audience the way it should have. A strong opponent could have covered it up a bit, but the powerful performances are given by John Goodman and Alan Arkin, who have supporting roles.

I understand the success of “Argo”, it’s a true story about a heroic escape plan, and I liked it. The change of pace works well and Ben Affleck did a good job as a director. “Argo” is a good film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 146: Total Recall

Director: Len Wiseman

Genre: Actie/ Science Fiction/ Thriller

Runtime: 118 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bill Nighy, John Cho

Description: A factory worker, Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.

Review: Remakes of big movies are really popular these days. You take a big film from the last twenty to twenty five years, modernize it a bit, throw in some famous actors and a success is guaranteed. Right? There are movies that where ready for a remake, like “Cape Fear” by Martin Scorsese or “Ocean’s 11” by Steven Soderbergh. And the Hitchcock classic “Psycho” was a film that didn’t really need that at all. Len Wiseman’s “Total Recall” falls right in the middle.

It’s 2084 and due to a chemical war the biggest part of the world is uninhabitable. Two big areas fight for the power on earth. Factory worker Douglas Quaid lives in The Colony with his wife Lori. He has a recurring dream where he and a woman are being chased. Quaid wants more from his life and he decides to visit the company Rekall. They implant memories. Quaid chooses a memory as a secret agent, but before they can implant it something goes wrong and he turns out to be a wanted man. When Quaid is chased by the police he finds out that nothing is what it seems.

With a remake it’s hard not to compare. “Total Recall” from 1990 was Paul Verhoeven’s break. The biggest difference between the two movies is that in the original the planet Mars is a big part of the film. In the new one, the movie is set on planet earth. Verhoeven’s version had some self-mockery, but Wiseman is going for a more serious approach and gives it a political touch. And the look of the film reminds you a bit of “Blade Runner” as well. Originality is hard to find here. It does look very good, the visuals and action sequences are amazing. But it’s hard to take in the environment because it all goes in warp speed.

Colin Farrell is off course a better actor then Arnold Schwarzengger and he’s a believable action hero. My biggest problem with the film is that you never really know if the events really happened or were all in Quaid’s head.

“Total Recall” is an entertaining action/ sci-fi film that takes itself a bit too seriously. Visually it’s stunning and Colin Farrell is doing a solid job as Quaid. But the movie never convinces you the way the original did.

Rating: 3/ 5

Video of the Week (17)

Off course I couldn't ignore last nights Emmy Awards. "Breaking Bad" was the big winner (never watched an episode in my life, I feel so ashamed) And even when it wasn't his award, Bryan Cranston stole the show. When Julia Louise Dreyfuss was announced as a winner for het role in "Veep", Cranston grabbed her and kissed her. Dreyfuss' response: "He was on Seinfeld".

 

 

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 63: Godzilla

Director: Gareth Edwards

Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure

Runtime: 123 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Elisabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Straitharn, Richard T. Jones

Description: The world's most famous monster is pitted against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Review: The Japanese movie monster is already sixty-years old. His debut in 1954 is one of the highlights in cinema history. In 1998 the Americans made a movie about this beast, but it wasn’t very memorable. A reboot was very welcome.

Director Gareth Edwards made such an impression with his low-budget “Monsters”, that they trusted him with this task as well. By adding names like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche to the castlist, the expectations were high. But in a movie called “Godzilla” there is only one star.

While a gigantic fossil is found in the Philippines, a nuclear reactor in Japan is damaged by unknown causes. This leads to a disaster for scientist Joe Brody and his family. Fifteen years later Joe is still trying to explain the happening and asks his son Ford for help. What they discover next is unexpected.

After an engrossing opening, where Bryan Cranston steals the show, director Gareth Edwards intentionally stalls the big entrance of the main star. It’s a risky strategy, but totally worth the wait. When we finally get to see Godzilla, it’s just jawdropping. This is definitely a movie that you experience better and to the fullest while watching it on the big screen. The climax and final fight scene is the absolute highlight of the film. I almost started clapping, that’s how amazed I was. I also liked the role they gave Godzilla in the film, as the protector of mankind. That’s how you can see Edwards is a fan of the original. He stays very close to that story.

“Godzilla” is a treat and finally gets the movie it deserves. Everything shows that Edwards made this movie with a lot of love for the original. I absolutely loved this movie!

Rating: 4,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 24: Contagion

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Matt Damon, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard, Bryan Cranston, Elliot Gould, John Hawkes

Description: The CDC races against time to develop a vaccine against an extremely lethal virus.

Review: It’s very clear what this film is about, the title says it all. Between all the big stars, the style of this film stays cold and sober constantly.
The plot is basically about an epidemic of a life-threatening virus, that kills almost everyone who comes in contact with it. It’s an unknown virus and it takes some time to find a vaccine. This results in panic, desperation and a manic search for a cure.
“Contagion” has several characters and follows some subplots. There is too much going on to give the characters any depth. Soderbergh wasn’t aiming for that. What he did well is showing us how people would react in a situation like this. The most interesting part of the story is where the leader of the CDC, doctor Cheever, and blogger Alan Krumwiede go head to head.
The movie is set up in fragments, which works. You feel the pressure and the panic. Although it was already explained to the viewer what this virus is, Soderbergh decided to put the cause of this virus in the last minute of the film. It feels like the movie is over-explaining itself, which wasn’t necessary. We aren’t dumb.
“Contagion” was a good film, but pretty average and not very memorable for me.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Moments: "Drive"

The best movie experiences are the one where you expect nothing much and you’re eventually blown away. That’s what happened when I saw “Drive” for the first time. What an amazing movie! Here are my favorite scenes.

Moment # 1: The getaway
Driver is waiting in his getaway car, for two robbers. They have a five minute window and they make it right before the sirens come closer. Driver tries to escape an them, he stays calm and collected at all times.

Moment # 2: “You wanna see something?”
Driver takes Irene and Benicio home, but first he wants to show them something. He takes them for a drive, they have a great time.

Moment # 3: Hands
Driver takes Irene out. In the car Irene looks at him, smiles and takes his hand.

Moment # 4: The chase
Driver is helping Standard with his final job, so he can pays his depths. Something goes horribly wrong, which leaves Standard dead and Driver speeding up.

Moment # 5: The hammer
Driver looks up Cook and brings a hammer to the party. First he smashes Cooks hand and the threatens to hit a nail right in his eye.

Moment # 6: The elevator
Driver and Irene are in the elevator when he sees the other passenger is carrying a gun. Driver wants to protect Irene and he pushes her back, kisses her and than he smashes up the guys face.

Moment # 7: Driver kills Nino
Driver just found his friend Shannon who was killed. He wants payback and the person he needs to start with is Nino.

Moment # 8: Driver calls Irene
Driver gives Irene a call to tell her he’s going away and that the time he spend with her and Benicio is the best he ever had.

Moment # 9: The last showdown
Driver meets up with Bernie Rose and he is about to giver Rose the money. Rose stabs him, but Driver fights back and stabs him too. Driver is sitting in the car and when he blinks we see he’s still alive and Rose is lying dead on the ground. Driver drives off, but leaves the money.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 6: The elevator

Movie Tip # 53: Drive

Director:Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaacs

Description: A lone-wolf Hollywood stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) moonlights as a freelance getaway wheelman, and he finds his solitary existence taking on new meaning after befriending Irene (Carey Mulligan), the lonely wife of convicted felon Standard (Oscar Isaac), and her young son.

Review: "Drive" is a powerful and intriguing film that can not be placed in a box. Its cinematography is sublime and gives it a bit of an arthouse look. Because of the mix of suspense, action and mob violence it will be loved by a bigger audience. In the great opening sequence, the movie grabs you in and from that moment on you get sucked in and it doesn't let you go. 'Driver', played by Ryan Gosling, works for Shannon, a role by Bryan Cranston. He isn't only his agent when he works as a stuntman for Hollywood movies, Shannon is also the one that gets him the nighttime getaway jobs. Driver is a cool, maybe icecold man. He can act without any emotion under every situation. His encounter with neighbour Irene, portrayed by Carey Mulligan, and her son Benicio give him that feeling of being human. After meeting her husband Standard gets out of jail, things go really fast. Driver witnesses when Standard gets in trouble an is forced to help him. He wants to keep Irene and Benicio safe and knows that the next battle is a matter of life and death.
Ryan Gosling's portrayel of Driver is perfect. Especially when you just look at his face, it's very powerful. It's just phenomenal. Carey Mulligan fits her role perfectly and has great chemistry with her co-star. The rest of the cast is also very good. The scenes between Driver and Irene are very tender, but the movie has a lot of extreme moments as well. Very violent confrontations. When that happens the adrenaline rushes through your body. With all these elements it makes "Drive" a well balanced movie.
Fantastic acting, powerful visual cinema. "Drive" is an impressive piece of work.