Movie Review - Materialists

Director: Celine Song
Genre: Romance/ Drama
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal
 
Description: A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) finds herself town between the perfect match (Pedro Pascal) and her imperfect ex (Chris Evans).
 
Review: With “Materialist”, director Celine Song breathes new life into the romcom genre. But don’t expect anything sugar sweet or cheesy; the romance in Song’s second film is raw and brutally honest.
Beautiful A-list actors gazing sultrily at each other, cheesy one-liners about eternal love, and passionate relationships in the heart of New York: judging by the synopsis and the trailer for “Materialists” moviegoers could look forward to a sweet rom-com. But it’s nothing like that. And that’s why I, a movie lover that is not the biggest fan of romcoms, loved “Materialists” so much more then I expected to. And it’s one of my favorite movies of 2025 so far.

Romantically inclined viewers would do well to adjust their expectations somewhat, because “Materialists” will not have you swooning or laughing out loud. Not that there isn’t any flirting or passionate longing in Song’s film, but she is more concerned with the psychology behind love than with its romantic portrayal. The main characters’ reflections are at the forefront.

The film follows Lucy, a highly successful professional matchmaker with nine marriages on her credit. For her, love is a matter of supply and demand: you “market value” is determined by your appearance, your income, and other material things. Lucy scours New York, pairing one perfect match after another.
Her own love life is less successful; her friends teasingly call her the eternal bachelorette. But then she meets the charming harry, who on paper is her perfect match. Lucy makes no secret of the fact that she wants to marry a rich man, and with Harry, she doesn’t have to worry about money. Ans besides his exorbitantly expensive apartment, designer clothes, and preference for high-quality restaurants, Harry also has good manners, is eloquent, and smart. Perfect, right?

When her ex John suddenly reappears in her life, Lucy begins to have doubts. This penniless, aspiring actor may not have money, but to Lucy he is a soulmate who really listens to her, is always there for her, and effortlessly makes her laugh.

It sounds like the classic premise for a lighthearted romcom, but in Song’s hands it becomes a very honest reflection of modern love. “Materialists” is emotionally charged and manages to get a grip on the deepest emotions of its characters. I went to see this movie, mainly for the amazing cast, expecting a solid romcom that I was going to enjoy just fine. But I got a completely different film, that totally surprised me, with a cast so strong and such an emotional load, and romance on a much deeper level. In my eyes, it’s definitely not a romcom, which is a good thing. Fans of the romcom genre might be disappointed, but as a non-romcom girlie I absolutely loved “Materialists”.

Rating: 5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Sunshine

Director: Danny Boyle
Genre: Science Fiction/ Thriller
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, Mark Strong, Benedict Wong Hiroyouki Sanada

Description: A team of international astronauts is sent ton a dangerous mission to reignite the dying Sun with a nuclear fission bomb in 2057.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 22: A FILM FROM 2007
 
Review: It’s 2057. The sun is about to go out. A team of scientists is sent to the sun to restart it with a heavy bomb, and thus save humanity from extinction. Sounds like the lpot of a silly B-movie? Except this sci-thriller is directed by Danny Boyle and for that reason alone “Sunshine” should pique the interest of any self-respecting film love. And you will see, that it’s a great movie.

There has been a previous attempt to reignite the sun. In “Sunshine” we follow the crew of Icarus II, which means there must have been an Icarus I. However, for reasons as yet unknown, this mission never succeeded and the ship was presumed lost. When the crew of the Icarus II pick up a distress signal from their mysteriously disappeared predecessor and decides to take a look at the ship, you really know things are probably not going to end well.

The atmosphere is palpable, because of the claustrophobic setting. And the cast is great. There are so many big names in this film. What also stands out is the soundtrack, by Underworld. It adds to the dramatic effect and the tension.

The film is a bit messy at times, but it’s easy to forgive. Because I do believe “Sunshine” is an excellently, underrated sci-fi thriller.

Rating: 4 / 5 

Movie Review - Pain Hustlers

Director: David Yates
Genre: Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia, Catherine O’Hara, Brian D’Arcy James
 
Description: Liza (Emily Blunt) dreams of a better life for herself and her daughter. Hired to work for a bankrupt pharmaceutical company, Liza skyrockets with sales and into the high life, putting her in the middle of a federal criminal conspiracy.

Review: In “Pain Hustlers”, we see the opioid crisis unfold through the eyes of stripper and sinle mother Liza Drake. Through a combination of perseverance and luck, she manages to bring a new cancer drug to market. Although the film is based on the (fiction) book of the same name, that was based on a New York Magazine article.

Director David Yates seems to be inspired by “The Big Short” (unpopular opinion, but a movie I really hated), a film about the financial crisis in which seriousness and satire are perfectly intertwined. This movie was very successful, but Yates fails to establish a similar or at all consistent tone. It’s fast paced, flashy and promising, but never fully delivers.

Most interesting is the dichotomy in Liza. After a tough existence as a single mother, she blossoms when she begins to understand the sleezy lobbying game of the pharmaceutical industry. Liza herself does virtually nothing illegal. Her mail companions (played by Chris Evans and Andy Garcia) are the cartoonish villains of profiteering capitalism. For some extra dollars, they easily look away from an overdose. Typically, though, the film pays regular attention to victims but avoids any kind of systemic criticism.

The film is an easy watch as a sensational drama, but its concluding message (greed is a mortal sin) turns out to be a bland one. It’s unfortunate that “Pain Hustlers’ did not make that underlying aspect a main issue. If you’re interested in this theme, a mini-series called “Dopesick” is definitely better at it.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Review - Lightyear

Director: Angus MacLane
Genre: Science Fiction/ Animation/ Family/ Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, James Brolin, Peter Sohn, Dale Soules, Uzo, Aduba, Bill Hader,
 
Description: While spending years attempting to return home, marooned Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg (James Brolin) who are attempting to steal his fuel source.

Review: In 1995, audiences were introduced to “Toy Story”, in which lead roles were played by toy cowboy Woody and toy astronaut Buzz Lightyear. It was the beginning of a four-part series that concluded in 2019. Or so it seemed. This year, Buzz gets to appear in “Lightyear”. But not as a toy or puppet. According to the opening titles, “Lightyear” is the film that inspired the creation of toy Buzz Lightyear. In other words, this is a movie in the world of “Toy Story”, a movie within a movie.

In the distant future, Buzz is a respected Space Ranger who, together with comrade Alisha Hawthorne, crashes on a planet. The only way to escape is by using a crystal that can take the ship to hyper-speed. Daredevil Buzz is crazy enough to try it, but encounters a problem. Every time he wants to reach hyper=speed, he travels four years through time. At least, his surroundings age four years. He doesn’t. with each escape attempt, time literally slips through his fingers.

Certainly don’t try to fathom the contrived time-travel story; it’s mainly designed to put pressure on Buzz’s stubbornness. He wants nothing more than to escape from this planet, but he pays a high price for it. Losing four years each time is quite something. Alisha gets older, meets her life partner, has a son, a grandchild… Life just goes on. When will buzz realize that sometimes letting go is the best option?

Noe of it has to get super-serious, either, and fortunately “Lightyear” offers the necessary humor. There’s a robot who makes map-reading mistakes, Buzz’s vanity is a rewarding source of jokes, and then there’s robot cat Sox who acts as Buzz’s mental coach. Let’s also not forget that there are plenty of reference to “Toy Story”(like the evil Zurg, “to infinity and beyond” and the quote at the beginning of the movie “there’s seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere”, which I happen to use on a daily basis).

“Lightyear” doesn’t possess the brilliance of its four predecessors and neatly ticks off the boxes of what a Pixar title should meet. Still, it’s a delightful film that I really enjoyed.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Gray Man

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page
 
Description: When the CIA’s most skilled operative (Ryan Gosling), whose true identity is known to none, accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets, a psychopathic former colleague (Chris Evans) puts a bounty on his head, setting off a global manhunt by international assassins.

Review: Ryan Gosling is a prisoner, nameless, talking to shady CIA chief Fitzroy recruits him for a team that operates even more secretively than the CIA already does. Under the name Six he manages in a few decades to work his way up to one of the most feared hit men, until he goes a bit over his head during an attack. His new boss Carmichael is not all that happy with his somewhat old-fashioned tactics.

All that remains is for him to gon on the run, where he gets help from the also discredited Dani. Six and Dani flee from Prague to Vienna from Berlin to Croatia, and so on. Meanwhile, Carmichael has enlisted the psychopathic Lloyd to take out Six.

“The Gray ma” is a delightful no-brainer action film with rather standard Bond-elements, but with a wonderful cast. The action especially is very good in this film. And I’m glad it looks good, since it’s one of the most expensive Netflix films ever made. The scenario was a bit predictable and not all that special, but nonetheless it was a very entertaining and enjoyable film.

Ryan Gosling’s character in “The Gray Man” resembles the one he played in “Drive”: nameless, stoic and ruthless. Ana de Armas, who was in the latest Bond-movie, had a bigger role in this film. The one she should have gotten as Bond-girl. I especially really like Chris Evans in his villainous role, quite different from the heroic Captain America.

“The Gray Man” gets a lot of hate, which I don’t fully understand. Because it’s a great time. I get that, for that big of a budget, you expect a more surprising and less standard action flick. But aside from that budget, it’s a fun action movie, though very forgettable.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Avengers

Director: Joss Whedon
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Coby Smulders, Tom Hiddleston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Stellen Skarsgård, Paul Bettany, Clark Gregg

Description: Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.

Review: In “The Avengers” a group of superheroes take on demigod Loki. Lead by S.H.I.E.L.D., Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye try to overcome their differences and work together to save mankind.
It’s hard, without a doubt, to balance a movie with so many iconic characters. Director and scriptwriter Joss Whedon succeeded. All characters get enough background. Result: a movie that will be loved by insiders ánd outsiders. People who know the material will love, but newcomers will also enjoy this movie.
The cast has already proven to be capable of portraying their characters. Robert Downey Jr. as smooth talker Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Chris Hemsworth as Thor, with a somewhat dry sense of humor. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers aka Captain America, perfect choice for the role and a good leader. Scarlett Johansson is wonderful as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. New are Mark Ruffalo, as Bruce Banner/ The Hulk, and Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/ Hawkeye. Both great additions to the movie.
Although “The Avengers” is over 140 minutes long, time flies. The movie is visually stunning, has lots of action and a good dose of humor. “The Avengers” is worth your time, every minute of it.

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Before We Go

Director: Chris Evans
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Chris Evans, Alice Eve

Description: Two strangers (Chris Evans, Alice Eve) stuck in Manhattan for the night grow into each other’s most trusted confidants when an evening of unexpected adventure forces them to confront their fears and take control of their lives.
 
Review: Usually I’m a little skeptical of filmmakers who give themselves the leas role, but fair’s fair: Chris Evans did an excellent job at both. “Before We Go” follows two strangers that meet one night in New York and decide to help each other.
The film is reminiscent of “Before Sunrise”. After meeting something is brewing between these two. It’s a really good film and it has some great moments. But it’s nothing like the forementioned movie.
The main thing that made this film good was the chemistry between Chris Evans and Alice Eve. The tension between the two is very noticeable and I loved them together. It is titled as a romance movie, but it’s not one of those cheesy, predictable ones. This film has layers and depth and two characters you get to know in a very short time.
I highly enjoyed “Before We Go” and I really want to know what Nick wrote to Brooke. We will never know.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Street Kings

Director: David Ayer
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime/ Action
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans, Common, Amaury Nolasco, Naomie Harris, Terry Crews, Cedric the Entertainer, Jay Mohr, John Corbett

Description: An undercover cop (Keanu Reeves), disillusioned by the death of his wife, is implicated in the murder of an officer (Terry Crews) and must struggle to clear himself.

Review: Detective Tom Ludlow has a bad reputation when it comes to doing police work by the book. Ludlow’s motto is: shoot first, ask questions later. Even in his latest case, in which he managed to save two girls, the suspects don’t live to tell the tale. Fortunately, Ludlow can count on the protection of his superior, Captain Jack Wander. But then it turns out that Ludlow’s former partner, Detective Terrence Washington, is planning to rat him out. That could cost Ludlow his job. And so he takes matters into his own hands an decides to teach Washington a lesson. The Washington gets involved in a brutal crime and the trouble truly begins. Captain James Biggs smells trouble and starts investigating Ludlow.  
Two things really spoke to me: the script was co-written bij James Ellroy, whom we now as the writer of “L.A. Confidential”. Second, the great cast, including solid actors such as Forest Whitaker, Keanu Reeves, Hugh Laurie and Chris Evans.
The tension and intrigue builds nicely as Ludlow gets further and further into trouble, with some really strong action scenes. The film has a twist, but it’s not very surprising or original. And because some characters we don’t really get to know very well, their personality changes seem a bit implausible.
The acting, however, is very solid. Whitaker in particular. The visual aspect of the film is also strong, a good visualization of South Central L.A.
“Street Kings” is a solid police thriller, that sadly had to suffer the obligatory plot twist. But overall, it’s a good film that never loses your attention.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - TMNT

Director: Kevin Munroe
Genre: Action/ Animation/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 87 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chris Evans, Mako, Kevin Smith, Patrick Stewart, Laurence Fishburne, Ziyi Zhang, Mitchell Whitfield, James Arnold Taylor, Mikey Kelley, Nolan North, John DiMaggio, Paula Mattiolo, Kevin Michael Richardson, Fred Tatasciore

Description: When the world is threatened by an ancient evil, the four adolescent turtles must reunite and overcome their faults in order to stand against it.  

Review: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first came to life in 1984, as a comic book. They were a parody of comic book heroes. It became a television series and gained popularity all over the world. They had a bunch of live-action movies in the early 90s, which were fun and in the 10s there were two more live-action movies that were entertaining, but mostly that. In between that, there was “TMNT”. A fully animated movie about the shelled heroes.
In the original cartoons, the turtles are two-dimensional, so it always takes some getting used to seeing them worked in in 3D. This is mostly visible with the people like April O’Neil and Casey Jones. But the turtles look really good and so these the scenery and environment.
The story is god enough, mainly because of the well-developed characters and their relationships. The story development could have been better, but it’s still alright. The story focuses mostly on Leonardo and Raphael. The other two turtles, Donatello and Michelangelo, feel more like side characters here. When they are actually my two favorites of the foursome.  
If you are a fan of the original cartoon series, you will probably like them. At least more than the live-action movies that came out later.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Reviews - Knives Out

Director: Rian Johnson
Genre: Crime/ Comedy
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Christopher Plummer, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Frank Oz

Description: A detective investigates the death of a patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.

Review: An old-fashioned murder mystery of Agatha Christie-like allure. That's what filmmaker Rian Johnson advocated when he took care of the story and direction for “Knives Out”. The director of “Brick” and “The Last Jedi” has stuffed all the standard elements of the genre into this classic whodunit: an immense mansion, a rich family full of intrigues, only striking characters and of course the murder of an authoritative man. As one of the characters makes clear, it looks like a lifelike game of Clue. So: who killed Harlan Thrombey with the knife in the study?
Successful thriller author and multimillionaire Thrombey had just called the family together before his death in order to tighten the ties again. Because it's hatred and envy within the family ranks. And with all those fights and conspiracies, the motives immediately come to the surface. His daughter-in-law made money back because of the study costs of granddaughter Megan, whom she cashed twice. Son-in-law Richard cheated with Thrombey's knowledge. A grandson (who by the way has the first name Ransom) was in turn disinherited and Thrombey's youngest son worked for the company. And then there is the South American nurse who may have tampered with medication.
One by one, Johnson will take care of the suspects. He does this with a series of interviews with a very special spectator. Private detective Benoit Blanc, a fantastically smooth role for Daniel Craig, who sounds like Francis Underwood's brother because of his southern American accent, has more than earned his spurs in a number of high-profile cases. Initially he is only used as an observer, but he always makes his presence known to potential suspects in an irritating way by pressing a piano key. It doesn't take long before Blanc completely takes over the murder investigation, although he leaves the detective under the illusion that it isn't so.
Knives Out is indebted to the genre that made Christie great and is therefore a tribute to the work of the highly productive British thriller author. There are studies that have shown that Christie suddenly built up her sentences in such a way that it is impossible to stop reading. Johnson's thriller may not have this hypnotic effect, but it is full of intriguing characters who all have their reasons to get rid of the pater familias. As it should be. It also helps a lot that next to Craig, famous faces like those of Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon, Christopher Plummer and Toni Collette make their appearance. But Craig is the one who owns this movie. It’s a very tongue-in-cheek performance, over-exaggerated, but therefor delightful to watch.
Knives Out is, with its beautiful scenery and camera work, above all a tribute to the classic murder genre, in which nothing and nobody is what it seems. It's a wonderful puzzle and therefore an escape from the daily grind. The ensemble cast is a pleasure to watch, because it must be wonderful to get absorbed in the dysfunctional family dynamics at a crime scene full of secret corners, spaces and doors.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Reviews - The Red Sea Diving Resort

Director: Gideon Raff
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Chris Evans, Alessandro Nivola, Haley Bennett, Ben Kingsley, Greg Kinnear, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michiel Huisman, Alex Hassell

Description: Israel’s Mossad agents attempt to rescue Ethiopian Jewish refugees in Sudan in 1977.

Review: The new Netflix original film “The Red Sea Diving Resort” premiered on July 31st. The film tells the true story of a group of heroes that rescued big groups of Ethiopian Jewish refuges by working from a hotel in Sudan.
The Ethiopian civil war caused a lot of people their lives. It’s 1977. At the time, Ethiopian Jews could use the so-called ‘Law of Return’: they had the right to settle in Israel and become an Israelian citizen. In “The Red Sea Diving Resort” we see how a group of Mossad agents, led by Ari Levinson, save groups of Ethiopian Jews at the start of the 80s. Their cover: a abandoned hotel near the Red Sea, in Sudan. And since actual tourist start visiting the hotel, it’s the best cover they could ask for.
Netflix managed to assemble a great, strong cast. Chris Evans carries the film, as Ari Levinson, but is well supported by Haley Bennett, Michiel Huisman, Alessandro Nivola, Ben Kingsley and Greg Kinnear. Also worth mentioning is Michael Kenneth Williams, who also did a fantastic job in another Netflix jewel, “When They See Us”.
The civil war in Ethiopia is one of those “silent wars”, that no one was talking about and didn’t get attention. Simply no one really cared, even though a lot of people died here. The story can be compared to films like “Argo” and “Munich”, where they used an every day thing as their big cover, to rescue people. I think Ari Levinson and his group are the real heroes, also people that we never talk about. And they actually made a difference. At least to the many refugees that manage to find a safe haven because of them.
The film has a heavy theme, but manages to have some light moments here and there. For example the moment where they have to actually work in the hotel, when a group of tourists unexpectedly arrives. And there is a great montage in the film that shows how they manage to run a hotel as well as saving the refugees.
I think stories like this should never stay untold. And the perfect way is through film, because you will reach a big audience. I really loved this film, it’s a very solid movie.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Avengers: Endgame

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 181 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper, Josh Brolin, Tessa Thompson, Evangeline Lilly, Pom Klementieff, Tom Holland, Jon Favreau, Elizabeth Olsen, Dave Bautista, Sebastian Stan, Michelle Pfeiffer, Katherine Langford, Tilda Swinton, Letitia Wright, Kerry Condon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chadwick Boseman, Winston Duke, Frank Grillo, Ty Simpkins, Sean Gunn, Emma Fuhrmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong

Description: After the devastating events, the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe.

Review: “Avengers: Endgame” isn’t only the finale to last year’s “Avengers: Infinity War”, it’s also the end of the journey that film studio Marvel started eleven years ago together with its many fans. “Avengers: Endgame” is supposed to be a tribute to all the experiences and memories we have from the past years in this universe.
Thanos left a dystopian world behind with the snap of his fingers. The titan completed his mission, perfectly balanced out life and the Avengers have been defeated for the first time. And it paid its toll, because the superheroes have obviously suffered from it. They are broken, damaged. Nonetheless the team is determined to defeat their nemesis once and for all, after a new sign of hope.
The Marvel universe grew over the years, but “Avengers: Endgame” focuses on the six original Avengers. They don’t need any introduction and are the praised characters it all started with. The playing field is known and the returning directing Russo brothers don’t pay a lot of attention on background stories. This film is simply for the fans.
“Avengers: Endgame” is a true Marvel film. Humor, sharp dialogues, extravaganza, spectacle. And it has sky high ambitions. Somehow some elements feel uninspired. No introduction to Captain Marvel and Tony and Nebula’s return feel unsatisfying. And some developments don’t live up to our expectations or rules of logic.
I didn’t like what they did to Bruce Banner/ Hulk. It felt weird and I really don’t understand the choice for this. I did like the sacrifice one character made. Thinking it was going to be the other one, it was a cool twist that it eventually turned around. And Scott Lang’s role in the story was pretty cool.
During the end fight, they go all out. It’s a fantastic moment and the definite highlight of the film. The moment where Captain America says ‘Avengers assemble’, that just gave me goosebumps. An epic fight, a great finale.
In “Avengers: Infinity War” the focus was on Thanos, but here the attention had to be divided over several characters. Some protentional plot points have been sacrificed because of that. The end of the film is really strong and it feels like a perfect ending. And it is one final tribute to the Marvel universe. But from the last minutes of the film, you can also conclude that Marvel is not done with new stories yet. So it’s not really the end, but a new beginning.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Avengers: Infinity War

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 149 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Josh Brolin, Tom Hiddleston, Paul Bettany, Elisabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Idris Elba, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Peter Dinklage, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Gwyneth Paltrow

Description: The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

Review: “Avengers: Infinity War” is a milestone in movie history. Eighteen Marvel movies come together, they have connections and ready for the big finale. And it’s literally the fate of the universe that’s at stake. But it’s nothing completely new, because it’s a big, colorful blockbuster film filled with amazing characters, sharp dialogues and a huge spectacle. And there is nothing wrong with that formula.
At the end of “The Avengers”, Thanos showed his face for the first tim. And he is finally here to execute his evil plans. In order to balance out the universe, he is looking for six so-called Infinity Stones. They’ve been a part of several Marvel films already. Some of the stones are on earth, so it doesn’t take long for an attack on planet earth and the Avengers have to start fighting. And although the Avengers split up, there are a lot more superheroes that they can rely on. Almost every hero we met in all those movies, is in “Avengers: Infinity War”.
Does it work, so many characters in one movie? You wouldn’t think so, but somehow it does and they found a good balance: the characters are scattered and devided up in four groups, who will meet each other. In some cases, the heroes know each other. But there are also new collaborations. Like Tony Stark and Peter Quill. And their interaction is worth the wait. But Thor and Rocket are an even more entertaining duo. And if all the info from the other Marvel movies isn’t that fresh anymore, they characters just simply explain to each other so that you can catch up.
Thanos as the main villain was all I hoped for. Josh Brolin nailed it!
Directing brother Joe and Anthony Russo take on the role of directors and they have proven before they understand the Marvel Universe well with two of the three Captain America movies.
“Avengers: Infinity War” is an excellent first half of an epic battle. And I’m really excited and curious for the next film.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Gifted

Director: Marc Webb
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Octavia Spencer, Jenny Slate, Lindsay Duncan

Description: Frank (Chris Evans), a single man raising his child prodigy niece Mary (Mckenna Grace), is drawn into a custody battle with his mother (Lindsay Duncan).

Review: Director Marc Webb makes interesting choices when it comes to picking the films he directs. He started with music videos and eight years ago there was “(500) Days of Summer”. He didn’t stick with the indie romcom genre and moved on to two Spider-Man movies.
“Gifted” is definitely Webb’s most dramatic film so far. It’s pretty straightforward when it comes to storytelling. Single man Frank Adler takes care of his niece Mary. He has to make sure she doesn’t fall into the hands of his mother, who never really cared for the child. What makes it all complicated is that Mary is an outsider and just like her deceased mother is an extraordinary mathematician. Grandmother Evelyn, also a mathematician, wants Mary to explore every inch of her talent. While Frank, together with his caring neighbor Roberta, just wants Mary to be a child and enjoy life the way kids her age do.
We know Chris Evans as Captain America, a bundle of muscles and a true hero. But there is obviously more to him then just that. Evans really shows a great range of emotions in his role as Frank and he hit every nerve in my body. Young Mckenna Grace, who plays Mary, is also one to watch. She steals all our hearts and she is great in combinations with Evans. Octavia Spencer doesn’t really do anything new, but I always love seeing her.
It’s never overly dramatic, which could easily happen with a theme like this. Webb managed to create a good balance. It’s not a masterpiece, but it surely is a very strong movie with top notch performances.

Rating: 4/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Actors That Are Sexier with a Beard

I love beards, or I love men with beards. A good beard. And there are so many men that look much hotter with a beard. I listed five of those men, actors to be specific, that look way better with a beard.

5. George Eads
He had many looks on “CSI”, but the season(s) where he had a beard I loved Eads the most. Eads is one of those men that gets more attractive by the years. And that beard on him is just sexy. Especially with a few grey hairs in it…

4. Ryan Gosling
He has a more trimmed beard, not very heavy on the facial hair. And Gosling is extremely attractive without it, just look at him in “Drive”. But that beard makes him more of a man and more handsome too.

3. Ryan Reynolds
Without a beard, Reynolds simply has a baby face. He is super hot with that beard, just look at the Amity film he was in.

2. Chris Evans
The beard doesn’t make Evans a tough guy, it just makes him more serious and appealing. As Captain America it doesn’t fit him, but for other roles it does. Throw that razor out Chris!

1. Chris Hemsworth
Okay, this man. I sometimes think he isn’t real, that’s how perfect he is. And with that beard he is the definition of a perfect man.

They Almost Made the Top 5: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hardy, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bradley Cooper, James Franco, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Idris Elba, Kit Harrington

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 69: Captain America: Civil War

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Emily VanCamp, Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, Martin Freeman, Marisa Tomei, John Slattery, Alfre Woodard

Description: Political interference in the Avengers' activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).

Review: The brothers Joe and Anthony Russo did a great job on “Captain America: Winter Soldier” and I was really excited when I found out they were also directing the third installment of this franchise. They really understand the Marvel universe.
The film opens with a scene in Lagos, Nigeria. There the memers of the Avengers are chasing down bad guy Crossbones. The mission ends in a blood bath. And after their actions in New York, Washington and Sokovia, the United Nations wants to close the Sokovia Accords. This means the Avengers can only work on request by the UN.
Tony Stark signs the documents. Steve Rogers thinks it’s a bad plan. Together with Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Falcon, he doesn’t sign. During the ceremony, where all the others do sign, the king of Wakanda is killed in an attack. The main suspect is the Winter Soldier. The hunt for Steve’s friend tears the Avengers even further apart.
This Marvel film is mostly about loyalty, family and friendship. Steve Rogers is the one we focus on, of course. He stands for loyalty and friendship and would never abandon his friend Bucky. Steve never doubts Bucky’s story and wants to defend him no matter what. A great thing about “Captain America: Civil War” is that both teams, team Captain America and team Iron Man, have good points and bad points. You would expect that as a viewer you have to lean towards Steve Rogers, but Tony Stark also has some good points. The most awesome part of the film is the showdown between both teams, on a airfield in Leipzig. Well shot, great action, perfectly choreographed fight scenes and humor. And it’s fun to see new heroes Spider-Man, Black Panther and Ant-Man here too.
There is a lot going on in “Captain America: Civil War”, which sometimes makes it feel a bit messy. Lots of characters, old an new ones. But the movies shines when it has to shine: the action and fight scenes and the comedy.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 120: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Director: Edgar Wright

Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Adventure/ Romance/ Fantasy

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brandon Routh, Alison Pill, Jason Schwartzman, Ellen Wong, Mark Webber, Mae Whitman, Aubrey Plaza, Brie Larson

Description: Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) must defeat his new girlfriend's (mary Elizabeth Winstead) seven evil exes in order to win her heart.

Review: When you manage to debut with “Shaun of the Dead” and then come with “Hot Fuzz” as your follow up, the pressure is big for a third film. With “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” director Edgar Wright showed again his comedic talent, but this time combined with fantasy. The first time a big budget film and he succeeds.

It’s a setting where comic books, videogames and guitar music rule. It’s all very surrealistic and the playful setting are a real treat. It’s not your standard comic book adaptation.

Scott meets Ramona, a girl he saw in his dreams. He wants to win her over, but first has to beat her seven evil exes. They can literally appear everywhere and this gives us some real great action fighting scenes. All very original and a great style.

The movie is filled with references, to videogames, music, movies and television shows. It will especially speak to teenagers and twenty somethings. You sometimes do feel that towards the end it’s a bit rushed, because so much goes on in the film.

“Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” is entertaining and it looks amazing. Edgar Wright succeeds in his first American production.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Battle: Captain America: The First Avenger Vs. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This time I decided to go for two movies in a franchise. I love Marvel movies, they are really successful and this guy is my favorite superhero and Avenger. I’m talking about Captain America. Already two standalone movies, so Cap is fighting himself in this battle: “Captain America: The First Avenger” Vs. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”

 

 

ACTORS

Captain America: The First Avenger: Chris Evans is a good choice for Captain America aka Steve Rogers. A strong performer, but also a great action star. His chemistry with Hayley Atwell, as Agent Peggy Carter, was fantastic and her performance is also memorable. Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci have great supporting roles. Hugo Weaving is a believable villain, but Red Skull is a little bit underused.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Chris Evans is getting more comfortable in his role as Captain America. A bigger role for Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson. The best addition is Scarlett Johansson, as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. The chemistry Evans had with Hayley Atwell in the first movie, he now has with Johansson. In a different way, but the two work well together. Robert Redford is also a good addition to the cast.

STORY

Captain America: The First Avenger: It’s the origin story of Steve Rogers becoming Captain America. I like the setting of the story and how it was executed.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: The movie is this time set in modern times. The story has some surprising twists. This is a strongly written script.

EFFECTS

Captain America: The First Avenger: The movie looks stunning, with the 1940s as the movie’s background. The action scenes are fast paced and look good.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Again a fantastic looking movie. The action scenes look even better and are even faster, because of the modern look. And there was only a minimal use of CGI in this film, which makes it even more amazing that the film looks so good.

WINNER

Although I love “Captain America: The First Avenger”, probably more than most people, I choose the second movie in this franchise. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” was just slightly better.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 65: The Iceman

Director: Ariel Vromen

Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime

Runtime: 103 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans, Ray Liotta, David Schwimmer, Stephen Dorff, James Franco, Robert Davi, Danny A. Abeckaser, John Ventimiglia, Ryan O’Nan, McKaly Miller, Megan Sherrill, Hecktor Hank, Zoran Radanovich, Shira Vilensky, Kelly Lind, John P. Fertitta, Erin Cummings

Description: The true story of Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon), the notorious contract killer and family man. When finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife (Winona Ryder) nor daughters have any clue about his real profession.

Review: Hundreds of people lost their lives to relentless hitman Richard Kuklinksi aka The Iceman. In the adaptation of this story director Ariel Vromen choose Michael Shannon to portray Kuklinski. And with also Ray Liotta, Chris Evans, Winona Ryder and a small role from James Franco, this looks like a promising film. It’s the acting that makes this movie interesting, not the plot.

Working for various criminal originations Kuklinski kills almost 250 people (according to himself). This is combined with the confrontations about honor, trust and loyalty within the criminal world. Besides this dark life he is living, Kuklinski has a loving wife and two daughters, who know nothing about his job. This gets the audience in the situation where we see him as a cold blooded killer and as a loving husband and father.

Michael Shannon is a perfect choice for this role. His appearance makes it very believable and he is genuinely scary is a hitman. Like I said before, the acting in this movie is very strong. It’s better than the movie itself. Which doesn’t mean that it’s bad, because it’s a very enjoyable film. But not a movie that you will remember for a long time.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 53: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Director: Joss Whedon

Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure

Runtime: 141 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans,Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johannson, Jeremy Renner, James SPader, Samuel L. Jackson, Coby Smulders, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Stellan Skarsgard, Claudia Kim, Thomas Kretschmann, Andy Serkis, Linda Cardellini

Description: When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans.

Review: “The Avengers” was a huge success. A grand, funny, lively superhero movie with colorful characters. It was unique and exciting to see all those larger-than-life characters together in one film. And now they are back in “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, to save the world again. Will Joss Whedon succeed again? In two words: hell yeah!

We get the same ingredients: Tony Stark/ Iron Man makes sharp remarks, Steve Rogers/ Captain America tries to do everything by the book, Thor is the macho who as a God feels more majestic then the rest, Bruce Banner/ Hulk tries to control his anger and Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow is the kick-ass chick of the group. A well-known formula with the perfect actors to play the roles. The action is out of control: fighting, flying, demolishing, lots of spectacular action scenes. The opening scene was so amazing, you are right in the middle of it all. And that action is combined very well with comedy.

The introduction of the villain, the titular Ultron voiced by James Spader, is fascinating. He is a pretty scary villain and powerful. Spader does a great job voicing the character.

Joss Whedon gave some of the characters, that don’t have standalone films yet, a bigger role then the first movie. We get to know Clint Barton/ Hawkeye a bit better and he also has some good one-liners. Black Widow doesn’t only get more physical scenes, but also gets more depth. Her connection with Bruce Banner also gets more depth. Do we need a love arch in this action packed movie? Why not, it’s only minor.

New characters Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch add, besides new cool superpowers, also an interesting dramatic and moral component to the story. They could have used a bit more depth.

With this many characters in one movie, it’s a challenge to not make it superficial or let one character overshadow another character. Whedon managed to give each character a development, more depth or a memorable moment.

“Avengers”Age of Ultron” is highly enjoyable movie. A perfect cast, a huge amount of action, fun humor. I could think of a lot of worse thing to do in 141 minutes.

Rating: 4,5/ 5