00s Movie Review - Man on Fire

Director: Tony Scott  
Genre: Actie/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 146 minutes
Year: 2004
Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Marc Anthony, Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke

Description: In Mexico City, a former CIA operative  (Denzel Washington) swears vengeance on those who committed and unspeakable act against the family he was hired to protect.

Review: “Man on Fire” is an intense, stylish action film directed by Tony Scott. It’s one of my favorite films starring Denzel Washington. He plays a traumatized bodyguard who seeks revenge in Mexico City after the kidnapping the young Pita, daughter of the family he has to protect.

My favorite thing about the film is the emotional bond Washington’s John Creasy forms with Pita. When Pita is taken, that makes Creasy’s quest for revenge even more intense. The film has a grim and gritty atmosphere.

Denzel Washington, but also his young counterpart Dakota Fannings are both very strong. The visual style is typical for Tony Scott. It fits the film. The film has a very quiet, emotional build-up and  has a violent, action-packed second half. The film is a tad too long with its 2,5 hours, but “Man on Fire” is a great piece of cinema.

Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - Wild Mountain Thyme

Director: John Patrick Shanley
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, Christopher Walken, Jon Hamm
Description: A pair of star-crossed lovers (Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan) in Ireland get caught up in their family’s land dispute.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 26: A MOVIE  WITH EMILY BLUNT
 
Review: The Irish landscape is lovingly captured in “Wild Mountain Thyme”. Unfortunately, that is the only good thing about this ridiculous romance movie.

Director John Patrick Shanley based “Wild Mountain Thyme” on his own play, which was performed on Broadway in 2014. American press was positive about the play, Irish and Britisch press were not. The main criticism, the accumulation of Irish stereotypes, has also made it into the film adaptation, including a number of implausible accents from the American and British actors. In the movie, the accents of Christopher Walken and Emily Blunt are strange to hear, but Irish actor Jamie Dornan is the least convincing as an Irishman. His flat acting does not help. Or is it the poor script that makes the main character Anthony Reilly such a one-dimensional, flat character.

When we’re almost at the end of the film, Anthony tells  the reason why he never declared his love for his neighbor Rosemary Muldoon. It is even a fundamental part of his character. It’s only elaborated on at the end, so that it can serve as a stupid twist. Which makes the ridiculous collection of clichés about stereotypical Guinness-drinking Irish farmers even more stupid. It's impossible to feel romantic emotions that the climax should have evoked.

Was the ending meant to funny? No, I don’t think so. And that’s why it’s so weird Jamie Dornan and Emily Blunt also have no chemistry whatsoever. This movie was really bad.

Rating: 1,5/ 5

Movie Review - Dune: Part Two

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Genre: Science Fiction/ Drama/ Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 166 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Léa Seydoux
 
Description: Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.

Review: It’s finally here: Denis Villeneuve’s long-awaited second part of his epic film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel. “Dune: Part Two” offers an engaging, lucid and spectacular continuation of the story and tells interesting things about myths, colonialism, ecology, religion and fate. But it impresses above all with its great visuals.

It is a sequel, because it’s the second film, but they are not two separate films. They form a whole and one can not be viewed without the other. Part two picks up when Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica have been taken in by the Fremen, the indigenous people of sand planet Arrakis. What follows is the evolution of Duke’s chils Paul into Maud-Dib, or Lisan al-Gaib. An evolution with extreme consequences.

Villeneuve has focused on the development of Paul, who brings together moderates and fanatics and struggles with his identity. The film has a geopolitical and (post-) colonial layer, with Arrakis as the oil-rich Middle Each, House Atreides as the more progressive Europe, House Harkonnen as representatives of the nihilistic dictatorships pursuing unscrupulous colonial policies and the emperor as the puppeteer.
I was very impressed by Austin Butler, who is a new character and the villain Feyd-Rautha of this second part. Timothée Chalamet manages again to proof that he can easily lead a big film. And Rebecca Ferguson, as Lady Jessica, really showed a nice transformation of her character.

The camerawork is mesmerizing, the way these amazing action scenes were shot.

I already loved the first film, but “Dune: Part Two” is even slightly better. It’s a true epic sci-fi saga, with a complex world with equally complex characters. I just can’t wait for this saga to continue.  

Rating: 5/ 5

80s Movie Review - At Close Range

Director: James Foley
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 1986
Starring: Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kiefer Sutherland, Millie Perkins, Eileen Ryan, Tracey Walter, David Strathairn, Crispin Glover

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 37: A MOVIE RECOMMENDED BY YOUR BROTHER
 
Description: Reunited with his career criminal father (Christopher Walken), tough teen Brad (Sean Penn) thinks he’s found his ticker to an exciting life of crime, only to find out he’s wrong.

Review: Brad Whitewood is a boy from a simple background whose life is going nowhere. Occasionally he has a job but he never really keeps it up for long. Then suddenly his father returns. Brad Sr. turns out to be the leader of a local gang. Soon Brad Jr. starts working for his father. He experiences success with some simple jobs and Brad’s friends join. They too have an appetite for making quick money. However, Brad’s friends are not the most efficient thieves and soon things go wrong. The police are after them and Brad Sr. has no problem getting some witnesses out of the way. Brad wonders how far his father will go to stay out of jail and even begins to fear for his own life.

Sean Penn and Christopher Walken in one movie, that’s going to be great. This is what any movie lover would think when they see who is starring in this film. I can say it is true. Penn and Walken both have rock solid performances and carry the film. Walken in particular is stellar as the criminal and psychotic Brad Whitewood Sr. One moment you think you are dealing with a caring father while a moment later he turns into a cold-blooded killer who does everything in his power not to get caught.

Director James Foley manages to keep the tension well throughout the film, the story is loosely based on a true story. Highly recommended for people who like dramas with a touch of thriller.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 76: Annie Hall

Director: Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 1977
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Paul Simon, Christopher Walken

Description: Neurotic New York comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) falls in love with the ditzy Annie Hall (Diane Keaton).

Review: At first sight “Annie Hall” is just another romantic comedy. But if you look closely you can see that this film inspired a lot of films.
Woody Allen has a gift for observing and analyzing people and in his big break through film it’s fully exposed. And the day to day relationships aren’t dated in this film, because not a lot has changed through the years. It’s still relevant.
Woody Allen is a master in telling a story in an original way, without thinking out of the box too much.
Alvy Singer is one of the best characters I have seen in a long time. And the reason he spoke to me this much is because it was like watching myself. I’m Alvy Singer’s long lost sister. Neurotic, humoristic, overthinking ever day situations, being annoyed by people who talk to loud, not very comfortable in a car.
“Annie Hall” is an absolute gem, I love this movie and I can honestly say this is one of the best romantic comedies ever made.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 160: Jersey Boys

Director: Clint Eastwood
Genre: Drama/ Musical
Runtime: 134 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Christopher Walken, John Lloyd Young, Vincent Piazza, Freya Tingley, Michael Lomenda, Francesca Eastwood, Erich Bergen, Kathrine Narducci, James Madio, Mike Doyle, Billy Gardell, Steve Schirripa, Joseph Russo, Erica Piccininni, Jeremy Luke, Elizabeth Hunter, Steve Monroe, Renée Marino, Lacey Hannan, Donnie Kehr

Description: The story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group The Four Seasons.

Review: “Jersey Boys” is based on the life of singer Frankie Valli and his group The Four Seasons. Like the stage version, the story is told in four chapters. Each one of the members tells the story from his perspective. Frankie, whose actual name is Francesco Castelluccio, works as a barber in New Jersey. He has a great singing voice and it doesn’t take long for someone to notice that. With his best friend Tommy DeVito he constantly gets into trouble. Tommy ends up in jail, Frankie doesn’t. Together with Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio they form The Four Season.
The many hits that The Four Seasons had, don’t have the focus in director Clint Eastwood’s film version. Eastwood never goes down the traditional road. For instance “Invictus”, where he uses the rugby world cup to tell the story of Nelson Mandela. And also “Mystic River” and “Million Dollar Baby” managed to be successful this way. In “Jersey Boys” we see how the group comes together, their first steps as professionals. There is no drama there. Frankie’s life is told in warp speed. He meets a woman, the next scene they get married and later we see he has a daughter. Eventually he has three and he has become a bad father, but how and when all that happened is never mentioned.
Eastwood didn’t manage to tell the details of Valli’s personal life, but in that last act he makes up for that a little bit. The screenplay is the biggest miss for “Jersey Boys”. Eastwood has to tell so much, he has no time for it. And the film is over two hours long.
The cast, although mostly unknown, has talent and they really do a good job. The songs are the best part of the film. “Jersey Boys” is a nice film, but the stage version was a lot better.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 59: The Jungle Book

Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Adventure/ Drama/ Fantasy
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, Garry Shandling, Giancarlo Esposito

Description: The man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi) flees the jungle after a threat from the tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba). Guided by Bagheera the panther (Ben Kingsley) and the bear Baloo (Bill Murray), Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery, though he also meets creatures who don't have his best interests at heart.

Review: Director Jon Favreau believed that an animated classic could profit from the modern film techniques. And he was right. With “The Jungle Book” he made one of the most technological advanced remakes.
People were afraid that the animals would sound too human, but it doesn’t. Where the original Disney animation mixed the animals with human stereotypes, this version shows a much more realistic perspective. Elephants are seen as mighty creatures and all the animals kept their animalistic behavior. Fire, tools and people are seen as unnatural, which brings Shere Khan to hunting down Mowgli. The way Shere Khan, Kaa or King Louie respond to humanity, you don’t just see an animal that can talk. You seen actual characters.
The film has a very adult feel to it. The moments where Baloo and Bagheera collide as worried guardians, with complete different ideologies, are the best. Both life lessons aren’t forced. And along the way there are more animals that are trying to influence Mowgli.
The cast is perfect. Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken have fun supporting roles. Both impressive. Ben Kingsley voices Bagheera, who is perfect as the wise panther. But the best roles are for Bill Murray and Idris Elba. The tiger Shere Khan doesn’t only impress because of his calmth and arrogance, but his motivation and temper are also understandable. Bill Murray is the exact opposite as the somewhat laid back and nobel bear Baloo. These two character keep the film balanced.
The only human in the film is Mowgli, played by Neel Sethy. It’s his debut and he does a very good job.
If I were a kid and saw this version of “The Jungle Book”, I wouldn’t stop talking about it. But I’m an adult and I feel exactly the same. This is the best adaptation of the story I ever saw, even better then the animation. Jon Favreau managed to make it a perfect family film, without being to childish or to scary for kids. And it was great from beginning to end, it didn’t have a dull moment. I loved “The Jungle Book”!

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Battle: Catch Me If You Can Vs. The Departed

This might seem like a random battle, but it has some thought behind it. I looked up Leonardo DiCaprio on Rotten Tomatoes and check which were his two highest rated films. These are the two. I will do this more often, so you can see if I agree with the ranking. But first, let’s fight: “Catch Me If You Can" Vs. "The Departed”

 

 

ACTORS

Catch Me If You Can: Leonardo DiCaprio is the lead, as real life conman Frank Abagnale Jr. His father is played by Christopher Walken and Abagnale Jr. is hunted down by frustrated cop Carl Hanraty, portrayed by Tom Hanks. There are also smaller roles for Jennifer Garner, Amy Adams and Martin Sheen.

The Departed: “The Departed” is a film that has an amazing ensemble cast. Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprion, Jack Nicholson, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone. And they are all fantastic in it.

STORY

Catch Me If You Can: It’s a true story and one of those stories that seem unbelievable. It’s such an interesting story that Frank Abagnale Jr. managed to pretend to be a doctor, pilot and lawyer, without any degree, earn money and then get away with it.

The Departed: A story about two cops, one is a mole and one has to find the mole. It’s such a great and interesting story that stays interesting from beginning ‘till end. I only hoped the bad guy would win, that would separate the film from other crime dramas.

EFFECTS

Catch Me If You Can: No effects needed. It’s an acting film.

The Departed: The movie did a great job portraying Boston. No real effects needed here either, also an acting film.

WINNER

Close call, I love both movies. But I will go for “Catch Me If You Can”. More because it’s a more rewatchable film and the ending is better.

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 123: A Late Quartet

Director: Yaron Zilberman
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Mark Ivanir, Imogen Poots, Wallace Shawn

Description: Members of a world-renowned string quartet struggle to stay together in the face of death, competing egos and insuppressible lust.

Review: “A Late Quartet” centers around the Fugue string quartet, that travels the world successfully for already 25 years. Daniel Lerner plays the first violin, Robert Gelbart plays the second violin, Roberts wife Juliette plays the viola and Peter Mitchell the cello. Peter took a step back after his wife passing. At the start of their rehearsal Peter feels how much effort he has to put in. After visiting the doctor, its determined that he is in the early stage of Parkinson decease. Peter’s illness changes a lot in the group.
A special dynamic is unleashed. Hidden emotions, suppressed ambitions and secrets. Robert has always adapted to the quartet, but wants to play the first violin now. Juliette doesn’t back him up and a break between her and Robert is in sight. Peter is already looking for a replacement and Daniel also shows some weaknesses. Egos collide.
“A Late Quartet” has been shot in New York and the camera has made some magical and atmospheric shots that show New York at its best.
The cast is fantastic. Philip Seymour and Catherine Keener show us amazing skills and convince as the struggling couple. Mark Ivanir is solid, but it’s Christopher Walken that is brilliant. He really touched me, just with a single look. And that last scene with him and the rest of the quartet really gave me the chills.
It takes you some time to get into “A Late Quartet”, but the dialogues are strong and the characters are deep and interesting. Sober, introvert and convincing. A movie that probably will be overlooked, which is a shame. It’s a great movie.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 118: Seven Psychopaths

Director: Martin McDonagh

Genre: Crime/ Comedy

Runtime: 110 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Tom Waits, Abbie Cornish, Olga Kurylenko, Gabourey Sidibe, Michael Pitt, Harry Dean Stanton

Description: Struggling screenwriter Marty (Colin Farrell) inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends (Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken) kidnap a gangster's (Woody Harrelson) beloved Shih Tzu.

Review: Marty is an Irish scriptwriter who works in Hollywood. For his next script he only has a title: “Seven Psychopaths”. Trying to fight his writer’s block, he’s constantly drinking alcohol. His friends Billy and Hans have another occupation: they kidnap dogs and then return them to their owners in order to collect the reward. Everything goes wrong when Billy kidnaps the Shi’Tzu of criminal Charlie and Marty gets involved.

“Seven Psychopaths” is best described as a dark crime comedy. Filled with good actors who get away with all the horrible violence because of their funny dialogues and the bizarre scenario. Director Martin McDonagh broke through with “In Bruges”, which is a favorite of mine. Colin Farrell also had the lead role in that movie. Here, as Marty, he is more neutral and the people around him steal the show. Sam Rockwell does what he does best. He’s totally crazy, but wins over your sympathy somehow. Christopher Walken has the most emotional role, but his humor is great.

McDonagh filled “Seven Psychopaths” with fun moments. It’s sometimes on the edge of overdoing it, but thanks to the humor of the actors it’s a highly enjoyable movie. Definitely worth your time.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Tip #47 - Catch Me If You Can

Director: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, Jennifer Garner, Martin Sheen

Description: A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor.

Review: During the entire film you ask yourself one question: How the hell did he get away with it? Without any medical knowledge he becomes a doctor, he pretends to be a lawyer while breaking the law at the same time and he boards a plane as a pilot while never actually flying a plane. Unbelievable? No! He actually did all those things and he got away with it. I can totally understand FBI agent Carl Hanratty, played by Tom Hanks, who watches Abagnale and his scams and he gets away every single time. In the meanwhile there's also mutual respect towards each other. DiCaprio does a fantastic job, better than many other movies he got more credit for. He's a criminal, with no bad intentions. He just found a way to earn easy money. Tom Hanks is very believable as Hanratty, who's a modest and clumbsy agent. He makes the movie funny without being hilarious. "Catch Me If You Can" is a great mix of humor, drama, action and tension, which makes this film a succes. And even at the end of the movie, you'll ask yourself that same question: How the hell did he get away with it?