Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (October 2015)

Well, October is the month of Halloween, so I watched lots of horror movies for my challenge. And since I don’t do well with watching them alone, I’m very proud of myself that I managed to stay alive, haha! Here are my five favorite movies I watched for my challenge for the month of October.

5. Dawn of the Dead

I had only seen the remake, that I thought was really good. This one, also very good. I always like zombie movies and I understand why this is a classic.

 

4. Crimson Peak

I read mixed reviews for “Crimson Peak”, but I highly enjoyed the Guillermo del Toro film. Yes, it wasn’t as scary as the trailers led us to believe, but it was beautifully made and had fantastic acting in it. Especially the ladies, with Jessica Chastain as the shining star.

 

 

3. Animal Kingdom

An Australian film that I didn’t hear of until I saw it. It’s an overlooked movie, more people should watch it. It’s a strong film, with good acting. Liked it.

 

 

2. The Evil Dead

What, I never saw “The Evil Dead”. Well, now I did and I loved it. Now I understand why this movie is such a cult hit. It was terrifying and gross, yet funny and very well made. Can’t wait to see the second one, because I haven’t seen that either.

 

 

1. Sicario

I was very excited to see this movie, because I loved director Denis Villeneuve’s movies “Prisoners” and “Enemy”. “Sicario” wasn’t as good, but it was still an amazing film! Emily Blunt is sublime in this movie and the film was captivating from beginning ‘till end.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Hotel Transylvania, Mastes of Horror – Family

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 131: Crimson Peak

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Genre: Drama/ Fantasy/ Horror/ Thriller/ Romance

Runtime: 119 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, Leslie Hope

Description: In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author (Mia Wasikowska) is torn between love for her childhood friend (Charlie Hunnam) and the temptation of a mysterious outsider (Tom Hiddleston). Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds - and remembers.

Review: At the start of the twentieth century Edith Cushing lives with her father in Buffalo, New York. Her dead mother visits Edith at night and warns her for Crimson Peak. Years later Edith’s life is turned upside down when she meets the British Thomas Sharpe and his sister Lucille. After the mysterious and sudden death of her father, Edith marries Thomas an moves with him and Lucille to England. There they live in Allerdale Hall, a huge mansion which is ruinous. Edith wakes up at night by ghosts and learns Allerdale Hall is also called Crimson Peak. Edith learns there are a lot of secrets in that house and also with Thomas and Lucille.

After his Sci-Fi adventure “Pacific Rim”, director Guillermo del Toro is back with what he knows best. “Crimson Peak” has an amazing set and it can be compared to “Pan’s Labyrinth” when you just look at it. The big difference is the romantic touch this film has. Del Toro based “Crimson Peak” on the gothic horror genre. The mansion is beautifully made and is almost a character itself. Del Toro is known for his eye for detail and Crimson Peak was completely build in a studio. Because it all looks so real, the atmosphere is more spooky.

The developments in the movie are sometimes predictable. The middle part of the film is a bit repetitive, when Edith goes on her search for secrets at night. This happens several times. The movie has a slow start, but the second half of the film is the best. Especially that finale was extraordinary and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Mia Wasikowska is a fresh heroin, she does a really good job. Tom Hiddleston manages to switch between being irresistible and charming and dark and mysterious in his role as Thomas Sharpe. But it’s Jessica Chastain who steals the show. As the intimidating Lucille Sharpe she is almost unrecognizable and extremely scary.

“Crimson Peak” is a gorgeous looking horror mystery. It’s not as scary as the trailers led us to believe, but it’s definitely a movie you should see. Strong cast and visually beautiful.

Rating: 4/ 5

Fall 2015 Movie Preview

The summer is almost to an end and my favorite season is about to start. There are some great movies coming this fall and I would like to share with you the once I'm looking forward to the most. I think I'm going to do more of those in the future, because I love to read and watch things like this myself. Here is a list of movies I'm looking forward to this fall.

Sicario

Release date: September 18th

I loved Denis Villeneuve's previous movies "Prisoners" and "Enemy", so this is a movie to look out for. "Sicario" starts Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro and it's about a drug war along the Mexican border.

Trailer "Sicario"

Everest

Release date: September 25th

A first this may seem like a generic survival thriller, but with a cast that includes Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley and Robin Wright (among others), it seems more like an solid ensemble thriller that’s worth a second look.

Trailer "Everest"

The Martian

Release date: October 2nd

The adaptation of Andy Weir's novel, director Ridley Scott and a killer cast with Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Kristen Wigg.

Trailer "The Martian"

Steve Jobs

Release date: October 9th

No, not another Ashton Kutcher flick. This time it's Michael Fassbender who takes on the role of Steve Jobs. Aaron Sorkin, who was also a part of "The Social Network", is the screenwriter and Danny Boyle directs. This guy never makes the same movie. Besides Fassbender we can see Seth Rogen and Kate Winslet.

Trailer "Steve Jobs"

Bridge of Spies

Release date: October 16th

Tom Hanks starring in a Steven Spielberg political thriller written by the Coen Brothers. Reason enough for me to go and see it.

Trailer "Bridge of Spies"

Crimson Peak

Release date: October 16th

Guillermo del Toro directing a film with supernatural elements is something that a lot of fans have waited a long time to see again. I’m one of them. Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska and Charlie Hunnam star in this creepy movie.

Trailer "Crimson Peak"

Suffragette

Release date: October 23rd

Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, and Meryl Streep as the first activists in the British women’s suffrage movement. I’m sorry, what else do you need to know?

Trailer "Suffragette"

Spotlight

Release date: November 6th

I'm so glad Michael Keaton is back on the screen. This movie tells the story of a group ofs journalists who broke the story of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. An ace fall ensemble here with not alone Keaton, also Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, John Slattery, Liev Schreiber, Billy Crudup and Stanley Tucci.

Trailer "Spotlight"

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Release date: November 20th

I can't wait to see how it all end. Off course, I already know, but I want to see it on the big screen.

Trailer "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2"

MacBeth

Release date: December 4th

There have been several movies based on this story, but now it’s Australian director Justin Kurzel’s turn. With the jaw-dropping pairing of Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard as the Lord and Lady.

Trailer "MacBeth"

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Release date: December 18th

I really can't ignore this one. Although I'm not a huge fan of the franchise, I do get excited for it. Just for nostalgic reasons maybe.

Trailer "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

The Hateful Eight

Release date: December 25th

Probably my favorite on this list, because I love everything Quentin Tarantino does. I have to wait untill January here in the Netherlands, but that's okay. It has Michael Madsen, Kurt Russel, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walter Goggins and Bruce Dern in it.

Trailer "The Hateful Eight"

Joy

Release date: December 25th

I'm always excited to see Jennifer Lawrence in anything! Another colaboration with director David O. Russell and actors Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro.

Trailer "Joy"

The Revenant

Release date: December 25th

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s follow-up to "Birdman" finds Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, and Domnhall Gleeson out in the cold. The trailer looks really intense.

Trailer "The Revenant" <

Movie Trailer Sunday (177)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Crimson Peak

Description: In the aftermath of a family tragedy, aspiring author Edith (Mia Wasikowska) is torn between love for her childhood friend (Charlie Hunnam) and the temptation of a mysterious outsider (Tom HIddleston). Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds…and remembers.

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Jim Beaver

Trailer: Trailer "Crimson Peak"

Comment: Every once in a while there is this trailer that you just can't get out of your head. "Crimson Peak" is that trailer, I've watched a few times already.

The Water Diviner

Description: Australian farmer Connor (RussellCrowe) travels to Istanbul to discover the fate of his sons, reported missing in the action, where he forges a relationship with the beautiful Turkish woman (Olga Kurylenko) who owns the hotel in which he stays. Holding on to hope, and with the help of a Turkish Officer, Connor embarks on a journey across the country to find the truth about the fate of his sons.

Director: Russell Crowe

Starring: Steve Bastoni, Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko, Jai Courtney, Ryan Corr, Yilmaz Erdogan, Cem Yilmaz

Trailer: Trailer "The Water Diviner"

Comment: Russell Crowe as a director, interesting.

Hot Pursuit

Description: An uptight and by-the-book cop (Reese Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Sofia Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen.

Director: Anne Fletcher

Starring: John Carroll Lynch, Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara, Richard T. Jones, Rob Kazinsky

Trailer: Trailer "Hot Pursuit"

Comment: Isn't there a John Cusack movie with the same title?

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Description: CIA agent Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB agent Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) are forced to put aside longstanding hostilities, the two team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology. The duo's only lead is the daughter of a vanished German scientist, who is the key to infiltrating the criminal organization, and they must race against time to find him and prevent a worldwide catastrophe.

Director: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Hugh Grant, Jared Harris, Henry Cavill, Alicia Vikander, Armie Hammer, Elizabeth Debicki, Luca Calvani

Trailer: Trailer "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."

Comment: I Always like spy movies.

Trainwreck

Description: Having thought that monogamy was never possible, commitment-phobic career woman Amy (Amy Schumer) may have to face her fears when she meets a good guy (Bill Hader).

Director: Judd Apatow

Starring: Bill Hader, Tilda Swinton, Brie Larson, John Cena, Colin Quinn, Ezra Miller, Barkhad Abdi, Mike Birbiglia, Amy Schumer, Vanessa Bayer, Jon Glaser

Trailer: Trailer "Trainwreck"

Comment: I love Judd Apatow!