00s Movie Review - Good Luck Chuck

Director: Mark Helfrich
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Dane Cook, Jessica Alba, Dan Fogler

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 21: A FILM FROM THE 2000S
 
Description: In order to keep the woman of his dreams from falling for another guy, Charlie Logan (Dane Cook) has to break the curse that has made him wildly popular with dingle women: sleep with Charlie once, and the next man you meet will be your true love.

Review: Dentist Charlie Logan seems to have it all going for him. He’s successful in his job, he’s good looking, and he’s falling in with women. Buit appearances are deceiving, because in love Charlie is not so lucky. His relationships are short-lived, although he doesn’t have a hard time with that. Until he hears that his ex-girlfriend has found the one, thanks to him. The same thing also happens with his next ex-girlfriend. Ti turns out that Charlis is kind of a lucky charm for single ladies. They are only too happy to have sex with him so they can meet the love of their lives. Although Charlie doesn’t want to believe it, his best friend Stu confirms the women’s stories. Then Charlie meets Cam, who he hopelessly falls in love with. But he is afraid, that once they get closer, he will lose Cam to another man.

This movie was made in the 2000s, but a movie like this would never been made today. The women are overly sexualized, the men are masochists, there is homophobia, fat-shaming, sexual harassment. And it’s all in this film for the sake of comedy. I did not laugh once, which is bad for a movie that’s marketed as comedy.

Rating: 1/ 5

Movie Review - Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Director: David Yates
Genre: Adventure/ Family/ Fantasy
Runtime: 143 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne, Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterston, Richard Coyle, Jessica Williams, Alison Sudol, Callum Turner
 
Description: Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) assigns Newt (Eddie Redmayne) and his allies with a mission related to the rising power of Grindelwald.

Review: In 2001, J.K. Rowling released two booklets with proceeds going to charity. “Quidditch Through the Ages” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” where two fictional school books. The latter was written by an alter ego of Rowling: Newt Scamander. As the best and also only magizoologist, Scamander knew how to deal with magical creatures hidden from muggles.

Due to the immense success of the eight Harry Potter movies, film studio Warner Bros. went looking for a new way to continue the series. Rowling came up with the idea of writing a film series based around the adventures of Scamander and including the rise and fall of Voldemort’s predecessor Grindelwald. Three films eventually became five. the first one I loved, the second a little less, but it was still highly enjoyable. I was excited for part three. Maybe even especially because Mads Mikkelsen took over the role of Grindelwald from Johnny Depp. Mikkelsen eventually became the highlight of this film.

Part three, as the title suggests, revolves largely around Dumbledore, who in his younger years is played by Jude Law. The wizarding world is at a major turning point when a new leader of the International Wizarding Association must be chosen. Leader Vogel thinks he has found two excellent candidates in the Brazilian and Chinese Ministers of Magic, when Grindelwald also applies for the post. Dumbledore and Grindelwald share a troubled and emotional past but have also sworn a blood oath preventing them from harming each other.

Grindelwald however, is planning to take over the wizarding world and is working hard to win souls to do so. He has managed to get his hands on an extremely rare Qilin, an creature with special abilities. Not only can you see the future in the creatures blood, but a living Qilin is able to point out the candidate who has a pure, honest soul. Newt, along with his brother and friends, is sent by Dumbledore on a mission where a confrontation with Grindelwald will be inevitable.

The film is dark and at times even dreary due to its hidden subtext. Without mentioning it, a strong parallel is drawn between the rise of Grindelwald in the 1930s and the rise of Adolf Hitler. Nazis are not mentioned, but that Grindelwald has fascist tendencies is obvious. It is a villain who is more sibtle and sophisticated than his later successor Voldemort. With his charm and patience he seems less straightforward, but it is abundantly clear that he ruthlessly eliminates anything and anyone who stands in his way.  

The recasting of Mikkelsen proves to be a golden touch. The Dane is more subdued, more subtle and doesn’t employ the manufactured mannerisms of Depp. His interaction with Jude Law, in particular, pack an exciting punch from the start, due to the various kinds of tension that hangs between the two wizards. Eddie Redmayne, as Newt Scamander, is once again a charming presence, but his character seems increasingly relegated to the sidelines. Unlike the previous installment, the sequences in which his magical beasts are brought from the stables serve the story. It certainly makes for both comical and nail-biting scenes when a liberation attempt is made.

It is also a strong move that Rowling is increasingly working towards the wizarding world and the Hogwarts we already know from the earlier films. For example, the characters visit the school several times and we see a young Minerva McConagall. “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” excels especially in complex, ambiguous characters. Ezra Miller impresses as Credence (who reminds me of a young Snape) who must choose between loyalty to Grindelwald and his family.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” makes some bold choices. And it works out. I really enjoyed this film and can’t wait for the next.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Director: David Yates
Genre: Adventure/ Fantasy/ Family
Runtime: 134 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Zoë Kravitz, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterstone

Description: The second installment of the "Fantastic Beasts" series featuring the adventures of Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne).

Review: In 2016 Warner Bros. and director David Yates brought us a spin-off for the Harry Potter Franchise: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay and situated the Harry Potter universe in 1920s New York. I worked and Newt Scamander was an interesting and loveable character.
At the start of “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”, wizard Grindelwald has been in prison for six months. With his charm, he manages to escape the prison. He travels to Paris and starts to recruit followers. The government wants to catch him as soon as possible, so a true cat and mouse game unfolds.
In the first film, Grindelwald was after Credence Barebone. He appeared to be an extreme powerful wizard that Grindelwald wanted on his side. At the end of that film, everyone thought he died. But Credence is in Paris, looking for his parents. And Grindelwald is looking for Credence. To stop Grindelwald from his evil plans, Albus Dumbledore sends former student Newt Scamander to find Credence. But Newt and Grindelwald aren’t the only ones looking for him. A lot happening in the sequel.
And that’s the problem with this film. Although it’s amazing to step into the magical, wonderful fantasy of J.K. Rowling and to get to know the Parisian wizarding world, there is too much going on. Newt doesn’t feel like the main character anymore, while the franchise is set around him. If they used less storylines, it would have been better.
But there is enough to enjoy. New fable animals, like the Chinese Zouwu. A big lion dragon, who looks amazing and has a great role in the film. The action is spectacular and the finale is satisfying. It’s mainly all those storylines that make it too heavy.

Rating: 3 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 156: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Director: David Yates
Genre: Adventure/ Fantasy/ Family
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alison Sudol, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Zoë Kravitz, Johnny Depp, Ron Perlman, Samantha Marton, Jon Voight, Dan Fogler

Description: The adventures of writer Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in New York's secret community of witches and wizards seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book in school.

Review: When “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” was released, it was the end of an era for Harry Potter fans. The last film about the adventures of wizard Harry Potter. But writer J.K. Rowling wasn’t done with the wizarding world either. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a spin-off and she wrote the script for the movie herself. And thank goodness the magic is still alive.
It’s supposed to be a complete new franchise, with five movies in total. And I couldn’t be more excited! We meet Newt Scamander, a zoologist who studies mysterious fable creatures and keeps them in a magical suitcase. He travels to New York, but his animals manage to escape. The story is set seventy years before Harry Potter is even born.
Eddie Redmayne is really good as Newt Scamander. It’s like Redmayne always belonged in this universe, he fits perfectly. He is charming yet very unworldly. I also really liked Dan Fogler as Kowalski, a Muggle. He is the comic relief and he is sort of represents the audience. The one Newt explains everything to. Colin Farrell is the villain, sort of, and he is strong in his role as well.
With traveling outside the UK, the story has created room for many new characters, decors and situations. Wizarding is different in America. Muggles, called No-Maj, aren’t allowed to interact with wizards. But Rowling also connects the parallel tot he real world, to discuss themes as apartheid, oppression and intolerance. This gives the spin-off an extra layer.
But the amazement is what I love about the film. All the great fairytale like creatures we get to meet, like the Niffler, Pickett the walking stick animal and Frank, an eagle like bird.
Also the décor and costumes are fantastic, combined with an amazing musical score by James Newton Howard. Director David Yates, who directed the Harry Potter films since “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoeniex”, knows his material and again did a great job bringing this magical world to life.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 155: Taking Woodstock

Director: Ang Lee
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Liev Schreiber, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Dan Fogler, Imelda Staunton, Eugene Levy, Henry Goodman, Jonathan Groff, Mamie Gummer, Kevin Sussman, Skylar Astin, Demetri Martin

Description: A man (Demetri Martin)) working at his parents' motel in the Catskills inadvertently sets in motion the generation-defining concert in the summer of 1969.

Review: Director Ang Lee decided to work with a lighter theme this time, after movies like “Brokeback Mountain” and “Lust, Caution”. “Taking Woodstock” it the end result.
A film with the word Woodstock in the title, will give the audience certain expectations. The rock festival will always be legendary and is seen as a turning point in world history. Ang Lee focusses on the organization of the concert, more than the event itself. The film is based on the memoires of Elliot Tiber, a man that accidentally became important in that organization. Elliot works at his parent’s hotel, that is having trouble. No tourists and his parents don’t see the seriousness of the problem. Elliot sees an opportunity when a city nearby is organizing a concert, but its permit is declined. He arranges a permit himself and shows the terrain. But more people are interested in coming to the concert than Elliot would have ever imagined.
“Taking Woodstock” was criticized, because the movie didn’t show anything from the concert itself. And I kind of see where it’s coming from. I know it wasn’t Lee’s intention to reconstruct the concert, but in a movie about Woodstock they could have given us a little bit of the music. Lee focusses more on the feeling that the concert gave the many visitors and how lots of young people became adults during this festival. Elliot has a tough relationship with his parents and is clearly struggling with his sexuality. Woodstock is a turning point for him.
The movie could easily fall into cliché. Elliot’s development isn’t as present, because it’s alternated with eccentric supporting characters, like Vietnam veteran Billy, the transsexual Vilma, but also the chaos that Woodstock causes.
Like many others, I expected to see more of Woodstock itself. This makes it a little disappointing. But overall, “Taking Woodstock” is a pretty fun film.

Rating: 3/ 5