Movie Review - Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire

Director: Adam Wingard
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Rachel House, Alex Ferns
 
Description: Two ancient titans, Godzilla and Kong, clash in an epic battle as humans unravel their intertwined origins and connection to Skull island’s mysteries.

Review: The world has now learned of the existence of a second world far beneeath our earth, and the Monarch orgination knows that Gozilla is there to protect humanity from oher monsters (Titans). Kong now lives in that Hollow Earth and searched daily in vain for conspecifics. But then suddenly a signal turns up.

“Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire” is a lot, but not boring. Godzilla himself doesn’t get particularly much attention, but the build-up toward a spectacular fight is exciting. The human characters have a fun adventure and Kong’s journey also captivates because the emotions are aptly portrayed. You easily empathize with Kong, more then with the humans. Because their characters are a bit flat. But these kinds of movies you don’t go and see for them.

Dan Stevens introduces a new character, whom I really liked. And I liked his dynamic with Brian Tyree Henry’s character.

The universe has expanded a bit again. Kong remains a hero. “Godzilla X Kong: The new Empire” is a successful new installement, a simple but entertaining movie. Exactly what you expect from a monster movie like this.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Apostle

Director: Gareth Evans
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Dan Stevens, Richard Elfyn, Michael Sheen, Paul Higgins, Lucy Boynton

Description: In 1905, a drifter (Dan Stevens) on a dangerous mission to rescue his kidnapped sister tangles with a sinister religious cult on an isolated island.
 
Review: Broken Thomas is sent out to retrieve his kidnapped sister from the clutches of a solitary cult. Arriving on the island where the members worship a pagan Goddess, it soon becomes clear tat worshipping other Gods can turn out to be quite wrong.

“Apostle” is a Netflix Original and is a film in the ‘folk horror’ genre. The arrival of a righteous man in a world where everything he believes in turns out to be different seems to directly copy the beginning of “The Wicker Man”, and it gives of those vibes too. But other than this similarity, “Apostle” develops and it becomes a haunting film with its own story and with a style of its own.

Dan Stevens plays the lead role of Thomas, a man who has lost his faith in very painful ways. Michael Sheen plays the prophet Malcolm. Both really good in their roles.

“Apostle” is a solid, suspenseful and at times an unexpectedly gory horror film, with excellent acting. Fairly unknown, but worth watching if you’re a horror fan.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - A Walk Among the Tombstones

Director: Scott Frank
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, Boyd Holbrook, David Harbour, Adam David Thompson, Mark Consuelos
 
Description: Private investigator Matthew Scudder (Liam Neeson) is hired by a drug kingpin (Dan Stevens) to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.

Review: In recent years you can usually guess what you get when you’re watching a Liam Neeson movie. Since the success of “Taken” ins 2008, the Irish actor has regularly been casted as the old hand in the business, who hasn’t yet forgotten to use his trades or other deadly weapons. It’s not very surprising anymore, but convincing it still is.
Neeson is also the main reason why the crime thriller “A Walk Among the Tombstones” remains entertaining. It doesn’t leave you on the edge of your seat, but it’s entertaining enough to keep you attention the full runtime.
The opening is promising. In 1991 New York, we see Matthew Scudder having breakfast in a restaurant, when he’s brutally disturb by a group of robbers. An explosion of violence follows. The film jumps eight years ahead. Matt Scudder has now left the police force and started out as a private investigator. His conscience starts to gnaw when Kenny Kristo, a drug dealer, asks for his help. The dealer can’t turn to the police, but he wants revenge. He paid a lot of money to get his kidnapped wife back, but found her in the trunk of an abandoned car chopped up into pieces.
Eventually Scudder decides to help, so he starts an investigation. And the men responsible for the death of Kenny’s wife have done it before. Scudder digs into the dark past of the gloomy city.
“A Walk Among the Tombstones” is a solid crime thriller, with a changing pace. The setting is great, the performance by Neeson is as well. The film goes on a bit too long, but overall it’s a movie worth checking out.

Rating: 3 / 5

Movie Review - Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Director: David Dobkin
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Pierce Brosnan, Graham Norton, Mikael Persbrandt, Demi Lovato

Description: When aspiring musicians Lars (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) are given the opportunity to represent their country at the world’s biggest song competition, they finally have a chance to prove that any dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for.

Review: I wasn’t very sad about having to miss the Eurovision Song Contest this year. Even though my country The Netherlands won last year and it was supposed to take place here this year, I was never a fan of this song contest. I merely watch it because I want to laugh at the silly acts and bad songs. The film “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Sage” is a perfect consolation prize for all the fans and I would chose this movie over the actual event any time.
As a straightforward American, comedian Will Ferrell had no idea what the Eurovision song contest was. When his Swedish wife Viveca invited him to watch with her family, his jaw dropped. Nice idea for a film he thought.
In “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”, Will Ferrell plays singer Lars who has dreamed of performing at Eurovision all his life. Together with his childhood friend Sigrit, played by Rachal McAdams, he forms the Icelandic band Fire Saga, who can participate in the Eurovision Song Contest due to an unfortunate accident. They’re just not well-prepared and they stumble through everything hilariously.
Will Ferrell clearly has been preparing for “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”. He went behind the scenes of the Eurovision Song Contest to do research and was later allowed to come back with a camera crew to make recordings of the audience. The realism is further enhanced by cameos of a number of former participants and of Graham Norton, the regular British commentator. This makes it a real party that manages to evoke the feeling of Eurovision.
The film couldn’t come at a more perfect time, with the actual event being cancelled. And like I stated before, I prefer this film over the real Eurovision.
It’s hilarious, over-the-top film, with funny performances by both Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. And it has everything that Eurovision also has, bizarre costumes, silly songs, extraordinary characters. This film shouldn’t be taken too seriously. And if you don’t, “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” is a lot of fun!

Rating: 3,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 53: Beauty and the Beast

Director: Bill Condon
Genre: Romance/ Musical/ Fantasy
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Stanley Tucci

Description: An adaptation of the fairy tale about a monstrous-looking prince (Dan Stevens) and a young woman (Emma Watson) who fall in love.

Review: As a little kid, I was never a girly girl. Wasn’t into princess stuff. But the animation “Beauty and the Beast” was an obsession. I love how intelligent, well read and kind Belle was. She saw past the looks, wanted to see more of the world and didn’t settle for mediocre. So I was super excited to see “Beauty and the Beast” being turned into a live-action film.
The film isn’t an exact copy of the animation, but it kept the essentials. But director Bill Condon also added some new characters, songs and scenes. And normally, for nostalgia sake, it would bother the hell out of me. But is surprisingly didn’t. The magic is still present, the main characters feel familiar and the songs are beautiful.
The casting is perfect. Emma Watson is a wonderful Belle and Dan Stevens does a very good job as Beast. Luke Evans is a very convincing Gaston and I really enjoyed Josh Gad as Le Fou. Kevin Kline as Maurice is also a very good choice and all the voice actors (like Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Emma Thompson and Ian McKellen) were chosen perfectly.
While watching this adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast”, I had a smile on my face from beginning ‘till end. I love it!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 163: Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

Director: Shawn Levy

Genre: Comedy/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Family

Runtime: 98 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Dan Stevens, Rebel Wilson, Rami Malek, Ben Kingsley, Dick van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Boll Cobbs

Description: Larry (Ben Stiller) spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.

Review: In the newest adventure of night guard Larry Daley, the magical tablet has some malfunction. He has to find a solution to stop the corrosion on the tablet, else the magic of the museum will be gone. This leads him to a London museum, the only place the tablet can be fixed. This brings us some of the old characters we know from the previous two movies, but also some new characters. And the group being chased by yet another dinosaur skeleton isn’t very original.

The most painful jokes come from the Neanderthal Laa, who is the spitting image of Larry. It’s a second character played by Ben Stiller. It’s such a ridiculous role and it’s just not funny at all.

It’s clear that “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” is targeting a younger audience. It’s much of the same, director Shawn Levy didn’t change the formula. Where “Night at the Museum” was original, refreshing and fun, this third installment clearly isn’t.

Rating: 2/ 5

Pic Spam: Dan Stevens

I recently started watching "Downton Abbey". I know..... but it's a guilty pleasure. I really like Dan Stevens, but I loved him in "The Guest". Thank God for Dan Stevens. Here are some of his best pictures. I prefer him with beard by the way!

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 141: The Guest

Director: Adam Wingard

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 92 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Sheila Kelley, Leland Orser, Brendan Meyer, Lance Reddick

Description: A soldier (Dan Stevens) introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence.

Review: I always find it very exciting to not know much about a movie before watching it. That’s how I went into watching “The Guest”. The movie starts with a soldier on family Peterson’s doorstep. He, David, tells the mother he knew her son who died in action. She invites him in and the family lets him stay for a little while longer. He seems like a nice man, but strange things start happening around town.

“The Guest” is a very strong action thriller. It’s daring and hearkens back to the same kind of movies from the 80's with its own modern touches. The soundtrack is amazing, it reminded me of “Drive”. And some of the music is also very similar to the ones John Carpenter used in his films.

Dan Stevens, who plays David, is the glue that binds this movie together. He exides vulnerability and charm that you just can’t help but like the guy and yet he still stains some sinister vibes underneath that smiling exterior. He knocks it out of the park. Also Maika Monroe turns in a strong performance.

This movie has great thriller elements, especially the last 30 minutes are worth watching. There is an amazing scene in a haunted house.

Like I said before, it’s always nice to start your movie experience before actually knowing anything about the movie, especially when it’s such a pleasant surprise. “The Guest” is a very good thriller. I’m afraid not many people will see it, which is a shame.

Rating: 5/ 5