Netflix Friday - Volume 69

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Black Hawk Down (2001)
160 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.
 

Drama: Django Unchained (2012)
With the help of a German bounty-hunter (Christoph Waltz), a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) sets out to rescue his wife (Kerry Washington) from a brutal plantation-owner (Leonardo DiCaprio) in Mississippi.
 

Comedy: Forrest Gump (1994)
The presidencies of Kennedy and Johnson, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal and oter historical events unfold from the perspective of an Alabama man (Tom Hanks) with an IQ of 75, whose only desire is to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart (Robin Wright)
 

Animation: Ponyo (2008)
A five-year-old boy develops a relationship with Ponyo, a young goldfish princess who longs to become human after falling in love with him.
 

Romance: The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)
Six Californians start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to find their relationships, both old and new, begins to resemble 21^st century versions of her novels.
 

Horror: The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
A lawyer (Laura Linney) takes on a negligent homicide case involving a priest (Tom Wilkinson) who preformed an exorcism on a young girl (Jennifer Carpenter)
 

Science Fiction: Children of Men (2006)
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which woman have become somehow infertile, a former activist (Clive Owen) agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.
 

Crime: Scarface (1983)
In 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant (Al Pacino) takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed.
 

Thriller: Blood Diamond (2006)
A fisherman (Djimon Hounsou), a smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and a syndicate of businessmen match wits over the possession of a priceless diamond.
 

Documentary: Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed (2021)
Bob Ross brought joy to millions as the world’s most famous art instructor. But a battle for his business empire cast a shadow over his happy trees.
 

Family: Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
Three musical chipmunks are discovered by an aspiring songwriter (Jason Lee) who wants to use their amazing  singing abilities to become famous.

What's in a Movie Year - 2012

Taking a look at the year 2012, picking my 10 favorite movies from that year in random order.
 

The Avengers
Spectacular and amusing superhero film, written and directed by Joss Whedon. In my opion, still the best Avengers film of the series. And a great start to the now epic franchise. 
 

The Cabin in the Woods
According to the clichés of the horror genre, five students go to an abandoned cabin in the woods to be slaughtered. But besides that, this inventive, often hilarious film goes its own way. Also from the mind of Joss Whedon, but directed by his friend Drew Goddard. Together they wrote the script, in a hotel room, in three days. It’s a unique horror film, that is not what you think it is.
 

Ted
Teddy bear Ted once came to life thanks to a Christmas wish from his owner John. Now, 25 years later, the duo is still inseparable, with a shared interest in beer and pulp TV. How many jokes can you make about a swearing and drinking teddybear? Well, quite a lot. And Seth MacFarlane (known for his animated series “Family Guy), does a good job with his directorial feature film debut. Some jokes about farts and dicks, but mostly intelligent and hilarious scenes, which are especially convincing thanks to the immaculate animation of the bear.
 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
At first sight it’s yet another high school movie, about the timid Charlie, a boy without friends. But then he meets the extravagant Patrick and Sam. A Brat Pack-like formula film that comes a quarter of a century late, drenched in nostalgia, but with a fine set of protagonists and a surprisingly vicious twist. Based on director Stephen Chbosky’s novel of the same name.
 

Argo
It really happened: in 1980 the CIA, in collaboration with Hollywood during the Iranian hostage crisis, produced a fake science fiction film that was supposed to be shot in Iran in order to liberate a group of Americans there. In his third film as director, Ben Affleck transforms history into an exciting, witty political thriller with tasteful feel-good elements. Affleck, himself in the leading role as a man with a plane, remains a somewhat flat actor but has only gathered strong opponents around him, such as Alan Arkin, John Goodman and Bryan Cranston. The convincing image of time contributes to the feeling that the truth has bot been violated too much.
 

Silver Linings Playbook
Pat is taken home by his mother after eight legally imposed months in an institution. Immediately it turns our that bipolar Pat is definitely not cured yet. Then he meets Tiffany, a young woman who is adrift after the sudden death of her husband. A vivid tragicomedy and feel-good film carried by a great cast, with Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in front.
 

Zero Dark Thirty
Masterful thriller, and without a doubt the best film about the War on Terror. For 157 minutes, director Kathryn Bigelow reconstructs the manhunt for Osama Bin Laden in a contemplative style, from the chilling opening minutes in which a suspect is gruesomely tortured by the CIA to the monumental, nerve-wrecking final act in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Th suggestion that the torture was essential to locate Bin Laden led to furious protests, but in tone “Zero Dark Thirty” is far from propagandist.
 

Django Unchained
Director Quentin Tarantino had already focused on abused women and oppressed Jews, so now it was time for nineteenth-century American slaves. Freed slave Django wants to free his wife from the hands of a sadistic plantation owner with the help of a German bounty hunter. Thematically daring, brutal spaghetti westerns and it has been remarkably straightforward, with some brilliant scenes. Highlight is the supporting role of Samuel L. Jackson, as one of the most racist sob’s ever in movie history.
 

Moonrise Kingdom
Adolescents Sam and Suzy are outsiders in a small American Island communitu in 1965. When they flee together, the adults on the island panic. Director Wes Anderson wanted to capture the tenderness and ferocity of a first love in his seventh feature film. He does this in his unique way, with dry comedy, pointed dialogues, absurdist twists and a design that is meticulous down to the last detail. Charming, witty and heartwarming.
 

Bernie
Jack Black is at his most charming as Bernie. He is the local mortician in a small village in Texas. He is loved by everyone. this doesn’t change when, out of frustration, he kulls the hated widow he lives with in cold blood. Bizarre story, told as a light-hearted docudrama, is based on true events.

Netflix Friday - Volume 8

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.

Action: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Following the Normandy Landings, a groups of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper (Matt Damon) whose brothers have been killed in action.

Drama: Lion (2016)
A five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman, David Wenham) after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he (Dev Patel) sets out to find his lost family.

Comedy: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles.

Animation: Kung Fu Panda (2008)
The Dragon Warrior has to clash against the savage Tai Lung as China’s fate hangs in the balance. However, the Dragon Warrior mantle is supposedly mistaken to be bestowed upon an obese panda (Jack Black) who is a novice in martial arts.

Romance: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Lara Jean (Lana Condor) is a teenage girl whose secret love letters are exposed and wreak havoc on her love life.

Horror: Christine (1983)
A nerdish boy buys a strange car with an evil mind of its own and his nature starts to change to reflect it.

Science Fiction: Jurassic Park (1993)
A pragmatic paleontologist (Sam Neill) visiting an almost complete theme park is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park’s cloned dinosaurs to run loose.

Crime: Django Unchained (2012)
With the help of a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz), a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) sets out to rescue his wife (Kerry Washington) from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Thriller: The Da Vinci Code (2006)
A murder inside the Louvre, and clues in Da Vinci paintings, lead to the discovery of a religious mystery protected by a secret society for two thousand years, which could shake the foundations of Christianity.

Documentary: Virunga (2014)
A team of brace individuals risk their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas.

Family: The Karate Kid (1984)
A boy (Ralph Macchio) and his mother move to California for a new job. He struggles to fit in, as a group of karate students starts to bully him for dating a rich girl (Elizabeth Shue) from their clique. It’s up to the Japanse landlord Miyagi (Pat Morita) to teach him karate.

20 Best Quentin Tarantino Characters

With "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" still in theaters, I decided it would be fun to take a look at all those great character director Quentin Tarantino created over the years.

20. Hugo Stiglitz (Til Schweiger) in “Inglourious Basterds”
Til Schweiger truly puts the ‘glorious’ in his Baserd as a defected German sergeant with a penchant for murdering Nazis in the sickest ways possible.

19. Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) in “Pulp Fiction”
Boxer Butch Coolidge ain’t nobody’s bitch. Fleeing from the scene after accidentally killing his opponent in the ring, Coolidge is still the closest thing “Pulp Fiction” has to a good guy. Butch later embraces his bloodlust by slicing and dicing his would-be rapist, who couldn’t have picked a worse guy to screw with.

18. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) in “Inglourious Basterds”
Aldo Raine is the leader of the Basterds and and Apache descendant, who loved killing and scalping Nazis. Not the brightest star in the universe, but he does everything to get to his goal.

17. Vincent Vega (John Travolta) in “Pulp Fiction”
John Travolta pulled a dramatic career U-turn as Vincent Vega, the icy calm at the center of “Pulp Fiction” manic universe. He always remains the picture of coolness. Even when he has to show his moves on the dancefloor with Mia Wallace or when he accidentally shoots a guy in the head.

16. O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) in “Kill Bill”
One of the Deadly Vipers on The bride’s to-do list. O-Ren gets the most fleshed out backstories of all the Kill Bill villains: orphaned by the Yakuza, eventually getting her much needed and deserved revenge. She becomes a master assassin and heads a Tokyo crime syndicate complete with her own Crazy 88 army.

15. Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) in “Death Proof”
“Death Proof” is the only Tarantino film that I didn’t like, but Stuntman Mike is its only redeeming feature. A psychopath hard-wired on murdering innocent female passengers by crashing his ‘death proof’ stunt car.

14. Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) in “Django Unchained”
Schultz is a bounty hunter, but also a righteous campaigner for racial equality. He teams up with ex-slave Django to free his wife from Calvin Candie. A man of tall tales, Schultz is a sharp-shooter but a sharper dresser. King is a man of principle, even when it costs him the ultimate price.

13. Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) in “Pulp Fiction”
With a wit only as sharp as her bob, Mia Wallace is a very modern gangster’s moll: a thrillseeker whose actions are even more irresponsible than her husband’s. if you ignore the overdose, she’s a delightful dinner companion, able to fill any awkward silence and capable of tearing up the dance floor.

12. Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) in “Django Unchained”
Calvin Candy is the obvious villain in “Django Unchained”, but there’s something even more insidious about his house slave Stephen: a man who seemingly turned his back on his entire race. Stephen is either a desperate victim forced into the unthinkable by circumstance, or the most insidiously evil character in the movie. I think the latter.

11. Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) in “Reservoir Dogs”
He can’t make a clean getaway. He shows some mercy to his fatally wounded companion Mr. Orange after their diamond heist went wrong. Stoic and composed, Mr. White displays chinks of humanity that the rest of the Reservoir Dogs fill with greed.

10. Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Rick Dalton is a TV actor who’s on his way back and is only playing villains in TV pilots. Dalton would rather self-destruct than acknowledge he doesn’t truly matter anymore. He is so magnetic because he’s also wildly funny. Played by an actor that is not known for his funny roles, Leonardo DiCaprio is completely loveable, ludicrously demanding and he has a child-like sense of wonder.

9. Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) in “Jackie Brown”
The heroine of “Jackie Brown” is a blaxploitation legend of her own right. The stewardess/ smuggler checks in that baggage to her advantage, expertly playing off the cops and criminals, Jacki is one of the baddest asses in the Tarantino universe.

8. Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) in “Pulp Fiction”
It’s tough to define cool, particularly in a Tarantino movie that’s super cool. But then there is Jules Winnfield, the coolest of them all. A burger eating and verbally strong hitman, who has some of the most quotable lines in movie history.

7. Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) in “Kill Bill”
Elle Driver is definitely the coolest of Bill’s hit squad, with a rad accessory: a patch covering the gaping socket from where Pai Mei pulled her eye. Elle is a direct rival of The Bride, mainly for the affections of their master Bill. And the trailer cat-fight is without a doubt a highlight of the film.

6. Shosanna Dreyfuss (Mélanie Laurent) in “Inglourious Basterds”
Revenge is a dish best served cold, or if you’re war survivor Shoshanna, a dish best served roasted and dripping in Nazi blood. Narrowly avoiding being killed, she sets her sight high with the help of the Basterds, brings down Hitler and his Third Reich with a fiery massacre in her own movie theater.

5. Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) in “Reservoir Dogs”
Mr. Pink is a nitpicker. He’s not happy with his codename Mr. Pink, he doesn’t tip. He is, however, an utmost professional, and is the only man smart enough to escape with his life. It’s easy to see why Tarantino loved this character so much, he initially wanted to play the role himself.

4. Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) in “Reservoir Dogs”
Mr. Blonde is the darkest soul of all of the Reservoir Dogs gang. A man for whom torture is an activity to be set to music. Michael Madsen nails the quesy tone, adding style and swagger to his sadistic deeds. He is Tarantino’s most vicious villain.

3. Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Could stuntman Cliff Booth be Brad Pitt’s greatest achievement. He’s certainly on the list. The kind of character that only Pitt could have played in this stage of his life and definitely the best part of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”.

2. Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) in “Inglourious Basterds”
This is the role that introduced Hollywood to Christoph Waltz (and the Oscars). Hans Landa is a once-in-a-lifetime part: a comic book bad guy with a silver tongue. Is he Tarantino’s most detestable character? Certainly up on the list, but he is definitely one of the smartest. Landa is both charming and terrifying at the same part.

1. Beatrix Kiddo aka The Bride (Uma Thurman) in “Kill Bill”
We first meet Beatrix Kiddo at her most vulnerable: pregnant, beaten, shivering and at the mercy of her former lover, she’s staring down the barrel of a gun that’s about to go off. Thus begins the epic journey of The Bride, who never made it down the aisle. Left for dead, but miraculously survived. And she has a hitlist, taking down all the sons of bitches that caused a bloodbath at her wedding (which was actually a rehearsal). With no mercy whatsoever.



Honorable mentions: Louis Gara (Robert De Niro) – Jackie Brown, Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) – Jackie Brown, Pai Mei (Gordon Liu) – Kill Bill Vol. 2, Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth) – Inglourious Basterds, Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) – Pulp Fiction, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) - Django Unchained, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson) – Jackie Brown, Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) – Reservoir Dogs, Captain Koons (Christopher Walken) – Pulp Fiction