100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 25: End of Watch

Director: David Ayer
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anna Kendrick, Natalie Martinez, America Ferrara, Cody Horn

Description: In South Central Los Angeles, street cops Brian (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike (Michael Peña) are partners, patrolling the streets as Latino gangs are in a power struggle with Blacks.

Review: Two LAPD-agents film themselves while on duty. Their sergeant doesn’t like it, but a tough cop does what he wants. That’s how easy it is, to give a cop film a bit of an original twist.
The police duo Brian Taylor and Mike Zavala is proud of what they do for society. Even if it’s basically picking up the scum of the streets, but it makes the world a little better. With the cameras constantly running, it does make both cops a bit reckless. But that is what keeps you close to the characters. With this way of filming it increases the tension. It’s been a while since we got a chance to empathize so intensely with characters and to get a realistic look on the job.
Both Gyllenhaal and Peña deliver a nice piece of acting work and director David Ayer manages to avoid to put a patriotic feel in the film.
“End of Watch” surprised me pleasantly and I love the way this great concept was executed.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (36)

This weeks trailers are about a dysfunctional family, a teenage runaway, a mother on the run, neighborhood watch and two befriended cops

The Perfect Family
Description: Suburban mother and devout Catholic Eileen Cleary (Kathleen Turner) has always kept up appearances. When she runs for the Catholic Woman of the Year title at her local parish,an award she has coveted for years, her final test is introducing her family to the board for the seal of approval. Now she must finally face the nonconformist family she has been glossing over for years. Her gay daughter, Shannon (Emily Deschanel), a successful lawyer, is about to marry her life partner Angela (Angelique Cabral). Her unhappily married son Frank Jr. (Jason Ritter) is cheating on his wife with the local manicurist. And Eileen's own marriage to a recovered alcoholic is pulling at the seams.
Director: Anna Renton
Starring: Kathleen Turner, Jason Ritter, Emily Deschanel, Richard Chamberlain
Trailer: Trailer "The Perfect Family"

Hick
Description: Small town teenager Luli (Chloe Grace Moretz) escapes to Las Vegas, leaving behind her alcoholic and abusive parents. Armed with her smarts, a pistol and pocket money, she hitchhikes her way west. Along the way, Luli crosses paths with Eddie (Eddie Redmayne), an unstable rebel with questionable motives and Glenda (Blake Lively), a cocaine-snorting drifter on the run. Adapted from the critically acclaimed novel by Andrea Portes, this powerful story pulls you into a provocative world of drugs, seduction and murder.
Director: Derick Martini
Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Blake Lively, Eddie Redmayne, Juliette Lewis, Alec Baldwin
Trailer: Trailer "Hick"

Bringing Up Bobby
Description: We follow European con-artist Olive (Milla Jovovich), and her 10-year-old American born son, Bobby (Spencer List), who find themselves in Oklahoma in an effort to escape her past and build a better future. Olive and Bobby blithely charm their way from one adventure to another until Olive's criminal past catches up with her. Consequently, she must make a choice: continue with a life of crime or leave the person she loves most in an effort to give Bobby a proper chance in life.
Director: Famke Janssen
Starring: Mila Jovovich, Bill Pullman, Marcia Cross, Rory Cochrane, Spencer List
Trailer: Trailer "Bringing Up Bobby"
Comment: My fellow Dutch-woman directed this film. I think this is a movie we can be very proud of. Looks good.

The Watch
Description: We follow a suburban "neighborhood watch" group that serves as a front for dads to get some male-bonding time away from their families. The group finds itself in over its head when it uncovers a plot to destroy the world. Director: Akiva Schaffer
Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Caughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, Billy Crudup, Rosemarie DeWitt, Will Forte Trailer: Trailer "The Watch"
Comment: Looks funny and it's great to see Richard Ayoade in a movie again.

End of Watch
Description: We follow the long-term friendship and partnership between two cops.
Director: David Ayer
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anne Kendrick, America Ferrera
Trailer: Trailer "End of Watch"