Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (February 2016)

I have to say, I didn’t see a lot of new movies this month. But I did see some movie that have a chance of ending up on my end year’s list for this challenge or best films of 2016. Here are the five best movies I watched in February for my challenge.

5. Robin Hood

I’ve always been fascinated by the character of Robin Hood and there are so many different versions of this old story. Off course the Kevin Costner version, which holds a special place in my heart. But Disney’s take on the hero is amazing! I loved “Robin Hood”.

 

 

4. Deadpool

It was way funnier than I initially thought it would be and Ryan Reynolds is great in “Deadpool”. I love the self-mockery. It’s a nice variety in the superhero movie universe, it separates itself from the other films in the genre.

 

 

3. Galaxy Quest

I’m so glad I finally got to see “Galaxy Quest”. It was so funny! And I loved Alan Rickman in this film. Such a different role for him, yet so perfect.

 

 

2. The Revenant

Amazing movie. I wanted to see this movie for a long time and it didn’t disappoint. Fantastic cinematography and great acting.

 

 

1. Spotlight

This movie amazed me, shocked me, interested me, grabbed me, gave me chills, captivated me. It did all that! And Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams are very good in it too.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Grizzly Man, Interstellar, The Age of Adaline

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 19: Galaxy Quest

Director: Dean Parisot

Genre: Adventure/ Science Fiction/ Comedy

Runtime: 102 minutes

Year: 1999

Starring: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Daryl Mitchell, Missi Pyle, Justin Long, Rainn Wilson

Description: The alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help.

Review: Sigourney Weaver is no stranger to the science fiction genre. In “Galaxy Quest” this genre is mocked. Together with Tim Allen and Alan Rickman, they play actors from an old science fiction TV show called “Galaxy Quest”.

The movie starts with a segment from that show, that stopped running after 1982. Eighteen years later the actors are still going to conventions in the costumes of their characters. The relationship between all the actors isn’t as good as it used to be. Jason Nesmith, who played Commander Taggert on the show, is the only one who’s still happy with his fame. The others are annoyed by his arrogance.

The next day, Jason wakes up with a hangover and a group of strange people is waiting for him at the door. They ask Jason to join them on their spaceship, not knowing that they are actual aliens, to fight the evil General Sarris. Jason manages to get the rest of the cast to go with him. The aliens think that the TV show is a documentary and see the actors as their role models. Their spaceship is an exact copy of the one in the TV show.

If you know “Star Trek”, you can see many resemblances. This is what the creators wanted, because the film mocks the genre. “Galaxy Quest” is really funny, both when it comes to the characters and the situations they get themselves into. Tim Allen is perfect for a movie like this and Sigourney Weaver fits in as well. Alan Rickman not so much, so you would think, but this is one of his best roles. He is surprisingly hilarious and steals every scene he is in. I also loved Sam Rockwell, who plays a character who had a guest role on the show once and his character died. Now he is afraid he will die in real life.

“Galaxy Quest” is a movie that many people probably won’t like, because it’s sometimes a bit ridiculous. But I loved this movie!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Best Alan Rickman Performances

I honor of Alan Rickman, who passed away January 14th 2016 at the age of 69, I decided to make a list of his best performances. Here are Alan Rickman’s best roles, in no particular order.

Sense and Sensibility

In the adaptation of Jane Austen’s brilliant novel “Sense and Sensibility”, Rickman portrays Colonel Brandon. That makes him part of the love triangle for Marianne’s affection, putting him in competition with John Willoughby. Rickman’s performance is one of measured restraint. It’s a more warm role then we’re used to seeing him in.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

The very best actors have range and don’t back away from a musical either. Okay, singing might not be Rickman’s strength, but his character Judge Turpin is one to remember. Just a supporting role, but Rickman’s the man you remember.

Love Actually

“Love Actually” is a collection of loosely linked stories, set a few weeks before Christmas. One of the stories involves Harry and Karen (Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson), a husband and wife with a fractured relationship. This segment works because of the actors.

Harry Potter

Across eight films, Alan Rickman had a chance to develop the character of Severus Snap into someone far greater that the outright villain that he initially appears as in the Harry Potter story. The trick to his performance as Snape is that, in both his heroic and darker moments, he never lets us really like him that much.

Galaxy Quest

Alan Rickman does have a real flare for comedy as well and his performance in “Galaxy Quest” is there to proof that. “Galaxy Quest” is the film where a bunch of actors from a once-popular television series are doing the convention circuit. Where they encounter real aliens. Rickmans’ character gets a catchphrase, which he spits out with weary reluctance. That Rickman’s character continues to get pissed off by this more and more as the film progresses only adds to the comedy. Proof?

 

Die Hard

No matter how many sequels this franchise will have, there will never be a villain like Hans Gruber. The antagonist was perfectly portrayed by Alan Rickman and is without a doubt one of the best villains in movie history. An intensely clever man.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

This movie holds a special place in my heart. I’ve seen this movie so many times I’ve lost count. And the reason I love it so much, is partly because of the awesome villain role played by Alan Rickman. I think in fact the main reason people are still talking about this movie is because of Rickman. “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” is brilliantly entertaining and Rickman steals the show with his overly dramatic acting as the Sheriff of Nottingham.