20s Movie Review - I Still Believe

Director: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin
Genre: Drama/ Music/ Romance
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: KJ Apa, Britt Robertson, Nathan Parsons, Gary Sinise, Shania Twain

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 CHALLENGE MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 45: A MOVIE ABOUT MUSIC
 
Description: The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp (KJ Apa) and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope.

Review: Jeremy has finished high school and is all set to go to college. With his guitare and his enthusiasm, he moves to California, where begins his studies. Because of his interest in music, he is soon noticed by Jean-Luc, a successful artist who also studied at the university. However, he gets the most attention from Melissa, a young girl with whom he quickly becomes very close. Jeremy works his way I in the music industry and is on the verge of becoming a star. But just then fates strikes Melissa. She has cancer and it spreads rapidly throughout her body. Jeremy hoes his utmost to deal with her illness and involves hundreds of thousands of fans.
“I Still Believe” is based on the life of Jeremy Camp, a pop star fairly unknown to most but has a huge fan base in the United States. That alone will make you interested in the film. But when you are about fifteen minutes into the film, you know that the movie by the Erwin brothers is far from impressive. While the story certainly looks touching and captivating, the film’s creators by no means succeed in making you really sympathize with the characters. The large jumps in the story and the implausible twists make it difficult to stay interested as a viewer. In addition, the film’s message I excessively Christian, something that doesn’t really work for a lot of people. I’m very respectful towards people and their religions and find it admirable that people have faith and believe there is a higher power. I’m just not that person, I’m not religious and do not like it when it’s forced on you. That’s probably the reason why I didn’t like this movie.
The screenplay doesn’t allow you to actually sympathize with Jeremy or Melissa, an on-screen couple who look believable. That’s extraordinary, especially knowing that this film is based on true events. The problem is by no means the actors, the characters have not been given enough background.
Overall, “I Still Believe” is not a movie I would recommend, only if the theme really interests you or if you are a Jeremy Camp fan.

Rating: 2/ 5 

90s Movie Review - Forrest Gump

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 142 minutes
Year: 1994
Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field

Description: Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), while not intelligent, has accidentally been present at many historic moments, but his true love, Jenny Curran (Robin Wright), eludes him.

Review: “My momma always said, life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get”. Forrest Gump isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but his mother was such a smart woman. With these words Forrest starts telling us his life story, to perfect strangers who sit next to him at a bus stop. The result: a extraordinary story, mesmerizing from beginning till end, about a simple man with a pure heart and the will to make the impossible possible. Very American, but so beautiful. 
Forrest Gump is honest and open, with all the best intentions. His naïve view on the world makes sure you feel for him right away. From him as a successful American football player to the captain of a shrimping boat and from a Vietnam war veteran to a pingpong champion. He has done it all. The film is filled with romance, tension, drama and humor.
Tom Hanks is simply brilliant as Forrest. This is still his best performance and I doubt if he can ever top that. We don’t see Hanks in this movie, we the simple and naïve Forrest Gump. Robin Wright also does an excellent job as Jenny. Gary Sinise as Forrest’s army friend lieutenant Dan and Sally Field as momma Gump both perform very decently.
“Forrest Gump” is my second favorite movie of all time and it won the Academy Award for best movie (where it beat my number on favorite movie “The Shawshank Redemption”). “The world will never seem the same, once you’ve seen it through the eyes of Forrest Gump”. A movie that will never leave you.

Rating: 5/ 5

90s Movie Review - Apollo 13

Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Drama/ Adventure
Runtime: 134 minutes
Year: 1995
Starring: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, Ray McKinnon, Clint Howard

Description: NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy.

Review: Jim Lovell is working at NASA, in 1970s America. He wants only one thing and that is to set foot on the moon. He has therefore had to wait a long time, but now it’s finally  happening. Due to illness of the original flight leader, Jim and his team are deployed on Apollo 13. During the flight, which initially goes well, some major problems arise. Jim and his team now have to do everything to get back to Earth safely. Jim, and his team members Fred and Jack must survive in a hostile environment, with a dwindling supply of oxygen.
“Apollo 13” tells the true story of the failed trip to the moon on the thirteenth Apollo mission. This was to be the third time humans would walk on the moon, but during the trip, all sorts of things went wrong. Commander of the ship, Jim Lovell, wrote about his experiences in the book “Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13”. This book was the basis for the film, which was directed by Ron Howard. True-life stories van be bogged down quite often in a heavy dose of sentiment and tear-jerking. “Apollo 13” also has several moments where this applies, but overall it is a film that manages to captivate and entertain. the facts told in the story are exciting and dramatic enough in themselves. I actually thought that the whole family drama at home, took the tempo out of the movie a bit. I was more interested in the space part, not the personal lives.
The cast seems to give their all and is extremely empathetic. The roles of the three astronauts are played by Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton. Hanks is strong as ever, but Paxton and Bacon manage to hold their own alongside him. The trio manages to convey the desperation and mutual tension well. This makes the whole thing come across as authentic and realistic. Ed Harris and Gary Sinise, in smaller roles, also make  an impression.
“Apollo 13” is clearly created with a lot of love and attention to detail and it looks very realistic. It’s an entertaining movie, even on multiple viewings.

Rating: 4 / 5

90s Movie Review - Ransom

Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 1996
Starring: Mel Gibson, Renee Russo, Gary Sinise, Lili Taylor, Liev Schreiber, Evan Handler, Donnie Wahlberg, Delroy Lindo, Brawley Nolte, José Zuniga, Paul Guilfoyle

Description: When a multimillionaire man's (mel Gibson) son is kidnapped, he cooperates with the police at first but then turns the tables on the kidnappers when he uses the ransom money as a reward for the capture of the kidnappers.

Review: Two million dollars, in unmarked bills. That’s the kidnapper’s demand when they take Tom and Kate Mullen’s son Sean. Else, Sean won’t return alive. Mullen decides to make the trade, but when it goes wrong he no longer trusts them. And he takes matters in his own hands.
Instead of giving them the two million, he puts a price on the kidnapper’s head and will give the money to the one delivering Mullen the person responsible.
Because the identity if the kidnappers and its leader is revealed within the first hour, you think it will loose tension. It doesn’t. There is a cat and mouse game going on and Mullen not settling for a simple trade is adding to that tension.
Mel Gibson and Gary Sinise are the stars here, they are really strong in their roles. “Ransom” is a real solid thriller, with a great 90s vibe.

Rating: 3, 5/ 5

In the Picture: The Characters from "Forrest Gump"

My second favorite movie off all-time is "Forrest Gump". I already shared my favorite scenes from the movie and now I'm going to take a closer look at the characters from the film.

Forrest Gump
Played by: Tom Hanks
At a young age the school principal determines that Forrest has an IQ of 75. Although he's not very intelligent, he has endearing character and shows devotion to his loved ones and duties. This brings him into many life-changing situations.

Jenny Curran
Played by: Robin Wright
Jenny is Forrest's childhood friend and the only one that really understands him. Although her life hasn't been perfect, because she was abused as a kid, to Forrest she's the love of his life. Their ways seperate and come together many times and they eventually have a kid and get married.

Lt. Dan Taylor
Played by: Gary Sinise
Forrest meets Lt. Dan Taylor during the Vietnam war, where he is Forrest's commanding officer. After losing his legs in an ambush and being rescued against his will by Forrest, he falls into a deep depression. He does promise Forrest that, if he would ever own a shrimp boat like he said, he will help him.

Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue
Played by: Mykelti Williamson
Bubba is Forrest's friend whom he meets while serving in the army. It's Bubba's dream to have a shrimp boat someday, because he knows everything there is to know about shrimp. When Bubba dies, Forrest buys a boat and starts the Bubba-Gump shrimp company in his honor.

Mrs. Gump
Played by: Sally Field
Forrest was abandoned by his father, so Mrs. Gump raised Forrest all by herself. She loves her son unconditionally and she has a special way of explaining things to Forrest.

Favorite Character: Forrest Gump

Movie Moments: "Forrest Gump"

My number 2 movie is "Forrest Gump". Tom Hanks' best performance ever and such a sweet, sincere and heartwarming story. Here are my favorite moments from this film.

Moment # 1: Forrest meets Jenny
Forrest is going to school and gets on the schoolbus. No one wants to sit next to him, but then he hears the sweetest voice. Jenny tells Forrest he can sit next to her and it’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Moment # 2: Run Forrest run
Forrest and Jenny are taking a walk when bullies try to get Forrest. Jenny tells Forrest to run, and he does. And he’s running so fast, his leg braces break and he keeps running without them. And running will become his trademark.

Moment # 3: Forrest meets President Kennedy
Forrest is invited to the White House to meet president Kennedy. Because he’s thirsty he starts drinking Dr. Pepper. A little too much Dr. Pepper, because when it is his turn to meet JFK, he tells him that he needs to pee.

Moment # 4: Forrest meets Bubba
Forrest is going to the army and on the bus there’s again no one who wants to sit next to him. Bubba tells him he can sit next to him. He starts telling Forrest everything there is to know about shrimp and all you can do with it.

Moment # 5: Forrest and Bubba meet Lt. Dan
When they arrive in Vietnam, Forrest and Bubba meet Lt. Dan. He starts telling them about all the rules and Forrest thinks Vietnam is not a bad place at all.

Moment # 6: Bubba dies
When they are being bombed by the enemy, Forrest is trying to rescue his men. He finds Bubba, wounded, but manages to carry him back to the coast. Bubba tells Forrest he wants to go home and then he dies.

Moment # 7: Lt. Dan blaming Forrest
While Forrest is a sleep, Lt. Dan pulls him out of his bed. Forrest saved him when he got shot, but Dan lost his legs. Lt. Dan tells him that he should have left him to die there.

Moment 8: Forrest shows his wound
Forrest is about to meet the American president again and when he asks him where he was shot, Forrest tells him he was hit in the buttocks. When the president says he would want to see that someday, Forrest pulls down his pants and shows it to him.

Moment 9: Forrests speech
Forrest is going to give a speech, but someone pulls the plug so the microphones don’t work. Forrest doesn’t know and just keeps talking. When the microphones are plugged in again, his speech is finished and we hear him say: "That's all I have to say about that".

Moment 10: Lt. Dan visits Forrest
After Forrest bought a boat and started Bubba-Gump shrimp, Lt. Dan comes to visit him. He once made him a promise, that if Forrest would own a shrimping boat he would come and work for him. When Forrest sees him, he jumps of the boat and swims towards Lt. Dan. Not long after that, we see the boat crash into the dock.

Moment 11: Jenny sees her old house
Jenny and Forrest take a walk and pass by Jenny’s old house. Because she has bad memories about her childhood, she starts throwing her shoes and rocks at the house. Forrest never understood what happened when they were young.

Moment # 12: Forrest asks Jenny to marry him
After watching the New Year’s Eve fireworks on TV, Jenny goes to bed. Forrest stops her and asks her to marry him, because he would make a good husband. Jenny says no, because she thinks he doesn’t want to be married to her.

Moment # 13: Forrest starts running
After Jenny left again, Forrest decides to start running. And he keeps running, for three years.

Moment # 14: Forrest meets Forrest Jr.
Forrest found Jenny and finds out he has a son, Forrest Jr. The first thing he asks Jenny is if he’s smart and then he goes over to the little boy. We see the similarity between father and son.

Moment # 15: “I wish I could’ve been there with you”
Forrest tells a sick Jenny about the skies he’s seen. Jenny wished she could’ve been there with him and Forrest tells her that she was.

Moment # 16: Forrest at Jenny’s grave
Forrest is talking to Jenny, who died. He tells her about little Forrest. He ends up with telling her that if she needs anything, he won’t be far.

Moment # 17: Waiting for the bus with Forrest Jr.
Forrest is waiting for the bus, together with his son Forrest Jr. Before he gets on the bus, he tells him he loves him.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 16: Forrest at Jenny’s grave