Netflix Friday - Volume 38

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

Action: Escape Plan (2013)
When a structural-security authority (Sylvester Stallone) finds himself set up and incarcerated in the world’s most secret and secure prison, he has to use his skills to escape with help from the inside.
 

Drama: A Sun (2019)
A family of four fractures under the weight of unmet expectations, unexpected tragedy, and uncompromising pride.
 

Comedy: Coming to America (1988)
An extremely pampered African Prince travels to Queens, New York, and goes undercover to find a wife that can he can respect for her intelligence and will.
 

Animation: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
A wild stallion is captured by humans and slowly loses the will to resist training, yet, throughout his struggle for freedom, the stallion refuses to let go of the hope of one day returning to his home herd.
 

Romance: My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
When a woman’s (Julia Roberts) long-time friend (Dermot Mulroney) reveals he’s engaged, she realizes she loves him herself and sets out to get him, with only a few days before the wedding.
 

Horror: The Witch (2015)
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.
 

Science Fiction: Godzilla (2014)
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.
 

Crime: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
The tory of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1986 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
 

Thriller: The Interpreter (2005)
Political intrigue and deception unfold inside the United Nations, where a U.S. Secret Service agent (Sean Penn) is assigned to investigate an interpreter (Nicole Kidman) who overhears an assassination plot.
 

Documentary: The Mind Explained (2019)
Ever wonder what’s happening inside your head? From dreaming to anxiety disorders, discover how your brain works with this illuminating series.
 

Family: The Flintstones (1994)
In a parallel modern-day Stone Age world, a working-class family, the Flintstones, are set up for an executive job. But they learn that money can’t buy happiness.

Netflix Friday - Volume 19

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

Action: Godzilla (2014)
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.

Drama: Big Fish (2003)
A frustrated son (Billy Crudup) tries to determine the fact from fiction in his dying father’s (Albert Finney) life.

Comedy: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey) is an advertising executive and ladies’ man who, to win a big campaign, bets that he can make a woman fall in love with him in 10 days.

Animation: The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
The quiet life of a terrier named Max (Louis C.K.) is upended when his owner takes in Duke Eric Stonestreet), a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.

Romance: Ghost (1990)
After Sam (Patrick Swayze) is murdered, his spirit stays behind to warn his girlfriend Molly (Demi Moore) impending on danger, with the help of a reluctant psychic (Whoopi Goldberg).

Horror: The Purge: Election Year (2016)
Former Police Sergeant Barnes (Frank Grillo) becomes head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), a Presidential candidate targeted for death on Purge night due her vow to eliminate the Purge.

Science Fiction: The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
The affair between a politician (Matt Damon) and a contemporary dancer (Emily Blunt) is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart.

Crime: The Last Castle (2001)
A court-martialed General (Robert Redforf) rallies together twelve hundred inmates to rise against a corrupt and sadistic warden.

Thriller: Fear (1996)
When Nicole (Reese Witherspoon) met David (Mark Wahlberg); handsome, charming, affectionate, he was everything. It seemed perfect, but soon she sees that David has a darker side. And his adoration turns to obsession, their dream into a nightmare, and her love into fear.

Documentary: Birders (2019)
Bird watchers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border share their enthusiasm for protecting and preserving some of the world’s most beautiful bird species.

Family: Rudy (1993)
Rudy (Sean Astin) has always been told that he was too small to play college football. But he is determined to overcome the odds and fulfill his dream of playing for Notre Dame.

Worst Movie Remakes

I’ve recently shared some of the best movie remakes, or to be more specific the ones that are better then its original. And the list was very short (check it HERE) , since it doesn’t happen that often that a remake is better. But there are A LOT of bad remakes. Here are, what I believe are the worst out there. If I missed any, please let me now in the comments below.

The Fog (2005) – Original from 1980
The original is a cult classic from John Carpenter. That name alone should make you stay away from it and NOT remake it. It’s about a mysterious fog that covers a California town, bringing the ghosts of dead sailors that terrorize the residents. It could benefit from a remake so they could update the special effects, but as this 2005 effort shows, it’s all too easy to completely botch the plot. Carpenter did produce the remake, the film didn’t do well with critics. The film was never scary and the ghost didn’t come across as threatening or intimidating. Something that a horror movie should all have.

Psycho (1998) – Original from 1960
The 1998 remake of “Psycho” proved that it’s never easy to remake a classic horror film. The original, directed by master is suspense Alfred Hitchcock, was a groundbreaking film in the genre and in that time. Gus van Sant remade it but said himself that it was more a replica than a remake. Shot for shot her replicated the 1960s film. A remake that should’ve never been made.

Point Break (2015) – Original from 1991
In the 1991 film, Keanu Reeves plays an undercover agent infiltrating a group of bank robbers, who also happen to be surfers. It’s not your average crime thriller. The premise might seem cheesy, but what made it a cult favorite was the fact that nothing about the film should have worked together, yet somehow the ridiculous plot proved entertaining and it has been a favorite for many movie fans for years. Remaking an unexpected cult hit is impossible. And the 2015 version proved that. Although it has some visually good-looking action sequences, the film is flat and only leaning on those action scenes.

House of Wax (2005) – Original from 1953
In the original film from 1953, a bitter and traumatized owner of a wax museum took vengeance by using real people for his art. In this version from 2005, a group of young adults strand in a little town, which has a wax museum. One by one the are killed and turned into wax figures. It didn’t feel like a horror film and was extremely predictable. Nothing wrong with a cheesy slasher, but compared to the 1953 version, it was a shallow retelling which relied on cheap scares.

The Wicker Man (2006) – Original from 1973
In the 1973 British horror film, “The Wicker Man” explores intriguing religious themes. Police sergeant Neil Howie has to investigate an isolated island cult. He travels to the island of Summerisle to find a missing girl who believes has been taken to the island based on the contents of an anonymous letter. Howie is worried she is intended to be a human sacrifice, but the actual plans are even more disturbing. In 2006 there was the remake, starring Nicolas Cage. Moments that should be upsetting, turn out to be absurd and sometimes even unintentionally funny. And the unsettling atmosphere from the original was not present in the remake. When a horror movie feels like a bad comedy, you know it’s bad.

Flatliners (2017) – Original from 1990
Although the reviews for the 1990s “Flatliners” went up and down, some critics (and me) thought the story of medical students getting high from inducing near-death experiences was original and the film’s grim style was praised. A movie that nobody really loved or hated it perfect material for a remake. Right? Well, the 2017 film failed to improve and actualla managed to be less scary. Even with great actors like Ellen Page and Diego Luna.

Godzilla (1998) – Original from 1954
In 2014 this movie had another remake, but that was actually a good film and paid homage to the original, since director Gareth Edwards is a fan of the film and treated the source material with respect. But the 1998 film directed by Ronald Emmerich is not the better ‘update’ of the monster. The lead creature looks weird and the script is messy. The best ting about this film was its soundtrack.

Planet of the Apes (2001) – Original from 1968
The 1968 film is a sci-fi classic with one of the biggest, memorable and most shocking twists in movie history. Tim Burton remade the film in 2001. Even though the costumes and make-up look pretty good, the film itself is awful. And they even changed the ending, which didn’t make it any better.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) – Original from 1984
This remake was completely unnecessary. There is only one Freddy Krueger and that’s Robert Englund. He is what made the original franchise so creepy. The atmosphere from the 1984 version is not present in the remake from 2010. And it also lacks tension and surprise elements. This film was merely made because of the lack of inspiration, not because “A Nightmare on Elm Street” needed it.

DVD Collection Update (18)

It's been a while since the last update, I just simply didn't buy any movies or series for a long time. But Santa was good to me with some new additions to my collection and some giftcards. So here are the Dvd's I received and bought.

Off course I needed this fourth season of "The Walking Dead". We're in the middle of season 5 now. What I liked about season 4 is that the group was seperated and all the characters got a bit more attention.

I found "Blood Diamond" for only 1 Euro. That's practically nothing! I've seen the movie before, it's really good. Haven't watched it since I got it though.

"Sons of Anarchy" has already ended, but we still have the Dvd's. I'm still waiting for season 7 to come out, but season 6 was a present from my brother for my 30th birthday. Really cool. He is currently watching it with my mom.

I bought this the day it came out, because I loved this movie so much. And I rewatched "Guardians of the Galaxy" yesterday. And I know that it will be watched many many times. It's just such an awesome film, can't wait for the sequel. But for now, "Guardians of the Galaxy" is enough to keep me happy.

I hope that one day I will have every Disney animation ever made. I got a bit closer with getting "Oliver & Company". I remember seeing it in theatres (in 1988) and I never saw it again after that. So, this is a welcome gift.

And I also got "Frozen", another Disney movie. This movie is great, I love the characters, story and songs. "Love is an Open Dooooooooooor!"

Something else for a change, a music DVD. It's a Foo Fighters concert in Hyde Park. Like the two Disney movies, this was a Christmas gift from my brother. I didn't even now this DVD excisted, so that makes it even cooler.

I recently saw "Edge of Tomorrow" with a link on the internet and I didn't really expect that much. Well, was I wrong. It blew me away and ended up being one of my favorite 2014 movies. Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt really kick some ass in "Edge of Tomorrow". I ended up buying it today.

Also a movie I saw in 2014, but then in theatres, was "Godzilla". It really did justice to the Original and I just had to own in on DVD. So I bought it today.

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I watched for My Challenge (May 2014)

Another great month of movies and I also watched a couple of classics. Again a tough choice, but here are my five favourites of this month.

5. The Debt

I didn’t know what to expect, but I was amazed by the strength of this film. Great acting by Jessica Chastain especially. Fantastic movie.

 

4. Neighbors

A comedy that got it right. This movie made me laugh, that’s what a lot of comedies fail to do nowadays.

 

3. Godzilla

It totally surprised me, I didn’t expect it to end up in my monthly top 5. But it deserves a spot, because it was a fantastic thrill ride!

 

2. Spirited Away

I truly got inspired by this style, I really liked the animation. And also the great story and morals behind this film.

 

1. The Great Escape

I was so glad that I finally saw this movie. It’s fantastic. I just loved how this movie was made, with action, light drama and some wit, not a very common combination for a movie set in World War II.

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: X-Men: First Class, The Goonies

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 63: Godzilla

Director: Gareth Edwards

Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure

Runtime: 123 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Elisabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Straitharn, Richard T. Jones

Description: The world's most famous monster is pitted against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Review: The Japanese movie monster is already sixty-years old. His debut in 1954 is one of the highlights in cinema history. In 1998 the Americans made a movie about this beast, but it wasn’t very memorable. A reboot was very welcome.

Director Gareth Edwards made such an impression with his low-budget “Monsters”, that they trusted him with this task as well. By adding names like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche to the castlist, the expectations were high. But in a movie called “Godzilla” there is only one star.

While a gigantic fossil is found in the Philippines, a nuclear reactor in Japan is damaged by unknown causes. This leads to a disaster for scientist Joe Brody and his family. Fifteen years later Joe is still trying to explain the happening and asks his son Ford for help. What they discover next is unexpected.

After an engrossing opening, where Bryan Cranston steals the show, director Gareth Edwards intentionally stalls the big entrance of the main star. It’s a risky strategy, but totally worth the wait. When we finally get to see Godzilla, it’s just jawdropping. This is definitely a movie that you experience better and to the fullest while watching it on the big screen. The climax and final fight scene is the absolute highlight of the film. I almost started clapping, that’s how amazed I was. I also liked the role they gave Godzilla in the film, as the protector of mankind. That’s how you can see Edwards is a fan of the original. He stays very close to that story.

“Godzilla” is a treat and finally gets the movie it deserves. Everything shows that Edwards made this movie with a lot of love for the original. I absolutely loved this movie!

Rating: 4,5 / 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (117)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Jupiter Ascending
Description: Jupiter Jones (Kunis) was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people's houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine (Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along�her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.
Director: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Starring: Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth, Tuppence Middleton, Doona Bae, James D'Arcy, Tim Pigott-Smith
Trailer: Trailer "Jupiter Ascending"
Comment: Channing Tatum looks weird...

Godzilla
Description: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla appears to wreak destruction on mankind.
Director: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, Bryan Cranston
Trailer: Trailer "Godzilla"
Comment: I'm not sure if this is something we need right now.

Edge of Tomorrow
Description: A soldier (Tom Cruise) fighting in a war with aliens finds himself caught in a time loop of his last day in the battle, though he becomes better skilled along the way.
Director: Doug Liman
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Jeremy Piven, Bill Paxton, Ciaran Hinds, Noah Taylor
Trailer: Trailer "Edge of Tomorrow"
Comment: I'm not the Tom Cruise fan I used to be, but this looks really worth watching.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Description: Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) runs the gauntlet as the mysterious company Oscorp sends up a slew of supervillains against him, impacting on his life.
Director: Marc Webb
Starring:Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Sally Field, Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti, Dane DeHaan, B.J. Novak, Colm Feore, Embeth Davidtz, Campbell Scott
Trailer: Trailer "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"
Comment:

Bad Words
Description: A spelling bee loser (Jason Bateman) sets out to exact revenge by finding a loophole and attempting to win as an adult.
Director: Jason Bateman
Starring: Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Allison Janney, Ben Falcone, Philip Baker Hall
Trailer: Trailer "Bad Words"
Comment: