Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched For My Challenge (September 2017)

This was a good month, because I saw a bunch of fantastic films. Here are my five favorites.

5. The Hitman’s Bodyguard
A super funny and harsh action comedy. I loved Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds, apart and together. They make a great duo. And that scene with the nuns alone is reason enought to see it again.

4. Hidden Figures
A very inspiring story, about three black women making a change while working at Nasa. Based on a true story, rooting for women!!

3. It
Since I hate clowns, this was a big deal for me. The old "It" movie doesn't scare me anymore, but this is one of the scariest films I've seen. And also one of the best horror movies of the past years.

2. Brimstone
I'm a little proud to be Dutch now, because it was made by a Dutch director and has Dutch roots. It took him about 8 years to finish it and it was worth the wait.

1. Sing Street
I loved, loved, loved "Sing Street". The 80s time period, the 80s music, the characters, the story. It's so good. And I didn't even know about this film. One of the best films of 2016.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Life

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 99: Hidden Figures

Director: Theodore Melfi
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali

Description: The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.

Review: “Hidden Figures” is based on true events. About three African-American women who served a vital role in NASA. This inspiring period in recent American history is combined with the systematic injustice that was going on.
“Hidden Figures” is set in the early sixties, a time that is notable because for America’s optimism. The central characters are Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, who each exceed in mathematics and technically do the work that computers do now. But the race difference and the fact that they are also women, constantly put them behind. Even though they excel at what they do.
“Hidden Figures” shows us that it’s not just the so called rednecks that act racist, but also the schooled brainiacs did it, without realizing.
The story is really inspiring and it rubs off because of the fantastic performances by all three ladies. And it’s also great to see Kevin Costner in his role as project manager Al Harrison. He fits the Kennedy era perfectly.
“Hidden Figures” maybe feels a little bit too Hollywood, but it’s a beautiful story that I’m happy to learn about.

Rating: 4/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Books I Need to Read, Before Their Movies are Released in 2017

Books are the greatest inspiration for movies. This list shows you some of the books I really need to read, before their movies come out next year. And no, I don’t mean “Fifty Shades Darker”.

5. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae star in this movie based on the non-fiction novel by Margot Lee Shetterly. It follows black female mathematicians at NASA in the 1960s.

4. Live By Night by Dennis Lehane
Ben Affleck wrote, directed and stars in the movie version of this gangster story written by author Dennis Lehane.

3. Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach
The story is about a young woman who has an affair with an artist commissioned to paint her portrait in the Netherlands in the 1600s. It’s set in my country and the movie stars Alicia Vikander, one of my favorites of the moment.

2. The Circle by David Eggers
A young woman gets a job at an internet company. It’s a cyber thriller and the movie stars Emma Watson and Tom Hanks.

1. The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman
The true story of Antonina Żabińska, whose husband ran the Warsaw Zoo in Poland during WWII. The zoo was used to help Jewish people hide from the Nazis. The movie stars Jessica Chastain and Daniel Brühl.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

Movie Trailer Sunday (255)

Here are this week's trailers.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Description: Picking up immediately after the events in Resident Evil: Retribution, humanity is on its last legs in Washington D.C. As the only survivor of what was meant to be humanity's final stand against the undead hordes, Alice (Mila Jovovich) must return to where the nightmare began - Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse. In a race against time Alice will join forces with old friends, and an unlikely ally, in an action packed battle with undead hordes and new mutant monsters. Between regaining her superhuman abilities at Wesker's hand and Umbrella's impending attack, this will be Alice's most difficult adventure as she fights to save humanity, which is on the brink of oblivion.
Starring: Mila Jovovich, Ruby Rose, Ali Larter, Iain Glenn
Trailer: Trailer "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter"
Comment: It says 'the final chapter'. Is it really?

XOXO
Director: Christopher Louie
Description: Six strangers' lives collide in one frenetic, dream-chasing, hopelessly romantic night.
Starring: Sarah Hyland, Ione Skye, Hayley Kiyoko, Ryan Hansen, Graham Phillips
Trailer: Trailer "XOXO"
Comment: Meh....

Arrival
Director: Denis Villeneuvve
Description: A linguïst (Amy Adams) is recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications.
Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker
Trailer: Trailer "Arrival"
Comment: A new trailer, this looks so exciting!

Same Kind of Different As Me
Director: Michael Carney
Description: International art dealer Ron Hall (Greg Kinnear) must befriend a dangerous homeless man (Djimon Hounsou) in order to save his struggling marriage to his wife (Renee Zellweger), a woman whose dreams will lead all three of them on the journey of their lives.
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou, Jon Voight
Trailer:
Comment: Maybe.... I'm not sure. It looks super sentimental.

Hidden Figures
Director: Theodore Melfi
Description: A team of African-American women provide NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space missions.
Starring: V=Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, Kevin Costner, Jim Parsons
Trailer: Trailer "Hidden Figures"
Comment: I always love a film with a strong female cast.