Netflix Friday - Volume 26

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

Action: Aquaman (2018)
Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land.
 

Drama: I, Tonya (2017)
Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) rises amongst the ranks at the Y.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.
 

Comedy: Along Came Polly (2004)
A buttoned-up newlywed (Ben Stiller) finds his strictly organized life descend into chaos when he falls in love with old classmate Polly (Jennifer Aniston).
 

Animation: Cloudy and a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
A local scientist (Bill Hader) is often regarded as a failure until he invents a machine that can make food fall from the sky. But little does he know, that things are about to take a turn for the worst.
 

Romance: About Time (2013)
At the age of 21, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) discover he can travel in time and chance what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend (Rachel McAdams) turns out not to be as easy as you might think.
 

Horror: Split (2016)
Three girls are kidnapped by a man (James McAvoy) with a diagnosed 23 distinct personalities. They must try to escape before the apparent emergence of a frightful new 24^th.
 

Science Fiction: Brightburn (2019)
What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister.
 

Crime: The Godfather Part II (1974)
The early life and career of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) in 1920s New York city is portrayed, while his son, Michael (Al Pacino), expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.
 

Thriller: The Gift (2015)
A young married couple’s (Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall) lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance from the husband’s past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light after more than 20 years.
 

Documentary: The Social Dilemma (2020)
Explores the dangerous human impact of social networking, with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations.
 

Family: Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)
The gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

 

Five to Watch - Biopics

Biopics delve into the lives of important historical or contemporary figures and a story that has already been written, is perfect to adapt to film. There are thousands and thousands of biopics and I’d like to focus on the ones you might not know, are overlooked or are underrated. Here a five biopics for you to check out.

Control (2007)
This is a profile of Ian Curtis, the enigmatic lead singer of Joy Division. His personal, professional and romantic troubles led him to commit suicide at the age of 23. This film is the directorial debut of photographer Anton Corbijn, who focuses on Curtis’ life from 1972 until his intimely death in May 1980. The rapid fame of the post-punk band (one of the most influential British bands of all time) ensured a successful European tour and an extramarital affair, but Curtis was never separated from his hometown of Macclesfield. It was to be expected that the film looks beautiful, the black and white is incredibly vital. More surprisingly Corbijn shows himself to be a meticulous storyteller and an excellent actor director.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)
The story of John Nash, a brilliant but asocial mathematician. He accepts secret work in cryptography and it turns his life into a nightmare. This is the kind of film the Academy loves: a man on a mission overcomes adversity through perseverance and love in his life. It got eight nominations and half of it was cashed. Although Nash was a brilliant mind, his career fell apart due to schizophrenia. He did eventually win a Noble Prize. I still don’t understand how Russell Crowe didn’t win an Oscar for this. Jennifer Connelly did though.

Der Undergang (Downfall) (2004)
The film is about the last days of the Führer, Adolf Hitler. It meticulously portrays how Hitler initially still had some nice trades, for example his secretary Traudl Junge, no whose memoirs this film is based. Once cornered by the Allies, he becomes more and more openly unpleasant. Histler and his intimate circle are portrayed as people who hace no peeling (anymore) for raw reality. Which the viewer regularly gets to see, so that we don’t forget which destructions Hitler caused. Hitler is brilliantly portrayed by Bruno Ganz.

I, Tonya (2017)
A biopic about the American figure skater Tonya Harding, who was world news in 1994 when her competitor Nancy Kerrigan was injured, which Harding would have known about. Director Craig Gillespie made a delightful, poignant but often hilarious film about class difference (Harding was ‘white trash’, Kerrigan a ‘princess’), fame and media attention, but the film is made by actress Margot Robbie. She is unforgettable as Harding. Robbie is one of the most beautiful actresses Hollywood has right now and she dares to be the ‘ugly duckling’ and does that convincingly. Also one to mention is Allison Janney, as Harding’s mother. Great supporting role.

Amazing Grace (2006)
Idealist William Wilberforce maneuvers his way through Parliamant, endeavoring to end the British translatlantic slave trade. It’s a great piece of history, but very unknown to the audience. As is this film. I don’t think a lot of people have seen it and more should. This is definitely an underrated and overlooked film for sure.

Movie Reviews - I, Tonya

Director: Craig Gillespie
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Sebastian Stan, Bobby Cannavale, Mckenna Grace

Description: Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband (Sebastian Stan) intervenes.

Review: Driven by her rivalry with Nancy Kerrigan, Tonya Harding stepped onto the ice in Lillehammer in 1994. Her second time at the Olympics, but also her last. Her performance was dominated by a broken lace. She didn’t win a prize, while Kerrigan got a silver medal.
“I, Tonya” is not your everyday biopic. It’s a light satire, filled with irony and based on contradicting interviews. The real truth will probably never be revealed.
Leading lady Margot Robbie, who is fantastic by the way, even breaks the fourth wall a couple of times. Telling us how it really happened.
Nancy Kerrigan was Harding’s biggest rival and the all American girl. The complete opposite. When both girls were amazing figure skaters, Tonya was maybe better. She took more risks. But Harding’s image and background didn’t fit in that world. When Kerrigan was attacked after a training and someone shattered her knee, rumor had it that Harding had something to do with it. It was all over the news and at the time, she and Bill Clinton were the most famous people.
What is true and what isn’t, will always be the question. What we do know, is that Harding had a rough life. Her father left her when she was young and she stayed with her demanding and cold mother. LaVona was the one dragging her on the ice when she was four, constantly pushing her. She was loveless, tough and convinced that Tonya only did well when pushed.
And then there is Tonya’s stormy and violent relationship with Jeff Gillooly. He beat her and treated her bad.
Tonya didn’t blend in with the rest of the girls. She didn’t dance to classical music, but choose ZZ Top and she made her own outfits. But she was also the first American woman to perform a triple Axel, with success. She was good at what she did, but somehow always ruined it for herself. But Tonya kept fighting. When she fell, she got up, no matter how hard it was. And she deserves a certain respect for that.
Like I stated before, Margot Robbie is fantastic in her role. But it’s Allison Janney that steals the show as Tonya’s mother LaVona. Her character is comical and almost cartoonish, but she is also a terrible woman and treats her daughter like trash.
“I, Tonya” manages to combine extreme characters and the real humans they are deep inside. This movie really surprised me with its tone, not at all what I expected. Such a great film!

Rating: 4,5 / 5