Ranking the Franchise - Robert Langdon

Based on the famous Robert Langdon book series, by author Dan Brown, director Ron Howard has turned three of the books in the series into movies. By the time I’m rewatching these movies, Dan Brown has just released his sixth book in this series. The books were kind of randomly turned into movies, starting with book 2, then book 1 and the last was book 4.
 

3. Inferno (2016)
This film, based on the fourth book in the series, was released six years after its last Robert Langdon film. It was clearly my least favorite of the three films and the one I remember the least about. Even though it’s the most recent film in the series. Mainly because it’s feels a lot like the other ones and unoriginal. Check our my full review HERE.
 

2. Angels & Demons (2009)
I really enjoyed the mystery here, more than its sequel. The film opens with a bang and I loved the setting. There is a lot of explaining and the runtime is fairly long, but I did enjoy this film. HERE is my full review.  
 

1. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
This is clearly my favorite. I actually first saw it in theaters and was obsessed with it for a long time. I have rewatched it many times since then, but it had been a while since I last watched it. But it still holds up. This is the only really good adaptation of one of the Robert Langdon books. It’s also very true to its source material. The performances in this movie are  very strong overall, which is not the case for the other two films. The characters in “The Da Vinci Code” are more memorable. Read my full review HERE.

00s Movie Review - The Da Vinci Code

Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Runtime: 139 minutes
Year: 2006
Starring: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina, Jean Reno

Description: A murder and clues in paintings lead to the discovery of a closely guarded religious mystery

Review: The church wasn’t happy with the book “The Da Vinci Code” by author Dan Brown. But I think the church hates the movie even more, because it’s very detailed, realistic and close to its source material. A plus for director Ron Howard, who gave Browns killer a face, lets the blood visually flow and made the search for the holy grail a mysterious quest. It’s a search full of discoveries, surprises and cliffhangers. Over two hours on the edge of your seat. 

How detailed the movie may be, you can’t be as complete as 429 pages. But there is no need to. Howard used enough references to history from daily life. Why Friday the 13th is an unlucky day for instance. They aren’t flashbacks, it’s like Professor Langdon and Sophie are thinking it all over, to help them with deciphering codes, anagrams and riddles. 

Off course nothing speaks like your imagination. It’s often said that the book is better than the movie, because the characters get a different face than you imaged for instance. But the casting is good. Tom Hanks leads it as Robert Langdon and, as always, does a great job as the leading man. Audrey Tautou convinces as well as Ian McKellen and Jean Reno. But it’s Paul Bettany that steals the show, as Silas. The way he portrayed Silas; possessed, brutal, submissive.

Howard used some modern tricks for the movie. Where Langdon and Sophie use a library database in the book, here they work their way around a pocket computer with wireless internet connection. And the drive in a Smart, that manages to sneak through a gap between two trucks, is also a bit more spectacular than in the book. 

The movie is not as complete as the book, but equally impressive. The movie challenges you to believe, or at least ask yourself questions about it. The truth behind it when it comes to religion and history. For many “The Da Vinci Code” is a collection of factual inaccuracies, but the truth is what you believe. And that’s what Robert Langdon thinks.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Cats

Director: Tom Hooper
Genre: Musical
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Francesca Hayward, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, Robbie Fairchild, Ray Winstone

Description: A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 52: A MUSICAL

Review: Some movies are better left unseen. And I was warned, I read only bad reviews for “Cats”, but I was curious to how bad it could really be. They sure were exaggerating, right? Well, no.
In 2012, film and theater maker Tom Hooper revolutionized the musical film world with his raw adaptation of “Lés Miserables”.  His approach, in which he let the actors sing live on set and only later added the instrumentation, wasn’t to everyone’s liking, but it was daring. I liked it. It even gave Anne Hathaway an Oscar.
This time, Hooper decided to tackle another classic. In his version of “Cats” we yet again witness are teary eyed soloist during the most famous song of the musical. With Jennifer Hudson’s rendition of “Memory” you have the only highlight of this musical adaptation by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The song passes by twice and the kick-off and reprise re forged together by and endless line of music videos that take advantage of Lloyd Webber’s beautiful music.
Hooper has a different take on this musical than with “Lés Miserables”. This time no approach to reality, but a thin plot about a bunch of street cats trying to choose one of them for a new cat life during a restless London night. The chosen one of a group that calls itself the Jellicles is not so easy to identify. Especially the bad guy Macavity seems to throw a spanner in the works by kidnapping potential candidates. The timid Grizabella feels unseen and Jennyanydots is just a little too confident. Then there is newcomer Victoria who is not yet officially part of the group and can try to have a new life with the Jellicles.
Hooper has taken special digital techniques to shape his cats (and even mice and cockroaches). The first trailer already came with a lot of criticism. And I understand why. The special effect look terrible, the cats look to much like humans. They even have hands instead of paws. And their ears seem to have been given a life of their own. The constantly move. It’s more like something out of a nightmare, then an enchanting musical which it is supposed to be. And because these cats look so much like people, the oversized setpieces make no sense. They are supposed to be the size of our domestic cats, so everything in their environment is blown up. But now it’s just hairy people dancing around large furniture. And the overuse of cat references and cat puns doesn’t really help either.
And why did they torture great actors like Judi Dench, Ian McKellen and Idris Elba with this? “Cats” is one of the worst movies I have seen in the past few years. It’s pure torment. Never see it, even if you’re curious.

Rating: 0,5 / 5

Best Portrayals of Sherlock Holmes

"Enola Holmes” can’t be seen on Netflix now and with that we have yet again an interpretations of the most famous detective we all love: Sherlock Holmes. He made his first appearance in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel “A Study in Scarlett” which was released in 1887. Since then, there have been a lot of movies, TV movies and TV series where this character appeared in. I decided to make a list of the best portrayals of Sherlock Holmes. I didn’t ranked them, I listed them in order of when they appeared first. 

Arthur Wontner (The Sleeping Cardinal, 1931, The Missing Rembrandt, 1932, The Sign of Four: Sherlock Holmes’ Greatest Case, 1932, The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes, 1935 and Silver Blaze, 1937)
Arthur Wontner played Sherlock Holmes in five movies between 1931 and 1937. At the time, reviewers found him a perfect Sherlock Holmes and fans claimed that no better Holmes than Arthur Wontner could be found.
 

Basil Rathbone (The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1939, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1939, Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror, 1942, Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, 1942, Sherlock Holmes in Washington, 1943, Sherlock Holmes Faces Death, 1943, Crazy House, 1943, The Spider Woman, 1943, The Scarlett Claw, 1944, The Pearl of Death, 1944, The House of Fear, 1945, The Woman in Green, 1945, Pursuit to Algiers, 1945, Terror By Night, 1946 and Dressed to Kill, 1946)
“The Hound of the Baskervilles” was a gamechanger in many ways: it was the first film set up in Victorian London and it was the first time the famous detective uniform was created. Basil had the charm of Sherlock like no other. No wonder he appeared in 15 films and over 200 radio shows as this character.
 

Peter Cushing (The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1959, Sherlock Holmes TV-series, 1968 and The Mask of Death, 1984)
Peter Cushing made his debut as Sherlock Holmes in “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. In 1968 he returned to the role for the BBC “Sherlock Holmes” television series, that aired for 16 episodes, taking over the role from Douglas Wilmer. Cushing later reprised his rol in the 1984 TV movie “The Mask of Death. The 60s series firmly established Peter Cushing as one of the best loved and memorable embodiments of Sherlock Holmes in the eyes of both an appreciative viewing public and the majority of critics alike.
 

Christopher Lee (Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace, 1962, Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady, 1991, and Incident at Victoria Falls, 1992)
Having previously played Sir Henry Baskerville alongside Peter Cushing in “The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), Lee played the title character in the 1962 movie “Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace”. Then again in tow TV Movies in the early 90s; “Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady” and “Incident at Victoria Falls”. Christopher Lee also played Holmes’ brother Mycroft in the 1970s “The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes”. He might not be the best Sherlock Holmes to ever exist,  but  his cold delivery made him ideal for the role.
 

Christopher Plummer (Silver Blaze, 1977, Murder By Decree, 1977)
Christopher Plummer played Holmes in two films in the 1970s. His performance is viewed as the most emotional portrayal of Sherlock Holmes ever seen on screen. If you’ve ever wondered what the detective may have looked like of he cared about his victims, that’s what Plummer offered the audience.
 

Tom Baker (The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1982)
A year after stepping down as the star of “Doctor Who”, Tom Baker took on another iconic British character in a BBC adaptation of “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. The four part serial saw Baker reunite with his former producer on “Doctor Who”, Barry Letts. Baker was named a predictably larger-than-life Holmes.
 

Jeremy Brett (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1984-1994)
Jeremy Brett did his research for the role, one that Sherlock himself would appreciate. The actor, who himself had bipolar disorder and depression, used his own life to understand the path from boredom to increased detective interest. And that resulted in a beautiful series that lasted ten years.
 

Rupert Everett (Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silver Stocking, 2004)
Rupert Everett starred in the BBC’s “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silver Stocking” in 2004/ the TV movie was a follow-up to the same production company’s adaptation of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” in 2002, which starred Richard Roxburgh as Holmes. Everett was praised for his elegant and decidedly decadent interpretation and a portrayal rich in tortured silences and seasoned with touches of campy authority.
 

Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, 2010 – 2017)
The only Sherlock Holmes with a Blackberry: Benedict Cumberbatch. He brings the fictional character from 1900 to life in 2012. And how! He knows better than anyone how to make an old boring man timeless. The detective in this series is smart, very stubborn and he is a little bit pf a psychopath. Reviews were universally positive, describing the show as a triumph, witty and knowing, without ever undercutting the flair and dazzle of the original. It understands that Holmes isn’t really about plot but about charisma.
 

Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes, 2009 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, 2011)
Robert Downey Jr. plays the most extravagant version of Sherlock Holmes you can think of. Precisely because he brings so much of his own personality into the role, the film is entertaining. We’ve seen that old, boring version of Holmes often enough! At the same time he still remains charming and crazy, exactly how the detective should be.
 

Jonny Lee Miller (Elementary, 2012-2019)
Jonny Lee Miller played Sherlock Holmes in seven seasons of TV’s “Elementary”. Running for 154, this American procedural crime drama series aired from 2012 to 2019. It may not appeal to purists, but “Elementary” provides a fresh spin on Sherlock Holmes, and Jonny Lee Miller shines in the title role.
 

Ian McKellen (Mr. Holmes, 2015)
The endearing Ian McKellen, unlike all the other actors, portrays Sherlock Holmes during his older years. This twist makes the detective immediately interesting: the 93-year-old is retired and deals with amnesia. Director Bill Condon chooses to focus on Holmes as a person, not on the mystery. And no one can bear that better than Ian McKellen.
 

Henry Cavill (Enola Holmes, 2020)
Although Henry Cavill only has a supporting role in “Enola Holmes”, because the film focuses on the detectives younger sister Enola. But I had to include him, because Cavill plays Holmes in the charming and classic British way. Exactly how we know the actor. The strict brother, who secretly enjoys his sister’s rebelliousness, is well cast. And I can’t get over the fact how handsome Cavill looks in this film.  

00s Movie Review - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Director: Peter Jackson
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 201 minutes
Year: 2003
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortenson, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monoghan, Christopher Lee, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Miranda Otto, Karl Urban, David Wenham, Ian Holm, John Noble

Description: Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) lead the World of Men against Sauron’s army to draw his gaze from Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.

Review: People said the books were impossible to turn into film. Well, they were wrong. Director Peter Jackson managed to translate Tolkien’s work to film, in what is probably the most ambitious and bravest film project in movie history.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” starts with a prologue, where we see how Smeagol became Gollum. How the ring changed him. The Fellowship is still broken. Frodo and Sam are lead to Mordor by Gollum, while Gandalf hurries to Minas Tirith with Pippin. Merry stays behind with King Theodon and Eowyn. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli take the Path of Death, to recruit an unearthly army. We follow all those different storylines, before the final battle for Middle Earth starts.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” is a dark film, filled with war and misery. You finally understand the immense power the ring has and then there is also the threat of Sauron.
Peter Jackson made Middle Earth look as impressive as it is. It amazes me how much work and love had to be put into this project. The Orcs, the elephant like creatures, spider Shelob, it all looks scary and fantastic.
The love triangle between Aragorn, Arwen and Eowyn doesn’t manage to convince. The scenes feel forced and take away the attention from the actual events. Thankfully there are only a few scenes, so it doesn’t bother me that much.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” is a fantastic film, a great end to an amazing trilogy.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Director: Peter Jackson
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 179 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortenson, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monoghan, Christopher Lee, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Miranda Otto, Karl Urban, David Wenham

Description: While Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) adge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum (Andy Serkis), the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron’s new ally, Saruman (Christopher Lee), and his hordes of Isengard.

Review: In “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” we saw how the fellowship was split in groups. In “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” we see all those separate groups on their journey. There is Frodo and Sam. By foot they have to bring the ring to Mordor. Frodo feels the power of the ring more and more, but het gets help from Sam and the shifty creature Gollum. Gollum knows he has to help the Hobbits, else the ring will fall into the hands of Sauron.
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli can’t help Frodo and Sam anymore, so they decide to go on a rescue mission for the other two Hobbits Merry and Pippin. They have been taken by the Uruk-Hai.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” is again an amazing adventure. And close to being a masterpiece. The film doesn’t have the buildup like the first film. This is of course because it’s the middle part of the series. But it does have some great fight scenes, like the battle of Helm’s Deep. It looks spectacular and is exciting. I didn’t like the romance part of the film, the scenes between Arwen and Aragorn feel a bit unnecessary.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” is a good film, although probably my least favorite of the franchise.

Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Director: Peter Jackson
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 178 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortenson, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monoghan, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, John Rhys-Davies

Description: A meek Hobbit (Elijah Wood) from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-Earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.

Review: “The Lord of the Rings” is an adaptation from the world wide popular fantasy book by J.R.R. Tolkien. Director Peter Jackson took on the challenge to direct this series, starting with “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”.
In a prologue we are introduced to The Ring, who Saurn was and how that ring eventually got into the hands of a Hobbit in The Shire. That’s also the place where the story starts off, in The Shire.
The reason why people like this franchise so much is of course the fantasy genre, but also the relatable characters and their emotions. The characters are three-dimensional, have depth and you feel connected with them. Look at Gandalf, a man that laughs sometimes, is grumpy at times, is hard to understand and also makes mistakes. Perfectly portrayed by Ian McKellen.
The actors and makers of the film handle the source material as if it was our actual history. That’s how Tolkien did it, that’s how they did it. And everything looks perfect, up to the smallest details. It’s all authentic.
It’s hard not to get sucked into this fantastical world that Tolkien once created and Jackson brought to life. The Orcs are really scary, the eater monster with tentacles though only in it for a brief moment gives you the chills and Balrog looks fantastic. It’s visible that Peter Jackson has a love for movie monsters.
The action is phenomenal. The film starts off quiet and peaceful, but there are a lot of nail biting battles ahead. And they are all filmed brilliantly.
The drama and the emotions really grab you. You would think that fairytale like creatures like wizards and Hobbits wouldn’t do that, but they all become unforgettable characters that you care about.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” was the start of the entire adventure and it had to convince the fans. It definitely did that!

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Good Liar

Director: Bill Condon
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Russell Tovey, Jim Carter

Description: Consummate con man Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) has set his sight on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren), worth millions. But this time, what should have been a simple swindle escalates into a cat-and-mouse game with the ultimate stakes.

Review: If you have actors like Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen on board, it doesn’t really matter much anymore what you make them do. Even if you let the Lady and Sit read the phone book, you know that you have a guarantee of craftmanship, even if the scenario they have to propagate leaves a lot to be desired from time to time. You can easily forgive an inevitable but artificial plot twist in a thriller about an older couple in love.
With this adaptation of Nicolas Searle’s book, director Bill Condon puts at least all the cards on the table. At least so it seems. It is a well-known fact that online dating is done for one’s own good. The distinguished Roy and the charming Betty not only lie about their names on their first date, but also about whether or not to smoke and drink. Well, if that’s all…
But we soon find out that Roy is an outright crook who’s out to take all of Betty’s money, which are many millions. Roy is a smart seducer and relentless. Roy and Betty get a strong bond very quickly after Roy’s knee supposedly causes him problems, so Betty asks him to stay with her. Grandson Stephen doesn’t trust Roy for a second and can only watch him sweeping Betty of her feet.
“The Good Liar” starts out as a standard thriller where one is conning the other, but there is more to it. Eventually. Just have patience, because it’s a bit of a slow movie, and you will be rewarded. If it weren’t for the twist, even though it’s not completely credible and it all seems a bit too perfect, this film would be too basic and not memorable at all. It’s still a movie you can easily forget, but you will remember Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen’s strong performances and great interaction.

Rating: 3 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 53: Beauty and the Beast

Director: Bill Condon
Genre: Romance/ Musical/ Fantasy
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Stanley Tucci

Description: An adaptation of the fairy tale about a monstrous-looking prince (Dan Stevens) and a young woman (Emma Watson) who fall in love.

Review: As a little kid, I was never a girly girl. Wasn’t into princess stuff. But the animation “Beauty and the Beast” was an obsession. I love how intelligent, well read and kind Belle was. She saw past the looks, wanted to see more of the world and didn’t settle for mediocre. So I was super excited to see “Beauty and the Beast” being turned into a live-action film.
The film isn’t an exact copy of the animation, but it kept the essentials. But director Bill Condon also added some new characters, songs and scenes. And normally, for nostalgia sake, it would bother the hell out of me. But is surprisingly didn’t. The magic is still present, the main characters feel familiar and the songs are beautiful.
The casting is perfect. Emma Watson is a wonderful Belle and Dan Stevens does a very good job as Beast. Luke Evans is a very convincing Gaston and I really enjoyed Josh Gad as Le Fou. Kevin Kline as Maurice is also a very good choice and all the voice actors (like Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Emma Thompson and Ian McKellen) were chosen perfectly.
While watching this adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast”, I had a smile on my face from beginning ‘till end. I love it!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 156: X-Men: Days of Future Past

Director: Bryan Singer

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 132 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Nicholas Hoult, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Shawn Ashmore

Description: The X-Men send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.

Review: In “X-Men: Days of Future Past”, Wolverine is send back in time to stop mutants from going under. The X-Men are threatened by Sentinels, robots who have to exterminate mutants. Many mutants have lost the battle against them and all hope is set on Wolverine. His goal is to stop the inventor from going through with his plans. Wolverine gets help from a young Professor Xavier and Magneto.

Bryan Singer returns as a director, he also directed “X-Men” and “X2”. He doesn’t stay close to the original source material, which could bother fans. Yet “X-Men: Days of Future Past” was very well received by the audience and is so far the highest rated movie in the series.

Again the movie is filled with beautiful special effects, but I did miss the more emotional and personal touch that “X-Men: First Class” had. The focus is on Wolverine, but also on Charles Xavier and Magneto. The connection between Hank McCoy aka Beasy and Mystique, that was a storyline in the previous film, is never spoken of. Actors Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender do work well together and it’s a joy to watch them together.

Although I enjoyed watching “X-Men: Days of Future Past”, it didn’t live up to my expectations. It’s a good looking movie, but it lacked depth.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 152: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Director: Peter Jackson

Genre: Adventure/ Fantasy/ Action

Runtime: 144 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lee Pace, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Manu Bennett, Aidan Turner, Graham McTavish, Hugo Weaving, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Stephen Fry, Billy Connolly, Mikael Persbrandt, Dan O’Gorman, Bret McKenzie, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Ryan Gage, Sylvester McCoy, William Kircher, Peter Hambleton, Adam Brown, Jed Brophy, Stephen Hunter, Lawrence Makoare, John Bell, Mark Hadlow, John Callen

Description: Bilbo (Martin Freeman) and Company are forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the terrifying Smaug from acquiring a kingdom of treasure and obliterating all of Middle-Earth.

Review: Finally the last chapter of Peter Jackson’s take on the book “The Hobbit” has arrived. After the two previous movies, which were successes, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” has turned into an adventure spectacle. It didn’t manage to involve the audience as much, because the story isn’t as good as the other two films.

It was frustrating to see “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” end so abruptly, but understandable for Jackson to leave the confrontation with the dragon for the final movie. The story picks up exactly where we were left. We see how dragon Smaug is destroying Laketown. With that, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” has the best opening scene of the three films. The action is spectacular and sometimes filmed from Smaug’s perspective, as if you were on his back. I wouldn’t mind for this sequence to take a bit longer.

The big battle looks amazing and is again filled with new great looking creatures. The battle itself could feel meaningless for viewers, because it’s all for a big amount of gold. Only the people of Laketown have a relatable motive for fighting in the war, because they want to rebuild their lives. When the Orks join the battle, the stakes change.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” had an emotional component, because the dwarves wanted to recapture their home. Because Thorin has changed and he becomes greedy, it’s hard to sympathize him when he changes his mind. You actually understand the decisions Bilbo makes. I also liked that Bard’s role was bigger, who probably is my favorite character of the series.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is a good conclusion to the trilogy, which emphasizes more on the action then on the emotional journey Biblo and his dwarf friends are on. Even though Peter Jackson has done this many times before, it’s amazing to see how creative he can still be. I think Jackson’s creative mind has no limits. And the ending, that is the beginning of “The Lord of The Rings” trilogy, brings back warm memories. It’s my least favorite of the trilogy, but again entertaining as hell.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Moments: The Da Vinci Code

"The Da Vinci Code" got a lot of negative critique when it came out. I was one of those moviegoers that liked it immediately. I love the story and excitement of the movie. I would like to share my favorite moments from the film.

Moment # 1: Robert Langdon
We meet professor Robert Langdon while he’s lecturing about symbols.

Moment # 2: Silas
Silas has just committed a murder in the Louvre and is now talking in Latin to someone on the phone. Next we see hem inflict pain to himself. He’s suffering for Jesus Christ.

Moment # 3: Deciphering Saugniére’s messages
Jacques Saugniére left a message for Langdon and Sophie and they need to decipher it. It leads them to the Mona Lisa, where he left another riddle. When the are pointed to Madonna of the Rocks Langdon and Sophie find a fleur-de-lis. It’s a key.

Moment # 4: Cryptex
The key that they found leads Langdon and Sophie to a crypts. Sophie once received one from Saugniére and she tells Langdon all about the cryptex.

Moment # 5: The holy grail
Langdon asks his friend Leigh Teabing for help, because he’s an expert in the holy grail. Teabing explains Langdon and Sophie what the holy grail actually is.

Moment # 6: Langdon opens the cryptex
Teabing wants Sophie to open the cryptex, because he thinks she’s the keeper of the holy grail. Sophie doesn’t know and Langdon gives it a try. He says he can’t either and throws the cryptex at Teabing. It’s broken, but we later see that Langdon retrieved the map before the cryptex broke. The code was apple.

Moment # 7: Sophie is the secret
When Langdon and Sophie think they found Mary Magdalene, Langdon discovers that Sophie is the secret. She is royal blood, the heir, the end of the bloodline, the last living descendant of Jesus Christ.

Moment # 8: Langdon and Sophie say goodbye
After a long journey, Langdon and Sophie say goodbye. Langdon tells her a story about himself, when he was a child. When Sophie goes back to her family, she tries to walk on water, as a joke.

Moment # 9: Langdon follows the roseline
When Langdon is in his hotel room, he decides to follow the roseline. It ends at the point where the two pyramids come together and that’s the place where Mary Magdalene’s sarcophagus is.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 9: Langdon follows the roseline