Netflix Friday - Volume 51

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

Action: Rambo: First Blood (1982)
A veteran Green Beret (Sylvester Stallone) is forced by a cruel Sheriff and his deputies to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.
 

Drama: Concrete Cowboy (2021)
Sent to live with his estranged father for the summer, a rebellious teen finds kinship in a tight-knit Philadelphia community of Black Cowboys.
 

Comedy: Liar Liar (1997)
A fast-track lawyer (Jim Carrey) can’t lie for 24 hours due to his son’s birthday wish after he disappoints his son for the last time.
 

Animation: Monsters Vs. Aliëns (2009)
A woman (Reese Witherspoon) transformed into a giant after she is struck by a meteorite on her wedding day becomes part of a team of monsters sent in by the U.S. government to defeat an alien mastermind trying to take over Earth.
 

Romance: The Half of It (2020)
When smart but cash-strapped teen Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) agrees to write a love letter for a jock (Daniel Diemer), she doesn’t expect to become his friend, or fall for his crush (Alexxis Lemire)
 

Horror: Child’s Play 3 (1991)
Chucky returns for revenge against Andy, the young boy who defeated him, and now a teenager living in a military academy.
 

Science Fiction: Stowaway (2021)
A stowaway on a mission to Mars sets off a series of unintended consequences.
 

Crime: The Big Lebowski (1998)
Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies (John Goodman, Steve Buscemi) to help get.
 

Thriller: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
Jack Ryan (Chris Pine), as a young covert C.I.A. analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack.
 

Documentary: Life in Color (2021)
Exploring the many ways animals use color throughout their lives.
 

Family: The Karate Kid (1984)
A martial arts master (Pat Morita) agrees to teach karate to a bullied teenager (Ralph Macchio)

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 117: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Action
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh

Description: Jack Ryan (Chris Pine), as a young covert CIA analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack.

Review: Jack Ryan is the most well-known character developed by author Tom Clancy. Alec Baldwin portrayed him in “The Hunt for Red October”, Harrison Ford did it in “Patriot Games” and Ben Affleck also played the CIA agent in the movie “The Sum of All Fears”. Now, over ten years later, Chris Pine has the honors to take over the role of CIA analist Jack Ryan. He has proven before that he can give a beloved character a new life, just look at Captain Kirk in the “Star Trek” reboot. Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley and Kenneth Branagh join him. Branagh is also responsible for directing the flick.
Jack Ryan decides to join the military after seeing the 9/11 footage. During his service, Ryan is injured and during rehabilitation he’s recruited by CIA agent Thomas Harper. A few years later we see that Ryan works on Wall Street as a CIA mole. Some suspicious transactions lead him to the Russian Victor Cheverin.
Unlike James Bond and Ethan Hunt from “Mission Impossible”, Jack Ryan isn’t an action hero. He’s is an intellectual who has to take the role of hero against his will. In “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” that intellect is hardly present and a lot of physical action shows us that we are dealing with a reboot hoping to be a blockbuster. You also notice it’s not a direct adaptation of the first Tom Clancy novel; the character is a bit superficial. The story misses intrigue, but is fluent and doesn’t bore you.
The choice for Chris Pine is successful. His presents is fresh and Keira Knightley, with a doubtful American accent, is also solid. Kenneth Branagh’s accent is a bit over the top, but his performance as villain is really good. Then it’s easy to ignore that cheesy accent. Kevin Costner has the most pleasant role, as the wry CIA agent harper. He’s often the viewers perspective.
Not great, but pretty good, that’s what “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” is.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (107)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Description: Jack Ryan (Chris Pine), as a young covert CIA analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack.
Director: Kenneth Brannagh
Starring: Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Brannagh, Colm Feore
Trailer: Trailer "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit"
Comment: I like the Jack Ryan stories, so this looks good as well.

I, Frankenstein
Description: Frankenstein's creature (Aaron Eckhart) finds himself caught in an all-out, centuries old war between two immortal clans.
Director: Stuart Beattie
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahovski, Miranda Otto
Trailer: Trailer "I, Frankenstein"
Comment: I never saw Aaron Eckhart as an action hero, but this changes everything.

The Motel Life
Description: A pair of working-class brothers flee their Reno Motel after getting involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident.
Director: Alan Polsky, Gabe Polsky
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff, Dakota Fanning, Kris Kristofferson
Trailer: Trailer "The Motel Life"
Comment: Emile Hirsch is a great actor and this looks like a movie that will bring out the best in him.

Justin and the Knights of Valour
Description: A young boy becomes a man as he embarks on a quest to become a knight.
Director: Manuel Sicilia
Starring: Freddie Highmore, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett, Mark Strong, Saoirse Ronan, Barry Humphries, Alfred Molina, Julie Walters
Trailer: Trailer "Justin and the Knights of Valour"

Clear History
Description: A disgraced former marketing executive plots revenge against his former boss, who made billions from the electric car company they started.
Director: Greg Mottola
Starring: Larry David, Bill Hader, Philip Baker Hall, John Hamm, Kate Hudson, Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Danny McBride, Amy Ryan
Trailer: Trailer "Clear History"
Comment: This is just the kind of comedy I need.