Movie Review - Wake Up Dead Man

Director: Rian Johnson
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Runtime: 144 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner, Thomas Haden Church, Mila Kunis, Cailee Spaeny, Jeffrey Wright, Daryl McCormack
 
Description: Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns for his most dangerous case yet.
 
Review: Director Rian Johnson has never made a secret of his deep-rooted love for old-fashioned murder mysteries. That make two of us. His “Knives Out” films, this being the third in the series, are a clear tribute to Agatha Christie, with the only regular being Benoit Blanc, as a contemporary Hercule Poiroit.

“Knives Out” became an instant all-time favorite, having rewatched it many times already. The second film, “Glass Onion”, took some time to get used to, mainly because the setting felt less Christie-esk, but loved the mystery jus as much. And I absolutely loved “Wake Up Dead Man”. This film feels a bit more like “Knives Out”, when it comes to vibes and atmosphere, and yet again a clever whodunnit with a stellar cast and lots of humor.

The atmosphere is grim and leans towards a gothic mystery, with a church in New York State as a setting. The script is great, full of humor, witty dialogue and social commentary (the Christian right wing and tolerance being highlighted).

That Daniel Craig is great as Benoit Blanc, is a given by now. I actually think this is his best role ever, and not James Bond. I know, a hot take. The star-studded cast deliver solid performances, such as Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Jeremy Renner and Kerry Washington. But Josh O’Connor as priest Jud is particularly noteworthy. His complex characters often steals the show and he forms a great duo with Blanc.

Some critics say it’s the best film in the franchise, or at least almost as good as the first film. Well, I am officially giving this film a 5-star rating, just like the other two. Making it a strong, solid, amazing murder mystery series. And I will be rewatching this film many time over.

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Avengers

Director: Joss Whedon
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Coby Smulders, Tom Hiddleston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Stellen Skarsgård, Paul Bettany, Clark Gregg

Description: Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.

Review: In “The Avengers” a group of superheroes take on demigod Loki. Lead by S.H.I.E.L.D., Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye try to overcome their differences and work together to save mankind.
It’s hard, without a doubt, to balance a movie with so many iconic characters. Director and scriptwriter Joss Whedon succeeded. All characters get enough background. Result: a movie that will be loved by insiders ánd outsiders. People who know the material will love, but newcomers will also enjoy this movie.
The cast has already proven to be capable of portraying their characters. Robert Downey Jr. as smooth talker Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Chris Hemsworth as Thor, with a somewhat dry sense of humor. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers aka Captain America, perfect choice for the role and a good leader. Scarlett Johansson is wonderful as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. New are Mark Ruffalo, as Bruce Banner/ The Hulk, and Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/ Hawkeye. Both great additions to the movie.
Although “The Avengers” is over 140 minutes long, time flies. The movie is visually stunning, has lots of action and a good dose of humor. “The Avengers” is worth your time, every minute of it.

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Tag

Director: Jeff Tomsic
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Ed Helms, Jon Hamm, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Isla Fisher, Nora Dunn, Jeremy Renner, Hannibal Buress, Leslie Bibb, Rashida Jones, Thomas Middleditch, Lil Rey Howery

Description: A small group of classmates organize an elaborate, annual game of tag that requires some travel all over the country.

Review: “Tag” is based on a true story, but this fact should not be taken too seriously. The starting point of a few friends in their forties who have been playing tag for years and who are perhaps even more fanatical about it in adulthood than as children, is indeed as it was noted in ‘The Wall Street Journal’ in 2013. But that doesn’t alter the fact that the characters in the film have virtually nothing to do with the member of the real club of friends and hardly any scenes reflect passages from the article. Just the fact that adult men have been playing tag since childhood was enough to create this film, because the film would have been the same if it was a completely new idea.
There is nothing wrong with that, by the way. Every story can be an inspiration for a film, but not everything that has been taken from life should become a prestigious Oscar drama. So it’s a good idea to simply make a fun comedy about five childhood friends who have grown apart in the usual way, but who manage to maintain their friendship by playing tag one full month a year.
There is not much to be done with the simple starting point, but thematically there is something to work with. Most of the men in the story pretty much all got their lives together, but simple keep playing tag for childhood sentiment’s sake. And that’s okay. But there is no room for any depth. It's clear that “Tag” want to be nothing more than a simple comedy, and in doing so, it’s doing a pretty nice job. This is mainly due to the workable approach that one of the five men has never been tagged. This resulting in the other four players trying to end his record. Easier said than done, because he is probably the best tagger ever.
I think the best element of the film is the casting. Jeremy Renner is cast well as Jerry, the unbeatable one. And Ed Helms, Isla Fisher, Jake Johnson and Hannibal Buress really belong in a movie like this. Jon Hamm feels a little out of place, but that’s nothing that would bother you.
I could compare “Tag” to “Game Night”, which was a lot better on so many levels. But “Tag” is an entertaining, enjoyable and funny enough for a fun movie night.

Rating: 3 / 5

10s Movie Review - Thor

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Genre: Adventure/ Action/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Renee Russo, Idris Elba, Jaime Alexander, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Clark Gregg, Jeremy Renner

Description: The powerful but arrogant Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

Review: Superheroes often carry a big burden. Whether it’s trying to control their super powers or hiding their identity; a hero has a big responsibility and has to deal with that daily. And that’s no different for Thor, the God of thunder.
The fate of the world is again hanging by a thread and the man with the hammer is the one to fight the evil. After he unleashes an ancient war with the Frost Giants, his father Odin banishes him for ignoring his orders and sends him to Earth. There it seems that Thor is unable to handle his hammer Mjolnir, until he shows that he is a true hero will he rekindle his powers.
Thor has a rich background story, as well from Norwegian mythology as the comic books that started in 1962. Thor is the only God amongst the Avengers. He comes from a world other then Earth. His world is visualized amazingly, it looks stunning.
Once Thor joins the Earthlings, there is room for humor. At first, Jane thinks he is a homeless guy, but when S.H.I.E.L.D. shows up Jane knows there is more to him. The humor never overshadows the action and the comedy is mostly very dry and always well-timed.
The creators try to avoid the black and white view on good and evil as much as possible. This makes for an interesting battle between brothers Thor and Loki, even though you know which one embodies good and which one is evil.
This is one of those films that makes or breaks due to the casting of its main hero. Chris Hemsworth stars in his first major role and he is the perfect choice. Hemsworth is undoubtably one of the most beautiful peope Hollywood has to offer, but with that he is also extremely charismatic and has humor that suits his character. Natalie Portman, who plays his love interest Jane, is mostly seen as the better actor of the two, but she never manages to step away from Hemsworth’s shadow. It feels more obligated for her.
“Thor” is a great film, highly entertaining and fun.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Reviews - Avengers: Endgame

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 181 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper, Josh Brolin, Tessa Thompson, Evangeline Lilly, Pom Klementieff, Tom Holland, Jon Favreau, Elizabeth Olsen, Dave Bautista, Sebastian Stan, Michelle Pfeiffer, Katherine Langford, Tilda Swinton, Letitia Wright, Kerry Condon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chadwick Boseman, Winston Duke, Frank Grillo, Ty Simpkins, Sean Gunn, Emma Fuhrmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong

Description: After the devastating events, the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe.

Review: “Avengers: Endgame” isn’t only the finale to last year’s “Avengers: Infinity War”, it’s also the end of the journey that film studio Marvel started eleven years ago together with its many fans. “Avengers: Endgame” is supposed to be a tribute to all the experiences and memories we have from the past years in this universe.
Thanos left a dystopian world behind with the snap of his fingers. The titan completed his mission, perfectly balanced out life and the Avengers have been defeated for the first time. And it paid its toll, because the superheroes have obviously suffered from it. They are broken, damaged. Nonetheless the team is determined to defeat their nemesis once and for all, after a new sign of hope.
The Marvel universe grew over the years, but “Avengers: Endgame” focuses on the six original Avengers. They don’t need any introduction and are the praised characters it all started with. The playing field is known and the returning directing Russo brothers don’t pay a lot of attention on background stories. This film is simply for the fans.
“Avengers: Endgame” is a true Marvel film. Humor, sharp dialogues, extravaganza, spectacle. And it has sky high ambitions. Somehow some elements feel uninspired. No introduction to Captain Marvel and Tony and Nebula’s return feel unsatisfying. And some developments don’t live up to our expectations or rules of logic.
I didn’t like what they did to Bruce Banner/ Hulk. It felt weird and I really don’t understand the choice for this. I did like the sacrifice one character made. Thinking it was going to be the other one, it was a cool twist that it eventually turned around. And Scott Lang’s role in the story was pretty cool.
During the end fight, they go all out. It’s a fantastic moment and the definite highlight of the film. The moment where Captain America says ‘Avengers assemble’, that just gave me goosebumps. An epic fight, a great finale.
In “Avengers: Infinity War” the focus was on Thanos, but here the attention had to be divided over several characters. Some protentional plot points have been sacrificed because of that. The end of the film is really strong and it feels like a perfect ending. And it is one final tribute to the Marvel universe. But from the last minutes of the film, you can also conclude that Marvel is not done with new stories yet. So it’s not really the end, but a new beginning.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Wind River

Director: Taylor Sheridan
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Graham Greene, Jon Bernthal

Description: A veteran tracker (Jeremy Renner) with the Fish and Wildlife Service helps to investigate the murder of a young Native American woman, and uses the case as a means of seeking redemption for an earlier act of irresponsibility which ended in tragedy.

Review: Together with “Sicario” and “Hell or High Water”, “Wind River” belongs in the so-called ‘American frontier’ threesome by screen writer Taylor Sheridan. With the screenplays of these three films, Sheridan describes today's America, where there is no compromise and where poverty, violence and a struggling government are still present. And again, this third movie, is a strong crime thriller.
The crime scene is in the Wind River reserve, in the state of Wyoming. An area known for its cold and silence. During one of his track runs, tracker Corey Lambert finds the lifeless body of a young Indian girl, miles away from civilization. The girl isn’t wearing any shoes and coughed up a lot of blood. Suspicious circumstances, so he calls it.
Help arrives in the form of inexperienced FBI agent Jane Banner, who labels this as a homicide. Together with Corey she decides to solve this crime, but she hasn’t realized yet what world she has entered.
The authorities hardly have any interest in this crime, which means that every victim will take the matter in their own hands. For a thriller like “Wind River”, that’s an excellent starting point. The message at the end shows us that native Americans gone missing don’t get registered. And that’s why this is an important film.
“Wind River” is a movie that flew pretty much under the radar in 2017. And it’s definitely a film you need to see. The writing is excellent. It’s not an original story, because it’s based on actual events. But the film makes you feel like you’re watching a literary novel come to life. Psychological depth, no clichés, real people struggling with complex emotions like guilt and loss. The dark poetic tones of the dialogue matches perfectly with the images of the snowy landscapes.
“Wind River” has a limited runtime, but manages to punch you in the face with the emotional load its carrying. Sheridan makes it believable and you feel the impact a homocide investigation like this can have on the people involved. The film is never rushed and is never really sentimental. With that we get an amazing performance from Jeremy Renner, probably in his best role to date. “Wind River” is a movie you should definitely add to your watchlist, it’s a crime thriller at its best.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 152: Arrival

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg

Description: A linguist (Amy Adams) is recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications.

Review: When Canadian direcot Denis Villeneuve signed to direct the lon awaited sequel to “Blade Runner”, it didn’t get the fans excited. Villeneuve did make some successful, dark thriller, but had no experience with science fiction yet. It’s “Arrival” that has to change those minds. And this is without a doubt one of the best science fiction films of the past ten years.
Twelve unknown spacecrafts arrive on planet earth and are spread out over several locations on our planet. Of course people panic. If you expect anything like “Independence Day”, you’re wrong. Villeneuve’s take on this theme is on a smaller scale. Linguistics expert Louise Banks is called in to help the military to communicate with the extra terrestrials. A tough job, because the aliens have nothing in common physically and linguistically with humans. Louise has to build up to that one question: Why are you here?
The communicatiosn with extra terrestrials isn’t a new given in Hollywood, just look at “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” or “Contact”. “Arrival” lifts it to another level though, to center this theme completely. Villeneuve captivates us with a very impressive lesson in linguistics. He goes deep into that and it’s fascinating. Louise has to teach the aliens the basics of the human language, when the respons she gets is anything but easy to understand. They are simply circle shaped signs, that disappear as fast as they appear.
Villeneuve manages to weave tension and stuff to think about. If you think that it will lead to a dull film with lots of info about communication, you will definitely be surprised. It’s a battle against time for Louise, a battle against the prejudices. Amy Adams does this very convicing, she carries this film easily. Adams proofs she is one of the best actresses out there. Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker are both solid.
I was already a fan of Villeneuve’s previous film. But now he showed us he can handle science fiction too, so that “Blade Runner” sequel is in good hands. “Arrival” is one of the best films of 2016.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 109: 28 Weeks Later

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Genre: Drama/ Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Catherine McCormack, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Imogen Poots, Idris Elba, Harold Perrineau

Description: Six months after the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. But not everything goes to plan.

Review: When it comes to horror sequels, they seldom succeed. Most of the time it’s nothing new and just a a repetition of the previous film, but then worse. “28 Weeks Later” is the sequel to the fantastic film “28 Days Later” and it’s one of the few good horror sequels.
In “28 Days Later” the British population is completely extinct by a mysterious zombie virus and the American army has taken over control. 28 Weeks after these happenings they want Brittain to repopulate.
The original was very scary, those zombies are terrifying especially because they are so fast. “28 Weeks Later” also has that, but adds a bit more gore to it all. It’s visible that Danny Boyle didn’t direct this film, the camera work is a bit more chaotic and much quicker. But it’s a good way to add effects to the film.
“28 Days Later” is still the better movie, but I think “28 Weeks Later” is a strong horror sequel with a good cast.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 69: Captain America: Civil War

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Emily VanCamp, Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, Martin Freeman, Marisa Tomei, John Slattery, Alfre Woodard

Description: Political interference in the Avengers' activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).

Review: The brothers Joe and Anthony Russo did a great job on “Captain America: Winter Soldier” and I was really excited when I found out they were also directing the third installment of this franchise. They really understand the Marvel universe.
The film opens with a scene in Lagos, Nigeria. There the memers of the Avengers are chasing down bad guy Crossbones. The mission ends in a blood bath. And after their actions in New York, Washington and Sokovia, the United Nations wants to close the Sokovia Accords. This means the Avengers can only work on request by the UN.
Tony Stark signs the documents. Steve Rogers thinks it’s a bad plan. Together with Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Falcon, he doesn’t sign. During the ceremony, where all the others do sign, the king of Wakanda is killed in an attack. The main suspect is the Winter Soldier. The hunt for Steve’s friend tears the Avengers even further apart.
This Marvel film is mostly about loyalty, family and friendship. Steve Rogers is the one we focus on, of course. He stands for loyalty and friendship and would never abandon his friend Bucky. Steve never doubts Bucky’s story and wants to defend him no matter what. A great thing about “Captain America: Civil War” is that both teams, team Captain America and team Iron Man, have good points and bad points. You would expect that as a viewer you have to lean towards Steve Rogers, but Tony Stark also has some good points. The most awesome part of the film is the showdown between both teams, on a airfield in Leipzig. Well shot, great action, perfectly choreographed fight scenes and humor. And it’s fun to see new heroes Spider-Man, Black Panther and Ant-Man here too.
There is a lot going on in “Captain America: Civil War”, which sometimes makes it feel a bit messy. Lots of characters, old an new ones. But the movies shines when it has to shine: the action and fight scenes and the comedy.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 109: The Town

Director: Ben Affleck

Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller

Runtime: 125 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall, John Hamm, Blake Lively, Pete Postlethwaite, Chris Cooper

Description: As he plans his next job, a longtime thief (Ben Affleck) tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager (Rebecca Hall) connected to one of his earlier heists, as well as the FBI agent (John Hamm) looking to bring him and his crew down.

Review: Since his directorial debut “Gone Baby Gone” everyone agrees that Ben Affleck is a better director than actor. The crime thriller, based on a book by Dennis Lehane, showed us he had a sense of timing and he knew what he wanted his actors to do. Wisely he let other actors do the work on camera. For his second film “The Town” he decided to give himself the lead role. Again the movie is based on a crime thriller, this time written by Chuck Hogan. “The Town” is definitely a good story and film, but sadly there isn’t the depth that “Gone Baby Gone” did have.

The story is set in Charlestown, a neighborhood in Boston. It’s a criminal town. Doug MacRay leads a gang of masked robbers, who often strike in the better parts of the neighborhood. During a bank heist, Doug’s aggressive partner Jem decides to take the bank manager hostage. They find out that the woman, Claire, lives in their neighborhood and to make sure she doesn’t tell on them, Doug accidentally meets her in a laundromat. Claire obviously doesn’t know Doug and the two go out. Doug also starts doubting his life as a criminal.

With “The Town”, Ben Affleck proofs again he is an excellent director. It’s a good crime thriller and it’s definitely worth watching. But a deeper layer is missing. There are scenes with more depth, like when Doug visits his father in jail, the introduction of the drug lord, played by Pete Postlethwaite and the FBI agent played by Jon Hamm. Off course, people love seeing car chases and flying bullets, but the lack of depth makes this movie not as good as it could have been.

The acting is great. Pete Postlethwaite and Chris Cooper only have small roles, but manage to impress in the few scenes they have. Jeremy Renner is the one to watch, because his character is very interesting and his performance strong. Rebecca Hall and Blake Lively are good as well. Jon Hamm’s character hardly has an interesting thing to do, he was underused. And Ben Affleck is overshadowed by most of the actors. His character is interesting, his acting mediocre.

“The Town” is a solid thriller, but don’t expect too much depth. Ben Affleck should keep on directing, but maybe with someone else in the lead. (In “Argo” it didn’t work that great either)

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 103: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

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Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Thriller

Runtime: 131 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, Sean Harris, Simon McBurney, Tom Hollander

Description: Ethan (Tom Cruise) and team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an International rogue organization as highly skilled as they are, committed to destroying the IMF.

Review: How many actors over 50 do their own stunts? And how many of them will climb tall buildings and hang on an airplane during takeoff? Well, nobody but Tom Cruise. That alone is reason enough for us to see “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”, already the fifth installment in the franchise.

In this film Ethan Hunt is trying to track down the Syndicate, an international terrorist organization lead by former spies. The movie starts with spectacle, where Ethan Hunt is hanging from an airplane that’s taking off. We all know that he actually did that, which makes this scene even more awesome! This is only a warm up, because the film is filled with many more spectacular stunts, scenes and actions. The fact that the stunts have been actually performed, instead of created by computers, gives this movie extra tension and excitement. All the action is fast, intense yet not chaotic.

Tom Cruise is, like in the other films, the star. He is amazing as Ethan Hunt. Simon Pegg again has a bigger role and I love him as Benji Dunn. He takes care of the humor in the movie. And in combination with Cruise he is also good. Ving Rhames is also back and Jeremy Renner is solid as well. Newcomer to the franchise, Rebecca Ferguson, was very good. She was like a female Ethan Hunt, she totally kicked ass.

It seems like the “Mission: Impossble” films keep on getting better and better. I was expecting a lot and “Mission: Impossible – Rogie Nation’ met my expectations.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 55: The Immigrant

Director: James Gray

Genre: Drama/ Romance

Runtime: 120 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner, Dagmara Dominczyk, Angela Sarafyan, Glenn Fleshler, Gabriel Rush, Ilia Volok, Antoni Corone, Dylan Hartigan, DeeDee Luxe, Julian Murdoch, Francine Daveta, Anna Kuchma, John Mitchell, Gil O’Brien, Kevin Cannon, Francesca Murdoch

Description: The innocent immigrant Ewa (Marion Cotillard) is tricked into a life of burlesque and vaudeville until a dazzling magician (Jeremy Renner) tries to save her and reunite her with her sister who is being held in the confines of Ellis Island.

Review: A ship full of immigrants arrives in New York. The promise land. After the war in their homeland, all those people want is a bright future. Two Polish sisters, Ewa and Magda, dream about a new beginning. But when they arrive, Magda is put into quarantine because she looks sick. And Ewa is about to be send back to Poland.

A shady theater director, Bruno Weiss, saves her. He gives Ewa a job, in an American version of Moulin Rouge. And Bruno also gets her to sleep with men for money. A part of that money she uses to get her sick sister out. Her beauty attracts lots of men, but none of those feelings are sincere. But then she meets magician Emil, Bruno’s cousin and rival. He wants to genuinely help Ewa.

The décor and costumes are fantastic, it shows us America in the beginning of the 20th century. A yellow glow, a world ready to be discovered. This gives the movie a believable and credible feel. Sadly the rest is a bit more monotone. All men seem like barbarians and women have no say.

The cinematography is effective and conventional and the tone of the movie is very serious. The story is good, but towards the end, they wanted to wrap it up quickly. It leaves you a bit unsatisfied.

“The Immigrant” is an above average movie, because the acting is so good and I liked the story. But the wrap up of the film is not satisfying at all.

Rating: 3/ 5

Video of the Week (41)

With "Avengers: Age of Ultron" coming soon, the stars from the movie visit shows. This time it's Jimmy Kimmel. Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo play a game of Family Feud. Hilarious!

 

 

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 7: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Director: Brad Bird

Genre: Action

Runtime: 133 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway, Léa Seydoux, Michael Nyqvist, Tom Wilkinson, Ving Rhames, Michelle Monaghan

Description: The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

Review: A lot has changed. In the nineties Tom Cruise was a big star, but that star was not that bright anymore. Not a lot of great movies came on his path, but “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” should change all that. And it did.

The movies in the “Mission: Impossible” series were always successful and a hit at the box office. Brad Bird, known from his work at Pixar, decided to direct the fourth installment and with that “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is his first non-animation.

Like the previous movies, it’s filled with exotic places, flashy gadgets and action. Simon Pegg Is given a bigger role, as the comic relief, which is very pleasant. Jeremy Renner is introduced in the series and also a great addition to the franchise. Michael Nyqvist is the villain, which he does well. But not as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman did in “M:I-3”. Paula Patton does a good job as agent Jane Carter. Off course I don’t have to tell you that Tom Cruise did good work as Ethan Hunt, because of him I’m more of a Hunt then a Bond fan. Cruise hasn’t lost it and this is the kind of movie and role you want to see him in.

The action is the highlight of the movie. Sometimes over the top, but such a pleasure to watch. The scene with Hunt climbing the tallest building of the worlds, was my favorite.

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is a fantastic, thrilling action flick, even better than number three in the series.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

In the Picture: The Characters from "American Hustle"

“American Hustle” is a movie filled with interesting characters. Seductive, sleezy, crazy, sly, beautiful, you name it. So this movie is perfect for my item “In the Picture”. Here are the characters from “American Hustle”.

Irving Rosenfeld

Played by: Christian Bale

Irving Rosenfeld is a con artist. He is married and has adopted his wife’s son Danny. Even though he once loved his wife, his heart lies with Sydney.

Sydney Prosser

Played by: Amy Adams

Sydney Prosser is also a con artist and she works together with Irving. Sydney has improved Irving’s scams. She loves Irving, even though he isn’t the best looking man. Sydney is smart and she can be seductive to get what she wants. She also tries to manipulate Richie, distancing herself from Irving.

Richie DiMaso

Played by: Bradley Cooper

Richie is an FBI agent and catches Irving and Sydney in a loan scam. He offers to release them if Irving can line up for additional arrests. Richie starts working with Irving and Sydney and get a bit overeager.

Rosalyn Rosenfeld

Played by: Jennifer Lawrence

Rosalyn is Irving’s wife. She doesn’t work and is a bit crazy. Rosalyn has threatened Irving to tell everything to the cops if he ever left her. She know Irving has a thing for Sydney, but believes he would never leave her for Sydney.

Mayor Carmine Polito

Played by: Jeremy Renner

Carmine Polito is the Mayor and he befriends Irving. What he doesn’t know is that he’s being set up by him, Sydney and Richie. Carmine is a real family man and has never done anything to hurt his family.

 

 

Favorite Character: Carmine Polito

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 95: American Hustle

Director: David O. Russell

Genre: Drama/ Crime

Runtime: 132 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., Alessandro Nivola, Robert De Niro

Description: Con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his seductive partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) are forced to work for wild FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). He pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia.

Review: This film by David O. Russell is full of crown jewels: rags and riches, beauties and beasts, charm and crime. All set in the sumptuous seventies and with a bit of slapstick. And then the great cast: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner. “American Hustle” is filled with sexiness, scams and talent.

“American Hustle” grabs the audience, like Sydney Prosser gets her men. Together with Irving Rosenfeld she misleads people into making big investments. But then they are caught in the act by FBI agent Richie DiMaso. They are forced to work together.

The story is narrated by various characters, but as a viewer your attention is easily drawn to Irving Rosenfeld. Christian Bale is impressive in his role, with his beer belly and strange hairdo, he shows us again how he can get lost in a role. Amy Adams is very provocative in her role as Sydney Prosser and I enjoyed her performance. Together they are the ‘beauty and the beast’ of crime. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, who stole the show and your hearts in Russell’s previous film “Silver Linings Playbook”, aren’t as impressive. They are not bad, but they are standing in the shadows of Bale and Adams. Jeremy Renner on the other hand, as mayor Carmine Polito, is excellent.

This film succeeds and pictures the seventees very well. “American Hustle” is a movie with a great cast, interesting story and some wonderful acting by especially Bale, Adams and Renner.

Rating: 4/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Movie Archers

I recently saw "Brave" for the first time and that made me think of this top 5. The best movie archers.

5. Clint Barton/ Hawke Eye (“The Avengers”)
He is part of the ensemble, but doesn't have any superpowers. His bow and arrow do the trick.

4. Neytiri (“Avatar”)
She is the Na'vi princess of the Omaticaya clan. She is good with her bow and she can quite do some damage because of the size of the arrows.

3. Princess Merida (“Brave”)
Merida is a character with a strong will and a young woman who just wants to make her own decisions. Her mother doesn't like it that Merida is so good at archery.

2. Katniss Everdeen (“The Hunger Games”)
Katniss taught herself to shoot a bow and arrow, just for the simple reason of survival. As you can see, it can come in handy. Katniss really rocks this weapon.

1. Robin Hood (“Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”)
Robin Hood is the most well known archer in the history of the world and also in the movie history. My favorite indeed!

They almost made the top 5: Kili ("The Hobbit")

In the Picture: The Characters from "The Avengers"

I went to see “The Avengers” a couple of weeks ago and it’s all about the spectacle and the action. It’s awesome especially when you watch it in the cinema in 3D. But the characters are the ones that make the movie, because we all know them and it’s so cool that they team up. So here they are.

Tony Stark/ Iron Man
Played by: Robert Downey Jr.
Tony Stark is a self-described genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist with a mechanical suit of armor of his own invention. Because of the good sense of humor you forgive him for his arrogance.

Steve Rogers/ Captain America
Played by: Chris Evans
Steve is a World War II veteran who now has to survive in the present day. He got his strength through a physical experiment, but he already had the brain and heart of a true soldier. Steve is selfless, pretty quiet and doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. Maybe that’s why he and Tony don’t really get along.

Dr. Bruce Banner/ The Hulk
Played by: Mark Ruffalo
Bruce is a genius scientist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into a monster when enraged or excited. He’s struggling with two sides of himself and everything he does in his life is filtered through issues of control.

Thor
Played by: Chris Hemsworth
Thor is the God of thunder. He constantly has to battle his brother Loki, who chose the darker side. Thor is very strong, calm and the only one who can handle the hammer.

Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow
Played by: Scarlett Johansson
Natasha is a highly trained spy who works for S.H.I.E.L.D. She has no special powers, but Natasha is a very skilled fighter and she’s clever. She has a long history with Clint Barton, but no one knows exactly what their connection is.

Clint Barton/ Hawkeye
Played by: Jeremy Renner
Like Natasha, Clint is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. He is a master archer, but bit of an outcast with the other members of The Avengers. The only connection he has is with Natasha.

Loki
Played by: Tom Hiddleston
Loki is Thor’s adopted brother and nemesis. The reason he came to earth was to rule it and all of mankind. Loki has a big army.

Nick Fury
Played by: Samuel L. Jackson
Nick is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the coordinator of The Avengers Initiative. In order to get to all the heroes for the initiative, he’s not completely honest to them. He isn’t a bad guy though, you just don’t want to cross him.

Favorite Character: Steve Rogers/ Captain America

Top 5 Thursday: Handsome Men in "The Avengers"

I saw “The Avengers” this week and damn what a joy for us women. So many hot guys in this movie. I decided to rank them and make a top 5. Here are the five most handsome men from “The Avengers”.

5. Jeremy Renner
A guy I just recently discovered but Jeremy Renner really caught my eye.

4. Mark Ruffalo
Handsome because of his charm. There’s something about Mark Ruffalo that I can’t resist. And he’s also super nice and I like the calm in his voice.

3. Robert Downey Jr.
This guy is just irresistible. I don’t know what it is with Robert Downey Jr. but you just can’t look away. And his humor, also very attractive.

2. Chris Evans
Very close to perfection. Chris Evans is a man I would definitely fall for in real life. Tough guy though still a bit boyish. And I love some muscles, but not too much.

1. Chris Hemsworth
Those blue eyes. I can’t forget them. A very handsome man indeed and he also has a hot brother. Chris Hemsworth is the definition of a real man. With or without the long hair.

They almost made the top 5: Tom Hiddleston