10s Movie Review - Bumperkleef

Director: Lodewijk Crijns
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jeroen Spitzenberger, Anniek Pheifer, Roosmarijn van der Hoek, Liz Vergeer, Willem de Wolf, Truus te Selle, Hubert Fermin, Tim Linde, Peter Blankenstein

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 1: A MOVIE IN A LANGIAGE OTHER THEN ENGLISH
 
Description: A cocksure, road-raging family man (Jeroen Spitzenberger) finds himself pursued and terrorized by the vengeful van driver (Willem de Wolf) he chooses to tailgate.  

Review: The film opens with a classic overview shot. A mowed, obviously Dutch wheat field; a man in a cycling uniform with a bicycle on his shoulder. Anxious, extremely anxious. Running, half stumbling. This man clearly fear for his life. A unpleasant fate is awaiting.
Later we meet Hans, his wife Diana and their tow daughter Robine and Milou. They are on their way to Hans’ parents, but obviously a bit later on the road then Hans wanted to be. Because he wants to get there quickly, he starts racing the highway. When, on the road, they end up driving behind a white van that doesn’t want to make way for them, Hans decides to tailgate him. But that was a bad idea.
“Bumperkleef” is a very fast-paced thriller, with enough exciting elements to keep you invested the entire runtime. Which is only 85 minutes, making it the perfect length for a movie like this. Besides Jeroen Spitzenberger, the acting is a bit flat and the movie could have also worked without to much dialogue.
“Bumperkleef” is a fun, no-nonsense thriller that can be easily enjoyed without having to thnk too much.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Süskind

Director: Rudolf van den Berg
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Jeroen Spitzenberger, Nyncke Beekhuyzen, Karl Markovics, Katja Herbers, Tygo Gernandt, Olga Zuiderhoek, Chava voor in ’t Holt, Nasrin Dchar, Henk Poort

Description: During WWII, a member of the Jewish council of Amsterdam (Jeroen Spitzenberger) finds a way to spare children from deportation to death camps.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 1: A MOVIE FILMED IN YOUR COUNTRY

Review: Walter Süskind never became a real war hero. On the contrary, because of his, at first sight, good relationship with th German army officers during the Second World War, many saw the Jew Süskind as a traitor, a defector. Nevertheless, many Jews today ow their loves to his heroic deeds during WWII. And although Walter Süskind is already well known as a Jewish resistance hero, his deed are shown to a larger audience with the film “Süskind”.
The story is set in Amsterdam during the German occupation. To prevent himself and his family from being transported to Germany, Walter joins the Jewish Council. This ensured that the deportation process of the Jews went smoothly and Walter became mainly responsible for this. Soon Walter came into contact with Felic Halverstad and Piet Meerburg and together they came up with a plan to falsify the lists and thus save small children from transportation. A life-threatening plan, for which he puts both his own life and that of his family at risk. By becoming friends with the German general Ferdinand Aus der Fünten, he tries to hide his risky double life.
After earlier smaller roles, Jeroen Spitzenberger now plays his first leading role in a large film and he knows how to portray this character in a strong, credible way. Especially the convincing wa in which he succeeds in capturing the lonely Ferdinand Aus der Fünten and responding to his feelings is done very strongly.
For the other big roles Nyncke Beekhuzen has been chosen, as Hanna Süskind, Walter’s wife. And we see Katja Herbers, who can be seen as Fanny Philips, who has an important tole in the smuggling of the children.
What immediately strikes one when seeing “Süskind”, is the tremendously well-affected atmosphere. The sad atmosphere is of course logical given the setting in which the story takes place, but it is especially the enormous oppression and discomfort that you will notice. The film grabs you from the first second and during the film this only becomes more and more. The perfectly captured atmosphere is the biggest asset of this film.
 
With Süskind”, director Rudolf van den Berg delivers a very strong film. A conscious choise ws made to tell a compelling story rather than give a history lesson and the film succeeded in this. The basis of the story is historically correct and that is very important. The film emphatically addresses the role of the Jewish council and the ease with which the Dutch Jews were deported. For example, “Süskind” is still a bit of a history lesson, but a very interesting one. The Dutch answer to “Schindler’s List”.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 112: Mannenharten

Director: Mark de Cloe

Genre: Romance/ Comedy

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Daan Schuurmans, Barry Atsma, Jeroen Spitzenberger, Teun Kuilboer, Jon van Eerd, Georgina Verbaan, Fabian Jansen, Katja Herbers, Liliana de Vries, Hadewych Minis, Kim Feenstra, Ton Kas, Sanne Vogel, Thekla Reuten

Description: Following the love lives of different types of men in Amsterdam.

Review: In the Dutch romcom “Mannenharten” we don’t meet women who doubt their love life, but six men who struggle with themselves and problems with love.

With so many protagonist in one film, director Mark de Cloe got together some of the most well-known Dutch actors. But none of these actors get the chance to give their character a deeper personality, because we constantly switch from one storyline to another.

The chaotic Wouter never had a real goal in life. Now life is even more complicated when his girlfriend appears to be pregnant. Womanizer Daan can get all the women in the world, but was in love only once. Tim is about to marry his high school sweetheart, but starts doubting if this is it. Frank screwed up his relationship with Susanne and really wants her back. But she falls for the clumbsy Niels.

Although “Mannenharten” has so many storylines, it never gets complicated. It’s pleasant to watch, but it’s all a bit too simple. And predictable and cliché. I don’t mind cliché, if it’s done well, but that’s not the deal here.

“Mannenharten” is nothing unique, but it’s not dull either. It’s a fun watch, but never gets above average.

Rating: 2,5/ 5