Movie Review - Mothers' Instinct

Director: Benoit Delhomme
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Anders Danielsen Lie, Josh Charles, Caroline Lagerfelt
 
Description: Alice (Jessica Chastain) and Celine (Anne Hathaway) live a traditional lifestyle with successful husbands and sons of the same age. Life’s perfect harmony is suddenly shattered after a tragic accident. Guilt, suspicion and paranoia combine to unravel their sisterly bond.

Review: Alice and Celine, in addition to being neighbors, are stay-at-home moms and best friends. They live the perfect family life of a family in the 1960s. Married to successful men and mothers of happy sons who also happen to be best friends. Their sweet life takes on a bitter aftertaste when a tragic accident happens to one of the families.

The haunting atmosphere that seeps through everything is tremendously well done. The grief is palpable in all the characters and touches deeply. The terrific acting sets this geeling. Jessica Chastain in particular put on a layered role in which grief, fear and guilt blend seamlessly. Only Anne Hathaway sometimes shoots a little to far, making some scenes a bit over the top.

Extra oppressive is the continues question of where the story is going and whether the various suspicions of the housewives are correct. It’s best to go into this movie with the least amount of info.
The creators of “Mothers’ Instinct” clearly took some inspiration from Hitchcock. The moments of tension and atmosphere can match those of a film by the master of suspense. At other moments it is all just a bit too over the top to be taken seriously. The ending might be a little less credible.

“Mothers’ Instinct” sets up a convincing and exciting story. The set design and costumes contribute to the atmosphere and the intense themes of grief and guilt are very well portrayed in the story. The ending took it a bit too far, but it’s still an amazing movie that I’m surprised not more people are talking about.

Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - The Good Nurse

Director: Tobias Lindholm
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne

Description: An infamous caregiver (Eddie Redmayne) is implicated in the deaths of hundreds of hospital patients.

Review: “The Good Nurse” paints a poignant portrait of the woman who stepped forward to expose a serial killer, despite the risk she took in doing so. This true story contains a surprising second villain: the hospital business.

The intention was to tell the story of serial killer Charles Cullen without exploiting his victims. The creators were very successful at that. By focusing on nurse Amy Loughren, who was friends with Cullen,  as special aspect of this history is highlighted and a worthy narrative is created for the victims of this killer who had his way for years.

Through a rock-solid performance, Eddie Redmayne confronts us with the uncomfortable reality that serial killers can be among us unseen. Jessica Chastain, who has been a favorite of mine for years, shows once again why she is on that list. She plays the titular good nurse, that stand up for her patients. But it’s more difficult then she thinks, because it becomes extra wrenching when it slowly becomes clear how much responsibility the various hospitals where Charlie worked had in the murders he committed. Very shocking because of the film’s basis in reality. As harrowing as it is, it makes “The Good Nurse” even more suspenseful and the importance of storytelling even clearer.

The tension is palpable until the very end, up to and including the long-awaited confrontation between Amy and Charlie. A very strong thriller, that is captivating from begin ‘till end.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Ava

Director: Tate Taylor
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Jessica Chastain, John Malkovich, Colin Farrell, Common, Ioan Gruffudd, Geena Davis, Jess Weixler, Joan Chen

Description: Ava (Jessica Chastain) is a deadly assassin who works for a black ops organization, traveling the globe specializing in high profile hits. When a job goes dangerously wrong she is forced to fight for her own survival.

Review: Ava is a mysterious woman, former junkie and alcoholic, ex-military and extremely adept at unscrupulously killing her high-ranking targets. A charming and deadly enigma for family, friends and enemies. And they all seldom realize what the assassin is doing until it’s too late. “Ava”, on the other hand, is an ostentatiously transparent film whose greatest mystery is ultimately what the film wants to be. An action thriller, a drama or perhaps something else?
The split personality of the film is probably best sketched on the basis of the cast. The title role is played by Kessica Chastain, an excellent drama actress. The leaders of her chaotic assassin organization are played by an almost caricatural Colin Farrell and an inexplicably smooth fighting John Malkovich, who is a acting a bit wooden here. Common has the thankless job to play Ava’s gambling addict ex-boyfriend.
All four, popular names and great performers. And they can all do better than they are showing here. Director Tate Taylor doesn’t manage to create a successful film, just a mediocre one that will easily be forgotten. Also the story itself isn’t very surprising. I don’t mind clichés when they are done well, but the predictability of this movie make it hard for the viewer to be fascinated.
“Ava” doesn’t really offer anything new. If you miss this film, you don’t really miss anything special.

Rating: 2 / 5

10s Movie Review - Interstellar

Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Drama/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 169 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy, Wes Bentley, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, Ellen Burstyn, Matt Damon, John Lithgow, David Oyelowo

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 26: A MOVIE MADE BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

Description: A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival.

Review: Spaceman Cooper leaves his two children, when he decides to take part in a space mission to find an alternative planet for the decaying Earth. Time is relative, according to Einstein, so a trip to the first planet they visit takes Cooper an hour or three, but in our perception of time more than twenty-three years. Back at the base station, Cooper sees a video of his family. In a few minutes he sees that his family has dramatically changed. Daughter Murp, is as old as him now and son Tom is a father himself. “Interstellar” leans heavily on family ties, which gives it a huge emotional load.
The story is very complex and it is best to just let it take you away. Cooper became a farmer, after a traumatic crash, since Earth is in dire need of food. Another planet offers the only solution, but mankind has stopped space travel. At school they even learn that the mission to the moon was only a clever propaganda move. Cooper’s clever daughter Murphy think’s she is getting signals from her bookcase. What and who is unclear. Martians? Gravity? But Murphy thinks it’s a ghost. However, this silent force and a dust storm lead Cooper and his daughter to a remote space lab.
Christopher Nolan and his writer brother Jonathan are both men with great ideas and an unparalleled ability to transform their vision into images. And you can see that in “Interstellar”. You have to really pay attention or know a bit about physics to fully understand the complicated concept of black holes, wormholes, fourth and fifth dimension and the theory of relativity. Each time you are reassured with the realization that in the end, it is the dramatic aspect that the Nolan brothers want to focus on. Only Christopher Nolan knows how to combine all these difficult angles with compelling drama and spectacular space trips. Surprisingly, they are often very simple principles such as love and loss. “Interstellar” is overall a very ambitious movie. It’s clear that movies like “2001: A Space Odyssey” or “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” were major inspirations for Nolan.
“Interstellar” is anything but a simple space adventure, a film you really have to focus on and let yourself be overwhelmed by. And the soundtrack is one of the best in years. A fantastic film, that doesn’t feel like it’s almost three hours long.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Director: Simon Kinberg
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Sophie Turner, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Evan Peters, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jessica Chastain

Description: Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix, causing the X-Men to decide if her life is worth more than all of humanity.

Review: “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” is reportedly the end of the film series, that started about 20 years ago. But it doesn’t feel like a traditional epic end, with a satisfying ending and closure for all the storylines and characters.
The “X-Men” series never had reboots or remakes and it blew new life into the series with the prequels, starting with “X-Men: First Class”. It never repeats itself or reuses storylines, until “X-Men: Dark Phoenix”. Where we see again how Jean Grey becomes bigger than her powers and finds a darker side to herself. This also happened in “X-Men: The Last Stand”. Because of “X-Men: Days of Future Past” Jean Grey could start with a clean sleight, but this film doesn’t use it for the best. There was a great chance her, but they missed out.
The best part of “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” is the acting. This is strong, solid and convincing. And Sophie Turner, who plays Jean Grey, has enough power to stand strong between big names like James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence.
Jessica Chastain plays the villain role, which she does well. But there is no backstory to her and her group and her meeting with Jean should lead to something bigger. But it never really goes anywhere. This storyline is almost disposable because it’s written so poorly.
I also had issues with the timeline. This happened because of “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and it makes everything a lot harder to follow. And overall the film is really bland and dull.
“X-Men: Dark Phoenix” is by no means a terrible movie, but it’s probably not one I will ever rewatch.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

Movie Reviews - It Chapter Two

Director: Andy Muschietti
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 169 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Wyatt Oleff, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Teach Grant, Nicholas Hamiltoon, Javier Botet, Xavier Dolan, Taylor Frey, Molly Atkinson

Description: Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.

Review: Twenty-seven years ago, the Losers Club took an oath: if It returns, they will return to Derry and kill It. Most have buried their younger years and all the terrifying happenings, but a phone call from the only one that stayed in Derry brings it all back to them. Only together they can beat It.
Director Andy Muschietti managed to surprise everyone with his version of “It”. It was a stylish coming-of-ages story with jump scares. The movie, based on a novel by Stephen King, wasn’t gruesome horror but it was very well crafted. In “It Chapter Two”, we move on with the story. Mike is the only Loser that stayed in Derry and he definitely didn’t forget about Pennywise. After the brutal murder of one of the citizens, he is sure It returned and he contacts every member of the group in ask to return.
Th first film was a success partially because of the young cast and their recognizable stories and fears. Everyone feels like an outsider at times and together they could face their fears. In “It Chapter Two” that feeling of being connected is strong present again, because when they see each other after so many years it feels like the old days. The resemblance with their younger versions are uncanning and each of them was perfectly cast for the role. Especially Bill Hader as adult Richie, who is the best part of the film.
Their chemistry is here also very strong. Sadly a big chunk of the film is each of them going on a quest on their own. That’s the only negative thing I have to say about the film. Because the film and story are strongest when the group is together. That group dynamic is very important and works well.
The film has some really big jump scares and it has more blood and gore than the first film. But it still shows that Muschietti has love for the craft and for this story. Because the film looks stunning.
Like in most cases, “It Chapter Two” isn’t as good as its predecessor, but it still a really strong film.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Molly's Game

Director: Aaron Sorkin
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Chris O’Dowd, Bill Camp, Graham Greene, Justin Kirk

Description: The true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.

Review: Molly Bloom is a strong woman, but not the school girl role model. As an Olympic skier, she gets into a terrible accident where the doctors tell her she will never ski again. But within a year Molly is back on the slope.
But her Olympic career isn’t for long, when Molly has yet another fall to recover from. She starts working for a shady guy in an equally shady office. Her boss is friends with some big shots and runs secret poker games. Molly starts out as his help and eventually climbs the ladder to become the so-called ‘poker princess’.
Molly Bloom’s biography is pretty outspoken and was released not long after Molly was charged for running illegal games. Aaron Sorkin saw something in it and decided to turn it into film.
Everything we see, really happened, Bloom only changed most names. Sorkin isn’t interested in the names, he’s not here to get out the dirt. He wants to show us Molly Bloom’s story, how she starts out and eventually how she runs exclusive high-stake poker games.
Jessica Chastain is probably my favorite actress of the moment. She plays Bloom fiercely, relentless and sharp. Bloom is smart, she plays it smart and she uses her feminine qualities in a very clever way. And it all works.
Bloom isn’t portrayed as some kind of superhero. Aside from the criminal activities, she is also a woman that can be broken as long as you keep looking for her weaknesses. But she comes back from it even stronger and the fact that people never really get close to Bloom, is just a side effect she accepts.
Chastain is amazing in her role, she makes this movie great. And Sorkin manages to create a biopic, where a feisty woman makes it in a man’s world. Strong film!

Rating: 4 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 134: Miss Sloane

Director: John Madden
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Alison Pil, Mark Strong, Michael Stuhlbarg, John Lithgow

Description: In the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is the most sought after and formidable lobbyist in D.C. But when taking on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds winning may come at too high a price.

Review: Who doesn’t know what the work of a lobbyist contains, doesn’t have to feel threatened by “Miss Sloane”. During the opening, Elizabeth Sloane breaks the fourth wall and tells us what lobbying is all about: Lobbying is forsight, anticipate what the opponent is going to do and come with a counter action. The winner is also one step ahead.
It’s a good intro to the hectic political world we are about to enter. Director John Madden managed to create a realistic picture of this abstract world.
The film is fictional. The stakes for this lobbying is a controversial bill named Heaton-Harris, that stand for stricter rules for weapon possession. That’s where Elizabeth Sloane comes in. She is the kind of woman with a strong opinion, extremely confident and relentless when needed. After a meeting with the ‘big guys’ of a powerful lobby company, Sloane turns her back on them. With a small team and under her supervision, Sloane starts the battle, where morals are forgotten.
Why she is so ambitious about this, stays unknown the entire film. No rough childhood and she wasn’t victimized by a firearm herself. Normally the lack of a drive like that can be a negative, but for “Miss Sloane” that’s absolutely not the issue. It is in fact just that absence that makes Elizabeth Sloane so unpredictable.
She isn’t all ice queen though. Her nightly visits from a male escort, where he manages to see an emotional side. And after a defeat, rage escapes her.
It’s a combination of a smart script and a fantastic performance by Jessica Chastain that makes this political thriller different from others in the genre. Chastain carries this movie.
Movies with themes like this can easily become dull and over explanatory, but not “Miss Sloane”. It’s interesting, captivating and there is a tension that doesn’t let you go. This film really surprised me and I believe not enough people appreciate it.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 62: The Zookeeper's Wife

Director: Niki Caro
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, Daniel Brühl

Description: The Zookeeper's Wife tells the account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski (Jessica Chastain, Johan Helndenbergh), who helped save hundreds of people and animals during the German invasion.

Review: “The Zookeeper’s Wife” follows a married couple that helps hide Jews during the German invasion, in a zoo in Poland. While risking their own life, they saved hundreds of people from death.
Jan and Antonina Zabinski live in Washaw, Poland. They own a beautiful zoo. When the Germans invade Poland, their zoo is demolished. They decide to stay and help Jews who flee from the Nazi remine. The story takes place from 1939 to 1946.
Jessica Chastain is the star of the film. Her charisma and talent make that you immediately love Antonia. She makes you care about the characters. In contrast with the German zoologist Lutz Heck, played by Daniel Brühl, Antonina goes from being a sweet an naïve woman to a solid and strong character.
“The Zookeeper’s Wife” isn’t a war film with a lot of spectacle. The focus is on the people and their interaction. And also between man and animal. A very important story, not known by many. It’s a beautiful story, where small and simple people become heroes.

Rating: 4/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Supporting Females in Drama Films

We always focus on the main man or woman in a film, but today I’m putting the supporting characters in the spotlight. Females in drama films to be exact.

5. Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley in “The Imitation Game”)
A very smart woman standing strong doing a man’s job. Joan Clarke believes in Alan Turing and his ideas, she holds the team together.

4. Pam (Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler”)
Pam is the highlight in Randy Robinson’s day. A mother by day, a stripper by night. But there is more to her than meets the eye.

3. Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams in “Spotlight”)
Sacha Pfeiffer was one of the people that revealed shocking news about the catholic church. She is working with men, faces people who share with her very disturbing stories. But Sacha stays strong and only wants one thing: to let people know what really happened.

2. Patsey (Lupita Nyong’o in “12 Years a Slave”)
Patsey is a brave woman. She has to go through so much and still manages to keep smiling. And she keeps doing her job as no other, better than the men doing the same job.

1. Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain in “The Help”)
Celia Foote is an outcast, but her enthusiasm, good heart, naïve look at the world and kind intentions should brighten everyone’s day. She is the only woman (besides Skeeter) that really appreciates the help she gets.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander in “The Danish Girl”), Charlene Fleming (Amy Adams in “The Fighter”), Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer in “The Help”), Iris (Jodie Foster in “Taxi Driver”), Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”), Lynn Margareth Bracken (Kim Basinger in “L.A. Confidential”)

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 51: The Huntsman: Winter's War

Director: Cedic Nicolas-Troyan
Genre: Adventure/ Action/ Fantasy/ Drama
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain, Emily Blunt, Charlize Theron, Nick Frost, Sam Claflin

Description: As a war between rival queen sisters Ravenna (Charlize Theron) and Freya (Emily Blunt) escalates, Eric (Chris Hemsworth) and fellow warrior Sara (Jessica Chastain), members of the Huntsmen army raised to protect Freya, try to conceal their forbidden love as they combat Ravenna's wicked intentions.

Review: “Snow White and the Huntsman” was four years ago successful enough that Universal was already planning a sequel. Rupert Sanders was going to direct and Kristen Stewart was going to star again. Because of an affaire between the two, that sequel was postponed. They still wanted to continue the franchise and they decided to make a spin-off focusing on huntsman Eric. Chris Hemsworth is an actor people love to see and who needs Snow White?
Because the huntsman wasn’t a very meaningful character in the original fairytale, we also get an evil ice queen and queen Ravenna returns. Snow White’s absence is solved by setting the story in a different fantasy world. The story is set before and after Snow White’s kingdom and they told it in a way we don’t need to see the actual character.
First we see the history of ice queen Freya and her sister Ravenna. And then we are introduced to the Huntsman Eric and warrior Sara. Freya trains an army of children to become huntsmen. Eric and Sara are her best warriors. The two fall in love, which is a sin in Freya’s kingdom. Sara is killed and Eric is supposed to die too. He survives and escape to the south. Then we skip to seven years later after all the happenings in “Snow White and the Huntsman”. Eric has to find Ravenna’s mirror, before Freay gets her hands on it.
Chris Hemsworth doesn’t have to do a lot to entertain me and I liked him in “The Huntsman: Winter’s War”. He had good chemistry with Jessica Chastain and her character is strong and fun. Emily Blunt is a believable evil queen and although Charlize Theron already proved that, she does a solid job again.
Is “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” a great film? No, but it’s very entertaining, has the right length, it looks stunning and has a good cast. I have to honest that I expected a bit more, but it’s still an enjoyable film.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Battle: Interstellar Vs. The Martian

They are very different movies, but both science fiction and also both happen to have Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain in it. I would like to let those two movies go head to head in this battle. Let’s see who wins the battle: “Interstellar” Vs. “The Martian”.

 

 

ACTORS

Interstellar: Matthew McConaughey is the lead and his has proven over the years that he can easily carry a movie. I haven’t been a fan since the beginning, but I’ve come to love McConaughey. Anne Hatahway not so much though, I just never really liked her acting. Jessics Chastain on the other hand is one of my favorites and she is really good in “Interstellar”. And Michael Caine as well.

The Martian: Matt Damon is fantastic in his role as Mark Whatney. Most of the scenes he is in, he is alone. He gives away a great performance, it might even be his best. Jessica Chastain is good as well, very strong and solid.

STORY

Interstellar: It’s a Christopher Nolan directed film, so it’s anything but standard. A group of explorer’s have to travel through a wormhole in order to save humanity. Time is different there, so what’s in space is seven years on earth (or something like that). I didn’t really like the ending.

The Martian: During a mission to Mars, astronaut Mark Whatney is presumed dead and his crew returns. Not knowing that Whatney was actually still alive. Now he is alone on a planet where nothing grows. He has to ‘science the hell out of it’. It’s a great story and so well executed. It was also a lot funnier than I expected it to be.

EFFECTS

Interstellar: If you know Nolan’s work, you know that he is great with effects. Although he doesn’t overuse CGI, it always looks stunning.

The Martian: The movie looks very good, also not overusing any CGI. Just clean and solid.

WINNER

I think “Interstellar” is a bit overrated, so I’m going with “The Martian” which I absolutely loved and it was one of my favorites of 2015.

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 18: Interstellar

Director: Christopher Nolan

Genre: Adventure/ Science Fiction/ Drama

Runtime: 169 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Wes Bentley, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, David Oyelowo, John Lithgow, Ellen Burstyn, Matt Damon

Description: A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival.

Review: Christopher Nolan’s movies can be called cold, but certainly have emotion. The (anti) heroes in movies like “Memento”, “The Prestige” and “Inception” are all driven by human emotion like heart ache or jealousy. In “Interstellar” we also meet those characters. That’s not a bad thing though, when they are portrayed by great actors like Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine.

McConaughey plays the disillusioned widow Cooper, former test pilot for NASA and now a farmer. The film is set in the near future, where the earth is exhausted and producing food is the main priority instead of science. What people don’t know is that secretly NASA is planning a mission to save mankind and move them to another planet, that can be reached through a wormhole. Cooper is asked to investigate the planet, together with a group of fellow astronauts. This means Cooper has to leave his two children and he can’t tell them when or if he will return.

The emotional scenes between Cooper and his daughter Murph are a highlight for me. They are so sincere and you feel it yourself. And although the drama is the heart of the film, Nolan focusses more on the scientific aspect of the story. Nolan likes old school effects, doesn’t use CGI if not necessary. The spaceship décor was build, very detailed and the robots CASE and TARS were all controlled manually.

The first half of the film is much better than the second and after two hours, you start to feel the length of the film. The happenings are randomly piling up and the characters can’t carry the drama anymore. And that ending, I don’t know.

Many say it’s Christopher Nolan’s best, I do not agree. Not even remotely. I think “Interstellar” is slightly overrated, although I can see and understand what Nolan wanted with this film.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 140: The Martian

Director: Ridley Scott

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 142 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mackenzie Davis, Donald Glover, Nick Mohammed, Chen Shu, Eddy Ko, Enzo Cilenti, Jonathan Aris, Gruffudd Glyn, Naomi Scott, Geoffrey Thomas

Description: A limo driver's blind date sparks a tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and grace centered around two working-class New York City couples.

Review: Director Ridley Scott, known for his movies “Alien” and “Blade Runner”, is no stranger to science fiction. “The Martian”, based on the book by Andy Weir, is the perfect story for Scott. It’s a heroic story, has a great cast with big names and a big budget.

With a science fiction movie, there is always a scientific side to it. Hence the word science. At first it looks like it’s going to be a drama, when astronaut Mark Watney is left for dead on Mars after a big storm. When Watney wakes up he has to stay alive with the supplies that are left. It could have gone to fear, sadness and complaining. The fact that it might be the end for him on Mars, makes sure that Watney does everything to avoid that fate. With science. With his botanic background he manages to grow potatoes on a planet where nothing grows. And he is very inventive in ways to stay alive. This strength makes sure Watney doesn’t lose hope and becomes a real hero.

The scientific element can also be less accesable, but “The Martian” manages to use a clever way to explain it to us. Watney keeps a videolog, where he explains what he does and why. He never seems lonely and this makes this film anything but boring. On earth, where they eventually find our Watney is still alive, they discuss the issue in a way the viewer can understand and without any extreme sentiment. Towards the end it does get a bit more dramatic, but that’s understandable.

One thing I didn’t expect to get was humor. “The Martian” is very funny at times and makes this movie a lot lighter than I eventually thought. And Matt Damon is amazing in his role. I really loved his performance, it can easily be called one of his best. I also loved Jessica Chastain, as always.

“The Martian” is a fresh take on science fiction, a movie that was even better than I thought it would be. One of the best of 2015.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 131: Crimson Peak

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Genre: Drama/ Fantasy/ Horror/ Thriller/ Romance

Runtime: 119 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, Leslie Hope

Description: In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author (Mia Wasikowska) is torn between love for her childhood friend (Charlie Hunnam) and the temptation of a mysterious outsider (Tom Hiddleston). Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds - and remembers.

Review: At the start of the twentieth century Edith Cushing lives with her father in Buffalo, New York. Her dead mother visits Edith at night and warns her for Crimson Peak. Years later Edith’s life is turned upside down when she meets the British Thomas Sharpe and his sister Lucille. After the mysterious and sudden death of her father, Edith marries Thomas an moves with him and Lucille to England. There they live in Allerdale Hall, a huge mansion which is ruinous. Edith wakes up at night by ghosts and learns Allerdale Hall is also called Crimson Peak. Edith learns there are a lot of secrets in that house and also with Thomas and Lucille.

After his Sci-Fi adventure “Pacific Rim”, director Guillermo del Toro is back with what he knows best. “Crimson Peak” has an amazing set and it can be compared to “Pan’s Labyrinth” when you just look at it. The big difference is the romantic touch this film has. Del Toro based “Crimson Peak” on the gothic horror genre. The mansion is beautifully made and is almost a character itself. Del Toro is known for his eye for detail and Crimson Peak was completely build in a studio. Because it all looks so real, the atmosphere is more spooky.

The developments in the movie are sometimes predictable. The middle part of the film is a bit repetitive, when Edith goes on her search for secrets at night. This happens several times. The movie has a slow start, but the second half of the film is the best. Especially that finale was extraordinary and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Mia Wasikowska is a fresh heroin, she does a really good job. Tom Hiddleston manages to switch between being irresistible and charming and dark and mysterious in his role as Thomas Sharpe. But it’s Jessica Chastain who steals the show. As the intimidating Lucille Sharpe she is almost unrecognizable and extremely scary.

“Crimson Peak” is a gorgeous looking horror mystery. It’s not as scary as the trailers led us to believe, but it’s definitely a movie you should see. Strong cast and visually beautiful.

Rating: 4/ 5

Me and 3 Jessica Chastain Movies

Jessica Chastain has become one of my favourite actresses over the years. She has been in so many great movies already and there are also some good ones to look forward to, like “Crimson Peak”. Here are the three Jessica Chastain movies I watched.

A Most Violent Year

Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Action/ Thriller

Year: 2014

Director: J.C. Chandor

Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola, Albert Brooks, Elyes Gabel, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Peter Gerety, Christopher Abbott, Ashley Williams, John Procaccino, Glenn Fleshler, Jerry Adler, Annie Funke, Maathew Maher, David Margulies, Pico Alexander

Description: In New York City 1981, ambitious immigrant Abel (Oscar Isaac) fights to protect his business and family during the most dangerous year in the city's history.

Opinion: The movie slowly reveals itself and the calm way the story is told really works. Great performances by Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain.

Favorite character: Anna Morales (Jessica Chastain)

Most memorable quote: “When it feels scary to jump, that is exactly when you jump, otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life, and that I can't do.” – Abel Morales -

Best scene: The car chase scene, where Abel is trying to follow the man who stole one of his tankers.

Lawless

Genre: Crime/ Drama

Year: 2012

Director: John Hollcoat

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan, Gary Oldman

Description: A trio of bootlegging brothers are threatened by a new special deputy and other authorities angling for a cut of their profits.

Opinion: It’s a good western/ gangster film. Nice setting, good acting and fast paced. An uncomplicated, enjoyable watch. Favorite character: Forrest Bondurant (Tom Hardy)

Most memorable quote: “It is not the violence that sets men apart, alright, it is the distance that he is prepared to go.” – Forrest Bondurant -

Best scene: The moment where Forrest finds out that Maggie helped him when he was attacked and that something happened to her as well, although she doesn’t want to admit to it.

Zero Dark Thirty

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Year: 2012

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Jason Clarke, Chris Pratt, Joel Edgerton, James Gandolfini, Kyle Chandler, Taylor Kinney, Jennifer Ehle, Frank Grillo, Mark Duplass, Harold Perrineau

Description: A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May 2011.

Opinion: The movie could be dull because of the length and all the politics, but it’s Jessica Chastain that makes this movie worthwhile. Great and strong film!

Favorite character: Maya (Jessica Chastain)

Most memorable quote: “I'm the motherfucker that found this place. Sir.” – Maya -

Best scene: Where Maya is telling her superior why it’s important to find Osama Bin Laden and that she is the one who is going to find him.

Favorite of the 3: “Zero Dark Thirty”

Top 5 Thursday: Favorite Actresses of the Moment

I change my list of favourite actresses from time to time, because I keep discovering new women or I rediscover actresses. Here is my current list of favourite actresses.

5. Emma Stone

I sort of have a girl crush on her. She is funny and has dramatic talent as well. She was great in “The Help”, “Easy A”, “Crazy Stupid Love” and “Zombieland”. Most recent she did a wonderful job in “Birdman” and I can’t wait to see her in “Aloha”.

 

 

4. Rachel McAdams

Off course she started out in sweet movies like “The Notebook” and she was a bitch in “Mean Girls”, but she has some serious acting chops. Rachel McAdams was great in “State of Play”, “Sherlock Holmes”, “Red Eye” and “Midnight in Paris”. Most recent successes are “To the Wonder” and “About Time”. Can’t wait to see her in “Aloha”, just like Emma Stone.

 

 

3. Jessica Chastain

She is one of those new additions, who I love more after every movie. I first saw her in “The Help” where she played my favourite character. That movie made me watch more of her work. Movies like “The Debt”, “Tale Shelter” and “The Tree of Life” were fantastic, but she broke through in “Zero Dark Thirty”. Great performance by Jessica Chastain. A more recent movie I loved her in was “A Most Violent Year”. Can’t wait to see her in “Crimson Peak”.

 

 

2. Charlize Theron

She has become better over the years. In “Monster” she stated how great she is as a performer, but also in “North Country” and “Young Adult”. Charlize Theron is one fo those beautiful actresses that dares to be ugly for a role.

 

 

1. Naomi Watts

My favourite for quite some time now. Okay, she had some misses, but she has more good movies. Off course “21 Grams”, “The Impossible”, “Mulholland Dr.” and “Eastern Promisses” are amazing, but more recent “Birdman” and “St. Vincent”. Naomi Watts is and probably will always be my favourite actress.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Emily Blunt, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Ellen Page, Rosamund Pike, Keira Knigtley, Anna Kendrick, Toni Collette, Zoe Saldana, Julianne Moore, Scarlett Johansson

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 35: Take Shelter

Director: Jeff Nichols

Genre: Thriller/ Drama

Runtime: 120 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Tova Stewart, Shea Whigham, Katy Nixon, Natasha Randall, Ron Kennard, Scott Knisley, Robert Longstreet, Heather Caldwell, Sheila Hullihen, Kathy Baker

Description: Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, young husband and father Curtis (Michael Shannon) questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself.

Review: Schizophrenia and other forms of mental illness are often a theme in movies. Many movie classics came from this theme, like “Fight Club”, “ A Beautiful Mind” and “Shutter Island”. In “Take Shelter” it’s actor Michael Shannon with that problem. But the movie is not a copy or similar to any of the three previously named movies. It has its own identity.

Curtis is a hard working husband to Sam and a loving father to their deaf daughter Hannah. When Curtis starts having dreams, that always start with a storm, he thinks it’s a premonition to something bad. To be prepared, he starts building a shelter. Everyone thinks Curtis is losing his mind.

There are many aspects that make “Take Shelter” an above average movie, but the biggest plus is the atmosphere. Especially in the first half of the film, when Curtis’ nightmares become more intense. You really feel that tension. Danger is continually present. With that, the acting is also great. Michael Shannon manages to convince us as Curtis. As a viewer you don’t know what to think of him, just like the people in the movie. Is he crazy or not? But also Sam, played by Jessica Chastain, does a wonderful job. Her frank kindness and het concern make her the most sympathetic character of the movie. The addition of the deaf daughter makes it all even more dramatic and the interaction between the parents and Hannah is beautiful.

For some people “Take Shelter” is a bit slow, the pace is very low. But it never bothered me. Even the second half of the film, where Curtis stars losing it, keeps compelling you. Maybe the climax isn’t fantastic, but the end scene is. Jeff Nichols, who is relatively new in Hollywood, delivers a very good film. “Take Shelter” is a beautiful movie.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 27: Lawless

Director: John Hillcoat

Genre: Crime/ Drama

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan, Gary Oldman

Description: A trio of bootlegging brothers are threatened by a new special deputy and other authorities angling for a cut of their profits.

Review: They are inaccessible, the legendary image of the Bondurant family. Wars, epidemics, nothing got to them for decades. This family is the focus of “Lawless” directed by John Hillcoat. Leader is Forrest, and we also have older brother Howard and the youngest Jack.

“Lawless” is set in the thirties of the twentieth century in Virginia. De brothers Bondurant are leading an okay life, with their own illegal trade in beverage. But when a new sheriff comes to town, this life changes. Sheriff Rakes wants everyone to live by his rules and the Bondurant family is his biggest problem. Where others surrounder to Rakes, the Bondurant brothers don’t give in and fight him.

Although the leader of the Bondurants is Forrest, the leading role is for Jack. Shia LaBeouf manages to keep up with the other big names in the cast. Jessica Chastain shines as always, but she isn’t given that much to do. Gary Oldman is hardly in it and Guy Pearce is a creepy, convincing Sheriff. But it’s Tom Hardy that steals the show. There is something about Hardy that I can’t resist.

“Lawless” is a good western/ gangster film. It’s a movie that does lots of good thing, like the setting, the actors and the pace. But the lack of depth is a negative, both in the story as the characters. This makes “Lawless” an uncomplicated enjoyable watch.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 24: A Most Violent Year

Director: J.C. Chandor

Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Action/ Thriller

Runtime: 125 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola, Albert Brooks, Elyes Gabel, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Peter Gerety, Christopher Abbott, Ashley Williams, John Procaccino, Glenn Fleshler, Jerry Adler, Annie Funke, Maathew Maher, David Margulies, Pico Alexander

Description: In New York City 1981, ambitious immigrant Abel (Oscar Isaac) fights to protect his business and family during the most dangerous year in the city's history.

Review: The worldwide oil crisis in 1979 left its footprints years later. Higher prices, big competition and growing organized crime. This tough time forms the background of “A Most Violent Year”. Where these films normally show the point of view of the criminal, this time we see it through the eyes of an innocent oil dealer. But if he’s really that innocent…

“A Most Violent Year” slowly reveals itself. This works. It takes some time for it all to be revealed. The question of who’s good and bad slumbers subtle.

The oil dealer is Abel Morales, a very strong Oscar Isaac. Viewers don’t get to know that much about him at first. His business has brought him fortune, but still there are complications in 1981, which is known as a very violent year. His company is the victim of robbery, where they brutally steal oil trucks. And what game is his wife Anna playing? This is a wonderful performance by Jessica Chastain, she really shines.

“A Most Violent Year” does have some clichés, but don’t bother you that much. The calm way the story is told is strong. It’s a very good movie.

Rating: 4/ 5