Movie Review - The Odyssey

Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 173 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Samantha Morton, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, Lupita Nyong’o
 
Description: After the Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon) faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens and Calypso (Charlize Theron) along the way
 
Review: With the latest adaptation of “The Odyssey”, director Christopher Nolan proves that classical Greek mythology can still be relevant, and , above all, spectacular. The film has become a visual and narrative masterpiece that relentlessly draws the viewer into an emotional battle of attrition for almost 3 hours. The end result is a grand cinematic experience that balances human drama with mythological action.

“The Odyssey” follows the heroic yet disastrous journey of the Greek king Odysseus, who, after the fall of Troy, tries to find his way back home. While his faithful wife Penelope fights off intrusive suitors at home, Odysseus braves deadly monsters, divine curses, and psychological trials on the raging seas to save his kingdom.

The film excels in its cinematography and set design. The wild, unpredictable seas and the terrifying encounters with mythical creatures are brought to life with a perfect balance of practical effect and CGI. Nolan modernizes Homer’s source material without losing the epic’s authentic, tragic atmosphere.
The prominent American accents of the main cast feels quite out of place in a historical Greet setting at the beginning. The dialect distracted me and felt weird. Fortunately, this was short-lived, after a while it didn’t bother me as much. The performances are so intense and believable that the accent quickly fades into the background.

With this star-studded cast, there is a lot to look for. The performances are very strong and Matt Damon has the difficult task to lead them in this epic adventure film. But he succeeds. But it is Anne Hathaway and Samantha Morton in particular who elevate this film by carrying the emotional core. While the visual spectacle dominates the action, these two actresses provide the much-needed psychological depth and humanity. Anne Hathaway shines thanks to her phenomenal transformation. She commands all the attention with her intense gaze and emotional range. She strikes the perfect balance between royal dignity and the raw, fragile despair of a character tormented by fate. Samantha Morton steals the show with her rock-solid, understated presence. Without resorting to melodrama, she brings a layered gravitas to the screen, in only a single scene. This all shows that “The Odyssey is not just another blockbuster, but also a memorable character-driven drama.

The second part of the film was the strongest. Is focusses more on the character’s internal struggles and the bitter reality of returning home. The cinematography becomes grimmer, the soundtrack gains depth, and the film builds at a perfect pace toward a breathtaking and emotional climax. “The Odyssey” is thus not only a visual spectacle but also a profoundly human epic that leaves an indelible impression.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

TV Show Review - His & Hers (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2026
Starring: Jon Berntal, Tessa Thompson, Sunita Mani, Marin Ireland

Description: A journalist (Tessa Thompson) investigating a mirder in her hometown clashes with a suspicious detective (Jon Bernthal). There are two sides to every story, and someone is lying.

Review: “His & Hers” is a psychological limited thriller series on Netflix, based on the best-selling novel by Alice Feeney. The book is one of my favorites in the genre and the series is overall very faithful to the source material, with some minor changes here and there.

We meet Anna Andrews, a journalist who comes back to her job after a hiatus. Her anchor job has been taken in the meantime, so she is going to try it as a field reporter. Her main story: a dead body found in her home town. There detective Jack Harper is in over his head, never having to deal with such a case before in the quiet town.

First of all I have to say that Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal have great chemistry. Thompson plays a fragile but determined Anna, while Bernthal as Detective Jack Harper strikes just the right balance between authority and a dark past. Their performance elevate the story to a higher level.

The unique concepts, the story told from both sides, his and hers, works surprisingly well for television. In a book is easily done by switching perspectives each chapter. But translating it to the screen is something else. It’s not as prominent, but it’s there. You don’t know who’s telling the truth or who’s hiding what. The series is only six episodes, but it could have been shorter too. But they chose a slow-burn pace and it works better for the tension.

I remember my jaw dropping to the floor when I read the twist in the book and I was really curious how they were going to do it in the show. And it’s definitely a twist you will not see coming. It’s very well done in the show. I can see people hating the twist, because it’s a pretty bold choice. But I think it’s cleverly done

I don’t mind that changes are made, when it comes to book adaptations. Some things work perfectly on the page, but don’t translate well to the screen. There is only one change I didn’t like for “His & Hers”. Anna’s characters in the book was written much better. She was even more complex and more unreliable. I feel like we can trust her side of the story more than the one of Jack, while in the book both sides are flawed and questionable.

If you are in for a quick binge-worthy series, with a mystery that has you hooked from episode one, I would recommend “His & Hers”. But I do think you should read the book first. The books is (almost) always better.

Movie Review - The Accountant 2

Director: Gavin O’Connor
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, J.K. Simmons, Cynthia Addai-Robinson
 
Description: Christian Wollf (Ben Affleck) applies his brilliant mind in illegal methods to reconstruct the unsolved puzzle of a Treasury chief’s murder.
 
Review: “The Accountant” came out in 2016. I highly enjoyed it, even rewatched it earlier this year. Ben Affleck is not a favorite of mine, but in “The Accountant” I really loved his performance. Never thought it would ever get a sequel. And after seeing “The Accountant 2”, I believe it didn’t really need on.
An acquaintance of accountant Chris Wolff is murdered while making contact with a female killer. Before his death, he wrote a message on his arm: “find the accountant”. FBI agent Marybeth Medina does just that, but she discovers that Wolff uses very unorthodox methods. When Chris’ brother Braxton joins them, she can no longer handle the situation.

It’s a fairly straightforward story. But the tone of this movie is different from its predecessor. The first film a good, solid thriller. It had my attention from start to finish. It had some humor, but in this second film it has the overhand sometimes. And I didn’t like that. I felt out of place and Chris Wolff felt different as a character as well. This was probably because Jon Bernthal’s Braxton had a bigger part in this story. And although I love Bernthal, it no longer felt like Wolff’s story. It was just another action thriller.    

The action sequences are very strong. Those were probably the best parts of the film. But overall, I prefer the first film and would’ve been fine with the story being left there. You can easily watch this film without having seen the first, but I would recommend you to watch “The Accountant” and skip the sequel. A shift in tone can work in your favor, but here it did the opposite.

Rating: 3/ 5

20s Movie Review - The Unforgivable

Director: Nora Fingscheidt
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Vincent D’Onofrio, Viola Davis, Rob Morgan, Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Emma Nelson, Aisling Franciosi, Will Pullen, Tom Guiry

Description: A woman (Sandra Bullock) is released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime and re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past

Review: “The Unforgivable” focuses on how difficult it if for convicts to reintegrate into society after their prison sentence.
Ruth Slater has served 20 years for the murder of a sheriff. She is, therefore, a cop killer. She is transferred to place in Chinatown where she shares a room with other women. From there she will have to start her life again. When she gets a job and shows up on her first day, she is already sent walking. The boss apparently found out about her past. So she has no choice but to accepts the offer of her coach Vincent Cross, to work in a fish market. Ruth wants to works as a carpenter and eventually gets a second job.
When Ruth was arrester, her sister Katie was 5 years old. However, the judge has imposed a restraining order on Ruth from contacting her sister who now lives with Michael and Rachel. Ruth also visits her old house, where she lived with Katie and where the sheriff was killed. John Ingram and his wife Liz now live there. John is a lawyer and wants to help Ruth.
“The Unforgivable” is a compelling drama with solid storytelling. There is a plot twist, that you will eventually see coming, right before it is revealed. Sandra Bullock is really strong. She plays a scarred character in a powerful way. The rest of the cast don’t have big enough roles to impress you as much as Bullock does, although Viola Davis does have one scene where she steals the show. But Bullock carries the movie, without her it would be a forgettable movie. Now it’s an above average film that you will remember.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Those Who Wish Me Dead

Director: Taylor Sheridan
Genre: Action/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Jon Bernthal, Aidan Gillen, Nicholas Hoult, Jake Weber, Tyler Perry

Description: A teenage murder witness finds himself pursued by two assassins (Nicholas Hoult, Aidan Gillen) in the Montana wilderness with a survival expert (Angelina Jolie) tasked with protecting him – and a forest fire threatening to consume them all.

Review: It’s been quiet around Angelina Jolie for a while now, but in “Those Who Wish Me Dead”, sje takes on the role of the tough Hannah Faber. Hannah suffered quite a trauma while working as a firefighter, where she witnessed a number of people being consumed by flames. As a result, she is, to say the least, a bit destructive: a real adrenaline junkie who performs all kinds of stunts to get a kick out of it and consumes large amounts of alcohol. During the new ‘fire season’ in the vast American forest, firefighters are each assigned their own lookout, in order to assess whether a fire is about to break out somewhere.
Meanwhile, you see how two men break into a house and coldly kill the family living there and blow up their house. Owen sees the images on television ans is shocked. He immediately leaves the house with his son Connor for the only man he trusts, the sheriff in Hannah’s town: his brother-in-law Ethan. But he will never arrive, because the same two killers are after him now. His son Connor manages to escape and ends up finding Hannah, who will do anything to save this boy.
It all sounds exciting, but unfortunately nothing really comes off well. Yes, Angelina Jolie does a great job of portraying the role of the hurt power woman. And Finn Little, who plays Connor does a fine job as well. However, the film jumps around so much that none of the storylines are given time to develop properly. Hannah gets a little background, but that’s it. And the story of Ethan and his pregnant wife is overshadowed too. I would have liked to know more about them.
“Those Who Wish Me Dead” is a film hard to put in one genre. It is a thriller, certainly, but also has characteristics of a disaster movie, as well as a drama piece. Angelina Jolie plays her role with total dedication, but it’s the script that fails. The movie is fairly short for the story they want to tell and the characters they want us to relate to. It is still entertaining in a way, but leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Peanut Butter Falcon

Director: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz
Genre: Adventure/ Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Dakota Johnson, Bruce Dern, John Hawkes, Thomas Haden Church, Jake Roberts, Jon Bernthal, Mick Foley

Description: Zak (Zack Gottsagen) runs away from his care home to make his dream of becoming a wrestler come true.

Review: Coming up with an original road movie isn’t an easy task, because it often comes to two total opposites during a trip from A to B. In “The Peanut Butter Falcon” a fugitive fisherman is stuck with escapee Zak, who has down syndrome. The ‘Southern’ atmosphere and the chemistry and dynamic between the two leads make this a loveable feel good film.
Zak has no family that can take care of him. Because there is not place for him, he lives in a retirement home. Zak constantly tries to break out, to find his idol Salt Water Redneck and become a wrestler. His caretaker Eleanor tries everything to make him feel at home, but Zak manages to break out anyway.
A few miles ahead, fisherman Tyler gets in a dispute with the people he works with. Out of revenge, Tyler burns their warehouse and flees on a boat. And it just happens that Zak was hiding on this boat. Tyler isn’t really in the mood to have a traveling partner, but the two develop a special friendship and help each other.
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” is an atmospheric, modern scoundrel tale, set in the Southern part of the US. Shia LaBeouf is fantastic, but Zack Gottslagen is the real star in the film. The chemistry between the two is amazing and that is what makes this film so great, heartwarming and unforgettable. Without a strong cast like this, the film would easily have been standard.

Rating: 4 / 5

10s Movie Review - Ford V Ferrari

Director: James Mangold
Genre: Drama/ Action
Runtime: 152 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Tracy Letts, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas, Caitriona Balfi, Noah Jupe, Ray McKinnon

Description: American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) battle corporate interference and the laws of physics to build a revolutionary race car for Ford in order to defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of le Mans in 1966.

Review: Some stories are so Hollywood, that no one believes it untill Hollywood filmed them truthfully. The genesis of the Ford GT40 is one of those. An almost childish quarrel between two car manufacturers is finally fought out on the asphalt of Le Mans. The price turns out to be high: many millions disappear in a contest between two men who have their names on cars and factories, but want to prove that they have the biggest. Or in this case: the fastest.
It's a ‘David and Goliath’story. The great Ford, who made more cars in an hour than Ferrari would in a year, was above all the epitome of solidity. Ferrari, on the other hand, was sporty, sexy and exclusive. But also broke. When an acquisition that should have helped both manufacturers ended in nothing, it became personal. And the best place for this was at Le Mans, the most prestigious motorsport event of the year, which moreover, had been dominated by Ferrari for years.
Director James Mangold decided to go more Hollywood for this film. Take for instance the two great leads: Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Matt Damon plays Carroll Shelby, a blue-collar car builder and Bale portrays the rebellious race car driver Ken Miles. Their characters have definitely been made more Hollywood for entertainment purposes. And the same goes for the Ford and Ferrari people.
“Ford V Ferrari is at its best when the relationship between man and machine (because women are relegated to the smallest possible supporting roles) is highlighter in these ways. A ratio that is tested extremely during the famous 24-hour race on the Le Mans circuit in 1966.
But the creator’s ambition goes further: this is also a film about the boring Ford’s attempt to break through the racing dominance of the slick Ferrari in the 1960s. a heroic portrait of two American racing cowboys, designer Shelby and the driver Ken Miles against a pair of Italians. And “Ford V Ferrari” is never subtle. The opponent is caricatural, but somehow this approach is entertaining. It provides much-need perspective in the battle for the best ‘toy’.
“Ford V Ferrari” is a good underdog-type story with strong performance by especially Christian Bale. But overall it’s a story with no subtlety and lots of stereotypical characters. The perfect story for a Hollywood film.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Widows

Director: Steve McQueen
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Viola Davis, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Coburn Ross, Michelle Rodriguez, Alejandro Verdin, Baily Rhyse Walters, Elizabeth Debicki, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Jacki Weaver, Molly Kunz, James Vincent Meredith, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Cynthia Erivo

Description: Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities, take fate into their own hands, and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

Review: The plot sounds a bit like “Ocean’s Eleven” or “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”. But it’s a heist movie, with a twist. After a group of robbers were killed, their wives team up to steal millions of dollars.
With director Steve McQueen being involved, you already know it’s not going to be a light film. He also directed heavy themed films like “Hunger”, “Shame” and “12 Years a Slave”.
Where in most heist film the testosterone is fed by greed, “Widows” changes it up a bit. Here the women have a necessity, they need to do it for their own safety. The three women don’t want to step in their husband’s footsteps, they simply have no other choice. One of the men left a ‘script’ which they women use to plan the job.
Steve McQueen is known for his fantastic camerawork and he uses it here too. But it doesn’t always work. In the opening scene, the traditional getaway is shot completely from the getaway van. This is original, minimalistic and works great. But a scene where we see the outside of a driving car, while the frustrated politician inside is arguing with his assistant, doesn’t work as well. I fit was a disposable scene, it didn’t bother me. But it’s an important scene with great acting, which you don’t see. It doesn’t make as much of an impact this way.
Viola Davis is the star of the film. Her icy focus is amazing to watch. Sadly, her character is the most developed and the other women don’t get as much attention.
The interaction between the women is strong, but there is also a lot of attention for the political games played in the city of Chicago.
“Widows” is a good crime thriller, but it has more potential.

Rating: 3 / 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 2017 - # 87: Baby Driver

Director: Edgar Wright
Genre: Action/ Crime
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Flea

Description: After being coerced into working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey), a young getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.

Review: Before I start this review, I have to state that director Edgar Wright is a genius. And as for many geniuses, the big crowd doesn’t understand him. His previous films (like “Shaun of the Dead”, “Hot Fuzz” and “The World’s End”) are examples of how a movie is perfectly edited. His films are never box office hits and he never seems to click with the average moviegoer. In my opion: Edgar Wright is one of the best directors of the moment.
Because of a constant ringing in his ear, Baby listens to music non-stop. That makes music not only a big part of the film, but also the story. Everything is accompanied by the music: every shot, movement, rhythm. And because of Wright’s perfect editing skills, “Baby Driver” is an amazingly synchronized and choreographed film. And that without it distracting from the actual story. Every song fits the scene like a glove and sounds like it belongs there.
Does the film have flaws? Off course, but they are so miniscule. Probably the motives of the characters, but that would be nitpicking.
The film opens with an amazing chase scene, where we see what Baby can do. One giant chunk of adrenaline.
When I saw the trailer for “Baby Driver”, I was sceptic about Ansel Elgort as the leading man. But boy did he surprise me. In a good way! Jon Hamm as Buddy and Jamie Foxx as Bats (the last being one of the most annoying characters of this year, I constantly wanted to slap him in the face) are also worth mentioning. The chemistry between Ansel Elgort and his on-screen love interest Lily James is very strong. Some might say it’s a bit too sweet, but it’s forgivable.
The script is simple, yet Edgar Wright turns it into what I can call the best film of 2017 so far.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 58: The Accountant

Director: Gavin O’Connor
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow, Jean Smart

Description: As a math savant (Ben Affleck) uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.

Review: Christian Wolff is a extraordinary accountant. He is a magician with numbers, but also autistic and socially a bit clumsy. He has several criminals as his clients and for that reason he thought himself some skills as well. When Wolff is hired by a new client, to discover if money is disappearing from his company, everything goes a little different as planned.
I’m not the world biggest Ben Affleck fan, he is sometimes even a reason NOT to watch a film. But he really surprised me and I found him somewhat brilliant as Christian Wolff. I also enjoyed Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons.
Director Gavin O’Connor, who also directed “Warrior”, made a very good and solid thriller. The film keeps your attention from beginning till end. There is a good combination between thriller, action and even a little humor.
“The Accountant” really surprised me, I didn’t expect much at first.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 155: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Genre: Drama/ Comedy

Runtime: 105 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cook, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, Jon Bernthal, Katherine Hughes

Description: High schooler Greg (Thomas Mann), who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl (RJ Cyler), finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate (Olivia Cook) who has just been diagnosed with cancer.

Review: The “me” in the title is Greg, a teenager with the perfect strategy to survive high school. Make sure you don’t make any real friends, but stay in contact with the different groups, without anyone else noticing it. It works for Greg, but he doesn’t have any strong connections. The only one he has known since kindergarten is Earl, who he calls his co-worker. Together they have made several parodies to famous movies like “A Sockwork Orange”, “The Seven Seals” and “Vere’d He Go”. When Greg’s mom hears that Rachel, a girl in his school, is diagnosed with leukemia, she forces him to visit her. But that forced visit slowly grows into a friendship. Greg warns us, it’s not a movie about love.

The movie is filled with humor, silly and loveable characters, unexpected situations and drama. This is a movie that a film lover like me can appreciate. Not only because of how well this movie was made and the artistic side of it, but also the awesome pop culture references.

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” manages to amaze the audience in every way. A movie from the heart, beautifully made and extremely honest. A definite must see.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 130: Sicario

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Action/ Thriller

Runtime: 121 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, Victor Garber, Jon Bernthal, Daniel Kaluuya, Jeffrey Donovan, Raoul Trujillo, Julie Cedillo, Hank Rogerson, Bernardo P. Saracino, Maximiliano Hernández, Kevin Wiggins, Edgar Arreola, Kim Larrichio

Description: An idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.

Review: Ever since he was nominated for an Oscar for his film “Incendies”, the French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is a much sought-after director. His later movies, “Prisoners” and “Enemy”, were both praised. His work can be characterized as sober, grim and uncomfortable. For his new crime thriller “Sicario” that’s no different. It’s a dark film about the dirty drug wars near the border between the US and Mexico. An unnerving thriller with a complex plot.

We see the story through the eyes of Kate Macer (Emily Blunt), an ambitious FBI agent. While solving a kidnapping case, she finds the bodies of 42 people. They are the victims of relentless drug lords and she is asked to join a special task force to eliminate the Sonora drug cartel. The team is led by Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), a laconic macho. Kate goes with him to El Paso, but instead she ends up in the dangerous Ciudad Juarez. They manage to eliminate an important pawn in the drug cartel. But when the mysterious hitman (‘sicario’) Alejandro (Benicio Del Toto) joins them, everything is even more complex then Kate thought.

Emily Blunt is a surprising choice for the lead role in this grim crime drama, but Blunt is sublime. Like the viewer, she doesn’t know much about the mission she is on. Although she is not naïve at all, she feels uncomfortable in this violent and intimidating world. And the fact that she is missing out on the crucial info drives her made. Not only Blunt is fantastic, also Benicio Del Toro as Alejandro.

Besides the good acting, “Sicario” is nerve-racking. The brutal violence is everywhere, which might not be to every film fan’s liking. The grim atmosphere helps there as well as the excellent camera work and montage. All those aspects make “Sicario” into a nail biting movie experience. The tension between the good and bad guys, who is who? “Sicario” manages to lead you in the wrong direction and it’s only until the end you really know what’s going on.

Although it didn’t take my breath away like “Prisoners” and “Enemy”, “Sicario” is one of the best films of 2015.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 129: The Wolf of Wall Street

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Comedy

Runtime: 179 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumely, Ethan Suplee, Shea Wigham

Description: Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

Review: “The Wolf of Wall Street” is based on true events, about the rise and fall of Jordan Belfort. He is an acrid, clever stockbroker who came from nothing to eventually own over thirty million dollars. Not long after Belfort had his first taste of Wall Street, the company he works for collapses. He is forced to search for something new and he finds this little, amateurish business. Because he is convincing and the extreme high commission, he gathers a loyal yet eccentric team and starts his own business. Belfort manages to sell worthless shares for a lot of money and his company, Stratton Oakmont grows and grows.

A film about capitalism, directed by Martin Scorsese and blessed with a strong cast. All the ingredients for a sharp film. “The Wolf of Wall Street” starts strong and sucks you in with some strong dialogues. Especially the lunch conversation between Belfort and his mentr Mark Hanna is masterfully acted. Matthew McConaughey is very intense and it’s hard to look away. Sadly for us, McConaughey is only seen for 10 minutes. Also great is the scene were Belfort meets FBI agent Patrick Denham, very subtly played by Kyle Chandler. It’s fascinating to see how the two man go from having a civilized and friendly conversation to a heated dialogue.

As the main protagonist, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a very impressive performance. Navigating between the calculated coldness, the manic urge to self-manifestation and the insatiable greed for money, drugs and alcohol all of which are typical for the character Jordan Belfort. DiCaprio really loses himself in the role. But Belfort never gets as interesting as movie archetypes like Gordon Gekko (“Wall Street”) or Daniel Plainview (“There Will Be Blood”). That’s because the character is very one dimensional and doesn’t have a lot of depth. Especially during those speeches he gives for his team, it’s hard to make that credible.

“The Wolf of Wall Street” isn’t all that original for Scorsese either. If you replace the mob for drugs, sex and greed, “The Wolf of Wall Street” is a lot like “Goodfellas”. Not only is the story told by the main character in the form of a voice-over, the accent and the way he talks also sounds a lot like Henry Hill in “Goodfellas”.

In the beginning the confronting scenes, sex orgies and drug escapades are shocking. Especially because of its satire. But after a couple of those hedonistic outbursts, you’re done with it. The movie looks like it’s on repeat. With that, the movie is way too long. A movie with hardly any likeable characters, is hard to watch for me. I can only sympathize Jordan’s foulmouthed father and FBI agent Patrick Denham. And especially Belfort’s spineless, white teethed business partner Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill) is one of the most annoying and terrible characters I’ve ever seen. “The Wolf of Wall Street” also constantly shifts between admiration and social criticism. “The Wolf of Wall Street” is definitely a good movie, but it gets way more credit then I think it

deserves. There were many Scorsese movies that I loved more.

Rating: 3/ 5