100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 6: Love & Friendship

Director: Whit Stillman
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Chloë Sevigny, Stephen Fry, Xavier Samuel, Tom Bennett, Jenn Murray, Lochlann O’Mearáin, Sophie Radermacher, Morfydd Clark, Frank Predergast, Emma Greenwell, Justin Edwards, Kelly Campbell, Conor Lambert, Conor MacNeill, Frank Melia, Jemma Redgrave

Description: Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale) takes up temporary residence at her in-laws' estate and, while there, is determined to be a matchmaker for her daughter Frederica -- and herself too, naturally.

Review: Jane Austen is still an inspiration for filmmakers. Especially “Pride & Prejudice” and “Sense & Sensibility” have been adapted several times. “Love & Friendship” is fresh and adapted from the novella “Lady Susan” by Jane Austen. Jane Austen fits director Whit Stillman perfectly. Both have a subtle sense of irony and humor, that sometimes has a double meaning. This results into a hilarious costume drama.
The novella the film is based on, is relatively unknown. The title characters is sharp, even more so then the heroines we know so well from Austen’s books. Lady Susan Vernon is a young widow who is seeking new, rich husbands for her daughter and herself. As a practiced flirt, she manages to drive men around her crazy, when she says it’s not her intention. Kate Beckinsale plays this role sublime, probably her best role so far.
It’s great how Stillman manages to capture Austen’s style, but gives it his own touch with still feeling like an Austen story. The greatest part of the film is the funny enhancement of Sir James Martin’s stupidity. Every scene with this character is just a joy to watch.
“Love & Friendship” is a very good costume drama, with lots of British humor, irony and sarcasm. Love it.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 158: Absolutely Anything

Director: Terry Jones

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 85 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Beckinsale, Rob Riggle, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, Robin Williams, Eddie Izzard

Description: A group of eccentric aliens confer a human being with the power to do absolutely anything, as an experiment.

Review: Simon Pegg is one of the funniest actors of the moment and him being linked to the Monty Python group just sounds amazing. That’s what happens in “Absolutely Anything”. Pegg plays Neill, an everyday teacher who has a crush on the pretty lady downstairs and doesn’t really do anything noteworthy. One day he is gifted with the powers of doing absolutely anything, as a test by some eccentric aliens. Is Neil going to use these powers for good or bad?

It’s directory by Monty Python’s Terry Jones, his first directed film since 1996. And his Python friends John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle join him as voices of the aliens. Robin Williams provided a voice too, for dog Dennis. This was his last film.

Simon Pegg stands strong, he is funny and does a good job as aspiring writer Neil. The film is funny, has some great jokes. But the animations and special effects are pretty bad. Pegg is actually the one saving this film, because he is such a talented comedian. I expected more from the Monty Python crew.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 146: Total Recall

Director: Len Wiseman

Genre: Actie/ Science Fiction/ Thriller

Runtime: 118 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bill Nighy, John Cho

Description: A factory worker, Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.

Review: Remakes of big movies are really popular these days. You take a big film from the last twenty to twenty five years, modernize it a bit, throw in some famous actors and a success is guaranteed. Right? There are movies that where ready for a remake, like “Cape Fear” by Martin Scorsese or “Ocean’s 11” by Steven Soderbergh. And the Hitchcock classic “Psycho” was a film that didn’t really need that at all. Len Wiseman’s “Total Recall” falls right in the middle.

It’s 2084 and due to a chemical war the biggest part of the world is uninhabitable. Two big areas fight for the power on earth. Factory worker Douglas Quaid lives in The Colony with his wife Lori. He has a recurring dream where he and a woman are being chased. Quaid wants more from his life and he decides to visit the company Rekall. They implant memories. Quaid chooses a memory as a secret agent, but before they can implant it something goes wrong and he turns out to be a wanted man. When Quaid is chased by the police he finds out that nothing is what it seems.

With a remake it’s hard not to compare. “Total Recall” from 1990 was Paul Verhoeven’s break. The biggest difference between the two movies is that in the original the planet Mars is a big part of the film. In the new one, the movie is set on planet earth. Verhoeven’s version had some self-mockery, but Wiseman is going for a more serious approach and gives it a political touch. And the look of the film reminds you a bit of “Blade Runner” as well. Originality is hard to find here. It does look very good, the visuals and action sequences are amazing. But it’s hard to take in the environment because it all goes in warp speed.

Colin Farrell is off course a better actor then Arnold Schwarzengger and he’s a believable action hero. My biggest problem with the film is that you never really know if the events really happened or were all in Quaid’s head.

“Total Recall” is an entertaining action/ sci-fi film that takes itself a bit too seriously. Visually it’s stunning and Colin Farrell is doing a solid job as Quaid. But the movie never convinces you the way the original did.

Rating: 3/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Prettiest Leading Lady

I'm going to share the prettiest leading ladies with you today. That's all I can say, just start reading my list.

5. Rachel McAdams
She has many different looks, but she rocks almost every single one of them. I like Rachel so much because she’s very ordinary but still unique. Some features make her look like the girl-next-door type, but still she’s has a striking appearence.

4. Emma Stone
She hasn’t been a leading lady as long as the other women on this list, but she deserves a spot. I think Emma is a gorgeous woman, who wants to be more than just another pretty face. And she is. She's very talented and I think her raspy voice makes her even more appealing.

3. Naomi Watts
She’s a natural beauty and a woman who actually still looks pretty when she cries. Look at “21 Grams”, where she’s a recovering drug addict who just lost her family. Even then Naomi manages to look great.

2. Kate Beckinsale
I think most men loved her in “Underworld” where she’s wearing a very thight catsuit. Unfortunately I think sometimes she’s just cast for her looks, because I think she’s also a very talented actress.

1. Charlize Theron
Charlize isn’t only a brilliant actress, she also the most beautiful one out there. And she’s someone who doesn’t care about her looks, because she dares to be ‘ugly’ in her roles. To her acting is more important than looking good.

They almost made the top 5: Eva Mendes, Natalie Portman, Katherine Heigl, Emily Blunt, Sienna Miller and Scarlett Johansson