Movie Review - Uncharted

Director: Ruben Fleisher
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE
WEEK 29: A MOVIE ABOUT TRAVELING
 
Description: Street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan, and lost 500 years ago by the house of Moncada.

Review: In “Uncharted”, based on a popular videogame, we see that brothers Nathan and Sam have been interested in the Magellan expedition since they were children in the orphanage. They want to steal the first world map. But they get caught doing so and Sam is sent away, because it’s not his first attempt. He manages to flee, leaving Nathan behind. Years later, Nathan works in a bar and he meets Sully, who wants to work with him. Sully is also a treasure hunter and knows Sam. Nathan’s brother stole the diary of Juan Sebastian Elcano for him. Since then there has been no trace of him, although Nathan has received postcards from Sam. On them are clues as to where he can find the gold treasure contained in two merchant ships.

I didn’t really care about this movie. It was somewhat entertaining and it looks good. But overall, it’s a pretty standard adventure film, with one-dimensional characters and a very predictable plot. Didn’t expect much, didn’t get much.

Rating: 2/ 5

10s Movie Review - Broken City

Director: Allen Hughes
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Pepper, Alona Tal, Natalie Martinez, Michael Beach, Kyle Chandler

Description: In a city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) seeks redemption and revenge after being double-crossed by its most powerful figure: Mayor Nicholas Hostetler (Russell Crowe).

I WATCHED THIS FILM FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 11: A MURDER MYSTERY
 
Review: “Broken City” begins with a trial in which private investigator Billy Taggart is charged with murder. Nicholas Hostetler, the mayor of New York City, gets him off by suppressing evidence and preventing a witness from speaking. After all, Billy is a hero since the victim was a rapist. The mayor is well aware that it is an election year and does everything he can to keep the voters on his side. After his release, Billy goes back to work and notes the mayor calls him for a job. Hostetler suspects that his wife is cheating on him and wants to know all about it. Billy indeed finds out that the first lady of New York is having a secret relationship, after which her lover is found dead.
The first thing that stands out is the great cast they managed to assemble for this film. Mark Wahlberg does his tough guy routine perfectly. It may be a copy of previous roles, but why change something that works? Russel Crowe is also in good form. He visibly enjoys his role as a sleezy politician who thinks only of himself. The best moments are the cold scenes between Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays his wife. Their hatred for each other is very visible and it’s a shame they don’t get much screentime together. Other roles are played by Barry Pepper, Jeffrey Wright and Kyle Chandler. Still, despite the fantastic cast, “Broken City” has not become a top-notch film. The story just isn’t engaging enough. It’s clear that director Allen Hughes and screenwriter Brian Tucker have tried to make it a contemporary “Chinatown”, but that level is nowhere met. At times the plot seems to get complicated, only to be too simple again.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

90s Movie Review - Fear

Director: James Foley
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 1996
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Wahlberg, William Petersen, Alyssa Milano, Amy Brenneman

Description: When Nicole (Reese Witherspoon) met David (Mark Wahlberg); handsome, charming, affectionate, he was everything. It seemed perfect, but soon she sees that David has a darker side. And his adoration turns to obsession, their dream into a nightmare, and her love into fear.

Review: Daddy’s little girl is all grown up. That’s what Steve realizes when his daughter Nicole comes home with her boyfriend David. A charming and good looking young man at first sight. But David has a dark side.
Steve didn’t like him from the start. He starts an investigation, to find out any dirt about David. But neither Nicole nor his wife Laura seem to see the problem. When Nicole sees a more aggressive side of David, she starts to be scared of him.
“Fear” is a really strong thriller, in Reese Witherspoon and Mark Wahlberg’s early days. Especially Wahlberg is good, as the psychopath David. The movie is entertaining and a lot better than most reviews claim it to be.

Rating: 3, 5/ 5

Movie Review - Spenser Confidential

Director: Peter Berg
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Action
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin

Description: When two Boston police officers are murdered, ex-cop Spenser (Mark Wahlberg) teams up with his no-nonsense roommate Hawk (Winston Duke) to take down criminals.

Review: After five years of imprisonment, former cop Spenser is a free man again. He ended up in jail for wanting to expose corruption within the police department. Because he doesn’t wat to stay in Boston due to this, he decides to leave for Arizona and become a truck driver. But when two cops are killed and he suspects foul play, he takes matter in his own hands and investigates the case.
Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg have a hard time saying goodbye to each other. They have worked together several times and “Spenser Confidential” marks their fifth collaboration.
I didn’t expect any kind of masterpiece or any originality. It’s a somewhat enjoyable film, when you don’t want to think to much. But my big problem with this film is the lack of focus. And with that I mean the focus on what genre it is. Sometimes the film feels like a crime drama, at times it’s a buddy-cop type of movie with some comedy and there are moments that “Spenser Confidential” is a rock hard action flick. It’s obvious they couldn’t find a balance between these genres and it’s really hard to define what it actually is. And with that, there is hardly any character development and the story is very predictable. And when it comes to characters, I found Cissy really annoying and she felt like a stereotypical Boston character instead of an actual human being.
At the end, they even hint to a sequel, which I would say no to. Because “Spenser Confidential” is, even though at times entertaining, not a very good film.

Rating: 2 / 5

00s Movie Review - The Lovely Bones

Director: Peter Jackson
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime/ Fantasy
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli

Description: Centers on a young girl (Saoirse Ronan) who has been murdered and watches over her family - and her killer - from purgatory. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

Review: “The Lovely Bones” sows that last days of Susie Salmon’s life and her first steps into heaven. Susan is a 14 year old girl, who dreams of becoming a photographer. Her life abruptly ends when she is brutally murdered. Her parents start a search for the killer. Meanwhile, Susie is in the ‘inbetween’, a place where the dead end up when they aren’t ready for heaven yet. And she watches how her father becomes obsessive in his search for the man who killed his daughter.
The film looks magical, the ‘inbetween’ looks beautiful.
Stanley Tucci and Saoirse Ronan are the two highlights of the film. Both performances are solid and strong. Ronan fits the dream world perfectly and Tucci is creepy as the sinister Harvey. He gets totally lost in his role and it’s really hard to imagine someone else in this role.
The tempo of the film is not that solid though. Sometimes it’s fast paced, sometimes it’s a bit of a drag. And the tone of the film sometimes switches too, which makes it a bit messy here and there. This doesn’t fit the dreamy world at all.
It’s really hard to rate this film, because it’s a really beautiful movie. It looks gorgeous and has some really good performances. And the story is beautiful as well. But there are some inconsistencies here and there. A case of ‘the book was better’ is in place here, but I still really enjoyed the film.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 129: Deepwater Horizon

Director: Peter Berg
Genre: Action/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Gina Rodriguez, John Malkovich, Dylan O’Brien, Kate Hudson

Description: A dramatization of the disaster back in April 2010, when the offshore drilling rig called the Deepwater Horizon created a giant explosion, which created the worst oil spill in American history.

Review: In April of 2010, the biggest oil spill in American history took place in the Gulf of Mexico. Because of a massive leak, oil seeped into the water for almost three months. This oil disaster also had some explosions and heavy fires. This is perfect material for Hollywood. And normally these kind of stories turn into sappy films about heroic people who are praised. That’s at least what I was expecting. But “Deepwater Horizon” is a lot better than I expected it to be and it’s not a sentimental disaster film at all.
Director Peter Berg used the book “Deepwater Horizon’s Final Hours” as his inspiration. It’s basic facts and not a bunch of heroic characters and sentiment. The characters in this film are based on actual people that survived this disaster. And Berg doesn’t try to make anything look better or more beautiful than it is. The central character is technician Mike Williams, who leaves a wife and daughter at home and travel to the platform for three weeks. Williams is accompanied by Andrea Fleytas, a tough young lady working in a men’s world. On board of the Deepwater Horizon, that functions as an explorer to find new oil sources, the team leader is determined to get everything check on safety. The big shots don’t think this is necessary and feel like everything is safe enough, they need to drill. Off course, things go wrong.
Hectic and chaos, not very surprising in a disaster movie. Berg didn’t take the time to be all technical about the cause of the disaster, thank goodness. And the connection between Wahlberg’s character and his wife at home is not turning into a tear jerking and is kept to a minimal. It’s just enough to know that something is terribly wrong and that Williams is a family man.
Berg excels in great shots of impressive explosions and the immense sea of fire. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s a surprising film, because I expected just another over-sentimental disaster film. I was wrong, and I love that actually! “Deepwater Horizon” is a surprisingly great film.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Battle: Catch Me If You Can Vs. The Departed

This might seem like a random battle, but it has some thought behind it. I looked up Leonardo DiCaprio on Rotten Tomatoes and check which were his two highest rated films. These are the two. I will do this more often, so you can see if I agree with the ranking. But first, let’s fight: “Catch Me If You Can" Vs. "The Departed”

 

 

ACTORS

Catch Me If You Can: Leonardo DiCaprio is the lead, as real life conman Frank Abagnale Jr. His father is played by Christopher Walken and Abagnale Jr. is hunted down by frustrated cop Carl Hanraty, portrayed by Tom Hanks. There are also smaller roles for Jennifer Garner, Amy Adams and Martin Sheen.

The Departed: “The Departed” is a film that has an amazing ensemble cast. Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprion, Jack Nicholson, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone. And they are all fantastic in it.

STORY

Catch Me If You Can: It’s a true story and one of those stories that seem unbelievable. It’s such an interesting story that Frank Abagnale Jr. managed to pretend to be a doctor, pilot and lawyer, without any degree, earn money and then get away with it.

The Departed: A story about two cops, one is a mole and one has to find the mole. It’s such a great and interesting story that stays interesting from beginning ‘till end. I only hoped the bad guy would win, that would separate the film from other crime dramas.

EFFECTS

Catch Me If You Can: No effects needed. It’s an acting film.

The Departed: The movie did a great job portraying Boston. No real effects needed here either, also an acting film.

WINNER

Close call, I love both movies. But I will go for “Catch Me If You Can”. More because it’s a more rewatchable film and the ending is better.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 156: Ted 2

Director: Seth MacFarlane

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Barth, Patrick Warburton, John Slattery, Morgan Freeman, Sam Jones, Giovanni Ribisi, John Carroll Lynch, Liam Neeson

Description: Newlywed couple Ted (Seth MacFarlane) and Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth) want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.

Review: “Ted” was a great comedy and although I loved it I wasn’t excited about a sequel. Comedy sequels don’t have a great reputation. “Ted 2” is no exception.

“Ted 2” brings back Seth MacFarlane and his cursing, drug using teddy bear. This time ted has to proof in a court of law that he is a person and not an object. Together with his best friend John they work their way to a happy ending.

There is still a lot of chemistry between Mark Wahlberg and the animated bear and there are jokes. But it’s more of the same and it’s never as funny as the first film. Mila Kunis has been replaced by Amanda Seyfried, who I can appreciate for her self-mockery in “Ted 2”. The movie also has some awesome cameos.

“Ted 2” is still a fun comedy, but the movie is way too long and it offers us nothing new.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Quotables: "Ted"

This is one of the better comedies made in the last years. Just the idea of a foulmouthed, pod smoking teddy bear makes me laugh. And it comes with some funny and memorable quotes. That all with thanks to Seth MacFarlane.





John, Ted: [singing] When you hear the sound of thunder, / Don't you get too scared. / Just grab your thunder buddy / And say these magic words: / "Fuck you, thunder! / You can suck my dick! / You can't get me thunder / 'Cause you're just God's farts!"

John: [calling 911] This guy took my teddy bear!
[pause]
John: Hello? Hello?

Ted: [to fat kid] Back off, Susan Boyle!

Frank: You think you got what it takes?
Ted: I'll tell you what I got. Your wife's pussy on my breath.
Frank: Nobody's ever spoken to me like that before.
Ted: That's because their mouths were full of your wife's box.
Frank: You're hired.
Ted: Shit

Ted: There. Proof. Garfield's eye look like a pair of tits.

Lori: There's a shit on the floor!
Ted: Or, or, or, maybe the floor is on the shit.

Robert: You can't have my Teddy bear!
[Charges John and Lori at full speed. John punches him in the nose, knocking him unconscious to the ground]
Lori: Jesus!
John: I'm sorry, but somebody had to go all Joan Crawford on his ass!

John: Can you call my cellphone?
Lori: Yeah
[Lori calls John's phone which plays "The Imperial March"]
Lori: Is that my ringtone? What is that? Cause it sounds really negative.
John: No. I-it's from The Notebook

Narrator: Now if there's one thing you can be sure of, it's that nothing is more powerful than a young boy's wish. Except an Apache helicopter. An Apache helicopter has machine guns AND missiles. It is an unbelievably impressive complement of weaponry, an absolute death machine.

Ted: Oh, come on! I do not sound that much like Peter Griffin!

Ted: [after a TV falls on John] Why are you crying?
John: My dick was squished by the TV.

Donny: You're mine now, Ted.
Ted: Screw you, pal. I belong to John Bennett.
Donny: I can give you love and rocking horses and dancing.
Ted: I think we're very far apart on this.

Ted: [while being carried inside a bag] Oh, I hear the fat kid running! I bet it's hilarious!

Best of... Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg is the living proof of singers who can actually act. He has made some great films over the years and very diverse. Here are my favorites.

"The Basketball Diaries"
A movie about drug addiction, really honest way of telling a story. Mark wasn't known as an actor yet, but that would change after this film.

"Fear"
I always liked this film, Reese Witherspoon's break and William Petersen plays her father. Mark Wahlberg is very creepy in this film, as the obsessive boyfriend David McCall.

"Boogie Nights"
I think this was Mark's break as an actor. "Boogie Nights" is a real cult classic. Not a movie I would usually love, but this is really good.

"The Big Hit"
In this film Mark showed his comedy skills for the first time. This movie really made me laugh out loud. And then his name: Melvin Smiley. Come on.

"The Yards"
The great cast (Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, James Caan) looked really promissing. It didn't exactly meet my expectations, but it was worth watching.

"Three Kings"
Although this movie is about the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, "Three Kings" is an anti war movie. It's about soldiers celebrating its end and then coming to grips with its consequences.

"The Perfect Storm"
Most people think it sucks, but I'm not most people. Sometimes I can like a movie and not care about what other people think of it. I saw it in the theater and I really enojyed it. Very much so!

"I Heart Huckabees"
I basically watched this movie just because my favorite actress, Naomi Watts, was in it. I didn't know that this movie was actually really good. A bit strange and out of the ordinary, but kinda great.

"The Departed"
The best movie on this list and definitely Mark's best role. He plays the best role in this movie, although he's a douchebag. Maybe that's why I liked him so much. And he saves the day eventually.

"The Lovely Bones"
OK, the book was better than the movie. But I do like te movie version too. Mark's role was good, Saoirse Ronan is the real star. Oh, and Stanley Tucci is super creepy.

"Date Night"
Mark's job in this movie is basically to wear no shirt and look pretty. I'm not complaining. He's kind of mocking himself a bit I think. "Date Night" is just a funny, no-nonsense movie. Love that scene with the boat.

"The Fighter"
GREAT, GREAT, GREAT! Perfect acting by a perfect cast. All I have to say.

"Ted"
Recently saw it and it's freaking hilarious. Mark's funniest role so far. Great chemistry with Mila Kunis and Seth MacFarlane's humor is fantastic!!! I loved "Ted".

Top 5 Thursday: Famous Acting Brothers

It's time for Hollywood brothers!! No need to explain it further, here are my favorite acting brothers.

5. Mark Wahlberg & Donnie Wahlberg
Just to be clear, the Wahlbergs as actors! Forget about their singing/ rapping period. Both Mark and Donnie are the living proof that there are singers that can actually act. I really like to watch Mark Wahlberg,especially in "The Fighter" and I'm really looking forward to see "Ted". And Donnie was fantastic in the series "Band of Brothers". Mark is my favorite of the two.

4. Ben Affleck & Casey Affleck
The Affleck brothers are perhaps the best ones on this list. Both of them are very good and I even like Ben a bit more as a director. And I love their collaboration in "Gone Baby Gone" where Ben directed and Casey acted. Fantastic! Casey is my favorite of the two.

3. James Franco & Dave Franco
Everyone knows how much I love James. Don't know much about Dave yet but I enjoyed him in "Fright Night" and "21 Jump Street". I don't need to explain why James is so good, just watch "127 Hours". James is still my favorite of the two.

2. Andrew Wilson, Owen Wilson & Luke Wilson
A threesome! Andrew is the least known of the bunch, but how cool was he in "Whip It"? Owen Wilson is great in anything, but I think my favorite movies are "Midnight in Paris" and "Marley & Me". Luke Wilson is adorable and I loved him in "Old School". My favorite of the three is Owen.

1. Chris Hemsworth & Liam Hemsworth
Only recently discovered by me, but this is one handsome looking family! Chris is gorgeous, Liam is gorgeous. And they are Australian, love that accent. Oh, and they can act as well. Loved Liam in "The Hunger Games" and Chris in "The Avengers" and "Snow White and the Huntsman". Favorite..... hard to say. Hmmm. I'll go with Chris.

They almost made the top 5: Alec, Stephen & William Baldwin, Beau & Jeff Bridges.