Movie Review - Wake Up Dead Man

Director: Rian Johnson
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Runtime: 144 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner, Thomas Haden Church, Mila Kunis, Cailee Spaeny, Jeffrey Wright, Daryl McCormack
 
Description: Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns for his most dangerous case yet.
 
Review: Director Rian Johnson has never made a secret of his deep-rooted love for old-fashioned murder mysteries. That make two of us. His “Knives Out” films, this being the third in the series, are a clear tribute to Agatha Christie, with the only regular being Benoit Blanc, as a contemporary Hercule Poiroit.

“Knives Out” became an instant all-time favorite, having rewatched it many times already. The second film, “Glass Onion”, took some time to get used to, mainly because the setting felt less Christie-esk, but loved the mystery jus as much. And I absolutely loved “Wake Up Dead Man”. This film feels a bit more like “Knives Out”, when it comes to vibes and atmosphere, and yet again a clever whodunnit with a stellar cast and lots of humor.

The atmosphere is grim and leans towards a gothic mystery, with a church in New York State as a setting. The script is great, full of humor, witty dialogue and social commentary (the Christian right wing and tolerance being highlighted).

That Daniel Craig is great as Benoit Blanc, is a given by now. I actually think this is his best role ever, and not James Bond. I know, a hot take. The star-studded cast deliver solid performances, such as Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Jeremy Renner and Kerry Washington. But Josh O’Connor as priest Jud is particularly noteworthy. His complex characters often steals the show and he forms a great duo with Blanc.

Some critics say it’s the best film in the franchise, or at least almost as good as the first film. Well, I am officially giving this film a 5-star rating, just like the other two. Making it a strong, solid, amazing murder mystery series. And I will be rewatching this film many time over.

Rating: 5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Four Good Days

Director: Rodrigo Garcia
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Stephen Root

Description: A mother (Glenn Close) helps her daughter (Mila Kunis) work through four crucial days of recovery from substance abuse.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 5: A FILM WITH MILA KUNIS
 
Review: That motherly love knows no bounds can be seen in again in “Four Good Days”, in which heroine addict Molly is back on her mother Deb’s doorstep after yet another failed rehab attempt. Deb hesitates at first, but eventually relents when Molly turns out to be eligible for a drug that combats addiction. For this Molly has to stay clean for four days and she can’t stay at the clinic. Deb has to help her survive these crucial days.

It's a gripping drama, that frustrates at times, escpeciallu since not all of Deb’s actions are equally believable. The story of Deb and Molly reconnecting, trying to rekindle their bond and having to fight this battle together, is touching and emotional. But I never felt emotionally invested in either of them. And the ending was very rushed.  Good performances by both Glenn Close and Mila Kunis though.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Luckiest Girl Alive

Director: Mike Barker
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Mystery
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Mila Kunis, Chiara Aurelia, Finn Wittrock, Connie Britton, Scoot McNairy, Jennifer Beals
 
Description: A woman (Mila Kunis) in New York, who seems to have things under control, is faced with a trauma that makes her life unravel.

Review: With “Luckiest Girl Alive”, Mila Kunis reaches out to rape victims. And her film does so quite subtly, too.

Mila Kunis is one of those actresses that needs to get more credit for her work. In “Luckiest Girl Alive” we follow Ani, a talented writer for a successful magazine, about to marry a dream guy and seems to be living her best life. Not for the fact that she is still greatly affected by a trauma, something that happened to her when she was a teenager. When she thought she had passed on from it, everything seems to be coming back to her. Most films would be overly emotional, but “Luckiest Girl Alive” tackles this drama differently.

Ani seems to care much about what others think of her, constantly trying to be the best. She is a much hated figure, because of her alleged involvement in a school shooting when she was younger. A documentary filmmaker wants to get her on camera to talk about this incident: something she has never done in all those years. In flashbacks, bit by bit, we get to see the lead-up to the tragedy and the trauma that she still carries with her.

Young Ani is excellently played by Chiara Aurelia, Mila Kunis is adult Ani, and is also very good. Aurelia has some real difficult scenes to play and Kunis has the job to show us who she became 20 years later, with that trauma ticked beneath the surface.

I don’t think “Luckiest Girl Alive” is by any means a groundbreaking or super memorable film, but it does one thing so well: Ani is a victim of victim blaming and slutshaming, which is depicted very realistically in this film. And the way Ani deals with it, is raw and might make you uncomfortable. But also very realistic. And for that reason alone, I can definitely recommend this movie.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 66: Bad Moms

Director: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jay Hernandez, Wanda Sykes

Description: When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.

Review: The life of a young mother isn’t perfect. Besides trying to make a career in a highly underpaid and time consuming job, the kids have to go to school every day, groceries have to be done, cooking, school meetings. And if there is a husband that doesn’t lift a finger, you can understand how a mom can feel under-appreciated. That’s the fact with Amy Mitchell. When she finds out her husband has been having an online affair with a woman, she decides to be a bad mom, because everyone already thinks she is one.
There are many films where we see grown up men behave like irresponsible teens. But lately we’ve been getting some fun films with women behaving badly. Just look at “Bridesmaids” and “Trainwreck”.
Mila Kunis plays Amy, a control freak who always wants to maky everyone around her happy. Kristen Bell is a somewhat submissive stay at home mom and Kathryn Hahn is a single mom, with a love for men and alcohol. Then there is Christina Applegate, head of the PTA, who claims to be the perfect example for all the moms out there. Some characters feel like just characters, because they come off a bit cartoonish. Especially Hahn’s character is too much. And the humor is sometimes really unoriginal and vulgar, jokes that are way too easy and done way too many times.
This is all forgivable, but towards the end the film is so cliché. “Bad Moms” is a fun film for one time, very forgettable.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Battle: The Road Vs. The Book of Eli

I’ve choosen two movies with similar themes and plot points this time. And I think it’s going to be a close call, because while starting this I’m not sure who I will pick as winner yet. Here are the two movies going head to head in this movie battle: “The Road” Vs. “The Book of Eli”.

 

CAST

The Road: Viggo Mortensen has the lead and he does a great job. Very solid an believable. Kodi Smith-McPhee is an upcoming star, very well done as well. Charlize Theron also has a role in “The Road”, she is one of my favourites, I always love her. Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce have small roles in it as well.

The Book of Eli: You can always rely on Denzel Washington, this man never made a really bad movie. Washington is great, as always. Gary Oldman plays the villain, a task you can trust him with. Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson and Michael Gambon also have roles in the film.

STORY

The Road: A man and his son a trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world by any means possible. Somehow these kinds of stories always get me interested. I remember the ending to be very open, you don’t really know what will happen next.

The Book of Eli: Eli is trying to cross his way through post-apocalyptic America, while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving mankind. Off course his trip doesn’t go without some problems. The film had a surprise twist in the end.

EFFECTS The Road: They made it look like a post-apocalyptic world, very dark, grim and sad. Not much colour, a perfect look for a world that’s on the edge of dying.

The Book of Eli: This post-apocalytic world looked a little lighter. It’s not as dark, it has a lot of earthy tones, more dessert like.

WINNER

It’s a tough one, but I’ll go for “The Road”. It’s not as spectacular as “The Book of Eli”, but the whole setting, storyline and performances impressed me a bit more.

Movie Battle: No Stings Attached Vs. Friends with Benefits

Both movies came out around the same time and have similar themes. Two friends decide to have casual sex, without any feelings or complications.

CAST

No Strings Attached: I adore Natalie Portman, but I’m not so much an Ashton Kutcher fan. I have to say that this isn’t Portman’s finest hour though. Kutcher does what he knows best, look pretty and shallow. I don’t recall any other actors in this film. At least the didn't leave an impression on me.

Friends with Benefits: Again I love the female lead, I think Mila Kunis is amazing. She lights up a room, or in this case the screen. I like Justin Timberlake just as much as I like sauerkraut, which means not at all. He’s just not a very good actor. He should just stick to making music. Kunis and Timberlake do have awesome chemistry. Besides, some nice supporting roles by Patricia Richardson, Richard Jenkins, Woody Harrelson and Jenna Elfman and small appearances by Andy Samberg and Emma Stone.

STORY

No Strings Attached: Not very special, but because this was the one that came out first it’s the more original one I guess. I never laughed out loud though.

Friends with Benefits: This is a bit more explicit, visually and verbally. I also believe I laughed ones or twice. Especially because of Patricia Richardson, she’s hilarious.

EFFECTS

No Strings Attached: Again, not very special. I shows both Portman and Kutcher’s best features.

Friends with Benefits: The scene with the flashmob was shot very well, I actually liked that scene. But overall, everybody could have made this movie.

WINNER

They’re both not on my favorites list, but “No Strings Attached” bored me and “Friends with Benefits”didn’t.

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!

In the Picture: The Characters from "Oz the Great and Powerful"

This movie was criticized, but I really enjoyed it a lot. I loved the world Sam Raimi created and the characters. Here are the leading characters from "Oz the Great and Powerful".

Oscar Diggs aka Oz
Played by: James Franco
Oscar is a selfish and greedy con artist at first. He aspires to not just be good, he wants to be great! Oscar is very charming and he uses it for his own advantage, to deceive others. Dispite of this all, he has empathy and a true good heart.

Theodora
Played by: Mila Kunis
Theodora is a beautiful witch, but also a little bit naïve. She wants peace to come to her land and believes Oscar can give that. Theodora falls in love with him.

Glinda
Played by: Michelle Williams
Glinda is a witch and she rules over a peaceful kingdom of simple and kind folk. She isn’t only compassionate, but she also protects her people no matter what. Glinda sees who Oscar really is, she knows that genuine goodness lies within him.

Evanora
Played by: Rachel Weisz
Evanore is Theodora’s overprotective sister and a witch to be feared. She has positioned herself as the royal adviser and protector of Emerald City.

Finley
Voiced by: Zach Braff
Finley is a flying monkey and he befriends Oscar. He accompanies him on his journey. Finley is intelligent and has a sense of honor.

China Girl
Voiced by: Joey King
China girl is a doll from the village of China Town. Everything there is made of China. She is found by Oscar, who takes her along on his journey. She is very sweet and kind, despite being easily scared she has a feisty sight to her.

Favorite Character: Finley

Top 5 Thursday: Girl Crushes

I like guys, men, males, gentlemen. But, if I were a man, who would I go for? Here's a list of my girl crushes.

5. Jennifer Aniston
Still, after so many years, she is one of the prettiest actresses in Hollywood. She's so natural. And I always enjoy her films.

4. Mila Kunis
She is definitely the sexiest woman on this list. It's really hard to overlook this fabulous woman.

3. Amy Adams
Such a gorgeous woman in an extraordinay way. And a brilliant actress. Amy Adams is both good in comdies and dramatic movies.

2. Rachel McAdams
She used to be number one, but I still love her. She is mostly the girl next door in movies, but gets more challenging roles nowadays. I'm happy about that. Rachel McAdams is great.

1. Emma Stone
Emma Stone is a fantastic actress, she's funny, charming and beautiful. I would definitely marry her if I was a man. And as a woman, I would like her as my friend.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Charlize Theron, Naomi Watts, Elizabeth Harnois, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence and Natasha Bedingfield

Best of... Mila Kunis

I love Mila Kunis. She's not just another pretty face and she doesn't see herself as a sex symbol. Mila is very talented, funny and I enjoy watching her films. Here are my favorites.

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall"
If you like Judd Apatow's movies, you like this one too. It's a good date movie, though certainly NOT one for the kids or younger teenagers. And I love Jason Segel and Mila Kunis together.

"Max Payne"
Just a no-brainer I enjoyed.

"Extract"
A light, funny comedy with a very good cast. Especially Kristen Wiig, she's always memorable in her movies.

"The Book of Eli"
I like post-apocalyptic movies, but this is not just another one. It's different, original and surprisingly good. As always Denzel Washington plays a terrific role and the ending twist was great. Love Mila in this film.

"Date Night"
A real funny movie. Although Steve Carell and Tina Fey take the lead, James Franco, Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg are the most memorable characters in the movie.

"Black Swan"
Her best role and movie so far. This is a true piece of art and Mila's performance is fantastic.

"Friends with Benefits"
I saw it against my will, but I don't regret it. It's a fun comedy and Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake have great chemistry.

"Ted"
This is one of the funniest films I've seen in the last couple of years. It's hilarious, mostly thanks to the voice of Seth MacFarlane as Ted. But both Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg know how to be funny.

Pic Spam: Mila Kunis

I love this woman. She is so much fun and I enjoy watching her in movies. Here are her best pictures.

Pic Spam: Favorite People of 2011

This is the last Pic Spam of the year and probably my last post this year. I decided to do something special. I'm going to dedicade this Pic Spam to my favorite people of this year, people who had a big influence. We've got Mila, Ryan, James, Rachel, Natalie, Joseph, Robert and Emma