100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 84: Stone

Director: John Curran

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 101 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich, Frances Conroy

Description: A convicted arsonist (Edward Norton) looks to manipulate a parole officer (Robert De Niro) into a plan to secure his parole by placing his beautiful wife (Milla Jovovich) in the lawman's path.

Review: Jack Mabry is a parole officer and is about to retire. He evaluates prisoners who think they can leave prison earlier because of good behavior. His last case is Gerald ‘Stone’ Creeson, who has three more years left of his sentence. Stone tries it through his wife Lucetta, who has to talk Mabry into releasing Stone.

De Niro is at his best when you provoke him. And he doesn’t disappoint. But the fact that the relentless lawman falls for the tricks of the seductive Lucetta, feels a bit improbable. Edward Norton has been better before. I was annoyed by his voice, it sounded very weird in this movie. And Milla Jovovich is a beautiful woman, but her performance is so bad. Frances Conroy, who is a fantastic actress, doesn’t get enough to do here.

“Stone” has lots of symbolism and references to the Bible, to give it a deeper meaning. But that deeper meaning is what’s missing. The story is not interesting enough to stay focused the entire time, even with actors like De Niro and Norton.

“Stone” is one of those movies you forget within minutes after watching it.

Rating: 2/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 29: The Three Musketeers

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, Milla Jovovich, Orlando Bloom, Christoph Waltz, Juno Temple, Logan Lerman, Mads Mikkelsen, Til Schweiger

Description: The hot-headed young D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman) along with three former legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers (Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans) must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

Review: There are some stories that have been made into films quite too many times. “The Three Musketeers” is one of them. Paul W.S. Anderson tried to give the classical tale a new life, but he didn’t manage that completely. The director does do what you would expect from him: not a very clever film with a lot of action.
It’s almost impossible to ruin the story about D’Artagnan, who looks up to the three undefeatable musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Each with their own distinctive trades. The book is filled with action, humoristic incidents, espionage, romance and intrigue. Anderson simplifies everything, while the book is a perfect script for a good adventure film. And the characters don’t get the depth they deserve, because I think they were cast very well and they all try their very best. Logan Lerman knows how to be D’Artagnan. Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson and Luke Evans don’t even get the chance to act and portray the most important characters of the story. I think the focus is more on Milady the Winter, who is played by Milla Jovovich. And Christoph Waltz, as villain Richelieu, is seriously underused. If you can get an actor like Waltz, you should give him something to do.
The movie is a visual treat. Great special effects, beautiful settings and gorgeous costumes. The movie was filmed in 3D and I can understand that some parts of the movie look a bit better with this addition. I also liked the idea of the map.
“The Three Musketeers” is a bit of a mess, but it was very entertaining. The end scene suggests a sequel, but I don’t think that should happen.

Rating: 2,5/ 5