Best & Worst: Matthew McConaughey

I used to hate Matthew McConaughey as an actor, but the past years he has delivered and proved he has serious acting chops. It’s also his choice of film nowadays and the fabulous performance he delivered in the TV show “True Detective”. Here are my best and worst picks.

 

 

A movie that doesn’t have a lot of action or spectacle, but it has the great performance by Matthew McConaughey. When you read the synopsis, it’s not that interesting so this movie really took me by surprise. It’s really good!

Honorable Mentions: “Dallas Buyers Club”, “The Lincoln Lawyer”, “A Time to Kill”, “Killer Joe”, “Amistad”, “Contact”

 

 

One of those stupid, dumb, cheesy, predictable romantic comedies. I hate this movie and the fact that Jennifer Lopez is in it has nothing to do with that hate. At all (*sarcasm*). Even then, in the time McConaughey mostly did movies like this, he deserved better.

Dishonorable Mentions: “Failure to Launch”, “Fool’s Gold”, “Two For the Money”

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (May 2015)

I saw some pretty good movies this month. Many movie too. Here are my five favorites I watched for my challenge this month.

5. The Fault in Our Stars

Sad, sad, sad…. The book already made me cry and I needed more than one tissue for the movie. A really beautiful film that touched me.

 

 

4. Tomorrowland

One big rollercoaster ride, so much fun. I really enjoyed George Clooney and Britt Robertson, together and alone. Fun times!

 

 

3. It Follows

A very creepy horror story, in the style of John Carpenter. Really worth it if you like the genre and especially when you want an original movie.

 

 

2. Mud

It’s so weird, how Matthew McConaughey changed my mind. I didn’t like him at all as an actor a few years ago. Since “The Lincoln Lawyer” McConaughey has become one of my favorites, because he chooses the better film. “Mud” is one of his best.

 

 

1. Deux Jours, Une Nuit

Some movie are beautiful because of their simplicity and maybe that’s my favorite kind of movie. “Deux Jours, Une Nuit” is that kind of movie. Such a simple story executed so well. And Marion Cotillard did a great job too.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Barton Fink, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Pacific Rim, What If, A Most Wanted Man

100 Movie Challenge # 67: Mud

Director: Jeff Nichols

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 130 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Ray McKinnon, Sarah Paulson

Description: Two young boys (Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland) encounter a fugitive (Matthew McConaughey) and form a pact to help him evade the vigilantes that are on his trail and to reunite him with his true love (Reese Witherspoon).

Review: The American saying ‘his/ my name is mud’ is used when someone does something stupid or dumb. And that is exactly what is going on in “Mud”, by director Jeff Nichols.

Some will know Jeff Nichols from the strong “Take Shelter” (2011). In “Mud” the ‘heartland’ of America is again the setting. The story focusses on the young boy Ellis, who spends time in the outdoors of Arkansas with his friend Neckbone. During one of their adventures, Ellis and Neckbone find a boat stuck in a tree. While investigating the boat, they come to the conclusion someone is living there. When they go back to their own boat, they meet a strange man. He introduces himself as Mud. Mud is the one living in the boat. Because the boys really want the boat, Mud agrees. But first they have to do him a favor.

“Mud” was already a success at the 2012 Cannes film festival. Just like “Take Shelter”, “Mud” is a truly amazing film. Matthew McConaughey really impresses. I’ve come to love this actor over the years. He is finally getting the right roles and films. The rest of the cast, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Shannon and Sam Shephard, all perform at a high level. But the most welcome surprise is the young duo Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland.

“Mud’ can be compared to movies like “No Country for Old Men” when it comes to atmosphere. Some might find it slow, but eventually it comes together.

I’m truly looking forward to Jeff Nichols’ next project, because I really enjoyed “Mud”.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (69)

This weeks trailers are about a struggling actor trying to raise his son, A guy named Mud, spring break, retired secret agents and a father trying to get his son to take over the family business.

The End of Love
Description: When the mother of his two-year-old son Isaac suddenly passes away, struggling actor Mark (Mark Webber) is forced to grapple with his ability to grow up. As he kindles a relationship with a young single mother (Shannyn Sossamon), he begins to realize that he can no longer remain in denial about the real-life consequences his choices have on Isaac (Isaac Love).
Director: Mark Webber
Starring: Mark Webber Shannyn Sossamon, Michael Cera, Aubrey Plaza, Amanda Seyfried
Trailer: Trailer "The End of Love"

Mud
Description: Ellis and his friend Neckbone find a man named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Mud describes fantastic scenarios-he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper, who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. It isn't long until Mud's visions come true and their small town is besieged by a beautiful girl (Reese Witherspon) with a line of bounty hunters in tow.
Director: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, Reese Witherspoon
Trailer: Trailer "Mud"
Comment: I'm not a fan of either Matthew McConaughey or Reese Witherspoon, but I have to admit this looks pretty good.

Spring Breakers
Description: Four sexy college girls plan to fund their spring break getaway by burglarizing a fast food shack. But that's only the beginning... At a motel room rager, fun reaches its legal limit and the girls are arrested and taken to jail. Hungover and clad only in bikinis, the girls appear before a judge but are bailed out unexpectedly by Alien (James Franco), an infamous local thug who takes them under his wing and leads them on the wildest Spring Break trip in history. Rough on the outside but with a soft spot inside, Alien wins over the hearts of the young Spring Breakers, and leads them on a Spring Break they never could have imagined.
Director: Harmony Korine
Starring: James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, Heather Morris, Gucci Mane
Trailer: Trailer "Spring Breakers"
Comment: Only because of James, who looks awefull by the way.

Red 2
Description: Retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device. To succeed, they'll need to survive an army of relentless assassins, ruthless terrorists and power-crazed government officials, all eager to get their hands on the next-generation weapon. The mission takes Frank and his motley crew to Paris, London and Moscow. Outgunned and outmanned, they have only their cunning wits, their old-school skills, and each other to rely on as they try to save the world-and stay alive in the process.
Director: Dean Parisot
Starring: Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Anthony Hpkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Brian Cox
Trailer: Trailer "Red 2"

At Any Price
Description: Ambitious Henry Whipple (Dennis Quaid) wants his rebellious son Dean (Zac Efron) to help expand his family's farming empire. However, Dean has his sights set on becoming a professional race car driver. When a high-stakes investigation into their business unfolds, father and son are pushed into an unexpected situation that threatens the family�s entire livelihood.
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Zac Efron, Kim Dickens, Heather Graham
Trailer: Trailer "At Any Price"