10s Movie Review - The Switch

Director: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Jeff Goldblum, Patrick Wilson, Juliette Lewis

Description: Seven years after the fact, a man (Jason Bateman) comes to the realization that he was the sperm donor for his best friend's (Jennifer Aniston) boy.

I WATCHED THIS FILM FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 15: A FILM WITH JEFF GOLDBLUM
 
Review: Kassie and Wally have been best friends for a long time. Both single and not successful in the romance department, Wally has just accepted it. But Kassie has one desire: to become a mom. She decides to search for a sperm donor because she feels like time is running out. In a drunk moment, Wally accidentally spills the sperm sample that is supposed to give Kassie her baby and swaps it for his own. But he doesn’t remember doing it when he wakes up hungover. Kassie moves away and seven years later Wally gets to meet her son Sebastian. Who resembles him in every way.

Let’s just start with how ridiculous this premise is. I understand Kassie wanted a baby and deciding to go for a sperm donor. My best friend has done the same. But she hosts a party for it, where the chosen donor is ‘delivering his goods’ in the bathroom when everyone else is at the party. And then Kassie will be impregnated at that same party. Then, Wally, who is obviously a bit jealous and not understanding of Kassie’s choices, tries to mess with the sample and he actually spills it. He then fills the cup with his own sperm. But…. he doesn’t remember he has done it.

Kassie moves away to Michigan, leaving Wally in New York. They speak to each other, but don’t see each other for seven years. He never even goes to visit Kassie when she had her son Sebastian. And they are supposed to be best friends. When Kassie returns, that’s the first time Wally sees her son. And then he realizes that Sebastian has a lot of the same quirks that he has. It feels like looking at a younger version of himself. In the meantime Kassie starts dating the donor Roland, who she thinks to be the actual father of Sebastian. But Wally starts realizing what he has done. It’s one giant mess and I hated it.

It's just too ridiculous for me, I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Wally doesn’t remember that he made the switch. And that whole “I’m getting pregnant” party is just stupid. I love Jennifer Aniston and I usually enjoy watching Jason Bateman as well. And my favorite parts where the moments that Wally had with Sebastian. I couldn’t stand Kassie. Why can’t she see that Wally was the best choice from the start? And Jeff Goldblum was fun by the way. But for the rest, I kinda hated this movie.

Rating: 2 / 5 

10s Movie Review - The Assistant

Director: Kitty Green
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 87 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Julia Garner, Owen Holland, Jon Orsini, Rory Kulz, Migs Govea, Daoud Heidami, Ben Maters, Matthew Macfadyen, Patrick Wilson, Calara Wong, Noah Robbins, Tony Torn, Dagmara Dominczyk, Alexander Chaplin, Bregje Heinen, Devon Caraway, Genny Lis Padilla, James C.B. Gray, Sophie Knapp, Hunter Hojnowski

Description: A searing look at a day in the life of an assistant (Julia Garner) to a powerful executive. As Jane follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the insidious abuse that threatens every aspect of her position.  

Review: “The Assistant” works best when you go into it as blindly as possible. Not because of big plot twists, but simple because the film only reveals what it’s about bit by bit. However, since it is quite difficult to review a film without being able to elaborate on something, reading the rest of this review is at your own risk. Thematically, the film revolves around the clogged system that resulted in numerous “MeToo outbursts in 2017, which comes as a surprise to both the viewer and the protagonist. Indeed, hints are not exactly sprinkled throughout, although the story does revolve around the details.
The film covers a full work day of a young woman working in a New York office building, where she is the first to arrive and will eventually be the last to leave. Not an unusual day for her. When she asks a co-worker how his weekend was, he asks her the same question. Her answer, “I was here”. Clearly, her work does not allow her a private life. However, the work she does is simple something her superiors feel to good for: from arranging cabs and ordering lunch to doing the dishes and preparing bottles of water for a meeting. All sorts of thankless work for which she is actually overqualified.
Between her activities it gradually becomes clear that she works for a large film company, as an assistant to a powerful film producer. This comes as a surprise, because visually there is nothing to indicate that. The office building shows no trace od the glitz and glamour that we associate with the film industry. There is not even a movie poster on the wall. If Hollywood is the show window of the film industry, then this chilly workplace is the warehouse. The snippets of conversations she overhears are thus not about the creative aspect of the film world, but purely about the business side: markets, contracts and reports. Her job as an assistant is a first step toward a career as a film producer, but it seems that her work is not so much a test of ability as a test of her loyalty.
Remarkably, in carrying out her daily activity, she has virtually no contact with her boss. The man in question is never seen on screen. He is only referred to with ‘he’ and ‘him’. Everyone on the work floor knows who is meant by that. All sorts of things are expected of Jane at work, but perhaps most important is that she is as invisible as possible. So she is quite surprised when in the middle of the day a girl suddenly reports as the new assistant. A strikingly young and attractive girl with no relevant work experience. Add to that the fact that Jane earlier in the office of her boss, found an earring and it suddenly begins to dawn on us what kind of man her boss is. All of this comes together wonderfully in a scene where the assistant wants to blow the whistle on an HR manager. Right at the start of the conversation, the man reassures her, “whatever it is, you can tell me.” And she does, but nothing she says makes an impression on him, after which the conversation soon becomes not about her boss but about herself. It is constantly clear which of the two has the reigns in this conversation. During her long working days, there is never any sign of thanks or appreciation from her co-workers. But at the end of this conversation, she is the one who thanks her interlocutor. For what exactly? Probably out of nothing but simple politeness, which shows that she still has a long way to go in the film industry.
In an earlier scene, we see Jane on the phone speaking to her boss’s complaining wife. The little she says in the process is enough for her to then be scolded by her boss over the phone. In response, she starts writing an apology e-mail, whereupon a co-worker immediately tells her what should be in it. Apparently he knows the drill. He also asks her if she is okay after the telephone tirade, but the question does not seem to come from a genuine interest. He only offers her the opportunity to confirm out loud that nothing is wrong, which she does immediately. Nothing to worry about: the mantra of both power abusers and look-aways.
“The Assistant” is a small film, but because of its realistic portrayal it really makes a great impression.

Rating: 5 / 5

10s Movie Review - In the Tall Grass

Director: Vincenzo Natali
Genre: Thriller/ Horror/ Drama/ Mystery
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Laysla de Oliveira, Svery Whitted, Patrick Wilson, Will Wuie Jr., Harrison Gilbertson, Rachel Wilson

Description: After hearing a young boy’s cry for help, a sister and brother vernture into a vast field of tall grass in Kansas, but soon discover there may be no way out… and that something evil lurks within.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 18: A MOVIE BASED ON A STEPHEN KING BOOK

Review: Netflix released another film based on a Stephen King novel, like before “Gerald’s Game” and “1922”. King wrote this story together with his son Joe Hill and it was released in 2012.
The pregnant Becky and her brother Cal are on their way to San Diego. When they make a little stop, they hear a boy calling for help in a big field of grass. They decide to help the boy, but lose each other and can’t seem to find one another. And for some reason, they are not able to get to each other or leave the field. Things get even more mysterious when they meet other people in the grass.
We all know the feeling that you get when you’re lost: helplessness, frustration and fear. You would think that “In the Tall Grass” would give you these feelings too, but it only happens at times. The film has a creepy feel to it, but really lacks enough tension to stay exciting the entire runtime.
What does work are the amazing visuals, both in the dark as in broad daylight. It adds to the total experience of the film, which can be very vague. It never really explains anything, which is not a bad thing per say. Because stories like this can become over-explanatory and lose mystery because of it. So, because of the big mystery element the film does make it worth your time.
I think it’s an okay mystery thriller, but it probably works better as a book or maybe even a short story then a full length film.

Rating: 3 / 5

10s Movie Review - Annabelle Comes Home

Director: Gary Dauberman
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, Katie Sarife, Michael Cimino

Description: While babysitting the daughter (Mckenna Grace) of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), a teenager (Madison Iseman) and her friend (Kate Sarife) unknowingly awaken an evil spirit trapped in a doll.

Review: The universe around “The Conjuring” has formed well. “Annabelle Comes Home” is the seventh horror film within the franchise and the third film where the scary doll Annabelle has a role. The previous films were set before “The Conjuring”, but the by Gary Dauberman directed film is set right after these events. Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren retrieve the doll from its traumatized owners. They take the doll home and put it away in a display case, which is secured by a priest so it cannot get out. But the case must never ever be opened, therefore they put a warning sign on the door.
A year later, when Lorraine and Ed leave their home for a day, they leave their daughter Judy with babysitter Mary Ellen, whom they’ve known for a while and loves Judy. Mary Ellen’s best friend Daniela also pays a visit, but she is there for a different reason. Her curiosity gets the better of her and Daniela manages to enter the ‘secret room’ that the Warren’s store their cursed and haunted artifacts in. When she opens the display case with Annabelle in it, all hell breaks loose and the girls have to fight the demonic entities.
That the creepy doll gets a third film has a reason. Even though the other films got mediocre reviews, “Annabelle Comes Home” is a pleasant and entertaining horror movie. There is a pretty good build-up in tension and has some effective scares.
Although there is little innovation, they still manage to create an entertaining film. "Annabelle Comes Home" is made in the same way as "The Conjuring" and, unlike the previous parts, really feels like part of the now popular franchise. The fact that protagonists Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga only play a supporting role is not a negative, because the acting of the young protagonists is convincing.
The film is a bit messy though, because it has way to many ‘ghosts’ and ‘spirits’ that the characters have to deal with. It eventually becomes a bit too much and they try to add to many of it into one film.
Overall “Annabelle Comes Home” is not as bad as you might expect, and it will be a fun film for an entertaining horror movie night.

Rating: 3 / 5

Movie Reviews - Aquaman

Director:  James Wan
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 144 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park, Michael Beach

Description: A daredevil designs and operates his own theme park with his friends.

Review: It appears that the underdogs in the superhero world, get the most colorful films with a lot of creativity and freedom. “Aquaman” is a spectacular and very overwhelming film.
“Aquaman” is hard to analyse, because James Wan makes the same mistakes as many other directors: the film is long, the narrative is a bit unclear and some characters are very one-dimensional. But somehow you walk out of the cinema with a big smile.
Because “Aquaman” has tons of charm. And not in the sense of “ultimate popcorn entertainment’, because these movies are easy on the eyes but very forgettable. “Aquaman” is also pure eye candy, but there is one big difference: the movie is never boring, never too serious and embraces absurdity. The film is visually stunning, wonderful filmed and a treat for the senses.
There are several films that you can see influenced Wan in making “Aquaman”. “Indiana Jones”, “True Lies”, “Avatar”. It’s two hours of mind blowing action and visual effects.
Jason Momoa is a great choice for the title role. After seeing him as Aquaman, it’s hard to think about someone else in the role. And that means he did a good job!
DC still doesn’t win it from Marvel, but James Wan did a solid job. It’s a hell of a thrill ride and extremely entertaining!

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Movie Reviews - The Commuter

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Liam Neeson, Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Banks

Description: An Insurance Salesman/Ex-Cop (Liam Neeson) is caught up in a criminal conspiracy during his daily commute home.

Review: Liam Neeson and a family in danger, it’s almost a new subgenre in Hollywood. In the action thriller “The Commuter”, which is set almost entirely on a train, it’s not any different. Neeson’s character Michael MacCauley has to fulfill a task on board. At first it seems to only be about a bunch of cash, but eventually lives are at stake.
Michael can use the money, because he just lost his job. He gave his job as a cop up to become a business man. All for his family, because his son is about to go to college.
Michael takes the train every day. He know the people on the train. A pretty lady asks him a hypothetical question: would he do a task for cash, if it affected many? The only thing he has to do is track a passenger who carries a stolen item with him/ her.
Although a lot of details matter, you don’t have to pay perfect attention. Everything is very clear. Really easy to follow, not complexities.
It’s not exactly a masterpiece, but it’s a film that keeps your attention and it’s entertaining. And I really like Neeson as an action hero.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 124: The Founder

Director: John Lee Hancock
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, Linda Cardellini, B.J. Novak, Laura Dern, Patrick Wilson

Description: The story of Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a salesman who turned two brothers' (Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch) innovative fast food eatery, McDonald's, into the biggest restaurant business in the world, with a combination of ambition, persistence, and ruthlessness.

Review: For over sixty years we’ve been enjoying McDonald’s food now. In that time, the franchise has grown to be THE fast food restaurant. Everywhere in the world the food tasts the same. McDonald’s was a pioneer in developing techniques and strategies to deliver the costumer a burger, fries and milkshake within 30 seconds. This all started in the late ‘40s.
We meet Ray Kroc (played phenomenally by Michael Keaton) who is trying to sell his revolutionary milkshake machine to restaurants, but doesn’t seem to succeed. Even though Kroc is a smooth talker, no one seems to buy it. It comes as a surprise when the owner of a burger restaurant in California wants to buy several from him. Out of curiousity , Kroc visits the restaurant and meets brothers Dick and Mac McDonald. They have developed a method to produce hamburgers fast and they taste amazing. Kroc manages to convince the brothers to work with him, to open more McDonald’s restaurants in America. But the brothers want to call the shots.
John Lee Hancock created a very strong origins story. When you think, from the title alone, that Ray Kroc is the founder of McDonald’s, you’re wrong. At first, the deal is friendly and Kroc listens to the brothers. But eventually Kroc walks away with the success, the money AND the name McDonald’s. A name the actual McDonald brothers weren’t allowed to use anymore. Kroc smelled money and success and became greedy and ruthless.
Michael Keaton really got his comeback since he starred in “Birdman”. Again he shows us what a fabulous actor he is. He steals the show in “The Founder”, he makes it a good movie. At first you sympathize with Kroc, you wish him fortune. But eventually you feel some aversion towards him.
The film might not be very surprising plot wise, but the way to success is told very well. But especially Keaton’s performance is a reason to watch “The Founder”.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 58: Bone Tomahawk

Director: S. Craig Zahler
Genre: Western/ Horror
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, Matthew Fox, David Arquette, Fred Melamed, Kathryn Morris

Description: Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers.

Review: When the film starts, it looks just like your standard western. About the eternal fight between the cowboys and Indians. But this film has a horror twist and it feels very refreshing. In the opening we get a glimpse of the horror, but we still don’t really know what it is the men are afraid of. Next we meet the leading characters. The wife of one of them is abdicted. Husband Arthur and Sheriff Hunt go on a quest for her, together with two other men.
The first hour is pretty slow, but has a good buildup. The second half of the film is a lot more serious and has some serious horror moments in it. Not for the weak stomach I can tell you.
The cast is really good. Kurt Russell as the sheriff. Matthew Fox does a good job too as Brooder. Patrick Wilson is really strong as Arthur, but Richard Jenkins is the star in my opinion. His performance is really good.
“Bone Tomahawk”had to work on a budget and this doesn’t show. The film stayed pretty much under the radar, I hadn’t heard of it ‘till a few weeks ago. A great combination of western and horror.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Review: "Fargo" Season 2

Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime

Year: 2015

Number of episodes: 10

Starring: Patrick Wilson, Ted Danson, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Bookime Woodbine, Zahn McClare, Cristin Milioti, Jean Smart, Rachel Keller, Brad Garrett, Jeffrey Donovan, Kieran Culkin, Adam Arkin, Nick Offerman

Description: Various chronicles of deception, intrigue and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. Yet all of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, North Dakota

Review: After a great first season of“Fargo”, a second season had to happen. There is a new storyline, new characters, but you can still see the Coen Brother’s touch.

This season is set in the late ‘70s, where cop Lou Solverson (Molly’s - from season 1 - dad in his younger years) tracks down a family who is involved in a very complex conspiracy. The married couple Ed and Peggy Blumquist, get themselves into a series of crimes and blunders. Like season one, it’s about the everyday man who accidentally walks the criminal path.

The perspective changes during the series. There is not one leading character and we get to know something about every character of importance.

Patrick Wilson plays Lou Solverson, the younger version of the character Keith Carradine played in season one. Besides dealing with a difficult case, he is also worrying over his wife who has cancer. Staying professional in his job and also preparing for the possibility he might be a single dad soon. Wilson is very strong is his role. Ted Danson plays his father in law and also the sheriff. His character is calm and soothing, yet a very believable sheriff. Kirsten Dunst is probably the strongest performer in this season. We see her as Peggy Blumquist, a role we’ve never seen her in before. She really shines.

Season 2 was good, but it never lives up to season 1. The storylines are less interesting and there aren’t any characters that are as memorable as for example Lorne Malvo, Lester Nygaard and Molly Solverson from season 1. Dunst character comes close and so do Mike Milligan and Indian Hanzee, but season 1 of “Fargo” was way better.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 119: The Conjuring

Director: James Wan

Genre: Horror/ Thriller

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor, Shanley Caswell, Haylet McFarland, Joey King, Mackenzie Foy, Kyla Deaver, Shannon Kook, John Brotherton, Sterling Jerins, Marion Guyot, Morganna Bridgers, Amy Tipton, Zach Pappas, Rose Bachter, J. Donovan Nelson, Christop Veillon, Carmella Gioio, Steve Coulter

Description: Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.

Review: The movie is set in 1971 and is based on the true story of Roger and Carolyn Perron, who move to a beautiful house in New England with their five daughters. It doesn’t take long before strange things start to happen. At night the clocks always stop at 3.07, Carolyn has mysterious bruises on her body, unidentified clapping during a game of hide and seek and birds flying against the windows. After an unpleasant event the Perrons decide to call for help. Ed and Lorraine Warren are paranormal investigators and try to find out the dark secrets of the house.

The story of “The Conjuring” has been done so many times, but the way it’s executed is just sublime. Clichés are clichés, but when they are done well it’s not a problem. Old houses are creepy, with their cracking sounds and basement filled with old stuff. The images aren’t new either: doors that open, strange toys, dark corners. It is all done so well, that you’re sucked in and it’s terrifying. With that director James Wan has a great sense of subtle timing, it scares you at the moments you know something is going to happen. This is also because of the good sound effects.

“The Conjuring” manages to avoid the traps. He chooses suspense over CGI and that’s the way I like to see a good horror thriller. The focus is also on the characters. The Perrons are a sympathetic family, they react naturally to the happenings in their house. It always bothers me when characters hold on to “there has to be a rational explanation for all this”. The acting is also fantastic, especially Vera Farmiga is wonderful in her role. You feel the fear they feel.

The first part of the film is the strongest. You feel a constant threat. I always find the things you don’t see more scary than the ones you do see. A movie I found hard to watch by myself, because it’s truly terrifying. A horror movie is good when it genuinely scares you and that’s what “The Conjuring” did.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 147: Prometheus

Director: Ridley Scott

Genre: Actie/ Science Fiction/ Horror

Runtime: 126 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Logan Marshall-Green, Sean Harris, Rafe Spall, Patrick Wilson

Description: A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Review: Director Ridley Scott doesn’t make it easy for himself. He tried to tell a story, located in the universe of his own classic “Alien” from 1979, to answer one question: where do we come from? Man who wants to meet his maker. Scientists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway find a series of identical cave drawings in 2089. They think they know the answer to that question and billionaire Peter Weyland sets up an expedition. On spaceship Prometheus they are on a search for the truth.

The Prometheus arrives, with a crew of seventeen, on a planet similar to the one in “Alien”. The tension is built because you don’t know why each of the crew members are on the mission. The distant Meredith Vickers has to lead the crew and her help is android David.

Scott could have chosen to play out a cat and mouse game, but instead he focuses on David. His plans are revealed little by little, but it’s clear he’s the one with the most dangerous mission. Dangerous for mankind. The questions isn’t who is going to survive, but why David does what he does. There is no emotional impact whenever one of the crew member dies. And even though some scenes are pretty gruesome, they are never as anguished as in “Alien”.

The movie is visually stunning and detailed. This movie is beautiful in 3D. But beautiful pictures alone don’t make a good movie. Scott made this movie a bit too simplistic and the characters lack intelligence and depth. “Prometheus” is still a pretty good movie.

Rating: 3/ 5