20s Movie Review - Soul

Director: Pete Doctor, Kemp Powers
Genre: Family/ Adventure/ Animation
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, Angela Bassett

Description: After landing the gig of a lifetime, A New York jazz pianist (Jamie Foxx) suddenly finds himself trapped in a strange land between Earth and the afterlife.

Review: The Disney Pixar animation film “Soul” became the ‘victim’ of the Covid pandemic. Because due to the closure of cinemas, the release schedule was turned upside down. “Soul” was released directly on the streaming platform Disney+. And you didn’t have to pay a ridiculous additional price to gain early access.
Joe is a music teacher who has dreamed of performing as a jazz musician for years. But disaster strikes when his joy at finally getting his chance on stage causes him to fall into a well. Joe ends up in a place, somewhere between Earth and the afterlife, where he manages to escape the final end just in the nick of time. He ends up in the Big One. Here he is given the task of preparing the old soul 22 to go to Earth. But Joe also sets out frantically to return to his body himself.
“Soul” deals with a heavy theme. It deals with death or rather life. Important questions that humans have wondered about for years are addressed. What is out purpose and what is the purpose of life? And what is there after death? The animators of “Soul” manage to create an excellent picture of the afterlife and the world before the final end. that something more abstract than Earthly life is animated. With colorful characters who guide Joe’s soul in his new task as mentor of the ancient soul 22.
Despite its fraught theme, “Soul” is also tremendously funny. Especially when Joe and 22 return to Earth and have a wacky adventure together. With that, “Soul” offers us a lot. There is humor and drama. One moment there are tears of laughter and the other moment it’s of sadness. This makes “Soul” not only a beautiful film, but also one of the Disney Pixar film of recent years. Not only because of the beautiful story, but also the animation and voice performances are stunning. A film that entertains and moves. But above all brings the message that life is short and you should enjoy every minute of it.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Creed II

Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Florian Munteanu, Brigitte Nielsen, Milo Ventimiglia

Description: Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), heavyweight contender Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) faces off against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).

Review: I don’t think Sylvester Stallone would have thought that his creation Rocky Balboa would still be in a running franchise, fourty years after the first film. He tried to end the franchise twice. In 1990 with “Rocky V” and later in 2006 with “Rocky Balboa”. And that would have been the end, if it weren’t for director Ryan Coogler. He decided to make a spin-off, based on Rocky’s boxing friend Apollo Creed. With son Adonis Creed as the central character. “Creed” was a very successful, strong and beautiful film. It blew new life into the franchise in 2015.
With many sequels, it’s hardly ever better. “Creed II” is no exception, but it’s also a really good film. Here we look back at the 1985 film “Rocky IV”, where Apollo Creed died in the ring, after a match with Russian Ivan Drago. In “Creed II”, Drago returns. With his son Viktor who is also a boxer. And he wants to fight Adonis Creed.
In “Rocky IV”, Drago was portrayed as a stereotypical Russian. He was pretty one-dimensional and it was a fight between the good and patriotic American and the curt, stoic and evil Russian. In “Creed II” they get rid of most of them. This is a more character driven film and there is more story and emotion behind both parties. This is a big plus. It gives the film a more realistic feel and it’s not so black and white.
When it comes to the story, “Creed II” isn’t surprising. Maybe how the final match eventually end, that was pretty cool. But overall it’s predictable. But somehow it didn’t really bother me.
The cast is really strong and director Steve Caple Jr., who stepped in for Ryan Coogler, did a fantastic job. “Creed II” proofs, that the franchise is not dead and that Rocky is still Stallone’s best character to date.

Rating: 4/ 5