10s Movie Review - The Judge

Director: David Dobkin
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. Robert Duvall, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton, Leighton Meester, Dax Shepard, David Krumholtz, Sarah Lancaster

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 33: A FILM WITH ROBERT DOWNEY JR.
 
Description: Big-city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his father (Robert Duvall), the town’s judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth; along the way he reconnects with his estranged family.

Review: Hank Palmer is the last person to care what others think of him. The unstoppable lawyer tells it like it is. Hank is the kind of person who dares to speak the truth, even if others would rather not hear it. He admits that the white-collar criminals he defends are most likely guilty, and that doesn’t bother him: “Innocent people can’t afford me”.

When he returns to his hometown, after his mother passed, he is confronted with everything he fled back then. The untouchable lawyer from Chicago does care about other people’s opinions. In fact, he appears to be deeply hurt. The difficult and destructive relationship with his father is the reason for his departure, years ago. And now his father, the local judge, is suspected of murder. Hanks tries to uncover the truth, and father and son both grow closer and come into direct conflict with each other.

“The Judge” boasts an impressive cast: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Billy Bob Thornton and Vincent D’Onofrio. The first tow in particular are given plenty of room to shine. Downey Jr. is irritating, moving, unyielding and vulnerable all at once. His comedic talent and timing are beyond question. With Hank Palmer, he manages to portray a decisive but also wounded prodigal son.

Director David Dobkin takes the time to introduce the characters and clarify the relationship with the family. the underlying tension between the father and sons is constantly palpable from the moment Hanks returns.

It is also clever how Dobkin unfolds the story. “The Judge” is above all a relational drama, but it is also a courtroom drama. On top of the flawed father-son relationship, there is the murder allegation, which interact with each other, but beyond that there are even more subplots. And all but one of these subplots I really cared about. I didn’t care about the love interest part of the story. They could have left that out.

The film has well-developed characters, excellent performances, a clever structure, and good suspense. I would recommend “The Judge”.

Rating: 4 / 5

00s Movie Review - Crazy Heart

Director: Scott Cooper
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Music
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Robert DuVall, Paul Herman

Description: A faled country music artist (Jeff Bridges) is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 40: A FILM ABOUT MUSIC
 
Review: Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake, a middle-aged country singer reveling in his past success. Years ago he was one of the most successful singers of his generation with an impressive repertoire, but now he is but a shadow of himself. He lives in cheap motels, playing in pubs and bowling alleys, drinking a lot of alcohol. At one of his gigs he meets Jean Braddock, a single mother trying to make it as a journalist. A romance develops between Blake and Jean, but it remains to be seen whether Blake can leave his unhealthy lifestyle behind for good.  

It's a pretty straightforward film, with not too surprising plot developments. A once successful music artists, trying to make a comeback but failing drastically, until someone enters his life and changes it for the better. Director Scott Cooper didn’t take any risks here. “Crazy Heart” is one of those films where the performance of the lead actor is better and more memorable as the film itself. Jeff Bridges, who won an Academy Awards for his performance, is excellent. He shines in every scene he is in. This is what you will remember about “Crazy Heart”, the story is quite forgettable.

Which doesn’t mean it’s not good. Bridges is the one who makes it better, if not for him, this would be a straight-to-DVD type of film. Because they story is predictable and very cliché. But Bridges lifts it to a whole other level and makes it worth watching. And somehow, Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal work really well together too.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Oldies Review - The Godfather

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 175 minutes
Year: 1972
Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert DuVall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, John Cazale
 
Description: The aging patriarch (Marlon Brando) of an organized crime dynasty in postwar New York City transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant youngest son (Al Pacino).

Review: Don Vito Corleone, better known as The Godfather, is the head of the Corleone mafia family. When an attempt is made to take his life, son Michael unexpectedly steps into the family business.
For many, including myself, “The Godfather” is an all-time favorite and an absolute timeless classic. It is and remains a great mafia epic and probably one of the most influential films ever made.

As soon as the film starts with the atmospheric music of Nino Rota, you are transported to the past and become part of the Corleone family. The head, Don Vito, commands the screen with his presence. With this, Marlon Brando won an Academy Award for one of the most iconic roles ever.

It is a film completely focused on the Corleone family. Despite all the criminal acts within the world of the mafia, the story also highlights the love, frustration and misfortune within the family. This makes the whole realistic. In doing so, each member also leaves an impression. Daughter Connie who allows herself to be in an abusive marriage, tough brother Sonny with his anger issues and even the more sleezy Fredo, who has a more prominent role in “Godfather Part II” (1974). The film’s lead role is given to the youngest son of the family: Michael Corleone.

This was Al Pacino’s big break, an it is understandable why. We frequently see event sfrom Michael’s perspective, which makes him somewhat sympathetic. Michael’s character development, which begins here and continues in the two sequels, is fairly tragic to see. Someone who had no interest in the family business at first, but unexpectedly follows in his father’s footstep, becoming the head of it.

“The Godfather” is not only a timeless classic, that every person, film fan or not, should see. But it’s also a masterclass in filmmaking. I think it’s every filmmakers dream to create aa masterpiece such as “The Godfather”. After so many years, the praise for this movie is still justified.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - The Pale Blue Eye

Director: Scott Cooper
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 192 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Simon McBurney, Timothy Spall, Toby Jones, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Robert Duvall,
 
Description: A world-weary detective (Christian Bale) is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case – a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allen Poe (Harry Melling).

Review: Augustus Landor arrives anno 1830 at West Point, a remote military academy on the frozen Hudson River. It’s an atmospheric landscape, except that outside the gates a corpse is dangling from a tree. The mystery of “The Pale Blue Eye” loses momentum with each subsequent victim, and the icy setting is especially convincing.

Landor meets Edgar Allen Poe, who in his young adult years spent the winter at West Point. Landor and Poe work together in solving this crime.

Not surprisingly, after the first victim, many follow. During his search for the truth, Landor is tormented by his own demons: he is a widower, and sees before his mind’s eye his disappeared daughter.

The partnership between the elder Landor and the young Poe is by no means trouble-free, especially when Poe becomes obsessed with Lea, a stylish young lady plagued by a rare disease. Seeing Landor and Poe together is and remains somewhat uncomfortable, mainly because the film’s persistently serious tone suites Christian Bale better than his counterpart Harry Melling (best known as cousin Dudley in the Harry Potter-series). His interpretation of Poe’s character feels increasingly forced.

Through its blend of personal drama and occult mystery, “The Pale Blue Eye” ultimately tells two stories. In theory, these stories should complement each other seamlessly, but it eventually breaks up the story and make it overly explanatory. Still the well-kept picture direction and the atmospheric view of a wintry snowy landscape keep the first major film of 2023 engaging for more than two hours.

Rating: 3/ 5

90s Movie Review - Newsies

Director: Kenny Ortega
Genre: Drama/ Musical/ Family
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 1992
Starring: Christian Bale, Bill Pullman, Robert Duvall, Ann-Margret, David Moscow, Luke Edwards, Max Casella, Gabriel Damon, Marty Belafsky, Arvie Lowe Jr., Aaron Lohr, Trey Parker, Dee Caspary, Joseph Conrad

Description: A musical based on the New York Newsboy strike of 1899. When young newspaper sellers are exploited beyond reason by their bosses they set out to enact change and are met by the ruthlessness of big business.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 3: A MUSICAL
 
Review: In 1899, the people of New York got their news from a group of orphans who sold the newspapers of several famous publishers. Like many other children, Jack Kelly dreams of a better life than the hard one he leads now. But when the publishers start paying the children less, Jack has a reason to fight. He must choose between his dreams and his sense of responsibility.
I’m a huge musical fan. I love a good story with some catchy musical tunes. “Newsies” is sadly not one of those films. I think I would have preferred this true story as a non-musical. The music and songs are mediocre and the choreography is altering in quality between messy, mediocre and good. The film itself looks pretty neat on all fronts, the décor looks great and it has the right atmosphere. But the acting left much to be desired. It still is entertaining enough, but it’s not a musical I would recommend easily.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

80s Movie Review - The Natural

Director: Barry Levinson
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 138 minutes
Year: 1984
Starring: Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Barbara Hershey, Robert Prosky, Richard Farnsworth, Michael Madsen

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR THE 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 13: A SPORTS MOVIE

Description: A middle-aged unknown (Robert Redford) comes seemingly out of nowhere to become a legendary baseball player with almost supernatural talent.

Review: New York, 1939. Unknown baseball player Roy Hobbs arrives at The New York Knights. A professional baseball team that loses more than it wins. Sixteen years earlier, Roy was a talented pitcher on his way to a promising career. Because of an incident, Roy was long forgotten. Now he’s back, hoping to finally get the baseball career he always dreamed of.
Robert Redford is perfect for his role as Roy Hobbs. Same goes for Robert Duvall and Kim Basinger. The story is cleverly crafted. Many different genres are blended in the film. It’s not just a sports drama, but also has romance, comedy and crime in it. It also sits well with its portrayal of the American baseball culture and its depiction of pre-war America.
The movie is entertaining, but one thing bothered me. The 16-year hiatus that Roy has, is never fully explained and we are left with too many unanswered questions. And the ending was a bit too cliché and predictable. This film could be a lot better, if those two problems were solved. Overall, “The Natural” is still a sports film worth watching.

Rating: 3 / 5

10s Movie Review - Widows

Director: Steve McQueen
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Viola Davis, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Coburn Ross, Michelle Rodriguez, Alejandro Verdin, Baily Rhyse Walters, Elizabeth Debicki, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Jacki Weaver, Molly Kunz, James Vincent Meredith, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Cynthia Erivo

Description: Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities, take fate into their own hands, and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

Review: The plot sounds a bit like “Ocean’s Eleven” or “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”. But it’s a heist movie, with a twist. After a group of robbers were killed, their wives team up to steal millions of dollars.
With director Steve McQueen being involved, you already know it’s not going to be a light film. He also directed heavy themed films like “Hunger”, “Shame” and “12 Years a Slave”.
Where in most heist film the testosterone is fed by greed, “Widows” changes it up a bit. Here the women have a necessity, they need to do it for their own safety. The three women don’t want to step in their husband’s footsteps, they simply have no other choice. One of the men left a ‘script’ which they women use to plan the job.
Steve McQueen is known for his fantastic camerawork and he uses it here too. But it doesn’t always work. In the opening scene, the traditional getaway is shot completely from the getaway van. This is original, minimalistic and works great. But a scene where we see the outside of a driving car, while the frustrated politician inside is arguing with his assistant, doesn’t work as well. I fit was a disposable scene, it didn’t bother me. But it’s an important scene with great acting, which you don’t see. It doesn’t make as much of an impact this way.
Viola Davis is the star of the film. Her icy focus is amazing to watch. Sadly, her character is the most developed and the other women don’t get as much attention.
The interaction between the women is strong, but there is also a lot of attention for the political games played in the city of Chicago.
“Widows” is a good crime thriller, but it has more potential.

Rating: 3 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 21: Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Director: Philip Kaufman

Genre: Science Fiction/ Horror/ Thriller

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 1978

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright, Leonard Nimoy, Art Hindle, Lelia Goldoni, Kevin McCarthy, Don Siegel, Tom Luddy, Stan Ritchie, David Fisher, Tom Dahlgren, Garry Goodrow, Jerry Walter, Maurice Argent, Sam Conti, Robert Duvall

Description: In San Francisco, a group of people discover the human race is being replaced one by one, with clones devoid of emotion.

 

Review: This “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is a remake from the 1956 version. In San Francisco mankind is taken over by duplicates. Because the original took place in a small town, the claustrophobic feel is not as present, but here the big crowd scares you. Matthew and his friends can only rely on each other. The bigger the crowd, the bigger that oppressive feeling is.

This all makes the movie a success. They take the time to reveal the happenings, the slow buildup helps building the tension. The movie is well made, the camerawork is good and the use of light and dark. And some of the action sequences are also very impressive. The thriller and psychological horror aspect are clearly present. Because of the suspicion, claustrophobia and the fear of losing your own personality.

Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams do a good job as Matthew and Elizabeth. Also Veronica Cartwright is very believable and shows a wide range of human emotions. Leonard Nimoy and Jeff Goldblum also perform very well.

“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is of high quality and definitely one of the best science fiction movies ever made. The movie captivates you till the end and that surprising twist still haunts me. A definite must see.

Rating: 4,5/ 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.