Five to Watch - Movies About Isolation

With the Corona-virus still staying strong, we all still have to stay inside as much as we can. Which isn’t the hardest task. Because there are lots of movies that show isolation on a whole different level and we sure as hell don’t want to swap with them. It’s time to look at all those films about isolation that came out over the years. I selected five movies that are worth it to watch, but you might not know about them or they are seriously underrated or overlooked.

Room
Based on Emma Donoghue’s inspiring novel, “Room” makes for a great drama. Brie Larson plays Joy, a young mother incarcerated in a small space with her young son, who has grown up with no concept of the outside world.

Buried
Ryan Reynolds plays an American truckdriver in Iraq, who is buried in a wooden box underground, with a cellphone and a lighter next to him. While calling he is trying to lead the army to his location. The entire movie is inside that wooden box and this alone makes “Buried” for an exciting and claustrophobic thriller. The film has a lot of tension until the end.

The Martian
Being left for dead on Mars, Matt Damon plays a stranded Nasa scientist. Well, he doesn’t just sit around waiting for help. He uses his skills to survive, grow food and find a way to go home. One of Matt Damon’s best.

Cabin Fever
An Eli Roth directed horror flick, about a group of friends in a cabin and a flesh-eating virus among them. It’s a gory spectacle about teens making dumb, cruel and selfish decisions and a lesson in how not do deal with such a thing. Not a masterpiece, but definitely a solid horror film about isolation.

Moon
Astronaut Sam Bell, played by Sam Rockwell sees, after being solo in the lunar helium mining, a reunion with his home and family approaching. Finally. Despite halluciantions, it looks like he will get there without any problems. But then he gets into an accident and wakes up in sickbay. His on-board computer GERTY calms him down, but Sam knows something is wrong. It’s an ingenious screenplay and well directed by Duncan Jones, who made this his debut. It makes for a disturbing and disorienting viewing experience and Sam Rockwell is fantastic.

Stay-at-Home Netflix Must-See Movie List

Since it’s best to stay home now, I browsed through Netflix to create a list of films they stream that everyone just has to see. Because now is the perfect time to catch up on those must-sees. I chose two movies per genre, so there is something on this list for everyone.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Action)
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.

Edge of Tomorrow (Action)
Cage is a soldier (Tom Cruise) fighting aliens and he gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.

Spotlight (Drama)
The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Room (Drama)
Held captive for 7 years in an enclosed space, a woman (Brie Larsson) and her young son (Jacob Tremblay) finally gain their freedom, allowing the boy to experience the outside world for the first time.

Game Night (Comedy)
A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves entangled in a real-life mystery when the shady brother of one of them is seemingly kidnapped by dangerous gangsters.

Easy A (Comedy)
Olive (Emma Stone) is a clean-cut high school student who relies on the school’s rumor mill to advance her social ad financial standing.

Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse (Animation)
Teen Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) becomes Spider-Man of his reality, crossing his path with five counterparts from other dimensions to stop threat for all realities.

Spirited Away (Animation)
During her family’s move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.

Call Me By Your Name (Romance)
In 1980s Italy, romance blossoms between the 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and the older Oliver (Armie hammer) hired as his father’s research assistant.

Marriage Story (Romance)
A look at the marriage between Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie (Adam Driver), breaking up and a family staying together.

A Quiet Place (Horror)
In a post-apocalyptic worl, a family is forced to live in silence while hiding from monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing.

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

Annihilation (Science Fiction)
Lena (Natalie Portman) is a biologist who signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don’t apply.

Blade Runner 2049 (Science Fiction)
Young Blade Runner “K”’s (Ryan Gosling) discovery of a long-burried secret leads him to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who’s been missing for thirty years.

Goodfellas (Crime)
The story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his life in the mob, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) in the Italian-American crime syndicate.

Zodiac (Crime)
In the late 1960s/ early 1970s, a San Franciso cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.

Prisoners (Thriller)
When Keller Dover’s (Hugh Jackman) daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts.

The Gift (Thriller)
A young married couple’s (Rebecca Hall, Jason Bateman) lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance from the husband’s past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light after more than 20 years.

Fyre (Documentary)
An exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the infamous unraveling of the Fyre Music Festival.

Abducted in Plain Sight (Documentary)
The twisting, turning, stranger-than-fiction true story of the Brobergs, a naïve, church-going Idaho family that fell under the spell of a sociopathic neighbor with the designs on their twelve-year-old daughter.

Matilda (Family)
The story of the wonderful little girl Matilda (Mara Wilson), who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher (Embeth Davidtz) vs. the worst parents ever (Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman) and the worst school principal imaginable.

Annie (Family)
A young orphan girl’s adventure in finding a family that will take her.







I think these will get you through those days, enjoy the watch list!

Top 10: Best Movies I Watched for My 2016 Challenge

The great thing about the 100 Movie Challenge is that I sometimes watch films that I would normally not even pay attention to. It’s a time to rediscover classics or see the movies you missed in the 2000s or 2010s. I watched a bunch of fantastic films, I narrowed it down to this top 10 list. Here are my favorite films I watched for my 2016 challenge.

10. Lars and the Real Girl
This was such a weird story, but it was so heartfelt and honest. And we got Ryan Reynold’s amazing performance to thank for that. He proofs that he doesn’t always have to play the sexy charmer, he can play a lonely geek as well.

9. The Jungle Book
Disney’s uncanny adaptation of their own beloved animation from 1967. It was a blockbuster, it was a technical film. Besides Mowgli, all the sets and characters were computer generated. The visuals are stunning. “The Jungle Book” was one amazing movie experience.

8. The Nice Guys
I already loved Shane Black’s “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”. Teaming up Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe was probably one of the best ideas of 2016. They are an irresistible pair. Energized by a dry wry cynicism. It’s crime comedy at its best.

7. Arrival
“Arrival” is an unusually intimate science-fiction epic, that takes the story of humankind’s first contact with an alien race and turns it into a downright poetric meditation on fate, time, love and the limitations and essential universalities of communication. Amy Adams gives a fantastic performance, she carries this film. Director Denis Villeneuve has a flawless record so far.

6. Room
Brie Larson earned all the headlines for her role as Joy, her Oscar winning performance is so convincing and heartbreaking. But her movie son Jacob Tremblay very nearly steals the show. It’s through his eyes we experience the traumatic set of events.

5. Spotlight
“Spotlight” is driven purely by the simplicity of its story. A group of journalists exposing a scandal in the Catholic Church. The film had my attention from start to finish, it has great performances and I loved everything about this film. It deserved that Oscar.

4. The Apartment
I discovered Billy Wilder films this year and I came to the conclusion that I really love this director. “The Apartment” is such a fun film, great acting and it’s basically set in only one location.

3. Some Like It Hot
This is the other Billy Wilder film I watched this year, and loved! It was hilarious. It’s such a funny story, two men disguising as women so that they can play music in an all-women’s group. And although it’s clear that they are two men, nobody sees it. This is one fo the best comedies of all time!

2. La La Land
Damien Chazelle’s first film was “Whiplash”, an Academy Award winning film. He’s back with amusic movie of an entirely different variety. “La La Land” is a heart-eyed musical about two lost Los Angelinos who find each other. I’m seriously in love with this film. This one’s for the classic movie fans.

1. The Princess Bride
This movie has everything and know how to combine all those genres in the most perfect way. Adventure, action, romance, comedy, drama, it’s all there. It’s one of the best fairytales ever told, with humor, mockery and heartwarming moments. Definitely a new favorite on my all-time list.


Honorable Mentions: The General, City Lights, Beasts of No Nation, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Little Shop of Horrors, We Bought a Zoo, Mr. Holland’s Opus, The Soloist

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (March 2016)

This month I saw some really good film, some that really surprised me and some I knew I was going to love. Besides “Sharknado” I didn’t really see anything terrible in March. Here are my five favorite films I watched for my challenge this month.

5. Frank
It’s unconventional and weird, yet fun and fantastic. “Frank” is not your everyday movie, but sometimes I like it. Just open up your mind and give it a try.

4. All is Lost
“All is Lost” has almost no dialogue and only one actor in the entire film. How is that interesting, right? Well, Robert Redford and director J.C. Chandor made it happen. It’s a beautiful film, that keeps your attention the entire runtime.

3. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days
Such a simple film, but so very powerful. Sometimes a movie from a foreign country you don’t know much about can totally leave you speechless.

2. This is Where I Leave You
I always love film about dysfunctional families. “This is Where I Leave You” is a good dramedy, strong cast and relatable storylines. It really surprised me.

1. Room
I was excited for “Room” and I got exactly what I was hoping for. What an amazing film, with great performances. This film really grabbed me and I loved everything about it.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Lola Rennt, Malcolm X, Furious 7

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 29: Room

Director: Lenny Abrahamson

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 118 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, Matt Gordon

Description: After five-year-old Jack(Jacob Tremblay) and his mother (Brie Larson) escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery.

Review: “Room” is based on the book by Emma Donoghue, who was inspired by the real life story of Austrian Josef Fritzl. He locked his own daughter up in a basement, for 24 years. Director Lenny Abrahamson turned it into a movie and Donoghue was asked to write the script.

Room is a shed where young Jack and his mother Joy live. For Joy it’s a prison, but for her five year old son it’s the only world he knows. Joy tries to make their life as normal as possible. She teaches him to read, they cook together, she tells him stories. At night Jack sleeps in a closet, while Joy has to please her abductor who they call Old Nick. Now that Jack is five, Joy thinks it’s the right time to tell him about the world outside Room, but Jack doesn’t believe her.

Although “Room” is inspired by true stories about abducted women who were kept captive, the abduction and captivity is not the main focus. More than a thriller, “Room” is a heartbreaking drama about the power of motherly love and the possibility to find light in the most darkest situations. The fantastic element about “Room” is that we see it through the eyes of Jack, how he sees Room and how he sees the world.

The strong acting is also the movie’s strength. Brie Larson won an Academy Award for her role and she very well deserved it. But also young Jacob Tremblay, what a promising talent. Their interaction is so convincing.

Although there is not as much time to tell the story as you get while reading the book, “Room” managed to do this very well. A movie that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Already a favorite of this year!

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (202)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

Description: Three scouts, on the eve of their last camp-out, discover the true meaning of friendship when they attempt to save their town from a zombie outbreak.

Director: Christopher Landon

Starring: Halston Sage, Tye Sheridan, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Cloris Leachman, David Koechner, Sara Malakul Lane, Blake Anderson, Logan Miller

Trailer: Trailer "Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse"

Comment: Never doubt a scout!

Spotlight

Description: The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Director: Tom McCarthy

Starring: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, John Slattery, Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle

Trailer: Trailer "Spotlight"

Comment: What a great cast!

Room

Description: A modern-day story about the boundless love between mother and child; young Jack knows nothing of the world except for the single room in which he was born and raised.

Director: Lenny Abrahamson

Starring: Brie Larson, Joan Allen, William H. Macy

Trailer: Trailer "Room"

Comment: Love knows no boundaries

The Final Girls

Description: A young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s, finds herself pulled into the world of her mom's most famous movie. Reunited, the women must fight off the film's maniacal killer.

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson

Starring: Taissa Farmiga, Nina Dobrev, Alia Shawkat, Malin Akerman, Adam Devine, Thomas Middleditch, Alexander Ludwig

Trailer: Trailer "The Final Girls"

Comment: A feel good horror movie

Kill Your Friends

Description: An A&R man (Nicholas Hoult) working at the height of the Britpop music craze goes to extremes in order to find his next hit.

Director: Owen Harris

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, James Corden, Ed Skrein, Rosanna Arquette

Trailer: Trailer "Kill Your Friends"

Comment: A more controversial role for Nicholas Hoult.