Movie Review - Thunderbolts*

Director: Jake Schreier
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, Olga Kurylenko
 
Description: After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must go on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
 
Review: Yelena, Black Widow’s sister, leads and empty and useless existence filled with running errands for the current CIA director, Valentina Alegra de Fontaine. When Yelena is sent to stop a thief who wants to crack a safe containing secrets that must never see the light of day, things turn our differently than expected.

After a short opening scene, which introduce both Yelena’s fighting skills and her depression, Yelena is sent to the safe, located somewhere in the American desert. The film then takes place around that location for over an hour. To keep this interesting, no openings to other dimensions are needed, no do entire areas need to be razed to the ground. The conflict is clear and simple, and the characters are diverse enough for amusing interaction.

In addition to Yelena, we see Taskmaster and The Red Guardian (all three introduced in “Black Widow”), John Walker joins the party as second-hand Captain America, and Bucky Barnes shows up as Winter Soldier. But even if this is your first Marvel movie, it’s pretty clear that these characters have a history.

There is also a character named Bob, introduced as a clumsy, everyday man. But he becomes more important as the story goes along. And Bob is incidentally also a big part of the theme: dealing with depression. This superhero story successfully addresses that subject.

Even though the characters are diverse, we don’t get to know each of them well enough. Ava Starr aka Ghost, for example, stays a bit on the surface. Would’ve liked to get to know her a little better too.
The threat in this film is big, but its only present for a short time. I think the final conflict could have been stretched out. “Thunderbolts” would have benefited from a longer runtime.

The Thunderbolts, being renamed the New Avengers, will be back. And I’m kind of excited about it. I enjoyed “Thunderbolts” a lot more then I expected, I wasn’t really interested when it was announced.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

TV Show Review - Pam & Tommy

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Drama
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2022
Starring: Lily James, Sebastian Stan, Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman, Taylor Schilling

Description: Follows the story of Pamela Anderson (Lily James) and Tommy Lee’s (Sebastian Stan) relationship, going back to their whirlwind romance that started with them marrying after only knowing each other for 96 hours in 1995.

Review: The first episode starts of from the perspective of Rand Gauthier, a handyman working in Pamela and Tommy’s house to remodel their bedroom. Of Pamela we see little and it is mostly Tommy who leaves a poor first impression on Rand. He is highly inflammable and fickle, always changing plans. Both Rand and the contractor already have thousands of dollars in them, without any down payment at all. When Rand finally dares to ask for the down payment, he is fired. And no money for Rand. Or his toolbox. For Rand it is clear: it is time for karma. Rand breaks into the garage and steals their safe, filled with guns, diamonds and…. A sex tape.
That first episode shows u Pamela and Tommy as most of us will know them: a privileged, extravagant, and hot celebrity couple. Only to then show a very different side of the couple. The subsequent episode jumps back to how Pam and Tommy first met and fell in love. Their first days together are actually much sweeter than you might think. Because even though they married on a whim, in retrospect they actually turn out to be a really good fit for each other, until, the series suggests, the sex tape threw a spanner in the works.
Somehow you understand that the makers could not avoid the sex tape and a large part of the series revolves around this and the effect it has on the people involved. Tommy doesn’t really think much of it at first and doesn’t understand why Pamela is so upset, because in his words: “it’s not like it’s anything they haven’t seen before”, referring to Pam in Playboy. The video was stolen from them and published without their consent. With that, Pamela gave permission to shoot for Playboy, therefore it was her own choice. This video being released into the world wasn’t. And Pam has a point by saying that Tommy will probably be high fived for being in such a video and she will be called a slut. The position of a woman is very different in this situation then that of a man would be. Tommy later also realizes this, when he is confronted with comments as well.
Although Rand’s storyline often takes away the focus, it is a good choice to show his perspective. His initial intention was to take revenge on Tommy, after being treated the way he did. But he didn’t think it through, because the one being hurt and affected the most if Pamela. And that wasn’t his intention. He didn’t think of the consequences and let revenge lead his actions. You can see Rand being sorry for what he did, mostly towards Pamela.
The strongest scenes are those where the message is not spelled out in neon letters. Like a scene during the filming of Baywatch, in which the close-up of Pamela’s buttocks gets more attention than that of her face. Or the one in which Anderson is forced to comment live on her home video during testimony by opposing counsel and answers questions like, “How old were you when you first showed the general public your genitals?” The fact that all the lawyers are men need not even be mentioned in this regard.
Sebastian Stan and Lily James throw themselves wholeheartedly into their roles: it is almost uncanny how convincingly James resembles Anderson. All sympathy clearly lies with her as well.
I enjoyed “Pam & Tommy”, especially how Stan and James portrayed them so well.

TV-Show Review - The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Mini-Series)

Season: Mini-Series
Genre: Adventure/ Action
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2021
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Daniel Brühl, Emily VanCamp, Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Description: Following the events of “Avengers: Endgame”, Sam Wilson/ Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) team up in a global adventure that tests their abilities. And their patience.

Review: Following the events of “Avengers: Endgame”, Sam Wilson/ Falcon holds the famous shield, but struggles to take over the role of Captain America. He donates the shield to the museum. When the government comes up with a new Captain America, John Walker, he is assigned to take out the terrorist organization ‘Flag Smashers’. Coincidentally, Sam and Bucky Barnes/ The Winter Soldier are now also going after this group.
Now that Marvel has successfully launched its first miniseries, “WandaVision”,  on Disney+, it’s time for the next one. Cinema releases are still a while away, so Marvel has been wise to make the switch to weekly TV episodes. This time, the focus is on Captain America’s legacy and all that he and his famous shield stood for. The six-part miniseries, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”, mainly highlights the burden that Captain America’s role carries.
What stands out is that the series is very politically driven and because of this feels like a strong addition to previous Captain America films. Plot elements that were set up in these movies return here, such as the sneaky Zemo and the fugitive Agent Sharon Carter. It is abundantly clear that the film and series are so intertwined you really shouldn’t miss them for the greater story.
Because of the political aspect, one question is central: Will Sam take over the role from Steve Rogers, to be Captain America? The government has other plans, as they appoint Privat John Walker as the new Cap. We see Walker struggle with the responsibility of being a good Captain America and he’s failing. And he also turns out to be a huge asshole. He is everything Steve Rogers wasn’t. We also see Sam’s guilt and conflict over whether he has done the right thing or if he really is the man for the job Steve has left him to do. This makes the series an interesting watch. But what I loved most is the comradery between Sam and Bucky. The work well together and make each other’s characters stronger.
The series looks really good, is interesting and very entertaining. The last three episodes, especially episode five, are the best of the bunch. It’s a definite must-watch for every Marvel fan.

Movie Review - The Devil All the Time

Director: Antonio Campos

Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime

Runtime: 138 minutes

Year: 2020

Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Jason Clarke, Haley Bennett, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, Sebastian Stan, Mia Wasikowska, Eliza Scanlon

Description: Sinister characters converge around a young man (Tom Holland) devoted to protecting those he loves in a postwar backwoods town teeming with corruption and brutality.

Review: “Do not condemn anyone, for we are all sinners”. In “The Devil All the Time”, evil lurks everywhere and in everyone. For most people, plagued by their human powerlessness, there is no escape. Nevertheless, their faith and trust in the Lord often remains as strong as ever, if only to be able to cleanse themselves of the necessary sins. Director Antonio Campos explores the good, the evil and everything in between.

Campos takes us to the remote countryside of Ohio and West Virginia, where people live in strictly Christian hamlets, or rather snake pits full of sinners, weaklings and religious extremists. In these dark surroundings Arvin Russell grows up as a man of good will, but poverty and violence also create some dark sides. His story is woven in and apart from that of his father, a tormented war veteran who only at an older age throws himself full of devotion to the Lord, a wandering serial killing couple that targets male hitchhikers, corrupt sheriff Lee Bodecker and a new pastor.

Campos knows how to tell a lot with only a few images. Effective to move the story forward, but it sometimes lacks tension. Still, this doesn’t do much harm to the film overall. The film adaptation of the literary novel by Donald Ray Pollock (who narrates the story) is very successful. Campos’ most important blessings are the beautifully shot images and atmospheric mish. And although not every character has been worked out in the same way, the strong ensemble cast effortlessly lifts the film to a higher level.

Tom Holland impresses as the skeptical young Arvin, who does everything he can to protect his loved ones and doesn’t hold back. We have not seen him in such a role before. Robert Pattinson, who plays the pastor Preston Teagardin, especially makes an impact. In recent years he has established himself as a character actor, and always manages to catch our eye. One of the strongest scenes of the film features both Holland and Pattinson. Other performances by Haley Bennett, Jason Clarke and Bill Skarsgård are also worth mentioning.

“The Devil All the Time” is gruesome, gloomy, not very hopeful, sometimes somewhat uncomfortable, but above all intriguing. This film is probably not for everyone, yet it would be a shame to not give it a chance. A true Netflix gem.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Reviews - I, Tonya

Director: Craig Gillespie
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Sebastian Stan, Bobby Cannavale, Mckenna Grace

Description: Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband (Sebastian Stan) intervenes.

Review: Driven by her rivalry with Nancy Kerrigan, Tonya Harding stepped onto the ice in Lillehammer in 1994. Her second time at the Olympics, but also her last. Her performance was dominated by a broken lace. She didn’t win a prize, while Kerrigan got a silver medal.
“I, Tonya” is not your everyday biopic. It’s a light satire, filled with irony and based on contradicting interviews. The real truth will probably never be revealed.
Leading lady Margot Robbie, who is fantastic by the way, even breaks the fourth wall a couple of times. Telling us how it really happened.
Nancy Kerrigan was Harding’s biggest rival and the all American girl. The complete opposite. When both girls were amazing figure skaters, Tonya was maybe better. She took more risks. But Harding’s image and background didn’t fit in that world. When Kerrigan was attacked after a training and someone shattered her knee, rumor had it that Harding had something to do with it. It was all over the news and at the time, she and Bill Clinton were the most famous people.
What is true and what isn’t, will always be the question. What we do know, is that Harding had a rough life. Her father left her when she was young and she stayed with her demanding and cold mother. LaVona was the one dragging her on the ice when she was four, constantly pushing her. She was loveless, tough and convinced that Tonya only did well when pushed.
And then there is Tonya’s stormy and violent relationship with Jeff Gillooly. He beat her and treated her bad.
Tonya didn’t blend in with the rest of the girls. She didn’t dance to classical music, but choose ZZ Top and she made her own outfits. But she was also the first American woman to perform a triple Axel, with success. She was good at what she did, but somehow always ruined it for herself. But Tonya kept fighting. When she fell, she got up, no matter how hard it was. And she deserves a certain respect for that.
Like I stated before, Margot Robbie is fantastic in her role. But it’s Allison Janney that steals the show as Tonya’s mother LaVona. Her character is comical and almost cartoonish, but she is also a terrible woman and treats her daughter like trash.
“I, Tonya” manages to combine extreme characters and the real humans they are deep inside. This movie really surprised me with its tone, not at all what I expected. Such a great film!

Rating: 4,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 140: The Martian

Director: Ridley Scott

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 142 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mackenzie Davis, Donald Glover, Nick Mohammed, Chen Shu, Eddy Ko, Enzo Cilenti, Jonathan Aris, Gruffudd Glyn, Naomi Scott, Geoffrey Thomas

Description: A limo driver's blind date sparks a tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and grace centered around two working-class New York City couples.

Review: Director Ridley Scott, known for his movies “Alien” and “Blade Runner”, is no stranger to science fiction. “The Martian”, based on the book by Andy Weir, is the perfect story for Scott. It’s a heroic story, has a great cast with big names and a big budget.

With a science fiction movie, there is always a scientific side to it. Hence the word science. At first it looks like it’s going to be a drama, when astronaut Mark Watney is left for dead on Mars after a big storm. When Watney wakes up he has to stay alive with the supplies that are left. It could have gone to fear, sadness and complaining. The fact that it might be the end for him on Mars, makes sure that Watney does everything to avoid that fate. With science. With his botanic background he manages to grow potatoes on a planet where nothing grows. And he is very inventive in ways to stay alive. This strength makes sure Watney doesn’t lose hope and becomes a real hero.

The scientific element can also be less accesable, but “The Martian” manages to use a clever way to explain it to us. Watney keeps a videolog, where he explains what he does and why. He never seems lonely and this makes this film anything but boring. On earth, where they eventually find our Watney is still alive, they discuss the issue in a way the viewer can understand and without any extreme sentiment. Towards the end it does get a bit more dramatic, but that’s understandable.

One thing I didn’t expect to get was humor. “The Martian” is very funny at times and makes this movie a lot lighter than I eventually thought. And Matt Damon is amazing in his role. I really loved his performance, it can easily be called one of his best. I also loved Jessica Chastain, as always.

“The Martian” is a fresh take on science fiction, a movie that was even better than I thought it would be. One of the best of 2015.

Rating: 4,5/ 5