Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (September 2015)

Another great month for my challenge! It was kind of hard ot make a top 5, because I saw some really awesome films this month. Here is the top five.

5. The Drop

A movie that didn’t get much attention when it came out. It should’ve, because it’s a very good film. Great, solid performances by Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Matthias Schoenaerts and James Gandolfini.

 

 

4. The Conjuring

I was very brave, I watched this film alone. I didn’t sleep for a week, but I did see one of the best horror films of the decade. “The Conjuring” had some clichés, but if they are done well I’m fine with it. Good horror movie!

 

 

3. My Neighbor Totoro

Hayao Miyazaki is a true artist. I already liked “Spirited Away” a whole lot, but I loved “My Neighbor Totoro”. A movie that just makes me happy!

 

 

2. 12 Angry Men

How can a movie set in only one room be interesting the entire runtime? Well “12 Angry Men”, that’s how! Great film.

 

 

1.The Guard

A mix of “In Bruges” and “Hot Fuzz”. And I love those two movies, so it’s no surprise that I loved “The Guard” as well. Finally the movie that we wanted to see Brendan Gleeson shine in. Fantastically funny!

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Saving Mr. Banks, Drinking Buddies, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, Funny Games

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 118: The Drop

Director: Michaël R. Roskam

Genre: Crime/ Drama

Runtime: 106 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini, Matthias Schoenaerts, John Ortiz, Elizabeth Rodgiguez, Michael Aronoy, Morgan Spector, Michael Esper, Ross Bickell, James Frencheville, Tobias Segal, Patricia Squire, Ann Dowd, Chris Sullivan

Description: Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foes all work together to make a living - no matter the cost.

Review: Again we had to say goodbye to a good actor. “The Drop” marks the last film for the in June 2013 diseased James Gandolfini. It’s a nice goodbye, because it’s a really good film.

The Belgian director Michaël R. Roskam got fame for his Oscar nominated debut “Rundskop”. “The Drop” is his first America movie. The term ‘drop bar’ means that criminals drop money at a bar, a so called bank for criminals. The bar’ Cousin Marv’s’ in Brooklyn is an example. Bob (Tom Hardy) and his cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) run it. Everything goes fine until a somewhat amateurish robbery takes place. Bob and Marv are held responsible for the stolen money and need to get it back.

A melancholic report from one of the many possible stories from the underworld of Brooklyn, that’s how “The Drop” can be described. Tom Hardy is a great actor and again shows that as the good guy Bob. It’s great how his character develops and how strong his performance is. James Gandolfini also does a great job. It’s not a very big role, but it’s memorable. Matthias Schoenarts is convincing as the dominant Erik and Noomi Rapace shines as well. A cast to die for.

That well written story also makes this movie good. The tempo is just right, not too fast, just the right buildup. “The Drop” is an overlooked film from 2014, that’s definitely a shame. It’s worth your time, because it’s a very good film.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (133)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Description: A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.
Director: Matt Reeves
Starring: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Enrique Murciano, Kirk Acevedo and Judy Greer
Trailer: Trailer "Dawn of the Planet of te Apes"
Comment: I loved the "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and this looks great as well.

Sex Tape
Description: When Jay (Jason Segel) and Annie (Cameron Diaz) first got together, their romantic connection was intense, but ten years and two kids later, the flame of their love needs a spark. To kick things up a notch, they decide to make a video of themselves trying out every position in The Joy of Sex in one marathon three-hour session. It seems like a great idea, until they discover that their most private video is no longer private. With their reputations on the line, they know they're just one click away from being laid bare to the world... but as their race to reclaim their video leads to a night they'll never forget, they'll find that their video will expose even more than they bargained for.
Director: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper and Rob Lowe
Trailer: Trailer "Sex Tape"
Comment: Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel are both at their best in comedies.

Palo Alto
Description: Palo Alto weaves together three stories of teenage lust, boredom, and self-destruction: shy, sensitive April (Emma Roberts), torn between an illicit flirtation with her soccer coach (James Franco) and an unrequited crush on sweet stoner Teddy (Val Kilmer); Emily (Zoe Levin), who offers sexual favors to any boy to cross her path; and the increasingly dangerous exploits of Teddy and his best friend Fred (Nat Wolff), whose behavior may or may not be sociopaths.
Director: Gia Coppola
Starring: James Franco, Emma Roberts, Jack Kilmer, Nat Wolff, Zoe Levin, Claudia Levy, Chris Messina and Val Kilmer
Trailer: Trailer "Palo Alto"
Comment: James Franco wrote the novel. I never read it, but it seems like a great story.

The Drop
Description: When lonely Brooklyn bartender Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) uncovers a drop of a different sort in the form of a battered pit bull puppy that he rescues from certain death, he comes into contact with Nadia (Noomi Rapace), a mysterious woman hiding a dark past.
Director: Michael R. Roskam
Starring: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Matthias Schoenaerts, John Ortiz, Ann Dowd and James Frecheville
Trailer:Trailer "The Drop"
Comment: This was James Gandolfini's last film.

Lucy
Description: Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) is accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman
Trailer: Trailer "Lucy"
Comment: Scarlett kick butt!