100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 49: The Expendables 3

Director: Patrick Hughes

Genre: Action/ Adventure

Runtime: 126 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Kelsey Grammer, Antonio Banderas, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey, Kellan Lutz, Jet Li 

Description: Barney (Sylvester Stallone) augments his team with new blood for a personal battle: to take down Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), the Expendables co-founder and notorious arms trader who is hell bent on wiping out Barney and every single one of his associates.

Review: It’s again time for an adventure with some of our favorite action stars: “The Expendables 3”. As the driving engine behind the film series, Sylvester Stallone managed to find some new actors. Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford are added to the cast. Alongside the ‘oldies’, we also get some new young stars. Kellan Lutz is probably the only one that will ring a bell. Bruce Willis isn’t part of it anymore.

The movie starts with a lot of action. Barney and his team have to save an ex-Expendable, named Doctor Death. During their next mission, Barney finds out that Stonebanks, an Expendable gone bad, is still alive. All he wants is to go up against him one more time, especially after severely injuring Caesar. Barney doesn’t want his other friends to get hurt, so he decides to set up a new team. But it’s not that easy to exchange experience.

Just like how The Rolling Stones still keep coming back and fill concert halls, “The Expendables 3” will attract audience. The storyline is never the strong point, although there is a more emotional side to it this time.

Introducing Wesley Snipes and Antonio Banderas to the franchise is a smart move. Their loud characters often manage to make you laugh. The search for the new generation, led by Kelsey Grammer, is more fun than the new group itself. All of them are easily replaceable. Mel Gibson is very convincing as the villain.

The action is again of a high level. If you liked the previous movies in this series, “The Expedables 3” gives you again what you expect. The formula hasn’t stopped working yet and another sequel isn’t unthinkable.

Rating: 3/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Summer Movies I'm Excited About

There are a lot of upcoming movies I’m looking forward to this summer. Here is a list f the five I’m most excited about.

5. The Expendables 3

There is just something about all those muscles in one movie. And this time again, there are new men added to the cast, like Antonio Banderas, Harrison Ford and Mel Gibson.

 

4. Lucy

I just love a kick-ass Scarlett Johansson. The trailer looks stunning. Luc Besson is a fantastic director and I can’t wait to see this film.

 

3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I don’t have to wait that long, because next week it will premiere here in the Netherlands. I can’t wait to see how Cesar and his ape army are going head to head with the humans.

 

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

This looks so awesome, I really want to see it right now!!! It’s highly anticipated and there is a great special about this movie in the new issue of Empire Magazine. That makes it even more interesting.

 

1. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

I is very delayed, we wanted to see this much earlier. I hope it’s worth the wait, because the first “Sin City” was an absolute masterpiece. I’m looking forward to this movie the most.

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Foxcatcher, Jupiter Ascending

Movie Trailer Sunday (144)

Here are this weeks trailers.

The Expendables 3

Description: Barney (Sylvester Stallone), Christmas (Jason Statham) and the rest of the team come face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill… or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables — but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members, recruiting individuals who are younger, faster and more tech-savvy.

Director: Patrick Hughes

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, Victor Ortiz, Glen Powell, Kelsey Grammer

Trailer: Trailer "The Expendables 3"

Comment: There is also a woman in the group this time, awesome! And again some of the biggest action heroes ever, with some great new additions.

About Alex

Description: Seven college friends reunite over a three-day weekend, after one of them attempts suicide. When the friends get together to keep an eye on Alex (Jason Ritter), the weekend that ensues will renew old crushes and resentments, shine light on bad decisions, and ultimately push friendships and relationships to the brink as the group tries to speculate when the simple life of their college years turned so muddy and complex. Sometimes irreverent, sometimes poetic, and always moving, About Alex is a searingly honest look at the changing nature of adult friendship in the Facebook/Twitter generation.

Director: Jesse Zwick

Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Max Greenfield, Nate Parker, Max Minghella, Jason Ritter, Maggie Grace, Jane Levy

Trailer: Trailer "About Alex"

Comment: It looks like a movie I would watch, but the poster is horribly photoshopped.

The Good Lie

Description: A Sudanese refugee is taken in by a straight-talking American woman, Carrie Davis (Reese Witherspoon), in their new home in the United States.

Director: Philippe Falardeau

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Corey Stoll

Trailer: Trailer "The Good Lie"

Comment: Not a Reese fan, but this looks good.

The Judge

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 and, along the way, reconnects with his estranged family.

Director: David Dobkin

Starring: RObert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Dax Shephard, Billy Bob Thornton, Ken Howard, Emma Tremblay, Balthazar Getty, David Krumholtz, Sarah Lancaster, Grace Zabriskie, Denis O'Hare

Trailer: Trailer "The Judge"

Comment: Chills, want to see this!

 

Felony

Description: Three detectives become embroiled in a tense struggle after a tragic accident that leaves a child in critical condition. One is guilty of a crime, one will try to cover it up, and the other attempts to expose it. How far will these men go to disguise and unravel the truth?

Director: Matthew Saville

Starring: Tom Wilkinson, Joel Edgerton, Jai Courtney and Melissa George

Trailer: Trailer "Felony"

Comment: Australian accents, yeah!