Netflix Friday - Volume 67

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Monster Hunter (2020)
When Lt. Artemis (Mila Jovovich) and her loyal soldiers are transported to a new world, they engage in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers.
 

Drama: Creed (2015)
The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.
 

Comedy: Bad Moms (2016)
When three overworked and under-appreciated moms (Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Katheryn Hahn) are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun and comedic self-indulgence.
 

Animation: Vivo (2021)
“Vivo” will take audiences on an epic adventure to gorgeous and vibrant locations never before seen in animation.
 

Romance: The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)
A shy, middle aged professor (Jeff Bridges) enters into a romantic but non-physical relationship with an unlucky-in-love colleague (Barbra Streisand).
 

Horror: The Shallows (2016)
A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy (Blake Lively) is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.
 

Science Fiction: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.
 

Crime: Beckett (2021)
Following a tragic car accident in Greece, Beckett (John David Washington), and American tourist, finds himself at the center of a dangerous political conspiracy and on the run for his life.
 

Thriller: The Beguiled (2017)
The unexpected arrival of a wounded soldier (Colin Farrell) at a girls school in Virginia during the American Civil War leads to jealousy and betrayal.
 

Documentary: Athlete A (2020)
Follow the Indianapolis Star reporters that broke the story about USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar’s abuse and hear from gymnasts like Maggie Nichols.

Family: Shazam (2019)
A newly fostered boy in search of his mother instead finds unexpected super powers and soon gains a powerful enemy.

Netflix Friday - Volume 50

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Atomic Blonde (2017)
An undercover MI6 agent (Charlize Theron) is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.
 

Drama: Pieces of a Woman (2020)
When a young mother’s home birth ends in unfathomable tragedy, she (Vanessa Kirby) begins a year-long odyssey of mourning that fractures relationships with loved ones in this deeply personal story of a woman learning to live alongside her loss.
 

Comedy: We’re the Millers (2013)
A veteran pot dealer (Jason Sudeikis) creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.
 

Animation: Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.
 

Romance: Notting Hill (1999)
The life of a simple bookshop owner (Hugh Grant) changes when he meets the most famous film star (Julia Roberts) in the world.
 

Horror: Child’s Play 2 (1990)
While Andy’s mother is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, the young boy is placed in foster care, and Chucky, determined to claim Andy’s soul, is not far behind.
 

Science Fiction: I Am Legend (2007)
Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor (Will Smith) in New York City struggles to find a cure.
 

Crime: Sleepers (1996)
After a prank goes disastrously wrong, a group of boys are sent to a detention center where they are brutalized. Thirteen years later, an unexpected random encounter with a former guard gives them a chance for revenge.
 

Thriller: The Shallows (2016)
A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy (Blake Lively) is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.
 

Documentary: Dolly Parton: Here I Am (2019)
In this documentary, the life, career and music of Dolly Parton are reflected in interviews with friends and companions and the artist herself, interlaced with clips of Parton’s performances.
 

Family: A Cinderella Story (2004)
Routinely exploited by her wicked stepmother, the downtrodden Samantha Montgomery (Hilary Duff) is excited about the prospect of meeting her Inter beau (Chad Michael Murray) at the school’s Halloween dance.

Best Shark Movies Since "Jaws"

It’s shark week and I always love watching these fierce creatures. And I also have a thing for shark movies, I don’t care if they are bad or not. It’s always a fun and entertaining time for me. With “Jaws” still being the best shark movie that we have, I decided to create a list of good shark movies that came out after “Jaws”.

Deep Blue Sea (1999)
In this disaster movie, scientists mess with the brains of sharks and soon the animals are smarter than most people. Director Renny Harlin can provide old-fashioned solid action like no other. “Deep Blue Sea” has a great guest role for Samuel L. Jackson, who provided us with one of the biggest jump scares (which also was a bit hilarious). It’s one of the better shark movies since “Jaws”

Shark Tale (2004)
Yes, even kids can watch a shark movie, since this is a animated family film. Oscar is a fish who works at a ‘whale wash’. He’s thinking of getting higher up and along the way he meets some sharks, led by godfather Don Lino. His son Lenny turns out to the an introvert shark, an a vegetarian to top it off. This was Dreamwork’s answer to Disney’s “Finding Nemo”, but they didn’t succeed. “Shark Tale” is filled with references and jokes and it’s a fun family film. But don’t expect depth (no pun intended)

The Reef (2010)
For three British backpackers their dream seems to come true; they spend a week at the most beautiful coral reef in the world with their own yacht. However, when their boat turns over and they are left to their fate on the tilted yacht, this dream turns into a real nightmare. When they decide to swim for the shore, they realize a shark is waiting for them. It’s not the most eventful film on this list, since it only becomes exciting towards the end. But still a pretty fun watch.

Open Water (2014)
Seventy divers jump into the water, sixty-eight return and hour later. No complicated calculations for the diving instructor, but in a moment of confusion a small miscalculation follows and two divers are left behind. Susan and Daniel. While among them the normally harmless fish become more curious, despair takes hold of them. Especially when among those fish are also sharks. A movie without fuss or special effects and very low-budget. But this film plays with the feeling of what if it would happen to you.

The Shallows (2016)
Nancy goes surfing on a secret, remote spot in Mexico after her mothers death. When she is attacked by a shark, she manages to swim to a rock and climb onto it. She finds safety there for a while, when it’s low tide. But the water is rising and her time is running out. I find this the best shark movie since “Jaws”, even though some things are a bit improbable. It’s a really good film.

47 Meters Down (2017)
Two sisters decide to go cage diving, to watch sharks during a tropical holiday. When the cable breaks and the cage descends to 47 meters, the horror begins for the girls. It is pretty fun to watch.

The Meg (2018)
When a submarine is attacked by a huge creature previously considered extinct, the submarine lies helplessly at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. When time begins to run out, expert deep-sea diver Jonas Taylor is recruited by a visionary Chinese oceanographer. The meg from the title refers to a megalodon, a prehistorical shark, being many times bigger then a great white shark. Don’t take this film too seriously and you will have an awesome time. This film is highly entertaining and so much fun. Especially during those hot summer months.

Bad shark movies, but a lot of fun

Jaws 4: The Revenge (1987)
“Jaws” spawned three sequels, with the last one being the absolute worst. And “Jaws 4: The Revenge” is all sorts of bad. Because it was actually made with the intention of being a serious shark movie. And because this film takes itself way too serious, makes it such a bad movie. Just look at the synopsis alone: Ellen Brody (wife of chief Brody from film 1) is now widowed. When her son is killed by a shark, she suspects that the shark hates her whole family. She flees to the Bahamas, where her other son works as a marine biologist and the shark follows her (!). The end of this film is one of the most ridiculous sequences in the history of cinema. The only credit I can give them is for managing to get Michael Caine. I would really want to know his opinion now, haha. This is one of those movies, that is unintentionally hilarious.

Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus (2009)
Lorenzo Lamas, who we know as the tough, long-haired biker from the TV-series “Renegade’, is a scientist who has to compete against the prehistoric creatures from the title. The best scenes contains a shark jumping from the water to snatch a plane from the sky. Yes, that happens. This is so bad, but I love these hilarious monster movies. And there is also “Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus”, “Mega vs. Mecha Shark” and “Mega Shark vs. Kolossus”. Too bad, but great if you’re in for some laughs.

Shark Night 3D (2011)
If you watch shark week, you might know that sharks sometimes trade the ocean for a river. But no one expects them in a lake. Behold the set-up for “Shark Night 3D”. It’s actually a slasher film, focusing on a group of American youngsters partying, who are seriously harassed by all kinds of sharks in a freshwater lake. This film some poor effects, but it’s the best of the worst.

Sharknado (2013)
They decided to combine shark attacks, major floods and raging tornadoes for this insane shark movie. Sharks are striking inland thanks to propelling water and/ or wind. “Sharknado” sheds light on this rare phenomenon. It’s really terrible and it even brought us 5 (!) sequels, but you should really see it.

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 117: The Shallows

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 86 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Blake Lively

Description: A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy (Blake Lively) is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.

Review: When it comes to shark movie, there is only one masterpiece: “Jaws”. Hollywood has made many terrible films featuring this animal, some even more ridiculous than others. It looks like “The Shallows” is a more serious try again, and it does succeed for most of the runtime.
Medical student Nancy traveled a long way to visit a secret beach in Mexico, the place her mother once visited and told her about. Because her friend is in bed with a hangover, Nancy decides to go surfing by herself. When she is knocked off of her surfboard and is wounded, she discovers she intruded the territory of a great white shark. She manages to climb upon a rock formation, but high tide is kicking in soon and Nancy has to find a way to survive.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra realizes it’s scarier to not show the shark. This works and makes the movie thrilling and a real nail biter. Later in the movie, the shark gets shown more often and it looks pretty good. “The Shallows” is a pretty scary film and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Towards the end, the film loses its credibility.
We get to know Nancy a little bit, we know her backstory and I really sympathized her. And that’s where “The Shallows” doesn’t fit into the B-movie category. Although the story may not be the most genius, the character is interesting and the film looks really good. Collet-Serra’s directorial style is beautiful, he uses a bright color palette and slow motions. The images under water are stunning. And the director managed to make Blake Lively look at her absolute best. Lively does a very good job by the way. Solid performance.
“The Shallows” is pure summer entertainment. And it’s an actual good shark movie, Hollywood needed that. Although the credibility is lost towards the end, the film is overall better than I expected it to be. And who didn’t love the sidekick Steven Seagull?

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (242)

Here are this week's trailers.

Yoga Hosers
Director: Kevin Smith
Description: Two teenage yoga enthusiasts team up with a legendary man-hunter to battle with an ancient evil presence that is threatening their major party plans.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Haley Joel Osment, Stan Lee, Justin Long, Kevin Smith
Trailer: Trailer "Yoga Hosers"
Comment: I feel like their are giving away way to much in this trailer.

Breaking a Monster
Director: Luke Meyer
Description: "Breaking a Monster" chronicles the break-out year of the band UNLOCKING THE TRUTH, following 13-year-old members Alec Atkins, Malcolm Brickhouse and Jarad Dawkins as they first encounter stardom and the music industry, transcending childhood to become the rock stars they always dreamed of being.
Starring: Alec Atkins, Malcolm Brickhouse, Jarad Dawkins
Trailer: Trailer "Breaking a Monster"
Comment: Looks interesting

The Shallows
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Description: A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.
Starring: Blake Lively
Trailer: Trailer "The Shallows"
Comment: Another trailer, I'm really excited for this film!

The Legend of Tarzan
Director: David Yates
Description: Tarzan, having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Djimon Hounsou, Jim Broadbent
Trailer: Trailer "The Legend of Tarzan"
Comment: A new trailer. Looks beautiful.

Equity
Director: Meera Menon
Description: "Equity", the first female-driven Wall Street film, follows a senior investment banker who is threatened by a financial scandal and must untangle a web of corruption.
Starring: James Purefoy, Anna Gunn, Sarah Mega Thomas, Margaret Colin, Nate Corddry
Trailer: Trailer "Equity"
Comment: It's about the kind of people I can't stand. Probably won't liek this film.

Movie Trailer Sunday (237)

Here are this week's trailers.

Bad Moms
Director: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Description: When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate, Jaa Pinkett Smith
Trailer: Trailer "Bad Moms"
Comment: I like all the actresses, so why not!

The Shallows
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Description: When Nancy (Blake Lively) is attacked by a great white shark while surfing alone, she is stranded just a short distance from shore. Though she is only 200 yards from her survival, getting there proves the ultimate contest of wills.
Starring: Blake Lively
Trailer: Trailer "The Shallows"
Comment: This second trailer makes me even more excited! Although I think it's probably not going to be great.

Tulip Fever
Director: Justin Chadwick
Description: An artist (Dane DeHaan) falls for a young married woman (Alicia Vikander) while he's commissioned to paint her portrait during the tulip mania of 17th century Amsterdam.
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan, Christoph Waltz, Cara Delevingne, Zach Galifianakis, Judi Dench, Matthew Morrison, Jack O'Connell, Tom Hollander, Holliday Grainger, Kevin McKidd
Trailer: Trailer "Tulip Fever"
Comment: Can't wait to see this!

The Girl in the Cornfield
Director: Ryan Callaway
Description: Three young women traveling along a dark country road encounter a mysterious girl in a white dress who turns out to be far more than she seems.
Starring: Briana Aceti, Madeline Lupi, Tina Duong
Trailer: Trailer "The Girl in the Cornfield"
Comment: Okay, creepy....

No Stranger Than Love
Director: Nick Wernham
Description: What is stranger than the big hole that opens up in Lucy Sherrington's living room floor? As it turns out, love.
Starring: Alison Brie, Justin Chatwin, Colin Hanks
Trailer: Trailer "No Stranger Than Love"
Comment: This looks like a lot of fun!!!