10s Movie Review - The Witch

Director: Robert Eggers
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 92 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, Lucas Dawson

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 25: A MOVIE THAT IS A DIRECTORIAL DEBUT
 
Description: A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.

Review: The film opens in the middle of a court case. It’s 1630, somewhere in New England. The village leaders of a Puritan community decide to exile a strict believer father and his family. At the edge of an obscure forest, the family members take up residence in a small farmhouse. But soon things go horribly wrong there: the corn harvest fails and to make matters worse, the baby disappears without a trace during an innocent game of peekaboo. Thomasin, the eldest daughter, is blamed and the ‘evidence’ for her alleged witchcraft seemingly begins to pile up.
“The Witch” is the debut of American screenwriter/ director Robert Eggers and one of the best horror films of the past decade. Absolutely everything falls into place here: the strong ensemble of actors, the creepy locations, the beautiful cinematography, the gray color palette, the ominous soundtrack and the beautiful dialogue in Old English. It is important to know that Eggers based his screenplay on a whole range of historical sources, from diary excerpts to court records from the seventeenth century, and his results in a film exudes a completely authentic atmosphere.
You can feel in everything that the makers of “The Witch” are drawing from a rich, century-old story tradition, in which witchcraft and black magic play a crucial role. Moreover Eggers’ film regularly lets the blood congeal, especially in the scenes where the main character become victims of their own paranoid feelings and outbursts of rage.
“The Witch” does what a horror movie needs to do: scare you, disturb you and get under your skin. Well done!

Rating: 4,5 / 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 52

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

Action: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
In 1938, after his father Professor Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery) goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, Professor Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr. (Harrison Ford) finds himself up against Adolf Hitler’s Nazis again to stop them from obtaining its powers.
 

Drama: Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
World War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people, and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
 

Comedy: Just Go with It (2011)
On a weekend trip to Hawaii, a plastic surgeon (Adam Sandler) convinces his loyal assistant (Jennifer Aniston) to pose as his soon-to-be-divorced wife in order to cover up a careless lie he told to his much-younger girlfriend (Brooklyn Decker).
 

Animation: How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
When Hiccup (Jay Baruchel_ and his dragon Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace.
 

Romance: Blinded by the Light (2019)
In England in 1987, a teenager (Viveik Kalra) from an Asian family learns to live his life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of American rock star Bruce Springsteen.
 

Horror: The Witch (2015)
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.
 

Science Fiction: Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.
 

Crime: American History X (1998)
A former neo-nazi skinhead (Edward Norton) tries to prevent his younger brother (Edward Furlong) from going down the same wrong path that he did.
 

Thriller: Hush (2016)
A deaf and mute writer (Kate Siegel) who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.
 

Documentary: The Sons of Sam (2021)
The Son of Sam case grew into a lifelong obsession for journalist Maura Terry, who became convinced that the murders were linked to a satanic cult.
 

Family: Love and Monsters (2020)
Seven years after he survived the monster apocalypse, lovably hapless Joel (Dylan O’Brien) leaves his cozy underground bunker behind on a quest to reunite with his ex.

Netflix Friday - Volume 38

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

Action: Escape Plan (2013)
When a structural-security authority (Sylvester Stallone) finds himself set up and incarcerated in the world’s most secret and secure prison, he has to use his skills to escape with help from the inside.
 

Drama: A Sun (2019)
A family of four fractures under the weight of unmet expectations, unexpected tragedy, and uncompromising pride.
 

Comedy: Coming to America (1988)
An extremely pampered African Prince travels to Queens, New York, and goes undercover to find a wife that can he can respect for her intelligence and will.
 

Animation: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
A wild stallion is captured by humans and slowly loses the will to resist training, yet, throughout his struggle for freedom, the stallion refuses to let go of the hope of one day returning to his home herd.
 

Romance: My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
When a woman’s (Julia Roberts) long-time friend (Dermot Mulroney) reveals he’s engaged, she realizes she loves him herself and sets out to get him, with only a few days before the wedding.
 

Horror: The Witch (2015)
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, and possession.
 

Science Fiction: Godzilla (2014)
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.
 

Crime: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
The tory of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1986 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
 

Thriller: The Interpreter (2005)
Political intrigue and deception unfold inside the United Nations, where a U.S. Secret Service agent (Sean Penn) is assigned to investigate an interpreter (Nicole Kidman) who overhears an assassination plot.
 

Documentary: The Mind Explained (2019)
Ever wonder what’s happening inside your head? From dreaming to anxiety disorders, discover how your brain works with this illuminating series.
 

Family: The Flintstones (1994)
In a parallel modern-day Stone Age world, a working-class family, the Flintstones, are set up for an executive job. But they learn that money can’t buy happiness.

Netflix Friday - Volume 21

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

 

Action: Das Boot (1988)
The claustrophobic world of a WWII German U-boat; boredom, filth and sheer terror.
 

Drama: The Green Mile (1999)
The lives of guards on Death Row are affected by one of their charges: a black man (Michael Clarke Duncan) accused of child murder and rape, yet who has a mysterious gift.
 

Comedy: Johnny English (2003)
After a sudden attack on MI5, Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson), Britain’s most confident, yet unintelligent spy, becomes Britain’s only spy.
 

Animation: Shrek the Third (2007)
When his new father-in-law, King Harold (John Cleese) falls ill, Shrek (Miky Myers) is looked at as the heir to the land of Far, Far Away. Not one to give up his beloved swamp, Shrek recruits his friends Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonia Banderas) to install the rebellious Artie (Justin Timberlake) as the new king. Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), however rallies a band of royal girlfriends to fend off a coup d’etat by the jilted Prince Charming (Rupert Everett).
 

Romance: Meet Joe Black (1998)
Death, who takes the form of a young man (Brad Pitt), asks a media mogul (Anthony Hpkins) to act as a guide to teach him about life on Earth, and in the process, he falls in love with his guide’s daughter (Claire Forlani).
 

Horror: The Witch (2015)
A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the force of witchcraft, back magic and possession.
 

Science Fiction: Hancock (2008)
Hancock (Will Smith) is a superhero whose ill-considered behavior regularly causes damage in the millions. He changes when the person he saves helps him improve his public image.
 

Crime: Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
A frustrated man (Gerard Butler) decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family’s killers free.
 

Thriller: Secret Window (2004)
A successful writer (Johnny Depp) in the midst of a painful divorce is stalked at his remote lake house by a would-be scribe (John Turturro) who accuses him of plagiarism.
 

Documentary: Fyre (2019)
An exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the imfamous unraveling of the Fyre mysic festival.
 

Family: Scooby Doo (2002)
After an acrimonious break-up, the Mystery Inc. gang are individually brought to an island resort to investigate strange things.

Movie Trailer Sunday (201)

Here are this weeks trailer.

Victor Frankenstein

Description: Told from Igor's perspective, we see the troubled young assistant's (Daniel Radcliffe) dark origins, his redemptive friendship with the young medical student Viktor Von Frankenstein (James McAvoy), and become eyewitnesses to the emergence of how Frankenstein became the man - and the legend - we know today.

Director: Paul McGuigan

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy

Trailer: Trailer "Victor Frankenstein"

Comment: "It's alive!"

Every Thing Will Be Fine

Description: One day, driving aimlessly around the outskirts of town after a trivial domestic quarrel, a writer named Tomas (James Franco) accidentally hits and kills a child. Will he be able to move on?

Director: Wim Wenders

Starring: James Franco, Rachel McAdams, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Peter Stormare

Trailer: Trailer "Every Thing Will Be FIne"

Comment: Very excited to see both James Franco and Rachel McAdams, two of my favorites!!!

The Witch

Description: New England, 1630: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life, homesteading on the edge of an impassible wilderness, with five children. When their newborn son mysteriously vanishes and their crops fail, the family begins to turn on one another. 'The Witch' is a chilling portrait of a family unraveling within their own fears and anxieties, leaving them prey for an inescapable evil.

Director: Robert Eggers

Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dicke, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger, Julian Richings

Trailer: Trailer "The Witch"

Comment: Aaaah.... witches always scare me.

A Brilliant Young Mind

Description: A socially awkward teenage math prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad.

Director: Morgan Matthews

Starring: Asa Butterfield, Rafe Spall, Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan

Trailer: Trailer "A Brilliant Young Mind"

Comment: I love Sally Hawkins!

Carol

Description: Set in 1950s New York, a department-store clerk (Rooney Mara) who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman (Cate Blanchett).

Director: Todd Haynes

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler

Trailer: Trailer "Carol"

Comment: Beautiful trailer.