Rwatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 21

I decided to rewatch my 100 favorite movies of all-time. What those are, you can check HERE. I watch them in random order, there is no rhyme or reason there, just watching those movies I love so much.
 

70/ 100: Warrior (2010)
A story about two brothers, both MMA-fighters, who are estranged and both have a difficult relationship with their father. A sports film with emotional depth and amazing performances by Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte. Click HERE to read my full review.
 

71/ 100: The Godfather (1972)
Don Vito Corleone is at the head of his family business, when he wants his youngest son Michael to take over from him. “The Godfather” is an epic, timeless classic, the best mafia movie ever made and an influential film for Hollywood. Please make sure to check out my full review HERE.
 

72/ 100: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Andy Dufresne is sentenced to life in prison in 1947 for the murder of his wife and her lover. Prison life is horrific and violent, but Andy befriends fellow inmate Red and cleverly manages to fall in line with the cruel guards. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman provide excellent counterpoints to each other, the clever script and tight direction ensured that the film is a favorite on many lists. It’s at the top of mine, still, after so many years. HERE is my full review.
 
Still to watch: 28

10s Movie Review - Warrior

Director: Gavin O’Connor
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 140 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison, Denzel Whitaker, Frank Grillo, Kurt Angle, Noah Emmerich

Description: The youngest son (Tom Hardy) of an alcoholic former boxer (Nick Nolte) returns home, where he's trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament - a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his estranged, older brother (Joel Edgerton).

Review: MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is a brutal sport for some. For others it’s the most exciting sport on the planet. If you think “Warrior” is a 140 minute long film about knock outs and bloody fighters, you’re wrong. This film goes much deeper.

Tommy, an ex-marine who fought in Iraq, returns to his home town Philadelphia after being absent for 14 years. There he is reunited with his father Paddy, a former alcoholic and the reason that Tommy fled with his mother. Tommy wants to restore his band with Paddy, by working together. Tommy wants to attend an MMA tournament where he can win 5 million dollars. Tommy’s older brother Brendan has the same idea.

I’m not going to compare it with “Rocky” or “Raging Bull”. That’s not fair,  unnecessary and “Warrior” is great on its own. The three leading men, Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte are all fantastic. Hardy manages to bring a certain intensity to the screen, but there is also some melancholy and aggression. The mixed emotions and him fighting with them is amazing to see. Nick Nolte adds up to that, by playing maybe his best role ever. Edgerton shows the same passion, but with more modesty.
The character development is so strong and there is a real good build up to that final fight. When we come to that final fight, you get chills all over your body. An amazing soundtrack, with a song from “The National” in the final scene, only helps the intensity of that scene.

Although “Warrior” maybe not the most original story, it’s the total package that counts. And that’s way above average. I love “Warrior” and its great performances.

Rating: 5/ 5

Netflix Friday - Vol. 113

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

Action: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Seven gunmen from a variety of backgrounds are brought together by a vengeful young widow to protect her town from the private army of a destructive industrialist.
 

Drama: Warrior (2011)
The youngest son (Tom Hardy) of an alcoholic former boxer (Nick Nolte) returns home, where he's trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament - a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his estranged, older brother (Joel Edgerton).
 

Comedy: Dream Horse (2020)
Dream Alliance is an unlikely race horse bred by small-town Welsh bartender Jan Vokes (Toni Collette). With no experience, Jan convinces her neighbors to chip in their meager earnings to help raise Dream in the hopes he can compete with the racing elites.
 

Animation: Child of Kamiari Month (2021)
A year after losing her mother, a little girl learns that she must journey across Japan to the annual gathering of gods in the sacred land of Izumo.
 

Romance: Love & Gelato (2022)
Lina makes a promise to her sick mother that she'll spend the summer before college in Rome, where she falls for the city, the people - and the "gelato".
 

Horror: The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga) travel to North London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by a supernatural spirit.
 

Science Fiction: Men in Black (1997)
A police officer (Will Smith) joins a secret organization that polices and monitors extraterrestrial interactions on Earth.
 

Crime: Way Down (2020)
Follows a genius engineering graduate (Freddie Highmore) who is interested in the Bank of Spain's safe.
 

Thriller: Shutter Island (2010)
In 1954, a U.S. Marshal (Leonardo DiCaprio) investigates the disappearance of a murderer who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane.
 

Documentary: The Hidden Life of Pets (2022)
Bow wows and purr-fect pets. Meet amazing creatures from around the world and dig into the latest science on our animal friends' senses and skills.
 

Family: Spy Kids (2001)
Using high tech gadgets, two kids have to save their reactivated OSS top spy parents when they're taken by an evil, high tech enemy.

Five to Watch - Movies About Pursuing Your Dreams

“A Star is Born” has just hit the theaters and I can’t wait to see it. This movie gave me the idea for this theme: movies were characters chase their dreams. These films are a true inspiration to those who want to pursue their dreams. I picked films I find very good and somehow they flew under the radar, are underrated or seriously overlooked. Here are my five picks for movies about pursuing your dreams.

Big Fish
Throughout his life, Edward Bloom has been a man of fierce passion and tall tales. In his later years, he remains a huge mystery to his son William. In an effort to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures. Edward is a man who did everything to have a happy life.

Under the Tuscan Sun
Frances is a writer who just saw her marriage fall apart. She goes on a trip to Tuscany and impulsively decides to buy a villa and build her new life there. Secretly, this would be a life I want to live. It’s such a dreamy place to live. .

Warrior
This is an amazin sports drama that supassed all expectations. The film isn’t about touch fighters who can crash all those who stand in their way. It’s about relationship between fathers and sons, brotherhood, fighting for your family, making dreams reality and second chances. .

The Pursuit of Happyness
It’s based on the real life of Chris Gardner, a single father struggling with homelessness while raisin a toddler. It’s one of the most heartwarming and motivational movies ever. The struggles of the father-son duo and his perseverance to follos his dream, even during the toughest of times. It will motivate you to keep pursuing your own.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
So often we dream about changing our life and take a 180-degree turn for one step forward. This is a story about a little man who pulled himself together and decided to change his life for the better. Walter Mitty is a hero of a real life fairytale, a tale which miracles are possible and can be found right under your nose.

Best & Worst: Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy keeps making great movies and has only a very few big misses. Here are my picks for Tom Hardy’s best and worst movies.

 

 

You would think it’s just another fighting movie, but it’s not. A has deeper layers, fantastic performances and great music. I love “Warrior”, it breaks my heart every time.

Honorable Mentions: “Mad Max Fury Road”, “The Drop”, “Locke”, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”, “Bronson”, “Inception”, “The Dark Knight Rises”, “Layer Cake”

 

 

I still don’t know what Tom Hardy is doing in this film. First off all, I’m not a Reese Whiterspoon fan and why does she get to date both Tom Hardy and Chris Pine? And this film is super cheesy and unfunny. I would like to forget about this movie, I saw it on an airplane once.

Dishonorable Mentions: -

Top 5 Thursday: Movies from 2011

This was an incredibly good movie year, at least for me. It gave me some of my favorites, that I also own on DVD and I can watch over and over again.

5. Warrior
Only saw it once, but it left a big impression on me. Such a good film, that was overlooked if you ask me. And the music in the last scene was just perfect.

4. The Help
A total guarantee to make me cry every time. The book is great and the director captured it very well. A movie carried by women.

3. Drive
It’s really hard to explain this movie to people who haven’t seen it. It’s just such an amazing movie experience.

2. 50/ 50
The difficult theme is brought to us with such wit and heart without it ever being a sob story. Fantastic acting by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

1. Midnight in Paris
I’m in love with Paris, but also with this film. Woody Allen did such a great job and Owen Wilson was the perfect guy to play Gil Pender.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Jane Eyre, Bridesmaids, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, My Week with Marilyn, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Muppets

DVD Collection Update (3)

Five new Dvd's in my collection.

A guy on youtube keeps talking about this movie, so I just needed to check it out. "Warrior" with Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte. Where was I when this movie came out, because it's amazing! It's also a steelbook so it looks great in my collection.

"That Thing You Do" is a movie I saw a lot of times, but I hadn't seen it in a while. I want to own everything with Tom Hanks in it eventually, so bumping into this film was just pure luck. Oh, and I don't get annoyed by te song they sing over and over again in this movie.

This movie never hit the theaters in my country, but I did know about it. Some great actors in this movie: Sam Worthingtn, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jessica Chastain, Chloë Grace Moretz and Stephen Graham. I actually watched "Texas Killing Fields" last night and it's pretty good.

I'm in love with the show "Sherlock". Or as fans call it: I'm Sherlocked! I just love the concept of a modern day version of the famous Sherlock Holmes stories. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are both perfectly cast. Season 2 is now on my shelve and I'm damn proud of it!

Haven't seen this one yet, but looking forward to watching both Ryan Gosling and George Clooney in "The Ides of March". Just the movie poster is amazing.

Movie Trailer Sunday (1)

I love trailers and I'm the only one in my circle of friends/ family that actually wants to see the previews in the movie theater. So that's why I decided to share with you my favorite new trailers of the week, every sunday. Sometimes I will comment on the trailer. So here are my favorites of this week.

Janie Jones
Description: Janie Jones (Abigail Breslin), a young girl who has been abandoned by her former-groupie mother (Elisabeth Shue), informs a fading rock star (Alessandro Nivola) that she is his daughter.
Director: David M. Rosenthal
Starring: Abigail Breslin, Alessandro Nivola, Elisabeth Shue and Peter Stormare
Trailer: "Janie Jones" Trailer
Comment: I like Alessandro Nivola and I'm glad that he finally got an important lead. And Abigail Breslin steals my heart every single time.

A Dangerous Method
Description: Into the already complex relationship between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and his mentor Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) arrives a young Russian woman diagnosed with hysteria (Keira Knightley).
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Viggo Mortenson, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley and Vincent Cassel
Trailer: "A Dangerous Method" Trailer
Comment: I smell an Oscar for Keira Knigthley...

The Rum Diary
Description: Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) is a freelance journalist who finds himself at a critical turning point in his life while writing for a run-down newspaper in the Caribbean. Paul is challenged on many levels as he tries to carve out a more secure niche for himself amidst a group of lost souls all bent on self-destruction.
Director: Bruce Robinson
Starring: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Aaron Eckhart and Giovanni Ribisi
Trailer: "The Rum Diary" Trailer

Margaret
Description: 17-year-old Margaret (Anna Paquin) is a New York City high-school student who feels certain that she inadvertently played a role in a traffic accident that has claimed a woman's life. In her attempts to set things right she meets with opposition at every step. Torn apart with frustration, she begins emotionally brutalizing her family, her friends, her teachers, and most of all, herself. She has been confronted quite unexpectedly with a basic truth: that her youthful ideals are on a collision course against the realities and compromises of the adult world.
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Starring: Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno
Trailer: "Margaret" Trailer

Warrior
Description: Haunted by a tragic past, Marine Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) returns home for the first time in fourteen years to enlist the help of his father (Nick Nolte) to train for Sparta, the biggest winner-takes-all event in mixed martial arts history. A former wrestling prodigy, Tommy blazes a path toward the championship while his brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), an ex-fighter-turned teacher, returns to the ring in a desperate bid to save his family from financial ruin. But when Brendan's unlikely, underdog rise sets him on a collision course with the unstoppable Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront each other and the forces that pulled them apart, facing off in the most soaring, soul stirring, and unforgettable climax that must be seen to be believed.
Starring: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte and Jennifer Morrisson
Trailer: "Warrior" Trailer
Comment: Looks awesome, love Tom Hardy.