Netflix Friday - Volume 85

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

Action: 2 Guns (2013)
Two hardened criminals (Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg) get into trouble with the US border patrol after meeting with a Mexiacn drug lord, and then revelations start to unfold.
 

Drama: T2 Trainspotting (2017)
After 20 years abroad, Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to Scotland and reunites with his odl friends Sick Boy (Johnny Lee Miller), Spud (Ewan Bremner) and Begbie (Robert Carlyle).
 

Comedy: Blockers (2018)
Three parents (John Cena, Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz) try to stop their daughter from losing their virginity on prom night.
 

Animation: The Lorax (2012)
A 12-year-old boy (Zac Efron) searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams (Taylor Swift). To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax (Danny DeVito), the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.
 

Romance: Love Actually (2003)
Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.
 

Horror: World War Z (2013)
Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) traverses the world in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself.
 

Science Fiction: The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Freedom fighters Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) continue to lead the revolt against the Machine Army, unleashing their arsenal of extraordinary skills and weaponry against the systematic forces of repression and exploitation.
 

Crime: Thoroughbreads (2017)
Two upper-class teenage girls (Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy) in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems, no matter what the cost.
 

Thriller: The Debt (2010)
In 1965, three Mossad Agents (Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas) cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the Agents (Ciarán Hinds, Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson) share come back to haunt them.
 

Documentary: 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible (2021)
Fearless Nepali mountaineer Nimsdai Purja embarks on a seemingly impossible quest to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in seven months.
 

Family: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch (Jim Carrey) who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.

Five to Watch - Movies About Pandemics

With a global pandemic going on right now, I’m kind of surprised that I haven’t thought of this before. There are a ton of movies about pandemics and now is the time to list of few of them. The ones that you might not have heard about, are overlooked or underrated. Here are five movies about pandemics.

Contagion (2011)
After a business trip to Hong Kong, Beth from Minneapolis doesn’t feel well. Her flu turns out to be a virus infection, which is very contagious and very deadly. While the number of victims is rising rapidly, scientists from the Center of Disease Control and the World Health Organization are trying to get a grip on the disease. Meanwhile, a blogger sends all kinds of conspiracy theories out into the world, and massive panic breaks out. A pretty realistic thriller by David Soderbergh.

World War Z (2013)
When a global virus breaks out that turns people into rabid zombies, former UN employee Gerry Lane has to leave his family behind to bring salvation. The mix of small human drama and pandemic panic gives the film an impressive grandeur, which is enhanced by beautiful spectacle.

Outbreak (1995)
Military virus specialist Sam discovers an unprecedented deadly virus in two places in the US. He wants to take measures to prevent an epidemic, but for mysterious reasons is being thwarted by superiors. Director Wolfgang Petersen executed this well. It’s an exciting film, with the help of a great cast with amongst them Dustin Hoffman, Renee Russo, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey.

It Comes at Night (2017)
In a post-apocalyptic world, in which exposure to a virus leads to a horrific death, a family lives. Father, mother and teenage son live deep in the forest, in an almost completely plastic-covered country house. As always, the threat comes from the outside, but director Trey Edward Shult focuses more on te psychological effects that continuous living with that threat has on the family.

28 Days Later (2002)
A successful zombie film by Danny Boyle. After Jim wakes up from a coma in an empty hospital, London has changed: he finds only deserted neighborhoods and empty streets, with traces of a sudden flight of the population here and there. 28 days earlier, militant animal protectors have allowed a monkey infected with germs to escape from a laboratory, thus declaring a plague over England. Grainy images of empty street made with digital cameras reinforce the feeling of unease in this for the genre very intelligent film.

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 28: World War Z

Director: Mark Forster
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, David Morse, Matthew Fox, James Badge Dale, Fana Mokoena, Moritz Bleibtreu

Description: United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to destroy humanity itself.

Review: When a mysterious pandemic breaks out in the big cities of the US, the complete country panics. We see it through the eyes of the Lane family. Father Gerry is a former researcher for the UN and he needs to help out. But not just in America.
“World War Z” was filmed in 3D, but there is only a few scenes that need this. Some of the action sequences could be cooler in 3D, because the CGI is very nice. But in general it doesn’t really add anything extra.
The movie has some good scare effects, but it never really shocks. For instance, there is not one child that gets hit by the pandemic. The movie does immediately drag you into the story, because there is no time for introduction. The movie gets to the point very quickly.
I always like zombie – and apocalyptic movies, and “World War Z” gave me that. There are a couple of critical notes, but they aren’t big enough to bother me while watching this film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

DVD Collection Update (11)

Time for another DVD update. I bought some great new movies, some TV shows and a classic.

I'm really into Wes Anderson movies lately, I love his style and colorpalet. I wanted to see "Moonrise Kingdom" for a while, but it was pretty hard to find this movie. I already watched it, you can read a review on this blog. I loved it!

This movie really surprised me. I hardly ever buy movies where I doubt the opinion of reviewers. I didn't think "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" would be this good.

I saw "This is the End" in theatres with my brother. I knew I was going to like it, but it surprised my brother. He laughed really hard, just like me. So I just had to add this to my collection.

Remember last update, where I told you I asked for a DVD of "The Walking Dead" and my mom got me season 3 of "Waking the Dead". It was a happy accident, because I love the show and decided to buy the first two season as well. The show has 9 seasons, so I still have a lot of episodes to view.

When I first saw the trailer I wanted to see this in theatres no matter what. Well, I didn't... but now I own the DVD. Brad Pitt hunting zombies in "World War Z" sounds pretty amazing!

I was just talking to my brother the other day and I told him I hadn't seen "Ghostbusters" in a while. So when I saw the DVD in the store there was no doubt in my mind. I had to take it home with me.

I finally want to see why Daniel Day Lewis won an Oscar. "Lincoln" is going to be amazing, eventhough I haven't seen it before I know it beforehand.

And last I got season 8 of of "Supernatural". I really need my dose of Dean Winchester, because it feels like forever since I watched him in action.

Movie Trailer Sunday (66) 2013 Preview

Like last year I'm going to share with you trailers of movies I'm looking forward to seeing next year. Some of them I already shared in a previous "Movie Trailer Sunday". Here they are.

World War Z
Description: United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself.
Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox, David Morse
Trailer: Trailer "World War Z"
Comment: This was actually on my list last year, but there wasn't a trailer yet. Now there is and I'm super stoked about this film.

Monster's University
Description: Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) are an inseparable pair, but that wasn't always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn't stand each other. "Monsters University" unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.
Director: Dan Scanlon
Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray, Peter Sohn
Trailer: Trailer "Monster's University"
Comment:

Ganster Squad
Description: Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and--if he has his way--every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It's enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop...except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen's world apart.
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Emma Stone, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Robert Patrick, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Peña
Trailer: Trailer "Gangster Squad"
Comment: I really don't want to skip this movie in 2013!

Zero Dark Thirty
Description: "Zero Dark Thirty" focuses on the black ops mission to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, which culminated in his death during a high-stakes raid on his compound in Pakistan.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Jessica Chastain, Edgar Ramirez, Mark Strong, Kyle Chandler, Nash Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle, Harold Perrineau, Frank Grillo
Trailer: Trailer "Zero Dark Thirty"
Comment: I heard so many great things about this film.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Description: We follow the siblings Hansel and Gretel (Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton) 15 years after the incident at the gingerbread house. The two are now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set.
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare
Trailer: Trailer "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters"
Comment: I love darker versions of fairytales!

Oz the Great and Powerful
Description: When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he's hit the jackpot-fame and fortune are his for the taking--that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity--and even a bit of wizardry-Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Zach Braff, Bruce Campbell
Trailer: Trailer "Oz the Great and Powerful"
Comment: You know I love James so I have to see this. And Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz are all great too. And the visuals look fantastic. I'm in!

The Great Gatsby
Description: We follow would-be writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.
Director: Baz Luhrman
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher
Trailer: Trailer "The Great Gatsby"
Comment: It looks amazing.

To the Wonder
Description: Marina (Olga Kurylenko) and Neil (Ben Affleck) meet in France and move to Oklahoma to start a life together, where problems soon arise. While Marina makes the acquaintance of a priest and fellow exile (Javier Bardem), who is struggling with his vocation, Neil renews a relationship with a childhood sweetheart, Jane (Rachel McAdams).
Director: Terence Mallick
Starring: Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, Javier Bardem
Trailer: Trailer "To the Wonder"
Comment: Shared it last week, but this looks so amazing!

Movies I'm lookig forward to seeing, but don't have a trailer yet: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The World's End, Kick-Ass 2, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Knight of Cups, Twelve Years as a Slave

Movie Trailer Sunday (59)

This weeks trailers are about an ex-CIA agent, dinosaurs, zombies, more zombies and a christmas killer.

A Dark Truth
Description: An ex-CIA op-turned political talk show host (Andy Garcia) iss hired by a corporate whistle blower to expose her company's cover-up of a massacre in a South American village.
Director: Damien Lee
Starring: Andy Garcia, Kim Coates, Deborah Kara Unger, Eva Longoria, Forest Whitaker
Trailer: Trailer "A Dark Truth"

Jurassic Park 3D
Description: During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Samuel L. Jackson, BD Wong, Wayne Knight
Trailer: Trailer "Jurassic Park 3D"
Comment: This is a perfect movie to rereleas in 3D. I'm going to the theatres!!!

Warm Bodies,
Description: After a zombie epidemic, R (Nicholas Hoult) - a highly unusual zombie - encounters Julie (Teresa Palmer) - a human survivor - , and rescues her from a zombie attack. Julie sees that R is different from the other zombies, and as the two form a special relationship in their struggle for survival, R becomes increasingly more human, setting off an exciting, romantic, and often comical chain of events that begins to transform the other zombies and maybe even the whole lifeless world.
Director: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, John Malkovich, Analeigh Tipton, Dave Franco
Trailer: Trailer "Warm Bodies"
Comment: Looks fun!

World War Z
Description: United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself.
Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox, David Morse
Trailer: Trailer "World War Z"
Comment: Another zombie movie, but I've been waiting for this trailer a long time. This is my favorite of the week.

Silent Night
Description: Santa is back, and he's got a brand new bag of tricks. As their small midwestern town prepares for its annual Christmas Eve parade, Sheriff (Malcolm McDowell) and his deputy (Jaime King) discover that a maniac in a Santa suit is murdering those he judges as "naughty." Their sins? Porn, adultery, greed... And he will make sure they rest in heavenly pieces.
Director: Steven C. Miller
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Jamie King, Donal Logue, Ellen Wong, Lisa Marie, Brendan Fehr
Trailer: Trailer "Silent Night"
Comment: Very cheesy, but why not.