20s Movie Review - One Life

Director: James Hawes
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Lena Olin, Johnny Flynn, Helena Bonham Carter, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp
Description: Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World Ward !!, rescued over 600 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 29: A FILM WITH HELENA BONHAM CARTER
 
Review: Prague, 1938. Englishman Nicholas Winton is persuaded to come and offer help. Nicholas arrives at a refugee camp where dozens of displaced Jewish families are living in the cold, homeless, and this is just one of many. Nichols is moved and knows that war could break out at any moment. He wants to try at least get the children out. That is easier sais than done.

The story alternates between the late 1930s with young Nicholas and the 1980s with Anthony Hopkins playing the elderly Winton. Old Nicholas is not comfortable in his own skin. He is know for his deep melancholy. Young Nicholas doesn’t realize that he is about to change lives, ones he and his team start getting Jewish children of the train to England.

It’s a story about a true hero, who did a completely selfless act and helped save over 600 children’s lives. The ending is very emotional and satisfying and it solves the mystery of old Nicholas’ negative attitude. As a World War II film, “One Life” is nothing new. But the story is about someone who deserves to be in mentioned, for all the good deeds he did, when other’s just looked away.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

80s Movie Review - The Elephant Man

Director: David Lynch
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 1980
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Freddie Jones, Hannah Gordon

Description: A Victortian surgeon (Anthony Hopkins) rescues a heavily disfigured man (John Hurt) who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication.  

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 29: A FILM THAT’S A CULT CLASSIC
 
Review: While visiting a so-called freak show, surgeon Frederick Treves comes upon the trail of the severely deformed John Merrick. As he gets to know Merrick better, his scientific interest gives way to sympathy.

“The Elephant Man” was produced by none other than comedy icon Mel Brooks. Yet there is little to laugh in this biographical film about the hapless John Merrick. In his own way,  director David Lynch turns Victorian London into a nightmare; a tangle of dark alleys populated by figures all preying on the vulnerable Merrick.

The oppressive atmosphere is enhanced by repeating shots of the old-fashioned machines that launched the industrial revolution. In doing so, Lynch evokes the ideao that there is no room in an industrial process for deviant parts: a sentiment that resonates with the Victorian community. Due to his hideous appearance, Merrick is seen by most as a blemish on society; a defect that does not contribute to the progress of society.

It is understandable that an eccentric filmmaker like Lynch would be drawn to “The Elephant Man”. John Hurt plays Johnn Merrick and this role was a huge ordeal, even for such an experiences actors as Hurt. It took seven hours to apply the make-up and prostetics and another two to remove it. And it looks so realistic. Hurt is unrecognizable and he is excellent. And very well assisted by Anthony Hopkins. In his role as the empathic Frederic Treves he serves as the viewer surrogate. Through Treves, we begin to see John Merrick as a human being rather than a curiosity. When Merrick eventually garners a place in British high society, we share Treves’ sadness at the realization that Merrick will always be defined by his appearance, despite his sophisticated personality.

Filmed in black and white, “The Elephant Man” is an engaging tragedy. With the acting of John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins as highlights and the great direction of Dacid Lynch.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Rebel Moon part 1: A Child of Fire

Director: Zack Snyder
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Anthony Hopkins

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 10: A SCIENCE FICTION FILM
 
Description: When a peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant moon finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical force, a mysterious stranger (Sofia Boutella) living among its villagers becomes their best hope for survival.

Review: There are many films out there that have stories and a premise that has been done before. “Rebel Moon” is one of those movies. It’s set exactly like “Star Wars” and has the plot of “Seven Samurai”. Very lazy Zack Snyder.  

In an oppressed galaxy, there is a planet with a farming village that supplies grain. The oppressors have discovered that less grain is bing recorded than produced. They visit the village and demand almost their entire harvest. Kora, one of the inhabitants, decides to travel into space to gather a team of warriors who can train her people to become fighters before the oppressors return.

I guess Snyder had a high budget, but the CGI looks pretty bad. It looks like a B-movie, but just slightly better. There is a lot going on in this movie, but not a lot of it is memorable. And for a so-called sci-fi epic, it’s pretty boring at times.

It’s save to say that I did not enjoy “Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire”. The sequel is coming to Netflix in April, which I’m not really interested in.

Rating: 2/ 5

Movie Review - The Father

Director: Florian Zeller
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Olivia Williams, Imogen Poots, Rufus Sewell, Mark Gatiss

Description: A man (Anthony Hopkins) refuses all assistance from his daughter (Olivia Colman) as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of hid reality.

Review: Anthony suffers from Alzheimer’s disease so his memory is beginning to fail him more and more. He doesn’t want to admit and accept that he needs care in his old age. He lives in with his daughter Anne and we see his condition getting worse.
Alzheimer’s disease has left so much suffering and grief. It’s a mental illness, there is nothing you can do but stand by and watch helplessly as someone you love slips away from you to the point that they may not even recognize you. “The Father” attempts for the first time to make the illness tangible and visualize it by highlighting the perspective of someone who suffers from it.
“The Father” manages to break free from the conventional way of storytelling in order to present us with something unique. All facets of film are pulled out to make us as disoriented as this broken old man who is slowly losing grip on reality.
The his ingeniously shown by playing with different aspects. Scenes are not entirely in chronological order, conversations can be partly fabricated in Anthony’s head, there are hallucinations of certain people who may not be there at all and even the furniture in Anthony’s apartment changes subtly throughout the film to show that he feels increasingly alienated from the outside world.
This angle tries to give us the most realistic look into the mind of someone with Alzheimer’s/ dementia. Like Anthony, you are frustrated-confused and along with him you are challenged to puzzle out to correct course of action. I have never seen a film that comes so dangerously close in depicting the mental state of someone with this horrific disease.
The film is carried by the Oscar-winning role of Anthony Hopkins. He is a veteran actor, in his eighties, but he still manages to win us all over. In everything he does, he is believable. Hopkins shows a range of emotion, where he can change in a fraction of seconds between being nice, funny, confused, sad and anxious. His final monologue leaves you heartbroken. And this perfectly describes this movie.
The film forms a fantastic whole, but also leaves room for your own interpretation. A great piece of cinema with a lesson in acting from Anthony Hopkins. A movie you seriously need to see!

Rating: 5/ 5

90s Movie Review - The Silence of the Lambs

Director: Jonathan Demme
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 1991
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald, Ted Levine, Brooke Smith, Paul Laxar, Frankie Faison, Kasi Lemmons, Dan Butler, Lawrence T. Wrents, Don Brockett, Frank Seals Jr., Stuart Rudin, Masha Skorobogatov

Description: A young F.B.I. cadet (Jodie Foster) must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer (Anthony Hopkins) to receive his help on catching another serial killer (Ted Levine) who skins his victims.

Review: One of the most terrifying serial killers in movie history is Dr. Hannibal Lecter (although Buffalo Bill always scared me more). According to Entertainment Weekly Hannibal the Cannibal is the most popular movie creep, even more then Freddy Krueger, Darth Vader, Norman Bates and Jaws. The performance by Anthony Hopkins is sublime. Besides being dangerous and scary, Hopkins manages to be charming and stylish which makes it somehow hard to hate him.
“The Silence of the Lambs” was a huge success and won five Academy Awards. Jodi Foster also does a fantastic job as the brave yet innocent Clarice. And the dialogues between Lecter and Clarice are so brilliant and memorable. It’s a cat and mouse game and both characters get so much depth because of it. And there is mutual fascination. Clarice does her best to get information from Lecter about serial killer Buffalo Bill, but at the same time she has to expose herself. Even though Lecter isn’t in the movie that much, for us viewers he is always there. Both Foster and Hopkins are magnificent, but it’s Hopkins that leaves an unforgettable impression.
“The Silence of the Lambs” is a fantastic film, a movie that gives me the chills every single time, a classic.

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Solace

Director: Afonso Poyart
Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Abbie Cornish, Colin Farrell, Marley Shelton, Kenny Johnson

Description: Psychic John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins) works with the F.B.I. in order to hunt down a serial killer.

Review: John Clancy is a retired psychic crime analyst. When FBI agent Joe Merriweather and his partner Katherine Cowles are confronted with a series of bizarre murders, Clancy is called in to help solve the case and find a serial killer.
Director Afonso Poyart choose not ta make his thriller a lingering whodunnit and pocuses on the psychological side of events. The tension lies in slowly revealing the killer’s exact motivations. For why is he killing seemingly random people, including a child? And, more importantly for the tension, how do you catch someone who already sees everything coming?
Unfortunately, the director delivers the not-very-original story like a double episode od a mediocre crime series. Clancy’s prophetic vision looks like they were ripped together from music videos and 90s thrillers. Full of shots of angelic girls with hair blowing in the wins and snarling wolves. Not only does the film look dated aesthetically; the biggest annoyance is the very mediocre and old-fashioned action, with the low point being a messy and dully portrayed car chase. With that, the camera work is really bad and it really bugs you at times.
Anthony Hopkins is not to blame, he is strong and his chemistry with Colin Farrell is very nice. Unfortunately their acting skills are embedded in a collection of dull conventions and contrived situations. For example, Joe is called away for a phone call as many as three times in the film, so Clancy and the skeptical Cowles are scooped up with each other. In doing so, the makes probably hoped to recall the masterful scenes between Hopkins and Jody Foster in “The Silence of the Lambs”. Without success.

Rating: 2/ 5

00s Movie Review - Red Dragon

Director: Brett Ratner
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson, Harvey Keitel, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ken Leung, Anthony Heald

Description: Will Graham is a retired FBI agent (Edward Norton) with psychological gifts. He is assigned to track down “The Tooth Fairy”, a mysterious serial killer. Aiding him is imprisoned forensic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins).

Review: FBI director Crawford wants nobody other then former FBI agent Will Graham to come out of retirement to work on the case of a serial killer called the Tooth Fairy. Will takes it and gets help from imprisoned forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter.
It’s a fairly simple story. In terms of structure, the film is a lot life “Silence of the Lambs”. “Red Dragon” is a prequel to that movie. And it’s also a remake of “Manhunter” from 1986, starring William Petersen, Brian Cox and Tom Noonan. Ridley Scott’s “Hannibal” was a bit disappointing, also since Jodie Foster didn’t reappear as Clarice Starling. And choosing Brett Ratner as a director was somewhat strange, since he is mostly known for comedies.
Although “Red Dragon” never reaches the high level of “Silence of the Lambs”, this is still a really strong and impactful thriller. What especially appeals is the terrifyingly convincing role played by Ralph Fiennes, as the Tooth Fairy. His performance is chilling and creepy. Edward Norton brings an enormous amount of intelligence to the role of Will Graham. But the best thing is Anthony Hopkins, reprising his most iconic role as Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
“Red Dragon” is a really good film, the best film in the series after “Silence of the Lambs”.

Rating: 4/ 5

Ranking the Franchise - Thor

I just rewatched all the “Thor” movies. And although it’s not one of the most consistent Marvel franchises, it is spectacular and memorable. This franchise is not finished yet, so I will probably ‘rerank’ this series when “Thor: Love and Thunder” is released. But for now, here is my ranking of the three “Thor” movies we already have.

3. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
There is enough to enjoy in this sequel, but in general it’s a bit bland. And the villain, Malekith, isn’t very interesting and we don’t really get to know much about him. Chris Hemsworth does feel more comfortable in his role and the final confrontation is pretty cool.

2. Thor (2011)
A film like this makes or breaks with its leading man. And with Chris Hemsworth they got the perfect guy. Not only is her one of the most beautiful people Hollywood has to offer, but he’s also charismatic and can easily carry a film this big. “Thor” is a great first film in a series.

1. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
When a sequel disappoints, it’s a very bold step to add another sequel and totally spin it around. That’s what director Taika Waititi did for “Thor: Ragnarok”. And I think all the Gods for bringing him in, because he dared to takes risks, add humor and self-mockery and make it a more colorful world. “Thor: Ragnarok” isn’t only the best movie centering its hero, but it’s also one of the best MCU movies to date. And are we lucky to have Waititi back for “Thor: Love and Thunder”.

10s Movie Review - Thor

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Genre: Adventure/ Action/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Renee Russo, Idris Elba, Jaime Alexander, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Clark Gregg, Jeremy Renner

Description: The powerful but arrogant Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

Review: Superheroes often carry a big burden. Whether it’s trying to control their super powers or hiding their identity; a hero has a big responsibility and has to deal with that daily. And that’s no different for Thor, the God of thunder.
The fate of the world is again hanging by a thread and the man with the hammer is the one to fight the evil. After he unleashes an ancient war with the Frost Giants, his father Odin banishes him for ignoring his orders and sends him to Earth. There it seems that Thor is unable to handle his hammer Mjolnir, until he shows that he is a true hero will he rekindle his powers.
Thor has a rich background story, as well from Norwegian mythology as the comic books that started in 1962. Thor is the only God amongst the Avengers. He comes from a world other then Earth. His world is visualized amazingly, it looks stunning.
Once Thor joins the Earthlings, there is room for humor. At first, Jane thinks he is a homeless guy, but when S.H.I.E.L.D. shows up Jane knows there is more to him. The humor never overshadows the action and the comedy is mostly very dry and always well-timed.
The creators try to avoid the black and white view on good and evil as much as possible. This makes for an interesting battle between brothers Thor and Loki, even though you know which one embodies good and which one is evil.
This is one of those films that makes or breaks due to the casting of its main hero. Chris Hemsworth stars in his first major role and he is the perfect choice. Hemsworth is undoubtably one of the most beautiful peope Hollywood has to offer, but with that he is also extremely charismatic and has humor that suits his character. Natalie Portman, who plays his love interest Jane, is mostly seen as the better actor of the two, but she never manages to step away from Hemsworth’s shadow. It feels more obligated for her.
“Thor” is a great film, highly entertaining and fun.

Rating: 4 / 5

TV Show Review - Westworld (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2018
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris, James Marsden, Tessa Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, Luke Hemsworth, Rodrigo Santoro, Jimmi Simpson

Description: Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, explore a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.

Review: On of the better new shows on HBO is without a doubt “Westworld”, which premiered its first season in 2016. This futuristic series takes the audience to a theme park of some sort, where rich people can let their fantasies come to life. Settings in which they wouldn’t dare to enter in the real life. And they can do anything in Westworld, steal, kill, rape, it will not have consequences. Because the victims are ‘robots’ made by Robert Ford and Bernard Lowe. And is Bernard that takes one of the most important roles in season 2. His character made for a huge plot twist in the first season.
After Ford dies, Bernard realizes a lot is going wrong in Westworld. The hosts, what they call the robots, start having memories and want to live their lives without being controlled by Delos’ company, who is also responsible for Westworld’s existence. Bernard starts his own investigation to the truth of what is happening and who is responsible for all the chaos. This brings him to lots of revelations about the happenings and himself. Delos’ troops are also send to stop the hosts from causing more trouble and chaos. Some of the hosts have completely set their own goals and want to go to the real world. Leader of the rebellion is Dolores Abernathy, who becomes relentless when trying to achieve her goals.
Another important storyline in season 2 is the mysterious man in black. He is one of the people that visited Westworld, but he never left and he is on a new mission. The last storyline that is of any importance is that of Maeve, who has memories of herself living in a house with her daughter, before she became the madame of prostitutes in a saloon. In her quest, she wants to find out the truth behind these memories.
The first season was surprising, unique, mind-blowing and had some surprising plot twists. the second season is just as great. Again great visuals, fantastic performances by the cast, plot twists and we get deeper into the characters and see backstories.
2020 will give us a third season, which will be different if I have to believe the trailer. But this second season definitely leaves us wanting more.

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 116: Thor: Ragnarok

Director: Taika Waititi
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkins, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tessa Thomspon, Karl Urban, Ray Stevenson, Clancy Brown

Description: Imprisoned, the almighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a lethal gladiatorial contest against the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), his former ally. Thor must fight for survival and race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home and the Asgardian civilization.

Review: Innovation and variation is becoming harder within the superhero genre. In the past 10 years, Marvel has brought us 17 movies. Because the characters keep meeting each other in each other’s movies, there is a chance the films lose their identity and become disposable. But Marvel has realized this and are heading into a different direction.
“Thor”Ragnarok” is a bit of a gamble. It’s a complete different route for the God of thunder, because it’s an unprecedented humoristic trip through the cosmos. And it’s a very welcome surprise, because continuing on the same way as “Thor: The Dark World” is simply not an option. Because that would mean that naïve Thor would fall for Loki’s shams all over again, when at the end of the first Avengers film, this relationship has been settled more the less.
All elements that are a threat to the levity of the film, have been removes and are just side issues. For instance, love interest Jane Foster isn’t in it and I’m not missing her.
“Thor: Ragnarok” left all seriousness aside, which makes it a good comedy with action in it. And that's all thanks to New Zealander Taika Waititi, who also directed “Hunt For the Winlderpeople”. And I love this director’s humor. He also voices one of the funnier characters in the movie.
Most memorable is the scene where Thor sees Hulk in the arena and adding the green hero to this film is a great addition. It’s fun to see a different side from him.
The biggest plus is that the world of Thor has become more colorful, in every way of the word. “Thor: Ragnarok” is the best in the trilogy and one of the best in the Marvel Cinemativ Universe. What an awesome movie!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 82: 360

Director: Fernando Meirelles
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Foster, Moritz Bleibtreu, Jamel Debbouze

Description: A dramatic thriller that weaves together the stories of an array of people from disparate social backgrounds through their intersecting relationships.

Review: “360” is a mosaic film where there are multiple storylines and characters that on some point intertwine and overlap. This theme can make a movie stronger. In “360” those storylines are further apart from each other and it never reaches the depth that it should have.
A sex offender that is released from prison and can’t touch any women, is approached by a charming girl at an airport. A driver for a criminal who is letting his own marriage fail because he is slaving for his boss. A call girl with a hidden agenda. “360” does have some intriguing storylines.
The real problem is that only a few storylines have been executed well. The rest is only half done. Which makes some connections a little farfetched or even useless.
Some characters give the film a little bit of hope. The sex offender is an intriguing character, but he doesn’t get a lot of attention. It’s fascinating how he struggles. And the storyline of the driver and a woman he meets on the street is very nice to watch too.
But most characters hardly have a chance to grow. Rachel Weisz and Jude Law play a married couple who find love outside their marriage. That’s really all there is. There are no motives or marriage problems revealed. The characters stay at a distant and are very one dimensional. And this goes for almost the entire film.
Like mostly in movies with a mosaic structure, there is no leading character. But there should be a central focal point and “360” is missing that. It could have been a really good movie, because I always love these kind of film. “360” just didn’t do it for me. Even Anthony Hopkins couldn’t make that happen.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 48: Thor: The Dark World

Director: Alan Taylor
Genre: Action/ Fantasy/ Adventure
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Renee Russo, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgård

Description: When Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) is possessed by a great power, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must protect her from a new threat of old times: the Dark Elves.

Review: A year after the happenings in “The Avengers”, Thor has to face a new enemy: Malekith. He’s the leader of the Dark Elves and out for revenge.
“Thor” was in 2011 a pleasant surprise and the superhero got even more popular after “The Avengers”. Alan Taylor took over the role as director from Kenneth Branagh. Taylor keeps the balance between action, drama and humor, but you also feel it all could have been a bit better.
The main antagonist, Malekith, doesn’t really shine and you hardly learn anything about the Dark Elves. Only the confrontation between him and Thor is a spectacle to look forward too.
Chris Hemsworth is starting to feel more comfortable as Thor. He really manages to shine and he’s a joy to watch in every sense of the word. His chemistry with Natalie Portman is still there, I like them together. And Tom Hiddleston, as Loki, does a solid job as well.
“Thor: The Dark World” is, like part one, a good Marvel film. Very entertaining and enough to keep me quiet for two hours.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Movie Villains

This week I picked the best movie villains. Characters that are just nasty, evil, sick and twisted. Here they are.

5. Hannibal Lecter (“The Silence of the Lambs”)
Hannibal Lecter is a charming and smart man and I think some people respect him somehow. But let's face it, he eats people, that's not very nice.

4. John Doe (“Seven”)
He kills people according to the seven deadly sins. Original and brilliant, but also pretty disturbing.

3. Hans Gruber (“Die Hard”)
Hans is a sophisticated villain with a sense of style. He is very polite for a bad guy, but maybe that’s why some people might underestimate him. You don’t want to mess with Hans Gruber.

2. Michael Myers (“Halloween”)
Always very coolly, slow walk, dark eyes and silent. He never says a word and that silent act makes him very scary.

1. Mr. Blonde (“Reservoir Dogs”)
The scene where he cuts that guys ear of and that poors it with gasoline. That's sick! Mr. Blonde, aka Vic Vega, wants to see his victims suffer before they actually die.

They almost made the top 5: Darth Vader (“Star Wars”), Freddy Krueger (“A Nightmare on Elmstreet”), Anton Chigurg (“No Country for Old Men”), Alex Forrest (“Fatal Attraction”), Tommy De Vito (“Goodfellas”), Jack Torrance (“The Shining”) and Elle Driver (“Kill Bill”)

Movie Tip #38 - The Wolfman

Director: Joe Johnston

Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving

Description: Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro), a haunted nobleman, is lured back to his family estate after his brother vanishes. Reunited with his estranged father (Anthony Hopkins), Talbot sets out to find his brother... and discovers a horrifying destiny for himself. Talbot's childhood ended the night his mother died. After he left the sleepy Victorian hamlet of Blackmoor, he spent decades recovering and trying to forget. But when his brother's fiancée, Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt), tracks him down to help find her missing love, Talbot returns home to join the search. He learns that something with brute strength and insatiable bloodlust has been killing the villagers, and that a suspicious Scotland Yard inspector named Aberline (Hugo Weaving) has come to investigate.

Review: I saw it yesterday and I am very enthousiastic about it. It's a remake of a movie from the 1940's and it has the atmosphere of a classical horror movie. Grim, dark, sober and very scary. The only difference with a classiscal horror movie is that this film actually has good acting in it. Benicio Del Toro has always been one of my favorites and he proves again why he is. Emily Blunt is a charming actress, she plays her role just right and her acting is perfect. She made a great duo with Del Toro. I don't have to convince you about Anthony Hopkins' acting, because just like Denzel Washington he's one of those actors that hardly ever stars in a 'bad' movie. The only down side was the running time of the film. It was only 102 minutes long, they could have stretched that a little bit. That's just a minor point, so don't let that stop you. "The Wolfman" was definitely worth the money and I could recommend it to every horror fan.