Movie Review - Frankenstein

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Horror/ Fantasy
Runtime: 149 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Charles Dance, David Bradley. Lars Mikkelsen, Felix Kammerer, Ralph Ineson
 
Description: Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature (Jacob Elordi) to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creature.
 
Review: I think “Frankenstein” is one of the books with the most movie adaptations in its name. And if I could have chosen a director for the 2025 version, I would have definitely picked Guillermo del Toro. He is suited for this story, he knows how to visualize classics like “Frankenstein”. And I wasn’t wrong, because it’s so good.

We all know the story. Victor Frankenstein is an ambitious, somewhat egotistical scientist, who brings a creature to life. This eventually leads to the undoing of both him and his creation.

Guillermo del Toro manages to bring Mary Shelley’s gothic style to life. The visuals are stunning. The aesthetics, the sets, costumes and atmosphere are all spot on.  The film is layered, which is closer to Mary Shelley’s book and explores important themes such as creation, humanity and identity. The focus on the romantic connection between the monster and Elizabeth, and Victor’s resulting jealousy is an interesting addition to the original story.

The performances are really strong. The absolute star is Oscar Isaac, who portrays a layered Dr. Frankenstein and conveys his madness fantastically. Jacob Elordi is a surprising choice for the monster. He breaks through his “hunk” image he built up with previous roles. He plays the role credibly and vulnerably. Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz proves strong supporting roles and add extra color to the ensemble.

Many people criticize the slow pace, but they clearly never read the book. I think the pacing is perfect, taking time to tell the story and get to know the characters. It’s a long film, but I never felt that.
I absolutely loved this adaptation of “Frankenstein”.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

TV Show Review - Only Murders in the Building (Season 5)

Season: 5
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Crime/ Mystery
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2025
Starring: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Tina Fey, Meryl Streep, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Cyril Creighton, Téa Leoni, Renee Zellweger, Christoph Waltz, , Dianne Wiest, Keegan-Michael Key, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Logan Lerman, Beanie Feldstein

Description: While investigating the mysterious “accidental” death of their beloved doorman Lester, Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) are lead to clues outside Manhattan into some dangerous territory.
 
Review: “Only Murders in the Building” is my favorite comfort show for the fall season, a cozy murder mystery to wrap your head around. At the end of season 4, crime podcasters Oliver, Charles and Mabel, found their doorman Lester dead in the fountain. We pick up the story in the first episode of season 5.

There is nothing new to the formula, another murder in the building and the three amateur sleuths are trying to solve it. This season the world of organized crime is added to it, bringing us a ton of new characters and guest roles. Among these famous actors are Renee Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz (who is underused), Bobby Cannavale, Téa Leoni, Beanie Feldstein, Keegan-Michael Key and Dianne Wiest.

The mix of humor and mystery is still present, one of the reasons why I love this show so much. But the dynamic between Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez is my favorite part. And it’s still strong. They have so much chemistry and it remains the highlight of the series. I also love it when Da’Vine Joy Randall’s character Detective Donna Williams is added to the mix. She is my favorite supporting characters, who we met in previous seasons.

I think the plot of this season is not as strong as previous seasons, but it was still entertaining and the mystery is enjoyable to unravel. And yet again, we are left on a cliffhanger, a set-up for a new season. Which has already been confirmed. Cannot wait. I could watch these three amateur sleuths all day.

00s Movie Review - Inglorious Basterds

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 152 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Brühl, B.J. Novak, Eli Roth, Til Schweiger, Mike Myers, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Fassbender, Cloris Leachman, Gedeon Burkhard

Description: In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same.

Review: When the name Quentin Tarantino os on a movie poster, I’m in! He is probably my favorite director of all time and he has a fantastic resume (all but one film). His style is unique, his dialogues are memorable and quotable and the characters are unforgettable. “Inglourious Basterds” is definitely one of my favorites.

“Inglourious Basterds” shows an alternative history of World War II. In this version there is a group of infiltrating soldiers called the Basterds. It’s their task to scare the occupants by killing Nazis in the most brutal ways. They are led by Aldo Raine and all of the men are Jewish Americans. During their quest, the get together with the German actress Bridget von Hammersmark, who also works as a spy.

This film is again filled with amazing characters. It’s a bizarre potpourri of people, that are hard to believe to be real, but are convincing anyway. Brad Pitt portrays Aldo Raine in the most fantastic way. Hilarious even. Mélanie Laurent is a great newcomer, as Shoshanna Dreyfuss, who wants revenge for the death of her family. But Christoph Waltz is probably the greatest discovery of the ‘00s. As Hans Landa is manages to scare you, charm you and disgust you at the same time. What a fantastic performance and also one of Tarantino’s best characters ever.

Like I stated before, Tarantino knows how to write great dialogue. And that’s no different here. The dialogues are long, but never dull. The conversations stay interesting and the situations original.
“Inglourious Basterds” is a film that I can enjoy every single time, even due to the length of the film. It’s a must for every Tarantino fan. No, for every movie fan. Last correction: it’s a must for everyone!

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Drama/ Family/ Musical/ Adventure/ Animation
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz
 
    
Description: A father’s wish magically brings a wooden boy to life in Italy, giving him a chance to care for the child.

Review: The story of Pinocchio has been filmed dozens of times. Earlier in 2022, we saw the lifeless Disney remake appear on their streaming service. Even though it had my favorite, Tom Hanks, in it, please forget about this film. As visionary director Guillermo del Toro does manage to put a unique spin on the famous story. With stop-motion.

The details are amazing; everything is designed as authentically as possible. Strong also how he sometimes moves the camera continuously through the image for a long time, which must be incredibly difficult with this form of animation. As always with stop-motion animation, it’s very visible that it’s been made with love.

Del Toro added a dose of realism to his version of “Pinocchio”. For example, the plot takes place during World War I and World War II. But the familiar plot elements are also present, like Pinocchio being exploited as a circus attraction.

It’s great to see what Del Toro with the already so familiar characters. Gepetto is a very tragic character here, a father who is still mourning over his deceased son, but must accept that Pinocchio cannot replace him. The cricket is also woven into the story in an original way; he lived in the tree from which the wood that made Pinocchio was used. That way, he follows Pinocchio everywhere he goes.

Del Toro tries to keep it somewhat kid-friendly by adding musical numbers, but these are not the most memorable parts of the film. Overall the film has a grim atmosphere, which makes it not always appropriate for the youngest of viewers. It’s a dark twist on the well-know tale, which overflows with creativity.

Of all the “Pinocchio” movie made over the past 5 years, this is the one to watch. The rest, easily forgettable.

Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - No Time to Die

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Genre: Action/ Thriller/ Adventure
Runtime: 163 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Ana De Armas, Jeffrey Wright, Ben Wishaw, Naomie Harris, Lashana Lynch, Billy Magnussen, Christoph Waltz

Description: James Bond (Daniel Craig) has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

Review: Much has been said and written about the new Bond film. The press is praising “No Time to Die”. Many even claim it to be the best Bond-film ever. I’m not with them, at all.
With “No Time to Die”, Daniel Crag’s story in the 007 saga comes to an end. For the actor, who first appeared in “Casino Royale”, the 25^th Bond movie had to become the crown jewel after his five film portraying the secret agent.
“No Time to Die” kicks off with a downright terrifying opening scene where this films main villain Lyutsifer Safin shows up at a lake house terrorizing a family, who he claimed has killed his. At least the father did.
This installment of the immense popular James Bond franchise aims more at the heart than at action-packed scenes. Which makes it different. But not at all something I expect or want when I choose to watch a film about 007. The film does have some amazing action sequences, but when not “No Time to Die” can be a bit boring at times. I’m not really interested in a heartfelt James Bond to be honest.
Apart from that opening scene, Rami Malek as the Bond-villain, doesn’t really impress. I also believe his motives are a bit weird. He wants revenge for something that has been done to him, but eventually does the same. And Ana de Armas, who has a small role as secret agent Paloma, is highly underused. She had great chemistry with Daniel Craig and I wished she was in the film more.  
Cinematographically, there is nothing to criticize. All the scenes were beautiful made and the film looks stunning. Daniel Craig, reprising his role as James Bond for the last time, is also great. He is one of the best James Bonds ever.
“No Time to Die” is by no means a bad movie, but is definitely not the best or even one of the best James Bond films. Craig had his highlight with “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall”. I think it’s still a worthy goodbye to him as the iconic special agent, but I wasn’t a fan.

Rating: 3/ 5 

Movie Review - Georgetown

Director: Christoph Waltz
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Vanessa Redgrave, Christoph Waltz, Annette Bening

Description: Ulrich Mott (Christoph Waltz), an ambitious social climber, marries a wealthy widow (Vanessa Redgrave) in Washington D.C. in order to mix with powerful political players.

I WATCHED THIS FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 32: A MOVIE WITH A NAME IN THE TITLE
 
Review: Christoph Waltz plays the charming Ulrich Mott, an ambitious social climber, who marries the much older Elsa. This way he can come in contact with powerful political players. Elsa’s daughter Amanda doesn’t trust Ulrich. With “Georgetown”, Waltz debuts as a director.
I was really interested when I read the plot, but the film is not that memorable. It has some twists, but nothing surprising. And Waltz’s character is not that different from most characters  he plays. I was actually kind of bored with this film.
“Georgetown” is an easy forgettable film, with fine actors and performances and an okay plot, but doesn’t offer us anything new or special.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Inglourious Basterds

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Genre: Action/ Thriller
Runtime: 152 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Brühl, B.J. Novak, Eli Roth, Til Schweiger, Mike Myers, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Fassbender, Gedeon Burkhard

Description: In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same.
Review: When the name Quentin Tarantino is on a movie poster, I’m in! He is probably my favorite director of all time and he has a fantastic resume (all but one film). His style is unique, his dialogues are memorable and quotable and the characters are unforgettable. “Inglourious Basterds” is definitely one of my favorites.
“Inglourious Basterds” shows an alternative history of World War II. In this version there is a group of infiltrating soldiers called the Basterds. It’s their task to scare the occupants by killing Nazis in the most brutal ways. They are led by Aldo Raine and all of the men are Jewish Americans. During their quest, the get together with the German actress Bridget von Hammersmark, who also works as a spy.
This film is again filled with amazing characters. It’s a bizarre potpourri of people, that are hard to believe to be real, but are convincing anyway. Brad Pitt portrays Aldo Raine in the most fantastic way. Hilarious even. Mélanie Laurent is a great newcomer, as Shoshanna Dreyfuss, who wants revenge for the death of her family. But Christoph Waltz is probably the greatest discovery of the ‘00s. As Hans Landa is manages to scare you, charm you and disgust you at the same time. What a fantastic performance and also one of Tarantino’s best characters ever.
Like I stated before, Tarantino knows how to write great dialogue. And that’s no different here. The dialogues are long, but never dull. The conversations stay interesting and the situations original.
“Inglourious Basterds” is a film that I can enjoy every single time, even due to the length of the film. It’s a must for every Tarantino fan. No, for every movie fan. Last correction: it’s a must for everyone!

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Muppets Most Wanted

Director: James Bobin
Genre: Comedy/ Adventure/ Family/ Musical/ Crime
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, Zack Galifianakis, Tom Hiddleston, Ray Liotta, Danny Trejo, Christoph Waltz, Josh Groban, Céline Dion, Peter Serafinowicz, Usher Raymond, Salma Hayek, Stanley Tucci, Lady Gaga, Chloë Grace Moretz, Hugh Bonneville, Tom Hollander

Description: While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into an European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick.

Review: In 2010 The Muppets made their comeback with an amazing film that was filled with humor, emotion and great music. Off course there had to be another sequel, hoping for that same success.
In “Muppets Most Wanted” the Muppets go on a world tour, led by Dominic. They don’t know that Dominic actually has some evil plans, he is the right hand of Constantine, the most dangerous frog in the world and Kermit’s doubleganger. During the tour, Dominic makes sure Kermit and Constantine switch places. Constantine will tour with the Muppets and Kermit will be send to the Goelag. This way Constantine and Dominic can plan big heists in each city the visit.
The movie starts with a fun song about sequels, mocking Hollywood and themselves. Sequels are never as good, but bring in the money. This is also the fact for “Muppets Most Wanted”. It’s never the same level as “ The Muppets” from 2011. It’s still a fun movie, with lots of humorous moments and fun cameos. And the songs are fun too.
I likes Ricky Gervais as villain Dominic and I especially loved Ty Burrell as the French Interpol agent. And I have to admit, The Muppets always make me smile. No matter what.

Rating: 3 / 5

Movie Reviews - Downsizing

Director: Alexander Payne
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Udo Kier, Jason Sudeikis, Neil Patrick Harris, Laura Dern

Description: A social satire in which a man (Matt Damon) realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself to five inches tall, allowing him to live in wealth and splendor.

Review: What would you do if you had the option to shrink, which means your money is worth so much more.
In Alexander Payne’s new movie, this is the question at the start of the film. Paul and Audrey are your every day couple, with not a lot to spend. They want more space and nice things, but that’s simply not possible with their payments. Paul sees a Norwegian professor in the news, who managed to shrink people. A great invention, because you would waist less and everything you have is worth more.
A couple of years after the experiment, ‘downsizing’ is a popular procedure. More people choose to be downsized, like friends of Paul and Audrey. They tell them how amazing it is and how it changed their lives in a good way. And especially because their money is worth more. Paul and Audrey are also thinking about downsizing. If they sell everything, they can live as a king and queen. It’s the solution for all their problems.
After the downsizing process in the film, the movie goes downhill. New plots unfold, which makes to story go in so many different directions. Payne loses focus and towards the end the story goes into another direction, which makes it feel endless. “Downsizing” has such an interesting starting point, but this all gets a little lost.
“Downsizing” is a bit of a mess, but there is still a lot to enjoy. De first half is fast paced, filled with humor and has really nice scenes. Matt Damon is really good and most supporting roles are well performed. At the end, you’re left with mixed feelings. I really love Alexander Payne’s work, but “Downsizing” is not one of my favorites.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 119: Tulip Fever

Director: Justin Chadwick
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Christoph Waltz, Dane DeHaan, Holiday Grainger, Tom Hollander, Jack O’Connell, Judi Dench, Zach Galifianakis, Matthew Morrison, Kevin McKidd, Cara Delevingne

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.

Review: In the Golden Age, tulip fever drove everyone crazy in The Netherlands. Anyone with enough florins joined the trade. In shady bars the most exotic tulips were auctioned, sometimes even before seeing them. In “Tulip Fever” this sets the background of he story of a forbidden romance between a married woman and an artist. Together they scheme a plan to flee the life they are living now.
Cornelis Sandvoort marries the much younger Sophia. He want a beautiful portrait of them and he hires painter Jan van Loos. A decision he will later regret. Because Jan falls madly in love with Sophia and they start a passionate affair.
Cornelis is a old man, who someone you can never sympathize with. He is a cold man who only married Sophia for one reason: to get a son. His personal losses from a previous marriage make him not any more human. It’s not that strange that Sophia seeks the love of another man. But she doesn’t seem this unhappy with Cornelis either. The motives of the characters are so shallow and bland. Sad, because director Justin Chadwick managed to get so many fantastic actors.
Somehow Sophia feels the love for Jan right after the first portrait session and immediately wants to flee from her husband. The chemistry between Alicia Vikander and Dane DeHaan never really convinces. And they hardly pay any attention to Sophia’s conscience, only in the last couple of minutes of the film.
The film rushes, the ‘master plan’ feels a bit improbable and sometimes comes off as ridiculous. “Tulip Fever” lacks of subtlety and the characters are somewhat soulless.
I was so excited for this film, but man did this disappoint me! I hate when that happens.

Rating: 2/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 97: The Legend of Tarzan

Director: David Yates
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Djimon Hounsou

Description: Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård), having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment.

Review: “The Legend of Tarzan” is the newest film directed by David Yates, whom we mostly know for his “Harry Potter” films. This is the first film since and before he returns to the wizard world with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. Can Yates make this other book series into a success? Personally, I wasn’t very excited about this film.
Leon Rom works for the Belgian king Leopold. In his name he is send to Africa to find valuable diamonds. Unfortunately for Rom, Mbonga, the leader of an African tribe isn’t, planning on handing these diamonds over to him. Mbonga does want to make a deal: when Rom can deliver him Tarzan, he is willing to give the diamons to him.
“The Legend of Tarzan” isn’t an origian story. We meet Tarzan when he has already left the jungle and leads a life in England as John Clayton, with his wife Jane. Under false pretenses, the couple is lured to Africa. They immediately fall into the trap of Rom, where Jane is abdicted and Tarzan has to save her.
There have been many movies about Tarzan, even a Disney film and a couple of tv shows. But in 2016 Africa isn’t as mysterious as it was a hundred years ago, when these stories were released. This somewhat old fashioned story of a man between wild animals, will it still speak to the audience? Yates tried to add a little more depth to the script, themes like slavery, colonization and racism. A brave try to make Tarzan a bit more political correct.
Although they tried to add more depth, “The Legend of Tarzan” is still a basic story about a damsell in distress waiting fort he hero toe save her. And although the action scenes are spectacular, there is only a handful of action sequences and it’s nothing that we haven’t seen before.
Alexander Skarsgård has the looks fort he role, but is missing the charisma to convince me. His cool, distant behaviour fit him perfectly as vampire in “True Blood”, but not so much as Tarzan. Margot Robbie gave her character a little bit more spice, but her role is a bit thankless. She can do more then this. Christoph Waltz plays the villain, but he is doing a routine job. Samuel L. Jackson is the best part of the film, although he only has the role of the sidekick.
“The Legend of Tarzan” isn’t a terrible film. The film starts off slow, but eventually does have some entertaining elements and is sometimes even funny. It’s a straight forward adventure film, a light film that won’t stay with you for very long. Overall “The Legend of Tarzan” is okay, but nothing special.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Battle: Django Unchained Vs. The Hateful Eight

Quentin Tarantino is, as frequent readers might know, my favorite director. He has made eight films now (counting both “Kill Bill” movies as one) and there is not one terrible film (“Deathproof” is not that good, but I’ve seen worse). In that line of great films, there are two westerns. And what if I let them go head to head. Let’s see who wins the battle: “Django Unchained” Vs. “The Hateful Eight”

 

 

ACTORS

Django Unchained: Jamie Foxx stars and does a good job in portraying the lead character Django. He is very well supported by Christoph Waltz, who played Dr. King Schultz and won an Academy Award for his performance. Samuel L. Jackson plays the very unlikeable Stephen, who is probably the most racist bastard in the entire film. And Leonardo DiCaprio as villain Calvin Candy, who shows us he can play a bad guy like no one else.

The Hateful Eight: Samuel L. Jackson is the star of the film as Marquis Warren, he carries “The Hateful Eight”. Kurt Russell is good as John Ruth, but it’s Jennifer Jason Leigh who really surprised me as Daisy Domergue. She probably had the best part. We also see Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins and Channing Tatum.

STORY

Django Unchained: It’s a revenge movie, which is not new in the Tarantino repertoire. Look at “Kill Bill” and “Inglourious Basterds”. But it’s not a crime when it’s done right. The story gets more depth because of the interesting characters and the sharp dialogues.

The Hateful Eight: The story is fairly simple: eight strangers end up in a cabin during a snow storm and nothing is as it seems. But it’s the way it was executed. Almost the entire film is set in one location, just like “Reservoir Dogs” and the film is interesting from beginning to end. Again due to great dialogues and fascinating characters.

EFFECTS

Django Unchained: It looks very good, Tarantino did a great job and it looks like we are in the wild west. It has some great spectacle here and there.

The Hateful Eight: Hardly any effects needed. The greatest part is its simplicity and also the wide screen Tarantino used. You’re sometimes so close to the characters, that you can experience how small the room is they are in. This wide screen really does make a different.

WINNER

Both are not my Tarantino favorites, but they are very close to each other. I prefer “Django Unchained though.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 152: Spectre

Director: Sam Mendes

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Thriller

Runtime: 148 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Daniel Craig, Monica Bellucci, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux, Christoph Waltz, Ben Wishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, Andrew Scott

Description: A cryptic message from Bond's (Daniel Craig) past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M (Ralph Fiennes) battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

Review: James Bond goes on a mission to Mexico, without the permission of the MI6, to end the mysterious Sciarra. There he learns about a secret organization SPECTRE, who wants to rule the world. Together with the beautiful Madeline Swann he tries to stop SPECTRE. The many obstacles lead him to the sinister leader of SPECTRE who is somehow connected to Bond’s past.

The previous Bond film, “Skyfall”, broke records worldwide. There was never a Bond movie that brought in so much money and even got two Academy Awards. The expectations for “Spectre”, which is directed by the same guy Sam Mendes, were immense high. That’s why I think this movie got so many mixed reviews. Please, never go in with such high expectations. I didn’t and I really liked “Spectre”.

“Spectre” starts with an amazing opening scene in Mexico, on the national day of the dead. Many typical Bond elements are in this first scene: an exotic location, a beautiful woman and a very confident James Bond in his slick suit. After his mission, Bond is suspended by M. But James Bond wouldn’t be James Bond if he didn’t start his own mission. With the help of Q and Moneypenny he starts his search for SPECTRE. We get spectacular action scenes, funny one liners, car chases, great camera work. “Spectre” is fairly long, but I never felt that. That’s always a good sign

Daniel Craig has always been a good Bond and he doesn’t disappoint in “Spectre”. He is so darn charming! And even physically he manages to be convincing as an action hero. But he isn’t as rough as he was in “Casino Royale”.

There was a lot of controversy about Bond girl Monica Belluci, who is with her 50 years the oldest Bond girl ever. Who cares, there is a lot of chemistry between her and Craig and she is still sexy enough to pull it off. But main Bond girl is Léa Seydoux as the smart Madeline Swann. Seydoux is good in her role and also has chemistry with Craig, but she is more the ‘damsel in distress’. Madeline could have been more than that.

Christoph Waltz plays the villain, something everyone was excited for. Waltz does more of the same, but not as intense and more timid. The big twist that his character got, wasn’t that surprising for me. This thanks to all the speculation and rumors, which can obviously ruin a movie experience.

“Spectre” is a good Bond movie. Daniel Craig in, wat probably is, his last Bond film. His series of Bond movies is very successful and I really enjoyed “Spectre”. I really don’t see the problem a lot of people had with it.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 15: Big Eyes

Director: Tim Burton
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Krysten Ritter, Jason Schwartzman, Danny Huston, Terence Stamp, Jon Polito, Elisabetta Faontine, James Saito, Guideo Furlani, Delaney Raye, Madeleine Arthur, Emily Bruhn, Alan McFarlane, Tony Alcantar, Jaden Alexander

Description: A drama about the awakening of the painter Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), her phenomenal success in the 1950s, and the subsequent legal difficulties she had with her husband (Christoph Waltz), who claimed credit for her works in the 1960s.

Review: Margaret Keane’s paintings were famous in the fifties and sixties. Even pop art front man Andy Warhol liked them. The paintings were characterized by portraits of children, with bid sad eyes. One problem: for a long time people thought Margaret’s husband Walter Keane was the creator of the paintings.
If you look at the design of the paintings, it’s typical Tim Burton. Not such a strange choice for a director. On the other hand, it’s not a typical Burton movie. We know Burton as the maker of fanciful, fairytale like movies like “Edward Scissorhands” and “Big Fish. “Big Eyes” is a true story.
“Big Eyes” starts off at the moment where Margaret is leaving her first husband, together with daughter Jane. Painting is the only thing, beside her daughter, that gives her joy. When moving to San Francisco, she continues to paint but without success. When she meets the charismatic Walter Keane, her live changes. He paints street sights of Paris and has talents as a salesman. Margaret and Walter see that they can offer each other a lot, so they decide to marry. When Margaret’s paintings get noticed, Walter takes credit for her work.
Burton choose to stay as close to the real story as possible. With that the story sometimes drags a bit and feels tedious at times. The fact that the movie is narrated, doesn’t help it. The movie also feels fragmentary, because the events follow each other rather quick.
Positive note is the superb enactment. Amy Adams is one of my favorites and I love her timid yet powerful performance. Christoph Waltz breaths charisma and that is again present in “Big Eyes”. That comedic court room scene, only Waltz can get away with that. Tim Burton, master of unlimited fantasy, took it easy by making “Big Eyes”. His movies didn’t bring him success lately and I’m afraid “Big Eyes” won’t change that. The film is okay, but the performances are better than the movie itself.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 29: The Three Musketeers

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, Milla Jovovich, Orlando Bloom, Christoph Waltz, Juno Temple, Logan Lerman, Mads Mikkelsen, Til Schweiger

Description: The hot-headed young D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman) along with three former legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers (Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans) must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

Review: There are some stories that have been made into films quite too many times. “The Three Musketeers” is one of them. Paul W.S. Anderson tried to give the classical tale a new life, but he didn’t manage that completely. The director does do what you would expect from him: not a very clever film with a lot of action.
It’s almost impossible to ruin the story about D’Artagnan, who looks up to the three undefeatable musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Each with their own distinctive trades. The book is filled with action, humoristic incidents, espionage, romance and intrigue. Anderson simplifies everything, while the book is a perfect script for a good adventure film. And the characters don’t get the depth they deserve, because I think they were cast very well and they all try their very best. Logan Lerman knows how to be D’Artagnan. Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson and Luke Evans don’t even get the chance to act and portray the most important characters of the story. I think the focus is more on Milady the Winter, who is played by Milla Jovovich. And Christoph Waltz, as villain Richelieu, is seriously underused. If you can get an actor like Waltz, you should give him something to do.
The movie is a visual treat. Great special effects, beautiful settings and gorgeous costumes. The movie was filmed in 3D and I can understand that some parts of the movie look a bit better with this addition. I also liked the idea of the map.
“The Three Musketeers” is a bit of a mess, but it was very entertaining. The end scene suggests a sequel, but I don’t think that should happen.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Scene Stealers

Everybody knows this: supporting actors or actresses that just happen to steal practically every scene they’re in. Here are my five favorites.

5. Chloë Grace Moretz in “Kick-Ass”
As Hit-Girl, Chloë Grace Moretz gives away a classic scene stealing performance. Coolest hero without superpowers ever!

4. Emily Blunt in “The Devil Wears Prada”
I think everybody stole all the scenes away from leading lady Anne Hathaway in this movie. Poor Anne. Most people prefer Meryl, but I’m team Emily! Great role, perfect scene stealer.

3. Jack Black in “Orange County”
I simply love this movie, but Jack Black’s character is just unforgettable. He steals all the scenes, especially the ones where he is in his undies.

2. Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Bastards”
Let’s be honest, Christoph Waltz made this movie. What a wonderful performance, by an actor that we didn’t know at that time. A real scene stealer.

1. Tim Robbins in “Mystic River”
Tim Robbins knows how to steal a scene. His performance is so amazing and I just felt for him. He got an Oscar for this role and he totally deserved it.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Kevin Spacey in “Se7en”, Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”, Robert Carlysle in “Trainspotting”, Michael Clarke Duncan in ‘The Green Mile”,Louis Gossett Jr. in “An Officer and a Gentleman”, Sean Penn in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”, Brad Pitt in “Twelve Monkeys”, Christian Bale in “The Fighter”, Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed”, Christoph Waltz in “Django Unchained”

In the Picture: The Characters from "Django Unchained"

With "Django Unchained" director Quentin Tarantino delivered another masterpiece and created again some memorable and unique characters. Here they are.

Django Freeman
Played by: Jamie Foxx
Django has been soled as a slave and is seperated from his beloved wife Broomhilda. When he meets King Schulz he gets the oppertunity to find her and to get his life back. Django is a strongwilled man and does everything to get his wife back.

Dr. King Schultz
Played by: Christoph Waltz
Schultz is the one that frees Django and offers him a better life by helping Schultz as a bountyhunter. In return he will help Django find his wife. Schultz is a loyal man, with a strange sence of humor and he can outsmart anyone.

Calvin Candie
Played by: Leonardo DiCaprio
Calvin Candie is the owner of Candyland and he's the one that has Broomhilda in his possession. Although he is a very charming man, Candie is very brutal and relentless. He's a fan of Mandigo fighting, which forces two men two fight each other to the death.

Broomhilda Von Shaft
Played by: Kerry Washington
Broomhilda is Django's wife and she lives with Candie and works for him. She is obedient, because she has no choice. She wants to survive so she can reunite with her husband someday.

Stephen
Played by: Samuel L. Jackson
Stephen works for Candie and is the worst of them all. He's a snitch en extremely cruel. Although he's black himself, he can act like a racist toward fellow black people.

Favorite Character: Dr. King Schultz

Top 5 Thursday: Oscar 2013 Wins

I love the Oscars, always look forward to them. I also try to predict every year, but I didn't do that great this year. I loved the host (I heart Seth MacFarlane) and I did see some great wins. Here are my favorite wins of the 2013 Oscars.

5. "Brave" winning Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
If a Disney movie is nominated, it will most likely win. I love "Brave", like practically every other Disney movie. Deserved!

4. Jennifer Lawrenve winning Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Although I was hoping for my favorite Naomi Watts and thinking it was going to be Jessica Chastain, I was so happy for Jennifer Lawrence. And felt so bad for her that she fell, but if I had just won an Oscar I wouldn't give a damn. And that speech was so touching and a bit awkward.

3. Daniel Day-Lewis winning Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
What a fabulous actor he is. He is the first actor to win three Academy Awards. I haven't seen "Lincoln" yet, but just a little clip tells me how great his performance is.

2. Quentin Tarantino winning Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
I was hoping he would be nominated for the best director award, because that's what he really deserves. But he so deserved this one as well. Tarantino is an awesome screenwriter and he's so unique. No one is like this guy.

1. Christoph Waltz winning Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
How amazing is this. Five years ago nobody outside Germany and Austria had heard from this guy and now he wins his second Academy Award. I loved him as Dr. King Schultz in "Django Unchained". It was totally unexpected though, because I really thought Tommy Lee Jones was going to win.

They Almost Made the Top 5: "Argo" for winning Best Motion Picture of the Year

In the Picture: The Characters from "Inglourious Basterds"

Quentin Tarantino is probably my favorite director and I already dedicated this item to one of his movies. This time I'm going to look closer at the characters from "Inglourious Basterds", which is an awesome movie.

Lt. Aldo Raine
Played by: Brad Pitt
Aldo is 2nd lieutenant in the US Army First Special Service Force and now the leader of “The Basterds”. Aldo's nickname, "The Apache", comes from his penchant for scalping Nazis. He’s determined to kill all the nazis he can get his hands on.

Col. Hans Landa
Played by: Christoph Waltz
Hans Landa is called “The Jew Hunter” and he carries that name with success. He is well known for finding Jews in hiding and eventually killing them. He’s a very smart man who can speak at least four different languages fluently. Landa is the main target for “The Basterds”.

Shosanna Dreyfuss
Played by: Melanie Laurent
Shosanna is a French-Jewish girl who’s entire family was murdered by nazi’s. She was the only one who could escape and now hides in Paris as a movie theatre owner that goes by the name of Emmanuelle Mimieux. Shosanna is strong, smart and out for revenge.

Sgt. Donny Donowitz
Played by: Eli Roth
Donny is Aldo’s right hand. His nickname is “The Bearjew” and he is ruthless. Donny is known for killing his victims with a baseball bat because he wants to feel the violence and the sensation of beating nazis to death.

Bridget von Hammersmark
Played by: Diane Kruger
Bridget is a popular filmstar in Nazi Germany and a spy for the Allies. Because of her beauty and charm, she often gets her way and she can easily win you over. But Bridget can be outsmarted though.

Fredrick Zoller
Played by: Daniel Brühl
Fredrick is a German officer and a war hero. He is pretty full of himself and is not shy to brag about his actions as a soldier. His affection for Shosanna, although she doesn’t really return it, is genuine. Everything he’s doing for her, he’s doing with the best intentions.

Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz
Played by: Til Schweiger
Stiglitz is an ex-Nazi and now recruted into “The Basterds” unit. He is knows as a maniac to both German and US forces, because of his cruel ways of killing people. Many people fear him.

Favorite Character: Shosanna Dreyfuss

Something new from Steve, Ryan, Will, Tom, Julia, Reese, Owen and Rachel

I always like to check the newest movie trailer, to see what is coming in the theatres soon. I've seen some great new ones this week. Here are my favorites:

"Crazy, Stupid, Love" (with Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon)
Steve Carell plays a man who's dealing with a marital crisis. He meets Ryan Goslings character, who is a ladiesman. Steve Carell is just great, he's so endeering. And Ryan Gosling.... oooh. Fantastic, underrated actor and extremely handsome!

"Everything Must Go" (with Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall and Laura Dern)
After he lost his wife and job, Nick Halsey holds a yardsale in order to start over. A new neighbour might be the key to his return to form. I think Will Ferrell is hilarious and this seems like a mix of comedy and light drama. I really like those kind of films.

"Larry Crowne" (Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts)
After losing his job, the middle aged Larry Crowne reinvents himself by going back to college. I look forward to anything with Tom Hanks in it, he can hardly do anything wrong. Julia Roberts will make a great leading lady.

"Water for Elephants" (Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz)
After his parents die, Jacob joins a traveling circus. He takes care of Rosie, the elphant and falls for the beautiful Marlene who's the wife of brute August. I think all three actors where cast perfectly, especially Waltz. I actually pictures him while reading the book (which I loved!).

"Midnight in Paris" (Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Adrien Brody and Kathy Bates)
It's a romantic comedy that follows a family traveling to the city for business. The party includes a young engaged couple that has their lives transformed throughout the journey. I love Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams and they reunite in this film (they starred together in "Wedding Crashers"). And I love the poster!

Some great movies, I can't say which one I'm looking forward to the most. It's just fun to see movies with some of my favorites in it.