Rewatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 14

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.
 

46/ 100: Se7en (1995)
This David Fincher directed film is a blood-curdling and original thriller about two detectives who team up to track down a serial killer. They discover that the killer is working off the classic seven deadly sins. I have seen this movie so many times and it still gives me the chills and intrigues me. Such a good thriller, with amazing performances from Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. Check out the full review HERE
 

47/ 100: The Lion King (1994)
The young lion prince Simba grows up in father Mufasa’s paradise kingdom, dreaming of the day when he will rule the savannah himself. But that’s not counting on Mufasa’s jealous brother Scar, who along with a gang of hyenas plots to get him out of the way. Classic, hand-drawn Disney musical that actually has everything you could want: from adventure to humor, romance, upbeat songs and heartbreaking drama. I remember when I saw this movie for the first time, in theaters and what an impact it had on me. And still has. HERE is the full review.
 

48/ 100: Clue (1985)
The movie is loosely based on the boardgame clue, where you have to find out who killed the victim, in what room and with which weapon. In “Clue” a group of people, who don’t know each other, is invited to a mansion, for unknown reasons. When a murder takes place, the strangers, together with the butler, have to find out who committed the murder. A classic whodunnit, which is the main reason why I love this movie so much. It has good comedy, which gives it a lighter tone, and the way it’s all played out is really fun and original. You can read my full review HERE.
 

49/ 100: In Bruges (2008)
With its mix of witty humor, brutal violence and unexpected drama, “In Bruges” shows the talent of director Martin McDonagh. The story of two Irish contract killers who go into hiding in Bruges after a job gone wrong is cleverly written and stylishly filmed. The movie succeeds because of the three formidable leading actors: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes. HERE is my full review.
 

50/ 100: Spotlight (2015)
Outstanding drama about the Spotlight team of quality newspaper The Boston Globe, which in 2002 publicized in a series of high-profile articles the Catholic Church’s systematic concealment of sexual abuse in Boston parishes. In “Spotlight”, director Tom McCarthy keeps the emotions at bay as much as possible. In this film, no gruesome details of the abuses or images of conciliatory church fathers; McCarthy zooms in on the journalists and their diligent work. And this down-to-earth approach only makes the film more poignant. “Spotlight” won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Screenplay, which is totally deserved. Check out the review HERE.

Still to watch: 50

80s Movie Review - Clue

Director: Jonathan Lynn
Genre: Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 1985
Starring: Tim Curry, Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen Camp

Description: Six guests are invited to a strange house and must cooperate with the staff to solve a murder mystery.

Review: The movie “Clue” is based on the board game Clue. The setting is perfect: a remote, spooky mansion in New England, USA. In this gorgeous, atmospheric décor a true murder mystery takes place, where the characters from the board game come to life.
The guests are welcomed by butler Wadsworth. Every character that’s is invited, has a secret they are blackmailed with. Host Mr. Boddy will join later. What they don’t know, is that somebody is about to be murdered and one of them is the killer….
The ingredients are simple: a group of strangers locked in a remote mansion, a murder takes place and one of them did it. It’s a typical ‘whodunit’, but who doesn’t love a good murder mystery?
In this detective it’s all about the humor. It could be seen as a mockery  of the genre. To start with the characters names. The victim is Mr. Boddy, Mrs. White is dressed all in black and Mrs. Peacock is all covered in feathers. With that, the many comedy moments filled with screaming, falling and madness. The best thing about the film is the climax, where Wadsworth tells everyone what happened. But that’s not all, because there are many possible scenarios.
The humor is great, very classical comedy. I can watch “Clue” over and over again. It’s so much fun!

Rating: 5 / 5

What's in a Movie Year - 1985

Taking a look at the year 1985, picking my 10 favorite movies from that year in random order.

Back to the Future
Seventeen-year-old Marty McFly travels to the past using the time machine of the remarkable Professor Emmett Brown. There he meets his clumsy father and his charming mother. He will have to pair them up, otherwise he will never be born. The brilliant, witty script by director Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale of this classic time travel film was only approved by the Universal studio after a long hesitation. Can you imagine a world without “Back to the Future”?

The Goonies
This Steven Spielberg produced action/ adventure film for (big) children has all the ingredients to be a wild and unforgettable ride. A group of children search along the coast in their own hometown for the remains of the legendary seventeenth-century pirate One-Eyed Willie. When they discover an underground lake, they find the pirate’s ship.

Clue
Six guests are anonymously invited to a strange mansion for dinner, but after their host is killed, they must cooperate with the staff to identify the murderer as the bodies pile up. It’s a crazy and humorous whodunit, loosely based on the popular boardgame.

The Breakfast Club
Five teenagers, who are very different from each other and don’t know each other well, serve detention on Saturday in a locked room of the school. They open up to one another and discover that they have more in common than they ever suspected. This humorous film stood out because of its poignant and sharply observed situations and characters.

The Color Purple
Alice Walker’s critically acclaimed novel about the young black Celie who grows up in a cruel, unjust world in the American South at the beginning of the twentieth century, was skillfully filmed by Steven Spielberg. He gave Whoopi Goldberg her breakthrough role. The excellent acting, including Oprah Winfrey in her debut film, provide powerful and poignant scenes. Eleven Oscar nomination, none of them were wins.

The Jewel of the Nile
In “Romancing the Stone” (1984), novelist Joan engaged in a beautiful romance with adventurer Jack and has sailed around the world with him ever since. This film begins six months later, when the honeymoon is over. Joan receives an invitation from a charming and mysterious Egyptian sheikh to write his biography. Shortly after Joan leaves, Jack’s boat is attacked by unknown thugs. It’s an old-fashioned adventure movie and a guarantee for an entertaining movie night.

Cat’s Eye
A cat is the red thread in this film with three different stories by Stephen King. The first revolves around a man who enters a smoker’s rehab clinic where unconventional and somewhat shocking methods are used. In the second episode, a man makes a terrifying bet with his wife’s lover. King wrote the third story with young Drew Barrymore (a few years before “E.T.”) in mind. She plays a girl who is sure there is a strange creature behind her bedroom wall. Excellent special effects and of course very exciting.

Fright Night
Teenager Charley is convinced that their new neighbor, Jerry, is a vampire, but everyone makes fun of him. At the end of the day, he asks TV horror presenter Peter Vincent for help. When Jerry claims a victim, Charley sees himself forced to battle him. Great vampire satire with excellent effects. The legendary myth isn’t ridiculed, but it does have a different take on the theme. In 2011 it even got a remake, which was surprisingly good.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
This third part in the original “Mad Max” trilogy is not the best (that’s the second) and also not the most violent (that’s the first), but the most beautiful looking thanks to the generous budget. Director George Miller took full advantage of it and created a film with great attention to detail the post-apocalyptic Bartertown. For people who don’t know it, this is the “Mad Max” movie with Tina Turner in it.

Out of Africa
This film screams Hollywood: it’s compelling, big, melodramatic and has great actors. Robert Redford plays the British hunter Hatton, with whom Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) starts a difficult extramarital relationship in Kenya. “Out of Africa” is a beautiful piece of work.

Five to Watch - Murder Mystery Movies

With “Knives Out” in theaters now, it’s time to look at the good old murder mysteries. The whodunits, the quests for the truth. But I picked the ones that flew under the radar, so films like “Se7en”, “Chinatown” and “Zodiac” won’t be on this list, because the majority has seen them. Here are five films I think are not as well-known or deserve more attention. And I think you should definitely give them a shot.

A Shot in the Dark
Inspector Jacques Clouseau investigates the murder of Mr. Benjamin Ballon’s driver at a country estate. The world’s clumsiest detective is without a doubt Clouseau. So let’s talk about this comedic whodunit from 1964. Even though Jacques Clouseau is comically inept, he was the focus of one of the all-time great whodunits.

Identity
Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rain-storm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they’re being killed off one by one. I find this movie highly underrated and better then most people say. This whodunit is more about different shocking deaths instead of the standard investigation. The chaotic, rain-soaked events lead to a twist that no one will see coming. And I think it’s satisfying.

Clue
This comedy, based on the classic board game, follows a group of guests at a dinner party who all suspect each other when their host is murdered. By directly taking after the game that inspired it, “Clue” distills the whodunit down to its most gratuitous thrills: the who, the where and the weapon of a murder. Adding motive to these characters doesn’t slow the movie down either thanks to the collective charisma od a cast, including Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry and Lesly Ann Warren. Like the game itself, “Clue” as endless replay value.

Death on the Nile
As Hercule Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the nile, a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board. People might think of “Murder on the Orient Express” first, but “Death on the Nile” is just as fascinating. The pacing is more laid-back and a perfect whodunit. And with a cast that has Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, Maggie Smith and David Niven in it, this just couldn’t go wrong.

Gosford Park
The lives of upstairs guests and downstairs servants at a party in 1932 in a country house in England as they investigate a murder involving one of them. Leave it to Robert Altman to assemble possibly the largest size cast for a whodunit movie. In this period piece, personal dramas and class issues slowly rise to the surface when Michael Gambon’s cranky industrialist is stabbed in the back during a weekend gathering. The cast includes too many names, like Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Richard E. Grant, Kristen Scott Thomas, Emily Watson, Ryan Philippe, Clive Owen and Stephen Fry.

Top 5 Thursday: Movies from 1985

This is a tough year, because not a lot of my all-time favourites were made in 1985. I did manage to make a list.

5. The Jewel of the Nile

It’s the sequel to “Romancing the Stone”, which I prefer, but it’s such a fun and adventurous comedy. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner form a great duo.

 

4. The Goonies

I think every kid wants to go on a treasure hunt and in “The Goonies” that really happens. I only saw it recently for the first time. It’s kinda sad that I never saw it as a kid, but I really like it!

 

3. Clue

I always loved the board game and this movie is based on that. I just love this whodunit story, it always makes me a bit nervous. It’s just such a fun film.

 

 

2. The Breakfast Club

When you think 80’s, you think “The Breakfast Club”. Five very different teens are in detention, how can that be interesting? Well, it’s one of the most beloved movies from this era.

 

1. Back to the Future

Nowadays we have a large list of movies about time travel, but none of them can top “Back to the Future”. It’s unique and still very enjoyable. And also two of the most beloved movie characters were created.

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: St. Elmo’s Fire, The Color Purple, Cocoon, Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment, Rocky IV