00s Movie Review - Love Actually

Director: Richard Curtis
Genre: Comedy/ Romance/ Drama
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2003
Starring: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Rowan Atkinson, Martine McCutheon, Martin Freeman, Joanna Page, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel, Ejiofor, Thomas Sangster, Rodrigo Santoro

Description: Follows the lives of several different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

Review: With “Love Actually”, the directorial debut by Richard Curtis shows that life is full of small moments of love and affection. Me not being a romance girlie, this is one of the few exceptions in the genre that I’m absolutely in love with.

Richard Curtis is mostly know for his screenwriting, having been apart of “Blackadder”, “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill”, among others. “Love Actually” is as smoothly put together as the romcoms for which he alone wrote the screenplay.

The fact that Curtis managed to have the best of the best actors at his disposal also work in his favor. It’s not hard to take them to heart. We follow several storylines in this film, some of them intertwine at some. We meet David, as he arrives on his first day as the Prime Minister, falling in love with Nathalie who is in his staff. Karen is painfully confronted with her husband’s potential adultery. Daniel has just lost his wife and has to deal with his young stepson’s first time being in love. Jamie leaves for France after he finds out his girlfriend is cheating on him with his brother. Here he meets Aurelia, but there is a language barrier. Sarah has been in love Karl for over two years, but because of her sick brother she never lets herself act on it. Jack and Judy meet each other while being movie stand-ins for nude scenes. Old rocker Billy Mack is trying to reach the number one spot with his Christmas song. Mark’s best friend Peter marries Juliet. Juliet feels like Mark doesn’t really like her, finding out that that’s not the reason he never talks to her. And finally Colin, who is sick of British girls and travels to America to find a woman.

Even though not all storylines are equally successful or enjoyable, the complete package is so lovely. This film has high rewatchability and I simply can’t get enough of it. I want to watch it every Christmas. And the ending is very satisfactory as well. Sugar sweet and overly romantic, but for some reason I am totally fine with it here.  

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Magic in the Moonlight

Director: Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Marcia Gay Harden, Simon McBurney, Hamish Linklater

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 40: A MOVIE WITH YOUR FAVORITE ACTRESS/ ACTOR
 
Description: A romantic comedy about an Englishman (Colin Firth) brought in to help unmask a possible swindle. Personal and professional complications ensue.

Review: Woody Allen is most often either a hit or miss for me. “Magic in the Moonlight” falls somewhere in between.

This movie follows Stanley, a British illusionist, who is given the task to unmask the medium Sophie. Stanley himself is a master of deceit, since in his act he performs as an Asian man. He seems the perfect man to pierce through Sophie’s scheme. Sophie knows from the start Stanely is skeptic about her job, but he can also not resist her charm.  

Nothing really happens in this movie. It is for Emma Stone and Colin Firth that it works. Although they don’t always seem to be believable as love interests. It’s a tale of opposites attract that has been done some many times and so much better.

“Magic in the Moonlight” is not a movie I would remember for long.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Mary Poppins Returns

Director: Rob Marshall
Genre: Comedy/ Musical/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Wishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Pixie Davis, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Nathanael Saleh, Joel Dawson,

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 31: A DISNEY LIVE-ACTION MOVIE
 
Description: A few decades after her original visit, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt), the magical nanny, returns to help the Banks siblings (Ben Wishaw, Emily Mortimer) and Michael’s children through a difficult time in their lives.

Review: Brother and sister Jane and Michael Banks agree. They nod in agreement when the strange antics they pulled with nanny Mary Poppins years ago, when they were children, are brought up. It was a nice fantasy, because those experiences couldn’t possibly be real.

Adults want to rationalize everything. That was precisely the problem with Jane and Michael’s father, an inveterate banker who would rather count money than take his kids to the park. Mary Poppins didn’t have to raise his children, but rather explain to George Banks what the fun of life was and how to reconnect with his family.

More than 50 years after the original, there is a sequel with “Mary Poppins Returns”. For Emily Blunt, the nearly impossible task of following in the footsteps of the legendary Julie Andrews.

We are now in 1930s crisis London. Jane and Michael are adults and have a strong bond. Michael’s wife died earlier in the year and he is trying to make the best of it with his three children. the disaster almost literally knocks on the door of 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Michael is behind on repaying a loan from his late father’s bank, where he now works himself. He is given five days pay or his family will have to move out of their home.

In the attic Michael and Jane are looking for stock certificates, because that would be the solution to their problems. But they can’t seem to find it. When the kids are playing in the park in the meantime, a very special passenger comes down from the sky: Mary Poppins is back!

Emily does the well-nigh impossible: she manages to make Andrews’ iconic rendition disappear within seconds. Her version of Mary Poppins is also a bit more in line with the one in the books. She is a bit stricter, even a bit catty and self-righteous at times, but still undeniably charming.

Back in the days, the original showed a groundbreaking blend of animation and live action. That is not only duplicated here, but surpassed, although it has become a bit easier with modern techniques. The animation sequences is truly magically done. And no Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious this time, but a wise lesson about never judging a book by its cover. Mary Poppins switches effortlessly to unadulterated Cockney for the showstopper.

Marc Shaiman is responsible for the music and he has written a lush score with beautiful timeless melodies that never feel corny or dated anywhere. “Mary Poppins Returns” is packed with catchy performances and a fine cast. Directly opposing Blunt is Lin-Manuel Miranda, who plays a lamp lighter, similar to the role of Dick van Dyke who was a chimney sweeper. In addition we see Ben Wishaw and Emily Mortimer as the adult Michael and Jane, Julie Walters as the housekeeper and Colin Firth as a shrewd banker. Meryl Streep is in only one scene, with a super catchy and fun song. 

 
I not ashamed to say that I absolutely loved this movie from start to finish and I even prefer it over the original. And that is first and foremost thanks to Emily Blunt, who is practically perfect in her role as Mary Poppins. An absolute new favorite movie musical.

Rating: 5 / 5

Movie Review - Supernova

Director: Harry MacQueen
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood, Peter MacQueen, Nina Marin, Ian Drysdale, Sarah Woodward, James Dreyfus, Lori Campbell, Daneka Etchells, Halema Hussain
 
Description: Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci) are traveling across England in their old RV to visit friends, family and places from their past. Since Tusker was diagnosed with dementia two years ago, their time together is the most important they have.

Review: Concert pianist Sam has put his career on hold to care for his partner, American writer Tusker. We follow them on perhaps their last trip together, or at least on which Tusker will remember everything they have experienced together in the locations they now revisit. The fact is, he has been diagnosed with dementia. And with his condition worsening, both men can already feel the storm brewing: that the day is fast approaching when the writer will no longer recognize his beloved Sam.
“Supernova” is a very intimate drama film. As a viewer, you mainly share their camper in which they travel through the British countryside together with the dog. On their way to the concert hall where Sam has a performance for the first time in ages. Tusker had to work hard to make Sam play again. They visit a lake where they once declared their love for each other, stare at the clear starry sky, and visit some of Sam’s family as well. Bu mostly the bicker, trying to hide their dark feelings and their pain from each other.
A film that has so little to it stands or falls on the acting skills of its two lead actors. And with Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci you do breathe life into characters like Sam and Tusker. A detail is that the actors were actually cast for each other’s role, but independently got the idea during rehearsals that they would be better of switching characters. I believe both Firth and Tucci convinced us in their roles, because their performances are amazing. And I love them together as well.
Most of the film is them talking. You really have to pay attention to everything they say, since some details later prove to be important. And it’s part of getting to know the central characters before any substantial complications are thrown into the mix. You get to hang out with two of the most sympathetic actors, which characters you sympathize with quite easily as well. That makes “Supernova” a pretty enjoyable watch.

Rating: 4 / 5

00s Movie Review - A Single Man

Director: Tom Ford
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult, Ginnifer Goodwin, Lee Pace

Description: An English professor (Colin Firth), one year after the sudden death of his boyfriend (Matthew Goode), us unable to cope with his typical days in 1960s Los Angeles.

Review: When an established fashion designer like Tom Ford makes his feature film debut, you expect heavily stylized images, opulent costumes and a somewhat kitschy visual style. You get all of those too, but the big surprise is that the visuals rarely get in the way of the content and only enhance the film’s theme. As a result, “A Single Man” is not only a visually stunning film, but also one of the best debuts in ages in terms of content.
Based on a novel by Christopher Isherwood, “A Single Man” begins with a 1962 car accident that kills Jim, for sixteen years the partner of British professor George Falconer. Falconer is inconsolable and decides that a life without Jim is of little value to him. Nice is then how Falconer, after hearing the terrible news, tries to keep up a façade to the outside world. Impeccably dressed, he simple goes about his daily routines, without seeming to have anything wrong with him at first glance. Inside, however, he is consumed by grief and one day decides to end his life. The film follows him in his preparations and thus largely takes place on that one day.   
The visual bravura of “A Single Man” cannot be denied by anyone. The costumes are obviously very beautiful, as you would expect from a fashion designer, but it is the production design and the use of color where director Ford can really shine. Every detail has been meticulously attended to, allowing one to regularly marvel at the film’s stunning visual inventions and colorful depiction of the 1960s.
The film relies entirely on Colin Firth’s acting for emotional depth and it is largely thanks to him that the film becomes more than a visual masterpiece. First, a highly respected actor who has alternated between major and minor productions for years, had to wait a long time for that one big breakthrough role that would earn him an Oscar nomination. He did get nominated for the role, but didn’t win. Only a year later he took home the statue for his role in “The King’s Speech”.
Firth’s class is best showcased in a key scene early in the film, when Falconer is told that his partner died. The camera then stays focused on his face for minutes, with the actor beautifully managing to portray  how this man’s world collapses from one moment to the next. Although Ford unfortunately does not consistently maintain the subtlety of this scene and sometimes relies too much on the sound of swelling violins, it is thanks to Firth that you still start to sympathize with the tragic story of George Falconer. A bachelor, but above all a lonely man.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Review - 1917

Director: Sam Mendes
Genre: Drama/ Action
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Richard Madden, Andrew Scott, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch

Description: April 6th 1917. As a regiment assembles to wage war deep in enemy territory, two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message that will stop 1600 men from walking into a deadly trap.

Review: Anyone who watched that minute tracking shot in “Atonement”, on the beach of Dunkirk, watched it with jaw dropping amazement. And all those people will be in for a treat for “1917”. In this sweltering film, the camera follows two soldiers in one long shot, while being sent on a life-threatening mission behind enemy lines during World War I. A masterpiece by Sam Mendes, where the technique is fully at the service of the story. One of the most impressive war movies since “Saving Private Ryan”.
On a deceptively calm morning in the spring of 1917, the British soldiers Schofield and Blake are called to their sergeant for a risky mission. A few kilometers further, a British battalion thinks it can attack the retreating Germans. It appears to be an ambush. Communication between the two camps is no longer possible, so Schofield and Blake are sent to deliver the message in person. Within a couple of hours, otherwise it will be too late.
The two clamber over the barbed wire and start, on foot, a mission that seems to be doomed to fail. It’s awfully quiet in and around the German trenches, behind every rustle there’s a threat. Wonderful how the camera wanders around the two men, it glides past craters full of limbs, dives under water, then searches the sky for hostile planes. Whereas in other films the ‘long take’ can feel like a trick after a while, here it works brilliantly. The feeling of unrelenting threat is enormous, precisely because perspective is never changed. The camera is like the third soldier through whose eyes you watch this desperate mission. In reality, the camera is operated by master cinematographer Roger Deakins (“Blade Runner 2049”, “Sicario”, “Prisoners”), who always guarantees visual fireworks.
The fact that the film is somewhat schematic (obstacle-resting point-obstacle, etc.) is not a problem at all. For that, each scene on its own is too compelling or exciting. Lead actors Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay delicately give shape to their characters, flesh-and-blood soldiers, not the overly fearless types who appear so often in war films. The camaraderie between the two forms the leading beating heart of the story.
The clever thing about “1917” is that is combines the gripping art of storytelling with overwhelming experiential cinema. Christopher Nolan’s WOII epos “Dunkirk”, which stylistically shows some common ground, mainly fell into that second category. That film, too succeeded in conveying the raw reality of the battlefield, was brilliantly photographed, but lacked emotional depth. During the credits it can be read that “1917” is based on the war experiences of director Sam Mendes’ grandfather, who knows. Maybe it’s that what makes it so gripping.
I think I can say that “1917” is Sam Mendes’ best film so far.

Rating: 5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Bridget Jones's Baby

Director: Sharon Maguire
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Emma Thompson

Description: Bridget's (Renée Zellweger) focus on single life and her career is interrupted when she finds herself pregnant, but with one hitch ... she can only be fifty percent sure of the identity of her baby's father.

Review: After an absence of twelve years, the clumsy and most awkward single woman of all-time is back: Bridget Jones. The previous two films, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason”, were based on the books by author Helen Fielding. For this movie, the inspiration came from columns Fielding wrote for ‘The Independent’. The third book, where Bridget is a 50-year old widow, remains untouched. The result: a somewhat happier story that takes place ten years before that.
When we first meet Bridget in this film, she is celebrating her 43rd birthday. Alone. On the couch. In her pajamas. Singing to 90s music. At the end of “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason”, she claims to have found true love and happiness with Mark Darcy. But she is once again single and Bridget doesn’t really mind that.
Her lonely, happy and seemingly uncomplicated life comes to an end when it appears she is pregnant. Who the father is, she is not sure of. In a short period a time, she had ‘relations’ (her words) with two men: Handsome American Jack Qwant and her old flame Mark Darcy.
Jack appears to be a billionaire, who earned a fortune by working out algorithms that calculate if you’re right for your partner or not. But can love be based on that?
“Bridget Jones’s Baby” is definitely not new and original and it has some really predictable moments. But like the first two, the main element is fun. They are such a joy to watch, as is this third film. Renée Zellweger still does a great job portraying Bridget and the moments between Jack and Mark are really funny. My favorite part was actually Emma Thompson, with only a small but very memorable role. All her scenes are gold.
Bridget’s new boss is a downside of the film. She is an annoying character and doesn’t really add anything to the story. And the fake twist. Didn’t like that either. We all knew how it was going to end and they led us to believe something else first and then make the ‘big reveal’. That’s thinking the audience is dumb.
Overall, I really enjoyed this comedy and the return or Bridget Jones. There are hints to a possible sequel, but I think they should leave it here.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Comedy
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Taron Edgerton, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Pedro Pascal, Michael gambon, Elton John

Description: When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, the Kingsman's journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the United States. These two elite secret organizations must band together to defeat a common enemy.

Review: No lack of crazy characters in “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”. Like “Kingsman: The Secret Service” there are some ‘larger then life’ villains that threaten the planet with a idiotic and far fetched plan. Not Samuel L. Jackson this time, but Julianne Moore, who is hiding in the jungle of Cambodia and is a major drug lord.
If you didn’t like the first film, you won’t like “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”. The characters and situation shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Matthew Vaughns film is a spy parody with a more serious tone.
Eggsy and Merlin join hands with their American ‘brothers in arms’, who call themselves The Statesman. They hide in a distillery and all the agents have codenames of an acoholic beverage.
With the Kingsman being on new territory, doesn’t mean a completely different film. Vaughns keeps the ingredients and feel. And again has some amazing choreographed fight scenes, which are accompanied with a cool soundtrack.
The characters don’t develop the way they did in the first film. And although the chemistry between Eggsy and Harry isn’t completely gone, it’s a lot less interesting this time around. But both Colin Firth and Taron Edgerton deliver a strong performance.
Jeff Bridges and Channing Tatum don’t have a lot to do in this film, which is a shame. Because they scene that they do have, are so fun.
The film has a fresh, energetic style that doesn’t easily bore you. And the entertainment level is endless. But where “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was a surprise to everyone, this second installment just doesn’t do that. It’s fun and it is good, but not as good as the first film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 47: Before I Go to Sleep

Director: Rowan Joffe
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 92 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong

Description: A woman (Nicole Kidman) wakes up every day, remembering nothing as a result of a traumatic accident in her past. One day, new terrifying truths emerge that force her to question everyone around her.

Review: Christina wakes up every morning and has no idea who she is and what she has done over the past years. She doesn’t know who the man next to her is, while they have been married for fourteen years. Husband Ben tells her she was in a car accident and she gathers information over the course of one day. Then when she wakes up the next day, she has to start all over again. Ben leaves notes and photos around the house, to help her. Every morning, when Ben leaves the house, Dr. Nasch calls Christine to help her remember things. She has a camera hidden in her closet that she uses as a video diary. Dr. Nasch and Christine meet up and bit by bit Christine gets closer to the truth.
“Before I Go to Sleep” sounds really exciting and that’s how the film starts. You feel Christine’s insecurity and fear, because as a viewer you know just as much. The movie eventually falls into a repetitive mode. And the unbelievable parts of the film get noticeable.
For a thriller, the movie is rarely really exciting. This is also because of the setting. The house has no atmosphere. I do give a plus to the acting, which is of a solid level.
Overall “Before I Go to Sleep” suffers from a poorly written screenplay, which was adapted from a best-selling novel. They had good material, but eventually couldn’t turn it into something amazing. It was okay, but it never manages to grab the audience the way it should have.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 61: Girl with a Pearl Earring

Director: Peter Webber

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2003

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, Essie Davis

Description: Young peasant maid Griet (Scarlett Johansson) working in the house of painter Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth) becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works.

Review: “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is based on the novel by Tracy Chevalier. The story feels like it was written while watching the actual painting in the Mauritshuis in The Hague. What was the girl thinking, what’s the story behind this girl? The movie breaths the same fragile and silent atmosphere as the painting.

Griet is a maid that starts to work at the Vermeer household. Off course, man of the house is painter Johannes Vermeer. Eventually Griet became the model for his most famous painting. Like in Scarlett Johansson’s break through film “Lost in Translation” there is a strong connection between her character and an older man. And also in “Girl with a Pearl Earring” nothing is ever explicit, although the intimacy between the two is clearly present. Johansson’s performance is mesmerizing, where Colin Firth is doing a more routine job.

The story unfolds like a good historical drama. We see it all through the eyes of Griet. She doesn’t say much, be sees enough. “Girl with a Pearl Earring” speaks through atmosphere and cinematography.

“Girl with a Pearl Earring” is an excellent adaptation of the successful book and it looks beautiful.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 47: Devil's Knot

Director: Atom Egoyan

Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Alessandro Nivola, James Hamrick, Seth Meriwether, Kristopher Higgins, Amy Ryan, Robert Baker, Collette Wolfe, Rex Linn, Bruce Greenwood, Kristoffer Polaha, Matt Letscher, Michael Gladis, Stephen Moyer, Martin Hednerson, Ted Huckabee, Elias Koteas, Dane DeHaan, Kerry Cahill, Jet Jurgensmeyer, Paul Boardman Jr., Brandon Spink, Kevin Durand, Julie Ivey

Description: The savage murders of three young children sparks a controversial trial of three teenagers accused of killing the kids as part of a satanic ritual.

Review: “Devil’s Knot” is based on the book with the same name by Mara Leveritt. The author was inspired by real life events. The trial of ‘The West Memphis Three’ was the inspiration for both book and movie. Director Atom Egoyan decided to make it into a movie.

In 1993 three children were murdered, in a town in Memphis. After a few weeks the suspects were arrested. Three teenagers, The West Memphis Three, were caught and they were accused of using satanic rituals. They were convicted for the murders. The end? Not exactly, because a lot of facts were wrong and the police wasn’t thorough enough. The question is: are the teenagers really guilty? The movie is almost two hours long and this is simply not enough time to tell the entire story. It’s a complicated case and there isn’t enough room for the characters, because there are so many people involved in the case. Director Egoyan bit off more than he could chew.

Reese Witherspoon plays the mother of one of the murdered boys. She does a good job. She manages to show desperation and despair, but her character doesn’t really add anything. Colin Firth’s character has the same problem. The three suspects don’t get enough screen time, which is a shame.

Atom Egoyan tried, that’s a plus. He didn’t want to give us a boring history lesson. But the movie simply doesn’t work that wellm when the source material is so interesting. It’s just an okay film, which could have been so much better. Shame.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 33: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Genre: Action/ Crime/ Adventure/ Comedy

Runtime: 116 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Mark Hamill, Sofia Boutella, Michael Caine, Sophie Cookson, Jack Davenport

Description: A spy organization recruits unrefined, but promising street kid Eggsy (Taron Egerton) into the agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius (Samuel L. Jackson).

Review: Yeah to the spy movie! Matthew Vaughn made one of his best with “Kingsman: The Secret Service”. Pretty good for a movie I didn’t really expect much from. Vaughn, who made movies like “Kick-Ass” and “Layer Cake” really exceeds himself this time. The movie has everything you need for the next two hours: elegance, a good cast and a great script. But it’s overall its youthful character that makes this film so pleasurable. It’s like Vaughn just watched his first spy movie and jumped into this project with childlike nativity and creativity.

Based on the comic book series “The Secret Service” by Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” shows us how secret agent Harry Hart recruits rebel Eggsy. Hart gets Eggsy in to a secret agency called The Kingsmen.

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” is full of nostalgic: the love for the spy movie genre is clearly present. But you can’t compare it to other movies in that genre. Vaughn managed to create something that stands on its own and is fresh and bold. Everything that makes a spy movie great is present: extravagant gadgets, a charismatic villain, stylish spies, beautiful women and a cool soundtrack.

Colin Firth, the face of British cinema, is good as always. Stylish and proud he shines as bad-ass spy. If you think he’s stiff, then this movie might change your mind. Who would have thought that Firth could easily overpower a pub full of rioters? Also Samuel L. Jackson is convincing as the bad guy, although I don’t know why he has that weird lisp. But it’s in fact new guy Taron Egerton, who plays Eggsy, who wins over our hearts.

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” succeeds in being funny and exciting consistently, without overdoing it. It’s a real joy, from beginning ‘till end and time flies when you’re watching it. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” is cinema with balls, a movie that will give you a grin even after you left the theater.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 7: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Director: Tomas Alfredson
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Mystery
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Tom Hardy, Toby Jones, Stephen Graham, Ciarán Hinds

Description: In the early 1970s during the Cold War, the head of British Intelligence, Control (John Hurt), resigns after an operation in Budapest, Hungary goes badly wrong. It transpires that Control believed one of four senior figures in the service was in fact a Russian agent - a mole - and the Hungary operation was an attempt to identify which of them it was. Smiley (Gary Oldman) had been forced into retirement by the departure of Control, but is asked by a senior government figure to investigate a story told to him by a rogue agent, Ricky Tarr (Tom Hardy), that there was a mole. Smiley considers that the failure of the Hungary operation and the continuing success of Operation Witchcraft (an apparent source of significant Soviet intelligence) confirms this, and takes up the task of finding him.

Review: John le Carré is without a doubt one of the masters of spy thrillers. The author of this story once worked for the MI6, so he knows how things work around there. His writing style criticizes the successful stories of James Bond. His characters are a bit less heroic, but because of their weaknesses they are more human. Take for instance George Smiley, the main character of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”. Smiley is a modest, middle-aged man, who wouldn’t reach for a gun but purely trusts on intelligence. He sounds dull when you compare him to James Bond, but George Smiley is a very intriguing figure. Especially when you let Gary Oldman portray him.
The writers stayed very true to the novel. John Hurt plays Control, the boss of MI6, who sends agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) on a secret mission to Budapest. He has to persuade a Hungarian general. It appears there is a spy in MI6, who hands out crucial information to Karla, the biggest spy in Russia. The general knows who it is, but Prideaux never lives to tell the tale. George Smiley, who’s just retired, has to find the mole.
It sounds like an average whodunit scenario, but there is more to it than meets the eye. The atmosphere and the characters are so interesting. The way director Alfredson filmed it, with the raw glow and different shades of brown, makes you feel like you are in the seventies. And there is a tension throughout the entire runtime of the film.
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” proves that you don’t need an actionhero to make a good spy thriller. This is a breathtaking movie.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: "Love Actually" Storylines

Last week I shared my favourite Christmas movies, so one of them is the centre of this week’s top five. I decided to share with you my favourite storylines from the movie “Love Actually”.

5. Jamie & Aurelia
Jamie’s girlfriend cheated on him with his brother and he goes to France to write his novel. The Portugese Aurelia is his new housekeeper there and they don’t understand each other. When Jamie has to leave, Aurelia kisses him. When back in England, Jamie learns Portugese and travels back to see Aurelia. He asks her to marry him and she says yes.

4. John & Just Judy
John and Judy meet while acting as stand-ins for a sex scene in a movie. They get along immediately. They get in all sorts of weird sexual positions, but they start talking about everyday things. Eventually John asks her out and Judy says yes.

3. Daniel & Sam
Daniel just lost his wife and is left alone with her son Sam. Sam isn’t talking and Daniel is worried about him, but when he starts to talk Daniel finds out he’s in love. He’s trying to help Sam to win over the girl of his dreams.

2. Mark & Juliet
Although Juliet just got married, the grooms best friend Mark is actually in love with her. Juliet always thought Mark hated her, because he never talked to her, but it was just self-preservation. Because it’s Christmas he decides to tell Juliet the truth and he does that with the help of cue cards.

1. David & Natalie
David is the new Prime Minister of England and when he meets his household staff, he also meets Natalie. She leaves an immediate impression on him and he falls for her. It’s very inconvenient. But eventually they both tell each other how they feel. They are trying to keep it a secret, but it’s revealed very soon.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Billy Mack, Harry & Karen

In the Picture: The Characters from "Love Actually"

"Love Actually" is the perfect film for the holidays. Christmas is coming near so it's time to take a look at this film again. There are so many characters, that I had to cut a little bit. Here are the characters from "Love Actually".

Harry
Played by: Alan Rickman
Harry is a manager at a designer agency. He recently got a new, young assistant. Harry feels attracted to her, but he’s also very happily married and the father of two. He buys his assistant an expensive necklace for Christmas. He later admits his foolishness.

Karen
Played by: Emma Thompson
Karen is Harry’s wife and she’s busy dealing with her children Daisy and Bernard. She finds the necklace in Harry’s pocket, assuming that it’s for her. When she’s opening presents, she realizes that the necklace wasn’t for her, but she doesn’t want anyone to know that she has been crying over it. Karen does confront him.

David
Played by: Hugh Grant
David is Karen’s sister and is the recently elected Prime Minister. He’s a young and single man. He meets his household staff and has an instant click with Natalie. Because of his position, he thinks it’s inappropriate to have feelings for her.

Jamie
Played by: Colin Firth
Jamie walks in on his brother, while he’s sleeping with his girlfriend. Crushed by this, Jamie retires to his French cottage where he meets Portugese housekeeper Aurélia who speaks only her native tongue. There’s an instant attraction between them and when he returns to England he realizes how much he loves her. For her, Jamie learns Portugese and visits her to ask her to marry him.

Juliet
Played by: Keira Knightley
Juliet is a happy newlywed woman and got married in a lovely ceremony to Peter. Juliet doesn’t get along with Mark, but she has no idea why he doesn’t like her. She tries to bond with him, but he never talks to her. When Juliet visits him, she find out that Mark has actually been madly in love with her all that time.

Daniel
Played by: Liam Neeson
Daniel is Karen’s best friend. He just lost his wife and is left behind with his stepson Sam. Daniel wants to help Sam with his mission to win over the girl he’s in love with. With that he also tries to deal with losing his love and tries to move on.

Sam
Played by: Thomas Sangster
Sam has fallen in love with his classmate Joanna. He found out that there’s only one way to win her over: become a musician. He starts to play drums to impress her at the school Christmas party. When she’s leaving for America, Sam follows her at the airport to tell her about his feelings.

Billy Mack
Played by: Bill Nighy
Billy Mack is a worn off rockstar with only one more goal: He wants to score the number one Christmas single. His longtime manager Joe is the only one who always stood by him and he realizes that he’s been ‘the love of his life’.

Natalie
Played by: Martine McCutcheon
Natalie is one of the members in David’s household staff. She appears to be very nervous while meeting him for the first time, because she starts rambling and swears a couple of times. David finds it endeering. Natalie is pushed into a corner by the American president, who’s tried to seduce her.

Mark
Played by: Andrew Lincoln
Mark is Peter’s best friend and is secretly in love with Juliet. He never talks to her because of self-preservation and out of respect to his friend Peter. Mark does take a moment to truly confess his feelings for Juliet, which she acknowledges with a kiss.

Sarah
Played by: Laura Linney
Sarah works for Harry and she has been in love with her co-worker Karl for years. At a Christmas party, the two dance and eventually Karl drives her home. Sarah invites him in, where they start kissing. They are interrupted by Sarah’s mentally ill brother, which effectivly ends things between Sarah and Karl.

Rufus
Played by: Rowan Atkinson
Rufus is a minor but significant character. He is a jewelry salesman and is obsessed with gift wrapping things. With that obsession, Harry almost gets caught while buying the necklace. Rufus is also the distraction at the airport, so that Sam can run to Joanna.

Favorite Character: Mark

Movie Tip #3 - Love Actually

Director: Richard Curtis

Starring: Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Rowan Atkinson, Martine McCutcheon, Andrew Lincoln, Martin Freeman

Description: We follow the lives of eight different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London.

Review: This movie stands for the perfect Christmas feeling and each story gives you different emotions. I especially like the story about the Prime minister (Hugh Grant) and the one with widower Daniel (Liam Neeson) and his stepson. This movie will probably be on TV during Christmas, so go watch it, because it's funny, sad, heartwarming and very romantic.