Top 5 Thursday: Movie Cameos of 2015

Still looking back on 2015 as a movie year, I’ve started listing the best cameos in movies of that year. It was pretty tough, I had to dig deep. But here are my five favorite cameos of 2015.

5. 50 Cent (“Spy”)

The rapper has been in the acting game for a while now, but in “Spy” he plays himself while on a way to a concert near to the end of the film. Mostly alongside Miranda Hart’s character Nancy.

 

 

4. Daniel Radcliffe and Marisa Tomei (“Trainwreck”)

Radcliffe and Tomei show up in the movie within the movie. Amy Shumer’s character and John Cena’s Steven go and see it. It’s an Indie parody called “The Dogwalker”.

 

 

3. Hugh Jackman (as Wolverine in “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”)

Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon had no idea if he was going to be able to snag Hugh Jackman to voice a picture of Wolverine in Rachel’s room. But when he told him about the scene, Jackman signed on.

 

 

2. Liam Neeson (“Entourage” and “Ted 2”)

Although I wasn’t a huge fan of either of the movies, Liam Neeson makes it all a lot more fun. In “Entourage” he does something we all want to do: he gives Ari Gold the finger. In “Ted 2” he buys a box of US cereal Trix and is concerned it’s just for kids. Really funny.

 

 

1. Mark Hamill (“Kingsman: The Secret Service”)

Mark Hamill pops up as professor Arnold, a scientist that the Kingsmen send Lancelot to rescue. This mission doesn’t go that well though. And Professor Arnold ends up, well…. He explodes.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Stan Lee (“Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Nemo (“Inside Out”)

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 145: Southpaw

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 124 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson, Naomie Harris

Description: Boxer Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) turns to trainer Tick Wills (Forest Whitaker) to help him get his life back on track after losing his wife (Rachel McAdams) in a tragic accident and his daughter to child protection services.

Review: When the first promotional images for “Southpaw” were released, there was lots of respect for Jake Gyllenhaal. Before this he was a skinny dude in “Nightcrawler” and he turned into a very muscled man for “Southpaw” in a short period of time.

The life of Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) is about two things: boxing and his family. After successfully defending his world title, Billy is so hurt that his wife Maureen (Rachel McAams) convinces him to quit and spend more time with his family. His plans are disturbed by an emotional incident and Billy loses everything he cares about. He seeks the help of boxing coach Tick Wills (Forest Whitaker).

Besides the impressive physicals change he went through, Jake Gyllengaal is again very convincing in his role. He keeps delivering great performances, now it’s just waiting for that first Academy Award. The supporting roles are also strong. Rachel McAdams and Forest Whitaker are fantastic as well. Even Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson is solid.

The story is not very original. It has lots of clichés and the downwards spiral Billy is going through is a bit too long. It might lead to apathy from the viewers. Acting makes up for that, because you really hope that Billy eventually gets out of it. Where the movie manages to distinguish itself from other boxing movies is the great camera work during the realistic fights. Sometimes we see it from the point of view of the boxer.

Not the most original film, but “Southpaw” is good and has great performance.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 107: Escape Plan

Director: Mikael Håfström

Genre: Action/ Drama

Runtime: 116 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, Amy Ryan, Sam Neill, Vincent D’Onofrio, Vinnie Jones, Curtis Jackson

Description: When a structural-security authority (Sylvester Stallone) finds himself set up and incarcerated in the world's most secret and secure prison, he has to use his skills to escape with help from the inside.

Review: After “The Expendables” there is another movie starring two of the biggest action stars: Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. It follows the story of Ray Breslin, who tests prisons on security. He gets locked up voluntarily and then tries to break out to show the prison’s weaknesses. When Ray gets the offer to test a new prison, he doesn’t doubt one second, but the minute they take him in he does start to doubt it. The warden says he doesn’t know him, Ray’s evacuation code doesn’t work and it seems impossible to escape without knowing the blue print of the prison or help from the outside.

“Escape Plan” starts like a typical prison break movie. Like the stereotypical prisoners: the man who can get things, the white Aryan, the sadistic guard. More important than the actions is the interaction between them and the ingenious way to escape. The movie has many imperfections and the solutions are sometimes so far-fetched, it doesn’t help its credibility. Besides, the most secure prison in the world looks very futuristic. It could have been a cinematographic good looking piece, with the feeling you’re always watched and more depth and perspective. The first 20 minutes weren’t all that great. Once Arnold Schwarzenegger enters the stage, it becomes fun. It’s just fun to see Schwarzenegger and Stallone together, because I grew up with those guys. The planning of the break out and the interaction between the two is entertaining as hell. The scenes in the prison were cool, as soon as they cut away from the prison I was bored.

You get what you expect from Stallone and Schwarzenegger, and I think that’s we love about them. Every movie fan is just thrilled about the idea of those two together, and so was I. I would pay money to see a movie with the dumbest plot ever if Stallone and Schwarzenegger star in it. Jim Caviezel, as the warden, was a pretty good bad guy by the way. That surprised me. Other characters and actors didn’t impress me very much.

I didn’t expect anything good and this movie isn’t very surprising. But it’s enjoyable to watch and it entertained me.

Rating: 3/ 5