20s Movie Review - Space Jam: A New Legacy

Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Genre: Family/ Adventure/ Comedy/ Animation
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Sonequa Martin-Green, Sarah Silverman
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 33: A RAZZIE-AWARS WINNING MOVIE
 
Description: A rogue artificial intelligence (Don Cheadle) kidnaps the son of fames basketball player LeBron James, who then has to work with Bugs Bunny to win a basketball game.

Review: Those who saw “Space Jam” (1996) in the cinema as a kid may still get warm feelings now at the thought of that wacky game of basketball. At the time, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Looney Tunes enlisted the help of one man: Michael Jordan, who was considered by friend and foe alike to be the best basketball player of all tim. It’s pure nineties nostalgia. At least for some. Indeed, it is quite conceivable that many young people today will look at this goofy mix of animation and live-action with a different, perhaps even pitying eye.

A lot has changed since then. On the one hand, film techniques have advances enormously, on the other hand, the audience itself nowadays demands more and more stimuli and sensation. The generation that grew up with mobile phones and I-Pads is generally easily distracted, so it’s best to bombard them with as many flashy images and hip music possible, right?

If that’s what you’re looking for, “Space Hame: A New Legacy” is right for you. For the most part, the film is densely packed with visual fireworks and a pumping soundtrack, but unfortunately the compliments will end there.

The film is packed with movie and TV references. At first, it’s fun to see popular franchises like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones pass you. But it quickly becomes an overkill and it is way too much. It even starts the become annoying. It looks like a big advertisement. The fact that characters like Pennywise and the gentleman from “A Clockwork Orange” are standing on the sideline of a basketball game cheering, feels really weird.

The acting across the board is terrible. Even Don Cheadle, an Oscar-nominated actor, doesn’t impress and he feels out of place. And LeBron James… lets just put it this way: he is a great basketball player.

I don’t even know why this sequel is even called “Space Jam”, because it’s not set in space or stars creatures from outer space. The only space-related character is Marvin the Martian, and he is hardly in the movie. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is just an uninspired cash-grab. And even though the first “Space Jam” wasn’t a masterpiece, at least it was entertaining and is rewatchable. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is just a bad movie.

Rating: 2/ 5

00s Movie Review - Ocean's Thirteen

Director: Steven Sodenbergh
Genre: Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, matt Damon, Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Elliott Gould, Shaobo Qin, Don Cheadle, Andy Garcia, Carl Reiner

Description: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) rounds up the boys for a third heist after casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) double-crosses on of the original eleven: Rueben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould).

Review: The story in a nutshell: Danny Ocean and his ream get together to assist their buddy Rueben Tishkoff, who has been double-crossed by casino boss Willi Banks. As a result, Rueben has collapsed, is in bed with heart problems and Danny is furious. Time for revenge. The plan is to bankrupt Banks’ casino before it officially opens its doors. Let the swindle and sabotage begin…
After a flying start “Ocean’s Thirteen” collapses after thirty minutes. The different storylines aren’t all that interesting, characters come and go, and certain things remain unexplained. But they are back in Las Vegas, like in the first movie. And the actual execution of the plan feels like old times. And this part was really fun, enjoyable and exciting.  
Does the third film add something to the series? Not really. The second one also didn’t, but I do prefer this over “Ocean’s Twelve”. But “Ocean’s Eleven” was the best of the three and they should have just stuck with that one.

Rating: 3/ 5

00s Movie Review - Ocean's Twelve

Director: Steven Sodenbergh
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Comedy/ Thriller
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2004
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac, Scott Caan, Casey Affleck, Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Carl Reiner, Shaobo Qin, Elliot Giuld, Vincent Cassel, Bruce Willis, Don Cheadle, Albert Finney

Description: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) once again teams up with experts so he can pull off three major European heists.

Review: Steven Sodenbergh’s “Ocean Twelve” demonstrates the difference between actors and movie stars: the film clearly lacks content, but is filled with beautiful images and gorgeous people. Loads of star power in this film, but rarely do they show their acting skills.
Where “Ocean’s Eleven” has a clear vision and plot, “Ocean’s Twelve” doesn’t really seem to care about the plot. Because it’s really of no importance at all. Danny Ocean and his companions are yet again trying to pull off three major heists. This time in three European countries: The Netherlands, Italy and France.
The other story that we follow is that of an elusive thief called Night Fox. He is in everything the cliché of the flamboyant jewel thief: a rich French baron who was trained by the best thief of all time, he steals purely for fun and leaves a small stone fox statue at the places he robs.
I really enjoyed the first film, but “Ocean’s Twelve” really dragged and was even boring at times. I did like the added humor, especially when Tess Ocean (played by Julia Roberts) had to pretend to be Julia Roberts. And with all those amazing stars in the film, it’s sad that actos like Don Cheadle and Elliot Gould don’t get the screen time they deserve. Because they are true scene stealers.
Overall, “Ocean’s Twelve” was just another cash grab.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Ocean's Eleven

Director: Steven Sodenbergh
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Comedy
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac, Elliott Gould, Julia Roberts, Scott Caan, Casey Affleck, Don Cheadle, Carl Reiner, Shaobo Qin, Holly Marie Combs, Barry Watson, Joshua Jackson, Topher Grace, Shane West

Description: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his ten accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.

Review: Danny Ocean just got out of jail and he’s already planning his next heist: the simultaneous robbing of three major casinos in Las Vegas. To carry out this daring plan, he assembles ten experts that, after extensive preparation, seems perfectly capable of getting the job done. However, it is questionable whether it will be that easy in reality, because casino owner Terry Benedict is smart and has cameras everywhere.
“Ocean’s Eleven” is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name. although in this case the term remake is very broad. Because Steven Sodenbergh’s version has some common ground with its predecessor it is essentially a completely different film. It starred Franks Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. among many others, and had the right atmosphere. But it lacked atmosphere and action. With Sodenbergh’s take on it, that’s different.
Their mission seems impossible at first, since the safe is very hard to access without being seen. But somehow the protagonists know how to find a surprising wat to bypass all security measures. Of course things go wrong, which add to the excitement of the film. The film has a lot of tension. The slick camera work and high star quality make for a great film. But it’s not perfect. The characters are largely one-dimensional. But don’t let this stop you from watching the film.
“Ocean’s Eleven” is almost two hours of entertainment.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Iron Man 2

Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Mickey Rourke, Leslie bibb, Olivia Munn, Don Cheadle, Kate Mara, Paul Bettany, John Slattery, Clark Gregg, Garry Shandling

Description: With the world now aware of his identity as Iron man, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father’s legacy.

Review: Two years before the sequel was released, “Iron Man” was an unsuspected hit. It was a straight-forward comic book tale that made it special due to its great lead.
Although the first film wasn’t very surprising, the last scene where Tony reveals to the public that he is Iron Man, was. This created the path for a sequel. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is nothing like the other superheroes out there. Heroes like Spider-Man or Batman see their task as a burden and try to keep their identity hidden. But Tony is someone living the good life and not being ashamed of it, but simply has an eccentric hobby that he uses to fight bad guys. This is no different in “Iron Man 2”.
Tony makes it seem easy to live as a superhero with his identity out in the open and you wonder why some of them want to keep their identity hidden. Well, the government pressures him to hand over his inventions. And his character reveal draws the attention of a Russian criminal that has some unfinished business with the Stark family. This Ivan Vanko gets, after his first confrontation with Iron Man, help from a guy named Justin Hammer. He is a weapons manufacturer who is always one step behind Tony. An alliance with Vanko could work for both Hammer as Vanko.
Ivan Vanko is played by Mickey Rourke, who got his Hollywood comeback due to “The Wrestler”. But in “Iron Man 2” there is not a lot for him to do. Babbling in a Russian accent, but mainly silent, he is mostly physically present in the action scenes. Another newcomer to the film is Scarlett Johansson, who is Tony’s new assistant. First it seems like a thankless role, until it’s uncovered who she really is. But the best newcomer is Don Cheadle, who takes over the role of James Rhodes from Terrence Howard, who played this role in the first film. A character being played by a different actor than the previous film is a tough job, but Cheadle nails it and we’ve already forgotten about Howard.
The intention of a series is that you see a clear development in characters, in this cast Tony Stark. But at the end of “Iron Man 2” he is just the same guy as the first film. In doesn’t dig deep enough to give Tony the development he needs.
“Iron Man 2” is a fun and very entertainment sequel, that is mainly good because of an excellent performance by Robert Downey Jr.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Reviews - Avengers: Endgame

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 181 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper, Josh Brolin, Tessa Thompson, Evangeline Lilly, Pom Klementieff, Tom Holland, Jon Favreau, Elizabeth Olsen, Dave Bautista, Sebastian Stan, Michelle Pfeiffer, Katherine Langford, Tilda Swinton, Letitia Wright, Kerry Condon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chadwick Boseman, Winston Duke, Frank Grillo, Ty Simpkins, Sean Gunn, Emma Fuhrmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong

Description: After the devastating events, the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe.

Review: “Avengers: Endgame” isn’t only the finale to last year’s “Avengers: Infinity War”, it’s also the end of the journey that film studio Marvel started eleven years ago together with its many fans. “Avengers: Endgame” is supposed to be a tribute to all the experiences and memories we have from the past years in this universe.
Thanos left a dystopian world behind with the snap of his fingers. The titan completed his mission, perfectly balanced out life and the Avengers have been defeated for the first time. And it paid its toll, because the superheroes have obviously suffered from it. They are broken, damaged. Nonetheless the team is determined to defeat their nemesis once and for all, after a new sign of hope.
The Marvel universe grew over the years, but “Avengers: Endgame” focuses on the six original Avengers. They don’t need any introduction and are the praised characters it all started with. The playing field is known and the returning directing Russo brothers don’t pay a lot of attention on background stories. This film is simply for the fans.
“Avengers: Endgame” is a true Marvel film. Humor, sharp dialogues, extravaganza, spectacle. And it has sky high ambitions. Somehow some elements feel uninspired. No introduction to Captain Marvel and Tony and Nebula’s return feel unsatisfying. And some developments don’t live up to our expectations or rules of logic.
I didn’t like what they did to Bruce Banner/ Hulk. It felt weird and I really don’t understand the choice for this. I did like the sacrifice one character made. Thinking it was going to be the other one, it was a cool twist that it eventually turned around. And Scott Lang’s role in the story was pretty cool.
During the end fight, they go all out. It’s a fantastic moment and the definite highlight of the film. The moment where Captain America says ‘Avengers assemble’, that just gave me goosebumps. An epic fight, a great finale.
In “Avengers: Infinity War” the focus was on Thanos, but here the attention had to be divided over several characters. Some protentional plot points have been sacrificed because of that. The end of the film is really strong and it feels like a perfect ending. And it is one final tribute to the Marvel universe. But from the last minutes of the film, you can also conclude that Marvel is not done with new stories yet. So it’s not really the end, but a new beginning.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 69: Captain America: Civil War

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Emily VanCamp, Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, Martin Freeman, Marisa Tomei, John Slattery, Alfre Woodard

Description: Political interference in the Avengers' activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).

Review: The brothers Joe and Anthony Russo did a great job on “Captain America: Winter Soldier” and I was really excited when I found out they were also directing the third installment of this franchise. They really understand the Marvel universe.
The film opens with a scene in Lagos, Nigeria. There the memers of the Avengers are chasing down bad guy Crossbones. The mission ends in a blood bath. And after their actions in New York, Washington and Sokovia, the United Nations wants to close the Sokovia Accords. This means the Avengers can only work on request by the UN.
Tony Stark signs the documents. Steve Rogers thinks it’s a bad plan. Together with Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Falcon, he doesn’t sign. During the ceremony, where all the others do sign, the king of Wakanda is killed in an attack. The main suspect is the Winter Soldier. The hunt for Steve’s friend tears the Avengers even further apart.
This Marvel film is mostly about loyalty, family and friendship. Steve Rogers is the one we focus on, of course. He stands for loyalty and friendship and would never abandon his friend Bucky. Steve never doubts Bucky’s story and wants to defend him no matter what. A great thing about “Captain America: Civil War” is that both teams, team Captain America and team Iron Man, have good points and bad points. You would expect that as a viewer you have to lean towards Steve Rogers, but Tony Stark also has some good points. The most awesome part of the film is the showdown between both teams, on a airfield in Leipzig. Well shot, great action, perfectly choreographed fight scenes and humor. And it’s fun to see new heroes Spider-Man, Black Panther and Ant-Man here too.
There is a lot going on in “Captain America: Civil War”, which sometimes makes it feel a bit messy. Lots of characters, old an new ones. But the movies shines when it has to shine: the action and fight scenes and the comedy.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 115: The Guard

Director: John Michael McDonagh

Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Comedy

Runtime: 96 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot, Mark Strong, Rory Keenan, Fionnula Flanagan, Dominique McElligott, Sarah Greene, Katarine Cas, Pat Shortt, Darren Healy, Laurence Kinlan, Gary Lydon, Ronan Collins, Dermot Healy, Dominick Hewitt, Sharon Kearney, Michael Og Lane, Conor Moloney, Giedrius Nagys, Mark O’Halloran, Wale Ojo, Eamonn Olwill, David Pearse, Gary Robinson, Owen Sharpe

Description: An unorthodox Irish policeman (Brendan Gleeson) with a confrontational personality is partnered with an up-tight F.B.I. agent (Don Cheadle) to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.

Review: Brendan Gleeson is a late bloomer. It wasn’t until he was 34 that he got his first movie role. For years Gleeson has been the supporting actor, with movies like “Braveheart”, “Michael Collins”, “Gangs of New York” and “Cold Mountain”. And he was also in the “Harry Potter” series. It was director Martin McDonagh that thought Gleeson could carry a film and he give him one of the leads in “In Bruges”. McDonagh’s brother John Michael McDonagh got Gleeson for “The Guard”, a crime comedy like no other.

Gleeson plays Gerry Boyle, a cop in western Ireland. Gerry has his own rules. He tries drugs that he finds at a crime scene, drinks beer while still on the clock and spends time with call girls. Whoever comments, can expect a sharp response. Gerry is not political correct and very unconventional. American FBI agent Wendell Everett, a role by Don Cheadle, has come to Ireland to solve a drug case. He has to work with Gerry. Two completely different men working together on a big case.

Brendan Gleeson does a great job portraying the rude Gerry. One crude remark after another, he seems like a real ass. But somehow Gleeson manages to give him some charm as well. We see that he can be caring, in his own way. He is a man that has toughened himself to hide his true vulnerability. Then there is Wendell, goodie two shoes living by the rules. The chemistry between Gleeson and Cheadle is good. Fun roles for Liam Cunnigham and Mark Strong, as the semi-philosophical drug criminals and Fionnula Flanagan as Gerry’s foulmouthed mother.

“The Guard” is especially strong because of its dialogue and acting. The sharp oneliners are so enjoyable, even if they are harsh, and Brendan Gleeson is so good. If you like dark comedies, with typical British humor and that are different and cynical, you should definitely watch “The Guard”.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 46: Brooklyn's Finest

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller

Runtime: 132 minutes

Year: 2009

Starring: Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Vincent D’Onofrio, Lili Taylor, Will Patton, Ellen Barkin, Jesse Williams, Logan Marshall-Green

Description: Three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location after enduring vastly different career paths.

Review: Antoine Fuqua showed us the tough reality of cops and the street life in “Training Day”. Ethan Hawke, who was also in “Training Day”, stars in “Brooklyn’s Finest, together with Richard Gere and Don Cheadle. It’s a cop drama, but not standard: violent, without compromise and gritty as hell.

The effective intro sets the mood. The movie opens with criminal Carlo and cop Sal, in a parked car. The conversation isn’t important, but you can conclude that Sal needs money. He breaks the law for that. Then we meet cop Eddie, who wakes up and drinks a glass of whiskey right before he is about to start the last seven days of being a cop. Last we meet undercover cop Tango who, while driving a BMW, enters an apartment in the projects in Brooklyn with some gang members. It appears that a young dealer has just been shot by a cop.

This is the setup to the film and we shift between those three storylines. We follow them for a week and sometimes the stories intertwine. It gives you better insights in all the characters. For instance Sal, who needs to support his five children, and two on the way. Everyday there is the temptation of taking drug money that is found at the scene of the crime. Sal starts to take more risks. Ethan Hawke really impresses in his role. Eddie is set to pass on his experience to some new rookies. Richard Gere plays his role very subtle, he is a broken man. I liked seeing Gere in a role like this. Don Cheadle is undercover detective Tango and probably has the most interesting role. He managed to infiltrate and become friends with local drug lord Caz, played by Wesley Snipes. He is on the point of a break through and a promotion, so he can say goodbye to being an undercover agent. But his connection with Caz make the thin line between good and bad even thinner.

“Brooklyn’s Finest” is an above average cop drama, that doesn’t succeed because of its plot, but because of the strong cast and the anguished atmosphere. It’s an overlooked movie, that deserves more credit.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 136: Flight

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 138 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, John Goodman

Description: Airline pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) saves almost all his passengers on his malfunctioning airliner which eventually crashed, but an investigation into the accident reveals something troubling.

Review: Director Robert Zemeckis has already earned his Hollywood status. Movies like “Back to the Future”, “Forrest Gump” and “Cast Away” are on his résumé, so we know what he’s capable of. With Denzel Washington in the lead role, “Flight” seems to be a guarantee for success.

The start of the film is amazing. Whip Whitaker is an experienced pilot with a big problem. He’s an alcoholic. Days in a row he has been flying to and from Atlanta and in between flights he spends his time in bed with his gorgeous stewardess, a bottle of gin and some coke. A couple of hours later he gets in the plane, still drunk. When his plane suffers a malfunction, his confidence and his qualities manage to avoid a major catastrophe. Whip is seen as a national hero, but some dark secrets are revealed.

The first fourty minutes of the film are engrossing and exciting, also thanks to Denzel Washington’s great acting. Even with his irresponsible behavior, he manages to win over your sympathy. However “Flight” isn’t a disaster movie, but a character study with a big moral. That moral is sort of forced on you more and more towards the end of the movie. That’s what this movie misses: cogency. When Whip meets former junkie Nicole and a dying cancer patient, the movie gets a depressed feel. Only John Goodman, who plays Whip’s drugdealer, manages to keep it a bit lighter.

“Flight” stays on its feet though, because the acting is very good and Zemeckis manages to keep the audience’s attention. Denzel Washington’s performance is better and more memorable then the movie itself.

Rating: 3/ 5

Video of the Week (5)

This week I picked a funny video from Jimmy Kimmel's late night show. Celebrities are used to people writing about them, sometimes negative and sometimes even very mean. Kimmel got some celebs to read mean tweets about themselves. It's really funny, especially the ever so serious Gary Oldman bursting into laughter after reading his mean tweet.

 

 

Movie Battle: Hotel Rwanda Vs. Shooting Dogs

The movies who will go head to head are both set in Rwanda and deal with the genocide. They’re both favorites of mine, but who will I choose as the winner.

CAST

Hotel Rwanda: Don Cheadle plays the leading character and he is the only memorable actor in this movie. His performance is so realistic and heartbreaking. Nick Nolte and Joaquin Phoenix are also part of the cast, they’re just solid.

Shooting Dogs: John Hurt plays the role of Christopher, a man of faith who’s life is dedicated to the school and church he has set up in Rwanda. Hugh Dancy is the likeable Joe, a teacher who tries to make a difference. Both actor are very realistic and strong.

STORY

Hotel Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina is a hotel manager who housed a thousand tutsi refugees and it’s an amazing true story. It got a lot of attention at the Academy Awards.

Shooting Dogs: This movie has been based on actual events, the characters are fictional, but it's a bit more confronting then “Hotel Rwanda”. It’s really heart wrenching to see that the United Nations left all those people there and only the ‘white people’ could be evacuated. I think this movie was a bit overlooked.

EFFECTS

Hotel Rwanda: Nicely filmed, don’t really have any negative points here.

Shooting Dogs: It all looks very realistic. I’ve been to Uganda, the neighbour country and parts of it look similar to Rwanda. The color scheme that was used to film “Shooting Dogs” is perfect.

WINNER

A close call, but I will go with “Shooting Dogs”. Most people would choose the other one, but I think “Shooting Dogs” is just a little bit more confronting and touched me slightly more then “Hotel Rwanda”.

Movie Tip #1 - Hotel Rwanda

Director: Terry George

Starring: Don Cheadle, Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix

Description: Tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi lead to a civil war, in a country where corruption and bribes are routine. Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), the manager of Sabena Hôtel des Mille Collines, is Hutu but his wife is Tutsi. Paul and his family observe neighbors being dragged from their homes and openly beaten in the streets. He decides to help de Tutsi people and offers them chelter in his hotel, but the Rwandan Army General is not happy about it.

Review: This movie made me think and I was deeply moved by it. Paul is a man who is willing to do the right thing, when everything around him is going wrong. He stands strong and Don Cheadle did a great job portraying this man. Go see this movie and let it inspire you, like it inspired me.