Movie Review - Woman in the Window

Director: Joe Wright
Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Julianna Moore, Wyatt Russel, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Anthony Mackie, Brian Tyree Henry, Tracy Letts

Description: An agoraphobic woman (Amy Adams) living alone in New York begins spying on her new neighbors, only to witness a disturbing act of violence.

Review: Anna no longer takes a step outside her apartment. She suffers from severe agoraphobia and takes heavy medication to get through thee day, supplemented by a good sip of wine. She kills time by spying on her neighbors, and at the beginning of the film, the Russel family across the street is just moving in. Anna meets their son Ethan, a sensitive boy with a nervous streak, and moments later his mother as well. But then nefarious things happen. Our heroine sees a murder taking place on the other side. Main suspect: Mr. Russell.  
The plot of the film is very similar to “Rear Window” and director Joe Wright agrees, he even adds another adds another shot from the classic, on the of the many film cassics that Anna turns on the TV while peering into the neighborhood. And Wright has also borrowed some voyeuristic shots from the old master Hitchcock. He mixes this with a touch of films like “Shutter Island” and “The Wolf Hour” (a fairly unknown film with Naomi Watts, but also has a lot of similarities with this film).  
In the lead role we see Amy Adams. Her character comes off as a bit of a caricature at some points. In a better films that wouldn’t have been the case. Because Adams is still one of the strongest actresses of her generation. Julianne Moore technically has only one scene. Gary Oldman, as Mr. Russell, is a bit too much. And Jennifer Jason Leigh doesn’t really have anything to do. I like basically every single actor cast for this film, just not in this movie.
If there is anything positive to be said, it is that Joe Wright shows some promise here as a thriller maker. Overall, “The Woman in the Window” is just a copy of some other good movies mixed together, but not very well-executed. I was so looking forward to this film, but sadly enough it’s not that great.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

Movie Review - Mank

Director: David Fincher
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 131 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, Charles Dance, Tuppence Middleton, Leven Rambin, Tom Burke, Tom Pelphrey, Arliss Howard, Toby Leonard Moore, Joseph Cross, Jamie McShane, Elvy, Sam Throughton, Natalie Denise Sperl, Ferdinand Kingsley, Adam Shapiro

Description: 1930s Hollywood is reeveluated through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter herman J, Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) as he races to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane.

Review: Screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, Mank for short, is approached by Orson Welles to work on a film script. Through flashbacks his route to the making of this script will be explained.
I know director David Fincher mainly from his darker work, like “Se7en”, “Zodiac”, “Gone Girl” and his profound series “Mindhunter”. So when I saw his name connected to this film, I was intrigued. And yes, with Gary Oldman in the lead, it quickly got my attention. “Mank” is an ode to film from the late 30s, early 40s. With “Citizen Kane” as the legendary battleship of his catgory. This is a film that cinephiles with a penchant for old Hollywood will enjoy.
“Mank” was shot in that style: completely black and white, with methods of lighting and sound that make you feel like you’re in classic Hollywood. Fincher makes the choice here to e very stylistic, which I didn’t expect him to be. And he did this very well. Gary Oldman plays the charismatic Mank, intellectual chatterbox and professional drunk, and he does this sublime. Amanda Seyfried, who I have never been a big fan of, plays her best role so far. And Charles Dance is always great in whatever he does. But it’s Oldman’s movie and nobody will be able to drink enough to come across as credibly drunk as Oldman does here soberly. And at the same time eh finds the balance between pedanticism and sympathy.  
The script is well put together, but doesn’t have much to do. “Mank” is a bit too long to my taste. The many flashbacks add to how Mank wrote the script for “Citizen Kane”, because that’s what this is all about, and why he made certain script choices. The film certainly isn’t boring, but it won’t appeal to everyone. The cinephiles among us will love it. For the rest: this is a stylistic biographical film you may or may not like. It suits me just fine!

Rating: 3,5 / 5

00s Movie Review - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Director: David Yates
Genre: Adventure/ Family/ Fantasy/ Drama
Runtime: 138 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Helene Bonham-Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Imelda Staunton, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Tom Felton, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Emma Thompson, David Thewlis, Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw, Warwick Davis, Bonnie Wright, Julie Walters, Mark Williams, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Chris Rankin, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch

Description: With their warning about Lord Voldemort's return scoffed at, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) are targeted by the Wizard authorities as an authoritarian bureaucrat slowly seizes power at Hogwarts.

Review: The fifth movie in the series is a bit more grim then the previous films. The innocent face of the then 12 year old Daniel Radcliffe is now a full grown teenager.
In the opening scene we see Harry sitting on a swing. After his cousin Dudley is teasing him again, Harry breaks. He gets his wand out and threatens Dudley. It shows that Harry isn’t someone to mess with anymore. Voldemort is after Harry and sends dementors his way. When a dementor wants to attack Dudley, Harry uses a Patronus spell on him. This gets him in trouble.
Harry is traumatized since he saw Cedric die in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”. For the first time we feel Harry’s burden. Although Hermione and Ron support him, Harry feels alone. But he has no choice, he has to get ready to face Voldemort.
There are some new characters introduced. Evanna Lynch plays Luna Lovegood. A quirky witch who makes sure there are also some lighter moments in the film. She teaches Harry to cope with the trauma. Then there is Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, who is probably the most annoying character in the entire franchise. She steals the show.
What I liked most about “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” is how the students are forming their own alliance and try to get ready for the big battle, without any help of the teachers. Characters like Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasly get a more important role in the story.
It wasn’t one of my favorite books, because it was so long. But director David Yates has done a fantastic job in turning it into a movie. It is one of my favorite Harry Potter movies.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Director: Mike Newell
Genre: Adventure/ Family/ Fantasy
Runtime: 157 minutes
Year: 2005
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Timothy Spall, Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Robert Pattinson, Stanislav Ianevski, Clémence Poésy, Mark Williams, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Warwick Davis, David Tennant

Description: Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself mysteriously selected as an under-aged competitor in a dangerous tournament between three schools of magic.

Review: Harry Potter has been challenged before, but the challenges he has to face in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” are from an entire different caliber.
The fourth installment in the series is a big spectacle. We start at the Quidditch World Cup, but quickly go back to Hogwarts. There Dumbledore tells the student about the Triwizard Tournament. Three different schools, including Hogwarts, will have to face three challenges. Three champions are chosen, but the goblet of fire spits out one more name: Harry Potter. No one knows how his name got in the cup, because he isn’t allowed to participate. Harry has to compete.
Although the movie is a visual spectacle and there is a lot of action, the emotional development is minimal. This was an important film in the series, because of a certain character reveal. But “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” isn’t the most memorable of the bunch. And the movie is very long with its two and a half hours.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Genre: Adventure/ Fantasy/ Family
Runtime: 142 minutes
Year: 2004
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, Chris Rankin, Bonnie Wright, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Matthew Lewis, Tom Felton, Timothy Spall, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Warwick Davis, Mark Williams, Pam Ferris, Julie Christie

Description: It's Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) third year at Hogwarts; not only does he have a new "Defense Against the Dark Arts" teacher, but there is also trouble brewing. Convicted murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped the Wizards' Prison and is coming after Harry.

Review: “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” is the third movie in the series and a darker film then the previous two. The film is a lot more intense and can be scary for younger viewers. The film is very different from the book, director Alfonso Cuarón focused more on the action then the exact story in the book.
After an unfortunate accident with aunt Marge, 13 year old Harry Potter flees the Dursley house. The way to Hogwarts is already very eventful, but the real problems start when he arrives. A dangerous wizard, Sirius Black, has escaped the prison of Azkaban and he is looking for Harry. The Dementors, the scary guards of Azkaban, also guard Hogwarts but they also seem to be focused on Harry. The new professor, Remus Lupin, teaches him to defend himself against them.
Lots of introductions in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”. The monster book, the magical Hippogriff and the Grim. Two new teachers: Sibyll Trelawney and Professor Lupin. And again exciting adventures where Harry is joined by his friends Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Hagrid.
Harry Potter is growing up. And I don’t mean just the character, the film too. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are four years older than the first film. And the film doesn’t feel like a kids movie anymore.
Director Chris Columbus has been replaced by Alfonso Cuarón. The books by J.K. Rowling get more intense and heavy and you can see that in the film. The movie lost his light touch and there aren’t as many funny moments like there were in the first two films. Rowling asked Cuarón not to copy the book to film literally, but capture the essence and spirit of the Potter universe. And that’s exactly what he did. Some essential elements where left out and the ‘die hard’ Harry Potter fans might not like it.
The movie is a visual spectacle with great décor and beautiful special effects. The acting is also good. Special mentions are newcomers Gary Oldman and David Thewlis, as Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Michael Gambon replaced Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore, after he passed away. Good choice, but I still miss Harris a little bit.
The film is meant for the family, but it can be a bit scary for the younger ones. Although the books is my favorite of the series, the movie isn’t. Yet it’s another great film in the Harry Potter franchise.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Darkest Hour

Director: Joe Wright
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 125 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Stephen Dillane

Description: In May 1940, the fate of Western Europe hangs on British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman), who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, or fight on knowing that it could mean a humiliating defeat for Britain and its empire.

Review: After the audio visual spectacle “Dunkirk”, there is “Darkest Hour”, an opposite in the theaters. The same historical turning point, but a smaller film with a more intimate setting. And director Joe Wright exchanges the harsh realistic atmosphere, for a more melodramatic feel.
Winston Churchill has been portrayed by many actors: Brian Cox, John Lithgow, Timothy Spall, Brendan Gleeson, Michael Gambon and many more. And then there is Gary Oldman, the man who won an Academy Award for his portrayal. Although Oldman doesn’t look at all like Churchill, the make-up artists did a masterful job in transforming him into the former British Prime Minister.
Oldman had to be creative with his voice and body language, to become Churchill. And he does this very well. He mumbles, has a lisp, tramps. It’s hard to see Oldman, and easy to see Churchill. Which means Oldman succeeded. Only when he raises his voice, it’s very clear Oldman. But it’s focused on subtlety, which was very cleverly done by director Joe Wright. And in this subtlety, there is room for Oldman to be eccentric and funny. Oldman’s performance is well balanced.
“Darkest Hour” works a bit too hard sometimes, to win over the audience. But the cinematography is impressive and consistent. As is the make-up and editing.
This is an ‘acting movie’ with a lot of talking, that is good because of its leading actor. Without him, this would be a mediocre and forgettable film.

Rating: 4 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 100: The Hitman's Bodyguard

Director: Patrick Hughes
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Salma Hayek, Richard E. Grant

Description: The world's top bodyguard (Ryan Reynolds) gets a new client (Samuel L. Jackson), a hit man who must testify at the International Court of Justice. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time.

Review: “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” feels a bit like a buddy action comedy from the 80s or 90s. It’s a shameless and very entertaining film, if you enjoy films like “48 Hours” and Lethal Weapon”.
Samuel L. Jackson plays Darius Kincaid, a hitman that has to testify in an important case. He has to be transported from A to B by Michael Bryce, played by Ryan Reynolds. Off course they are the exact opposites of each other and the transportation doesn’t go as planned.
“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” has some really great action scenes and car chases. And it’s fun to see that most of the movie was filmed in my country, The Netherlands.
“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” feels fresh, it’s an old fashioned style and well executed action comedy. But then with more violence and swearing, but that’s what you get when it stars Samuel L. Jackson. The humor is great and I loved the dynamic between Reynolds and Jackson. And I really enjoyed Salma Hayek’s role as well.
“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” is so much fun!

Rating: 4/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Harry Potter Characters

I did this before, I ranked my favorite Harry Potter characters. But I’m a little older now and I reread and rewatched all the books and movies. My opinion has changed and I have adjusted my top 5. Here are my favorite characters from the Harry Potter series.

5. Minerva McGonagall

As the head of Gryffindor house and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall can be strict and disciplinary. But she can also be kind, the one who sometimes lets you get away with a bit of mischief. And that’s why Minerva McGonagall is so endearing and loving.

 

 

4. Neville Longbottom

Neville Longbottom is the quintessential dimwit-turned-hero. When we first meet him at Hogwarts, Neville is shy, introvert and simply not that good at magic. He is loveable. While he begins to show loyalty and signs of bravery early on, it isn’t until Neville’s fifth year and his participation in Dumbledore’s Army, that we see him truly come into his own.

 

 

3. Remus Lupin

Hogwarts has had many teachers for the Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Remus Lupin was very different from Quirrel and Lockhart. Lupin is a kind and caring presence in Harry’s life. While Dumbledore was already looking out for Harry, Remus Lupin was a much more available source of comfort. The fact that Lupin is also a werewolf gives his character an extra dimension, when we see this thoughtful, warm man works to control the monster he turns into.

 

 

2. Hermione Granger

Hermione Granger is Harry and Ron’s best girl-pal. She is so much more than just a token throw-in for female readers/ viewers to identify with. Hermione is very logical, upright and good. And while she is first painted as a brainy do-gooder who always plays by the rules, it’s fun to watch Hermione develop into so much over the course of the series. She remains the voice of reason, but she’ll break the law without hesitation if it’s for the greater good.

 

 

1. Sirius Black

Sirius Black had been sentenced to the prison of Azkaban for murdering twelve Muggles, but Black is in fact an innocent man. Sirius was a close friend to James and Lily Potter, so much they named him as Harry’s godfather. While he maintains a sort of edgy, rebellious appeal, it’s the father/ son relationship that begins to develop between Sirius and Harry that endears the character to me.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Ron Weasly, Dobby the House Elf, Rubeus Hagrid, Mad Eye Moody, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasly, Fred & George Weasly

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 27: Lawless

Director: John Hillcoat

Genre: Crime/ Drama

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan, Gary Oldman

Description: A trio of bootlegging brothers are threatened by a new special deputy and other authorities angling for a cut of their profits.

Review: They are inaccessible, the legendary image of the Bondurant family. Wars, epidemics, nothing got to them for decades. This family is the focus of “Lawless” directed by John Hillcoat. Leader is Forrest, and we also have older brother Howard and the youngest Jack.

“Lawless” is set in the thirties of the twentieth century in Virginia. De brothers Bondurant are leading an okay life, with their own illegal trade in beverage. But when a new sheriff comes to town, this life changes. Sheriff Rakes wants everyone to live by his rules and the Bondurant family is his biggest problem. Where others surrounder to Rakes, the Bondurant brothers don’t give in and fight him.

Although the leader of the Bondurants is Forrest, the leading role is for Jack. Shia LaBeouf manages to keep up with the other big names in the cast. Jessica Chastain shines as always, but she isn’t given that much to do. Gary Oldman is hardly in it and Guy Pearce is a creepy, convincing Sheriff. But it’s Tom Hardy that steals the show. There is something about Hardy that I can’t resist.

“Lawless” is a good western/ gangster film. It’s a movie that does lots of good thing, like the setting, the actors and the pace. But the lack of depth is a negative, both in the story as the characters. This makes “Lawless” an uncomplicated enjoyable watch.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Best & Worst: Gary Oldman

I think Gary Oldman picks his roles very carefully, because he doesn’t have a lot of bad movies.

 

 

 

This is one gem, directed by Luc Besson. It’s a great story, but with three amazing performances. Off course Jean Reno and Natalie Portman shine, but Gary Oldman is really creepy and convincing as the villain. Honorable Mentions: “True Romance”, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”, “The Fifth Element”, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”, “Batman Begins”, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”

 

 

A very recent movie. And it wasn’t because of him, Oldman was probably the best bit of the film. “Paranoia” just didn’t do it for me. It was boring.

Dishonorable Mentions: “Red Riding Hood”

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 94: Paranoia

Director: Robert Luketic

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford, Amber Heard, Richard Dreyfuss, Embeth Davidtz, Josh Holloway, Julian McMahon

Description: Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) is an entry-level employee at a powerful corporation. He finds himself occupying a corner office, but at a dangerous price: he must spy on his boss's old mentor to secure for him a multi-billion dollar advantage.

Review: Adam Cassidy is a young and ambitious man working for a company that specializes in smartphones. When he stuffs up a presentation, he and his co-workers end up on the street. Because Adam is angry, he uses the company’s credit card and buys his colleagues a fun night out. Adam’s boss Nicholas Wyatt finds out and leaves him with two options: They turn him in to the police or he has to spy on Wyatts old mentor, Jock Goddard. Adam, who doesn’t have a penny to spare and is struggling with a sick father, takes the job. What seems like an easy job, turns out to be his worst nightmare.

A thriller doesn’t need to have a good developed story to captivate you. With the correct mix of a good script, pace and the right actors you get a long way. “Paranioa” seems to have all those things: a script about corruption within the current crisis, acting legends Ford and Oldman and hot talent Liam Hemsworth. But “Paranoia” hits and misses.

The movie starts out just fine. But things get very improbable. Everything is high-tech, but the competition easily breaks through each other’s security. And there are very bad dialogues. This movie lacks originality.

Liam Hemsworth looks great, like his brother Chris, but doesn’t have that same charisma and talent. He is a bit superficial. Amber Heard shows us that looking good doesn’t mean you can’t act. Harrison Ford is doing a routine job, nothing noteworthy there. But Gary Oldman shows us that he can still pull of the villain role.

“Paranoia” misses its chance with the mediocre script and the lack of intensity from the actors. Even Ford and Oldman can’t save it. It’s a standard thriller that you won’t remember for long.

Rating: 1,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 91: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Director: Matt Reeves

Genre: Drama/ Action/ Adventure

Runtime: 130 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Andy Serkis, Jason Calrke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Judy Greer

Description: In the wake of a disaster that changed the world, the growing and genetically evolving apes find themselves at a critical point with the human race.

 

Review: In “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” it’s ten years later then the happenings in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”. Almost all of mankind was wiped out due to a deadly virus. While the survivors are trying to rebuild their lives, they didn’t have any contact with the apes. And vice versa. They are almost out of power and they have to search for a power source. While they are looking for that, they cross the territory of the apes. And the apes have evolved further and their population has grown.

Leader of the group is Caesar, who we saw in the previous film bonding with a human. He hasn’t lost complete trust in humans en he wants them to live a life of peace, no war between people and apes. Caesar is even willing to help them, but not all the apes in his group feel the same way. One of them, Koba, has lost all his faith in humanity and is willing to fight for survival.

In “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” they use the performance capture technique. It amazes me that there were no real apes in this film, that’s how real they look. Every expression and movement looks realistic. This film has great visual effect.

Andy Serkis, who plays the role of Caesar, has worked with this technique many times. And as always, he’s the expert. He does an amazing job and you really empathize with Caesar. And the bond that is built between the apes and some of the humans is very convincing and it really touches you. In “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” there is not one bad side, it’s a two way street. The moral is that you should never totally focus on one side of a story.

This movie, directed by Matt Reeves, is worth your time. It looks amazing and is very exciting and touching. If I have to choose between “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, I can’t.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Battle: The Road Vs. The Book of Eli

I’ve choosen two movies with similar themes and plot points this time. And I think it’s going to be a close call, because while starting this I’m not sure who I will pick as winner yet. Here are the two movies going head to head in this movie battle: “The Road” Vs. “The Book of Eli”.

 

CAST

The Road: Viggo Mortensen has the lead and he does a great job. Very solid an believable. Kodi Smith-McPhee is an upcoming star, very well done as well. Charlize Theron also has a role in “The Road”, she is one of my favourites, I always love her. Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce have small roles in it as well.

The Book of Eli: You can always rely on Denzel Washington, this man never made a really bad movie. Washington is great, as always. Gary Oldman plays the villain, a task you can trust him with. Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson and Michael Gambon also have roles in the film.

STORY

The Road: A man and his son a trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world by any means possible. Somehow these kinds of stories always get me interested. I remember the ending to be very open, you don’t really know what will happen next.

The Book of Eli: Eli is trying to cross his way through post-apocalyptic America, while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving mankind. Off course his trip doesn’t go without some problems. The film had a surprise twist in the end.

EFFECTS The Road: They made it look like a post-apocalyptic world, very dark, grim and sad. Not much colour, a perfect look for a world that’s on the edge of dying.

The Book of Eli: This post-apocalytic world looked a little lighter. It’s not as dark, it has a lot of earthy tones, more dessert like.

WINNER

It’s a tough one, but I’ll go for “The Road”. It’s not as spectacular as “The Book of Eli”, but the whole setting, storyline and performances impressed me a bit more.

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.

 

 

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

In the Picture: The Characters from "Léon"

"Léon" is one of the coolest movies of the 90's and it brought us three very memorable characters as well. Here are the characters from "Léon".

Léon
Played by: Jean Reno
Léon is a hitman, or a cleaner is how he calls it. He lives a solitary life in New York. The only living thing in his life is his plant, who he calls his best friend. When Matilda enters his life, he feels things he never felt before.

Matilda Lando
Played by: Natalie Portman
Matilda lives with her dysfunctional family. She has an abusive father, self-absorbed stepmother and a shallow half sister. The only one she cares about is her four year old brother. When her family is killed, she goes to Léon for help and an unlikely friendship develops.

Norman Stansfield
Played by: Gary Oldman
Stansfield leads a group of corrupt DEA agents and is responsible for the death of Matilda’s family. He’s trying to find her now. He has a great passion for classical music, preferably Beethoven and has a unhinged and unpredictable personality.

Tony
Played by: Danny Aiello
Tony is a so-called mobster in Little Italy and he helps out Léon. He keeps his money safe and is responsible for giving everything to Matilda when Léon dies.



Favorite Character: Léon