00s Movie Review - Little Miss Sunshine

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2006
Starring: Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Bryan Cranston, Wallace Langham

Description: A family determined to get their young daughter (Abigail Breslin) into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.

Review: In the American tragi-comedy “Little Miss Sunshine” we meet the Hoover family. A family with eccentric and quirky members. It’s a road movie and the members of the family get to know each other and themselves better and everything changes after this trip. 

“Little Miss Sunshine” has quality. The script is executed very well and the humor is fantastic. If it’s a VW van that malfunctions, the extreme positivism of father Richard or the comments that the coke sniffing grandpa gives his family, it’s great humor.

Up against those hilarious moments, there are also some surprising emotional scenes. This gives it all a perfect balance between comedy and light drama. The Hoovers are real people, although not ordinary, you come to love all of them.

The cast is amazing. Young Abigail Breslin is the shining star of the bunch, with a bright future ahead. Alan Arkin is very funny as grandpa and Steve Carell really impresses as depressed suicidal uncle Frank. Toni Colette, Greg Kinnear and Paul Dano also perform very well.

“Little Miss Sunshine” is one of those movies that puts a smile on your face. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. 

Rating: 5/ 5

TV Show Review - You (Season 4)

Season: 4
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2023
Starring: Pen Badgley, Tati Gabrielle, Charlotte Ritchie, Ed Speleers, Tilly Keeper, Amy-Leigh Hickman, Lukas Gage, Greg Kinnear

Description: A dangerously charming, intenstly obsessive young man (Penn Badgley) goes to extreme measures to insert himself into lives of those he is transfixed by.

Review: It’s always commendable when creators of a film series and television series throw in some good variety and don’t follow the same pattern over and over again. “You” did it, but eventually managed to ruin it.
 
WARNING! THIS REVIEW MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS!
 
It is refreshing that season 4 is done differently. Not only because the battleground had moved from the United States to London’s upper class, but also because for once it is Joe himself who must fear his safety. This is because someone is trying to frame him for murder. The plot creates a new dynamic, although Joe must cope amid a group of very annoying snobs.
 
After the previous season, in which Joe toppled his “partner in crime” and great love Love Quinn, he has assumed a different identity in London. He now is Jonathan Moore, a literature professor, who managed to spin things so that Love was the evil mastermind behind the events and Joe did not survive. He just wants to lead a quiet life now. Mingling amongst the high society of spoiled influencers, uppity artists, annoying rich kids an snobby gallery owners is not really my idea of living a quiet life, but Joe somehow ends up there. And every single character Joe meets is unlikeable, annoying and slap-worthy. Cleverly done by the creators, but also a bit transparent, as this leaves the empathy entirely with Joe. Especially when it turns out that after a night out he is blamed for a murder.
 
Text messages are used to extort the former bookseller and newfound teacher: the culprit knows his true identity and apparently h is not the only one who knows more about Joe.
 
For the first time, a season of “You” has been divided into two chapters dropped on Netflix. The writers did take this new strategy quite literally. There is a clear cut in plot and approach between the first five and the second five episodes. Complete with a sort of interim wrap-up. The writers could have filled the entire season just with the question of who is pressuring Joe so much, more importantly, what the motives are for doing so. But in the second half, the perspective is completely thrown overboard and the course is changed decisively. Except for a few, the many irritating side characters hardly have any function. Moreover, the writers throw it entirely on Joe’s mental state, which is in stark contrast to the man who for seasons has been portrayed as admittedly quite disturbed, but also calculating, cunning and opportunistic. The main character is left reeling and things don’t really work out. With that, I kind of predicted the whole Rhys storyline and that it was eventually Joe himself.  
 
Moreover, more than before, characters from other seasons are revisited. Then the realization dawns that despite the change of environment and tone, “You” is starting to become formulaic.
 
Season 4 of this successful Netflix series is what I would call a “mixed bag”. It starts strong, but loses itself in contrived plot twists and futile attempts to change its ways.  

00s Movie Review - Someone Like You

Director: Tony Goldwyn
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: Ashley Judd, Hugh Jackman, Greg Kinnear, Marisa Tomei, Ellen Barkin

Description: After being jilted by her boyfriend, a talk show talent scout (Ashley Judd) writes a column on the relationship habits of men which gains her national fame.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 14: A ROMCOM
 
Review: Effortlessly, Ashley Judd, she shone in “Kiss the Girls”, among others, plays sounding big names like Marisa Tomei, Ellen Barkin and Hugh Jackman off the screen. But to say they know how to save the film is going too far: the weak script with dull dialogues meant that the film was already hopeless from the start.

One cheesy one-liner after another. Jane has a certain theory about men: one a man has slept with a certain woman, he loses interest in her and she is nothing more than an old cow. And she doesn’t stop talking about it. She writes a column about it, together with her best friend Liz and she tries to refine the theory.  

Throughout the film, Hugh Jackman’s character Eddie is around her. Both at work as at home, when Jane is forced to find a new living space and moves in with him. It’s very obviously they are supposed to move closer to each other, but it takes so long for this to happen.

“Someone Like You” is a bland and standard romcom, that only appealed to me because of its leading lady.

Rating: 2/ 5

10s Movie Review - Brian Banks

Director: Tom Shadyac
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Aldis Hodge, Greg Kinnear, Sherri Shepherd, Morgan Freeman

Description: A football player’s (Aldis Hodge) dream to play in the NFL are halted when he is wrongly convicted and sent to prison. Years later, he fights to clear his name within an unjust system.

 
Review: Brian Banks excels at school in American football and has a prestigious university in prospect. However, his life is turned upside down when he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Despite the lack of evidence, Banks is sentenced to imprisonment. Year later, after his release, he tries to resume life and make his dreams come true.
Brian contacts Justin Brooks, the founder of the “California Innocence Project”. A team tries to find justice for those who were wrongfully accused of a crime. At first, Brooks doesn’t really believe they have enough to get Brian’s name cleared from the terrible crime he’s being accused of. But his team wants nothing more than to work on Brian’s case and get his record clear.
“Brian Banks” is based on a true story. It’s small stories like this, that make you believe there are still good people out there. Brian is accused of raping a girl in high school. And because of the system, he was robbed of his youth. No proper interrogations, no evidence, bad advice and promises from his lawyer and a so-called victim with no remorse whatsoever. Because they tell him he should take a deal, he would only have to do time in prison for a few months. Instead he is sentenced with six years, for a crime he didn’t commit.
It's unbelievable that this happened, but luckily for Brian there is Justin Brooks. And the world needs more people like him. Brooks dedicates his life to finding justice for those he didn’t get it. He managed to get this for several people and he never charged anyone anything.
“Brian Banks” is a beautiful story and film, that really grabs you and will stay with you for a while.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Green Zone

Director: Paul Greengrass

Genre: Action

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan

Description: Discovering covert and faulty intelligence causes a U.S. Army officer (Matt Damon) to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region.

Review: It is 2003, the American have now invaded Iraq because Saddam Hussein is said to have weapons of mass destruction at his disposal. On of the teams that had to look for these weapons in Iraq is led by Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller. The government has obtained the locations of the weapons from a source secret to the outside world, which calls itself ‘Magellan’, However, when Miller’s team seems to miss the mark for several times, Miller begins to doubt the information. CIA agent Martin Brown shares Miller’s concerns, but high-raking government official Clark Pounstone stick with his informant. Miller decides to cooperate with Brown to get to the truth. Meanwhile, reporter Lawrie Dayne tries to find out Magellan’s identity.

The alleged presence of weapons of mass destruction; it was one of the main reasons why America invaded Iraq in 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s regime. “Green Zone”, based on the (non-fiction) book “Imperial Life in the Emerald City” by journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran, focuses on the search for these weapons. However, it is certainly not only about the search itself, but also about the conspiracy around it. Because in (the fictitious) “Green Zone” it soon turns out that things are dirty: the government bases the search on information from an invisible informant but nothing is found in any of the designated places. One of the people responsible for searching these locations is Chief Roy Miller, played by Matt Damon. When they yet again find nothing at the location they are searching, Miller starts distrusting the source and it’s up to him to get to the bottom of it all.

“Green Zone” is directed by Paul Greengrass, who also directed Matt Damon in “The Bourne Supremacy” and The Bourne Ultimatum”. Both strong films. “Green Zone” doesn’t reach that same level, but it’s still a skillfully made political action thriller. The film’s story is fictional, but contains elements that are based on the truth. The film is very realistic.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Reviews - The Red Sea Diving Resort

Director: Gideon Raff
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Chris Evans, Alessandro Nivola, Haley Bennett, Ben Kingsley, Greg Kinnear, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michiel Huisman, Alex Hassell

Description: Israel’s Mossad agents attempt to rescue Ethiopian Jewish refugees in Sudan in 1977.

Review: The new Netflix original film “The Red Sea Diving Resort” premiered on July 31st. The film tells the true story of a group of heroes that rescued big groups of Ethiopian Jewish refuges by working from a hotel in Sudan.
The Ethiopian civil war caused a lot of people their lives. It’s 1977. At the time, Ethiopian Jews could use the so-called ‘Law of Return’: they had the right to settle in Israel and become an Israelian citizen. In “The Red Sea Diving Resort” we see how a group of Mossad agents, led by Ari Levinson, save groups of Ethiopian Jews at the start of the 80s. Their cover: a abandoned hotel near the Red Sea, in Sudan. And since actual tourist start visiting the hotel, it’s the best cover they could ask for.
Netflix managed to assemble a great, strong cast. Chris Evans carries the film, as Ari Levinson, but is well supported by Haley Bennett, Michiel Huisman, Alessandro Nivola, Ben Kingsley and Greg Kinnear. Also worth mentioning is Michael Kenneth Williams, who also did a fantastic job in another Netflix jewel, “When They See Us”.
The civil war in Ethiopia is one of those “silent wars”, that no one was talking about and didn’t get attention. Simply no one really cared, even though a lot of people died here. The story can be compared to films like “Argo” and “Munich”, where they used an every day thing as their big cover, to rescue people. I think Ari Levinson and his group are the real heroes, also people that we never talk about. And they actually made a difference. At least to the many refugees that manage to find a safe haven because of them.
The film has a heavy theme, but manages to have some light moments here and there. For example the moment where they have to actually work in the hotel, when a group of tourists unexpectedly arrives. And there is a great montage in the film that shows how they manage to run a hotel as well as saving the refugees.
I think stories like this should never stay untold. And the perfect way is through film, because you will reach a big audience. I really loved this film, it’s a very solid movie.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Brigsby Bear

Director: Dave McCary
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Kyle Mooney, Mark Hamill, Jane Adams, Greg Kinnear, Michaela Watkins, Claire Danes, Beck Bennett, Andy Samberg, Matt Walsh

Description: After being freed from his life in an underground bunker, a man (Kyle Mooney) sets out to make a movie of the only TV show he has ever known.

Review: Twenty-something James’ life is all about the fictional bear Brigsby. Every week a new adventure awaits him, in the form of a VCR tape on his doormat. Brigsby Bear teaches its viewers life lessons, math and morals. James’ bedroom is filled with Brigsby Bear stuff and you would think a toddler lives there. But James doesn’t know anything outside the bunker he lives in: his parents and the Brigsby Bear TV-show.
“Brigsby Bear” is the type of film I love to watch the most: light drama with a subtle hint of comedy. James’ life inside the bunker is interrupted and he has to try and survive in the real world. But is it necessarily better for him?
The film has a high level of feel-good and you want everything for James that he is fighting for. Two world come together, instead of exchanging one for the other. Because why shouldn’t James introduce the people in his new life to Brigsby Bear. His transition to this reality can go much smoother this way.
In director Dave McCary’s film, there is no room for misunderstanding and intolerance. It never gets mean or hostile. And I loved that about “Brigsby Bear”. There is so much hatred already, it’s great to see a film without any of that nasty behavior.
“Brigsby Bear” is movie that probably not a lot of people saw and that’s such a shame. It’s a movie that shouldn’t be left unseen, I loved this film. Never lose the child within yourself.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 5: Green Zone

Director: Paul Greengrass

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Michael O’Neill, Khalid Abdalla, Antoni Corone, Yigal Naor, Sean Huze, Said Faraj, Martin McDougall, Lewis Alsamari

Description: Discovering covert and faulty intelligence causes U.S. Army officer Miller (Matt Damon) to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region.

Review: We follow Chief Warrant Officer Miller, an American officer who leads a team whose task is to track down weapon of mass destruction. The information the team has seems more and more unreliable.

Miller is a loyal soldier that was send into war for the wrong reasons. Based on his ideals he starts an investigations when he is asked to just do his job. Matt Damon manages to convince the viewers, even though he doesn’t have a lot to work with. To tell the story, the plot introduces a series of very well cast roles, that don’t get enough screen time. Journalist Lawrie Dayne is a sharp investigator, played by Amy Ryan. The same goes for Brendan Gleeson, who plays CIA agent Martin Brown. Oscar Isaacs, as marine Briggs, is seriously underused.

The source material of “Green Zone” has a political note, but director Greengrass made it into a limited drama with a talented cast and lots of action, with the potential to be a political intrigue story.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 75: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Director: Adam McKay

Genre: Komedie

Runtime: 113 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, James Marsden, Dylan Baker, Harrison Ford, Greg Kinnear, Kristen Wiig

Description: With the 70s behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy, returns to take New York's first 24-hour news channel by storm.

Review: Ron Burgundy and his wife Veronica have left San Diego behing and live in New York with their son. They work as a team anchoring for a news show. When Veronica Is promoted and Ron is fired, his life falls apart. Ron and Veronica separate and he returns to San Diego. When he manages to get a job at a 24 hour news channel, he decides to assemble to old news team.

Ten years ago “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” was a small success, but Will Ferrell’s character Ron Burgundy grew to be a cult hero. The somewhat idiotic anchorman from the 70’s, with his fancy mustache and hilarious one-liners has always been popular among fans. And how happy those fans where when a long awaited sequel finally happened.

Like the first movie, the sequel is a chain of fun moments. Will Ferrell excels as Ron Burgundy and you sometimes feel ashamed for him. Paul Rudd and especially Steve Carell reprise their roles very well. How I love Brick, who is hopefully not based on a real person. Like many comedy sequels, “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” lacks pacing in the story. There are also varieties on scenes from part one and many cameos.

“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” can’t live up to the first, but it was again highly enjoyable. Just because it’s so silly and you know the characters so well. Stay classy San Diego!

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Quotables: "Little Miss Sunshine"

I stated my love for this movie so many times already, that it’s almost embarrassing. For the people who haven’t seen it yet: what’s wrong with you? The movie is so filled with great moments. Full of joy, happiness, sadness and hilarity. And the characters are fantastic, all of them. Here are my favourite quotes from “Little Miss Sunshine”.

Frank: Good night Dwayne.
Dwayne: [scribbles on notepad] Don't kill yourself tonight.
Frank: Not on your watch Dwayne. I wouldn't do that to you.
Dwayne: [on notepad] Welcome to hell.
Frank: Thanks Dwayne. Coming from you that means a lot.

Dwayne: You know what? Fuck beauty contests. Life is one fucking beauty contest after another. School, then college, then work... Fuck that. And fuck the Air Force Academy. If I want to fly, I'll find a way to fly. You do what you love, and fuck the rest.

Pageant Assistant Pam: [Dwayne walks swiftly by] Are you authorized to be backstage?
Dwayne: [emotionless; without stopping] No.

Richard: Sarcasm is the refuge of losers.
Frank: [sarcastically] It is? Really?
Richard: Sarcasm is losers trying to bring winners down to their level.
Frank: [sarcastically] Wow, Richard, you've really opened my eyes to what a loser I am. How much do I owe you for those pearls of wisdom?
Richard: Oh, that ones on the house.

Grandpa: Listen to me, I got no reason to lie to you, don't make the same mistakes I made when I was young. Fuck a lotta women kid, not just one woman, a lotta women.

Olive: [takes off her head phones and grandpa suddenly puts a pauses to his ongoing swearing] What are you guys talking about?
Grandpa: Politics.

Movie Moments: "Little Miss Sunshine"

As being one of my favorite movies of all-time, I just had to spotlight it in this item. It's not a very long movie, but it has so many memorable scenes in it. Here they are, my favorite moments from "Little Miss Sunshine".

Moment # 1: Opening
We see Olive while she is watching a Miss America Pageant. She’s practicing her winners face. Than Richard while he’s presenting his 9 steps programm. Dwayne is lifting weights and doing pull-ups, while grandpa is coking up. Sheryl is on her way to her brother Frank, who tried to kill himself. We see the movie title and hear “The Winner Is” by DeVotchKa .

Moment # 2: Aaaaaah!
Olive gets a phonecall from her aunt Cindy. She can compete in a beauty pageant called Little Miss Sunshine, in Redondo Beach, California. Olive is very excited about it and starts screaming, runs around the house and starts packing for their trip.

Moment # 3: Waffles a la mode
Olive orders waffles a la mode, which means it comes with icecream. Richard starts talking about how fat you can get by eating icecream and that all the miss America contestants are skinny. Olive starts doubting wether or not to eat the icecream, because she loves it so much. Grandpa, Frank, Dwayne and Sheryl persua her into eating it. And she does.

Moment # 4: Pushing the van
Because the van broke, they can’t just start the car and drive of. They have to push the van, run and than get in the van one at a time. This is also the first time we see Frank in a joyfull mood.

Moment # 5: Where’s Olive?
After a stop at a gasstation the quirky bunch gets on the road again. Than all of a sudden Dwayne realizes Olive isn’t in the van. They turn around and pick up Olive, while the van is still driving.

Moment # 6: “Grandpa, am I pretty”?
Olive and grandpa are rehearsing and practicing her routine. She tells him she’s a bit scared about the competition and ask grandpa is she’s pretty. He tells her she’s the most beautiful girl in the world and that he’s madly in love with her. Olive is scared to be a loser, but grandpa tells her she can’t be a loser because she’s trying so hard to win.

Moment # 7: “Go hug mom”
After they took grandpa to the hospital, Sheryl tells Olive and Dwayne how much grandpa loved them both. Sheryl gets emotional and Dwight tells Olive to go hug mom,

Moment # 8: Stealing grandpa’s body
Grandpa died. Because they can’t leave or take his body, they decide to steal it by carrying it out of the window and into the van. And it doesn’t exactly go smoothly,

Moment # 9: Dwayne speaks
Dwayne hasn’t spoken for 9 months. When he finds out he’s colorblind, he starts freaking out and actually speaks. The first word he says is fuck. Because he’s colorblind, he can’t fly jets, which is his big dream. Olive is the one who manages to comfort him.

Moment # 10: Super freak
It’s time for Olive’s talent, dancing to the song “Super freak”. The presenters want to stop her, because some of her moves are considered obscene. They ask Richard to get her of the stage, but instead he starts dancing with her. And later Frank, Dwayne and Sheryl join them. That's when we can see that even they aren't a standard family, they love each other very much.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 10: Super freak

In the Picture: The Characters from "Little Miss Sunshine"

"Little Miss Sunshine" is, just like the last movie in this item, one of my favorite movies off all time. Basically because of the great though quirky characters.

Richard Hoover
Played by: Greg Kinnear
He's the dad of the family and a motivational speaker. He doesn't like losers and failures, but his own life isn't going that well either. He is trying to get a book deal but that's not working out. His relationship with Olive is pretty good, but he does have some strange views on how to raise her and which values to teach her.

Cheryl Hoover
Played by: Toni Colette
The loving mother. Her family drives her crazy sometimes, but she loves 'em all to death. Although she starts to question her love for husband Richard. She's struggling to deal with both her children, especially Dwayne who she can't make contact with. At least not the way she wants to.

Olive Hoover
Played by: Abigail Breslin
Olive is the sweetest little girl you can imagine. She's always happy, enthusiastic and kind. She wants nothing more then to attend the Little Miss Sunshine competition. And she really doesn't care about what other people think of her. All the other children in the contest are supposed to look perfect, but Olive is the only true beauty in the pageant.

Dwayne
Played by: Paul Dano
Dwayne hates everything and everyone. He has one goal and that's to become a fighter pilot. He tends not to speak until he finally reached his goal. Dwayne is a very ambitious young man and deep inside he does care much for his family. Especially Olive. She was the only one to get through to him after he found out he couldn't reach his goal.

Frank Ginsberg
Played by: Steve Carell
Frank is a suicidal homosexual, so nothing is working in his favor. The man he loved decided to start a relationship with Frank's rival. He's trying to deal with it and he moves in with his sister Cheryl. Due this competition he's attending with the Hoover family, he finds the joy back in his life and he has a good bond with Dwayne.

Grandpa Edwin Hoover
Played by: Alan Arkin
Grandpa Hoover is a cursing drug addict and Richard's father. He's a great grandfather to Olive, telling her she's the most beautiful girl in the world and helping her with the pageant. He doesn't think much of his son and his ideas about winners and losers. He's a very cynical man and he is a real faul mouth.

Favorite Character: Olive Hoover

Movie Tip #10 - Little Miss Sunshine

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Starring: Greg Kinnear, Toni Colette, Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano

Description: The Hoover family is the dictionary definition for the word "dysfunctional". The dad Richard (Kinnear) is a man who gives lectures on winners and losers, the wife is Sheryl (Colette), a chain-smoking, frazzled wife and working mother whose idea of a home cooked meal frequently consists of a bucket of chicken. Her gay brother Frank (Carrel) recently attempted suicide. The grandpa is Edwin (Arkin), a drug addict. The son is Dwayne (Dano) a rebel who has vowed not to talk until he gets into the Air Force. And then there is Olive (Breslin), a seven-year old girl who dreams of going to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. So what happens when they do?

Review: It's a quirky family, but every single character is great. Extreme maybe, but great. They don't care what other people think and family comes first. Olive and Frank are my favourites, followed by Dwayne and grandpa. And then the yellow van. They have to push it so it will start and halfway trough the film the horn doesn't stop. It's hilarious. I can watch this film over and over again, without being bored. If you wathc it, I'm sure you'll agree with me!