Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (July 2014)

I didn’t watch that many new movies this month, but there were some films I will love for the rest of my life! Here are my favorites of this month.

5. Blue Jasmine

I loved both Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins in this movie. Their performances were amazing. I really liked “Blue Jasmin”.

 

4. Hunger

With this I have seen all three movies directed by Steve McQueen and starring Michael Fassbender. It’s not my favourite, but it definitely a movie you should put on you ‘to-watch’ list. Great acting, great cinematography and camerawork.

 

3. Nebraska

I wish Bruce Dern got more leading roles, he proved he’s worthy of it. And Will Forte, normally the funny guy in silly comedies no one wants to see, really surprised me in his more dramatic role. I liked “Nebraska” and director Alexander Payne can add another great movie to his resume.

 

2. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson movies are growing on me. This guys has become one of my favourite directors and every time I think I have seen it all, he amazes me again. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is amazing!!

 

1. Intouchables

This movie touched me in every way possible. Such a beautiful film, one that everyone should watch. If this doesn’t do anything to you, even a little bit, you’re not human.

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Girl Most Likely, A Million Ways to Die in the West

Me & 3 Steve McQueen Movies

I bought all three off his movies on DVD, only realizing later that they were all directed by Steve McQueen (and also all starring Michael Fassbender). So the perfect opportunity to use it for this item.

12 Years a Slave

Genre: Drama

Year: 2013

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Chiwetel Ejifor, Michael Fassbender, Lupito Nyong’o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt, Sarah Paulson

Description: In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejifor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.

Opinion: I was overly excited to see this and when I did it left me breathless. Such a beautiful movie, an unbelievable story that really grabs you. Really, if you don’t cry during this movie, you’re not human.

Favorite character: Patsey (Lupito Nyong’o)

Most memorable quote: “I don't want to survive. I want to live” –Solomon Northup-

Best scene: It might sound cruel, but the scene where Patsey get whipped was the one that grabbed me the most. Definitely the best scene of the movie, that showed everyone how cruel Edwin Epps was.

Shame

Genre: Drama

Year: 2011

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

Description: In New York City, Brandon's (Michael Fassbender) carefully cultivated private life -- which allows him to indulge his sexual addiction -- is disrupted when his sister (Carey Mulligan) arrives unannounced for an indefinite stay.

Opinion: I heard many things about it and frankly I thought it was going to be a movie just about sex. Well, it’s a lot more than that. It’s a fantastic film, realistic and mesmerizing. Michael Fassbender does a wonderful job.

Favorite character: Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender)

Most memorable quote: “We're not bad people. We just come from a bad place.” –Sissy Sullivan-

Best scene: When Brandon hears his sister is having way too much fun with his boss, he decides to go for a run. It’s a very long shot, following him down the streets of New York.

Hunger

Genre: Drama

Year: 2008

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cummingham

Description: Irish republican Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) leads the inmates of a Northern Irish prison in a hunger strike. Favorite character: Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender)

Most memorable quote: “I have my belief, and in all its simplicity that is the most powerful thing.” –Bobby Sands-

Best scene: Where Bobby Sands is talking to Father Dominic Moran. It’s a very long scene, with them just talking and the camera in the same position for all this time. Great scene.

Favorite of the 3: “12 Years a Slave”

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 79: Hunger

Director: Steve McQueen

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 90 minutes

Year: 2008

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Stuart Graham, Helena Bereen, Larry Cowan, Liam Cunningham, Dennis McCambridge, Liam McMahon, Laine Megaw, Brian Milligan, Rory Mullen, Lalor Roddy

Description: Maze Prison, Northern Ireland, 1981 IRA Hunger Strike, led by Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender).

Review: “Hunger” centers a recent period of the struggling relationship between the English and the Irish. The movie shows us the emotional and confronting final days of Bobby Sands, an IRA member on a hunger strike in the Maze Prison. In 1981 IRA prisoners started a hunger strike to make a statement, hoping for better circumstances.

The movie starts with a scene where a man is washing blood of his knuckles. He’s a prison guard and the tone of the film is set. The story focuses on him at first, but later centers on Bobby Sands. He is willing to go all the way to make his statement. The camerawork is magnificent, Steve McQueen’s long shots are amazing and really reach the audience. The scene where Bobby Sands is talking to a priest, is just majestic. For minutes long the camera doesn’t move and we witness an informal discussion between the two. This scene alone and the power of its dialogue, is worth watching “Hunger”.

The movie shows us, with confronting details, how low people can go and how terrible the circumstances were. Michael Fassbender is sublime in his role, his skinny body is shockingly realistic. De buildup of the story is good, as well as the acting and camerawork.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

DVD Collection Update (16)

It's been a while and there are a lot of new movies in my collection. Some classics, some newer movies. Here they are.

First I got "The Goonies", a movie I never saw before. I wished I saw it as a kid, it would've been so great. But now, as an adult, I still love it. I think kids these days wouldn't like it as much as 80's and 90's kids.

An absolute classic, I never saw it and I feel a little bit ashamed. It's a science fiction movie everyone should see. Now I finally did and I think it's really good. I'm not as enthusiastic as most people, but I can see the appeal.

Another classic, even older, is "North by Northwest". I think everyone knows that airplane scene, including me, but I've never seen it before. It's still waiting on my shelve to be played and I'm really curious. It's one of Hitchcock's finest.

"Hunger" is Steve McQueen's first directed movie and I heard a lot about it. I can't wait to watch it, the trailer looked amazing.

EVERYTHING IS AWESOME! It was such a fun film, not just for kids, are you kidding me? I love the references and the cameos. It's so much fun!!!!!!

I just knew I was going to love this movie, because it's just my kind of film. A great mix of drama and comedy, both genres not overpowering. And I have a little crush on Sam Rockwell after watching "The Way Way Back", because his character stole my heart.

"Shame" really surprised me, I didn't think I was going to love it this much. I gave it a five star rating!

I didn't think it was possible, but "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" is even sillier then te first. Not as funny, but still worth your time. That's if you like the sillyness.

With owning "12 Years a Slave" I mentioned all the Steve McQueen movies in one post and with that I also own all three films. I loved this movie.. Seriously, if you don't cry over this, you're a robot. Even my friend Irene, who doesn't even cry on a relatives funeral, teared up. Well, she's also pregnant, so that's also a reason why she might be extra emotional.

50 Books Challenge 2013 - # 8: Hunger by Michael Grant (Gone # 2)

Title: Hunger (Gone # 2)
Author: Michael Grant
Story: It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Three months since all the adults disappeared. GONE. Food ran out weeks ago. Everyone is starving, but no one wants to figure out a solution. And each day, more and more kids are evolving, developing supernatural abilities that set them apart from the kids without powers. Tension rises and chaos is descending upon the town. It's the normal kids against the mutants. Each kid is out for himself, and even the good ones turn murderous. But a larger problem looms. The Darkness, a sinister creature that has lived buried deep in the hills, begins calling to some of the teens in the FAYZ. Calling to them, guiding them, manipulating them. The Darkness has awakened. And it is hungry
Start: march 2nd 2013
End: march 10th 2013
Comment: The first book was really good and amazing. I just had to check out the second book. And again it blew my mind. The story is picked up three months after the events in the first installment. They are running out of food and everybody is just hungry and trying to stay alive. Because the book's chapters jump from Sam's point of view to Astrid's to Caine's to Duck's to Zili's, it easier to relate to a character and to get to know them better. Sam and Astrid are more developed in this book. It was tough watching Sam struggle to get people motivated to try to help save there own lives. Some characters drove me nuts, just pick a side already! Extra creepy this time where the worms, very scary. Again I think this book is very graphic for a young adult novel. Michael Grant's writing style just keeps your attention at all times and it doesn't even feel like you just read almost 600 pages. Like the first book, don't be affraid of the size, because you go through it in a flash. I can't wait to read the next book in the "Gone" series, because I'm liking it so far.
Rating: 4,5/ 5