00s Movie Review - Crazy Heart

Director: Scott Cooper
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Music
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Robert DuVall, Paul Herman

Description: A faled country music artist (Jeff Bridges) is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 40: A FILM ABOUT MUSIC
 
Review: Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake, a middle-aged country singer reveling in his past success. Years ago he was one of the most successful singers of his generation with an impressive repertoire, but now he is but a shadow of himself. He lives in cheap motels, playing in pubs and bowling alleys, drinking a lot of alcohol. At one of his gigs he meets Jean Braddock, a single mother trying to make it as a journalist. A romance develops between Blake and Jean, but it remains to be seen whether Blake can leave his unhealthy lifestyle behind for good.  

It's a pretty straightforward film, with not too surprising plot developments. A once successful music artists, trying to make a comeback but failing drastically, until someone enters his life and changes it for the better. Director Scott Cooper didn’t take any risks here. “Crazy Heart” is one of those films where the performance of the lead actor is better and more memorable as the film itself. Jeff Bridges, who won an Academy Awards for his performance, is excellent. He shines in every scene he is in. This is what you will remember about “Crazy Heart”, the story is quite forgettable.

Which doesn’t mean it’s not good. Bridges is the one who makes it better, if not for him, this would be a straight-to-DVD type of film. Because they story is predictable and very cliché. But Bridges lifts it to a whole other level and makes it worth watching. And somehow, Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal work really well together too.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

90s Movie Review - The Big Lebowski

Director: Joel Coen
Genre: Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 1998
Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hofman, Tara Reid, John Turtorro, Sam Elliot, John Polito

Description: "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.

Review: After “Fargo” in 1996, the Coen Brothers had to try and equal or top their masterpiece. The story of “The Big Lebwoski” sounds like it’s going all over the place. But that doesn’t mean they can’t make another masterpiece.
The sultry voiceover of a nameless cowboy leads us from a deserted prairie to a big American city: Los Angeles. Main character Jeff “The Dude” Lebwoski (Jeff Bridges) is a jobless loser who goes through life smoking weed and bowling with his two friends Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi). But his eventless life is soon to be over, when two criminals mistake The Dude for some millionaire with the same name. They shove his head down the toilet and pee on his rug, but The Dude manages to convince the criminals that they’ve got the wrong person. The Dude tries to find the other Jeff Lebowski and demands a new rug. But now he is part of a complicated kidnapping case. 
The film is filled with strange yet unforgettable characters: feministic artist Maude, bowling king Jesus, porn boss Jackie Treehorn and off course the trio The Dude, Donnie and Walter themselves.
“The Big Lebowski” is a great crime comedy, equally as good as “Fargo”. The Dude abides!

Rating: 5/ 5
 

00s Movie Review - Iron Man

Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Action/ Drama/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Clark Gregg, Leslie Bibb

Description: After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.

Review: “Iron Man” was the first movie in the MCU. Tony Stark is on top of his weapon imperium and he loves the good life: gambling, fast cars, beautiful women and fancy gadgets. Stark is good at making weapons, but never really thought about the people it might affect. After a demonstration, Tony is kidnapped in an Afghan cave. He has to replicate the ‘Jericho’, some sort of super rocket. Instead he makes an armor to escape.
It's an origins story: the hero, that lives a life without purpose and decides to use his expertise to fight evil.
Tony Stark is, on paper, not a very sympathetic paper. He is a hedonist, makes weapons, is a bit arrogant and a real womanizer. And since he is the hero, you have to make him likeable somehow. And by casting Robert Downey Jr. that actually happened. Downey Jr. is completely believable, but he never seems to take himself too serious. And it’s really hard to dislike him.
The film isn’t as action packed as you might think, but has a great build-up of the main character.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Bad Times at the El Royale

Director: Drew Goddard
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 142 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, Nick Offerman

Description: Circa 1969, several strangers, most with a secret to bury, meet by chance at Lake Tahoe's El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one night, everyone will show their true colors - before everything goes to hell.

Review: Many times I thought about Quentin Tarantino, while watching “Bad Times at the El Royale”. And that’s a compliment to director Drew Goddard, who is still looking for his own voice but is very talented. Goddard decided to use the non-chronological narration and it works!
The El Royale hotel stand on both Californian and Nevada ground. The border runs right through the middle of the hotel. And the hotel is some strange clientele. The mysterious Father Flynn, soul singer Darlene Sweet, slick salesman Laramie Sullivan and hippie girl Emily Summerspring. All of them have secrets, including the hotel itself.
Goddard has an eye for atmospheric detail, manages to create unusual camera angles and builds up the tension. It looks fantastic. Especially one scene, with Darlene singing “You Can’t Hurry Love” shows what a great filmmaker Goddard actually is.
All characters have their own reasons to be in the El Royale and the less you know from the start, the better. Jeff Bridges is strong as always. But it’s Chris Hemsworth who steals the show as Billy Lee. It takes a while for him to enter the story, but when he does, he really does.
“Bad Times at the El Royale” is a really good film, that looks great and has amazing potential. I enjoyed it from start to finish!

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Comedy
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Taron Edgerton, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Pedro Pascal, Michael gambon, Elton John

Description: When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, the Kingsman's journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the United States. These two elite secret organizations must band together to defeat a common enemy.

Review: No lack of crazy characters in “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”. Like “Kingsman: The Secret Service” there are some ‘larger then life’ villains that threaten the planet with a idiotic and far fetched plan. Not Samuel L. Jackson this time, but Julianne Moore, who is hiding in the jungle of Cambodia and is a major drug lord.
If you didn’t like the first film, you won’t like “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”. The characters and situation shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Matthew Vaughns film is a spy parody with a more serious tone.
Eggsy and Merlin join hands with their American ‘brothers in arms’, who call themselves The Statesman. They hide in a distillery and all the agents have codenames of an acoholic beverage.
With the Kingsman being on new territory, doesn’t mean a completely different film. Vaughns keeps the ingredients and feel. And again has some amazing choreographed fight scenes, which are accompanied with a cool soundtrack.
The characters don’t develop the way they did in the first film. And although the chemistry between Eggsy and Harry isn’t completely gone, it’s a lot less interesting this time around. But both Colin Firth and Taron Edgerton deliver a strong performance.
Jeff Bridges and Channing Tatum don’t have a lot to do in this film, which is a shame. Because they scene that they do have, are so fun.
The film has a fresh, energetic style that doesn’t easily bore you. And the entertainment level is endless. But where “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was a surprise to everyone, this second installment just doesn’t do that. It’s fun and it is good, but not as good as the first film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 12: The Little Prince

Director: Mark Osborne
Genre: Animation/ Fantasy
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, James Franco, Marion Cotillard, Jeff Bridges, Paul Giamatti, Ricky Gervais, Albert Brooks, Benicio Del Toro, Mackenzie Foy

Description: A little girl (Mackenzie Foy) lives in a very grown-up world with her mother (Rachel McAdams), who tries to prepare her for it. Her neighbor, the Aviator (Jeff Bridges), introduces the girl to an extraordinary world where anything is possible, the world of the Little Prince.

Review: “Le Petit Prince” is the most well-known book written by Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry. His books are still very loved. The story is filled with critical topics about society and is combined with childish naïve observance. And this is what is so great about “The Little Prince”: how it reaches youthful viewers, but also adults.
The girl that centrals the story lives in a grey, sober world. Order and rules and regularity rule and there is no room for possibilities and self-exploration. Her neighbor, The Aviator, lives in an old house and is seen as a rebel, that no one understands and isn’t accepted by the neighborhood. Both worlds come together, when The Aviator starts telling the girl the story of the Little Prince.
The film is brought to us with lots of fantasy and beautiful emotions. The film also combines computer animation with classic-romantic stop-motion techniques. The main message here is to let kids, stay kids for as long as possible. The tough, cold reality as an adult will eventually come. Let your creativity and playful nature finds its way.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 147: Hell or High Water

Director: David Mackenzie
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Ben Foster, Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges, Dale Dickey, William Sterchi, Gil Birmingham, Keith Meriweather, Jackamoe Buzzell, Katy Mixon, Amber Midthunder, Joe Berryman, Taylor Sheridaon, Howard Ferguson Jr., Debrianna Mansini

Description: A divorced father (Chris Pine) and his ex-con older brother (Ben Foster) resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family's ranch in West Texas.

Review: We follow two brothers that want to keep their family ranch. To buy it back from the bank, they decide to rob banks. In the opening, Tanner and Toby rob two banks in a row and drive off. Their plans are pretty solid. But cop Marcus, who is almost retiring, is determined to find them.
Toby wants a better future for his ex-wife and kids. And he also tries to tame his reckless brother Tanner, who just got out of jail. On the other side there is Marcus and his partner Alberto, who are trying to find the robbers.
“Hell or High Water” is a modern western, that balances between violent scenes and chases, but also moments of awareness and and critical look on the American society. At one moment it’s a family drama and then it’s cynical humor.
The atmosphere sometimes reminded me of “No Country for Old Men”, but there is more room for optimism in “Hell or High Water”. The band between the two brothers is the heart of the film. With violence and tension added, there is still a little bit of hope left for a better future.
The acting by Ben Foster, Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges is phenomenal. All three of them perform equally as good, without overdoing it.
“Hell or High Water” is one of those movies tha gets a lot of praise, but it’s flying pretty much under the radar. Which is a shame, because more people really need to see this film.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Quotables: "The Big Lebowski"

One of the greatest movies of all time and the Coen brothers created one of the most unforgettable and coolest characters ever: The Dude. Here are some of the great quotes from “The Big Lebowski”.





Walter Sobchak: You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.
The Dude: Yeah, but Walter...
Walter Sobchak: Hell, I can get you a toe by 3 o'clock this afternoon... with nail polish. These fucking amateurs...

Jesus Quintana: Nobody fucks with the Jesus!

Walter Sobchak: Fuck it, Dude, let's go bowling.

The Dude: What's in the fuckin' carrier?
Walter Sobchak: Huh? Oh, that's Cynthia's dog. I think it's a Pomeranian. I can't leave him home alone or he eats the furniture. I'm watching him while Cynthia and Marty Ackerman are in Hawaii.
The Dude: You brought the fuckin' Pomeranian bowling?
Walter Sobchak: What do you mean brought it bowling, Dude? I didn't rent it shoes. I'm not buying it a fucking beer. He's not taking your fucking turn, Dude.
The Dude: Man, if my fuckin' ex-wife asked me to take care of her fuckin' dog while she and her boyfriend went to Honolulu I'd tell her to go fuck herself.

The Dude: God damn you Walter! You fuckin' asshole! Everything's a fuckin' travesty with you, man! And what was all that shit about Vietnam? What the FUCK, has anything got to do with Vietnam? What the fuck are you talking about?

The Dude: It's like what Lenin said... you look for the person who will benefit, and, uh, uh...
Donny: I am the walrus.
The Dude: You know what I'm trying to say...
Donny: I am the walrus.
Walter Sobchak: That fucking bitch...
The Dude: Oh yeah!
Donny: I am the walrus.
Walter Sobchak: Shut the fuck up, Donny! V.I. Lenin. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov!
Donny: What the fuck is he talking about, Dude?

The Dude: And, you know, he's got emotional problems, man.
Walter Sobchak: You mean... beyond pacifism?

Walter Sobchak: You have got to buck up, man. You cannot drag this negative energy in to the tournament!
The Dude: Fuck the tournament... Fuck YOU, Walter!
[pause]
Walter Sobchak: Fuck the tournament? All right, I can see you don't want to be cheered up here, Dude. Come on Donny, let's go get us a lane.

Jackie Treehorn: Interactive erotic software. The wave of the future, Dude. One hundred percent electronic!
The Dude:Yeah well, I still jerk off manually.

The Dude: Let me explain something to you. Um, I am not "Mr. Lebowski". You're Mr. Lebowski. I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

Walter Sobchak: That's right, Dude, they peed on your fucking rug.

Walter Sobchak: Donny was a good bowler, and a good man. He was one of us. He was a man who loved the outdoors... and bowling, and as a surfer he explored the beaches of Southern California, from La Jolla to Leo Carrillo and... up to... Pismo. He died, like so many young men of his generation, he died before his time. In your wisdom, Lord, you took him, as you took so many bright flowering young men at Khe Sanh, at Langdok, at Hill 364. These young men gave their lives. And so would Donny. Donny, who loved bowling. And so, Theodore Donald Karabotsos, in accordance with what we think your dying wishes might well have been, we commit your final mortal remains to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean, which you loved so well. Good night, sweet prince.

The Dude: Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you're going to have to face the fact you're a goddamn moron.

And the winner is....ME!!!

I told you that my brother, my parents and I all made a prediction for the Oscars. We only predicted actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, movie and director. All my guesses where right, my brother missed the director category, my dad only got movie and supporting actor and my mom guessed Sandra Bullock (my mom and dad aren't movie experts...).

I'm glad that I won, but not glad with some winners. I think "The Hurt Locker" is a bit overrated, but I understand why The Academy likes it. Iraq is a very up-to-date topic, but not very original. Mo'nique wouldn't be my pick either, because I'm just not a fan. But again I can understand, because we know her as a comedy actress and she shows us a different side of herself. Director, no, not my pick either. For the same reasons as I wouldn't have picked the movie.

Sandra finally being nominated was awesome, her winning it is even more amazing. She really deserves it. So does Jeff Bridges. I can't believe he never won before. If Morgan Freeman had won, I would be happy as well, he's one of my favorites of all time. Christoph Waltz winning was my highlight!!! He really impessed me in "Inglorious Basterds", especially because I didn't know him before.

Oscar predictions 2010

I'm looking forward to the Academy Awards, in march. I always try to predict and this year so are my parents and my brother. It's a competition and it's fun. It's a bit harder this year, because there are 10 nominees in the category Best Movie, but still it's a lot of fun. I still don't understand why they did that, but anyway.Here are my predictions for the bigger categories:

[MOVIE] "The Hurt Locker" (or "Avatar")
[ACTOR] Jeff Bridges for "Crazy Heart"
[ACTRESS] Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side"
[SUPPORTING ACTOR] Christoph Waltz for "Inglorious Basterds"
[SUPPORTING ACTRESS] Mo'nique for "Precious"
[DIRECTOR] Kathryn Bigalow for "The Hurt Locker"

I'm actually hoping for Jeff, Sandra and Cristoph. For the film and director I'm wishing that finally Tarantino wins an oscar for "Inglorious Basterds", allthough I think he made better movies, he does deserve it anyway. We'll see, we'll see!!!

Golden Globes 2010

Did everyone see the Golden Globes? Well I did and there were a lot of highlights there. There were also some downsides. I made a list of them:

{Highlights}
- Christoph Waltz winning "Best Supporting Actor" award for "Inglourious Basterds". He was definitely the best performer in that film and he really deserved to win.
- Sandra Bullock winning "Best Leading Actress, Drama" for "The Blind Side". She's one of my favorite actresses and I could never explain why. Now I finally have a good reason!
- Ricky Gervais joking about Mel Gibson
- Robert Downey Jr. winning for "Best Leading Actor, Musical/ Comedy" for "Sherlock Holmes". And his acceptance speech was another highlight.
- Paul McCarthey telling people that animated movies are also for adults... on drugs.
- Jeff Bridges winning "Best Leading Actor" for "Crazy Heart". I always thought he was an underestimated actor. Now he got recognition.

{Downsides}
- Monique winning "Best Supporting Actress" for "Precious". I'm just not a fan of Monique (can't really stand her). I would've given it to Vera Farmiga, Anne Kendrick, Penelope Cruz OR Julianne Moore.
- "Avatar" winning "Best Motion Picture, Drama". Come on, I don't get the whole hype. Why didn't they just give it to "Inglourious Basterds".
- "Inglourious Basterds" not winning at all (besides Christoph Waltz). I knew it! And at the Academy Awards it'll be the same. It's not Academy material.
- "(500) Days of Summer" not winning "Best Motion Picture, Musical/ Comedy".

The rest I didn't really care much for. In two weeks they will announce the Academy Award nominees. I will probably try to guess who will win (and tell you who I want to win). So that's coming soon....