10s Movie Review - This is 40

Director: Judd Apatow
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 134 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox, John Lithgow, Albert Brooks, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, Jason Segel, Lena Dunham

Description: Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are both about to turn 40, their kids hate each other, both of their business are failing, they’re on the verge of losing their house, and their relationship is threatening to fall apart.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 38: A FILM WITH LESLIE MANN
 
Review: “This is 40” is a personal dramedy by Judd Apatow, a spin-off of “Knocked Up”, which explores the life of a couple that is about to turn 40.

Although my life is very far from theirs, many things are relatable when it comes to turning 40. The film show everyday family life with honesty and doesn’t shy away from topics like the struggles of parenthood, financial issues and relationships.

It is a comedy and it does have some really fun moments, many of the humor feels a bit juvenile and tasteless. Also, the film is over two hours long, which is way too long for a comedy like this.

I think the film is a mixed bag. I like the relatability of the film, and Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are really good together. But the runtime is too long, and some of the jokes are questionable.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - Late Night

Director: Nisha Ganatra
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Mindy Kaling, Emma Thompson, John Lithgow, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, Denis O’Hare, Max Casella, Paul Walter Hauser, John Reynolds, Luke Slattery, Ike Barinholtz, Amy Ryan
 
Description: A late night talk show host (Emma Thompson) suspects that she may soon lose her long-running show.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 32: A FILM WITH EMMA THOMPSON
 
Review: Many late night talk shows have a rigid structure: an opening monologue in which the news is discussed in a humorous way, followed by a sketch or light-hearted interlude, and finally, a famous guest is welcomed and a pleasant conversation is held. At the start of “Late Nate”, Katherine Newbury’s program has lost some of its appeal after twenty-eight years. The station manager is dissatisfied with the declining ratings and therefore want to replace the host. However, Katherine is not the type to agree to this without a fight, so she decides to get her talk show back on track. She has a long way to go, because she knows only one of her writers by name, and none of them know her as a pleasant person to work with.

Her writer’s team, consisting of white men only, has just expanded with Molly. She is inexperienced, the newcomer, but has some fresh ideas.

Mindy Kaling, who stars as Molly, is also the writer of the film. It’s likely she drew some inspiration from “The Devil Wears Prada”, there are many similarities. But this is more an observation than a criticism. Kaling’s script takes a slightly different route in enough places, and Emma Thompson, as Katherine, is hardly inferior to Mery Streep as the cold boss. In fact, where Streep often veered toward a cartoonish performance, Thompson manages to keep her character within human limits. This is thanks in large part to John Lithgow’s wonderful performance as her husband.

What also helps is that, despite its subject matter, “Late Night” does not necessarily try to be a full-blooded comedy. Not that there is nothing to laugh about, but it aims more for a smile than for loud laughter. For the main character, humor is a fairly serious craft and therefore not something you can just whip up in a moment of cheerfulness. What I also loved, is that the romantic storyline is very far in the background, almost non-existent. Which is a fresh take as well, it’s not predictable that way
I was surprised about how much I enjoyed “Late Night”, but thanks to the great writing by Mindy Kaling and strong performances by her, Thompson and Lithgow, turn “Late Night” in a delightful comedy.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

20s Movie Review - Conclave

Director: Edward Burger
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini

Description: When Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a web of conspiracies and intrigue that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.

Review: A conclave is the private process by which the most devout men of the Catholic Church come together to elect a new Pope.

The Pope has died in his sleep. Cardinal Lawrence is given the task of leading the conclave. He is not happy about that, as he was just about to resign his position at the Vatican. The lobbying begins even before the trial has begun, and the the unknown Archbishop Benitez shows up.

You might expect “Conclave” to be a religious drama, but it’s not. It’s a thriller, almost political. It’s conservative versus progressive. And just like any political election, there are secrets that surface.
Ralph Fiennes is the perfect choice to play Cardinal Lawrence, a tormented soul. Stanley Tucci is a perfect “wing man”. John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini are also very strong in their roles.

Although the pace is slow, the tension is high and the film keeps you engaged from start to finish. I was surprised at how much I loved this film.

Rating: 4/ 5

80s Movie Review - Terms of Endearment

Director: James L. Brooks
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 1983
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels, Danny DeVito, John Lithgow

Description: Follows the hard-to-please Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) looking for love and her daughter’s (Debra Winger) family problems.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 12: A FILM THAT HAS WON AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE
 
Review: Aurora and her daughter Emma are all by themselves after their husband/ father passes away. Emma is about to get married to Flap, a man Aurora finds not to be right for her. Flap also seems to hate Aurora. While Emma marries him, seeing that he is boorish and unfaithful, Aurora tries to live a life without her daughter. Eventually falling for her next door neighbor Garrett.

“Terms of Endearment” won 5 Academy Awards in 1984. Shirley MacLaine won for her role as Aurora and Jack Nicholson for his portrayal of Garrett. But it also took home the Best Picture Award, which I really don’t understand. Unpopular opinion, but I did not like this movie and I don’t believe it’s really that good. The fact that it has drama in it and I did not care about a single character, says enough. This is one of those Oscar-winning movies that I just can’t get behind.

Rating: 2 / 5

Movie Review - Killers of the Flower Moon

Director: Martin Scorsese
Genre: Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 206 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Leonaro DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemmons, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser
 
Description: When oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land, the Osage people are murdered one by one, until the FBI steps in to unravel the mystery.

Review: As if it were not enough that white immigrants drove out to Native American population, another tragedy occurred during the Interbellum/ Inter War. Oil was found in the state of Oklahoma. Bad luck for the white ‘new’ Americans that this mostly took place on Osage Nation lang, the reservations of the native population. A cruel solutions was found for that, by murdering them for their wealth and oil rights.

Veteran director Martin Scorsese uses nearly three and a half hours to tell this story, based on a book by David Grann. I don’t think many people know of this story and it’s good that Scorsese shines a light on this tragic story. The discovery of oil increased prosperity among Osage tribe. Thus the roles reversed and the white people have to serve them for a change. But the white Americans are not all acceptant of this fact.

One of these people is war veteran Ernest Burkhart. He is flat broke and handicapped by a major abdominal injury, so he can’t do heavy physical work. He knocks on the door of his uncle William Hale, who prefers to be addressed by the nickname King. Hale helps Ernest get a job as a cab driver. One of his regular customers is mollie, from the Osage and she has oil money.. Hale convinces Ernest to marry Mollie. Meanwhile, he sets in motion a plan to eliminate Mollie’s relatives.

Scorsese takes considerable time and invests primarily in the relationship between Ernest and Mollie. She and her sisters also understand what Ernest is about. But their relationship with each other is difficult to put into a sentence. There is indeed mutual love, despite the strong unspoken distrust between the two. Ernest, a rock-solid role by Leonardo DiCaprio, allows himself to be hugely influenced by his uncle, but feigns complete control.

Robert De Niro plays William Hale, who is known in the small town of Fairfax as a benefactor. He gets schools and hospitals built, but in reality turns out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. When stealing money and valuables no longer suffices, he does not shy away from more rigorous measures. In fact, Hale is a classic movie villain, but De Nito manages to put a lot of nuance and shades of gray into his character. Hale is a character that really existed.

Lily Galdstone, who plays Ernest’s wife Mollie, left a deep impression on me. She is a new to me actress and she stands tall between big names like DiCaprio and De Niro.

“Killers of the Flower moon” paints a period picture in an unparalleled way that also shines a different light on many other westerns. It combines drama and crime with historical evens such as the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the creation of the FBI. Moreover, Scorsese’s camera team captures it beautifully. Over two hundred minutes seems very like, but time flies by. That’s when you know Scorsese did it again, he made yet another movie to proud of.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

90s Movie Review - The Pelican Brief

Director: Alan J. Pakula
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama/ Action
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, Tony Goldwyn, Robert Culp, William Atherton

Description: A law students (Julia Roberts) uncovers a conspiracy, putting herself and others in danger.

Review: When two Supreme Court justices are murdered, everyone is groping in the dark for the culprit and his motives. Law student Darby Shaw, however, is determined to find out the truth. And so she sets out to investigate. The end result is a theory that initially seems too bizarre for words. Nevertheless, Darby incorporates her theory into a preliminary, speculative dossier, soon dubbed “The Pelican Brief”. After a while, this report makes its way to the highest levels of government, where it causes major shock waves. Together with investigative journalist Gray Grantham, Darby decides to make her discoveries public. At least, if they manage to survive.
“The Pelican Brief” is not one of the best films based on a John Grisham novel. It’s still a pretty good film though. There is enough tension and the acting is really strong. It’s probably the subject matter that makes the film a lot less gripping than that of movies like “A Time to Kill” or “The Rainmaker”. It’s fairly dull subject matter and the pace is slower.
But because of Denzel Washington (who doesn’t really have a bad movie) and Julie Roberts this movie is still one I would recommend.

Rating: 3 / 5

10s Movie Review - Interstellar

Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Drama/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 169 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy, Wes Bentley, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, Ellen Burstyn, Matt Damon, John Lithgow, David Oyelowo

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 26: A MOVIE MADE BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

Description: A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival.

Review: Spaceman Cooper leaves his two children, when he decides to take part in a space mission to find an alternative planet for the decaying Earth. Time is relative, according to Einstein, so a trip to the first planet they visit takes Cooper an hour or three, but in our perception of time more than twenty-three years. Back at the base station, Cooper sees a video of his family. In a few minutes he sees that his family has dramatically changed. Daughter Murp, is as old as him now and son Tom is a father himself. “Interstellar” leans heavily on family ties, which gives it a huge emotional load.
The story is very complex and it is best to just let it take you away. Cooper became a farmer, after a traumatic crash, since Earth is in dire need of food. Another planet offers the only solution, but mankind has stopped space travel. At school they even learn that the mission to the moon was only a clever propaganda move. Cooper’s clever daughter Murphy think’s she is getting signals from her bookcase. What and who is unclear. Martians? Gravity? But Murphy thinks it’s a ghost. However, this silent force and a dust storm lead Cooper and his daughter to a remote space lab.
Christopher Nolan and his writer brother Jonathan are both men with great ideas and an unparalleled ability to transform their vision into images. And you can see that in “Interstellar”. You have to really pay attention or know a bit about physics to fully understand the complicated concept of black holes, wormholes, fourth and fifth dimension and the theory of relativity. Each time you are reassured with the realization that in the end, it is the dramatic aspect that the Nolan brothers want to focus on. Only Christopher Nolan knows how to combine all these difficult angles with compelling drama and spectacular space trips. Surprisingly, they are often very simple principles such as love and loss. “Interstellar” is overall a very ambitious movie. It’s clear that movies like “2001: A Space Odyssey” or “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” were major inspirations for Nolan.
“Interstellar” is anything but a simple space adventure, a film you really have to focus on and let yourself be overwhelmed by. And the soundtrack is one of the best in years. A fantastic film, that doesn’t feel like it’s almost three hours long.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Bombshell

Director: Jay Roach
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, John Lithgow, Allison Janney, Malcolm McDowell, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, Mark Duplass, Stephen Root, Mark Moses, Brooke Smith, Richard Kind

Description: A group of women take on Fox New head Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) and the toxic atmosphere he presides over the network.

Review: Based on a true story. “Bombshell” tells the explosive story of the women that broke the silence and accused Fox News boss Roger Ailes of sexual harassment.
“Bombshell” takes on the scandal that many people, mostly Americans, already know about. And this film shines a light on the events that took place during the process. And it’s a typical way of telling a true story the Hollywood-way: lots of sensation but lacking depth.
If this film didn’t have such a strong cast, it would be disposable and forgettable. The film should be more uncomfortable, giving the theme it deals with. There are only a few moments where you feel this discomfort. For instance when the three main women of the story are standing in an elevator. Not saying a word you can see them questioning themselves: did you also…? Or the scene where Kayla (Margot Robbie) meets with Roger Ailes and he asks her to stand and turn around, because it’s a visual medium. But he also asks to see her legs, eventually ending in Kayla pulling up her skirt up until her underwear. This scene shows that most women at Fox News owe their careers by doing something like this or even more. Sadly these kind of scenes are a minority.
The film also, for the most part, focuses on Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), when it was Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) who blew the whistle. I found this an odd choice.
All performances in this film are great. And also a shoutout to the makeup department.
It’s an easy watch and has its moments, but overall “Bombshell” could have been a lot better.

Rating: 3 / 5

Movie Reviews - Pet Sematary

Director: Kevin Kölsch, Dennis Widmyer
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, John Lithgow

Description: Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) and his wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home.

Review: Louise Creed, his wife Rachel and their two kids decide to move to a small town in Maine. When their cat Church dies, neighbor Judd Crandall tells Louise about a secret burial place. When Church returns, Louise and his family can’t explain it. But a tragedy turns the life of the Creed family upside down and the Pet Sematary is a scary place.
“Pet Sematary” is one of the darkest stories written by Stephen King, the master of horror. Some elements where so gruesome, the author doubted if he could publish the book. It’s perfect material for a horror film and the first attempt was in 1989. It was a good film, but it never captured tat dark atmosphere from the book.
The new adaptation from directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer is much better than it’s predecessor. The tension is build and we spend enough time with the character to relate to them and their traumatic experiences.
Jason Clarke was a good choice for the leas and John Lithgow is perfectly cast. It was actually the, for me, unknown Amy Seimetz who stole the show. Her performance is fantastic and I felt her fear.
The film is not terrifying, but it has some great shock and scare moments. It’s an effective horror film. The deeper thoughts and the existential fear is something that doesn’t completely manage to convince.
The ending gets mixed feeling. Some people hate it, some people love it. I’m in the last group. It’s a pretty abrupt ending, but I like the unhappy ending. It’s the type of ending this story needed.

Rating: 4/ 5

80s Movie Review - Footloose

Director: Herbert Ross
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Music
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 1984
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Chris Penn, Sarah Jessica Parker

Description: A city teenager (Kevin Bacon) moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.

Review: It sound a bit silly, a town that has banded rock music and dancing. And it kinda is. But somehow, “Footloose” is still a fun film, filled with great 80s music.
Ren McCormack is a city boy, who moves to a small town with his mother. Rock music and dancing is banned, but Ren and his new friends are going to rebel against that. Ariel is the reverend’s daughter, the man who started it all. And of course she falls for Ren.
Two things I love about this film: the music and the choreography. It looks good, makes you happy and you instantly start moving in your chair. And especially the dance montages are my favorite.
“Footloose” isn’t really a timeless classic, but after so many years it’s still a fun film to watch. The story is still a bit silly and the performance are a bit flat. But overall, it’s a great dance film.

Rating: 3 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 134: Miss Sloane

Director: John Madden
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Alison Pil, Mark Strong, Michael Stuhlbarg, John Lithgow

Description: In the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is the most sought after and formidable lobbyist in D.C. But when taking on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds winning may come at too high a price.

Review: Who doesn’t know what the work of a lobbyist contains, doesn’t have to feel threatened by “Miss Sloane”. During the opening, Elizabeth Sloane breaks the fourth wall and tells us what lobbying is all about: Lobbying is forsight, anticipate what the opponent is going to do and come with a counter action. The winner is also one step ahead.
It’s a good intro to the hectic political world we are about to enter. Director John Madden managed to create a realistic picture of this abstract world.
The film is fictional. The stakes for this lobbying is a controversial bill named Heaton-Harris, that stand for stricter rules for weapon possession. That’s where Elizabeth Sloane comes in. She is the kind of woman with a strong opinion, extremely confident and relentless when needed. After a meeting with the ‘big guys’ of a powerful lobby company, Sloane turns her back on them. With a small team and under her supervision, Sloane starts the battle, where morals are forgotten.
Why she is so ambitious about this, stays unknown the entire film. No rough childhood and she wasn’t victimized by a firearm herself. Normally the lack of a drive like that can be a negative, but for “Miss Sloane” that’s absolutely not the issue. It is in fact just that absence that makes Elizabeth Sloane so unpredictable.
She isn’t all ice queen though. Her nightly visits from a male escort, where he manages to see an emotional side. And after a defeat, rage escapes her.
It’s a combination of a smart script and a fantastic performance by Jessica Chastain that makes this political thriller different from others in the genre. Chastain carries this movie.
Movies with themes like this can easily become dull and over explanatory, but not “Miss Sloane”. It’s interesting, captivating and there is a tension that doesn’t let you go. This film really surprised me and I believe not enough people appreciate it.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 58: The Accountant

Director: Gavin O’Connor
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow, Jean Smart

Description: As a math savant (Ben Affleck) uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.

Review: Christian Wolff is a extraordinary accountant. He is a magician with numbers, but also autistic and socially a bit clumsy. He has several criminals as his clients and for that reason he thought himself some skills as well. When Wolff is hired by a new client, to discover if money is disappearing from his company, everything goes a little different as planned.
I’m not the world biggest Ben Affleck fan, he is sometimes even a reason NOT to watch a film. But he really surprised me and I found him somewhat brilliant as Christian Wolff. I also enjoyed Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons.
Director Gavin O’Connor, who also directed “Warrior”, made a very good and solid thriller. The film keeps your attention from beginning till end. There is a good combination between thriller, action and even a little humor.
“The Accountant” really surprised me, I didn’t expect much at first.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 161: Twilight Zone: The Movie

Director: John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, George Miller
Genre: Horror/ Thriller/ Comedy/ Fantasy
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 1983
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Albert Brooks, Vic Morrow, Doug McGrath, Charles Hallahan, Rainer Peets, Kai Wulff, Sue Dugan, Debby Porter, Steven Williams, Annette Claudier, Joseph Hieu, Al Leong, Stephen Bishop, Thomas Byrd, Scatman Crothers, Bill Quinn, Martin Garner, Selma Diamond, Helen Shaw, Murray Matheson, Peter Brocco, Priscilla Pointer, Scott Nemes, Tanya Fenmore, Evan Richards, Laura Mooney, Christopher Eisenmann, Richard Swingler, Alan Haufrect, Cheryl Sochler, Elsa Raven, Kathleen Quinlan, Jeremy Licht, Kevin McCarthy, Patricia Barry, William Schallert, Nancy Cartwright, Dick Miller, Cherie Currie, Bill Mumy, Jeffrey Bannister, John Lithgow, Abbe Lane, Donna Dixon, John Dennis Johnston, Larry Cedar, Charles Knapp, Byron McFarland, Christina Nigra, Lana Schwabb

Description: Four horror/sci-fi segments directed by four famous directors, each of them being a new version of a classic story from Rod Serling's landmark television series The Twilight Zone (1959).

Review: “Twilight Zone: The Movie” is based on the television series “The Twilight Zone”. It starts of with a prologue and then tells us four different stories, directed by four different directors. Two men are driving a card in the night and start reminiscing about old TV shows, like “The Twilight Zone”. It’s the set up for the film.

Segment # 1:
Bill Connor missed out on a promotion and spills his guts while having a drink in a bar with some friends. His words don’t come easy and bothers some other customers, because he is pretty racist. When Bill leaves the bar, he himself is the victim of racism and hatred. John Landis directs this part and it has a dark atmosphere. It’s somber and intense, but doesn’t really develop.

Segment # 2:
Mister Bloom arrives at the Sunnyvale Rest Home, as a new citizen. Bloom befriends many of the people living there and convinces them that you are as old as you feel. Steven Spielberg directed this second segment. The idea is good and it does have some good moments, but the story gets a bit too sentimental.

Segment # 3:
Teacher Helen Foley accidentaly hits the young Anthony with her car. She brings him home and meets his family. Anthony’s family acts strange, but so does Anthony. And this all happens because they are afraid of Anthony. Joe Dante directs and adds more humor to his story. It has a light horror undertone. Dante was definitely influences by cartoons and it is sometimes funny, especially because of the overacting of the actors. But the ending is again a bit too sweet.

Segment # 4:
John Valentine is afraid of flying, but he has to go by plane. He has to do everything to keep his fear under controle. But when he thinks he is calm, he sees a strange creature on one of the wings of the plane. He sees its trying to break one of the engines and off course no one believes John. The director for this story is George Miller and this is the only story that I liked completely. It gives you a claustrophobic feel and it has some scary moments. John Lithgow plays his role as Valentine very well. It’s the best story in this film.

I expected a bit more quality from those four amazing directors. It’s and entertaining flick, but only the last story really nailed it.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 18: Interstellar

Director: Christopher Nolan

Genre: Adventure/ Science Fiction/ Drama

Runtime: 169 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Wes Bentley, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, David Oyelowo, John Lithgow, Ellen Burstyn, Matt Damon

Description: A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival.

Review: Christopher Nolan’s movies can be called cold, but certainly have emotion. The (anti) heroes in movies like “Memento”, “The Prestige” and “Inception” are all driven by human emotion like heart ache or jealousy. In “Interstellar” we also meet those characters. That’s not a bad thing though, when they are portrayed by great actors like Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine.

McConaughey plays the disillusioned widow Cooper, former test pilot for NASA and now a farmer. The film is set in the near future, where the earth is exhausted and producing food is the main priority instead of science. What people don’t know is that secretly NASA is planning a mission to save mankind and move them to another planet, that can be reached through a wormhole. Cooper is asked to investigate the planet, together with a group of fellow astronauts. This means Cooper has to leave his two children and he can’t tell them when or if he will return.

The emotional scenes between Cooper and his daughter Murph are a highlight for me. They are so sincere and you feel it yourself. And although the drama is the heart of the film, Nolan focusses more on the scientific aspect of the story. Nolan likes old school effects, doesn’t use CGI if not necessary. The spaceship décor was build, very detailed and the robots CASE and TARS were all controlled manually.

The first half of the film is much better than the second and after two hours, you start to feel the length of the film. The happenings are randomly piling up and the characters can’t carry the drama anymore. And that ending, I don’t know.

Many say it’s Christopher Nolan’s best, I do not agree. Not even remotely. I think “Interstellar” is slightly overrated, although I can see and understand what Nolan wanted with this film.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Moments: Orange County

A breakthrough for Tom Hanks' son Colin Hanks, who I think is amazing and should get more attention. I don't know why, but I always loved this movie. I decided to rewatch it and make a list of my favorite moments.

Moment # 1:Meet Shaun
We meet Shaun Brumbder, who’s writing a letter to Marcus Skinner. He tells him about his life in Orange County and how he got the idea of becoming a writer.

Moment # 2: Lance watches Spongebob
Shaun is excited abot his letter from Stanford, but all his lazy brother Lance cares about is Spongebob.

Moment # 3: Wrong Transcript
Shaun didn’t get in to Stanford and he doesn’t understand why. He visits the students counselor and finds out she send in the transcript of a Shane Brainard. He, dumb as he is, did get in to Stanford.

Moment # 4: Visitors
Ashley arranged for Tanya’s grandfather to visit Shaun, he works at Stanford. Shaun gets one more chance to get in to Stanford. His mother is getting ready and puts on a dress that makes her look like a piñata. Shaun tells Lance he needs to stay in his room. When Lance asks him why, Shaun tells him he embarrasses him. When the guest arrive, Shaun’s mom Cindy acts weird and starts telling them her whole life story. Then Lance walks in in his underwear, Shaun’s friends shows up and Bob starts acting mad. Everything is going wrong and Shaun’s last chance is gone.

Moment # 5: Lance driving skills
Lance drives Shaun and Ashley to Stanford, because he can do it in 3 hours. But he’s an awful driver. He hardly pays attention to the road and when something happens he blames the other drivers.

Moment # 6: Lance sets a fire.
When Shaun got the dean of admission to put his name on the list of Stanford attendees and they arrive at the office, they see it’s on fire. Set by Lance.

Moment # 7: Shaun meets Marcus Skinner
Shaun is walking on campus when all of a sudden he sees Marcus Skinner walk by. He asks him about his story and Marcus says he enjoyed reading it. He invites Shaun to his office to talk about the story. He tells Shaun he doesn’t need to leave Orange County to become a good writer, he already is one.

Moment # 8: “You banged mom?”
When Shaun, Lance and Ashley return from Stanford, they see their dad. When he wants to tell them he and their mom got back together Lance asks him: “You banged mom?”

Moment # 9: Shaun stays
The trip wasn’t all for nothing, because Shaun realizes that his inspiration is right in front of him. Shaun decides to stay in Orange County and everybody is happy.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 4: Visitors

Movie Tip # 50: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Starring: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Andy Serkis, Tom Felton, Brian Cox

Description: The young scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) is about to realize his life's work: the discovery of a cure for Alzheimer's. His experiments on primates, however, have uncommon side effects. The chimps increase in brain activity and Caeser is the first ape with that special intelligence.

Review: We first meet chimp 9, a primate that suceeds in solving the most complicated puzzles. Scientist Will is the one who developed a medicine that should cure alzheimers. He has a reason for wanting it to work, because his father Charles is suffering from the disease and getting worse every day. James Franco does a solid job by playing Will, who you learn to sympathize while the story developes. His father Charles, played by John Lithgow, is a very likeable character but so sad. I really felt sorry for him. Especially the scene where he tries to drive a car. Freida Pinto as Caroline does a fine job but her character is pretty one-dimensional, though she is the most sensible one. Boss Jacobs and bully Dodge did not deserve any sympathy and the entire film you wish only one destiny for them. The big star of the film is ape Caeser, played by Andy Serkis who also did a tremendous job as Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings" series and as the giant gorilla in "King Kong". Is it possible to be nominated for an Oscar when you played an ape? He does an excellent job. It's clever acting and he easily overshadows his co-stars. The makers of the film managed to created a great personality for the apes and you hope they will reach their goal. It's the emotional core of the film that most impresses and the scenes between Caesar and Will are fantastic. The twist ending was pretty smart, I liked it. The complete movie is a visual treat, beautifully shot and I'm glad they didn't make the apes killer machines when they broke out. They just wanted freedom, well who doesn't?

Movie Tip #25 - Orange County

Director: Jake Kasdan

Starring: Colin Hanks, Jack Black, Schuyler Fisk, John Lithgow, Catherine O'Hara, Leslie Mann, Kevin Kline, Chevy Chase, Lily Tomlin

Description: Shaun Brumder (Colin Hanks) is a local surfer kid from Orange County who dreams of going to Stanford to become a writer and to get away from his disfunctional family household. Except Shaun runs into one complication after another starting when his application is rejected after his dim-witted guidance counselor sends the wrong application. So, Shaun goes to great lengths with a little help from his girlfriend Ashley (Schuyler Fisk) and his drugged-out loser brother Lance (Jack Black) to get into Stanford any way they see fit

Review: I really enjoy "Orange County" every time I see it. The script is great. It's smart, but still wacky as a teen comedy needs to be. Colin Hanks' first major starring role and he nailed it. He looks (and sounds) a lot like his dad and he's also a great actor. I recently saw him in "The Great Buck Howard" and his performance is again great. My favourite character in "Orange County" was Lance, played by Jack Black. Weird guy, but so cool. The parents are also very funny and Ashley is sweet and tender. It's one of the only teen comedies with an actual good story and good actors. Just watch it.