Movie Review - Cocaine Bear

Director: Elizabeth Banks
Genre: Comedy/ Thriller
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ray Liotta, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margot Martindale, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kristoffer Hivju, Hannah Hoekstra, Matthew Rhys
 
Description: An oddball groups of cops, criminals, tourist and teens converge on a Georgia forest where a huge black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine.

Review: Cheap slasher films of the 1980s had a plot as high quality as the budget. Nothing more was needed, it just had to be entertainment. This is also a slasher, set in the 80s, but this time is not a knifed killer on the loose, but a bear.

1985. A drug smuggles makes a mistake that causes hi to crash somewhere in a residential neighborhood. The bags full of cocaine he threw from the plane are now yup for grabs in the Appalachian Mountains. Only a drug lord knows about it and sends some people to get them. Meanwhile, a bear has stumbled upon the cocaine and becomes uninhibitedly addicted to it. All visitors to the preserve are a target.

Elizabeth Banks is a fine actress, in both serious and funny roles. For “Cocaine Bear” she took on the role of director. She has yet to proof herself as a director. “Pitch Perfect 2” was just okay and her version of the outdated TV-series “Charlie’s Angels” wasn’t well-received. “Cocaine Bear” is loads of fun, but it’s not the best movie you will see this year.

Banks does have a great cast to work with. Keri Russell is pretty good, as well as Ray Liotta, in one his last appearances. Margo Martindale is the funniest of the cast, as a park ranger.

This movie feels exactly like a drug trip: chaotic, wild and out of control. I believe it was a fun time, lots of laughs. Do not take it too seriously please, and you will enjoy it.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - Austenland

Director: Jerusha Hess
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Keri Russell, JJ Feild, Bret McKenzie, Jennifer Coolidge, James Callis, Jane Seymour, Georgie King, Ruper Vansittart

Description: Obsessed with “Pride and Prejudice”, Jane (Keri Russell) travels to a Jane Austen theme park in search for her perfect gentleman. 

 
Review: Jane Hayes is obsessed with Jane Austen’s books and lives her her head mostly in the Regency era. This seriously interferes with her love life. She therefore decides to use all her savings for a trip to Austenland, an English resort where lovers of Jane Austen are completely immersed in Regency-era life. Here she hopes to finally feel like the heroine of her own story and be able to take her life into her own hands. When she arrives, she meets the eccentric Elizabeth Charming and the perfect Lady Amelia Heartwright. Jane is also charmed by servant Martin and impressed by Henry Nobley. Austenand proves to be a tricky place to fall in love, however, because where does fantasy end and reality begin?
“Austenland” is a romantic comedy with over-the-top acting, sugar sweet romance and a wonderful, extravagant setting. The story only has little depth and you barely get to know the characters. It has some funny situations and it’s quite surprising who Jane eventually ends up with. But overall, “Austenland” is yet another romcom that didn’t manage to charm me enough.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Star Wars Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker

Director: J.J. Abrams
Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 142 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Ian McDiarmid, Lupita Nyong’o, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Billy Dee Williams, Richard E. Grant, Anthony Daniels, Greg Grunberg, Dominic Monaghan, Keri Russell

Description: The surviving members of the resistance face the First Order again, and the legendary conflict between the Jedi and the Sith reaches its peaks bringing the Skywalker saga to its end.

Review: The resurrected Emperor Palpatine recruits Kylo Ren to restore his empire. Jedi-apprentice Rey and her rebel friends are the only ones tat can stop them.
In 2015 director J.J. Abrams had a challenge. He had the tough task to bring new life to the Star Wars franchise. And he managed with “Star Wars Episode VII – The Force Awakens”. And in my opinion the second film in this trilogy, directed by Rian Johnson, was also good and I really liked it (I know this is an unpopular opinion).
For the finale, Abrams returns, but “Star Wars Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” is not as sleek as its predecessors. The story goes by so fast and important plot development hardly have any time to settle in.
A lot that happens isn’t that new or original, “Star Wars Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” stays in its comfort zone. The story plays a lot with family bonds and many elements are expected and predictable.
But the heart of the series hasn’t gone and I did enjoy this film. The emotional connection between Rey and Kylo Ren is strong and the moments where Abrams decided to focus on his characters are the best. And the film again looks fantastic, visually it’s great.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 4: Mission: Impossible 3

Director: J.J. Abrams

Genre: Action/ Thriller

Runtime: 125 minutes

Year: 2006

Starring: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Keri Russell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup, Simon Pegg, Michelle Monaghan, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Maggie Q, Eddie Marsan

Description: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) comes face to face with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer while trying to keep his identity secret in order to protect his girlfriend (Michelle Monaghan).

Review: Ethan Hunt is sent on another mission. The task sounds simple: save one of their own after being held captive. But it’s a lot more complicated and it leads Hunt and his team to Germany, the Vatican, Virginia and Shanghai.

The raw but perfectly calculated action is probably the best thing about “Mission: Impossible 3”. The intrigues and the bond between Hunt and his team members Luther, Declan and Zhen are also very strong. I love the way how the team manages to outsmart everyone, by dodging cameras, blowing up Ferraris and disguising as their enemy. Hunt’s personal life is a little less interesting though.

Like the first two films, the cast is strong. Off course Tom Cruise and Ving Rhames do great. But Philip Seymour is very convincing as the bad guy. And Simon Pegg, who always manages to add cynicism and dry humor to his scenes.

“Mission: Impossible 3” is a great action thriller, a wonderful addition to the series.

Rating: 4/ 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

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 14: Goats

Director: Christopher Neil
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: David Duchovny, Vera Farmiga, Graham Phillips, Keri Russell, Justin Kirk, Anthony Anderson, Ty Burrell, Alan Ruck, Dakota Johnson

Description: As Ellis (Graham Phillips) prepares to leave Tucson for his freshman year at an East Coast prep school, he also faces separating from his flaky, new age mother (Vera Farmiga) and the only real father he has ever known: Goat Man (David Duchovny).

Review: In this strange coming-of-age-comedy the young Ellis has to deal with a lot of things: a new school, his new age mom, his estranged dad and the Goat Man. The man who has been like a dad to him, more than his actual father. All these freaky and quirky characters make this a fresh and light dramedy.
Graham Phillips is touching as the young adult struggling with all the people in his life. David Duchovny makes you laugh with his vague character. Vera Farmiga is the weirdest one of the bunch, but she never overdoes it. The other characters don’t have enough depth to even care about them.The story is interesting, but it never seems to go towards an actual ending, which leaves you with an unsatisfied feeling.
“Goats” has heart, it’s a fun film when you’re in the mood for something that’s a bit strange. But a good kind of strange.

Rating: 3,5/ 5