Movie Review - Cold Storage

Director: Jonny Campbell
Genre: Horror/ Comedy
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, Sosie Bacon, Liam Neeson, Vanessa Redgrave, Leslie Manville,
 
Description: When a highly dangerous fungus escapes from a secret laboratory, a former bioterrorism agent (Liam Neeson) is called back into action. Alongside two young employees (Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell), he must confront an invisible and out-of-control threat.
 
Review: With “Cold Storage”, director Jonny Campbell delivers a delightfully nostalgic yet spot-on genre blend that strikes a balance between gory body horror and deadpan comedy. The screenplay was written by David Koepp, who based it on his own novel of the same name. It doesn’t shine in terms of originality, but more than makes up for it with the pace and a healthy dose of self-aware humor.

The story starts simple and effectively: the young, somewhat laconic night guards Travis “Teacake” Meacham and Naomi Williams are expecting a dead-boring shift at a large-scale storage complex. What they don’t know, however, is that this complex was built right on top of a sealed-off, underground military base. Due to a sudden rise in temperature, a decades-old parasitic fungus escapes from its containment chamber. This microorganism multiplies at lightning speed, takes control of the human brain, and causes bodies to explode in spectacularly gruesome ways.

Two prevent the inevitable apocalypse, the two twenty-somethings are forced to team up with Robert Quinn, a seasoned and cynical former bioterrorism expert who tries to contain the situation. The film’s true strength lies in its outstanding cast. The chemistry between Joe Keery and Georgina Campbell practically jumps off the screen. They are the perfect level-headed counterparts to the chaos surrounding them.

But it’s Liam Neeson who steals the show portraying his familiar, tough persona with a delightful wink and deadpan comic timing. The visual effects and the over-the-top gore immediately bring to mind classic 1980 B-horror films, giving the movie a fun, tangible atmosphere that never gets too pretentious or terrifying. Still “Cold Storage” stumbles here and there.

“Cold Storage” is a slightly predictable yet extremely entertaining rollercoaster ride, that fully delivers on the promise of a wacky, bloody night at the movies. For fans of sci-fi and horror comedy, this film is definitely worth watching.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - The Naked Gun

Director: Akiva Schaffer
Genre: Comedy/ Action
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Danny Huston, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand,
 
Description: Only one man (Liam Neeson) has the particular set of skills – to lead Police Squad and save the world.
 
Review: “The Naked Gun” is a new film, not so much a remake of the 1988 version, but more a continuation. Because Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the late Sr. (Leslie Nielsen). Together with his partner he is investigating a seemingly innocent accident involving a self-driving car. The victim’s sister, Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), approaches Drebin with suspicions that this is not what it seems. She turns out to be right, and Drebin starts his investigation.

That this new version takes over the same humor from the original series is immediately clear from the opening scene, in which a little schoolgirl walks into a bank during a robbery and turns out to be Liam Neeson ins disguise. You know it’s silly, but you laugh anyway.

As it should be, this film is crammed with jokes from start to finish. Not all of them are brilliant, but because they keep coming, you can’t help but laugh. The plot, present but paper-thin, is purely a hook for adding as much nonsense as possible. There is even room for a parody of Wham’s “Last Christmas” music video, which takes a very bizarre turn.

For some reason, Liam Neeson is the perfect man for the job. Known for mainly serious roles, and in the last years action films, it’s somehow a breath of fresh air to see him in such a ridiculous role. And Neeson delivering silly lines with a straight face somehow works perfectly.  

Pamela Anderson is also surprisingly funny. Her singing the fictional jazz song “Sassafras Chicken” is super weird, but kind of funny too. She is on par with Priscilla Presley (who appears in the movie for a quick second) from the original series.

The running gag in this film is the coffee joke, where Frank is always being handed a cup of coffee, no matter what situation he is in. It works best when the joke hasn’t been used for a while and then suddenly reappears in an unexpected situation. They do miss the mark a bit when the are lowering themselves to the easy poop and sex jokes, which hardly ever works for me. But fortunately they are limited.  

If you’re a fan of the original films and you like silly humor, you will not be disappointed. When the film was first announced, I never expected it to work as well as it did.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Love Actually

Director: Richard Curtis
Genre: Comedy/ Romance/ Drama
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2003
Starring: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Rowan Atkinson, Martine McCutheon, Martin Freeman, Joanna Page, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel, Ejiofor, Thomas Sangster, Rodrigo Santoro

Description: Follows the lives of several different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

Review: With “Love Actually”, the directorial debut by Richard Curtis shows that life is full of small moments of love and affection. Me not being a romance girlie, this is one of the few exceptions in the genre that I’m absolutely in love with.

Richard Curtis is mostly know for his screenwriting, having been apart of “Blackadder”, “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill”, among others. “Love Actually” is as smoothly put together as the romcoms for which he alone wrote the screenplay.

The fact that Curtis managed to have the best of the best actors at his disposal also work in his favor. It’s not hard to take them to heart. We follow several storylines in this film, some of them intertwine at some. We meet David, as he arrives on his first day as the Prime Minister, falling in love with Nathalie who is in his staff. Karen is painfully confronted with her husband’s potential adultery. Daniel has just lost his wife and has to deal with his young stepson’s first time being in love. Jamie leaves for France after he finds out his girlfriend is cheating on him with his brother. Here he meets Aurelia, but there is a language barrier. Sarah has been in love Karl for over two years, but because of her sick brother she never lets herself act on it. Jack and Judy meet each other while being movie stand-ins for nude scenes. Old rocker Billy Mack is trying to reach the number one spot with his Christmas song. Mark’s best friend Peter marries Juliet. Juliet feels like Mark doesn’t really like her, finding out that that’s not the reason he never talks to her. And finally Colin, who is sick of British girls and travels to America to find a woman.

Even though not all storylines are equally successful or enjoyable, the complete package is so lovely. This film has high rewatchability and I simply can’t get enough of it. I want to watch it every Christmas. And the ending is very satisfactory as well. Sugar sweet and overly romantic, but for some reason I am totally fine with it here.  

Rating: 5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Gangs of New York

Director: Martin Scorsese
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, John C. Reilly, Stephen Graham, Henry Thomas, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Jim Broadbent, Eddie Marsan

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 49: A MOVIE WITH AND ACTOR/ ACTRESS YOU DISLIKE
 
Description: In 1962, Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) returns to the Five Points area of New York City seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis), his father’s killer.

Review: In “Gangs of New York”, director Martin Scorsese resents his cynical vision of the extremely bloody gang wars that plagued Manhattan in the mid-nineteenth century.

The film opens with a bloody battle in the Five Points area, where Irish immigrants clash with the American-born Nativists, led by the ruthless William cutting, knows as Bill the Butcher.
Sixteen years later, the son of the murdered Irish gang leader, returns to the neighborhood. Unfortunately, this characters, Amsterdam Vallon, doesn’t quite come into his own, but there is no doubt about his revenge against Bill the Butcher. This is one of those stories where you kind of side with the villain, because his character is way more interesting and fleshed out, not because he’s more likeable. And that is largely thanks to Daniel Day-Lewis, who portrays this ruthless gang leader as a charismatic psychopath. He created an instant classic movie villain. He steals the entire movie and makes Leonardo DiCaprio completely fade into the background. Not to speak of Cameron Diaz, who in my eyes was miscast. And I believe that they could have left her character out completely, she adds nothing to the story and you don’t care about her.

But “Gangs of New York” has more to offer than Day-Lewis’ monumental acting. Above all, the film fascinates with the almost maniacal detail with which the Manhattan of 1862 was reconstructed. The film looks stunning. We are plunged into an anarchic society. Scorsese has already showed us at length that Manhattan was nothing less than hell on earth in previous movies, but he has just mentioned that existence there in the nineteenth century was many times more miserable.

In Taxi Driver and Bringing out the dead, Scorsese had already shown us at length that Manhattan was nothing less than hell on earth. He had just never mentioned that existence there in the nineteenth century was many times more miserable.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Tim Blake Nelson, Clancy Brown, Zoe Kazan, Tom Waits, James Franco, Stephen Root, Liam Neeson, Harry Melling

Description: Six tales of life and violence in the Old West.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 25: A MOVIE WITH MULTIPLE STORYLINES
 
Review: A film by Joel and Ethan Coen is always something to look forward to. That Netflix allowed the famous brothers to make a film and gave them a free hand in it makes it even more interesting. The results is an anthology of six stories, all set in the Old West and highlighting an aspect of life in the Wild West.

“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” has a book as a window for the narratives. An unknown person opens the book and we dive into the first story. It bears the title of the film and is delightfully ridiculous. Tim Blake Nelson plays the smiley cowboy from the title and comes across as somewhat simple. But he manages to win every fight he gets into. That;s how simple the premise of the first story is.

The other five are more or less the same, but there is enough cleverness in them and references to modern times to keep engaging. Gradually, the tone of the film also changes and the lightheartedness disappears. In ‘Meal Ticket’ Liam Neeson plays the callous impresario of a man without arms and legs. The wretch recites poems, but sees his audience shrinking. This was my favorite story. In ‘The Mortal Remains’ we follow a group of people in a carriage. This is my least favorite of the stories and a bit boring actually. Other stories stand out, like ‘Near Algodones’ where James Franco plays a bank robber, or ‘All the Gold Canyon’ with a starring role for musician Tom Waits as a prospector. The stories are not connected, so it’s sometimes difficult to get into them properly.

It’s not one of the best movies by the Coen Brothers and certainly not one of my favorites, but definitely worth a watch.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - A Walk Among the Tombstones

Director: Scott Frank
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, Boyd Holbrook, David Harbour, Adam David Thompson, Mark Consuelos
 
Description: Private investigator Matthew Scudder (Liam Neeson) is hired by a drug kingpin (Dan Stevens) to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.

Review: In recent years you can usually guess what you get when you’re watching a Liam Neeson movie. Since the success of “Taken” ins 2008, the Irish actor has regularly been casted as the old hand in the business, who hasn’t yet forgotten to use his trades or other deadly weapons. It’s not very surprising anymore, but convincing it still is.
Neeson is also the main reason why the crime thriller “A Walk Among the Tombstones” remains entertaining. It doesn’t leave you on the edge of your seat, but it’s entertaining enough to keep you attention the full runtime.
The opening is promising. In 1991 New York, we see Matthew Scudder having breakfast in a restaurant, when he’s brutally disturb by a group of robbers. An explosion of violence follows. The film jumps eight years ahead. Matt Scudder has now left the police force and started out as a private investigator. His conscience starts to gnaw when Kenny Kristo, a drug dealer, asks for his help. The dealer can’t turn to the police, but he wants revenge. He paid a lot of money to get his kidnapped wife back, but found her in the trunk of an abandoned car chopped up into pieces.
Eventually Scudder decides to help, so he starts an investigation. And the men responsible for the death of Kenny’s wife have done it before. Scudder digs into the dark past of the gloomy city.
“A Walk Among the Tombstones” is a solid crime thriller, with a changing pace. The setting is great, the performance by Neeson is as well. The film goes on a bit too long, but overall it’s a movie worth checking out.

Rating: 3 / 5

90s Movie Review - Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Director: George Lucas
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 1999
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Jake Lloyd, Samuel L. Jackson, Natalie Portman, Frank Oz, Terence Stamp, Ray Park, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Ian McDiarmid

Description: Two Jedi (Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor) escape a hostile blockade to find allies and comes across a young boy (Jake Lloyd) who may bring balance to the Force, but the long dormant Sith resurfaces to claim their old glory.

Review: Two Jedi are sent out to solve a violent trade dispute around the planet Naboo. During their mission, they meet a young slave who can restore the balance between good and evil.
For sixteen years, the patience of Star Wars fans was put to the test. Spiritual father George Lucas often let it slip that he was interested in a new trilogy, in which the transformation of Anakin Skywalker into the villain Darth Vader would be revealed. And that finally happened in 1999. With “Star Wars Episde I – The Phantom Menace” released, the reactions weren’t mild. The film was everything that the original trilogy wasn’t, the story of trade wars didn’t captivate and the character never did to us what Luke, Han and Leia did.
Yet, there is still plenty to enjoy in “The Phantom Menace”. New beautiful worlds have been created for the screen and the podrace is very entertaining. The final sword fight and its accompanied music remain impressive.
When fans saw this first film in the new trilogy, they knew it was never going to live up to the original series. But still, it’s entertaining and enjoyable enough.

Rating: 3/ 5

90s Movie Review - Schindler's List

Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Drama/ War
Runtime: 195 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Embeth Davidtz

Description: In Poland during World War II, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.

Review: A masterful and touching movie from director Steven Spielberg. Shot in black and white by Janusz Kaminski, who received an Academy Award for his camera work. The goal was to create an authentic atmosphere and this gives “Schindler’s List” that extra power.
The main character is Oskar Schindler, who decides to go to Krakow after the outbreak of WOII to start an enamel factory. He hires Jewish workers, because they are less expensive than Polish workers. The special thing about Schindler is, as he is portrayed, that he’s actually a crook, a profiteer and a womanizer. We never get to know the real Schindler and why he wants to save all those people. In many ways he is like nazi commander Amon Goeth, also a crook, profiteer and womanizer. But where Schindler is an essentially good man, with flaws, Goeth is a sadist and murderer.
It’s incredible that Schindler succeeds in saving many Jews from death. He has contacts and a lot of luck, but what makes him really successful is his audacity and courage. You see that in the scene where he tries to convince fellow factory men Bosch and Madritsch to do even more than they have already done. The two industrials are human and helped their Jewish workers, but realize that there is nothing more to do. Only an adventurer would go even further. And that’s exactly what Schindler does. The greatest achievement is when Schindler goes to Auschwitz, to safe the women and children who were brought to Auschwitz by mistake. By bribe and bluff he manages to let them leave the camp. The only time in this black history that Jews could leave the camp. If it didn’t really happen, nobody would have believed it.
“Schindler’s List” won seven Academy Awards, like best film, director and cinematography. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes only got nominations. Their performances are amazing, as is Ben Kingsley’s. His portrayal of the smart and timid bookkeeper is impressive.
“Schindler’s List” is filled with striking and memorable scenes. A great screenplay, fantastic acting, this is an absolute classis that you have to watch at least once a year. Just two remember all those people who died in that terrible war and the people who did make it.

Rating: 5 / 5

Movie Review - Men in Black: International

Director: F. Gary Gray
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Rafe Spall, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson

Description: The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

Review: As a child Molly managed to escape the “neutralizer”, the device that the Men in Black use to erases your memory about the existence of aliens. Twenty years she searches for the agency that protects the earth from the scum from outer space. Molly wants to become one of them! One day, she manages to infiltrate the agency in New York. Agent O is impressed enough to recruit her. Molly, now Agent M, starts her probation in London.
The movies doesn’t start out that bad. But the first signs of this film lacking substance is when Molly’s training starts, which is nothing more than deciding which suit to wear and which weapon to choose. There is no need to further expand the introduction of the universe, because that’s what the previous films did.
“Men in Black: International” is for the most part a repetition of the other films. Visually it’s not very different and the formula is almost identical. The are hunting for an object to secure the future of the universe, there is some friction. There are some new elements, which make it a nit more interesting. Like the main duo is now a man and a woman. I liked the dynamic between Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Not an old wise man and a flashy rookie, but an arrogant top-agent who has to acknowledge his hero status is crashing and he is surpassed by an enthusiastic newcomer. And it’s not because of them that this film isn’t good, because they are good together and their dynamic is the best part of the film. It’s just sad that they have to work with such terrible writing.
It's an uninspired spin-off, which the good cast couldn’t even safe.

Rating: 2/ 5

10s Movie Review - Widows

Director: Steve McQueen
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Viola Davis, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Coburn Ross, Michelle Rodriguez, Alejandro Verdin, Baily Rhyse Walters, Elizabeth Debicki, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Jacki Weaver, Molly Kunz, James Vincent Meredith, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Cynthia Erivo

Description: Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities, take fate into their own hands, and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

Review: The plot sounds a bit like “Ocean’s Eleven” or “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”. But it’s a heist movie, with a twist. After a group of robbers were killed, their wives team up to steal millions of dollars.
With director Steve McQueen being involved, you already know it’s not going to be a light film. He also directed heavy themed films like “Hunger”, “Shame” and “12 Years a Slave”.
Where in most heist film the testosterone is fed by greed, “Widows” changes it up a bit. Here the women have a necessity, they need to do it for their own safety. The three women don’t want to step in their husband’s footsteps, they simply have no other choice. One of the men left a ‘script’ which they women use to plan the job.
Steve McQueen is known for his fantastic camerawork and he uses it here too. But it doesn’t always work. In the opening scene, the traditional getaway is shot completely from the getaway van. This is original, minimalistic and works great. But a scene where we see the outside of a driving car, while the frustrated politician inside is arguing with his assistant, doesn’t work as well. I fit was a disposable scene, it didn’t bother me. But it’s an important scene with great acting, which you don’t see. It doesn’t make as much of an impact this way.
Viola Davis is the star of the film. Her icy focus is amazing to watch. Sadly, her character is the most developed and the other women don’t get as much attention.
The interaction between the women is strong, but there is also a lot of attention for the political games played in the city of Chicago.
“Widows” is a good crime thriller, but it has more potential.

Rating: 3 / 5

Movie Reviews - The Commuter

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Liam Neeson, Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Banks

Description: An Insurance Salesman/Ex-Cop (Liam Neeson) is caught up in a criminal conspiracy during his daily commute home.

Review: Liam Neeson and a family in danger, it’s almost a new subgenre in Hollywood. In the action thriller “The Commuter”, which is set almost entirely on a train, it’s not any different. Neeson’s character Michael MacCauley has to fulfill a task on board. At first it seems to only be about a bunch of cash, but eventually lives are at stake.
Michael can use the money, because he just lost his job. He gave his job as a cop up to become a business man. All for his family, because his son is about to go to college.
Michael takes the train every day. He know the people on the train. A pretty lady asks him a hypothetical question: would he do a task for cash, if it affected many? The only thing he has to do is track a passenger who carries a stolen item with him/ her.
Although a lot of details matter, you don’t have to pay perfect attention. Everything is very clear. Really easy to follow, not complexities.
It’s not exactly a masterpiece, but it’s a film that keeps your attention and it’s entertaining. And I really like Neeson as an action hero.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 127: A Monster Calls

Director: J.A. Bayona
Genre: Drama/ Fantasy
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Liam Neeson, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell

Description: A boy (Lewis MacDougall) seeks the help of a tree monster to cope with his single mother's (Felicity Jones) terminal illness.

Review: Your own fantasy to escape reality and all the misery in your life. To make life more bearable, kids are even more capable then adults to let their free spirit speak. Many films and books have these themes and it often happens in a very subtle way. Look at modern fairytales “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Wizard of Oz”. it’s often the adults that disturb the dream. In “A Monster Calls” there is something different happening. A bullied boy tries to cope with his mother’s illness and thanks to her, he can escape reality for a while.
Almost every night it happens: the 13 year old Conor O’Malley wakes up in sweat, after having that some scary nightmare. In this dream he sees the church across his house collapse and his mother disappears in the hole that appears. Conor can’t save his mom. In real life, his mother is battling an aggressive form of cancer.
In school Conor’s life isn’t any better, because he is the center of attention for the bullies. The only thing that keeps him going is his art, he makes the most amazing drawings. One night, at seven minutes past twelve, Conor sees the tree across his house come to life and turn into a nameless monster. He shall tell Connor three stories, but the fourth story has to be Connor’s. It’s an adaptation of the children’s book by Patrick ness. Director J.A. Bayona doesn’t sugarcoat things, just because it targets a younger audience. Conor’s life is pretty miserable at the moment. It’s not only a very sick mother and the bullying. Conor also has to deal with a grandmother he can’t get along with and a father that is hardly every around and started a new family in the US. That tree coming to life is just as scary as the harsh reality Conor has to deal with very day.
Because of this, “A Monster Calls” is a drama, with fantasy elements. The visuals are subtle and sober, but it looks stunning. The young lead, playing Conor, has a tough task. He basically has to carry this film. And he did a pretty good job. The fact that Conor feels alone in this battle is well portrayed.
“A Monster Calls’ shows how strong the power of imagination can be and how it can help you in the most awful situations. It’s a beautiful film.

Rating: 4/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Movie Cameos of 2015

Still looking back on 2015 as a movie year, I’ve started listing the best cameos in movies of that year. It was pretty tough, I had to dig deep. But here are my five favorite cameos of 2015.

5. 50 Cent (“Spy”)

The rapper has been in the acting game for a while now, but in “Spy” he plays himself while on a way to a concert near to the end of the film. Mostly alongside Miranda Hart’s character Nancy.

 

 

4. Daniel Radcliffe and Marisa Tomei (“Trainwreck”)

Radcliffe and Tomei show up in the movie within the movie. Amy Shumer’s character and John Cena’s Steven go and see it. It’s an Indie parody called “The Dogwalker”.

 

 

3. Hugh Jackman (as Wolverine in “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”)

Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon had no idea if he was going to be able to snag Hugh Jackman to voice a picture of Wolverine in Rachel’s room. But when he told him about the scene, Jackman signed on.

 

 

2. Liam Neeson (“Entourage” and “Ted 2”)

Although I wasn’t a huge fan of either of the movies, Liam Neeson makes it all a lot more fun. In “Entourage” he does something we all want to do: he gives Ari Gold the finger. In “Ted 2” he buys a box of US cereal Trix and is concerned it’s just for kids. Really funny.

 

 

1. Mark Hamill (“Kingsman: The Secret Service”)

Mark Hamill pops up as professor Arnold, a scientist that the Kingsmen send Lancelot to rescue. This mission doesn’t go that well though. And Professor Arnold ends up, well…. He explodes.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Stan Lee (“Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Nemo (“Inside Out”)

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 156: Ted 2

Director: Seth MacFarlane

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Barth, Patrick Warburton, John Slattery, Morgan Freeman, Sam Jones, Giovanni Ribisi, John Carroll Lynch, Liam Neeson

Description: Newlywed couple Ted (Seth MacFarlane) and Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth) want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.

Review: “Ted” was a great comedy and although I loved it I wasn’t excited about a sequel. Comedy sequels don’t have a great reputation. “Ted 2” is no exception.

“Ted 2” brings back Seth MacFarlane and his cursing, drug using teddy bear. This time ted has to proof in a court of law that he is a person and not an object. Together with his best friend John they work their way to a happy ending.

There is still a lot of chemistry between Mark Wahlberg and the animated bear and there are jokes. But it’s more of the same and it’s never as funny as the first film. Mila Kunis has been replaced by Amanda Seyfried, who I can appreciate for her self-mockery in “Ted 2”. The movie also has some awesome cameos.

“Ted 2” is still a fun comedy, but the movie is way too long and it offers us nothing new.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 32: Non-Stop

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Genre: Action/ Thriller

Runtime: 106 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery, Nate Parker, Corey Stoll, Lupita Nyong’o, Omar Metwally, Jason Butler Hamer, Linus ROache, Shea Whigham, Anson Mount, Quinn McColgan, Corey Hawkins, Frank Deal, Bar Paly, Edoardo Costa, Jon Abrahams, Amanda Quaid

Description: Air marshal Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account.

Review: Liam Neeson got his break with the big audience by playing the role of Oscar Schindler in “Schindler’s List”. Now, in his sixties, Neeson is most known for his action movies. In “Non-Stop” he plays an air marshal.

This air marshall, Bil Marks, has a hard life. He doesn’t like his job and drinks. He gets threats over the phone, where the unknown caller claims to murder a passenger when Marks doesn’t transfer a large amount of money to a bank account.

“Non-Stop” is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. He and Neeson also worked together on “Unknown”. “Non-Stop” is an entertaining movie, with a high tempo and with weird plot twist that seem incredible. But the solid acting by Neeson and the visual flair of Cobet-Serra make it enjoyable. Neeson has a killer charisma. Julianne Moore has a supporting role, but is underused.

I think that this is an easily forgettable movie, because the thriller lacks depth. But for a week night, it’s a good popcorn movie that Liam Neeson fans will appreciate.

Rating: 3/ 5

Quotables: "The Lego Movie"

This movie really surprised me, I didn’t expect to like it this much. And it’s very well made and really funny. Here are some of the best quotes from “The Lego Movie”.

Emmet: You don't have to be the bad guy. You are the most talented, most interesting, and most extraordinary person in the universe. And you are capable of amazing things. Because you are the Special. And so am I. And so is everyone. The prophecy is made up, but it's also true. It's about all of us. Right now, it's about you. And you... still... can change everything.

Emmet: Uh, guys? We're about to crash into the sun.

Batman: Yeah, but it's gonna look really cool.

Emmet: [while driving] I wanna go home!

[a house lands in the middle of the roadway and Emmet crashes into it]

Emmet: That's not what I meant!

Emmet: Hey, I can be dark and brooding too - Guys, look, a rainbow!

Lucy: [to Emmet] Come with me if you want to not die.

Lucy: Today will not be known as Taco Tuesday. It will be known as freedom Friday, but still on a Tuesday!

Bad Cop: You were found at the construction site convulsing with a strange piece.

Emmet: That's disgusting!

Benny: [suddenly appears] Hey, I'm Ben! But you can call me Benny! And I can build a spaceship. Watch this. [starts building a spaceship]

Benny: Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship! Spaceship!

Lucy: No! You can't. The skies are surrounded.

Benny: That's okay, I didn't really wanna build a spaceship. Anyway, that's

[kicks his half built spaceship and it falls apart]

 

Emmet: Isn't there a good cop?

Bad Cop: [Changes to good cop] Hi buddy! Want a cup of water?

Emmet: Yeah, actually.

Bad Cop: [Changes back to bad cop]

[Smacks water away]

Bad Cop: Too bad!

Unikitty: You need to be more friendly!

In the Picture: The Characters from "The Lego Movie"

I wasn't too sure about "The Lego Movie", but when I heard so many great things about it, I became curious. So I saw it and I loved it! And now I feel like watching it again... But first, I'm going to share all the awesome characters from "The Lego Movie" with you. It's filled with them, because 'Everything is awesome... lalalala'!

Emmet

Voiced by: Chris Pratt

Emmet is an average Lego minifigure, who is mistakenly identiefied as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is ordinary and follows all the rules. He’s sucked into the eventful life of Wyldstyle, who catches Emmet’s attention.

Wyldstyle

Voiced by: Elizabeth Banks

Wyldstyle is a free spirit who loves pushing boundaries and being creative. She is strong and independent. She believes Emmet is the “Special” and sparks fly between them, but she has a boyfriend.

Vitruvius

Voiced by: Morgan Freeman

Vitruvius is an ancient and heroic wizard, who prophesizes that a “Special” wil defeat Lord Business and become the greatest Master Builder. When it’s believed to be Emmet, Vitruvius tries to teach him that the key to true building is to believe in yourself.

President Business/ Lord Business

Voiced by: Will Ferrell

President Business is an uptight CEO who has a hard time balancing world domination with micro-managing his own life. His successful business contains creating music, TV, surveillance systems, history books and voting machines, dairy and overprized coffee. His secret identity is Lord Business, an evil tyrant who want to take over the entire Lego universe.

Good Cop/ Bad Cop

Voiced by: Liam Neeson

He is Lord Business’s number 1 guy, whom he can always rely on. He has both a good and a bad side, but Lord Business takes away the good side. But deep down there is still a good cop.

Metalbeard

Voiced by: Nick Offerman

Metalbeard is a fierce Master Builder. He has the head of a pirate and the body of a multi-purpose utility knife. All he wants is to beat Lord Business, because the last time he badly failed.

Unikitty

Voiced by:

Alison Brie Unikitty is from Cloud Cuckoo Land, the capitol of rainbows and puppies. She is half unicorn, half kitten. She loves dancing and is very positive. Unikitty is happy to follow her Master Builders in the quest to defeat Lord Business. And you really don’t want to make her angry.

Benny

Voiced by: Charlie Day

Benny is a ‘70s era spaceman, who suffers from a cracked helmet and lack of oxygen. He loves spaceships and he is always finding a moment to build one. And when he finally can….

Batman

Voiced by: Will Arnett

Batman makes it no secret he prefers working alone, since he could probably get the job done better and faster. He is Wyldstyles’ boyfriend, is very confident and likes to show off his skills and coolness.

 

 

Favorite: Emmet

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 86: A Million Ways to Die int the West

Director: Seth MacFarlane

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 116 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman

Description: As cowardly farmer Albert (Seth MacFarlane) begins to fall for the mysterious new woman Anna (Charlize Theron) in town, he must put his new-found courage to the test when her husband (Liam Neeson), a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival.

Review: The authentic letters and music of the opening credits tell us immediately that “A Million Ways to Die in the West” is a western. Director Seth MacFarlane obviously likes the genre and gives it his own twist. He mixes up western with the genre he knows best: comedy. It gives us some great jokes, but also some mediocre ones centered around farts, sex and poop.

The wild west of 1882 isn’t without danger, that’s what somewhat clumsy sheepherder Albert Stark knows. Decease, rivalry, Indians, all possible causes of death. When Albert is then also stood up by his girlfriend Louise, his life as a frontier is over. Until he meets Anna, a mysterious woman who makes Albert win back his courage and confidence. But what he doesn’t know is that Anna is married to the most vicious gunslinger of the west.

The plot isn’t that surprising and it kicks in a lot of open doors. But it’s more about the humor here. “A Million Ways to Die” succeeds, but not entirely. The jokes where they are mocking the genre are the best, which makes it a bit like a parody. This works. And MacFarlane also knows how to set the audience in the opposite direction, which makes it surprising at times. The actors are seemingly having a great time. But sometimes the jokes are a bit juvenile or badly timed.

Seth MacFarlane is still one of the funniest guys out there, but he still has a lot to learn as an actor and director. “A Million Ways in the West” wasn’t as hilarious as I hoped it would be, but it had some great jokes, an amazing cameo and I really enjoyed this western parody.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 77: The Lego Movie

Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Genre: Animation/ Family/ Action/Comedy

Runtime: 101 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Will Ferrell

 

Description: Emmet (Chris Pratt) is an ordinary Lego construction worker, thought to be the prophesied 'Special', is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the Lego universe into eternal stasis.

Review: “The Lego Movie” tells the story of Emmet, an average construction worker who never breaks any rules. Because of an unfortunate coincidence he’s mistaken as “special” and an adventurous thrill ride awaits him. With the help of master builders it’s up to Emmet to end all the evil plans of President Business.

The visuals are stunning, from the water to the clouds, everything is made out of Legos. Fun fact: around fifteen million Legos were used for the film. The characters move through stop-motion techniques and that makes it unique and authentic.

There are a lot of unexpected moments, humoristic references and a good dose of self-mockery. Iconic characters like Batman, Gandalf and Han Solo have fun ‘cameos’.

It might look like a big commercial stunt for Lego, but “The Lego Movie” is a highly enjoyable film, with humor and creativity. And the song “Everything is Awesome” is stuck in your head after watching this movie.

Rating: 5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: "Love Actually" Storylines

Last week I shared my favourite Christmas movies, so one of them is the centre of this week’s top five. I decided to share with you my favourite storylines from the movie “Love Actually”.

5. Jamie & Aurelia
Jamie’s girlfriend cheated on him with his brother and he goes to France to write his novel. The Portugese Aurelia is his new housekeeper there and they don’t understand each other. When Jamie has to leave, Aurelia kisses him. When back in England, Jamie learns Portugese and travels back to see Aurelia. He asks her to marry him and she says yes.

4. John & Just Judy
John and Judy meet while acting as stand-ins for a sex scene in a movie. They get along immediately. They get in all sorts of weird sexual positions, but they start talking about everyday things. Eventually John asks her out and Judy says yes.

3. Daniel & Sam
Daniel just lost his wife and is left alone with her son Sam. Sam isn’t talking and Daniel is worried about him, but when he starts to talk Daniel finds out he’s in love. He’s trying to help Sam to win over the girl of his dreams.

2. Mark & Juliet
Although Juliet just got married, the grooms best friend Mark is actually in love with her. Juliet always thought Mark hated her, because he never talked to her, but it was just self-preservation. Because it’s Christmas he decides to tell Juliet the truth and he does that with the help of cue cards.

1. David & Natalie
David is the new Prime Minister of England and when he meets his household staff, he also meets Natalie. She leaves an immediate impression on him and he falls for her. It’s very inconvenient. But eventually they both tell each other how they feel. They are trying to keep it a secret, but it’s revealed very soon.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Billy Mack, Harry & Karen