90s Movie Review - 8 MM

Director: Joel Schumacher
Genre: Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 1999
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Catherine Keener, Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Peter Stormare, Anthony Heald, Norman Reedus

Description: A private investigator (Nicolas Cage) is hired to discover if a “snuff film” is authentic or not.

Review: A snuff film is a real-murder film within the porn industry. It’s a persistent myth. This thriller by director Joel Schumacher cleverly plays on the hint of mystery surrounding the phenomenon.

Nicholas Cage plays private detective Tom Welles who gets his hands on a sniff film via the widow of a recently deceased prominent business. She want Tom wo find out the source of this misery. While investigating, Tom sinks deeper and deeper into the dark world of the porn industry, searching for the maker of the film and if it’s real.

I always believed “8 MM” was an underrated thriller, I think I like it more then most people. It’s a pretty disturbing topic, a gritty film. Maybe not the best acting, but the mystery is really interesting and compelling.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

90s Movie Review - Fargo

Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Genre: Drama/Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 1996
Starring: France McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, John Carroll Lynch

Description: The lives of guards on Death Row are affected by one of their charges: a black man accused of child murder and rape, yet who has a mysterious gift.

Review: “Fargo” is one of many wonderful films by the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan. This was actually their big break in Hollywood.
An abduction is the base of “Fargo”. Off course this abduction doesn’t go according to plan. Jerry Lundegaard wants two men to kidnap his wife, so he can get money from his father in law. But both Jerry and abductors Carl and Gaear have problems and the plan goes horribly wrong. Small town cop Marge Gunderson, who is very pregnant, investigates the case. This role is brilliantly played by Frances McDormand, who made Marge into a character you just can’t dislike. And one of my favorite female movie characters.
The Coen brothers know how to create original characters like no other and manage to surprise us with their plot twists. In “Fargo” that’s a plus, as well as the great casting. Besides Frances McDormand there is also William H. Macy as Jerry. This is a role written for Macy, no other actor could have done it. And then the criminal duo, played by Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare. These idiots are brilliant! Every actor in this movie just belonged there.
The setting is also great. Camera man Roger Deakins captured the icey cold North Dakota very well.
“Fargo” is without a doubt my favorite movie by the Coen brothers and one of my all-time favorite films. A definite must see.

Rating: 5/ 5

90s Movie Review - The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, Pete Postlethwaite, Richard Attenborough, Peter Stormare

Description: A research team is sent to the Jurassic Park Site B island to study the dinosaurs there while another team approaches with another agenda.

Review: After the enormous hit “Jurassic Park” in 1993, Steven Spielberg decided to make a sequel the audience was waiting for. Although the character dies in the first book by Michael Crichton, in “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” it’s Ian Malcolm who saves the day.
Off course the sequel isn’t as original, because the first was so groundbreaking and it amazed everyone. But it’s not just a copy either. John Hammond is concerned about the dinosaurs and tells Ian there is a second island. Malcolm’s girlfriend Sarah is already there to study the behavior of the dinosaurs, so Ian has to go back himself. He is accompanied by documentary maker Nick van Owen and gadget guy Eddie Carr. And Ian’s daughter Kelly also joins them, when she sneaks on the boat. What they don’t know is that the company InGen Is trying to capture the dinosaurs to bring them to San Diego.
To make “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” a little bit more surprising the makers decided to add two adult Tyrannosauruses and a baby. And there are more bad guys in the form of people working for InGen. There are also more deaths en they are bigger than ever.
Jeff Goldblum is, like the first, the best element of the film. The other characters aren’t as interesting as the first. Off course the special effects are again great. Fantastic visuals, that will blow your mind.
“The Lost World: Jurassic Park” builds up the tension, has strong action sequences, great visual effects. Although it never lives up to its prequel, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” is a joy to watch.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - John Wick: Chapter 2

Director: Chad Stahelski
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Peter Stormare, Ruby Rose, Laurence Fishburne, John Leguizamo, Peter Serafinowicz, Bridget Moynahan, Common

Description: After returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life.

Review: It doesn’t happen often and it’s always a big task: sequel that is better than the original. “John Wick” excelled in its simplicity: gangsters angering a hitman, hitman takes revenge and kills them all. And when a sequel is made, they always screw it up by making it more complex. But “John Wick: Chapter 2” is even better! Who would have thought that?
John Wick is an interesting character. The Continental Hotel from part one, was begging for some more insight. And that’s what we get. The Continental Hotel is the dream location for every hitman.
When John Wick thinks he is done with his life as a hitman, an old ‘acquaintance’ of his knocks on his door: Santino D’Antonio. An old pact makes for John Wick to once again set his retirement aside.
The set up is simple, but because D’Antonio is also a member of the Continental Hotel, they have to deal with the rules of the accommodation.
This movie is all about the action and, like in the first one, this element is phenomenal. The gunfire scenes are almost epic, they keep you invested at all times.
All in all, “John Wick: Chapter 2” is better than the first film. What I didn’t expect when I started watching it. Just as I didn’t expect “John Wick” to be any good.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 54: 22 Jump Street

Director: Phil Lord, Chris Miller

Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Crime

Runtime: 111 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Nick Offerman, Peter Stormare, Rob Riggle, Wyatt Russell, Jillian Bell, Amber Stevens, Dax Flame, Ashlyn McEvers, Jimmy Tatro, David Stephen Mitchell, Johnny Pemberton, Joe Chrest, Kate Adair, Libby Blanton, Amber Carollo

Description: After making their way through high school (twice), big changes are in store for officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) when they go deep undercover at a local college.

Review: In 2012 we got the movie version “21 Jump Street”, a TV show which starred Johnny Depp. The movie, starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum and a huge amount of jokes, was a success. So when a movie is successful, there will off course be a sequel.

This time Schmidt and Jenko have to go undercover again. Not at a high school, but college. They have to infiltrate the dealers and find the supplier. Technically the same story, but then set at college. But the makers know that and mock it. That’s why “22 Jump Street” is better than I initially thought, because of the self-mockery.

Schmidt and Jenko are two completely different guys. Schmidt is smart and thinks things through, Jenko has a physical strength and is more impulsive. Those differences are also a central theme in the movie. This often gives us some clichés and stereotypes.

What is left is a movie that has much of the same, but still was surprisingly funny. Especially the way the movie mocks itself (stay for the end credits) and the great chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, make this a fun night at the movies.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Moments: "The Lost World: Jurassic Park"

The first time I did this item was august 14th 2011. The movie: “Jurassic Park”. So it’s time that I’m looking a little closer to the sequel “The Lost World: Jurassic Park”, that I think is also wonderful. Here are my favorite moments from the movie.

Moment # 1: The little girl

In the opening scene we see a couple and their daughter spending time on an island. The girl is exploring the sight and finds some little creatures. At first they are friendly, but soon the small dinosaurs appear a little less innocent then they are.

Moment # 2: Stegosaurus

Ian Malcolm is forced to go to the island, to get his girlfriend Sarah back. When he finds her, Sarah sees a baby stegosaurus. She wants to photograph him and Ian knows she will be getting too close. When Sarah runs out of film, the baby doesn’t like the sound of it and calls out for his mom. And they are mad!

Moment # 3: Baby Rex

After freeing the dinosaurs that were captured, Owen decided to take the baby Tyrannosaurus Rex with him because his leg is broken. Sarah and Owen get him into the trailer, but son mommy and daddy come looking for their baby.

Moment # 4: Compsognathus attack

While the group is resting, Dieter needs to take a leak and wanders of in the woods. He is followed by a group of little compsognathus. They won’t leave him alone and attack him. Dieter can’t find his way back and it’s a painful death for Dieter.

Moment # 5: Tent

The group is trying to get some sleep and Ian’s daughter Kelly and Sarah are sleeping in a tent. Their sleep will soon be disturbed when a Tyrannosaurus Rex is coming to camp. He checks out the tent. When one of the people starts to scream, everyone has to run away.

Moment # 6: Long grass

When the group goes into the long grass, which is a very bad idea, they don’t realize a group of hungry velociraptors is surrounding them. From different angles they attack and pull down people in the grass.

Moment # 7: Facing of raptors

While trying to find a save place, Ian, Sarah and Kelly stand eye in eye with two velociraptors.

Moment # 8: T-Rex in San Diego

It’s a brilliant plan to capture a Tyrannosaurus Rex and then bring it to the big city, right? No! It eats everyone on the ship and breaks out.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 3 : Baby Rex

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 44: The Last Stand

Director: Kim Jee-Woon
Genre: Action
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville, Peter Stormare, Rodrigo Santoro, Luis Guzmán, Jamie Alexander

Description: The leader of a drug cartel busts out of a courthouse and speeds to the Mexican border, where the only thing in his path is a sheriff (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his inexperienced staff.

Review: With the comeback of action star Arnold Schwarzenegger you expect muscles, cool one-liners and explosive action. They are all present, but not like back in his glory days. But his role as sheriff of a dull town is perfect for him and his constraints.
The escape of Cortez is spectacular, but because he spends most time in a racecar you don’t take him too seriously as a villain. There is not a lot of tension when it comes to confrontation with Cortez. Peter Stormare, as sidekick villain Burrell, is a more intimidating bad guy. The last shootout in the town is the most exciting scene of the movie and we see that Arnie is still one of the best action heroes. He even busts out a couple of fun one-liners.
Director Kim Jee-Woon made a visually good looking movie and the camerawork is also pretty impressive. Arnold Schwarzenegger is in his element as sheriff. He’s still not a fantastic actor, but I always like to watch his films. Arnie is back!

Rating: 3/ 5