00s Movie Review - Tropic Thunder

Director: Ben Stiller
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Bacl, Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte, Danny McBride, Steve Coogan, Tom Cruise, Matthew mcConaughey, Bill Hader

Description: Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.

Review: We all know the prototype war movie: the brave leader, the cursing black guy with a big heart, the scary newbie and the villainous opponent. We also know the prototype actors: the tough action hero on detour, the lame comedian who only knows to tell one joke in many different ways, the serious Oscar winner and the rapper that wants to explore his acting career. “Tropic Thunder” mocks both of those groups, but also Hollywood, agents, producers and entertainment shows.

The film, that starts after a few fake trailers, is about the filming of war movie Tropic Thunder. It’s the fictive memoire of Vietnam veteran ‘Four Leaf’ Tayback. Director Daniel Cockburn can’t control the actors in his crew. He’s dealing with action hero Tuff Speedman, whose try on more serious acting failed. But also the Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus and the addicted-to-many-things comedian Jeff Portnoy. To control them, they are send to the real jungle, where they unfortunately also have to deal with real drug dealers.

The most interesting and elaborate storyline is the one of Lazarus. An actor who always stays in character and even had a procedure to make his skin darker so he can play the role in Tropic Thunder. It sounds harsh and an easy way to provoke, but it’s deeper than that. The other characters aren’t thought through as much. Jack Black does nothing new, hysterical and over the top. But that doesn’t make it less funny. And Ben Stiller’s character is mocking Tom Cruise, a bit too much sometimes. Tom Cruise himself also shows up, as the fat, bald and cursing producer. Funny? From time to time.

The movie is overall very funny and Robert Downey Jr. is just fantastic in his part. And the many supporting actors, Jay Baruchel, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Matthew McConaughey and Nick Nolte, are all good. “Tropic Thunder” is always praised and I like it too. But not as much as most people.

Rating: 3,5/ 5 

10s Movie Review - The Judge

Director: David Dobkin
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. Robert Duvall, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton, Leighton Meester, Dax Shepard, David Krumholtz, Sarah Lancaster

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 33: A FILM WITH ROBERT DOWNEY JR.
 
Description: Big-city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his father (Robert Duvall), the town’s judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth; along the way he reconnects with his estranged family.

Review: Hank Palmer is the last person to care what others think of him. The unstoppable lawyer tells it like it is. Hank is the kind of person who dares to speak the truth, even if others would rather not hear it. He admits that the white-collar criminals he defends are most likely guilty, and that doesn’t bother him: “Innocent people can’t afford me”.

When he returns to his hometown, after his mother passed, he is confronted with everything he fled back then. The untouchable lawyer from Chicago does care about other people’s opinions. In fact, he appears to be deeply hurt. The difficult and destructive relationship with his father is the reason for his departure, years ago. And now his father, the local judge, is suspected of murder. Hanks tries to uncover the truth, and father and son both grow closer and come into direct conflict with each other.

“The Judge” boasts an impressive cast: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Billy Bob Thornton and Vincent D’Onofrio. The first tow in particular are given plenty of room to shine. Downey Jr. is irritating, moving, unyielding and vulnerable all at once. His comedic talent and timing are beyond question. With Hank Palmer, he manages to portray a decisive but also wounded prodigal son.

Director David Dobkin takes the time to introduce the characters and clarify the relationship with the family. the underlying tension between the father and sons is constantly palpable from the moment Hanks returns.

It is also clever how Dobkin unfolds the story. “The Judge” is above all a relational drama, but it is also a courtroom drama. On top of the flawed father-son relationship, there is the murder allegation, which interact with each other, but beyond that there are even more subplots. And all but one of these subplots I really cared about. I didn’t care about the love interest part of the story. They could have left that out.

The film has well-developed characters, excellent performances, a clever structure, and good suspense. I would recommend “The Judge”.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Review - Oppenheimer

Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 180 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Alden Ehrenreich, Jason Clarke, Kenneth Branagh, David Krumholtz, Alex Wolff, Matthew Modine, Dane DeHaan, Jack Quaid, Josh Peck, Casey Affleck, Gary Oldman
 
Description: The story of American scientist, J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.

Review: The life and work of J. Robert Oppenheimer is the subject and object of Christopher Nolan’s twelfth feature film. Where his “Tenet” already got the brain cells working hard because of the almost inimitable plot and juggling with timelines, the same may be said of this three-hour-long yet satisfying war of attrition. To temper expectations immediately: “Oppenheimer” is driven by dialogue, has a killer pace and an almost endless array of characters played by A-listers.

We are introduced to Oppenheimer who, as a young student at Cambridge, becomes inspired by peers such as Albert Einstein and Niel Bohr. Soon the young scientist turns out to be more drawn to theory than practice. He develops in quantum mechanics, at the time an unexplored branch of physics. In parallel, we see the questioning fire that an older Oppenheimer gets thrown at him because the FBI has been tipped off. The physicist is accused of communist sentiments and poses a danger to national security because of his extreme views.

A third storyline, shot in black and white, revolves around a former soldier and director of the renowned Princeton University. A hard-to-recognize Robert Downey Jr. shapes Lewis Strauss, who enlists Oppenheimer after the war. before a Senate committee, Strauss must prove his suitability as Secretary of Commerce in President Eisenhower’s administration.

Only in the last hour does it become clear how these matters relate to each other. Here, some knowledge of the McCarthy era and his pursuit of communism, would come in handy. Director Nolan provides little to no context and focuses entirely on his characters. Oppenheimer and his immediate colleagues have the hopeful but naïve attitude that with the detonation of the atomic bomb, wars will be a thing of the past. In reality, the theoretical physicist created a weapon of mass destruction, opening the door to the Cold War.

If you intend to watch it, be aware that “Oppenheimer” is a long sit that requires you to constantly keep your head up. The intelligent, thoughtful writing makes this anything but a punishment, but Nolan feeds us so much that this alone warrants a second viewing. Truly magisterial is the build-up to the aforementioned trial under the name Trinity. We all know the direction the experiment took world history. Nolan builds it in such a way it feels like we are learning about it for the first time.

Nolan sees himself backed by a large list of big names, with lead actors Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. not only getting the most screen time but also leaving the biggest impression despite sharing few scenes. The female characters, such as Oppenheimer’s wife Kitty, are sidelines. Their relationship is touched upon, not explored.

“Oppenheimer” is a perfect blend of an actor’s drama and political thriller, like Oliver Stone used to make them. Nolan’s twelfth movie requires considerable investment, constant attention and patience. It is impossible to fathom everything in detail. Damn, what a good movie.

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Avengers

Director: Joss Whedon
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Coby Smulders, Tom Hiddleston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Stellen Skarsgård, Paul Bettany, Clark Gregg

Description: Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.

Review: In “The Avengers” a group of superheroes take on demigod Loki. Lead by S.H.I.E.L.D., Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye try to overcome their differences and work together to save mankind.
It’s hard, without a doubt, to balance a movie with so many iconic characters. Director and scriptwriter Joss Whedon succeeded. All characters get enough background. Result: a movie that will be loved by insiders ánd outsiders. People who know the material will love, but newcomers will also enjoy this movie.
The cast has already proven to be capable of portraying their characters. Robert Downey Jr. as smooth talker Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Chris Hemsworth as Thor, with a somewhat dry sense of humor. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers aka Captain America, perfect choice for the role and a good leader. Scarlett Johansson is wonderful as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. New are Mark Ruffalo, as Bruce Banner/ The Hulk, and Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/ Hawkeye. Both great additions to the movie.
Although “The Avengers” is over 140 minutes long, time flies. The movie is visually stunning, has lots of action and a good dose of humor. “The Avengers” is worth your time, every minute of it.

Rating: 5/ 5

Best Portrayals of Sherlock Holmes

"Enola Holmes” can’t be seen on Netflix now and with that we have yet again an interpretations of the most famous detective we all love: Sherlock Holmes. He made his first appearance in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel “A Study in Scarlett” which was released in 1887. Since then, there have been a lot of movies, TV movies and TV series where this character appeared in. I decided to make a list of the best portrayals of Sherlock Holmes. I didn’t ranked them, I listed them in order of when they appeared first. 

Arthur Wontner (The Sleeping Cardinal, 1931, The Missing Rembrandt, 1932, The Sign of Four: Sherlock Holmes’ Greatest Case, 1932, The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes, 1935 and Silver Blaze, 1937)
Arthur Wontner played Sherlock Holmes in five movies between 1931 and 1937. At the time, reviewers found him a perfect Sherlock Holmes and fans claimed that no better Holmes than Arthur Wontner could be found.
 

Basil Rathbone (The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1939, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1939, Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror, 1942, Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, 1942, Sherlock Holmes in Washington, 1943, Sherlock Holmes Faces Death, 1943, Crazy House, 1943, The Spider Woman, 1943, The Scarlett Claw, 1944, The Pearl of Death, 1944, The House of Fear, 1945, The Woman in Green, 1945, Pursuit to Algiers, 1945, Terror By Night, 1946 and Dressed to Kill, 1946)
“The Hound of the Baskervilles” was a gamechanger in many ways: it was the first film set up in Victorian London and it was the first time the famous detective uniform was created. Basil had the charm of Sherlock like no other. No wonder he appeared in 15 films and over 200 radio shows as this character.
 

Peter Cushing (The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1959, Sherlock Holmes TV-series, 1968 and The Mask of Death, 1984)
Peter Cushing made his debut as Sherlock Holmes in “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. In 1968 he returned to the role for the BBC “Sherlock Holmes” television series, that aired for 16 episodes, taking over the role from Douglas Wilmer. Cushing later reprised his rol in the 1984 TV movie “The Mask of Death. The 60s series firmly established Peter Cushing as one of the best loved and memorable embodiments of Sherlock Holmes in the eyes of both an appreciative viewing public and the majority of critics alike.
 

Christopher Lee (Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace, 1962, Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady, 1991, and Incident at Victoria Falls, 1992)
Having previously played Sir Henry Baskerville alongside Peter Cushing in “The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), Lee played the title character in the 1962 movie “Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace”. Then again in tow TV Movies in the early 90s; “Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady” and “Incident at Victoria Falls”. Christopher Lee also played Holmes’ brother Mycroft in the 1970s “The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes”. He might not be the best Sherlock Holmes to ever exist,  but  his cold delivery made him ideal for the role.
 

Christopher Plummer (Silver Blaze, 1977, Murder By Decree, 1977)
Christopher Plummer played Holmes in two films in the 1970s. His performance is viewed as the most emotional portrayal of Sherlock Holmes ever seen on screen. If you’ve ever wondered what the detective may have looked like of he cared about his victims, that’s what Plummer offered the audience.
 

Tom Baker (The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1982)
A year after stepping down as the star of “Doctor Who”, Tom Baker took on another iconic British character in a BBC adaptation of “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. The four part serial saw Baker reunite with his former producer on “Doctor Who”, Barry Letts. Baker was named a predictably larger-than-life Holmes.
 

Jeremy Brett (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1984-1994)
Jeremy Brett did his research for the role, one that Sherlock himself would appreciate. The actor, who himself had bipolar disorder and depression, used his own life to understand the path from boredom to increased detective interest. And that resulted in a beautiful series that lasted ten years.
 

Rupert Everett (Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silver Stocking, 2004)
Rupert Everett starred in the BBC’s “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silver Stocking” in 2004/ the TV movie was a follow-up to the same production company’s adaptation of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” in 2002, which starred Richard Roxburgh as Holmes. Everett was praised for his elegant and decidedly decadent interpretation and a portrayal rich in tortured silences and seasoned with touches of campy authority.
 

Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, 2010 – 2017)
The only Sherlock Holmes with a Blackberry: Benedict Cumberbatch. He brings the fictional character from 1900 to life in 2012. And how! He knows better than anyone how to make an old boring man timeless. The detective in this series is smart, very stubborn and he is a little bit pf a psychopath. Reviews were universally positive, describing the show as a triumph, witty and knowing, without ever undercutting the flair and dazzle of the original. It understands that Holmes isn’t really about plot but about charisma.
 

Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes, 2009 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, 2011)
Robert Downey Jr. plays the most extravagant version of Sherlock Holmes you can think of. Precisely because he brings so much of his own personality into the role, the film is entertaining. We’ve seen that old, boring version of Holmes often enough! At the same time he still remains charming and crazy, exactly how the detective should be.
 

Jonny Lee Miller (Elementary, 2012-2019)
Jonny Lee Miller played Sherlock Holmes in seven seasons of TV’s “Elementary”. Running for 154, this American procedural crime drama series aired from 2012 to 2019. It may not appeal to purists, but “Elementary” provides a fresh spin on Sherlock Holmes, and Jonny Lee Miller shines in the title role.
 

Ian McKellen (Mr. Holmes, 2015)
The endearing Ian McKellen, unlike all the other actors, portrays Sherlock Holmes during his older years. This twist makes the detective immediately interesting: the 93-year-old is retired and deals with amnesia. Director Bill Condon chooses to focus on Holmes as a person, not on the mystery. And no one can bear that better than Ian McKellen.
 

Henry Cavill (Enola Holmes, 2020)
Although Henry Cavill only has a supporting role in “Enola Holmes”, because the film focuses on the detectives younger sister Enola. But I had to include him, because Cavill plays Holmes in the charming and classic British way. Exactly how we know the actor. The strict brother, who secretly enjoys his sister’s rebelliousness, is well cast. And I can’t get over the fact how handsome Cavill looks in this film.  

Ranking the Franchise - Iron Man

I just rewatched all the “Iron Man” movies. I like them, although he’s definitely not my favorite superhero or Avenger. It’s because of Robert Downey Jr. that I really enjoy watching these films. Today I will be ranking all three “Iron Man” movies.

3. Iron Man 2 (2010)
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a good movie. But of the three, this is the one I liked the least. Mostly because of how Tony Stark doesn’t really develop much in this film. At the end of “Iron Man 2” he is exactly the same as at the start of the first. And Mickey Rourke doesn’t get enough to do as the villain. Don Cheadle though is a great addition to this franchise, who took over the role from Terrence Howard. And the introduction to Scarlett Johansson’s character is also pretty cool. “Iron Man 2” isn’t more then an acceptable follow-up to an important first film.

2. Iron Man 3 (2013)
“Iron Man 3” was a better sequel. The film is iron strong (no pun intended) and we actually saw great character development with Tony Stark. Not just as Tony but also as Iron Man. I really liked the fact that Tony has to fight for what’s right with and without his suit. I liked the twist of the Mandarin, but Guy Pearce as Killian is not always convincing as the villain.

1. Iron Man (2008)
The movie that was the base of the current Marvel Cinematic Universe. And a great origin story. Pretty straight-forward, but because of Robert Downey Jr. it has become a phenomenon. Downey Jr., the only man that can play a likeable asshole.

10s Movie Review - Iron Man 2

Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Mickey Rourke, Leslie bibb, Olivia Munn, Don Cheadle, Kate Mara, Paul Bettany, John Slattery, Clark Gregg, Garry Shandling

Description: With the world now aware of his identity as Iron man, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father’s legacy.

Review: Two years before the sequel was released, “Iron Man” was an unsuspected hit. It was a straight-forward comic book tale that made it special due to its great lead.
Although the first film wasn’t very surprising, the last scene where Tony reveals to the public that he is Iron Man, was. This created the path for a sequel. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is nothing like the other superheroes out there. Heroes like Spider-Man or Batman see their task as a burden and try to keep their identity hidden. But Tony is someone living the good life and not being ashamed of it, but simply has an eccentric hobby that he uses to fight bad guys. This is no different in “Iron Man 2”.
Tony makes it seem easy to live as a superhero with his identity out in the open and you wonder why some of them want to keep their identity hidden. Well, the government pressures him to hand over his inventions. And his character reveal draws the attention of a Russian criminal that has some unfinished business with the Stark family. This Ivan Vanko gets, after his first confrontation with Iron Man, help from a guy named Justin Hammer. He is a weapons manufacturer who is always one step behind Tony. An alliance with Vanko could work for both Hammer as Vanko.
Ivan Vanko is played by Mickey Rourke, who got his Hollywood comeback due to “The Wrestler”. But in “Iron Man 2” there is not a lot for him to do. Babbling in a Russian accent, but mainly silent, he is mostly physically present in the action scenes. Another newcomer to the film is Scarlett Johansson, who is Tony’s new assistant. First it seems like a thankless role, until it’s uncovered who she really is. But the best newcomer is Don Cheadle, who takes over the role of James Rhodes from Terrence Howard, who played this role in the first film. A character being played by a different actor than the previous film is a tough job, but Cheadle nails it and we’ve already forgotten about Howard.
The intention of a series is that you see a clear development in characters, in this cast Tony Stark. But at the end of “Iron Man 2” he is just the same guy as the first film. In doesn’t dig deep enough to give Tony the development he needs.
“Iron Man 2” is a fun and very entertainment sequel, that is mainly good because of an excellent performance by Robert Downey Jr.

Rating: 3/ 5

00s Movie Review - Iron Man

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

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

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

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Zodiac

Director: David Fincher
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 158 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Clea DuVall, Adam Goldberg, Elias Koteas, Dermot Mulroney, Chloë Sevigny, Ione Skye, John Carroll Lynch, Lee Norris, Jimmi Simpson

Description: A San Francisco cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac killer.

Review: With “Zodiac”, director David Fincher brings us yet another engrossing film. It’s the story of a mysterious serial killer in San Francisco. It illustrates one of the most intriguing unsolved homicide cases of the US.
With his harassing letters, riddles, puzzles and codes, the San Francisco serial killer kept cops, journalists and civilians on the edge of their seats for years. “Zodiac” starts with some gruesome murders, which are very well shot. The killer demands that his messages are put on the front of some newspapers and threatens to kill more people if they don’t obey him. Fincher chose to tell the story from the perspective of the people who were involved in the case and what impact it had on their lives.
The cast of “Zodiac” has been carefully selected and they chose the right actors. The immense popular Jake Gyllenhaal plays a good role as the young unexperienced cartoonist Robert Graysmith. Robert Downey Jr. is Paul Avery, a journalist at ‘The Chronicle’ and is characterized by his self-destructive and irreverent character. With dry humor, arrogance and willfulness Downey Jr. is an enjoyable asshole. Mark Ruffalo is the best actor in the film, as infamous inspector David Toschi. Together with his colleague he is working on the Zodiac case, day and night.
The acting is strong, but the atmosphere is even stronger. He combines dark, grim and violent scenes with scenes in the streets of San Francisco and the meeting room at ‘The Chronicle’. With that, Fincher handles the way of the suspects and suspicion very well. The only problem I had was the length of the film. Towards the end, you start to feel it.
David Fincher succeeds to create an intriguing and intelligent thriller, about a very interesting case. “Zodiac” is an amazing film.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Avengers: Endgame

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 181 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper, Josh Brolin, Tessa Thompson, Evangeline Lilly, Pom Klementieff, Tom Holland, Jon Favreau, Elizabeth Olsen, Dave Bautista, Sebastian Stan, Michelle Pfeiffer, Katherine Langford, Tilda Swinton, Letitia Wright, Kerry Condon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chadwick Boseman, Winston Duke, Frank Grillo, Ty Simpkins, Sean Gunn, Emma Fuhrmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong

Description: After the devastating events, the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe.

Review: “Avengers: Endgame” isn’t only the finale to last year’s “Avengers: Infinity War”, it’s also the end of the journey that film studio Marvel started eleven years ago together with its many fans. “Avengers: Endgame” is supposed to be a tribute to all the experiences and memories we have from the past years in this universe.
Thanos left a dystopian world behind with the snap of his fingers. The titan completed his mission, perfectly balanced out life and the Avengers have been defeated for the first time. And it paid its toll, because the superheroes have obviously suffered from it. They are broken, damaged. Nonetheless the team is determined to defeat their nemesis once and for all, after a new sign of hope.
The Marvel universe grew over the years, but “Avengers: Endgame” focuses on the six original Avengers. They don’t need any introduction and are the praised characters it all started with. The playing field is known and the returning directing Russo brothers don’t pay a lot of attention on background stories. This film is simply for the fans.
“Avengers: Endgame” is a true Marvel film. Humor, sharp dialogues, extravaganza, spectacle. And it has sky high ambitions. Somehow some elements feel uninspired. No introduction to Captain Marvel and Tony and Nebula’s return feel unsatisfying. And some developments don’t live up to our expectations or rules of logic.
I didn’t like what they did to Bruce Banner/ Hulk. It felt weird and I really don’t understand the choice for this. I did like the sacrifice one character made. Thinking it was going to be the other one, it was a cool twist that it eventually turned around. And Scott Lang’s role in the story was pretty cool.
During the end fight, they go all out. It’s a fantastic moment and the definite highlight of the film. The moment where Captain America says ‘Avengers assemble’, that just gave me goosebumps. An epic fight, a great finale.
In “Avengers: Infinity War” the focus was on Thanos, but here the attention had to be divided over several characters. Some protentional plot points have been sacrificed because of that. The end of the film is really strong and it feels like a perfect ending. And it is one final tribute to the Marvel universe. But from the last minutes of the film, you can also conclude that Marvel is not done with new stories yet. So it’s not really the end, but a new beginning.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Reviews - Avengers: Infinity War

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 149 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Josh Brolin, Tom Hiddleston, Paul Bettany, Elisabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Idris Elba, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Peter Dinklage, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Gwyneth Paltrow

Description: The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.

Review: “Avengers: Infinity War” is a milestone in movie history. Eighteen Marvel movies come together, they have connections and ready for the big finale. And it’s literally the fate of the universe that’s at stake. But it’s nothing completely new, because it’s a big, colorful blockbuster film filled with amazing characters, sharp dialogues and a huge spectacle. And there is nothing wrong with that formula.
At the end of “The Avengers”, Thanos showed his face for the first tim. And he is finally here to execute his evil plans. In order to balance out the universe, he is looking for six so-called Infinity Stones. They’ve been a part of several Marvel films already. Some of the stones are on earth, so it doesn’t take long for an attack on planet earth and the Avengers have to start fighting. And although the Avengers split up, there are a lot more superheroes that they can rely on. Almost every hero we met in all those movies, is in “Avengers: Infinity War”.
Does it work, so many characters in one movie? You wouldn’t think so, but somehow it does and they found a good balance: the characters are scattered and devided up in four groups, who will meet each other. In some cases, the heroes know each other. But there are also new collaborations. Like Tony Stark and Peter Quill. And their interaction is worth the wait. But Thor and Rocket are an even more entertaining duo. And if all the info from the other Marvel movies isn’t that fresh anymore, they characters just simply explain to each other so that you can catch up.
Thanos as the main villain was all I hoped for. Josh Brolin nailed it!
Directing brother Joe and Anthony Russo take on the role of directors and they have proven before they understand the Marvel Universe well with two of the three Captain America movies.
“Avengers: Infinity War” is an excellent first half of an epic battle. And I’m really excited and curious for the next film.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 122: Spider-Man: Homecoming

Director: Jon Watts
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Donald Glover, Tony Revolori, Jennifer Connelly, Angourie Rice, Logan Marshall-Green, Martin Starr, Gwyneth Paltrow

Description: Peter Parker (Tom Holland) balances his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens with his superhero alter-ego Spider-Man, and finds himself on the trail of a new menace prowling the skies of New York City.

Review: Spider-Man has always been one of the most popular superheroes. Iron Man got more popular because of the movies and Robert Downey Jr. The two work together in “Spider-Man: Homecoming”.
Spider-Man has had his ups and downs. “Spider-Man 3” couldn’t keep up with the two previous movies. The reboot films did okay, but weren’t as amazing as the title let us believe. Sony and Marvel had to come up with something new to give the popular webslinger the movie he deserves. The result: Spider-Man is part of the shared universe of Marvel. In “Spider-Man: Homecoming” there are many moments were they show us that. Teen Peter Parker is constantly reminded of his adult colleagues. It’s all sounds like a big marketing trick, but it’s all relevant. Peter struggles with the inner conflict of being the little fish in a small pond.
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was shortly seen in “Captain America: Civil War”. And that guest appearance is the starting point for “Spider-Man: Homecoming”. In a world where superheroes are common, Peter Parker thinks it’s an honor to work with the team of Avengers. But after an experience like that, it’s hard for Peter to pick up his old life. Especially when Tony Starks tells him that he might receive a call, but Peter never does. Spider-Man is in the Marvel universe, but he is not yet an Avenger.
This is the sixth Spider-Man film in fifteen years, so it isn’t good enough to let the superhero just do his tricks and fight a random villain. Marvel is clever enough and uses a lot of variation. The origin story, of how Peter Parker became Spider-Man, is left behind. And it’s not Spidey just swinging from huge buildings, he goes further than that.
What keeps it all together? Tom Holland! Where predecessors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were about 10 years to old for the role, the young British actor is perfect to play Peter Parker. His enthusiasm is a breath of fresh air. And his great comedic timing make you almost forget that he is also very capable of performing in more dramatic scenes. Even opposite of veterans like Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Keaton.
Peter Parker still has to prove himself as an Avenger, but this version of Spider-Man promises a very bright future.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 71: Short Cuts

Director: Robert Altman
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 187 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davison, Jack Lemon, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine, Fred Ward, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Penn, Tim Robbins, Lili Taylor, Robert Downey Jr., Madeleine Stowe, Lily Tomlin, Frances McDormand, Tom Waits, Lyle Lovett, Lori Singer, Anne Archer

Description: The day-to-day lives of a number of suburban Los Angeles residents.

Review: I always like films with multiple storylines. So I was excited to finally see ‘Short Cuts”, where we follow a bunch of Los Angeles suburban residents.
Suburban life in “Short Cuts” is anything but ordinary and perfect: adultery, suicide, loveless marriages, alcoholism. Long live the nineties.
The storylines are all basically about relationships stuck in their day to day life. The storylines wouldn’t be interesting on their own, together they work a bit better. But still not so much to keep me interested for the entire runtime. Because that for me is the biggest problem. The film is 187 minutes long, way too long for a film like this.
I get why people might like this film, but I’m not a big fan of the film. I found it pretty mediocre, not compelling, it just didn’t interest me. Later movies with themes like this, like “American Beauty” and “Magnolia” are much better.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 69: Captain America: Civil War

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Emily VanCamp, Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, Martin Freeman, Marisa Tomei, John Slattery, Alfre Woodard

Description: Political interference in the Avengers' activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).

Review: The brothers Joe and Anthony Russo did a great job on “Captain America: Winter Soldier” and I was really excited when I found out they were also directing the third installment of this franchise. They really understand the Marvel universe.
The film opens with a scene in Lagos, Nigeria. There the memers of the Avengers are chasing down bad guy Crossbones. The mission ends in a blood bath. And after their actions in New York, Washington and Sokovia, the United Nations wants to close the Sokovia Accords. This means the Avengers can only work on request by the UN.
Tony Stark signs the documents. Steve Rogers thinks it’s a bad plan. Together with Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Falcon, he doesn’t sign. During the ceremony, where all the others do sign, the king of Wakanda is killed in an attack. The main suspect is the Winter Soldier. The hunt for Steve’s friend tears the Avengers even further apart.
This Marvel film is mostly about loyalty, family and friendship. Steve Rogers is the one we focus on, of course. He stands for loyalty and friendship and would never abandon his friend Bucky. Steve never doubts Bucky’s story and wants to defend him no matter what. A great thing about “Captain America: Civil War” is that both teams, team Captain America and team Iron Man, have good points and bad points. You would expect that as a viewer you have to lean towards Steve Rogers, but Tony Stark also has some good points. The most awesome part of the film is the showdown between both teams, on a airfield in Leipzig. Well shot, great action, perfectly choreographed fight scenes and humor. And it’s fun to see new heroes Spider-Man, Black Panther and Ant-Man here too.
There is a lot going on in “Captain America: Civil War”, which sometimes makes it feel a bit messy. Lots of characters, old an new ones. But the movies shines when it has to shine: the action and fight scenes and the comedy.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 56: The Soloist

Director: Joe Wright
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander, Stephen Root, Rachael Harris

Description: A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Juilliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.

Review: L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez finds a story, when he most needs one. The amount of people that read papers is decreasing and some journalist get fired because of this. After a crash with his bike and a short stay at the hospital, Steve meets a homeless man during his lunch break. This man, Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, appeared to have attended Julliard School of Music and is a very gifted musician. A friendship develops between te two men.
The power of friendship and the responsibility that comes wit hit is very clear in this film. The British director Joe Wright (“Pride & Prejudice” and “Atonement”) is shooting in Los Angeles and cinematographic this film is really beautiful. The film is based on a real story and Wright shot many scenes that were actually a part of Nathaniel’s real life.
The acting between Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx is great, but also separately they perform strong. Intense.
“The Soloist” is an overlooked film, it’s much better then I expected it to be and I think more people should see it. I love “The Soloist”.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 79: Chef

Director: Jon Favreau

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Vergara, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey Jr.

Description: A chef (Jon Favreau) who loses his restaurant job starts up a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged family.

Review: We all know those cooking shows that make our mouths water. Well, “Chef” is a movie that does the same thing. Jon Favreau stars in this film, but also wrote and directed it.

Good food, that’s the world of Carl Casper. His demanding job as the chef of a restaurant cost him his role as husband and father. Together with his team of cooks and the hostess Molly, he prepares for a food critic who comes to the restaurant. Carl wants a new and exciting menu, but boss Riva wants the usual. It gives Carl a destructive review. After a public tirade, Carl is without a job. With help from his ex-wife, Carl buys a food truck. This is the start of a new food adventure and also a good change to reconnect with his son.

“Chef” is great. Jon Favreau is at his best. His character is very likeable and even with all the big stars surrounding him, your attention goes out to Carl. Food trucks are really hip and the use of social media in this movie is done well too. “Chef” is a feel good movie, but can’t avoid clichés. But the movie has a sincere message: chasing the dream and passion. “Chef” is a movie with a lot of optimism and heart.

Not too sweet, with good humor. Jon Favreau delivered us a great film. Tip: make sure you eat before the movie, because this movie is pure food porn!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 53: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Director: Joss Whedon

Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure

Runtime: 141 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans,Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johannson, Jeremy Renner, James SPader, Samuel L. Jackson, Coby Smulders, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Stellan Skarsgard, Claudia Kim, Thomas Kretschmann, Andy Serkis, Linda Cardellini

Description: When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans.

Review: “The Avengers” was a huge success. A grand, funny, lively superhero movie with colorful characters. It was unique and exciting to see all those larger-than-life characters together in one film. And now they are back in “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, to save the world again. Will Joss Whedon succeed again? In two words: hell yeah!

We get the same ingredients: Tony Stark/ Iron Man makes sharp remarks, Steve Rogers/ Captain America tries to do everything by the book, Thor is the macho who as a God feels more majestic then the rest, Bruce Banner/ Hulk tries to control his anger and Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow is the kick-ass chick of the group. A well-known formula with the perfect actors to play the roles. The action is out of control: fighting, flying, demolishing, lots of spectacular action scenes. The opening scene was so amazing, you are right in the middle of it all. And that action is combined very well with comedy.

The introduction of the villain, the titular Ultron voiced by James Spader, is fascinating. He is a pretty scary villain and powerful. Spader does a great job voicing the character.

Joss Whedon gave some of the characters, that don’t have standalone films yet, a bigger role then the first movie. We get to know Clint Barton/ Hawkeye a bit better and he also has some good one-liners. Black Widow doesn’t only get more physical scenes, but also gets more depth. Her connection with Bruce Banner also gets more depth. Do we need a love arch in this action packed movie? Why not, it’s only minor.

New characters Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch add, besides new cool superpowers, also an interesting dramatic and moral component to the story. They could have used a bit more depth.

With this many characters in one movie, it’s a challenge to not make it superficial or let one character overshadow another character. Whedon managed to give each character a development, more depth or a memorable moment.

“Avengers”Age of Ultron” is highly enjoyable movie. A perfect cast, a huge amount of action, fun humor. I could think of a lot of worse thing to do in 141 minutes.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Video of the Week (41)

With "Avengers: Age of Ultron" coming soon, the stars from the movie visit shows. This time it's Jimmy Kimmel. Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo play a game of Family Feud. Hilarious!

 

 

Marry, Kiss, Cliff - Round 8

Jon (“Don Jon”), Tony Stark (“Iron Man”) and Ace Ventura (“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”)

Marry: It might sound weird but I would marry Ace Ventura. He is very strange, but he loves animals and he has a fantastic sense of humor. (Don’t think I choose Jim Carrey over Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Robert Downey Jr. It’s about the characters people!

Kiss: Jon likes his girl, I wouldn’t be his first. You can’t deny Jon and I would just ignore his addiction to porn.

Cliff: Tony Stark is too much of a playboy for me. And if I push him off a cliff, he could probably fly off in his suit anyway so it wouldn’t kill him.

Movie Battle: The Avengers Vs. Guardians of the Galaxy

I already know this is going to be one tough battle. Both movies are incredibly kick ass. They are both based on Marvel comics and it’s about superheroes. I’m a huge fan of both movies, so it’s going to be hard to pick a favourite in the end. To battle it out, here is “The Avengers” Vs. “Guardians of the Galaxy”.

 

 

 

CAST

The Avengers: It’s filled with big stars, and most of them already had their own movie as this superhero. We have Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawke Eye. And not to mention Samuel L. Jackson and Tom Hiddleston.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista aren’t as known as the guys from “The Avengers”, but stand their ground. The biggest names, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, only provided voices. I really loved all five of these characters.

STORY

The Avengers: Nick Shield wants to assemble a team, to take a fierce demigod. He wants to take over New York and the world.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser. He gets help from assassin Gamora, bounty hunters Rocket and Groot and muscular Drax.

EFFECTS

The Avengers: This movie look stunning, great visuals and special effects. The biggest part of the movie is set in a big city, so for that they didn't need any CGI.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Same here, “Guardians of the Galaxy” looks amazing. Everything looks great, so detailed. The set is amazing! And how they made Rocket and Groot so live like. They easily could have been the Jar Jar Binks of this film.

WINNER

After thinking it over and over and over I’ve come to the conclusion that I prefer “Guardians of the Galaxy”. But only a little bit. I love both movies, but I fell in love with “Guardians of the Galaxy”.