Movie Review - Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 169 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, Holt McCallany, Nick Offerman, Angela Bassett, Hannah Waddingham
 
Description: Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the IMF pursue a dangerous AI called the Entity that’s infiltrated global intelligence. With governments and a figure from his past pursuit, Hunt races to stop it from forever changing the world.
 
Review: Ethan Hunt gets one more chance to complete his mission. After the evens in “Mission: Impossible – Death Reckoning Part One”, the existence of The Entity is no longer a secret. This self-aware and all-encompassing AI that can take over world leadership, is so dangerous it might end the world. Ethan Hunt has gone into hiding with the key to the digital brain, while the government would rather use this technology than destroy it. Shutting it down would mean the end of cyberspace, and the White House wants to prevent that. It’s up to Ethan to convince them to let him do his job.

The film opens with a video message from the president to Hunt, which also serves as a concise summary of the entire film series.

“Mission – Impossible – The Final Reckoning” consists of three parts. There is already a lot at stake, but in the first act the stakes are raised so that Hunt cannot possibly refuse the mission. Then he has to persuade others to give him permission. With or without approval, in the second part he carries out his plan. And action-packed and excessive spectacle that is entertaining as hell.

The climax follows in the last part, with the grand stunt Tom Cruise pulls off. Which has become a tradition by now. That final half hour, is an absolute nail-biter. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

This final film in the “Mission: Impossible” series really did it. It’s a satisfying and strong end to a long-running franchise.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Thriller
Runtime: 163 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Esai Morales, Cary Elwes.
 
Description: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.

Review: Master spy Ethan Hunt is back in “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”, already part seven within the franchise. And aside from the second film in this series, which is the odd one out, the Mission: Impossible franchise is very solid and I liked or loved every single one of these films. You can say it’s a fairly consistent series. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” has so far been my favorite, and after seeing this seventh installment it still is. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” does not reach the same level, but nevertheless remains a strong sequel, that will most definitely end up on my favorites list at the end of the year.

Tom Cruise wouldn’t be Tom Cruise if he didn’t, yet again, do some crazy stunts. Jumping off a cliff on a motorcycle is a cake walk for Cruise, but him risking his life like that gives the audience an authentic movie experience. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” contains plenty of practically shot action. And the action is what these movies excel at. That aforementioned stunt is a one to look forward too, but an exciting car chase through the streets of Rome and a derailed train scene are gems as well. That last one was my favorite part.

The seventh film collects successful plot points and elements from previous volumes and merges them together. Every time I watch one of these movies, I feel like I want to be a spy too. Ethan Hunt has such a solid team behind him. But this time they have a smaller role than usual. Which was my only critique. We did get a new great addition though, in the form of Hayley Atwell. She is amazing in this film and I hope (and predict) she will be in the next film as well.

They cleverly added “Part One” to the film title, so people know this film might end on a cliffhanger and with several loose ends. I can’t wait for this story to continue, because all Mission: Impossible film deliver and excel in their action sequences and stunt work.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Paul

Director: Greg Mottola
Genre: Comedy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Simon Pegg , Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Sigourney Weaver, Blythe Danner, Jane Lynch, John Carroll Lynch, Jesse Plemons, Jeffrey Tambor, David Koechner, Joe Lo Truglio

Description: Two English comic book geeks (Nick Frost, Simon Pegg) traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien (Seth Rogen) outside Area 51.

Review: Simon Pegg is a great comedic actor, Nick Frost is hilarious. But they are best when they are together. So seeing them in a comedy about an alien, not directed by Edgar Wright, excites us. It’s not as good as any of the Cornetto films, but “Paul” is definitely funny enough to watch and rewatch.
“Paul” follows two British nerds, Graeme and Clive, who saved money to go to Comic Con. On their way, they want to spot some UFO’s. They bump into Paul, an alien, who has been on planet earth for already 60 years. Graeme and Clive decide to take Paul on their road trip. Of course that’s not a very good idea.
Like I stated before, Pegg and Frost aren’t working with Edgar Wright this time. Greg Mottola is the director and he knows how to make a buddy movie work. Just look at “Superbad”. Here he has to combine the British humor from Pegg and Frost with the typical American humor from Seth Rogen. I can say, that I miss Wright, because it’s a little but to ordinary. But “Paul” is still a very enjoyable watch with lots of successful jokes. It’s a very good comedy. And Seth Rogen is a great choice for voicing Paul.
I really enjoyed “Paul”, it’s a funny film, with three excellent comedic performances.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

TV Show Review - Truth Seekers

Season: 1
Genre: Comedy/ Horror
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2020
Starring: Nick Frost, Malcolm McDowell, Samson Kayo, Emma D’Arcy, Simon Pegg, Kelly Macdonald, Susie Wokoma    

Description: A team of part-time paranormal investigators use homemade gizmos to track the supernatural, sharing their adventures online. As their haunted stake outs become more terrifying they begin to uncover an unimaginable, apocalyptic conspiracy.

Review: “Truth Seekers” on Amazon Prime lacks the magic from previous collaborations of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg. Maybe because they hardly share any screen time together. But still, it’s a pleasant horror comedy full of geeky references that you will finish in a heartbeat.

The term horror might be a little strong, since it’s as scary as “Stranger Things”. And it’s not as funny as and Edgar Wright movie starring Frost and Pegg. But there’s a good chance that the charming ghost hunters will catch you during the eight half-hour episodes.
Telecom technician Gus spends his free time as a paranormal researcher. He gets the help of his new colleague Elton John, himself with an aversion to ghosts, and Astrid, who is chased by ghosts. The trio applauded on the sidelines by Gus’ father-in-law, Elton’s sister Helen and Gus’ boss Dave.
“Truth Seekers” doesn’t spend time on dubious heroes. Behind the smiles of the amiable characters are hidden mysteries that will connect all of them like a pieces of a puzzle.
“Truth Seekers” is a fun and quick watch. Not something memorable, but still enjoyable.

TV Show Review - The Boys (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Crime
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2019
Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Anthony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominique McElligott, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Elisabeth Shue, Tomer Capon, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Simon Pegg     
Description: A group of vigilantes sets out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers.

Review: Seven superheroes. Four guys. Lots of severed limbs, broken bones, crushed eyeballs and bloody scenes. And I’m not even talking about the borderline humor, drugs and a Jesus-like appearance. It’s all very gutsy, but it made me very happy.
Where superheroes are not only dominating cinemas, TV land has also many shows focusing on people with superpowers. And you have to be really good to impress nowadays. It has to be game-changing to stand out. Luckily for us, Amazon brings us “The Boys”.
In short, “The Boys” is about a group of people who, because of the superheroes, lost something or someone in their lives. They fight against ‘The Seven’, who are the seven most famous, most idolized and richest superheroes on earth. Because being a superhero is not only about having special powers, but is mainly about the media. What is the best pose (when am I the sexiest), which charity do we support (and do we get the most money for), with which minority group am I going to be photographed, in which population groups are we the least popular, and so on. Behind this huge façade is the company Vought, which is run by Madelyn Stillwell.
In The Seven there is Homelander, the superman of this world. Nobody is stronger than him and he is charming and kind to the outside world. But deep inside, he is the worst of them all. Others are A-Train, Transluscent, Queen Maeve, Black Noir, The Deep and Starlight. Starlight, aka Annie, is new. Her biggest dream has always been to be one of The Seven. And now she’s in, only to find out the real truth behind it all.
On the other side we have Hugh Campbell, the innocent guy who loses his girlfriend due to one of The Seven. He gets in touch with Billy Butcher, who leads a small group that fights against Vought.
Karl Urban plays Butcher and he is far out my favorite character on the show. He is so good and I love his accent. He is rugged, a no-nonsense loner who has been through an awful lot. And he nails it. Anthony Starr shines as Homelander, who you just want to slap in the face constantly. He is so unbearable. I haven’t felt like this about a character since Joffrey on “Game of Thrones”.
They where a little off with Madelyn Stillwell’s character. Although the performance by Elisabeth Shue us really solid, the character doesn’t always make sense. Most of the times she is super vicious and always five steps ahead. But there are moments that she makes dumb decisions and that was out of character and didn’t make sense to me. I think the writers didn’t know what to do with her.
I love how this series looks at superheroes differently and uses these adored characters as the actual villains. And the outsiders are the actual heroes.
“The Boys” is a fantastic shows that takes the term superhero into another direction that we haven’t seen before yet. And I love it.

Ranking the Franchise - Cornetto Trilogy (Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy)

Probably my most favorite trilogy of all-time is the so-called Cornetto trilogy, containing of the three films directed by Edgar Wright and starring Nick Frost and Simon Pegg. They are some of the funniest, smartest, cleverest and most inventive comedies you will ever see. It’s British humor, not so much in-your-face, and that’s just my kind of comedy. Even though it’s not a trilogy with sequels, since it’s three separate stories where Pegg and Frost play different characters, it is a trilogy and I can share with you what I think about them. It’s also the hardest ranking I had to do, because I want to put them all at the number one positions (since I rated all of them 5 out of 5). But I eventually did come up with a top 3.

3. The World’s End (2013)
This final part of a loosely connected trilogy focuses on five childhood friends who, twenty years after a failed pub crawl in their hometown, make a new attempt. But in the old village not everything turns out to be okay. It’s an unconventional mix of nostalgic tragicomedy and sci-fi-spectacular, with a strong cast, infectious humor and cleverly choreographed action and fight scenes.

2. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun suffers greatly from the breakup with his girlfriend Liz. His roommate Ed doesn’t have much, he’s too busy gaming, drinking and other shenanigans. Yet Ed turns out to be handy to have around, when residents of a suburb of London appear to suffer from a zombie virus. It’s the first film in the trilogy, with subtle hints and great visual humor.

1. Hot Fuzz
In Sanford, ominous things happen. The gardens are too neat, the facades too clean. No town can become ‘Village of the Year” three times in a row, without a bad practice behind it. Policeman Danny Butterman and his over-ambitious colleague Nicholas Angel are investigating. It’s a cheerful, humorous film with a great eye for detail, in which melancholy uncomfortable and masterly jokes alternate.

00s Movie Review - Shaun of the Dead

Director: Edgar Wright
Genre: Horror/ Action/ Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2004
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Bill Nighy, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Nicola Cummingham, Peter Serafinowicz, Penelope Wilton

Description: Shaun (Simon Pegg) decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend (Kate Ashfield), reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living.

Review: Leading man and co-writer Simon Pegg didn’t give himself the most heroic role. Shaun is maybe one of the biggest losers on the big screen. But that is what makes him so common and recognizable.
It takes some time for Shaun and his friend Ed to realize that London is filling up with zombies. When they finally find out, their responds is just as ‘realistic’: throwing everything as long as it didn’t cost anything. The two think of a plan of rescuing Shaun’s mom and girlfriend and then taking shelter in their pub the Winchester.
“Shaun of the Dead” is first and foremost a romantic comedy, with a splash of horror elements. You wouldn’t expect that of a zombie movie, but that’s exactly the power of the film. The humor is typical British en when you’re a fan, like I am, this is just your movie. It’s subtle and very clever.
For fans of black comedies, “Shaun of the Dead” is the perfect movie. And this is the start of a great series of films, that made me fall in love with Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. What a threesome!

Rating: 5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Hot Fuzz

Director: Edgar Wright
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Rafe Spall, Paddy Considine, Olivia Colman, Bill Nighy, Steve Coogan, Martin Freeman

Description: Exceptional London cop Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is involuntarily transferred to a quaint English village and paired with a witless new partner. While on the beat, Nicholas suspects a sinister conspiracy is afoot with the residents.

Review: Supercop Nicholas Angel is transferred from the hard crimes in London, to a sleepy town called Sanford, because Nicholas makes all the other cops ‘look bad’. He is just simply too good. Sanford is in the running for the title ‘Village of the Year’, which they have won multiple times before. When Nicholas arrives, he soon discovers that the citizens and local cops don’t really take crime very seriously. Even when several people are murdered, they all think it’s just all an accident.
You can say a lot about “Hot Fuzz”, but not that it’s boring. There is a lot of action, violence and a load of great jokes. And there isn’t one joke that doesn’t make you laugh or is predictable or cliché. That makes this film fresh and original.
Of course the on screen duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost work like a charm. Pegg is an adrenaline rushed cop and Frost is the very naïve and looking-for-action partner. Like a tradition of buddy cop movies, who are complete opposites of each other, but yet again it’s never cliché.
“Hot Fuzz” is fast paced, action packed and fresh. An original film with lots of laughs, even after rewatching it many times, with a dark undertone. “Hot Fuzz” is a winner!

Rating: 5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Man Up

Director: Ben Palmer
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 88 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Lake Bell, Simon Pegg, Rory Kinnear, Sharon Morgan, Olivia Williams, Phoebe Waller-Bridger

Description: Single Nancy takes the place of a stranger’s blind date, which leads to finding her perfect boyfriend (Simon Pegg)

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 4: A BRITISH COMEDY

Review: A whimsical twist of fate or coincidence is always a tasty entry to a romantic comedy. If at least one of the upcoming lovebirds is deliberately cheating on the whole thing, it's actually even better. The lie is revealed early on in the story, which creates a whole new dynamic between the characters. As far as plot is concerned, the British romcom “Man Up” is not that special, it’s the leads that level it up.
Director Ben Palmer, best known for his television work, was allowed to work on a screenplay by Tess Morris for his second feature film. With “Man Up”, Morris focusses primarily on the blossoming romance between Jack and Nancy. She portrays the female protagonist as a hard to match wallflower who would rather sit in her bathrobe in her hotel room watching “The Silence of the Lambs” while enjoying lots of candy than showing herself at a wedding party with far too happy thirty-somethings.
Once on the train, sighing about the lack of direction and love in her life, she meets the bitchy Jessica who reads a self-help book and especially advises Nancy to take it up herself. She leaves the book, which serves as recognition for her blind date, to Nancy. At London's Waterloo station, Nancy comes into contact with Jessica's date Jack and she decides to break through the rut of her life by playing along with the game while bluffing. It's easy to guess that the two of them feel a huge connection and have a great afternoon and evening ahead of them. With fear and trembling it is looking forward to the moment that Nancy's big secret will come out, just because it all went so well.
The two, played by Lake Bell and Simon Pegg, have great chemistry and they are the heart of the film. Pegg has been one of my favorite comedic actors for a while and he proofs why. But even in this film some jokes just don’t work. The entrance of character Sean, an old classmate of Nancy, add a little ridiculousness to the film. Jokes revolving around him are a bit tasteless at times and a bit silly. Here it feels more like an American comedy. But overall the humor is strong and subtle and the characters are relatable.
“Man Up” is a fun British comedy with charming leads.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Slaughterhouse Rulez

Director: Crispian Mills
Genre: Horror/ Comedy
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Michael Sheen, Margot Robbie, Finn Cole, Hermione Corfield

Description: An illustrious Britisch boarding school becomes a bloody battleground when a mysterious sinkhole appears at a nearby fracking site unleashing unspeakable horror.

Review: Slaughterhouse is an elite boarding school. Boys and girls are prepared for greatness. The old and structured school is about to be confronted with something they could ever be prepare for, when a giant sinkhole appears nearby and unspeakable evil is unleashed.
I think the main reason for most people to watch this film, is that it stars Nick Frost and Simon Pegg and it’s a horror comedy. Sadly enough the two share only one scene together and both don’t have a leading role. But, the scene with them in it, are the best. Pegg and Frost lift the film to a higher level.
The first act is an introduction to the main characters and a build-up to the disaster that is going to happen. And when it all turns to shit, that’s when this film gets funny. And gory, but that’s what I love most about horror comedies.
If the main characters were as fun and interesting as Pegg and Frost’s characters, this film would have been much better. Now it’s still real fun, but they underused their best players.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, Alec Baldwin, Michelle Monaghan, Wes Bentley

Description: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.

Review: Seldom do movies in a series get better by each release. But for the Mission: Impossible franchise that is definitely the case. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is the sixth film in the franchise and the best so far!
“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” was directed by Christopher McQuarrie and he also directed the sixth installment. The stunts and action sequences are bigger, more dangerous and more spectacular. And in this case, bigger is better. Tom Cruise still does all of his own stunts and that fascinates me. It helps the authenticity of the action sequences and makes it look amazing.
And the fight scenes are also fantastic. Perfectly choreographed. The same goes for the chase scenes. It doesn’t matter if it’s with cars, motorcycles or helicopters, they are all memorable. And then that bombastic music in the background.
But “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is more than just an action packed spectacle. The story is strong and so are the characters. Twists, turns and surprises, all present like any spy themed film should have.
If you are a fan of the franchise, you shouldn’t miss this one. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is the best film in the series.

Rating: 5 / 5

Movie Reviews - Ready Player One

Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Adventure/ Action
Runtime: 140 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, T.J. Miller, Simon Pegg, Lena Waithe

Description: When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune.

Review: Author Ernest Cline, who wrote “Ready Player One”, images a grim 2045: the world is a big garbage pile, stacked campers are used as homes and all the worldly problems are ignored. Mankind rather gets lost in ‘The Oasis’, an amazing computer simulation designed by James Halliday. With X-Wings, King Kond, T-Rex and Deloreans, this film is filled with nostalgia. And the book seemed unfilmable. Until Steven Spielberg reported for duty.
In its core, “Ready Player One” feels a bit like the story of Willy Wonka. When James Halliday dies, he scatters three keys through the Oasis. De first player to find all three, becomes the owner of the Oasis. Like Roald Dahl’s classis, the protagonist Wade Watts is a poor kid that has to fight ambitious competition.
The charm of “Ready Player One” isn’t in the fairytale-like tale or even the nostalgia bomb that’s being dropped. It’s the way people communicate through movie quotes and pop-culture. And everyone lives in the past.
I never read the book, so I can’t compare. But friends told me, that the essence of the book and the characters stay intact. Wade is a bit awkward and Samantha is charming. You might even say that the characters have a bit more depth in the film.
“Ready Player One” is an awesome film adventure. Although very busy, Spielberg manages to find a balance. The film has some moments that are a bit too sweet and it’s not one of Spielberg’s new masterpieces. But it’s a joy for every genre fan and people that love nostalgia and pop culture.

Rating: 4 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 41: Star Trek Beyond

Director: Justin Lin
Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, Idris Elba, Sofia Boutella, Deep Roy, John Cho

Description: The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

Review: It took director Justin Lin a while to turn the “Fast & Furious” series into the success it is now. For the “Star Trek” series it was a little easier, because Lin taking over for “Star Trek Beyond” is an instant success. It’s a great follow up and doesn’t constantly reference the old films and the TV show.
“Star Trek” from 2009 and “Star Trek Into Darkness” from 2013 were trying to build the new Star Trek universe and to reintroduce the characters. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura, Scotty and Chekov finally get to go on their first long space mission in “Star Trek Beyond”, to discover new worlds, civilizations and people.
During a stop, they get a call from the nebula, an unknown part of space where there is no communication possible with the Starfleet. It is a bit suspicious, but the heroes from the Enterprise can’t ignore the call and decide to help them. But they are ambushed and end up on an unknown planet.
The villain is played by Idris Elba, who is unrecognizable but still manages to show his charisma through layers of make-up. Another newcomer is Sofia Boutella as Jaylah.
The film has a high tempo, which makes it feel rushed at times. But the action scenes are great, never over the top. I was sceptic about this film, “Star Trek Beyond” is a really good movie. I didn’t expect that. This “Star Trek” series is very solid.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 162: A Fantastic Fear of Everything

Director: Crispian Mills, Chris Hopewell

Genre: Comedy/ Horror

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Simon Pegg, Clare Higgins, Paul Freeman, Amara Karan

Description: A crime novelist (Simon Pegg) whose research on Victorian serial killers has turned him into a paranoid wreck must confront his worst fears when a film executive takes a sudden interest in his movie script.

Review: Jack is a paranoid writer who is afraid of everything. Well, primarily he has a fear of serial killers and laundromats. Jack is currently researching a book on Victorian serial killers, although he is originally a children’s book author.

Most of the time we just see Simon Pegg, who is in his house, scared. Jumping at noises, seeing shadows, thinking someone is lurking. We also hear Pegg providing commentary through a voiceover.

Those moments with Pegg are the funniest. He does his best with the matieral. “A Fantastic Fear of Everything” looked promising, but didn’t give us the funny horror comedy we expected. The story has potential and Pegg is good, but other than that it’s pretty standard.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 158: Absolutely Anything

Director: Terry Jones

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 85 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Beckinsale, Rob Riggle, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, Robin Williams, Eddie Izzard

Description: A group of eccentric aliens confer a human being with the power to do absolutely anything, as an experiment.

Review: Simon Pegg is one of the funniest actors of the moment and him being linked to the Monty Python group just sounds amazing. That’s what happens in “Absolutely Anything”. Pegg plays Neill, an everyday teacher who has a crush on the pretty lady downstairs and doesn’t really do anything noteworthy. One day he is gifted with the powers of doing absolutely anything, as a test by some eccentric aliens. Is Neil going to use these powers for good or bad?

It’s directory by Monty Python’s Terry Jones, his first directed film since 1996. And his Python friends John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle join him as voices of the aliens. Robin Williams provided a voice too, for dog Dennis. This was his last film.

Simon Pegg stands strong, he is funny and does a good job as aspiring writer Neil. The film is funny, has some great jokes. But the animations and special effects are pretty bad. Pegg is actually the one saving this film, because he is such a talented comedian. I expected more from the Monty Python crew.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 103: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

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Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Thriller

Runtime: 131 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, Sean Harris, Simon McBurney, Tom Hollander

Description: Ethan (Tom Cruise) and team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an International rogue organization as highly skilled as they are, committed to destroying the IMF.

Review: How many actors over 50 do their own stunts? And how many of them will climb tall buildings and hang on an airplane during takeoff? Well, nobody but Tom Cruise. That alone is reason enough for us to see “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”, already the fifth installment in the franchise.

In this film Ethan Hunt is trying to track down the Syndicate, an international terrorist organization lead by former spies. The movie starts with spectacle, where Ethan Hunt is hanging from an airplane that’s taking off. We all know that he actually did that, which makes this scene even more awesome! This is only a warm up, because the film is filled with many more spectacular stunts, scenes and actions. The fact that the stunts have been actually performed, instead of created by computers, gives this movie extra tension and excitement. All the action is fast, intense yet not chaotic.

Tom Cruise is, like in the other films, the star. He is amazing as Ethan Hunt. Simon Pegg again has a bigger role and I love him as Benji Dunn. He takes care of the humor in the movie. And in combination with Cruise he is also good. Ving Rhames is also back and Jeremy Renner is solid as well. Newcomer to the franchise, Rebecca Ferguson, was very good. She was like a female Ethan Hunt, she totally kicked ass.

It seems like the “Mission: Impossble” films keep on getting better and better. I was expecting a lot and “Mission: Impossible – Rogie Nation’ met my expectations.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Favorites: Hot Fuzz

Synopsis: Top London cop, PC Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is good. Too good. And to stop the rest of his team looking bad, he is reassigned to the quiet town of Sandford. He is paired with Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), who endlessly questions him on the action lifestyle. Everything seems quiet for Angel, until two actors are found decapitated. It is called an accident, but Angel isn't going to accept that, especially when more and more people turn up dead. Angel and Danny clash with everyone, whilst trying to uncover the truth behind the mystery of the apparent "accidents".

 

 

Unique Selling Point: This is how action and comedy should be mixed. This is probably my favorite out of the cornetto-trilogy.

Most Valuable Player: Edgar Wright, for writing one of the greatest comedies in movie history. Clever jokes, something that makes me laugh every time.

Best Moment: Nicholas Angel jumps over a fence, smoothly. Danny also does it, not so smoothly. “What’s the matter, Danny? Never taken a shortcut before?” Well, he clearly hasn’t.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 7: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Director: Brad Bird

Genre: Action

Runtime: 133 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway, Léa Seydoux, Michael Nyqvist, Tom Wilkinson, Ving Rhames, Michelle Monaghan

Description: The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

Review: A lot has changed. In the nineties Tom Cruise was a big star, but that star was not that bright anymore. Not a lot of great movies came on his path, but “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” should change all that. And it did.

The movies in the “Mission: Impossible” series were always successful and a hit at the box office. Brad Bird, known from his work at Pixar, decided to direct the fourth installment and with that “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is his first non-animation.

Like the previous movies, it’s filled with exotic places, flashy gadgets and action. Simon Pegg Is given a bigger role, as the comic relief, which is very pleasant. Jeremy Renner is introduced in the series and also a great addition to the franchise. Michael Nyqvist is the villain, which he does well. But not as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman did in “M:I-3”. Paula Patton does a good job as agent Jane Carter. Off course I don’t have to tell you that Tom Cruise did good work as Ethan Hunt, because of him I’m more of a Hunt then a Bond fan. Cruise hasn’t lost it and this is the kind of movie and role you want to see him in.

The action is the highlight of the movie. Sometimes over the top, but such a pleasure to watch. The scene with Hunt climbing the tallest building of the worlds, was my favorite.

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is a fantastic, thrilling action flick, even better than number three in the series.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

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

Director: J.J. Abrams

Genre: Action/ Thriller

Runtime: 125 minutes

Year: 2006

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Favorites: Shaun of the Dead

Synopsis: Shaun (Simon Pegg) doesn't have a very good day, so he decides to turn his life around by getting his ex to take him back, but he times it for right in the middle of what may be a zombie apocalypse. But for him, it's an opportunity to show everyone he knows how useful he is by saving them all. All he has to do is survive. And get his ex back.

Unique Selling Point: This is the kind of comedy I like, a zom-com in fact. And with this movie we’re also introduced to an amazing trio: Wright, Pegg and Frost.

Most Valuable Player: Nick Frost as the numb nuts sidekick Ed, who doesn’t really do anything useful.

Best Moment: Whacking zombies while “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen is playing on the jukebox. “It’s on random”.