00s Movie Review - Michael Clayton

Director: Tony Gilroy
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Skipp Sudduth

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 48: A FILM FROM AN ACADEMY AWARD WINNING/ NOMINATED DIRECTOR
 
Description: A law firm brings in its "fixer" (George Clooney) to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multibillion-dollar class action suit.

Review: “Michael Clayton” is the directorial debut of Tony Gilroy. It’s a prestige film that is praised by the American critics.

In “Michael Clayton”,  immoral selfishness of big companies is being dealt with. Michael Clayton is a fixer and the right man to stop those people, who do whatever it takes to keep their power and status.

“Michael Clayton” is good especially because of the acting. Clooney is fantastic in the title role, as well as Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson and Sydney Pollack. They paid a lot of attention to the development of the characters and that is pleasant. The story is somewhat conventional, it’s nothing like we haven’t seen before. In the end, the film doesn’t leave he impression you would have hoped for. But “Michael Clayton” is definitely a good film, mostly because of George Clooney.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Killer

Director: David Fincher
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, Kerry O’Malley
 
Description: After a fateful near-miss, an assassin (Michael Fassbender) battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.

Review: After a job gone wrong, an assassin must take more and more victims to escape from his self-made mess.

Director David Fincher is a favorite of mine. He made some of my favorite thrillers ever: “Seven”, “Fight Club” and “Gone Girl” are movies I will never stop recommending. It’s clear the crime-thriller genre is what Fincher excels in.  

That Fincher feels comfortable within this genre is abundantly clear. Everything is clearly portrayed, with the editing and soundtrack effectively contributing to the visuals. Michael Fassbender does a solid job as the cool killer, but his stoic demeanor solidly gets in the way of the film.

The unnamed killer is a man of few words, whose thoughts are conveyed via voice-over. Fassbender conveys everything rather monotonously, perhaps appropriate for an assassin, but it makes it a bit boring to listen to at times.

The story suffers from the same problem, it lacks a compelling plot. The killer travels from place to place, sometimes claiming a victim. It is too little to get invested in. the sporadic outburst of violence are brief, but beautifully crafted. There is especially one fight scene, that is so well-crafted. A hand-to-hand fight that really stuck with me. The film could have used more such moments to ramp up the tension, as you are otherwise never on the edge of your seat.  

“The Killer” is technically a well-made film that just passes by without doing anything to you. The film feels detached, perhaps intentionally, but without any emotional involvement. Still a good film, but not David Fincher greatness.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Drama/ Family/ Musical/ Adventure/ Animation
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz
 
    
Description: A father’s wish magically brings a wooden boy to life in Italy, giving him a chance to care for the child.

Review: The story of Pinocchio has been filmed dozens of times. Earlier in 2022, we saw the lifeless Disney remake appear on their streaming service. Even though it had my favorite, Tom Hanks, in it, please forget about this film. As visionary director Guillermo del Toro does manage to put a unique spin on the famous story. With stop-motion.

The details are amazing; everything is designed as authentically as possible. Strong also how he sometimes moves the camera continuously through the image for a long time, which must be incredibly difficult with this form of animation. As always with stop-motion animation, it’s very visible that it’s been made with love.

Del Toro added a dose of realism to his version of “Pinocchio”. For example, the plot takes place during World War I and World War II. But the familiar plot elements are also present, like Pinocchio being exploited as a circus attraction.

It’s great to see what Del Toro with the already so familiar characters. Gepetto is a very tragic character here, a father who is still mourning over his deceased son, but must accept that Pinocchio cannot replace him. The cricket is also woven into the story in an original way; he lived in the tree from which the wood that made Pinocchio was used. That way, he follows Pinocchio everywhere he goes.

Del Toro tries to keep it somewhat kid-friendly by adding musical numbers, but these are not the most memorable parts of the film. Overall the film has a grim atmosphere, which makes it not always appropriate for the youngest of viewers. It’s a dark twist on the well-know tale, which overflows with creativity.

Of all the “Pinocchio” movie made over the past 5 years, this is the one to watch. The rest, easily forgettable.

Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - Burn After Reading

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich, Richard Jenkins, J.K. Simmons

Description: A disk containing mysterious information from a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous and daft gym employees (Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand) who attempt to sell it.

Review: “Burn After Reading” is a comedy from the Coen Brothers that is unpredictable, has a sharp sense of language and characters that will stay with you.
Linda Litzke is an employee of a fitness club who is desperately seeking funding for the plastic surgery she deems indispensable. Her co-worker Chad Feldheimer is all sunshine: a dorky guy who thinks he’s smart, a sports fanatic with a penchant for the word shit. Then there is the fired, alcoholic CIA agent Osbourne Cox, his ice-cold wife, and the sex-obsessed Harry Pfarrer, who sleeps with just about every female character.  
Basically, the plot is simple: Osbourne Cox loses a copy of his memoir. Linda and Chad mistake it for top secret information and try to get something for it, any way they can. But of course, all sorts of things go wrong, the entanglements become increasingly complicated and surreal, and no one, not even the CIA, has a clue what’s actually happening.
“Burn After Reading” is populated with stupid, selfish people, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any affection for them. And while doesn’t have a clear moral message, it is a film where moral issues come up. A film that seems a bit superficial, but has much more to say about it than you might think. You could even call it a satire.  
But more important than deeper layers and meanings, of course, with a comedy is always: it it funny? The answer is yes, but those expecting one thigh-slapping joke after another will be disappointed. This is partly because the film is filmed fairly straightforwardly. And it’s more the characters and their actions that are funny. A movie by the Coen Brothers that is very overlooked.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - The French Dispatch

Director: Wes Anderson
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Léa Seydoux, Timothée Chalamet, Christoph Waltz, Saoirse Ronan, Jeffrey Writgh, Anjelica Huston, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton, Elisabeth moss, Benicio Del Toro, Rupert Friend, Frances McDormand, Liev Schreiber, Henry Winkler, Jason Schwartzman, Mathieu Amalric, Bob Balaban

Description: A love letter to journalists set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional twentieth century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in “The French Dispatch Magazine”.

Review: Wes Anderson’s exuberant cinematic world I immediately recognizable to any film lover. With symmetrical compositions, use of color palettes, and ensemble of top actors and extremely detailed sets, Anderson brings somewhat melancholy stories to life in a comical way. This is no different in “The French Dispatch”, with the difference that with even more detail is has become an extremely enjoyable maze of stories and sets. With his latest film, Wes Anderson manages to make at least three full-length feature films in less than two hours. “The French Dispatch” contains an unprecedented wealth of references, styles, locations, details and fun.
With his new film, Anderson simultaneously pays tribute to The New Yorker magazine and his hometown of Paris. In the fictional town of Ennui-sur-Blasé, the editorial staff of The French Dispatch magazine is followed. The film takes the structure of one of the magazine’s issues and the delves into several stories. This magazine contains and obituary, a travel story, and three longer main articles. These articles tell of a student uprising, a painter in prison, and a culinary reviewer who goes to a police station to taste chef Nescaffier’s food.
In “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, Wes Anderson already worked successfully with frame narratives. Once again, the various narrative perspectives flow freely through each other. Yet the whole remains an extremely coherent story. Scenes follow one another at a fast pace, without ever running out of steam. All of these different storylines are also full of humor and extremely interesting stylistic choices.
Everything seems possible again in Anderson’s world. For example, there is a chase scene that takes place entirely in an animation style. In “The Grand Budapest Hotel” there was already a chase made in stop-motion. This break in style does not detract from the film at all. This animation is yet another fantastically thought-out ingredient in this mishmash of influences and styles.  
Wes Anderson not only creates a labyrinth with a multitude of styles and storylines. The sets are also more of a maze than ever. When culinary reporter Roebucj Wright arrives at the police station, it consist of an incredible number of rooms. The camera follows Roebuck through all these rooms with their own identity. In half a minute countless details pass by.
“The French Dispatch” is a declaration of love to cinema from which the passion for the medium shines. It contains everything that makes film such a fantastic art form: complex storylines, a unique visual style and a constant play with light, color, movement and sound. “The French Dispatch” is yet another highlight in Wes Anderson’s already impressive oeuvre and an outstanding form of cinema.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - A Bigger Splash

Director: Luca Guadagnino
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Matthias Schoenaerts, Dakota Johnson

Description: The vacation of a famous rock star (Tilda Swinton) and her boyfriend (Matthias Schoenaerts) in Italy is disrupted by the unexpected visit of an old friend (Ralph Fiennes) and his daughter (Dakota Johnson)

Review: Celebrity couple Marianne and Paul seem to only need each other. Marianne is a famous rock star and Paul is a documentary film maker and they are enjoying their carefree vacation in a villa in Pantelleria, Italy. Their days are filled with sunshine, sex, good food and swimming. Their tranquility is disturbed by the unexpected arrival of an old friend, Harry, a flamboyant, screaming and unbridled music producer who immediately claims all their space and attention. He also brought his 22-year-old daughter Penelope, whom he met only a year ago.
“A Bigger Splash” is inspired by “La Piscine” by Jacques Deray, which was an erotic cult hit from the sixties. Sicilian director Luca Guadagnino follows the moods and atmosphere of this film, but turns his film into something far more interesting. “A Bigger Splash” goes deeper: with the characters, who are all layered, and the underlying psychology of these four people.
The way “A Bigger Splash” is filmed is stunning: the lighting, framing, movements, montage, locations, wardrobes. It all looks beautiful. Although it’s mostly very subtle, the film has something bold and obstinate. Along the way more (sexual) tension and drama enters their lives.
Tilda Swinton and Matthias Schoenaerts are both very good, but it’s Ralph Fiennes who stands out and steals the show. It is in fact one of his best roles to date. As Harry, he manages to be both unbearable and irresistible.
“A Bigger Splash’’ is funny, sad, melancholic and sensual. A very good and beautiful looking film.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - The Dead Don't Die

Director: Jim Jarmusch
Genre: Comedy/ Horror
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tom Waits, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, RZA, Rosie Perez, Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez, Iggy Pop

Description: The peaceful town of Centerville finds itself battling a zombie horde as the dead start rising from their graves.

Review: With "The Dead Don't Die", director Jim Jarmusch adds a dry-comic zombie film to his oeuvre. The film was declared dead in Cannes, but that doesn't spoil the fun.
Agents Cliff and Ronnie make their daily rounds through the sleepy town of Centreville ('A Nice Town', as can be read on the place name sign) when something strange strikes them. It just doesn't get dark. And then there are all kinds of reports of missing pets. Could it have something to do with the 'solar fracking' that is being reported about, a peculiar phenomenon that causes the poles to shift? Be that as it may, it doesn't take long before the dead start to get up. What makes these zombies different is that they fall into old habits. One has an uncontrollable urge to drink, the other is diligently looking for a wifi signal.
The film takes place in the fictional town Centerville USA, where Sheriff Cliff Robertson, deputy Ronnie Peterson and officer Mindy Morrison form the police force that has to protect the villagers from zombies. The dry-humorous Bill Murray and the cool Adam Driver make no attempt at convincing the villagers as policemen. On the contrary: the central joke in “The Dead Don't Die” lies in the idea that the actors were asked by director Jim Jarmusch to play in a zombie film. Murray and Driver literally mention this aspect and these characters are aware they are in a movie. And two actresses emphasize it with the names of their characters: Rosie Perez is called Posie Juarez in the film and Tilda Swinton plays undertaker Zelda Winston.
Their laconic struggle against the corpses is thus comical enough for less than an hour, but when the joke is worked out and Jarmusch and the actors repeat themselves, the thoughts go out to all the zombie comedies that did shake from start to finish. There are too many of them to mention. Maybe that's Jarmusch's biggest problem: he tells a joke that was long dead and buried. And he kept coming back.
The horror comedy is one of my favorite genres, but “The Dead Don’t Die” didn’t give me what I wanted. It has a few funny moments and a fantastic cast, but this movie was super disappointing.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Isle of Dogs

Director: Wes Anderson
Genre: Animation/ Adventure
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Tilda Swinton, Yoko Ono, Ken Watanabe, Fisher Stevens, Liev Shreiber, Courtney B. Vance, Angelica Huston

Description: Set in Japan, Isle of Dogs follows a boy's odyssey in search of his lost dog.

Review: Wes Anderson is a unique filmmaker. One we can’t compare to any other filmmaker in Hollywood. He shines with his humor, mix of arthouse and commercial cinema. That last is because of all the great actors and actresses he always manages to get. Anderson already proofed with “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, that stop-motion is right up his alley. And “Isle of Dogs” is another one of his masterpieces.
All Japanese vocals are translated by a translator, computer or exchange student. This is what we see at the start of “Isle of Dogs”. The barking of the dogs is indeed English. And it’s true. A lot of Japanese. And not all is translated, but that’s not necessary. The most important tale is told by the animals.
Dogs had to fight for their position in Japan for ages. But in the fictional metropole Megasaki, the four legged friends are no longer welcome. A dog virus broke out and mayor Kobayasho orders to send all the dogs to a trash island. The dogs try to make it their own place. But their peace is disturbed when Atari, the mayor’s nephew, crashes onto the island while looking for his dog Spots.
It’s clear Wes Anderson is not a big fan of 3D. All the dogs are almost always seen in a frontal position, from the side or from above. I love his style, it has charm and it’s never too much. You are amazed by everything without losing your focus of the story.
“Isle of Dogs” is a modern fable about (literally) and underdog that tries to better the situation with unity, wit and humor. Wes Anderson has done it again!

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - #82: Okja

Director: Joon-ho Bong
Genre: Adventure/ Drama/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Jake Gyllenhaal, Giancarlo Esposito

Description: Meet Mija, a young girl who risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend - a massive animal named Okja.

Review: Cannes 2017 got criticized because it showed two Netflix original films. But thankfully the boohs the audience gave when seeing the Netflix logo, turned into smiles and tears, because “Okja” is an endearing film.
Lucy Mirando thinks she has the solution for the world wide food problem and introduces the so-called super pig. Farmers all over the world are given the task to take care of those pigs. It’s a ten year project, where eventually the pigs will become food.
Okja is one of those super pigs, who grows up with Mija, in a beautiful green environment in Korea. Okja is as big as a hippo now and enjoys his life in freedom. He is sweet and loyal, yet clumsy and happy. The connection between Mija and Okja is heartwarming. But the Mirando Corporation disturbs their careless life when they take Okja away.
“Okja” calls for many different emotions. It puts a smile on your face, gets you excited, touches you and gets you to think. The acting is somewhat over-the-top, but fits the setting perfectly. Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal excel here.
The message of the film is strong, if you are an animal lover or not. “Okja” is a great film, watch it on Netflix now!

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 26: Adaptation

Director: Spike Jonze
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2003
Starring: Meryl Streep, Nicolas Cage, Chris Cooper, Tilda Swinton, Brian Cox, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ron Livingston, Judy Greer, Jim Beaver, Stephen Tobolowski

Description: A lovelorn screenwriter (Nicolas Cage) becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt 'The Orchid Thief' by Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) for the screen.

Review: Charlie Kaufman is a screenwriter and is in the middle of a crisis. He doesn’t know what to base his next film on. He is a very shy man and thinks of themes that have depth, but can’t be made exciting. His twin brother Donald is exactly the opposite. He is a beginning screenwriter and thinks of horrible cliché scripts. He is not shy at all and very extravert.
Charlie reaches his absolute low point when Donald’s script is picked up and he has no inspiration himself. He is about to write a screenplay for a book written by Susan Orlean.
Nicolas Cage is really good in this film. He plays both Charlie and Donald and even though they look the same, it’s easy to keep them apart. That’s because of Cage’s performance. I love the dialogue that Charlie constantly has with himself.
I loved the first part of the film. The second part an particularly the ending didn’t really satisfy me. Overall the film is very original and is nothing like you expect when you read the plot. The ending I just didn’t like.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 154: Doctor Strange

Director: Scott Derrickson
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McADams, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins

Description: A former neurosurgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) embarks on a journey of healing only to be drawn into the world of the mystic arts.

Review: We all know Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor and the X-Men. They are all famous Marvel heroes. But there are also superheroes that are a bit more mysterious and unknown. Movies like “Guardians of the Galaxy”, “Deadpool” and “Ant-Man” proved to be a success by telling the tale behind the lesser known Marvel heroes. “Doctor Strange” is also one of the films, about apparently one of the oldest heroes Marvel has created. Stephen Strange is a neurosurgeon who gets into a terrible car accidents. He is not able to use his hands properly anymore, so he takes on a journey into the world of the mystic arts.
“Doctor Strange” features a lot of dark magic and parallel realities. For the movie there needed to be a lot of action to express the powers of the character. We meet a somewhat arrogant Stephen Strange, a cynical doctor that is the best in his profession. He has a big, luxury appartement and the ladies like him. But Strange is also a distant man, almost irritatingly stubborn. When Strange wakes up after a car accident, his hands are completely fractured and he knows he will never hold a scalpel. Strange does want to find a way to heal and goes to the Kathmandu. There he meets ‘The Ancient One’. She teaches him to use his mind in many different ways.
Benedict Cumberbatch is really good in his role. He adds some scepsism and sarcasm to his role. The interaction between Cumberbatch and Rachel McAdams is fun to see.
The décor of the film is fantastic, which sometimes remind you of “Inception”. The action is good as well. It can get a little busy at some points, but it looks stunning.
Doctor Strange is a tough character. He is physically not as strong as some other superheroes, so it will not speak to everyone. What he can do with his powers, needs to be explained.
“Doctor Strange” is a good Marvel film, but probably won’t make my favorites list.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 145: Hail, Caesar!

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Musical
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum, Frances McDormand, Jonah Hill, Alison Pill, David Krumholtz, Wayne Knight, Patrick Fischler, Clancy Brown

Description: A Hollywood fixer (Josh Brolin) in the 1950s works to keep the studio's stars in line.

Review: Hollywood in the 1950s. That’s wat the Coen Brothers are focusing on in “Hail, Caesar!” It critizises, parodies and is also nostalgic about it. It was a time where actors starred in movies where they didn’t necessarily want to star in.
The film is funny and looks stylish. But the context doesn’t really support it. The central story is about fixer Eddie Mannix. He has to keep all his stars in control. Like a stubborn swim film actress who got pregnant. Or a western actor who can not act, who has to be part of a serious British drama film. But Mannix’ biggest problem is the kidnapping of big star Baird Whitlock. The popular actor is taken during the filming of Hail, Caesar!
“Hail, Caesar!” isn’t the sharp comedy it was supposed to be. The cast is probably the best part of the fim. Besides Josh Brolin as Mannix, there is no big part. All the others are supporting roles, which make the cartoonish characters work.
Not one of the Coen Brothers’ best work, I expecte a lot more.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 100: Trainwreck

Director: Judd Apatow

Genre: Comedy/ Romance

Runtime: 125 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, LeBron James, Tilda Swinton, Vanessa Bayer, John Cena, Ezra Miller, Daniel Radcliffe, Marisa Tomei, Method Man

Description: Having thought that monogamy was never possible, commitment-phobic career woman Amy (Amy Schumer) may have to face her fears when she meets a good guy.

Review: Amy is a writer for a popular magazine. She drinks a lot and sleeps with lots of men, because she doesn’t believe in monogamy. Amy takes care of her father who has MS and is close to her younger sister. When Amy has to write a big article about sports doctor Aaron, she realizes she is falling for him. Can Amy have an actual relationship or not?

Amy Schumer is a very popular comedian and has her own sketch show, “Inside Amy Schumer”. With her friendly face she messes with everyone and makes jokes about booze, sex and especially herself. Schumer writes the show herself and director Judd Apatow noticed that. Schumer wrote “Trainwreck” and Apatow directs. And the story is partially based on Amy’s real life. Besides sharing the name, she is close to her sister and has a dad with MS. The movie version is a younger and more enhanced version of herself.

Schumer does fine in her lead role. Besides the jokes she obviously succeeds in, she is also convincing in the more serious scenes. Bill Hader is a good choice for the love interest. Hader, who is also most known for his comedic performances, creates a very likeable character. Although I do prefer him as the funny guy. Surprising is the role by LeBron James, who plays himself, who is really funny. And also Tilda Swinton, who plays the boss from hell. She is normally a very serious ‘ice queen’, she was seriously hilarious n “Trainwreck”.

Amy Schumer is known for her humor and that it might cross some boundaries. She plays the role that normally a man would play in a movie like this. In “Trainwreck” there are a lot of lines crossed, jokes about sex, tampons, monogamy, penises. The plot is standard and there are lots of conventional romcom clichés present. But Amy Schumer’s character makes it all original, that’s why you’re never bothered by it. Two hours is a bit long for a movie like this though.

“Trainwreck” is a fresh romantic comedy with rising star Amy Schumer. The harsh humor and sometimes improvisation, make this movie to a success.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 142: Snowpiercer

Director: Joon-ho Bong

Genre: Action/ Drama/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 126 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Ed Harris, Alison Pill, Luke Pasqualino, Ewen Bremner, Kang-ho Song, Ah-sung Ko, Tómas Lemarquis, Steve Park, Kenny Doughtry, Emma Levie

Description: Set in a future where a failed climate-change experiment kills all life on the planet except for a lucky few who boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, where a class system emerges.

Review: We are dealing with a change of climate and this problem is what sets of “Snowpiercer”. In an alternative 2014 the climate has changed drastically. The whole world has turned into an ice planet and the only survivors live in train, the Snowpiercer, that goes around the world endlessly.

There is a separation, where the rich people live in the front part of the train with of all the left over luxury. And the rest live a terrible life in the back of the train. History has thought us one thing: living in a society like this, never stays for all eternity. A lot of big-budget science fiction films have disappointed us

, but “Snowpiercer” proofs that the genre is still going strong. The director and his cast work very well together. Not all the characters have the right depth, but serve their roles well. Chris Evans does an amazing job and shows us the many varieties he has as an actor. And Octavia Spencer does a solid job too. Tilda Swinton, who is known for her weird characters, disappoints a bit. I found her character a bit too quirky for this movie.

The set design is excellent. The surrealistic atmosphere is beautifully made. And the storyline also does its job. It’s especially the decisions that were made for this story that are great. There is no romantic storyline and there is a strange intermission in a very brutal action scene. This is where “Snowpiercer” is different and original.

“Snowpiercer” is a great movie, and might become a classic in the sci-fi genre eventually.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 111: We Need to Talk About Kevin

Director: Lynn Ramsay

Genre: Thriller/ Drama

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller

Description: Eva (Tilda Swinton) struggles to love her strange child Kevin, despite the increasingly vicious things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin (Ezra Miller) is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined.

Review: Could she have prevented is? Does she feel guilty? Could she have seen it coming? These are the questions Eva Katchadourian asks herself. Her son Kevin was a troubled child. When he gets older, his behavior becomes unmanageable, manipulative and obstinate. At age sixteen he kills nine classmates and the families despise Eva ever since that event.

“We Need to Talk About Kevin” is based on a novel written by Lionel Shriver. It shows the battle Eva is fighting with her own demons, but also how she’s trying to deal with society. It’s hard to translate the story to film, because the book is told through letters from Evan to her husband Franklin. Director Lynn Ramsay uses flashbacks and the story isn’t told chronologically. She mixes the events and trusts on the intelligence of the audience to put the pieces of the puzzle together. You feel her fear, sorrow and tension, Eva is a wreck. From the moment she finds out she is pregnant, she is filled with doubts. There are plenty of moments where we can see how she is struggling as a mother and that Eva doesn’t always make the right decisions. As Kevin grows older, Eva even feels fear of her own son.

Teenager Kevin is played by Ezra Miller, and very convincing may I say. He is also very scary and manages to keep up with veteran Tilda Swinton. Swinton however is the star of the film. It doesn’t take long before she wins over your sympathy. But the further you get dragged into the family history, you start doubting her innocence.

The movie is pretty heavy and disturbing. Ramsay’s approach is brave and could seem a bit pretentious. “We Need to Talk About Kevin” gets its power not just from its complexity, but also from the great performances by Miller and Swinton. It’s a beautiful movie that gets under your skin. Fascinating and disturbing all together.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 17: Moonrise Kingdom

Director: Wes Anderson
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Keitel, Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward

Description: Set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, as a young boy and girl fall in love they are moved to run away together. Various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down.

Review: Problematic families, impossible loves, existential voids; those are known themes for director Wes Anderson. The obstinate Anderson makes movies you either love or hate. “Moonrise Kingdom” is a distinctive film, especially the wonderful world he has created and he takes the viewers on a magical journey.
The leading roles are for the very young Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, who decide to run away together after exchanging mail. Their roles are very mature and the performances are very solid. But that’s the key ingredients: kids who act like adults and adult who simply don’t want to grow up. The film has quirky characters, a bit of dry humor but also a touch of emotion. “Moonrise Kingdom” is the ‘sweetest’ film Anderson has made so far. That all has to do with the young lovers, but there’s more. Like Bruce Willis’ character, who has something touching because he’s not a too smart sheriff with good intensions. And Edward Norton, who’s constantly a bit nervous.
For me Wes Anderson movies are always a joy to watch. Just the detailed décor and the witty, sweet and quirky characters and humor alone makes it a great movie experience. It’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but fans have enough to look forward to.

Rating: 4,5/ 5