100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 59: Spirited Away

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Drama/ Animation/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: Rumi Hiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takashi Naito, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tatsuya Gashuin, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Yumi Tamai

Description: In the middle of her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and monsters; where humans are changed into animals; and a bathhouse for these creatures.

Review: In “Spirited Away” we meet Chihiro, who is moving to the suburbs with her parents. Dad thinks he knows a shortcut, but get lost. They see a tunnel and decide to check out what’s on the other side. Within seconds they end up in a deserted amusement park, where they find a food stand with delicious food. Chihiro just wants to leave, but her parents start enjoying the food. Because of their gluttony, Chihiro’s parents turn into pigs and she has to make it on her own in the world lead by witch Yubaba.
How weird this synopsis may sound, that’s how comprehensible Miyazaki’s world is presented. A wonderful ghost world emerges around Chihiro, that is populated by talking frogs, river gods, a giant baby and other wondrous creatures. The style is fantastic and truly inspiring.
The director manages to make the characters look creatable. His specialty is child behavior, which you can see in the young Chihiro. Where she comes off as a pouting kid at first, she turns into an independent girl with an open mind and notion for others, without losing her childlike manners. In between the lines you can also see some of Miyazaki’s personal worries, like pollution, greed and apathy. His social commentary is pure and honest.
There are still so many movies of Hayao Miyazaki that I have to see, but I’m so glad this introduction was made. “Spirited Away” is mesmerizing.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Video of the Week (2)

Last week I did a funny video, this week a more serious one. This video is called "Look Up", written, performed and directed by Gary Turk. It's an important life lesson for our youth. Children are growing up in a world were they don't play outside or communicate with their friends. It seems today everything is done via tekst message or over the internet. I'm guilty of that myself, but I don't let the internet take over my life and I manage to ignore the sound of an incoming text message when I'm talking to my friends or family. This video is inspiring and should be shared with people all over the world.

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 58: The Debt

Director: John Madden
Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Action
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Ciarán Hinds, Tom Wilkinson, Marton Csokas, Jesper Christensen

Description: In 1965, three Mossad agents cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the agents share come back to haunt them.

Review: “The Debt” is based on the Israeli movie “Ha-Hov” from 2007. Three Mossad agents try to capture a Nazi doctor. Their mission didn’t go according to plan. The decision they make will haunt them when they’re older. They are seen as heroes in their country, but do they really deserve that?
The heart of the film is formed by a flashback from 1965, where Rachel, Stephan and David are send to East Berlin. Their task is to find doctor Bernhardt, better known as the ‘surgeon of Birkenau’. This is also the strongest part of the film. Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington and Marton Csokas show us what they are made off. Especially Chastain is hard to overlook, her performance is very strong. That and the constant tension take the film to a higher level. There is one crucial scene we get to see a couple of times, which unravels the secret bit by bit.
The nerve wrecking middle part makes us expect much from the finale. Sadly the ending is a bit weak. If it weren’t for Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson, this movie would collapse in the end. But that’s the only critical note to this very intelligent thriller.
“The Debt” deals with some complicated moral questions, mostly on the psychological aspect. The characters are haunted by a lie from their past, which gave them a heroic status. All three characters deal with it differently. John Madden succeeded in making a good thriller, with great acting and a setting that gives you a claustrophobic feeling. Intelligent film.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 57: Disconnect

Director: Henry-Alex Rubin
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Michael Nyqvist, Paula Patton, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgård, Colin Ford, Jonah Bobo, Max Thierot, Haley Ramm

Description: A drama centered on a group of people searching for human connections in today's wired world.

Review: Internet isn’t without any danger, that’s what “Disconnect” proofs. The movie follows different characters, who are all dealing with their own problem with the online world. Cindy and Derek are the victims of identity theft and lose all their money. Lawyer Rich Boyd is so caught up in his job, that he loses contact with his family. His son Ben is a target of cyberbullies and tries to commit suicide. One of the boys feels remorse while his father is a cop fighting cybercrimes. Then there is journalist Nina Dunham, who is trying to save a young boy from a human trafficker.
The style of the film reminds me of movies like “Traffic” or “Babel”. Different stories that intertwine and overlap at some points. I work with kids and I know the danger of the internet and social media. News travels fast while it’s on the net. This movie pictures it a bit like a horror scenario, but it’s all possible.
Because of the good cinematography, the audience will stay focused and will feel for the characters. The way it was shot adds tension to the film. And the excellent acting is also a positive note. The style is fantastic, the story sometimes feels a bit repetitive.
I don’t know if the moral and the dangers of the internet will teach the viewers something. Because the internet is shown to us a one big danger zone, it doesn’t show us how to use it in a more safe way. Even though it has some small critical notes, “Disconnect” is definitely a movie worth watching.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (137)

Here are this weeks trailers.

They Came Together

Description: When Joel (Paul Rudd) land Molly (Amy Poehler) meet, it's hate at first sight: his big Corporate Candy Company threatens to shut down her quirky indie shop. Plus, Joel is hung up on his sexy ex. But amazingly, they fall in love, until they break up about two thirds of the way through, and Molly starts dating her accountant. But then right at the end...well you'll just have to see.

Director: David Wain

Starring: Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Max Greenfield, Ed Helms, Noureen DeWulf, Cobie Smulders, Bill Hader and Melanie Lynskie

Trailer:

Comment: Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler look like a great on screen duo!

 

Love, Rosie

Description: Rosie (Lily Collins) and Alex (Sam Claflin) are best friends. They are suddenly separated when Alex and his family move from Dublin to America. Can their friendship survive years and miles? Will they gamble everything for true love?

Director: Christian Ditter

Starring: Sam Claflin, Lily Collins

Trailer: Trailer "Love, Rosie"

Comment: Only two teaser trailers, but interesting.

 

The Salvation

Description: When settler John (Mads Mikkelsen) kills his family's murderer, he unleashes the fury of notorious gang leader Delarue (Jeffrey Dean morgan). Betrayed by his corrupt and cowardly community, the peaceful pioneer must turn vengeful hunter, slay the outlaws, and cleanse the town's black heart. The Salvation is an epic tale of revenge, lost love and greed.

Director: Kristian Levring

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Eric Cantona, Mikael Persbrandt, Douglas Henshall, Michael Raymond-James, Jonathan Pryce

Trailer: Trailer "The Salvation"

Comment: I'm a fan of Mads Mikkelsen, he's a good actor.

Lullaby

Description: Estranged from his family, Jonathan (Garrett Hedlund) discovers his father has decided to take himself off life support in 48 hours' time. During this intensely condensed period, a lifetime of drama plays out. Robert (Richard Jenkins) fights a zero sum game to reclaim all that his illness stole from his family. A debate rages on patients, rights and what it truly means to be free. Jonathan reconciles with his father, reconnects with his mother (Anne Archer), sister (Jessica Brown-Findlay), and his love (Amy Adams) and reclaims his voice through two unlikely catalysts, a young, wise-beyond-her-years patient (Barden) and a no-nonsense nurse (Jennifer Hudson). Through this intensely life affirming prism, an unexpected and powerful journey of love, laughter, and forgiveness unfolds.

Director: Andrew Levitas

Starring: Garrett Hedlund, Richard Jenkins, Amy Adams, Jessica Brown Findlay, Anne Archer, Terrence Howard, Jennifer Hudson, Jessica Barden

Trailer: Trailer "Lullaby

Comment: It looks liek Amy Adams is underused in this film.

Half of a Yellow Sun

Description: Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Anika Noni Rose) are glamorous twins from a wealthy Nigerian family. Upon returning to a privileged city life in newly independent 1960s Nigeria after their expensive English education, the two women make very different choices. Olanna shocks her family by going to live with her lover, the "revolutionary professor" Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his devoted houseboy Ugwu (John Boyega) in the dusty university town of Nsukka; Kainene turns out to be a fiercely successful businesswoman when she takes over the family interests, and surprises even herself when she falls in love with Richard (Joseph Mawle), an English writer. Preoccupied by their romantic entanglements,and a betrayal between the sisters, the events of their lives seem to loom larger than politics.

Director: Biyi Bandele

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose, John Boyega, Joseph Mawle, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, O.C. Ukeje, Rob David

Trailer: Trailer "Half of a Yellow Sun"

Comment: Chiwetel Ejiofor has put himself on the map since "12 Years a Slave", so I'm excited to see him in this drama as well.

In My Mailbox (146)

Only four cards this week. The first one is a mapcard from Jacksonville, North Carolina, US.

Sent: april 25th 2014
Received: may 2nd 2014
Distance: 6,645 km (4,129 miles)
Travel Time: 7 days

This is a card of London, but it came from Deventer, Netherlands.

Sent: april 25th 2014
Received: may 2nd 2014
Distance: 119 km (74 miles)
Travel Time: 7 days

My favorite of the week came from Bochum, Germany. I just love this postcard, with the Dolphins swimming in the waves.

Sent: april 26th 2014
Received: may 2nd 2014
Distance: 89 km (55 miles)
Travel Time: 6 days

And finally a card from Zakupy, Czech Republic. This is a Czech fairytale.

Sent: april 25th 2014
Received: may 2nd 2014
Distance: 609 km (378 miles)
Travel Time: 7 days

Thanks Tamara, Dineke, Ralf and Nikola

Movies I Watched for My Challenge (April 2014)

This month had one movie that really stood out, one surprisingly good film and the others where average or above average. But I had to make a top 5 and I managed. Here are my favorites for this month.

5. Dolphin Tale
Okay, it's not a good movie, but I liked that this movie has heart. It targets a certain audience and it manages to do that well. I highly enojyed it and I can't wait to see its sequel.

4. Thor: The Dark World
Not as good as the first, but still a joy to watch. It was very well done, I especially liked the connection between Thor and his brother Loki.

3. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
This movie was made with a lot of love and showed us the very interesting story of the life of Nelson Mandela, one of my personal heroes.

2. Warm Bodies
As Graham Norton once said on his show, this is a zomromcom. Translation: it's a zombie romantic comedy! This was a very entertaining movie, I didn't expect that at all. It was really funny and it's hard to find a movie to compare this too.

1. About Time
I loved every minute of this film. It's not another time travel movie, it's so much more then that. This movie is very Original, fresh and filled with actors who make their characters super likeable.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Springbreakers