No Movie Trailer Sunday

No movie trailer Sunday this week, because no new trailers worth sharing came out. Better luck next week!

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 104: Het Diner

Director: Menno Meyjes

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 87 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Jacob Derwig, Thekla Reuten, Daan Schuurmans, Kim van Kooten

Description: Paul and Claire (Jacob Derwig, Thekla Reuten) are a couple. Paul is a failed history teacher who has put his heart and soul into his family and is now confronted with the vulnerability of this happiness. His wife Claire constantly drags him away from the edge and stops at nothing to protect her family. His brother Serge (Daan Schuurmans) is married to Babette (Kim van Kooten). Serge is a politician in the running to become Prime Minister. Babette is the lioness, supposed to be sleeping by his side. At a family dinner the avoid everything they actually need to discuss: a huge family drama.

Review: “Het Diner” is the adaptation of the successful novel written by Herman Koch. The film is actually split in two storylines: the personality of lead character Paul and the crime. One a bit better than the other.

Paul is a failed history teacher and a house father with a special view on the world. In the opening dialogue he is trying to explain the dean of his sons school his visions. His bizarre, funny and provocative thoughts are very intelligent and a pleasure to listen too. And throughout the film you are treated by those theories of his.

Jacob Derwig, who plays Paul, shines and is the star of the film. His voice-over doesn’t bother you and is very powerful. He sometimes even breaks the fourth wall.

The other part of the film, which contains the other actors, is about Paul and his brother Serge who have dinner with their wives Claire and Babette. The reason they are there is to talk about the crime their sons have committed.

To make a story interesting, that is mostly set in one location, you will need a good director and great actors. All the actors succeed. Daan Schuurmans is perfect as the sleezy politician, Kim van Kooten is believable as ‘the wife of’ and Thekla Reuten is unpredictable as Claire. She even blows away her on screen husband Derwig at the end of the film.

The movie sometimes loses its power when the restaurant is traded for other locations, to show us the roles of the sons in the story. Sadly, that’s not a good choice, because the tension is with the parents in that restaurant, and not with the crime the sons have committed.

“Het Diner” is a solid thriller with some surprising twists and great performance by some of the best Dutch actors.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 103: Hoe Duur Was De Suiker

Director: Jean van de Velden

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 125 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Gaite Jansen, Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing, Benja Bruijning, Anna Raasveld, Neil Sandilands, Yannick van de Velde, De-Wet Nagel, Kees Boot, Negativ, Carel Nel, Estelle Terblanche, Werner Kolf, Genelva Krind

Description: Sarith (Gaite Jansen) and Mini-Mini (Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing) grow up on the sugar plantations of Suriname in the latter half of the eighteenth century. Where Sarith is the most beautiful woman in the colony, the mulatto Mini-Mini is forever in her shadow, slave to her own half-sister.

Review: Sarith lives on an idyllic plantation in Suriname with her slave Mini-Mini, around the eighteen hundreds. Looking for a husband doesn’t go smoothly, because she wants him to have status and wealth. The frustration drives Sarith and her family apart. Mini-Mini tries to help her, even though she’s becoming more arrogant and egotistic by the day.

The biggest problem the film has, is that you never have the feeling you’re watching a movie set in Suriname in the 1800s. The characters have a modern feel and look like it, even with the traditional costumes. The dialogues, tone and posture never feel realistic.

One of the strong points is the performance by Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing, who plays Mini-Mini. She is very unexperienced and really shines on the screen. The actors around her don’t really impress. It feels like they are in a competition whoever can pull of the most unbelievable performance.

The story is beautiful, but “Hoe Duur Was de Suiker” doesn’t do it justice. It’s forced and unrealistic. Shame, because it could have been so much better.

Rating: 2/ 5

Movie Moments: "The Green Mile"

One of the best movies with Tom Hanks, directed by Frank Darabont and based on a Stephen King novel. I recently rewatched it and it made me cry… again. Here are the best moments from “The Green Mile”.

Moment # 1: Meet John Coffey
After Paul Edgecomb has unsuccessfully tried to urinate, with a very bad blather infection, colleague Percy is bringing in a new prisoner. His name is John Coffey and he is enormous. He looks scarier than he is, because he’s afraid of the dark.

Moment # 2: Little guest
Brutus calls in his colleagues to inform them about an unwanted guest: a little mouse. He hides away in the isolation cell. To catch the mouse, they have to clean out the cell because they never use it.

Moment # 3: Mr. Jingles
The mouse is back and has made a friend. One of the inmates, Del, has taught him some tricks and even gave him a name: Mr. Jingles.

Moment # 4: Wild Bill strikes
Another new inmate, Bill Wharton aka Wild Bill. He’s been brought in and he’s seems to be on a lot of medicine. But he’s only pretending, because he strikes and grabs Dean. Percy has the opportunity to do something, but doesn’t. Eventually the other guards help Dean and manage to overpower Bill.

Moment # 5: Miracle
Paul is still battling with a blather infection and it’s killing him. When John Coffey calls for him, he tells Paul he can help him. Coffey grabs Paul by the crotch and light bulbs start to flicker. Coffey has taken the infection away from him.

Moment # 6: Percy pees his pants
After being rattles by Del, Wild Bill grabs Percy. He’s so scared that he pees himself. Something that Del laughs about. Something he shouldn’t have done.

Moment # 7: Mr. Jingles’ death and resurrection
Del is about to get is payback for laughing at Percy, because mean Percy steps on Mr. Jingles. John Coffey wants to heal him and Paul hands Mr. Jingles over to Coffey. After he brought the mouse back to life, Paul and the other guards want to see Percy’s reaction to seeing Mr. Jingles alive again.

Moment # 8: Del’s execution
It’s judgment day for Del and unfortunately Percy is leading the execution. As for preparation, the person on the chair needs to have a wet sponge on his head so the electricity goes through the body easily. Percy knows it, but he decides not to wet the sponge. The other guards don’t see it until it’s too late. Del gets the most painful death and is literally fried. Percy sees what he has done.

Moment # 9: Paul has an idea
Paul has his collegues over for dinner and talks to them about John Coffey and the gift he has. They all witnessed the mouse miracle, but Paul also tells them about how Coffey cured him. Paul now suggest that Coffey can help Melinda, Hal’s wife.

Moment # 10: Melinda
They are going through with the plan to take John Coffey to Hall Moore’s house. Hall doesn’t want him inside the house at first, but he trusts Paul. John takes the decease away from Melinda.

Moment # 11: John Coffey’s execution
It’s the day. The day of John Coffey’s execution. Clearly everyone is upset by the situation, especially because Paul know that he didn’t kill anyone. Because it can’t be proven, they have to go through with it. They are all very emotional, Dean even cries.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 11: John Coffey’s execution (not because I’m cruel, this scene really touches me and hits every nerve in my body)

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (August 2014)

Another month has passed and I reached one hundred films for my challenge. But I’m still going to continue, maybe I can reach 200? Here are my favourites of the month of august.

5. Mr. Morgan’s Last Love
“Mr. Morgan’s Last Love” really surprised me pleasantly. It’s such a beautiful story and I loved the chemistry between the two leading characters.

4. Philomena
A heartfelt story and great performances by Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. Better than I thought it would be.

3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Most people think it’s better than “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”,, I think it’s just as good. Very well made and Caesar is the big star of the film. Amazing how Andy Serkis can make you so connected with an ape.

2. Rear Window
Although it’s a very simple set-up, “Rear Window” is such a good thriller. Hitchcock is a master and I loved this movie.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy
Before seeing “Guardians of the Galaxy” I just knew I was going to love it. It met every expectation I had and it truly amazed me. I want to see it again, I loved it that much I can’t wait for it to be released on DVD.

They Almost Made the Top 5: American Hustle, Let’s Be Cops

Video of the Week (18)

I was a big "Friends" fan back in the days, so I was super excited when Jimmy Kimmel reunited Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow. Togehter they film a scene, based on fanfiction Kimmel wrote. Super funny!

 

 

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 102: To the Wonder

Director: Terrence Malick

Genre: Drama/ Romance

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, Javier Bardem

Description: After falling in love in Paris, Marina (Olga Kurylenko) and Neil (Ben Affleck) come to Oklahoma, where problems arise. Their church's Spanish-born pastor (Javier bardem) struggles with his faith, while Neil encounters a woman (Rachel McAdams) from his childhood.

Review: We know Terrence Malick from then very much talked about movie “The Tree of Life”. It won in Cannes and “To the Wonder” wouldn’t be a Malick movie if you didn’t recognize his unique style. It’s again an impressionistic piece of art. “To the Wonder” follows the American Neil and the Ukrainian Marina, who live a passionate life on a French island. Together with Marina’s daughter, they move to America. When in Oklahoma, Neil starts to doubt his love for Marina and gets into touch with his old flame Jane. In the meantime Marina has gone back to France and Neil lives a loving life with Jane. Parallel to these happening we see the life of a priest, who is starting to doubt his faith.

The viewer gets little background information about the characters. You’re actually guessing the whole time. It doesn’t bother you. What does bother me is that Neil hardly says anything entire film, while Marina gets a bit more depth though her narration. Neil stays to close to the surface. The ‘silent type’ could be interesting, but it doesn’t work here.

“To the Wonder” is a nice film. Great quality, perfect camera work and wonderful cinematography. And the music is so amazing, it gives you chills in a good way. The poetic narration just finishes this all, it all fits together like pieces in a puzzle. It shows many similarities to “The Tree of Life”, it’s almost impossible not to compare. It’s all about emotions, the complexity of people and relationships and the pain you can feel.

“To the Wonder” is beautifully made, but still has some critical notes. Not a movie for just anyone, but definitely worth your time.

Rating: 3,5/ 5