100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 107: The Counselor

Director: Ridley Scott

Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Drama

Runtime: 118 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt

Description: A rich and successful lawyer, the Counselor (Michael Fassbender), is about to get married to his fiancée (Penélope Cruz) but soon becomes entangled in a complex drug plot with a middle-man known as Westray (Brad Pitt). The plan ends up taking a horrible twist and he must protect himself and his soon to be bride as the truth of the drug business is uncovered and targets are eliminated.

Review: With “The Counselor”, writer Cormac McCarthy delivers his first film scenario. The author is known for movie adaptations of his novels “No Country for Old Men” and “The Road”. His work seems to lend itself perfectly for the big screen, but it doesn’t necessary lead to success. That’s what is proved with “The Counselor”.

The movie takes us to the dark world of drug trafficking between Mexico and the United States. A business filled with greed and decadence and a world that’s hard to escape from. Counselor experiences that himself, when he chooses money over honor. He wants to secure his future with his fiancé Laura, so he decides to get involved. His eccentric business partners Reiner and Westray make a deal, that could eventually get them 20 million dollars. Off course nothing goes according to plan.

The failure of the plan is very predictable. The biggest problem is the dialogue. Every action, plot twist and progression happens during a dialogue. It gets a bit unilateral, but also results in unsurprising progression. Strangely enough sex is a big theme in many of the conversations, which also gives us a weird scene of Cameron Diaz on a windshield. Because of all this, the character’s motives are never really clear. It makes everything very incoherent. This might work in a novel, but the movie needs more than the spoken word.

Director Ridley Scott tries to put movement in the stiff scenes, and he succeeds. The montage is great and the trouble at the borders is clearly present. The acting is fine. Javier Bardem, with again a very weird look, is most enjoyable. Because “The Counselor” is so focused on dialogue, the conclusion of this film never sticks. It’s not all bad, but “The Counselor” could have been a lot better. One missed shot.

Rating: 2/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 106: Scarecrow

Director: Sheldon Wilson

Genre: Horror

Runtime: 86 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Lacey Chabert, Richard Harmon, Nicole Muñoz, Robin Dunn, Brittney Wilson, Julia Maxwell, Iain Belcher, Kevin O’Grady, Reilly Dolman

Description: For generations, it was an urban legend that lived in the nightmares of children. Now, the season to rejuvenate the tale will revive a town's darkest fears. With the Scarecrow Festival on the horizon, school teacher Aaron Harris (Richard Harmon) is doling out punishment for six students serving detention. Their task: help Aaron's ex-girlfriend Kristen (Lacey Chabert) fix her family farm before it's sold. But the cornfields circling the farm come with a legend-and Tyler takes macabre delight in recounting the tale: It never sleeps, it never dies, it can't be stopped, hear their cries. The Scarecrow lives to kill us all. Keep it buried in the fall...

Review: Sometimes there is this horror movie that, when you read its synopsis, you know your expectations are low. But there are also times that you’re just in the mood for a bad horror movie. If you’re looking for that, “Scarecrow” is the right movie.

A teacher is driving six of his student to a farm, where they have to help fix it before it’s sold, as part of their detention. The cornfield comes with a legend: the scarecrow has killed people. Off course no one believes it, until it is actually happening.

I actually got what I expected: bad acting, cheesy and unintelligent dialogues, stereotypes and a lot of clichés. “Scarecrow” isn’t scary at all. When I’m watching a horror movie, I’m always on edge, because I scare easily. Not once did it scare me, not once! Well, to me that’s a bad horror movie. But a different kind of bad, because other bad scary films entertain you at least because it’s so silly. “Scarecrow” takes itself way too seriously.

“Scarecrow” is not worth your time.

Rating: 0,5 / 5

Marry, Kiss, Cliff - Round 5

Round 5: Jerry Maguire (“Jerry Maguire”), Ted Stroehmann (“There’s Something About Mary”) and Patrick Bateman (“American Psycho”)

Marry: I think you could call yourself very lucky if Ted Stroehmann is your husband. Although he isn’t always very lucky himself. Well, neither am I so we would understand each other. Ted is such a sweet man.

Kiss: Jerry Maguire is kind of a player, but also has a soft side. If he would tell me “you complete me”, I would melt…

Cliff: I would easily push Patrick Bateman of a cliff. He’s a yuppie, obsessed with his own appearance and, oh yeah, he’s insane! I wouldn’t want him to chase me with a chainsaw.

Top 5 Thursday: Saturday Night Live Cast Members

“Saturday Night Live” is still the most popular sketch show in America and it has brought us some of today’s favourite comedians and actors. Here are my favourite SNL Cast member of all time.

5. Jason Sudeikis

I don’t know why, but he always stuck. He didn’t really cross any lines, but he was always present and hard to overlook somehow. I especially liked him in combination with Kristen Wiig.

 

4. Adam Sandler

Maybe not the best actor, but a great comedian. I especially loved him as Opera Man, where he sang the most ridiculous songs about even more ridiculous subjects.

 

3. Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd was a part of the cast in the first four seasons. His humor was intelligent, he could easily join the Monty Python crew. He was one of the Coneheads, the Blues Brothers and off course his perfect impersonation of Julia Child.

 

 

2. Will Ferrell

Will Ferrell is very versatile. He could play characters from George W. Bush, to Alex Trebek and Steve Butabi. And don’t forget the cheerleader and the cowbell guy.

 

 

 

1. Kristen Wiig

Kristen Wiig was one of the most vital females of SNL history. She could be glamorous, over the top and often very awkward. As the female A-hole and one of the Fingerlakes siters, but also very annoying and absurd characters like Penelope, Gilly and the Target lady. Who doesn’t love Kristen?

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: John Belushi, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Chris Farley

Video of the Week (19)

I always love the moments where I just find great videos by accident. That's how I found this video, about Starbucks. Many people complain about their name spelled wrong on their cups. Well this guy, Paul Gale, explains to you why that happens. It's really funny!

 

 

Quotables: "Up in the Air"

Although it’s not a very spectacular movie, I like “Up in the Air” somehow. It’s enjoyable, there is good acting and I just want to watch it whenever it’s on TV. Here are some memorable quotes from “Up in the Air”.

Ryan Bingham: How much does your life weigh? Imagine for a second that you're carrying a backpack. I want you to pack it with all the stuff that you have in your life... you start with the little things. The shelves, the drawers, the knickknacks, then you start adding larger stuff. Clothes, tabletop appliances, lamps, your TV... the backpack should be getting pretty heavy now. You go bigger. Your couch, your car, your home... I want you to stuff it all into that backpack. Now I want you to fill it with people. Start with casual acquaintances, friends of friends, folks around the office... and then you move into the people you trust with your most intimate secrets. Your brothers, your sisters, your children, your parents and finally your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend. You get them into that backpack, feel the weight of that bag. Make no mistake your relationships are the heaviest components in your life. All those negotiations and arguments and secrets, the compromises. The slower we move the faster we die. Make no mistake, moving is living. Some animals were meant to carry each other to live symbiotically over a lifetime. Star crossed lovers, monogamous swans. We are not swans. We are sharks.

Natalie Keener: I thought I'd be engaged by now. I thought by 23, I'd be married, maybe have a kid, corner office by day, entertaining at night. I was supposed to be driving a Grand Cherokee by now.

 

Ryan Bingham: You know that moment when you look into somebody's eyes and you can feel them staring into your soul and the whole world goes quiet just for a second?

Natalie Keener: Yes.

Ryan Bingham: Right. Well, I don't.

Ryan Bingham: [on getting through airport security] Never get behind old people. Their bodies are littered with hidden metal and they never seem to appreciate how little time they have left. Bingo, Asians. They pack light, travel efficiently, and they have a thing for slip on shoes. Gotta love 'em.

Natalie Keener: That's racist.

Ryan Bingham: I'm like my mother, I stereotype. It's faster.

Ryan Bingham: The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places; and one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over.

Ryan Bingham: You know why kids love athletes?

Bob: Because they screw lingerie models.

Ryan Bingham: No, that's why we love athletes. Kids love them because they follow their dreams.

 

Natalie Keener: Can you stop condescending for one second or is that one of the principles of your bullshit philosophy?

Flight Attendant: Would you like the cancer?

Ryan Bingham: What?

Flight Attendant: Would you like the can, sir?

Ryan Bingham: Last year I spent 322 days on the road, which means I had to spend 43 miserable days at home.

Ryan Bingham: Are you angry at your computer?

Natalie Keener: I type with purpose.

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 105: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller

Genre: Crime/ Thriller

Runtime: 103 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Eva Green, Powers Boothe, Dennis Haysbert, Ray Liotta, Christopher Meloni, Jeremy Piven, Christopher Lloyd, Jamie King, Juno Temple, Stacy Keach, Marton Csokas, Jamie Chung

Description: Some of Sin City's most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with a few of its more reviled inhabitants.

Review: “Sin City”(2005), the original adaptation of Frank Miller’s successful graphic novel, was a dark telling of the underworld of the society in the fictive town Basin City. Especially the style of the film caught everyone’s eye. The sequel adds the 3D effect and makes it an experience again.

Like the first movie “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” is a beautifully made movie. The film noir style is clearly present, the contrast of the black and white and sometimes the color of green eyes, golden blond hair and red lips looks amazing again. The violence is grotesque and the narration feels gloomy and raw, filled with memorable one-liners. Animation and live-action are combined. The 3D effect gives more depth and it really adds something extra to the movie experience. Everything together makes this movie a joy to watch.

Some might feel that the story is much of the same, but to me there was never a moment of boredom. I never expected it to top “Sin City” but it came damn close. Exactly what I expected from “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”.

Rating: 4,5/ 5