100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 133: Oldboy

Director: Spike Lee

Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Action

Runtime: 104 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Imperioli, Max Casella

Description: Obsessed with vengeance, Joe Doucett (Josh Brolin) sets out to find out why he was kidnapped and locked into solitary confinement for twenty years without reason.

Review: In the same year that South Korean director Chan-Wook Park makes his Hollywood debut with the movie “Stoker”, the remake to his successful “Oldeuboi” is released. Spike Lee got the tough task to direct this movie. It’s 1993. Joe Doucett is divorced and an alcoholic. The more you get to know Joe, the more you dislike him. He’s all arrogance and he doesn’t have time for his young daughter. To make a long story short: he’s an asshole.

After he blew a meeting with an important client, he decides to get drunk. The next day he wakes up in a strange motel room. A room that he can’t get out of and he will be held captive for twenty years. When he is finally released, his journey to find out who and why starts.

“Oldeuboi” is a modern classic and people where skeptic about the American version. According to Spike Lee, this is his interpretation of the original. “Oldboy” is in general the same as its original, but Lee did change things here and there. Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen show they were the right choices for the lead roles. Sharlto Copley, known for his excellent roles in “District 9” and “Elysium”, disappoints. His antagonist role is a bit cartoonish.

It also bothered me a bit that in “Oldboy” there are more questions asked then answered. The moment where Joe meets the man responsible for his captivity, the plot collapses.

It’s not a bad remake, something the fans where afraid of. It’s probably not to their liking, but for the neutral viewer it’s an okay thriller. Not one of Spike Lee’s best movies, but very accessible.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (164)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Song One

Description: After her musician brother Henry ( BenRosenfield) is injured and hospitalized in a coma following a car accident, Franny (Anne Hathaway) returns home after a long estrangement and begins to use his notebook as a guide to how his life has evolved in her absence. Franny seeks out the musicians and artists Henry loved, in the course of her journey meeting James Forester (Johnny Flynn), his musical idol, whose success and fame belie a shy and private man. As a strong romantic connection develops between Franny and James, the question becomes if love can bloom even under the most adverse circumstances.

Director: Kate Barker-Froyland

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Rosenfield, Li Jun Li, Stefano Villabona

Trailer: Trailer "Song One"

Comment: Not an Anne Hathaway fan, but this movie looks nice.

The Cobbler

Description: Max Simkin (Adam Sandler) repairs shoes in the same New York shop that has been in his family for generations. Disenchanted with the grind of daily life, Max stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. Sometimes walking in another man's shoes is the only way one can discover who they really are.

Director: Tom McCarthy

Starring: Adam Sandler, Dustin Hoffman, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Ellen Barkin, Melonie Diaz, Dan Stevens

Trailer: Trailer "The Cobbler"

Comment: Typical Sandler.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2

Description: Paul Blart (Kevin James) heads to Las Vegas to attend a Security Guard Expo with his teenage daughter Maya (Raini Rodriguez) before she departs for college. While at the convention, he inadvertently discovers a heist, and it's up to Blart to apprehend the criminals.

Director: Andy Fickman

Starring: Kevin James, Molly Shannon, David Henrie, Eduardo Verastegui, Nicholas Turturro, Gary Valentine,Neal McDonough

Trailer: Trailer "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2"

Comment: I actually found the first one pretty funny. Not sure about the sequel though.

Escobar: Paradise Lost

Description: Young surfer Nick (Josh Hutcherson) thinks all his dreams have come true when he goes to visit his brother in Columbia. Against an idyllic backdrop of blue lagoons and white beaches, he falls madly in love with Maria (CLaudia Traisac) a beautiful Colombian girl. Everything seems perfect until he meets her uncle, Pablo Escobar (Benicio Del Toro).

Director: Andrea Di Stefano

Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Hutcherson, Brady Corbet, Claudia Traisac

Trailer: Trailer "Escobar: Paradise Lost"

Comment: Del Toro is one of my favorites.

Against the Sun

Description: WWII pilot, bombardier, and radioman find themselves adrift on a lifeboat without food or water after being forced to ditch their plane during a scouting mission.

Director: Brian Falk

Starring: Tom Felton, Jake Able, Garret Dillahunt

Trailer: Trailer "Against the Sun"

Comment: I'm somewhat excited by this trailer.

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 132: Soof

Director: Antoinette Beumer

Genre: Romance/ Comedy

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Lies Visschendijk, Fedje van Huêt, Dan Karaty, Lobke de Boer, Chantal Janzen, Anneke Blok, Alex Klaasen, George van Houts, Maryam Hassouni, Dick van den Toorn, Sanne Wallis de Vries, Eva Laurenssen

Description: Soof (Lies Visschendijk) is reaching 40 and has everything she ever wanted: three children, a small catering business, a sweet husband Kasper (Fedja van Huêt) and a lovely home. Until she starts asking herself: 'is this all there is'?

Review: The life of an average housewife isn’t all that simple, proofs director Antoinette Beumer with her romantic comedy “Soof”. Together with her husband Kasper and her three kids, Soof lives the perfect little family life. Kasper brings in the money and Soof is mostly busy with the kids. All this chaos makes it almost impossible for Soof the get her catering company of the ground. One day the couple decides to change something. Kasper takes some time off from work and Soof will be the main breadwinner. Her career as a caterer gets a boost after meeting the handsome choreographer Jim, but that also puts her relationship with Kasper in danger.

Actress Lies Visschendijk is most known for her role in the Dutch TV show “Gooische Vrouwen”. Giving her the lead is the perfect decision. Together with Fedja van Huêt, who plays her husband, she makes this film fun to watch. The supporting actors sadly don’t have that flair, especially Dan Karaty isn’t a very good actor. With that the movie misses a very tight storyline, which gives it some loose ends here and there.

If you look at the complete picture, “Soof” is an enjoyable fun for a night with the girls and it gives you a good feeling. Because sometimes the stress of the day has to be put aside to have eye for everyday beauty.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Battle: Adventureland Vs. The Way Way Back

Both movies I really loved the first time I watched them. They are both coming of age movies, centering around a guy who just tries to feel normal and start a job at a park. “Adventureland” Vs. “The Way Way Back”

 

 

CAST

Adventureland: The leading part is for the easy likeable Jesse Eisenberg. His love interest is played by Kristen Stewart and the really funny roles are for Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. Ryan Reynolds also has a role.

The Way Way Back: Relatively unknown Liam Jones plays the leading role. His mother is portrayed by Toni Collette and his douche of a stepdad is played by Steve Carell. A great role by the way. Sam Rockwell plays my favourite character in the movie, it’s impossible to not like this guy. Also a fun roles for Allison Janney and Maya Rudolph, and AnnaSophie Robb plays the love interest.

STORY

Adventureland: It’s set in 1987. Eisenberg plays college graduate James Brennan who takes a ‘nowhere’ job at his local amusement park. He thinks it’s the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world.

The Way Way Back: Duncan is a shy guy, who goes on vacation with his mom, mom’s new boyfriend and the boyfriend’s daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds just the place. He starts working at the local Water Park, where he finds an unexpected friend in manager Owen.

EFFECTS

Adventureland: The movie has a cool 80’s vibe, due to the clothes, music and surroundings.

The Way Way Back: It’s mostly about the characters and the story here. You do get a summer feeling while watching the movie.

WINNER

“The Way Way Back”. It’s such a good film, I can’t fault it. It’s a guarantee to make you feel better and gives you an instant smile.

Video of the Week (27)

Jimmy Fallon Always puts a smile on my face. And his item "Box of Lies" is super funny. Here he is with Cahnning Tatum.

 

 

Top 5 Thursday: Movies from 1989

The 80s were about to end, but not without leaving us some amazing movies. The year 1989 had some great ones. Here are my favorites.

5. Born on the 4th of July

In my opinion one of the best, if not THE best movie with Tom Cruise. An amazing true story of a man paralyzed by the war and trying to pick up his life again.

 

4. Field of Dreams

Kevin Costner portraying a baseball player again, after his role as Crash Davis in “Bull Durham”. “Field of Dreams” is better and it’s beautiful. I have to watch it again sometime.

 

 

3. Back to the Future Part II

Off course the first movie in this series was amazing, but “Back to the Future Part II” was great too. Things like the hoover board and that book with all the sports results, cool things to have.

 

 

2. When Harry met Sally…

One of my favourite romantic comedies, where you didn’t mind any clichés. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal have fantastic chemistry. And who doesn’t remember that scene in the diner.

 

 

1. The ‘Burbs

Many people would think it’s weird to find this movie at number one. It’s probably not the best movie of 1989, but without a doubt the funniest and with that it’s one of the funniest movies ever! My brother and I love this comedy.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Batman, Dead Poet’s Society, Do the Right Thing, Glory, Say Anything…

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 131: Rushmore

Director: Wes Anderson

Genre: Drama/ Comedy

Runtime: 93 minutes

Year: 1998

Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Brian Cox, Luke Wilson, Andrew Wilson, Connie Nielsen, Seymour Cassel

Description: Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is a precocious 15-year-old whose reason for living is his attendance at Rushmore, a private school where he's not doing well in any of his classes, but where he's the king of extracurricular activities. His life begins to change, however, when he finds out he's on academic probation, and when he stumbles into love with Miss Cross (Olivia Williams), a pretty teacher of the elementary school at Rushmore. Added to the mix is his friendship with Herman Blume (Bill Murray), wealthy industrialist and father to boys who attend the school, and who also finds himself attracted to Miss Cross. Max's fate becomes inextricably tied to this odd love triangle.

Review: The story of Max isn’t a very extraordinary story. The story of a boy who wants to be an adult, but isn’t. Max actually discovers that something like growing up, hardly exists. And this makes the story of “Rushmore” very extraordinary. Because of the person Max is, because he’s everything but ordinary. It’s Jason Schwartman’s debut role and a bright future is ahead of him.

Max is a typical teenager with feeling of insecurity and he hates studying. How this is worked into the film, is a-typical. Max creates his own ‘grown up world’ by starting all sorts of communities and groups and begins friendships with actual adults. For example Miss Cross, who Max falls in love with. Miss Cross is older and falls for the charms of Max’ other friend Herman Blume. But Miss Cross finds out that he’s just as childish as Max is. Because Herman Blume is still stuck in his teen years, makes him equal to Max. Even when they are fighting for the same woman, they can’t live without each other. The only difference is that Max intends to grow up eventually and Blume knows that, despite all his money, he can’t take on the world.

Director Wes Anderson gives the film a fantastic atmosphere. By using bright colors and still moments, the films has a calm and observing character. An excellent example is the scene of Blume jumping in a pool at his twin sons birthday party. This atmosphere make the experience very relaxed and the introvert acting fits it perfectly. Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray are the stars and shine in every scene. Olivia Williams also does a great job.

I’ve become a big Wes Anderson fan over the years and this, as one of his first films, is going on my favorites list.

Rating: 5/ 5