Movie Battle: American History X Vs. This is England

The two movie I choose this time, both center a pretty strong theme. It’s about a sub culture, the skinheads. There are similar because of the central theme, but they are both very different movies on their own. “American History X” Vs. “This is England”.

 

 

ACTORS

American History X: Edward Norton plays his best role so far, in my opinion. And Edward Furlong plays his little brother, also very solid. Beverly D’Angelo, Elliott Gould and Stacy Keach also portray very solid roles.

This is England: Thomas Turgoose is good as the boy the story centers around. But most impressive is Stephen Graham as Combo. His best role so far.

STORY

American History X: Norton plays former neo-nazi skinhead Derek, trying to prevend his younger brother from going down the same wrong path he did. I can remember that one scene on that curb…. Crinch!

This is England: Shaun is a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school. They become his best friends, even like family. One of Britain’s best movies.

EFFECTS

American History X: What I think is most amazing is the contrast. Present day is filmed in full color and the flashbacks from Derek’s past are in black and white.

This is England: The movie got this typical British 80’s feel to it.

WINNER

Close call, because they are both memorable movies. But it’s “American History X” that will always be on my favourites list.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 9: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Director: Wes Anderson

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 118 minutes

Year: 2004

Starring: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon, Noa Taylor, Bud Cort, Seu Jorge, Robyn Cohen

Description: With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife (Anjeica Huston) , a journalist (Cate Blanchett), and a man who may or may not be his son (Owen Wilson).

Review: “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” has a lot of elements: drama, humor, romance, fantasy. But it’s a typical Wes Anderson flick.

The movie doesn’t have any obvious, hilarious jokes. Bill Murray gets room to exploit his dry, cynical humor, which fits Anderson’s style perfectly. It’s an amusing atmosphere, that will make you chuckle at times because of its innovative comedy and look.

An eclectic group of actors. Off course Bill Murray, who is in probably every Wes Anderson movie ever made. Willem Dafoe plays the somewhat simple, manic depressed buddy of Steve Zissou. Owen Wilson plays Zissous son Ned, who has a more neutral role in the movie. His humoristic impulses are tempered, it seems a little bit off. Jeff Goldblum is fun, but not present enough. The same goes for Anjelica Huston. Cate Blanchett is good as journalist Jane, but here role didn’t really add a lot to the story. She has the unfortunate task to be the romantic object.

My favorite part of the movie is where we are introduced to the ship, the Belafonte. Due vertical and horizontal shots we get to see every single room on the ship. I love those shots in Anderson movies.

“The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” is again a pleasure to watch, because of the style, humor and cast. But it’s not one of Anderson’s masterpieces.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (172)

Here are this weeks trailers.

The Voices

Description: Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) is a lovable but disturbed factory worker who yearns for the attention of a woman in accounting. When their relationship takes a sudden turn, we follow Jerry's perspective as his talking pets, a sinister cat and benevolent dog, lead him down a fantastical, murderous path.

Director: Marjane Satrapi

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Anna Kendrick, Gemma Arterton, Jacki Weaver

Trailer: Trailer "The Voices"

Comment: This actually looks disturbingly funny!

Strange Magic

Description: A fairy tale of goblins, fairies and imps meeting for the first time and the consequent confusions and conflicts the culture clash causes.

Director: Gary Rydstrom

Starring: Alfred Molina, Kristin Chenoweth, Maya Rudolph, Peter Stormare, Evan Rachel Wood, Elijah Kelley, Alan Cumming, Sam Palladio, Meredith Anne Bull, Bob Einstein

Trailer: Trailer "Strange Magic"

Comment: I like fairytales!

Run All Night

Description: Brooklyn mobster and prolific hit man Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson), once known as The Gravedigger, has seen better days. Longtime best friend of mob boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris), Jimmy, now 55, is haunted by the sins of his past—as well as a dogged police detective who's been one step behind Jimmy for 30 years. Lately, it seems Jimmy's only solace can be found at the bottom of a whiskey glass. But when Jimmy's estranged son, Mike (Joel Kinnaman), becomes a target, Jimmy must make a choice between the crime family he chose and the real family he abandoned long ago. With Mike on the run, Jimmy's only penance for his past mistakes may be to keep his son from the same fate Jimmy is certain he'll face himself…at the wrong end of a gun. Now, with nowhere safe to turn, Jimmy just has one night to figure out exactly where his loyalties lie and to see if he can finally make things right.

Director: Jaume Collett-Sera

Starring: Liam Neeson, Nick Nolte, Ed Harris, Vincent D'Onofrio, Joel Kinnaman, Patricia Kalember, Genesis Rodriguez, Boyd Holbrook

Trailer: Trailer "Run All Night"

Comment: Liam Neeson in another action movie? Okay, it was awesome, now it's getting old.

Ant-Man

Description: Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Director: Peyton Reed

Starring: Judy Greer, Bobby Cannavale, Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Michael Pena, Martin Donovan, Wood Harris, John Slattery, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Gregg Turkington, Abby Ryder Fortson, David Dastmalchian, T.I.

Trailer: Trailer "Ant-Man"

Comment: Highly anticipated, looks pretty cool.

The Lazarus Effect

Description: When a team of research students mapping the human brain accidentally kills one of their own, they unwittingly unlock a deadly force by reanimating their colleague. Fighting for their own lives, the team must contain their colleague in the lab before she is unleashed on the world.

Director: David Gelb

Starring: Sarah Bolger, Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Evan Peters, Donald Glover

Trailer: Trailer "The Lazarus Effect"

Comment: It looks okay, but it's probably goig to be bad. The poster is cool though,.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 8: The Imitation Game

Director: Morten Tyldum

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 113 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Allen Leech, Matthew Beard, Charles Dance, Mark Strong

Description: During World War II, mathematician Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) tries to crack the enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians.

Review: During World War II, it looks like the Nazis take the upper hand, with their so called Enigma decoding machine. Mathematician Alan Turing is given the task to break that code and intercept messages. His genius is overshadowed by his social handicap. This makes it hard for his co-workers. The pressure to perform is growing and Alan’s secret is also not making it any easier.

Who has seen “A Beautiful Mind”, with Russell Crowe as John Nash, will certainly see some parallels. Both center a genius man who suffer social disabilities. In “The Imitation Game” we see three different time periods: 1927, during WO II and the fifties. This makes the buildup of the story interesting and you really get to know Alan Turing.

Benedict Cumberbatch is hard to ignore these days and in “The Imitation Game” he shows us why. He is excellent as the British pioneer and almost just as brilliant in his role as the man himself. Keira Knightley, one of my personal favorites, shows us again that she can overshadow her co-stars. Not Cumberbatch, but all the other male performers don’t stand a chance.

The décor, the great performances by Cumberbatch and Knightley and the wonderful story, make “The Imitation Game” worth your time.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 7: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Director: Brad Bird

Genre: Action

Runtime: 133 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway, Léa Seydoux, Michael Nyqvist, Tom Wilkinson, Ving Rhames, Michelle Monaghan

Description: The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

Review: A lot has changed. In the nineties Tom Cruise was a big star, but that star was not that bright anymore. Not a lot of great movies came on his path, but “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” should change all that. And it did.

The movies in the “Mission: Impossible” series were always successful and a hit at the box office. Brad Bird, known from his work at Pixar, decided to direct the fourth installment and with that “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is his first non-animation.

Like the previous movies, it’s filled with exotic places, flashy gadgets and action. Simon Pegg Is given a bigger role, as the comic relief, which is very pleasant. Jeremy Renner is introduced in the series and also a great addition to the franchise. Michael Nyqvist is the villain, which he does well. But not as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman did in “M:I-3”. Paula Patton does a good job as agent Jane Carter. Off course I don’t have to tell you that Tom Cruise did good work as Ethan Hunt, because of him I’m more of a Hunt then a Bond fan. Cruise hasn’t lost it and this is the kind of movie and role you want to see him in.

The action is the highlight of the movie. Sometimes over the top, but such a pleasure to watch. The scene with Hunt climbing the tallest building of the worlds, was my favorite.

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is a fantastic, thrilling action flick, even better than number three in the series.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 6: Whiplash

Director: Damien Chazelle

Genre: Drama/ Music

Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2014

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell, Nate Lang, Chris Mulkey, Damon Gupton, Max Kasch, Suanne Spoke, Charlie Ian, Jayson Blair, Kofi Siriboe, Kavita Patil, C.J. Vana

Description: Promising young drummer Andrew (Mile Teller) enrolls at a cutthroat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor (J.K. Simmons) who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.

Review: Musicians will always fascinate us. There a many biopics about famous musicians, but the rough way to the top is seldom showed. Director Damien Chazelle wrote a script about this. It was well received as a short film, so he got the permission to make it into a full length movie.

The prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York is the start for many great musicians. Young Andrew Neyman practices every day and night on his drums to be a part of it. During one of his session, the infamous teacher Terence Fletcher spots him. He invites Andrew to play in his exclusive band, as an alternate drummer. Quickly Andrew learns that Fletcher has a unorthodox teaching method and he will stop at nothing to realize a student’s potential.

The intense atmosphere makes “Whiplash” a wonderful movie experience. A well written script gives the lead actors the chance to show their qualities, and both take it home. J.K. Simmons is truly brilliant as Fletcher. It’s hard to see an actor. I seldom saw such an awfull person in a movie, that was so mean and harsh. He terrified me. Miles Teller confirms why he is a rising star.

“Whiplash” is one of the best movies about music. The discipline that is needed to make it in this business. even if you’re not a music fan, it’s a great joy to watch this psychological game that is played. Damien Chazelle delivered a new classic.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 5: Green Zone

Director: Paul Greengrass

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Isaacs, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Michael O’Neill, Khalid Abdalla, Antoni Corone, Yigal Naor, Sean Huze, Said Faraj, Martin McDougall, Lewis Alsamari

Description: Discovering covert and faulty intelligence causes U.S. Army officer Miller (Matt Damon) to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region.

Review: We follow Chief Warrant Officer Miller, an American officer who leads a team whose task is to track down weapon of mass destruction. The information the team has seems more and more unreliable.

Miller is a loyal soldier that was send into war for the wrong reasons. Based on his ideals he starts an investigations when he is asked to just do his job. Matt Damon manages to convince the viewers, even though he doesn’t have a lot to work with. To tell the story, the plot introduces a series of very well cast roles, that don’t get enough screen time. Journalist Lawrie Dayne is a sharp investigator, played by Amy Ryan. The same goes for Brendan Gleeson, who plays CIA agent Martin Brown. Oscar Isaacs, as marine Briggs, is seriously underused.

The source material of “Green Zone” has a political note, but director Greengrass made it into a limited drama with a talented cast and lots of action, with the potential to be a political intrigue story.

Rating: 3/ 5