100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 119: The Conjuring

Director: James Wan

Genre: Horror/ Thriller

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor, Shanley Caswell, Haylet McFarland, Joey King, Mackenzie Foy, Kyla Deaver, Shannon Kook, John Brotherton, Sterling Jerins, Marion Guyot, Morganna Bridgers, Amy Tipton, Zach Pappas, Rose Bachter, J. Donovan Nelson, Christop Veillon, Carmella Gioio, Steve Coulter

Description: Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.

Review: The movie is set in 1971 and is based on the true story of Roger and Carolyn Perron, who move to a beautiful house in New England with their five daughters. It doesn’t take long before strange things start to happen. At night the clocks always stop at 3.07, Carolyn has mysterious bruises on her body, unidentified clapping during a game of hide and seek and birds flying against the windows. After an unpleasant event the Perrons decide to call for help. Ed and Lorraine Warren are paranormal investigators and try to find out the dark secrets of the house.

The story of “The Conjuring” has been done so many times, but the way it’s executed is just sublime. Clichés are clichés, but when they are done well it’s not a problem. Old houses are creepy, with their cracking sounds and basement filled with old stuff. The images aren’t new either: doors that open, strange toys, dark corners. It is all done so well, that you’re sucked in and it’s terrifying. With that director James Wan has a great sense of subtle timing, it scares you at the moments you know something is going to happen. This is also because of the good sound effects.

“The Conjuring” manages to avoid the traps. He chooses suspense over CGI and that’s the way I like to see a good horror thriller. The focus is also on the characters. The Perrons are a sympathetic family, they react naturally to the happenings in their house. It always bothers me when characters hold on to “there has to be a rational explanation for all this”. The acting is also fantastic, especially Vera Farmiga is wonderful in her role. You feel the fear they feel.

The first part of the film is the strongest. You feel a constant threat. I always find the things you don’t see more scary than the ones you do see. A movie I found hard to watch by myself, because it’s truly terrifying. A horror movie is good when it genuinely scares you and that’s what “The Conjuring” did.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Moments: "Marley & Me"

This is one of those movie that make me laugh and smile, but cry like a baby at the end. It was supposed to be a comedy! I just love Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston together and this is such a great film. Here are my favorite moments.

Moment # 1: Puppy Marley

When Jennifer starts talking about children, it frightens John. His friend advised him to start with a dog, to take Jenny’s mind of the kids. So John takes Jenny to see puppies.

Moment # 2: The name

While he’s not named yet, puppy Marley is in the car with John. When the radio plays a Bob Marley song, the puppy barks. This gives John the idea of naming him Marley.

Moment # 3: Damages

When it’s thundering outside, John puts Marley in the garage. When Jennifer and John return home, they see what damage Marley has done to the garage. That is just the beginning.

Moment # 4: Training

Jennifer and John decide to take Marley to a dog training class. Soon it’s clear that Marley is hard to train and he humps the trainer.

Moment # 5: Car window

While riding in a car with Marley, John and Jenny think it’s a good idea if Marley can stick his head out of the window. Not a good idea, because Marley wants to get out of the window. It results in John holding him whil Marley is walking besides the car.

Moment # 6: Marley comforts Jennifer

After just finding out that she has lost their first baby, Jennifer is devastated. But then there is Marley to comfort her.

Moment # 7: Vacation

While Jennifer and John are on a vacation in Ireland, they have a house sitter to take care of Marley. She soon finds out Marley is the dog from hell.

Moment # 8: Baby Patrick

Jennifer and John just had their first baby, son Patrick. There comes the moment where Marley meets Patrick.

Moment # 9: Day at the beach

John is taking Marley to the beach. Dogs are allowed there, if they don’t do a number two. He unleashes Marley, who is having the best time ever. Other owners start unleashing their dogs too. But then Marley decides it’s time to go for a... drop.

Moment # 10: Alone time

John takes a walk with Marley, looking back on their time together now Marley is getting old.

Moment # 11: Bye Marley

Marley is old and sick and his time has come. John brings him to the vet and says goodbye to him. Even writing about it makes me ball my eyes out.

 

Favorite Moment: Moment # 6: Marley comforts Jennifer

Movie Trailer Sunday (204)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Our Brand is Crisis

Description: A feature film based on the documentary "Our Brand Is Crisis", which focuses on the use of American political campaign strategies in South America.

Director: David Gordon Green

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie, Scoot McNairy

Trailer: Trailer "Our Brand is Crisis"

Comment: Bullock is back!

Demolition

Description: A successful investment banker (Jake Gyllenhaal) struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash.

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper

Trailer: Trailer "Demolition"

Comment: Jake and Naomi!!!!

The 5th Wave

Description: In the new film The 5th Wave, four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth decimated. Cassie (Chloë Grace Moretz) is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother.

Director: J Blakeson

Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Ron Livingston, Maggie Siff, Liev Schreiber, Maika Monroe, Nick Robinson, Maria Bello

Trailer: Trailer "The 5th Wave"

Comment: We call them the others.... ooehoooe.

I Smile Back

Description: Laney Brooks (Sarah Silverman) does bad things. Married with kids, she takes the drugs she wants, sleeps with the men she wants, disappears when she wants. Now, with the destruction of her family looming, and temptation everywhere, Laney makes one last desperate attempt at redemption.

Director: Adam Salky, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Billy Magnussen

Starring: Sarah Silverman

Trailer: Trailer "I Smile Back"

Comment: Sarah Silverman just got serious

The Program

Description: An Irish sports journalist (Chris O'Dowd) becomes convinced that Lance Armstrong's (Ben Foster) performances during the Tour de France victories are fueled by banned substances. With this conviction, he starts hunting for evidence that will expose Armstrong.

Director: Stephen Frears

Starring: Ben Foster, Chris o'Dowd, Lee Pace, Bryan Greenberg,

Trailer: Trailer "The Program"

Comment: The story behind a deception that shocked us all.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 118: The Drop

Director: Michaël R. Roskam

Genre: Crime/ Drama

Runtime: 106 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini, Matthias Schoenaerts, John Ortiz, Elizabeth Rodgiguez, Michael Aronoy, Morgan Spector, Michael Esper, Ross Bickell, James Frencheville, Tobias Segal, Patricia Squire, Ann Dowd, Chris Sullivan

Description: Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foes all work together to make a living - no matter the cost.

Review: Again we had to say goodbye to a good actor. “The Drop” marks the last film for the in June 2013 diseased James Gandolfini. It’s a nice goodbye, because it’s a really good film.

The Belgian director Michaël R. Roskam got fame for his Oscar nominated debut “Rundskop”. “The Drop” is his first America movie. The term ‘drop bar’ means that criminals drop money at a bar, a so called bank for criminals. The bar’ Cousin Marv’s’ in Brooklyn is an example. Bob (Tom Hardy) and his cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) run it. Everything goes fine until a somewhat amateurish robbery takes place. Bob and Marv are held responsible for the stolen money and need to get it back.

A melancholic report from one of the many possible stories from the underworld of Brooklyn, that’s how “The Drop” can be described. Tom Hardy is a great actor and again shows that as the good guy Bob. It’s great how his character develops and how strong his performance is. James Gandolfini also does a great job. It’s not a very big role, but it’s memorable. Matthias Schoenarts is convincing as the dominant Erik and Noomi Rapace shines as well. A cast to die for.

That well written story also makes this movie good. The tempo is just right, not too fast, just the right buildup. “The Drop” is an overlooked film from 2014, that’s definitely a shame. It’s worth your time, because it’s a very good film.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Revenge Movies

It’s all about revenge in this top 5. Okay, it’s better not that take revenge, but in movies it’s always so awesome. Here are my five favorite revenge movies.

5. V for Vendetta

Although V is called a terrorist, people who watch the movie all root for him. V is one of the coolest anti-heroes ever and “V for Vendetta” is super awesome.

 

 

4. Inglourious Basterds

Taking revenge on those Nazi bastards! That’s what this is about and you don’t feel sorry for them. Especially Shoshanna takes ultimate revenge.

 

 

3. Die Hard with a Vengeance

It’s in the title. Not very bright of ‘Simon’ to take revenge on John McClane. You just don’t f*** with McClane.

 

 

2. Léon

The most recent watch of this list. “Léon” is kick-ass and touching at the same time. A movie that I never get tired of.

 

 

1. Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2

This is my ultimate revenge film (I’m cheating a bit, but they are both awesome and technically they were meant to be one movie). The Bride is probably one of the best movie characters when it comes to taking revenge. And she saves the best for last…. Bill.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Memento, Dead Man’s Shoes, Double Jeopardy, Machete, The Crow

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 117: American Ultra

Director: Nima Nourizadeh

Genre: Action/ Comedy

Runtime: 99 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman

Description: A stoner (Jesse Eisenberg) - who is in fact a government agent - is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he's too well-trained and too high for them to handle.

Review: Films, where the leads are stoners, can nowadays be put into its own genre. Think of movies like “Pineapple Express” and “Dude, Where’s My Car?”. “American Ultra” is also one of those films.

Mike is a nobody, who spends his days smoking weed and hang out with his girlfriend Phoebe, while working at the local supermarket. His anxiety to leave town doesn’t really help him any further either. A woman visits him at work and starts talking to him in words he doesn’t understand. Mike sends her away and not long after that two armed men try to kill him. Surprising himself, he overpowers them. How is it possible that he can do that?

The movie is meant to be a comedic action movie, but you’re never sure if this is supposed to be taken seriously or that it’s a parody on the genre of spy thrillers. The cast is good though. Jesse Eisenberg was made for a role like this and has great chemistry with Kristen Stewart. Topher Grace was funny and Connie Britton did a good job too.

Besides a few cool action scenes, the story develops slowly and the ending isn’t surprising at all. The movie is not as spectacular as the trailer let us believe.

The movie is somewhat entertaining, but I had higher expectations. The concept is great, the execution sadly isn’t.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Favorites: 50/ 50

Synopsis: Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a 27 year old writer of radio programs and is diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer. With the help of his best friend (Seth Rogen), his mother (Angelica Huston), and a young therapist (Anna Kendrick) at the cancer center, Adam learns what and who the most important things in his life are.

 

 

Unique Selling Point: It always amazed me how they could tell a story with such a heavy theme so light and with humor. It isn’t a sob story, it’s a movie with a lot of heart. And the cast is outstanding.

Most Valuable Player: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who else? Movies like this hardly ever get an Academy Award nomination, but they missed one here. It was an Oscar worthy performance, very sincere and he made Adam Lerner one of the most likeable characters in movie history.

Best Moment: Adam is about to go into surgery. His parents are there and Adam realizes this could be the last time he sees them. He’s scared. It’s really a heartbreaking moment, I just wanted to hug him.