Best & Worst: Bruce Willis

A lot of people don’t consider Bruce Willis a good actor, but I think he has proven many times that he is very good indeed. He is actually one of my favorites, not only in action movies. I enjoy his movies, his performances and he has done some really good movies. Here are my best and worst pick.

 

 

His most memorable movie and character! When I think of Bruce Willis and when I have to name one action movie, “Die Hard” is the one. The best he made and my favorite. Probably not the most surprising choice.

Honorable Mentions: “Sin City”, “Die Hard with a Vengeance”, “Moonrise Kingdom”, “The Sixth Sense”, “Unbreakable”, “Pulp Fiction”, “Twelve Monkeys”, “The Fifth Element”, “Looper”

 

 

The one that made him famous was “Die Hard, but this fifth instalment was what killed the franchise. This movie is so bad, John McClane doesn’t even get into a fight here. It’s terrible! And the bad guy is tap dancing while eating a carrot. Well….. It sucks.

Dishonorable Mentions: "Hudson Hawk", "Charlie Angels: Full Throttle", "Color of Night", "Mortal Thoughts"

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 31: This is Where I Leave You

Director: Shawn Levy

Genre: Drama/ Comedy

Runtime: 103 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, Corey Stoll, Dax Shepard, Connie Britton, Timothy Olyphant, Rose Byrne, Katherine Hahn, Abigail Spencer, Debra Monk

Description: When their father passes away, four grown siblings are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens.

Review: In “This is Where I Leave You” we follow a family that comes together after the father of the family died. There are a lot of unsolved issues, frictions and relationship problems and this doesn’t make the mourning process any easier.

After Judd finds his wife in bed with his boss, he gets a call from his sister Wendy, that their father passed away. His father wants to be buried within the Jewish tradition and this means they have a ‘sitting Shiva’. Here people will visit them for an entire week, to give them their condolences. Which also means that the family has to be together the entire time.

The family is a party of five: Judd, sister Wendy, oldest brother Paul, youngest brother Philip and mother Hilary. Judd is trying to deal with his upcoming divorce and he also bumps into a woman he used to like. Wendy is married with two children, but her husband is a work-aholic and she is secretly still in love with her first love Horry, who she was in an accident with. Paul and his wife Annie are desperately trying to have a child, but nothing has worked so far. Philip, who just brought home his new girlfriend Tracey who is much older, never really grew up. Mother Hilary has to deal with all her children, while also saying her final goodbyes to her husband.

The movie is a mix of drama and comedy, but the focus is more on the drama. Although that’s very light. There are subtle jokes and especially the dysfunctionality of the family is funny. All the characters are really interesting to get to know.

The cast is really good. Jason Bateman plays a role he has played before, but he is likeable and proofs he can carry a movie. Tina Fey is also strong in a more serious role then we are used to from her. Adam Driver is solid and Jane Fonda is delightful as the mother, who sometimes overshares information that as a kid you wouldn’t be very happy with.

“This is Where I Leave You” is an excellent film about a family with problems. Dysfunctional families somehow always interest me, it reminds me of how great mine is.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (February 2016)

I have to say, I didn’t see a lot of new movies this month. But I did see some movie that have a chance of ending up on my end year’s list for this challenge or best films of 2016. Here are the five best movies I watched in February for my challenge.

5. Robin Hood

I’ve always been fascinated by the character of Robin Hood and there are so many different versions of this old story. Off course the Kevin Costner version, which holds a special place in my heart. But Disney’s take on the hero is amazing! I loved “Robin Hood”.

 

 

4. Deadpool

It was way funnier than I initially thought it would be and Ryan Reynolds is great in “Deadpool”. I love the self-mockery. It’s a nice variety in the superhero movie universe, it separates itself from the other films in the genre.

 

 

3. Galaxy Quest

I’m so glad I finally got to see “Galaxy Quest”. It was so funny! And I loved Alan Rickman in this film. Such a different role for him, yet so perfect.

 

 

2. The Revenant

Amazing movie. I wanted to see this movie for a long time and it didn’t disappoint. Fantastic cinematography and great acting.

 

 

1. Spotlight

This movie amazed me, shocked me, interested me, grabbed me, gave me chills, captivated me. It did all that! And Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams are very good in it too.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Grizzly Man, Interstellar, The Age of Adaline

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 30: Malcolm X

Director: Spike Lee

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 202 minutes

Year: 1992

Starring: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr., Spike Lee, Delroy Linda, Kate Vernon, Lonette McKee, Tommy Hollis, James McDaniel, Ernest Thomas, Jean-Claude La Marre, Theresa Randle, O.L. Due, Larry McCoy

Description: Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader (Denzel Washington), from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam.

Review: “Malcolm X” is an impressive film, that tells the story of an extraordinary American. Malcolm X was, like Martin Luther King, a fighter for equal rights for African Americans. The difference was that Martin Luther King did this together with the white people, he didn’t want to use any violence. Malcolm X didn’t deny he would use violence if necessary. It’s clear director Spike Lee was an admirer of Malcolm X.

Spike Lee has made films about the position of the African American in the US before. Best known is “Do the Right Thing” from 1989. In “Malcolm X’’ he shows us again, but this time it’s a biography.

Denzel Washington is very convincing as Malcolm X. He is the star of the film and has no trouble carrying this movie. The length of the movie is a problem though. It’s over 3 hours long and that is way too long for a film with only dialogue and no action.

Today, “Malcolm X” is still relevant and topical. A very strong biopic.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 29: Room

Director: Lenny Abrahamson

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 118 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, Matt Gordon

Description: After five-year-old Jack(Jacob Tremblay) and his mother (Brie Larson) escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery.

Review: “Room” is based on the book by Emma Donoghue, who was inspired by the real life story of Austrian Josef Fritzl. He locked his own daughter up in a basement, for 24 years. Director Lenny Abrahamson turned it into a movie and Donoghue was asked to write the script.

Room is a shed where young Jack and his mother Joy live. For Joy it’s a prison, but for her five year old son it’s the only world he knows. Joy tries to make their life as normal as possible. She teaches him to read, they cook together, she tells him stories. At night Jack sleeps in a closet, while Joy has to please her abductor who they call Old Nick. Now that Jack is five, Joy thinks it’s the right time to tell him about the world outside Room, but Jack doesn’t believe her.

Although “Room” is inspired by true stories about abducted women who were kept captive, the abduction and captivity is not the main focus. More than a thriller, “Room” is a heartbreaking drama about the power of motherly love and the possibility to find light in the most darkest situations. The fantastic element about “Room” is that we see it through the eyes of Jack, how he sees Room and how he sees the world.

The strong acting is also the movie’s strength. Brie Larson won an Academy Award for her role and she very well deserved it. But also young Jacob Tremblay, what a promising talent. Their interaction is so convincing.

Although there is not as much time to tell the story as you get while reading the book, “Room” managed to do this very well. A movie that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Already a favorite of this year!

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 28: 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days

Director: Cristian Mungiu

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 113 minutes

Year: 2007

Starring: Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Alexandru Potocean, Ion Sapdaru, Teodor Corban, Tania Popa, Cerasela Iosifescu, Doru Ana, Eugenia Bosânceanu, Marioara Sterian, Adi Carauleanu, Ion Grosu

Description: A woman (Anamaria Marinca) assists her friend (Laura Vasiliu) in arranging an illegal abortion in 1980s Romania.

Review: There aren’t many films with a heavy theme like abortion, that is approached in such an adult way. Most films, like “The Cider House Rules” for instance, have a strong moral. But “4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days” doesn’t point fingers or tell you whether it’s good or bad to have an abortion. The film starts with a young woman who wants an abortion, no matter what. You don’t know what happened before she made this decision, but the focus is on that decision and the consequences of it. The woman lives in ‘80s Romania, a country where abortion is illegal.

Romania, 1987, the last days of communism. Otilia and Gabita are students and share a room in Bukarest. Gabita is pregnant. They meet with a man named Mr. Bebe in a cheap hotel, he will execute the abortion Gabita wants. But Mr. Bebe doesn’t want money, he asks for something else.

As an audience we are very close to everything that happens. The use of a shoulder camera gets us very close to all the happenings and there are hardly any cuts in the film. There are many scenes where the camera doesn’t move and we just see it as it is. This visual style looks cheap, but is perfect for a movie as delicate as “4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days”.

This also gives us some moments that could have been left out, like a certain dinner scene. This loses your attention a bit. It takes your attention away from the actual plot. Luckily it’s only that one moment. The rest of the film feels very realistic, has an anguished feel to it. And the start is very mysterious if you don’t know too much about the plot.

The actresses in the film, who are relatively unknown, add believability to the film. “4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days” won a Palme d’Or in Cannes and I totally understand why.

It’s a confronting film, really strong and worth your time.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Marry, Kiss, Cliff - Round 13

Round 13: James Bond (“Bond”-series), Jonathan Trager (“Serendipity”) and Dutch (“Predator”)

Marry: I would definitely marry Jonathan Trager. The things he does to find the love of his life, that’s just amazing.

Kiss: I choose muscles, I would go for Dutch! He’s the real deal when it comes to tough guys. And he also has some cool one-liners.

Cliff: I’m sorry James, but you’re going down. He’s actually a male slut and technically he’s also an alcoholic. He drinks way to much martinis. And when I push him off a cliff, he would probably survive in some mysterious way. With flying shoes or a parachute up his sleeve.