10s Movie Review - The Predator

Director: Shane Black
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Thriller
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown, Thomas Jane, Alfie Allen, Jake Busey, Yvonne Strahovski

Description: When a young boy (Jacob Tremblay) accidentally triggers the universe's most lethal hunters' return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist can prevent the end of the human race.

Review: With “The Predator”, director Shane Black tries to bring the nostalgia back to life, from the 1987 original (Fun fact: Black was actually in that film). The film is iconic, especially because of its one-liners coming from Arnold Schwarzenegger.
And they use these one-liners, but change them. Auch…. Not very clever. Then only clever choice is to copy the level of ‘macho’ from the original.
The film never gets scary or exciting. It’s a very messy film with no memorable characters, besides the Predator himself off course.
This movie wasn’t really necessary, I’ll stick with the Arnold Schwarzenegger film.

Rating: 2 / 5

10s Movie Review - The Happytime Murders

Director: Brian Henson
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 91 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Leslie David Baker, Joel McHale, Cynthy Wu, Michael McDonald, Mitch Silpa, Hemky Madera, Brennan Spens, Ryan Tran, Fortune Feimster, Bill Barretta

Description: When the puppet cast of a '90s children's TV show begin to get murdered one by one, a disgraced LAPD detective-turned-private eye puppet (Bill Barretta) takes on the case.

Review: In “The Happytime Murders”, the Sesamestrees and Muppet-like puppets lose their innocence. With this comedy, Brian Henson seems to rebel against his father Jim Henson’s legacy. Jim Henson was the mastermind behind “Sesamestreet”, “The Muppet Show” and “Fraggle Rock”. Brian Henson used them for a more adult themed film in “The happytime Murders”, where we see a parody of the film noir detectives like “Chinatown” or “L.A. Confidential”. A promising idea, but cringing humor.
Where in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” people lived in the same world as cartoon characters , puppets live together with people in “The Happytime Murders”. Puppets have the same rights as people, but are treated like second-hand citizens. Phil Philips was the first puppet cop hired by the L.A.P.D., but due to an incident he got fired. Since then he is working as a private detective, had a drinking problem and can’t seem to leave the past behind him. When a serial killer is out there murdering the cast of the former TV show ‘The Happytime Gang’, Phil is forced to work together with his former (human) partner Edwards.
From the first minute it’s clear it’s not a normal muppet-like film. Especially when Philips has to visit a sex shop for his first case. It causes hilarity. At first. But very early on in the movie, it falls into juvenile and cringeworthy jokes.
I really loved this concept and I was looking forward to seeing this film. But it only manages to meet my expectations in the first 15 minutes. It’s all downhill from there.

Rating: 1,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Moana

Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
Genre: Fantasy/ Animation/ Musical
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Auli’I Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk, Oscar Knightley, Troy Polamalo, Puanani Cravalho, Louise Bush

Description: In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the Demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) reaches Moana's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the Demigod to set things right.

Review: Disney is planning to bring a lot of classic animations to life in the form of real-action. But luckily we also get to meet new heroes and heroines. We meet Moana, the daughter of a Polynesian tribe leader. She goes on a quest for demigod Maui, to save her island.
Disney explores another new cultural background and adds a new heroin to the Disney universe. Moana is a strong and independent young woman, who can easily take care of herself. She fights, sails and leads. A modern ideal in comparison with the classic princess, who simply falls hopelessly into prince charming’s arms. And talking about knights in shining armors, who is looking for romance, “Moana” is not that film. The focus is on the adventure and that’s nice for a change!
It’s not only because of the emancipation and the modern roles that makes “Moana” fit in this modern world we live in now. It also kills all the stereotypes. Moana actually has curves and is a believable character.
I’m glad Disney changes the standards from time to time. They did create heroic female leads before, like in “Mulan” and “Brave”. And “Moana” is a great addition to the list. It looks beautiful, which isn’t a surprise with Disney. It’s such a colorful and vibrant film. It has great action scenes, but it does miss a villain. The humor is also solid and the songs are catchy and well written (by Lin-Manuel Miranda).
There are some moments where “Moana” goes back to the predictable Disney territory and it does miss a bit of spirit here and there.
A great new recipe, different in a good way.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movies to Look Forward to - February 2019

February doesn't have a lot in store, only 4 movies I think will be worth watching. Here they are!

February 6th – The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Director: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Tiffany Haddish, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Nick Offerman, Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade
Description: It's been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: Lego invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild.

February 7th – The Prodigy
Director: Nicholas McCarthy
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Peter Mooney, Brittany Allen, Colm Feore
Description: A mother (Taylor Schilling) concerned about her young son's disturbing behavior thinks something supernatural may be affecting him.

February 21st – Cold Pursuit
Director: Hans Petter Moland
Starring: Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, Emmy Rossum , David O’Hara, William Forsythe
Description: A snowplow driver seeks revenge against the drug dealers he thinks killed his son. Based on the 2014 Norwegian film 'In Order of Disappearance'.

February 28th – Vice
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell
Description: The story of Dick Cheney (Christian Bale), an unassuming bureaucratic Washington insider, who quietly wielded immense power as Vice President to George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell), reshaping the country and the globe in ways that we still feel today.

10s Movie Review - BlacKkKlansman

Director: Spike Lee
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Alec Baldwin, Laura Harrier, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Robert John Burke, Brian Tarantina, Arthur J. Nascarella, Ken Garito, Frederick Weller, Michael Buscemi, Damaris Lewis, Ato Blankson-Wood, Corey Hawkins, Dared Wright, Faron Salisbury, Ryan Eggold, Jasper Pääkkönen

Description: Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), an African American police officer from Colorado Springs, CO, successfully manages to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan branch with the help of a Jewish surrogate (Adam Driver) who eventually becomes its leader. Based on actual events.

Review: Director Spike Lee starts with a raging Alec Baldwin, trying to film a promo video for the Ku Klux Klan. We also see clips from “Gone with the Wind”, a classic with a doubting reputation because it romanticized the slave period. The opening scene is funny, but also has a worrying undertone. And that’s also the tone for “BlacKkKlansman”. Lee tells the bizarre yet true story about racism in the 70s, which shows the painful and entertaining political and social situation and brings it back to modern day America.
“BlacKkKlansman” is a typical Spike Lee movie: angry, funny, colorful, painful and topical. It’s funny to see Alec Baldwin being cast as a KKK member, he is known for his Trump imitation. And lines like ‘America First’, ‘take back our country’ and ‘to achieve its greatness again’ are used very often in this film.
This starting point is perfect for a director like Spike Lee. At the end of the 70s, tha black cop Ron Stallworth manages to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan branch in Colorado Springs. he pretented to support the KKK and was in close contact over the phone with the klan, even with the ‘Imperial Wizard’ David Duke himself. When he has to meet th members, he sends his white, Jewish colleague Flip Zimmerman.
The movie is based on Stallworth’s book, that he wrote many years after the fact because of secrecy.
The most impressive scene is also the one with the least nuance. Lee jumps masterfully between two meetings that happen at the same time: a ceremony where members of the KKK are cheering during the showing of the classic film “Birth of a Nation” and a meeting of a black student group where an elderly man tells about how his childhood friend was killed by the KKK.
“BlacKkKlansman” is a fantastic film, with a parallel between the past and present. It’s powerful and very wonderfully done, how Lee manages to wrap the heavy message into an entertaining cover. John David Washington is really the man to watch and Adam Driver is amazing as Flip Zimmerman.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Creed II

Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Florian Munteanu, Brigitte Nielsen, Milo Ventimiglia

Description: Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), heavyweight contender Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) faces off against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).

Review: I don’t think Sylvester Stallone would have thought that his creation Rocky Balboa would still be in a running franchise, fourty years after the first film. He tried to end the franchise twice. In 1990 with “Rocky V” and later in 2006 with “Rocky Balboa”. And that would have been the end, if it weren’t for director Ryan Coogler. He decided to make a spin-off, based on Rocky’s boxing friend Apollo Creed. With son Adonis Creed as the central character. “Creed” was a very successful, strong and beautiful film. It blew new life into the franchise in 2015.
With many sequels, it’s hardly ever better. “Creed II” is no exception, but it’s also a really good film. Here we look back at the 1985 film “Rocky IV”, where Apollo Creed died in the ring, after a match with Russian Ivan Drago. In “Creed II”, Drago returns. With his son Viktor who is also a boxer. And he wants to fight Adonis Creed.
In “Rocky IV”, Drago was portrayed as a stereotypical Russian. He was pretty one-dimensional and it was a fight between the good and patriotic American and the curt, stoic and evil Russian. In “Creed II” they get rid of most of them. This is a more character driven film and there is more story and emotion behind both parties. This is a big plus. It gives the film a more realistic feel and it’s not so black and white.
When it comes to the story, “Creed II” isn’t surprising. Maybe how the final match eventually end, that was pretty cool. But overall it’s predictable. But somehow it didn’t really bother me.
The cast is really strong and director Steve Caple Jr., who stepped in for Ryan Coogler, did a fantastic job. “Creed II” proofs, that the franchise is not dead and that Rocky is still Stallone’s best character to date.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Bird Box

Director: Susanne Bier
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Sandra Bullock, John Malkovich, Trevante Rhodes, Sarah Paulson, Jacki Weaver

Description: Five years after an ominous unseen presence drives most of society to suicide, a mother (Sandra Bullock) and her two children make a desperate bid to reach safety.

Review: Netflix brings us “Bird Box”, a post-apocalyptic tale that somehow reminds me of a mix of “A Quiet Place” and “The Happening”. In “A Quiet Place” the creatures aren’t allowed to hear you, in “Bird Box” you can’t see them. And when you do, you will kill yourself (like in “The Happening”).
“Bird Box” is a film with a lot of potential. The central character is Malorie, a woman who tries to find a safe haven for herself and the two children she is traveling with. And it’s difficult, because the have to be blindfolded at all times. If they don’t, they will simply die.
We see that Malorie is pregnant after a one-nightstand and she doesn’t have contact with the father. In the meantime, we hear people talk about mysterious happenings, where lots of people end up dead. Malorie doesn’t believe in it, until she witnesses it herself when her sister kills herself out of the blue. And soon we find out what is happening. If you see ‘it’, you will die. What it is, we don’t know.
After the introduction, “Bird Box” turns into a pretty standard post-apocalyptic survival film. Where a little group of people tries to survive. And we know not all of them will succeed.
Director Susanne Bier succeed in creating that claustrophobic feel. That gives chills. But that’s were the chills stop. This film’s trailer looked a lot scarier. Overall the film has no real scare, jump scares or shocks.
I usually love the fact that you don’t see the monsters or creatures, or at least not too much. For this film, it’s actually a negative. It could have been more scary if you knew a bit more about the creature and you could see what could be so awful that I makes you kill yourself.
Sandra Bullock is very strong in her role, she carries this film.
Like I stated at the beginning of this review, “Bird Box” had a lot more potential, but didn’t live up to the hype. “A Quiet Place” is much better.

Rating: 3/ 5