Movie Review - I Came By

Director: Babak Anvari
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 110 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Hugh Bonneville, George McKay, Kelly MacDonald, Percelle Ascott, Varada Sethu
 
Description: Young graffiti artist Toby (George McKay) discovers a shocking secret that puts him in danger.

Review: Toby and Jay are graffiti artists, who spray the words “I came by” on the walls of rich citizen’s homes they break into. Sir Hector Blake, a former judge, is the next victim, but something more is going on in that house. Something they were never prepared for.

Hugh Bonneville is best known as the charming man of the house in “Downton Abbey” and “Paddington”. His role is slightly different in “I Came By” and I always love seeing actors stepping away from their roles and doing something completely different. And I might say, he does a formidable job.

The film is best watched without knowing too much. Don’t even watch the trailer. Because then this film will be more exciting and surprising. I basically watched this movie because Stephen King recommended it in an article I read. And when someone knows suspense and thrillers well, it’s King.

“I Came By” is an exciting and layered thriller, which offers plenty of surprises. It also manages to add some social commentary on racism, nepotism and parenting. And the way the story is told is not standard. The character you’re exploring the story with, changes along the way. Multiple times. Which makes it even more interesting.

“I Came By” is a nice surprise. I’m quite shocked that a lot of people are not as positive about the film, because I believe it’s a really good, solid and exciting thriller.

Rating: 4/ 5

What's in a Movie Year - 1989

Taking a look at the year 1989, picking my 10 favorite movies from that year in random order.
 

The Burbs
One of the best Tom Hanks movies nobody saw. At least, no one I know (besides my brother and parents of course, we watched it a lot). It’s funny, absurd and satirical. Dark humor, where Ray is spending his vacation days at home watching his new neighbors the Klopeks, who act weird and have strange noises coming from their house at night.
 

When Harry Met Sally
Harry and Sally are former college roommates but will never be friends because, according to Harry, friendship between men and women is impossible. Although the chemistry is obvious they maintain for years that nothing is wrong. Meg Ryan shines in her role as neurotic, somewhat naïve Sally. And Billy Crystal is the sarcastic and realistic Harry. One of the few romantic comedies I absolutely love.
 

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
In part 3 of Steven Spielberg’s successful series about the archeologist-adventurer, Indiana Jones once again comes into conflict with the Nazis, who believe they have discovered the location of the Holy Grail. This time his father joins him on the journey. This causes extra stress and a lot of merriment in this action/ adventure film. One of the best third-in-a-trilogy films.
 

Back to the Future II
The story of this second part of the “Back to the Future” trilogy begins seconds after part one ended. Marty McFly has to go back to the future, conjures up Doc Brown, because things seem to be going completely wrong there. To solve it, he will have to jump back and forth in time considerably. Great follow-up to one of the best time-travel movies ever made.
 

Dead Poet’s Society
Keating teaches English in 1959 at a posh boarding school for boys where iron discipline  reigns. That he wants to teach the students to think in an original and independent way, is not well-received by the staff and parents but makes him very popular with the students. A small group of boys take Keating’s lessons to heart, with tragic consequences. The message of the film is very skillfully conveyed by Robin Williams (who plays Keating), who thus showed that he could handle a serious role very well.
 

Born on the 4^th of July
Director Oliver Stone based his movie on the autobiography of Ron Kovic, who returned from combat mentally and physically broken and became active in the anti-war movement. Brave venture by Tom Cruise, who convinces as a naïve idealist who becomes deeply embittered and ends up as an energetic activist. A Tom Cruise movie that is not talked about enough.
 

Glory
During the American Civil War, the 54^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry regiment fights the Confederates. The regiment consists of black and white volunteers, but is led by white officers. One of them, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, has his doubts about the expected discipline and employability of the black soldiers. Wonderful roles by Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. Impressively detailed war film.
 

Field of Dreams
‘If you build it, he will come’. The level-headed farmer Ray Kinsella hears the words as a whisper. He doesn’t’ know where they come from, but he does know that he needs to build an entire baseball field on his cornfield. More mysterious developments follow. One of the many baseball films Kevin Costner has made, but also his best.
 

Do the Right Thing
Colorful, individualistic magnification of a multi-racial New York neighborhood, Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn full of explosive tension. In less than 24 hours, the residents, partly due to the summer heat, partly due to bigotry, are brought to a boiling point. The hatred is directed primarily at the Italian operators of a pizza joint. A film full of brutality, is definitely established Spike Lee’s reputation as a director without succumbing to commercial trends or easy thrills. Great piece of cinema, even if it won’t be to everyone’s taste.  
 

Uncle Buck
This movie is on her simply for sentimental and nostalgic reasons, since this has always been a family favorite. Father and mother Russell have to go away for a while and are looking in vain for a babysitter. They have no choice but to call Uncle Buck, the black sheep of the family. This corpulent, anything but conventional bachelor takes his job seriously, however, and it’s not long before he has trouble with daughter Tia and her boyfriend. John Candy manages to steal al our hearts as Uncle Buck.
 

Movie Review - Do Revenge

Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Camilla Mendes, Maya Hawke, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Austin Abrams, Rish Shah, Talia Ryder, Alisha Boe, Ava Capri, J.D., Sophie Turner
 
    
Description: Drea (Camilla Mendes) and Eleanor (Maya Hawke) agree to go after one another’s bullies.

Review: After a furtive encounter Drea and Eleanor join forces to go after each other’s tormentors. “Do Revenge” is a modern take on “Strangers on a Train”, with elements of “Mean Girls” and “Cruel Intentions”. A dark comedy with the scariest protagonists: teenage girls.

“Do Revenge” is a typical teen movie with a clear nod to modern audiences. The film has a bright and bold vibe, while being a dark comedy. I like that contrast. It’s not the most original film, but it has some fun twists.

The film is entertaining enough and has enough surprises and progression to justify the two hours. A film that is carried by Maya Hawke and Camilla Mendes, who are very talented and mostly known for their series “Stranger Things” and “Riverdale”.

Reviews are mixed, but I kinda liked it.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Top Gun: Maverick

Director: Joseph Kosinski
Genre: Action/ Drama
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Val Kilmer, Ed Harris, Charles Parnell, Monica Barbaro, Glen Powell, Bashir Salahuddin, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Lewis Pullman
 
Description: After thirty years, Maverick (Tom Cruise) is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN’s elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

Review: It’s been years since Pete “Maverick” Mitchell attended pilot training at TOP GUN. By now he is an old hand in the business and has often been awarded for his heroic actions, but has never risen in rank. This is in contrast to his old rival and friend Iceman, who has become and Admiral. Iceman is the one standing up for Maverick, ensuring that he can return to TOP GUN. However, this time as an instructor to train a group of graduates for a dangerous secret mission. Not being eager to do so, Maverick does return and trains the group, but uses unorthodox methods. One of the pilots in the group is Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of Maverick’s deceased co-pilot Goose. Rooster resents maverick a great deal and that makes things more complicated. When the mission is suddenly brought forward, Maverick doesn’t know if the group is ready for it.

In recent years, a number of sequels have been made to classic movies from the 1980s and 1990s. Most don’t really succeed and are merely there for nostalgia reasons. I was sceptic about “Top Gun: Maverick”, I didn’t think we need this sequel. I always liked the movie, but after a recent rewatch after many years, I realized “Top Gun” doesn’t really hold up. But boy was I wrong about this sequel. “Top Gun: Maverick” is the sequel I didn’t think I needed.

The character of Maverick has grown, but he is still reckless and always seeks out the borders and ways to cross them. But here Maverick feels more raw, realistic and someone you can actually care about, what I didn’t really feel in the original. I loved seeing Val Kilmer return, in a brief role, but the rivalry they used to have turned into a beautiful friendship, which is very visible in that one scene they have. Kelly McGillis doesn’t return, there is no explanation about where her character is. But it didn’t bother me at all, because I didn’t really care about her character anyway. Jennifer Connolly is Maverick’s new love-interest, whose character is mentioned briefly in “Top Gun” is you pay close attention.

And talking about perfect casting: Miles Teller as Rooster, the son of Maverick’s deceased co-pilot Goose. It’s totally believable. His character is angry and insecure, which brings an extra obstacle to Maverick’s return to TOP GUN.

“Top Gun: Maverick” is a very successful sequel to a cheesy and enjoyable 80s movie, that easily tops its original. It’s much better. And its best they stay with only the one sequel, because this is a perfect ending to Maverick’s story. One of my favorite films of the year.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

80s Movie Review - At Close Range

Director: James Foley
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 1986
Starring: Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kiefer Sutherland, Millie Perkins, Eileen Ryan, Tracey Walter, David Strathairn, Crispin Glover

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 37: A MOVIE RECOMMENDED BY YOUR BROTHER
 
Description: Reunited with his career criminal father (Christopher Walken), tough teen Brad (Sean Penn) thinks he’s found his ticker to an exciting life of crime, only to find out he’s wrong.

Review: Brad Whitewood is a boy from a simple background whose life is going nowhere. Occasionally he has a job but he never really keeps it up for long. Then suddenly his father returns. Brad Sr. turns out to be the leader of a local gang. Soon Brad Jr. starts working for his father. He experiences success with some simple jobs and Brad’s friends join. They too have an appetite for making quick money. However, Brad’s friends are not the most efficient thieves and soon things go wrong. The police are after them and Brad Sr. has no problem getting some witnesses out of the way. Brad wonders how far his father will go to stay out of jail and even begins to fear for his own life.

Sean Penn and Christopher Walken in one movie, that’s going to be great. This is what any movie lover would think when they see who is starring in this film. I can say it is true. Penn and Walken both have rock solid performances and carry the film. Walken in particular is stellar as the criminal and psychotic Brad Whitewood Sr. One moment you think you are dealing with a caring father while a moment later he turns into a cold-blooded killer who does everything in his power not to get caught.

Director James Foley manages to keep the tension well throughout the film, the story is loosely based on a true story. Highly recommended for people who like dramas with a touch of thriller.

Rating: 4/ 5

Five to Watch - Underrated Tom Hanks Movies

Tom Hanks is on everyone’s favorite actor list. And we all love “Forrest Gump”, Saving Private Ryan”, “Toy Story” and “Big”. And there are many, many more movies that are well-loved by people all over the world But I decided to create a list of five of his movies that hardly anybody ever talks about. Here are five underrated Tom Hanks movies.
 

That Thing You Do (1996)
Hanks has a role in it, but this is also his directorial debut. It’s a lighthearted film that tells the story of the rise and fall of a pop group in the mid-1960s. under the name Ondeders (later changed Wonders, because they always pronounce it as Oh-needers) they record their first song independently. Their song, That Thing You Do, becomes a hit and we see what it does with each band member. It’s a fast-paced story, with a fun setting and it’s a perfect feel-good film.  
 

The ‘Burbs (1989)
Ray Peterson is in need of rest and spends his vacation in his boring, decent suburban home. But then the Klopek family moves into a house nearby. The Klopeks are a bit strange and at night there are strange noises coming from their house. Along with his neighbors Mark and Art, Ray sets out to investigate. It’s such a funny, absurd dark comedy, which isn’t only underrated, but also very overlooked. I hardly know anyone who has seen it. My brother and I can actually quote from it, that’s how much we love it (and how many times we’ve watched it).
 

Road to Perdition (2002)
Tom Hanks plays gangster Michael Sullivan, handyman to mob boss John Rooney and father of two sons. One of Sullivan’s sons witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take the road, and his father down the path of redemption and revenge. The violence remains mostly off screen, but the film shows the effect of violence on people. I think this is Hanks’ most underrated film ever.
 

Bachelor Party (1984)
Rick announces that he is marrying girlfriend Debbie. Debbie’s father thinks that Rick is just a loser and tries to sabotage the wedding. Rick’s friends organize a wild bachelor party for him, with lots of booze and strippers. This movie was made way before Tom Hanks became a serious actor and superstar. He played a lot of these comedic roles. It might be a bit dated, but it is your typical 1980s comedy, that still is pretty funny.
 

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
In the US, Fred Rogers is an institution, because of his TV-show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”, in which he spent more than thirty years talking to children about social issues, in an extremely calm and kind manner. Fred Rogers is one of television’s most kind-natured people. So who else, than America’s sweetheart Tom Hanks to portray him. This is not your standard biopic. The film is based on an article in Esquire. A journalist who is initially skeptical of Rogers’ impeccable image but becomes increasingly impressed with him. Hanks is perfectly cast. The film is sentimental, but nuanced. It will have a bigger impact if you also grew up with Rogers’ TV show, but still a movie that I could recommend.  

Book Review - Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier

Title: Little Secrets
Series: -
Author: Jennifer Hillier
 
Description: Marin had the perfect life. Married to he college sweetheart, she owns a chain up upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They’re admired in their community and are a loving family, until their world falls apart the day their son Sebastian is taken.
A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The FBI search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. She hires a P.I. to pick up where the police left off, but instead of finding Sebastian, Marin learns that Derek is having an affair with a younger woman. This discovery sparks Marin back to life. She lost her son, she’s not about to lose her husband too.
 
Review: Marin lives a life most people will be jealous of. She runs a successful chain of hair salons, is married to a loving husband who has his own company and together they have a sweet son Sebastian. When their son is taken, their fairy tale life collapses. A year after the kidnapping, Marin regularly wakes up contemplating suicide, her husband Derek is distant and the FBI search has gone cold. Marin hires a private investigator to continue the search for their son, but instead finds out that Derek is having an affair with a much younger woman.
 
“Little Secrets” has a strong start. Jennifer Hillier is a masterful storyteller and the way she leads the readers through Sebastian’s kidnapping and the emotional aftermath, only confirms that. But what makes this novel shine is the turn it takes at the point when you are comfortable with Marin’s devastation. Switching to a new problem reinforces everything that came before it, and Marin’s new reality takes on a different, infinitely darker proportion.
 
The biggest surprise in “Little Secrets” is the change of POV at one point in the book, making another character become a crucial one with its own voice. This helps us to understand the story from different perspectives. The final reveal isn’t as surprising though.
 
Ultimately, the way Hillier presents all of her characters and situations makes this a very human novel in which there are enough actions that readers will want to judge characters, but also enough pain and despair to make them withhold judgment. The book is suspenseful and brutal at the same time. It’s a wonderful thriller and I can’t wait to read more Jennifer Hillier books.
 
Rating: 4/ 5