10s Movie Review - Mute

Director: Duncan Jones
Genre: Mystery/ Science Fiction/ Thriller
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux

Description: A mute bartender (Alexander Skarsgård) goes up against his city’s gangster in an effort to find out what happened to his missing partner

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 6: A FILM WITH PAUL RUDD
 
Review: Berlin, sometime in the future. Bartender Leo, mute since and accident in his youth, and waitress Naadirah make a nice couple. That ha can’t talk and had rather old-fashioned Amish ideas, she actually likes. But Naadirah has a secret, and before she can tell Leo, she disappears without a trace. Leo goes looking for her, and stumbles upon some remarkable surgeons.

This film immediately reminded me of “Blade Runner” in setting and style, but also a bit of “John Wick”. It’s an interesting blend of film noir and science fiction. The film suffers from a somewhat messy script, but does succeed in having a good final twists. A fairly unknown movie, that I feel is worth watching.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

Title: Jar of Hearts
Author: Jennifer Hillier
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2018
 
Description: This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who’s been searching for the truth all those years…
 
When she was sixteen years old, Angela Wong – one of the most popular girls in high school – disappeared without a trace. Nobody ever suspected that her best friend, Georgina Shaw, now and executive and rising star at her Seattle pharmaceutical company, was involved in any way. Certainly not Kaiser Brosy, who was close with both girls back in high school.
 
But fourteen years later, Angela’s remains are discovered in the woods near Georgina’s childhood home. And Kaiser, now a detective with Seattle PD, finally learns the truth: Angela was a victim of Calvin James. The same Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.
 
To the authorities, Calvin is a serial killer. But to Georgina, he’s something else entirely. Back in high school, Calvin was Georgina’s first love. Turbulent and often volatile, their relationship bordered on obsession  from the moment they met right up until the night Angela was killed.
 
For fourteen years, Georgina knew what happened to Angela and told no one. For fourteen years, she carried the secret of Angela’s death until Georgina was arrested and sent to prison.
 
While everyone thinks they finally know the truth, there are dark secrets buried deep. And what happened that fateful night is more complex and more chilling than anyone really knows. Now the obsessive past catches up with the deadly present when new bodies begin to turn up, killed in the exact same manner as Angela Wong.

Review: I read “Little Secrets”, by Jennifer Hillier, a couple of years ago and really liked it. “Jar of Hearts” gets a high average rating on GoodReads, so I had very high hopes. But, my opinion about this book is going to be unpopular.
 
We learn about the disappearance of Angela Wong, when she was only sixteen years old. When her remains are found fourteen years later, the truth comes to surface as well, with her best friend Georgina going to jail for being involved and her then boyfriend Calvin being convicted for the murder. Angela and Georgina’s mutual friend Kaiser is now a detective, wanting to get to the bottom of this and finding out what really happened that fateful night.
 
While Georgina pays the price for her unconditional love, Calvin escapes from prison. And soon lives up to his nickname of the Sweetbay Strangler. What is his ultimate intention? Do the new victims have a link to Angela? And what other secrets does Georgina have?
 
I found it very difficult to relate to any of the characters. First of all, I didn’t like any of them, but I can often get passed that. I just didn’t understand any of the motivations these characters had. When Angela went missing and later found, many people claimed she was the sweetest girl. But flashbacks reveal something completely different. I don’t get why Georgina wanted to be friend with her. And she also says, multiple times, how much she loved Angela. Angela was the one woman she loved most after her mom. That just makes it even less understandable why she eventually did what she did. And it seems with ease, with her so-called monster of a boyfriend behaving out of character. And she just moved on. It feels like we are supposed to sympathize and empathize with Georgina, but in no way could I do that. Same for her relationship with Calvin. I get that sometimes love blinds you, but it just didn’t make sense what she did for this guy.
 
There is a romantic subplot, that I really did not care about. I mostly hate romantic plot lines in thrillers. And again, I did not understand it. In their younger years, sure, I get it. But as adults, I don’t see why this man still wants to be with her, especially with him knowing about her what he knows. And all these characters have thoughts about other people’s appearances and smells in the most inappropriate moments. It feels so strange.
 
For a book being sold with having many unexpected twists and reveals, I was a bit underwhelmed. Sure, it had some, but the final reveal was pretty obvious in the end. I just didn’t have a good time with this book, unfortunately.
 
Rating: 2,5/ 5

Book Review - I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney

Title: I Know Who You Are
Author: Alice Feeney
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2019
 
Description: Meet Aimee Sinclair: the actress everyone thingks they know but can’t remember where from. Except one person. Someone who knows Aimee very well – and what she’s done.
 
When Aimee comes home and discovers her husband is missing, she doesn’t seem to know what to do or how to act. The police think she’s hiding something and they’re right, she is – but perhaps not what they thought. Aimee has a secret she’s never shared, and yet, she suspects that someone knows. As she struggles to keep her career and sanity intact, her past comes back to haunt her in ways more dangerous than se could have ever imagined.
 
Review: Up and coming actress Aimee Sinclair loves to put herself in someone else’s shoes. For a moment forgetting who she is and where she came from. It feels like an escape from reality. When Aimee returns home after n argument with her husband Ben, he finds his wallet, phone and car keys, but Ben is nowhere to be found. She reports him missing, but the police question the actress. And Aimee does have secrets, but not the one the police expect.
 
Alice Feeney is one of my favorite thriller authors. She wrote “His & Hers” and “Rock Paper Scissors”, which are two of my all-time favorite thriller books. But Feeney did not convince with this book.
 
First, there are too many questions. Which are not a problem in general, but the answers to these question feel either unsatisfactory, unbelievable or are left unanswered. I found it interesting to learn about Aimee’s past and the mystery was engaging. But the final twist and reveal really ruined it for me. Where Feeney is usually known for her amazing plot twists, she really missed the mark here. I found it very difficult to believe and something at the very end of the story felt gross and just not okay. While it’s still a memorable ending, it’s for the wrong reasons. And I’m still left with a lot of questions at the end, some things just didn’t make sense.
 
Overall, the thriller is still engaging and I had a good time with it. But it was totally ruined by its ending. I’m glad I read other, better books by Feeney, because if this was my first, I would have been hesitant to pick up the rest.
 
Rating: 2,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Gladiator II

Director: Ridley Scott

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Drama

Runtime: 148 minutes

Year: 2024

Starring: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Derek Jacobi, Matt Lucas

Description: After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who no lead Rome, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Review: Director Ridley Scott returns to one of his greatest triumphs. Along with Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, two of today’s biggest stars, Scott treats audiences to an old-fashioned spectacle from ancient times. Although “Gladiator II” functions just fine as a solid action adventure, it’s more of the same but not quite as good as its predecessor.

The film opens in Numidia, a Roman colony in North Africa. Under the leadership of General Acacius, the Roman Empire invades the last free city and captures much of the male population into slavery. So does the simple soldier Hanno, who impresses in local arenas. Impressed by his boundless hatred for the Roman Empire, slave trader Macrinus buys Hanno and promises him the head od Acacius if he fights for him in the Colosseum.

Initially, “Gladiator II” seems to take a different path than its predecessor, but once Hanno begins to make a name for himself in gladiatorial combat, it becomes increasingly clear how connected the two films are. Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus is now split into two characters, played by Joseph Quinn and Fred Heckinger. The twin brothers Geta and Caracalla share the imperial throne together, going delightfully over the top with thei blood lust. Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla, with yet another personal connection to the star of the Colosseum.

Denzel Washington also plays a seemingly similar character that the first film had. Like Oliver Reed, he is an ex-gladiator who won his freedom and now trains gladiators. But his Macrinus has much bigger ambitions than just entertaining the Roman public, and Washington is drawing more and more attention to himself. Even though being a side character, his performance steels the show.

Paul mescal is a lot less impressive than Russel Crowe, but he is still a believable warrior. Biggest difference is that Crowe could and still can easily carry a film, Mescal as not there yet. Pedro Pascal was the main reason for my excitement for this film, but that was quite disappointing. His character doesn’t really have a lot to do and he is not in the film that much. What he does do, he does well, but his talent if very underused in the film.

As for the first film, “Gladiator II” impresses the most with its visuals and its battle scenes. The scenes in the arena are amazing. There we did see some changes, adding a water filled arena battle to it. But bigger does not always mean better.

If Maximus would ask me if I was entertained, I would definitely say yes. For an action and adventure movie it checks many boxes. But I also have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the overall execution of it all. “Gladiator” is not a favorite movie of mine, but it’s a really good film. “Gladiator II” did everything the first film did, but not as good. And that’s my overall feeling for this film.  

Rating: 3,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Four Good Days

Director: Rodrigo Garcia
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Stephen Root

Description: A mother (Glenn Close) helps her daughter (Mila Kunis) work through four crucial days of recovery from substance abuse.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 5: A FILM WITH MILA KUNIS
 
Review: That motherly love knows no bounds can be seen in again in “Four Good Days”, in which heroine addict Molly is back on her mother Deb’s doorstep after yet another failed rehab attempt. Deb hesitates at first, but eventually relents when Molly turns out to be eligible for a drug that combats addiction. For this Molly has to stay clean for four days and she can’t stay at the clinic. Deb has to help her survive these crucial days.

It's a gripping drama, that frustrates at times, escpeciallu since not all of Deb’s actions are equally believable. The story of Deb and Molly reconnecting, trying to rekindle their bond and having to fight this battle together, is touching and emotional. But I never felt emotionally invested in either of them. And the ending was very rushed.  Good performances by both Glenn Close and Mila Kunis though.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Title: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: Fiction/ Contemporary
Published: 2022
 
Description: On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. for a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions of the betrayals of their hearts.
 
Review: In “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” the world of gaming and literature meet. In itself, that seems like a clash of generations and cultures, but author Gabrielle Zevin manages to seamlessly connect those worlds in this novel.
 
Sam and Sadie have known each other since childhood, with videogames being the thing that connected them in the first place. They haven’t seen ach other for nine years, and they meet again. Both still into gaming, they decide to work together. But where Sam and Sadie can lose themselves in a videogame, there is no escaping the real world.
 
We follow Sam and Sadie in their lives together and apart, how they each deal with their success differently, but also with things like grief, love, friendship, depression, illness. It deals with pretty heavy themes at times, but it never gets too heavy.
 
“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” is an ode to friendship, with the gaming worlds as its background. I can understand that people who are not into gaming, it might not interest you. I’m not a gamer, at least not like these characters are, but I could relate to both Sam and Sadie at several stages in this story. I understand the hype of the book, I feel it, because this book grabbed me and I was captivated from start to finish. The writing is beautiful and I loved reading about this friendship. But I do also understand people who don’t get the hype.
 
I found a new favorite in “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow””, but won’t recommend it to just anyone who loves reading. Because the theme of the gaming industry will make or break this book for most people.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Alien: Romulus

Director: Fede Alvarez
Genre: Horror/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Johnson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu

Description: While scavenging the deep ends op a derelict space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

Review: “Alien: Romulus” is set between “Alien” and “Aliens”. Humans works as futuristic slaves in Weyland-Yutani’s space colonies. When Rain thinks she has fulfilled her labor for the company and wants to set sail for a better life, she is dead-set on being told that she must also work in the mines for another six years before she gets her departure permit. Rain decides to join a group of peers hoping to escape the grip of Weyland-Yutani with an abandoned space station.

“Alien: Romulus” is a safe sequel, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Loyal fans will love it. It works perfectly as a sequel, but would also be fine to watch as a standalone film. Prior knowledge is not a hard requirement to enjoy it.

Cailee Spaeny, though not being Siourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, is a pleasant protagonist for whom we cheer easily. She has that wide-eyed innocence, but also appears to be perfectly capable of handling a rifle. However, David Johnson, who plays her brother Andy, is the star of the film. His vulnerable character strikes a chord every time. When a drastic event puts deep grooves in his personality, Johnson convincingly shows the other side of his character. The rest of the cast is less memorable.  

Director Fede Alvarez previously directed “Don’t Breathe” and “Evil Dead” and skillfully manages to build tension and show a good dose of blood and gore when necessary. “Alien: Romulus” is perhaps the creepiest and most repulsive installment in the series. And the visual presentation is excellent.

I didn’t expect to love “Alien: Romulus” as much as I did and wished I had seen it in the movie theater.

Rating: 4/ 5