100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 70: Shame

Director: Steve McQueen

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 99 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale

Description: Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a 30-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life. After his wayward younger sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) moves into his apartment, Brandon's world spirals out of control.

Review: Brandon has a sex addiction, that he is able to control until his sister moves in with him. We see the downwards spiral the character end up in. It’s very realistic and raw how the addiction is portrayed here, and we see how Brandon loses grip on his own life.

A new generation of actors is born, with Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. They both have difficult roles, their characters are complex and their performance is daring. They act sensationally, when in a dialogue but also when they aren’t saying anything. Their facials expressions, a light bow of the head, a look. That in combination with the long, extended shots Steve McQueen is known for. Fantastic.

Although the movie contains various explicit scenes, sexually, it never is shocking. Both Fassbender and Mulligan are seen completely nude, but it’s never erotic. It just makes them human, real and fragile.

“Shame” is complete. I can’t fault it. The script, performances, shots, music, it’s all mesmerizing.

Rating: 5 / 5

In My Mailbox (151)

Seven postcards this week. I just love this postcard from Omsk, Russia. What a beautiful, playful tiger.

 

Sent: may 18th 2014

Received: june 6th 2014

Distance: 4,343 km (2,699 miles)

Travel Time: 19 days

What a lovely card from Petchenga, Russia. I don't know exactly what animal it is, but it's super adorable!

 

Sent: may 23rd 2014

Received: june 6th 2014

Distance: 2,428 km (1,509 miles)

Travel Time: 14 days

I want this cat. It's gorgeous. The card came from Perm, Russia. A lot of Russian cards this week!

 

Sent: may 20th 2014

Received: june 6th 2014

Distance: 3,243 km (2,015 miles)

Travel Time: 17 days

This building was sent to me from Toulouse, France.

 

Sent: may 29th 2014

Received: june 6th 2014

Distance: 909 km (565 miles)

Travel Time: 8 days

This artsy card came from Shanghai, China.

 

Sent: may 12th 2014

Received: june 6th 2014

Distance: 8,896 km (5,528 miles)

Travel Time: 25 days

This is also a pretty card. It came from Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Sent: may 24th 2014

Received: une 6th 2014

Distance: 2,088 km (1,297 miles)

Travel Time: 13 days

And a field of wild flowers from Houston, Texas, US. The sender had already send me three cards, but two of them didn't arrive its destination.

 

Sent: march 6th 2014

Received: june 7th 2014

Distance: 8,201 km (5,096 miles)

Travel Time: 93 days

Thanks Dinara, Anastasia, Nastya, Aurélie, Haneko, Sule and Sandra for your amazing cards this week!

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 69: Daglicht

Director: Diederik van Rooijen

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Angela Schijf, Fedja van Huet, Monique van de Ven, Thijs Römer, Victor Löw, Matteo van der Grijn, Derek de Lint, Daniel Verbaan

Description: The ambitious lawyer Iris (Angela Schijf) has to find a balance between her single motherhood and her job as attorney of shady cases. When she is housesitting for her mother, she discovers a dark family secret.

Review: “Daglicht” is an adaptation of the novel by Dutch author Marion Pauw, which was released in 2008. The story follows Iris, a single mother with a son who shows signs of autism. Her icy cold mother helps her out when she’s working. When Iris is keeping an eye on her mother’s house, she finds out she has a brother, Ray. He’s in jail for the double murder of a young woman and her baby. Iris starts to investigate the case and realizes that the truth isn’t out in the open yet.

The story is very good, you get sucked in very easily. There is this mysterious atmosphere. “Daglicht” manages to stay mysterious until the end. This makes the ending very surprising and you never see it coming.

Because the storyline is so complex, not all subplots and characters are executed the way they should.

Although I’m Dutch, I’m not a huge fan of the movies made in my country. But there are two kinds of films the Dutch know to do well: kids and young adult films, and thrillers. It’s a very solid thriller, that kept me on the edge of my seat. Well done!

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I watched for My Challenge (May 2014)

Another great month of movies and I also watched a couple of classics. Again a tough choice, but here are my five favourites of this month.

5. The Debt

I didn’t know what to expect, but I was amazed by the strength of this film. Great acting by Jessica Chastain especially. Fantastic movie.

 

4. Neighbors

A comedy that got it right. This movie made me laugh, that’s what a lot of comedies fail to do nowadays.

 

3. Godzilla

It totally surprised me, I didn’t expect it to end up in my monthly top 5. But it deserves a spot, because it was a fantastic thrill ride!

 

2. Spirited Away

I truly got inspired by this style, I really liked the animation. And also the great story and morals behind this film.

 

1. The Great Escape

I was so glad that I finally saw this movie. It’s fantastic. I just loved how this movie was made, with action, light drama and some wit, not a very common combination for a movie set in World War II.

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: X-Men: First Class, The Goonies

Quotables: "Rocky"

I like “Rocky” mostly because of the great character of Rocky Balboa, an underdog and a very likeable man. The story is believable and realistic, you really sympathize with Rocky. And it also shows how great Sylvester Stallone is as an actor and director. Here are some memorable quotes from “Rocky”.

 

 

 

Rocky: Yea, to you it's Thanksgiving; to me it's Thursday.

Mickey: Your nose is broken.

Rocky: How does it look?

Mickey: Ah, it's an improvement.

 

Rocky: Took you long enough to get here. Took you ten years to get to my house. Huh, what's the matter? You don't like my house? Does my house stink? That's right-it stinks! I didn't have no favors from you! Don't slum around me. Talkin' about your prime. What about my prime, Mick? At least you had a prime! I didn't have no prime. I didn't have nithin'! Leg's are goin', everything is goin'. Nobody's getting' no nothin'. Guy comes up, offers me a fight. Big deal. Wanna fight the fight? Yeah, I'll fight the big fight. I wouldn't wanna fight. Know what's gonna happen to me? I'm gonna get that! I'm gonna get that! And you wanna be ringside to see it? Do ya? You wanna help me out? Huh? Do you wana see me get my face kicked in? Leg's ain't workin', nothing's workin', but they go, "Go on, fight the champ." Yeah, I'll fight him. Get my face kicked in. And you come around here. You wanna move in here with me? Come on in! It's a nice house! Real nice. Come on in and move. It stinks! This whole place stinks. You wanna help me out? Well, help me out! Come on, help me out. I'm standin' here!

Adrian: Why do you wanna fight?

Rocky: Because I can't sing or dance.

Apollo Creed: Apollo Creed vs. the Italian Stallion. Sounds like a damn monster movie.

Rocky: I just want to say hi to my girlfriend, OK? Yo, Adrian! It's me, Rocky.

 

Rocky: Don't smoke that. It makes your breath like garbage.

Marie: Maybe I like garbage.

Rocky: [putting out the cigarette] Nobody likes garbage!

Rocky: I think we make a real sharp couple of coconuts - I'm dumb, you're shy, whaddaya think, huh?

Video of the week (6)

I saw this clip on totalfilm.com, where they summed up the best cover songs from Disney and Pixar movies. Meet Sam and Nia, the so-called 'Good Looking Parents'. While riding their car they're lip syncing to a song from "Frozen". While their child in the back is slightly unimpressed with it, I sure as hell was. They are awesome, they perfectly lip sync this song. You rock Sam and Nia!

 

Movie Moments: This is the End

This movie could go in two different directions: it was either going to really bad or brilliantly funny. Thank God it was the last, because some of my favorites are in here. James Franco and Seth Rogen are amazing, I really enjoyed this movie. So here are my favorite moments from “This is the End”.

 

Moment # 1: Cleanse

Seth just picked up Jay from the airport. Jay wants to get hamburgers, but Seth tells him he’s on a cleanse. He’s not supposed to be eating glutens. Jay thinks it’s a load of crap and the two start a discussion about it.

Moment # 2: The end begins

Jay and Seth go out to buy cigarettes, then all of a sudden blue beams come from the sky and start sucking people up in the sky.

Moment # 3: Michael Cera dies

L.A. is on fire and Michael Cera starts worrying about his phone. Someone took it. But that’s the least of his worries, because he gets skewered by a telephone pole.

Moment # 4: Milky Way

The guys list their food supplies and start fighting over a Milky Way.

Moment # 5: Emma Watson

Emma Watson shows up at the house and just wants to get some sleep. She overhears a conversation between the guys, but mishears it. She decides to get the hell out of there and take some provision with her.

Moment # 6: Magazine

James gets angry when he finds out someone masturbated onto his porno magazine. It appears it was Danny who did that, so the two start a heated discussion about masturbation.

Moment # 7: Closet

Jonah has been possessed and is now chasing James and Seth. They hide in a closet, but Seth’s a very heavy breather so they soon will be found.

Moment # 8: The exorcism of Jonah Hill

The guys decide to perform an exorcism on Jonah Hill. Jay knows how to, because he saw the movie “The Exorcist”.

Moment # 9: The Backstreet Boys

Jay and Seth made it to heaven and they can make any wish they want. Seth wishes for a Segway and Jay for the Backstreet Boys.

 

 

 

Favorite Moment: Moment # 7 : The Closet