100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 85: Single White Female

Director: Barbet Schroeder

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 109 minutes

Year: 1992

Starring: Bridget Fonda, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Steven Weber, Peter Friedman, Stephen Tobolowsky

Description: When a 'Single White Female' (Bridget Fonda) places an ad in the press for a similar woman to rent a room (to replace the boyfriend she's just left), all the applicants seem weird. Then along comes a level headed woman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who seems to be just right. The new lodger has a secret past which haunts her

Review: “Single White Female” follows Allie, who just ended her relationship with Sam. She isn’t good at being alone, so she decides to find a roommate. When she meets Hedy, Allie thinks she would be the perfect roommate. They get along and really have a connection. But the more Allie gets to know Hedy, the stranger Hedy’s behavior gets.

“Single White Female” is a mediocre thriller, with a few good moments. The buildup of the tension is not that great. The character of Allie is very naïve, sometimes in a way that it’s not believable anymore. It takes her some time to realize that Hedy is crazy. Which doesn’t mean Bridget Fonda didn’t perform well, it’s just a badly written character. Jennifer Jason Leigh is strong as psychotic Hedy.

It is a thriller, but there are only a few really thrilling moments in the movie. It’s overall a very predictable movie, you know exactly what’s going to happen. “Single White Female” is a movie you will easily forget.

Rating: 2/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 84: Stone

Director: John Curran

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 101 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich, Frances Conroy

Description: A convicted arsonist (Edward Norton) looks to manipulate a parole officer (Robert De Niro) into a plan to secure his parole by placing his beautiful wife (Milla Jovovich) in the lawman's path.

Review: Jack Mabry is a parole officer and is about to retire. He evaluates prisoners who think they can leave prison earlier because of good behavior. His last case is Gerald ‘Stone’ Creeson, who has three more years left of his sentence. Stone tries it through his wife Lucetta, who has to talk Mabry into releasing Stone.

De Niro is at his best when you provoke him. And he doesn’t disappoint. But the fact that the relentless lawman falls for the tricks of the seductive Lucetta, feels a bit improbable. Edward Norton has been better before. I was annoyed by his voice, it sounded very weird in this movie. And Milla Jovovich is a beautiful woman, but her performance is so bad. Frances Conroy, who is a fantastic actress, doesn’t get enough to do here.

“Stone” has lots of symbolism and references to the Bible, to give it a deeper meaning. But that deeper meaning is what’s missing. The story is not interesting enough to stay focused the entire time, even with actors like De Niro and Norton.

“Stone” is one of those movies you forget within minutes after watching it.

Rating: 2/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Movies I Watched for My Challenge (June 2015)

A really good month I have to say. I saw some new ones in the theatre and also some older movies. But overall, I saw some really good films. Here are my favorites for this month.

5. Chef

Food porn, that’s what “Chef” is. Don’t watch this movie when you’re hungry. This is such an enjoyable film, I really liked it. Jon Favreau, well done!

 

 

4. How to Train Your Dragon 2

The first movie was already a lot of fun, but the sequel is even better. This is the example of how a good sequel should be. Loads of fun!

 

 

3. Dead Man’s Shoes

A movie that stayed pretty much under the radar, which is a shame. Everyone should see “Dead Man’s Shoes”, because it’s an amazing film.

 

 

2. Jurassic World

This is the movie I’ve been looking for, for such a long time. I probably rated it higher than most people, but it gave me what I wanted. I never expected it to bring me that same excitement “Jurassic Park” gave me when I first saw it, but it’s a great sequel. And Chris Pratt is just so great!

 

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

OMG, this was AWESOME! I knew it was going to be good, but I never expected it to be this amazing. From beginning ‘till end, one giant thrill ride, not a moments rest. Fantastic movie, even better than the original movies.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Spy, The Big Blue, Bronson

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 83: Bronson

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama

Runtime: 92 minutes

Year: 2008

Starring: Tom Hardy, Kelly Adams, Katy Barker, Edward Bennett-Coles, June Bladon, Amanda Burton, China-Black, William Darke, Anna Griffin, Matt King, Matt Legg, Brendan McCoy, Juliet Oldfield, Jonathan Phillips, Hugh Ross, Terry Stone, Joe Tucker

Description: A young man (Tom Hardy) who was sentenced to seven years in prison for robbing a post office ends up spending three decades in solitary confinement. During this time, his own personality is supplanted by his alter-ego, Charles Bronson.

Review: Who is the man who got famous for his violent behavior towards prison guards and fellow prisoners, and got into prison for a robbery that gained him only £26,18?

We see Charles Bronson, who used to be Michael Peterson, as a beast in a cage and a clown on the stage. Nicolas Winding Refn didn’t only choose an interesting man. The angle of Bronson as a celebrity and wannabe superstar, is also a good find.

The movie is dark, yet humorous. Bronson tells the story himself, also while breaking the fourth wall. Images of the prison a switched for Bronson on a podium. This is all in combination with a great soundtrack.

Although the movie starts with heavy images, the movie is a big spectacle with a fast pace and humor. What Bronson really feels or thinks, we never find out. It becomes it little mote clear, but Bronson never really makes sense. And Tom Hardy’s performance is phenomenal. Very well done! Intense, strong and funny.

“Bronson” is a well-made film, powerful and confident and made with flair.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 82: The Big Blue

Director: Luc Besson

Genre: Drama/ Adventure/ Romance

Runtime: 167 minutes

Year: 1988

Starring: Jean Reno, Jean-Marc Barr, Rosanna Arquette, Paul Shenar, Sergio Castellitto, Jean Bouise, Marc Duret, Griffin Dunne, Andréas Voutsinas, Valentina Vargas, Kimberly Beck, Patrick Fontana, Alessandra Vazzoler, Geoffrey Carey, Bruce Guerre-Berthelot

Description: Two men answer the call of the ocean in this romantic fantasy-adventure. Jacques (Jean-Marc Barr) and Enzo (Jean Reno) are a pair of friends who have been close since childhood, and who share a passion for the dangerous sport of free diving. Professional diver Jacques opted to follow in the footsteps of his father, who died at sea when Jacques was a boy; to the bewilderment of scientists, Jacques harbors a remarkable ability to adjust his heart rate and breathing pattern in the water, so that his vital signs more closely resemble that of dolphins than men (he even considers a school of dolphins as his extended family). As Enzo persuades a reluctant Jacques to compete against him in a free diving contest -- determining who can dive deeper and longer without scuba gear -- Jacques meets Johanna (Rosanna Arquette), a beautiful insurance investigator from America, and he finds that he must choose between his love for her and his love of the sea.

Review: Besides filmmaking, director Luc Besson has one passion: diving. “The Big Blue” has that theme. It’s a film about friendship, identity and love. Together with the beautiful landscapes and underwater scenes, “The Big Blue” is a wonderful movie experience.

Besson can make both exciting and dramatically compelling movies. And the love for the aquatic life is clear in this movie. Amazing shots of a dolphin in the ocean, combined with the music by Eric Serra. The way character Jacques Mayol is around the animals, is just magical.

Both Jean-Marc Barr and Jean Reno are good in their roles. Sadly enough Rosanna Arquette isn’t the right woman for the role of Johanna. She has no depth. The rivalry between Enzo and Jacques dies have this depth. It’s the back bone of the story. Overall, “The Big Blue” is a good film, with beautiful images.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (195)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Sleeping with Other People

Description: A good-natured womanizer (Jason Sudeikis) and a serial cheater (Alison Brie) form a platonic relationship that helps reform them in ways, while a mutual attraction sets in.

Director: Leslye Headland

Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Adam Scott, Amanda Peet, Marc Blucas,

Trailer: Trailer "Sleeping with Other People"

Comment: Sudeikis and Brie look like a good on screen duo.

Time Out of Mind

Description: A homeless man (Richard Gere) tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Jena Malone).

Director: Oren Moverman

Starring: Richard Gere, Jena Malone

Trailer: Trailer "Time Out of Mind"

Comment: Maybe this will bring Richard Gere back!!!

Jackie & Ryan

Description: A modern day train hopper fighting to become a successful musician (Ben Barnes), and a single mom (Katherine Heigl) battling to maintain custody of her daughter, defy their circumstances by coming together in a relationship that may change each others lives forever.

Director:

Starring: Ben Barnes, Katherine Heigl, Clea DuVall,

Trailer: Trailer "Jackie & Ryan"

Comment: Ugh...

Kung Fu Panda 3

Description: Continuing his "legendary adventures of awesomeness", Po (Jack Black) must face two hugely epic, but different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to his home.

Director: Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer Yuh

Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Rebel Wilson

Trailer: Trailer "Kung Fu Panda 3"

Comment: Everybody goes kung fu fighting......

Max

Description: A dog that helped US Marines in Afghanistan returns to the U.S. and is adopted by his handler's family after suffering a traumatic experience.

Director: Boaz Yakin

Starring: Thomas Haden Church, Josh Wiggins, Lauren Graham

Trailer: Trailer "Max"

Comment: Always love a good dog movie!

Top 5 Thursday: Kidnapping Movies

Do you have enough ransom money? Well, you should while being in these situations. Here are my five favorite movies involving a kidnapping.

5. The Silence of the Lambs

The movie is mostly about the cat and mouse game between cannibal Hannibal Lecter and rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling. But it’s Buffalo Bill, the kidnapper, that always scared me the most.

 

 

4. Taken

An American tourist in Paris is kidnapped, sadly for the kidnappers this girl has an ex CIA agent as her dad. “Taken” has one of the most awesome phone calls in movie history and it introduced us to a new Liam Neeson.

 

 

3. Misery

Normally every actor, singer, writer or artist likes meeting his fans. But not when you’re name is Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes is your number one fan. She saves him from a car accident and decides to take care of him. But when Annie finds out Paul killed off her favorite book character, Paul is in for one hell of a ride.

 

 

2. Prisoners

A movie that blew my mind when I first saw it. Two little girls are gone missing, right after an unknown RV was sighted in the area. When the cops aren’t really making progress, one of the girls dad’s takes the matters in his own hands.

 

 

1. Fargo

This is a kidnapping gone wrong, because inept people and shady kidnappers are involved. This dark comedy really works. Especially when someone like Marg Gunderson investigates the case.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Gone Baby Gone, Man on Fire, Ransom, Changeling, Kiss the Girls