100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 116: Serenity

Director: Joss Whedon

Genre: Science Fiction/ Action/ Adventure/ Thriller

Runtime: 119 minutes

Year: 2005

Starring: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Ron Glass, Chiwetel Ejiofor, David Krumholtz, Michael Hitchcock, Sarah Paulson, Yan Feldman, Raphael Feldman

Description: The crew of the ship Serenity tries to evade an assassin sent to recapture one of their number who is telepathic.

Review: The movie went the same direction as the TV show “Firefly”, what this film is based on. The show was hard to characterize and with that hard to promote. Ater half a season Fox cancelled “Firefly”, but when the DVD came out it sold out. That’s why Universal thought a movie would be a good idea. And it was, because the film was a success. Both fans and newcomers to it got excited fort his new world.

The characters are introduced, short and brief, and you can easily follow this film without any knowledge of the show. The storytelling is good, as for the script and the movie is easy to watch.

A spectacular chase in the beginning of the, where our heroes are chased by so called Reavers, is fresh and exciting. And the fight scenes including actress Summer Glau are also very good.

The cast is well known to the fans. Nathan Fillion is a pleasant leading man, he proofs he can carry a movie. Chiwetel Ejiofor is the most interesting in the film. The rest of the characters all add something, but they lack depth.

The film has a somewhat improbable ending, that is not consistent with the tone of the rest of the movie. It’s all been done a bit to perfect, to lead everything into a satisfying ending.

“Serenity” is not a masterpiece, but it’s definitely a movie you should watch. Especially as a sci-fi fan. I highly enjoyed it.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (203)

Here are this weeks trailers.

About Ray

Description: After Ray (Elle Fanning) decides to transition from female to male, Ray's mother, Maggie (Naomi Watts), must come to terms with the decision while tracking down Ray's biological father to get his legal consent.

Director: Gaby Dellal

Starring: Elle Fanning, Naomi Watts, Susan Sarandon, Tate Donovan

Trailer: Trailer "About Ray"

Comment: Can't wait to see this, it looks amazing!

Secret in Their Eyes

Description: A tight-knit team of FBI investigators, along with their District Attorney supervisor, is suddenly torn apart when they discover that one of their own teenage daughters has been brutally murdered.

Director: Billy Ray

Starring: Julia Roberts, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Dean Norris

Trailer: Trailer "Secret in Their Eyes"

Comment: No one can stop her!

Miss You Already

Description: The friendship between two life-long girlfriends (Toni Collette and, Drew Barrymore) is put to the test when one starts a family and the other falls ill.

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Starring: Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Paddy Considine, Dominic Cooper

Trailer: Trailer "Miss You Already"

Comment: Love Toni Collette!

The Danish Girl

Description: The remarkable love story inspired by the lives of artists Lili Elbe (Eddie Redmayne) and Gerda Wegener Alicia Vikander). Lili and Gerda's marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.

Director: Tom Hooper

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Amber Heard, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ben Wishaw, Sebastian Koch

Trailer: Trailer "The Danish Girl"

Comment: Looks stunning.

The Lobster

Description: In a dystopian near future, single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly, Léa Seydoux, Ben Wishaw

Trailer: Trailer "The Lobster"

Comment: I really, really, really, want to see this!

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 115: The Guard

Director: John Michael McDonagh

Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Comedy

Runtime: 96 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot, Mark Strong, Rory Keenan, Fionnula Flanagan, Dominique McElligott, Sarah Greene, Katarine Cas, Pat Shortt, Darren Healy, Laurence Kinlan, Gary Lydon, Ronan Collins, Dermot Healy, Dominick Hewitt, Sharon Kearney, Michael Og Lane, Conor Moloney, Giedrius Nagys, Mark O’Halloran, Wale Ojo, Eamonn Olwill, David Pearse, Gary Robinson, Owen Sharpe

Description: An unorthodox Irish policeman (Brendan Gleeson) with a confrontational personality is partnered with an up-tight F.B.I. agent (Don Cheadle) to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring.

Review: Brendan Gleeson is a late bloomer. It wasn’t until he was 34 that he got his first movie role. For years Gleeson has been the supporting actor, with movies like “Braveheart”, “Michael Collins”, “Gangs of New York” and “Cold Mountain”. And he was also in the “Harry Potter” series. It was director Martin McDonagh that thought Gleeson could carry a film and he give him one of the leads in “In Bruges”. McDonagh’s brother John Michael McDonagh got Gleeson for “The Guard”, a crime comedy like no other.

Gleeson plays Gerry Boyle, a cop in western Ireland. Gerry has his own rules. He tries drugs that he finds at a crime scene, drinks beer while still on the clock and spends time with call girls. Whoever comments, can expect a sharp response. Gerry is not political correct and very unconventional. American FBI agent Wendell Everett, a role by Don Cheadle, has come to Ireland to solve a drug case. He has to work with Gerry. Two completely different men working together on a big case.

Brendan Gleeson does a great job portraying the rude Gerry. One crude remark after another, he seems like a real ass. But somehow Gleeson manages to give him some charm as well. We see that he can be caring, in his own way. He is a man that has toughened himself to hide his true vulnerability. Then there is Wendell, goodie two shoes living by the rules. The chemistry between Gleeson and Cheadle is good. Fun roles for Liam Cunnigham and Mark Strong, as the semi-philosophical drug criminals and Fionnula Flanagan as Gerry’s foulmouthed mother.

“The Guard” is especially strong because of its dialogue and acting. The sharp oneliners are so enjoyable, even if they are harsh, and Brendan Gleeson is so good. If you like dark comedies, with typical British humor and that are different and cynical, you should definitely watch “The Guard”.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 114: 12 Angry Men

Director: Sidney Lumet

Genre: Drama/ Crime

Runtime: 96 minutes

Year: 1957

Starring: Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Ed Binns, Jack Warden, Henry Fonda, Joseph Sweeney, Ed Begley, George Voskovec, Robert Webber

Description: A dissenting juror in a murder trial slowly manages to convince the others that the case is not as obviously clear as it seemed in court.

Review: Talk, talk, talk. The film directed by Sidney Lumet is filled with dialogue. Sometimes the talking turns into shouting, it’s a verbal knife fight. And the dialogue is sharp and intelligent. “12 Angry Men” was his first directed film, a movie where he shows guts and talent.

The story is simple: a teenager is being accused of murdering his father. The jury has to decide whether he is guilty or not. When he is found guilty, it leads to the death penalty. All the jurors have their own reason why they think the boy is guilty or not. One just uses the facts, another lets his emotions speak. It could have been simple, but one of the jurors looks further than just the evidence and facts. In the beginning he is the only one thinks the boy is not guilty. The other jurors don’t understand, but he does manage to convince. But not every juror is that easily convinced.

“12 Angry Men” is film about justice and injustice. It’s sometimes impossible to leave your own emotions out of it, when you have to decide the faith of an accused. We see that in all of the jurors. We don’t know their names, but based on their opinions and views, we get to know them. Especially juror number three and ten stick to their opinion. They aren’t prepared to share that at the start. Juror number seven on the other hand, easily changes his opinion, because all he wants is to get out of there. Juror number eight is the one who is trying to convince the other eleven jurors and number one is trying to lead everything. It’s great to see twelve different men trying to come to one unanimous conclusion.

Besides the very first scene, the entire movie is set in one room and it’s a fascinating sight. That alone is great, but with the use of different cameras and perspectives the tension is built as well. Towards the end, when the atmosphere is grim and anguished, these are perfect tools to suck the audience in.

Lumet manages to bring out the best in the cast. Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb especially. It’s great to see how Fonda can keep his cool with the intense Cobb opposite of him. Cobb’s emotions are so present, you really feel it yourself. “12 Angry Men” can easily be seen as one of the highlights in movie history. They don’t make movies like this anymore. Strong acting and a subtle yet convincing tension buildup. Court dramas don’t get better than this.

Rating: 5/ 5

Fall 2015 Movie Preview

The summer is almost to an end and my favorite season is about to start. There are some great movies coming this fall and I would like to share with you the once I'm looking forward to the most. I think I'm going to do more of those in the future, because I love to read and watch things like this myself. Here is a list of movies I'm looking forward to this fall.

Sicario

Release date: September 18th

I loved Denis Villeneuve's previous movies "Prisoners" and "Enemy", so this is a movie to look out for. "Sicario" starts Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro and it's about a drug war along the Mexican border.

Trailer "Sicario"

Everest

Release date: September 25th

A first this may seem like a generic survival thriller, but with a cast that includes Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley and Robin Wright (among others), it seems more like an solid ensemble thriller that’s worth a second look.

Trailer "Everest"

The Martian

Release date: October 2nd

The adaptation of Andy Weir's novel, director Ridley Scott and a killer cast with Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Kristen Wigg.

Trailer "The Martian"

Steve Jobs

Release date: October 9th

No, not another Ashton Kutcher flick. This time it's Michael Fassbender who takes on the role of Steve Jobs. Aaron Sorkin, who was also a part of "The Social Network", is the screenwriter and Danny Boyle directs. This guy never makes the same movie. Besides Fassbender we can see Seth Rogen and Kate Winslet.

Trailer "Steve Jobs"

Bridge of Spies

Release date: October 16th

Tom Hanks starring in a Steven Spielberg political thriller written by the Coen Brothers. Reason enough for me to go and see it.

Trailer "Bridge of Spies"

Crimson Peak

Release date: October 16th

Guillermo del Toro directing a film with supernatural elements is something that a lot of fans have waited a long time to see again. I’m one of them. Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska and Charlie Hunnam star in this creepy movie.

Trailer "Crimson Peak"

Suffragette

Release date: October 23rd

Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, and Meryl Streep as the first activists in the British women’s suffrage movement. I’m sorry, what else do you need to know?

Trailer "Suffragette"

Spotlight

Release date: November 6th

I'm so glad Michael Keaton is back on the screen. This movie tells the story of a group ofs journalists who broke the story of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. An ace fall ensemble here with not alone Keaton, also Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, John Slattery, Liev Schreiber, Billy Crudup and Stanley Tucci.

Trailer "Spotlight"

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Release date: November 20th

I can't wait to see how it all end. Off course, I already know, but I want to see it on the big screen.

Trailer "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2"

MacBeth

Release date: December 4th

There have been several movies based on this story, but now it’s Australian director Justin Kurzel’s turn. With the jaw-dropping pairing of Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard as the Lord and Lady.

Trailer "MacBeth"

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Release date: December 18th

I really can't ignore this one. Although I'm not a huge fan of the franchise, I do get excited for it. Just for nostalgic reasons maybe.

Trailer "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

The Hateful Eight

Release date: December 25th

Probably my favorite on this list, because I love everything Quentin Tarantino does. I have to wait untill January here in the Netherlands, but that's okay. It has Michael Madsen, Kurt Russel, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walter Goggins and Bruce Dern in it.

Trailer "The Hateful Eight"

Joy

Release date: December 25th

I'm always excited to see Jennifer Lawrence in anything! Another colaboration with director David O. Russell and actors Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro.

Trailer "Joy"

The Revenant

Release date: December 25th

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s follow-up to "Birdman" finds Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, and Domnhall Gleeson out in the cold. The trailer looks really intense.

Trailer "The Revenant" <

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 113: De Overgave

Director: Paul Ruven
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Thriller
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Rick Engelkes, Sheena Tchai, Dave Mantel, Carly Wijs, Ellen ten Damme, Melody Klaver, Dave Roelvink, Kees Boot, Victoria Koblenko

Description: Two new lovers (Rick Engelkes, Sheena Tchai) want to discover how far each other will go.

Review: I never thought this could be possible, but it happened. There is a Dutch variant on “50 Shades of Grey” and it’s even worse. “De Overgave” is a very bad film.
In “De Overgave” we follow Eva. This bar tender is being watched by actor Tim. He wants her to star in a film with him. There is no script yet, just a book. ‘De Overgave van Floor’ (The surrender of Floor) is the inspiration. While reading, Eva wants to decided whether she is interested or not. This is the start of a reckless relationship and a search for the success behind “50 Shades of Grey”. Because, why do women like these book?
Director Paul Ruven had this based on the book ‘De Overgave van Floor’, a series of Dutch novels that wanted to follow the hype of the “50 Shades of Grey” books. What we get is a tame, bad directed, bad montaged film that never gets exciting or tense. For an erotic thriller it’s not very stimulating.
Those so-called erotic scenes are filmed in black and white, lots of moaning, it’s all very stiff (for the lack of a better word). There is no chemistry between Rick Engelkes and Sheena Tchai and the dialogue is so bad. It’s all film dialogue, no one actually talks like that.
“De Overgave” is a terribly made film, such strange montage. It’s tiring to watch this film. It makes “50 Shades of Grey” look good.

Rating: 0,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 112: Mannenharten

Director: Mark de Cloe

Genre: Romance/ Comedy

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Daan Schuurmans, Barry Atsma, Jeroen Spitzenberger, Teun Kuilboer, Jon van Eerd, Georgina Verbaan, Fabian Jansen, Katja Herbers, Liliana de Vries, Hadewych Minis, Kim Feenstra, Ton Kas, Sanne Vogel, Thekla Reuten

Description: Following the love lives of different types of men in Amsterdam.

Review: In the Dutch romcom “Mannenharten” we don’t meet women who doubt their love life, but six men who struggle with themselves and problems with love.

With so many protagonist in one film, director Mark de Cloe got together some of the most well-known Dutch actors. But none of these actors get the chance to give their character a deeper personality, because we constantly switch from one storyline to another.

The chaotic Wouter never had a real goal in life. Now life is even more complicated when his girlfriend appears to be pregnant. Womanizer Daan can get all the women in the world, but was in love only once. Tim is about to marry his high school sweetheart, but starts doubting if this is it. Frank screwed up his relationship with Susanne and really wants her back. But she falls for the clumbsy Niels.

Although “Mannenharten” has so many storylines, it never gets complicated. It’s pleasant to watch, but it’s all a bit too simple. And predictable and cliché. I don’t mind cliché, if it’s done well, but that’s not the deal here.

“Mannenharten” is nothing unique, but it’s not dull either. It’s a fun watch, but never gets above average.

Rating: 2,5/ 5