Movie Review - Trick

Director: Patrick Lussier
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Omar Epps, Jamie Kennedy, Tom Atkins, Ellen Adair, Todd Farmer, Kristina Reyes, Thom Niemann

Description: A no-nonsense detective (Omar Epps) tries to track down a mass murderer named Trick, who is terrorizing a small town.

Review: Fall is the time for horror movies. And more often bad than good. As for “Trick”, it got me excited. On paper.
A small town is startled by a cunning and elusive killer called Trick. Many people think it’s more than one killer, because the murders don’t resemble each other. Detective Denver is the only one who knows for sure that he saw the killer. He even shot him. Trick, however, managed to escape. Denver is determined to put him behind bars once and for all.
“Trick” is a somewhat strange film. Again, we’re dealing with a life form that doesn’t seen to get broken, a bit in the style of Michael Myers. The only thing is that the character Trick never really knows how to take shape. First of all, his appearance isn’t immediately memorable, but most of all we don’t get the time to feel threatened by Trick. The story rushes pretty fast towards the end and doesn’t really captivate anywhere. On paper we have a film that could have worked best with a certain approach.
The film thinks it has a great twist, but it’s really predictable and not surprising at all. “Trick” is all over the place and feels messy. I didn’t like it.

Rating: 2 / 5

Movie Review - 21 Bridges

Director: Brian Kirk
Genre: Drama/ Action/ Crime
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, J.K. Simmons, Stephan James, Keith David, Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Siddig, Louis Cancelmi, Victoria Cartagena, Fary Carr, Morocco Omari, Chris Ghaffari

Description: An embattled NYPD detective (Chadwick Boseman) is thrust into a citywide manhunt for a pair of cop killers after uncovering a massive and unexpected conspiracy.

Review: If your father is a cop, you probably will be too. This is a fact in many cop movies, including “21 Bridges”. The father of detective Andre Davis was also a cop and was killed on he job. That didn’t scare Andre because he is determined to put every criminal behind bars.
He shows that in everything he does. When a robbery gone wrong and eight cops are killed, it’s up to Davis to catch the perpetrators. In order to make sure the killers don’t flee, he closes all the 21 bridges that connect the island Manhattan to the mainland. With the help of his colleagues and the FBI, he has four hours to catch the criminals. But nothing is as it seems.
“21 Bridges” is a fierce action film, with some moments that get you on the edge of the seat. The story isn’t very unique or original, but because of the fast pace and the shorter runtime the film entertains from start to finish. Chadwick Boseman, who we lost way too soon, is very strong in the lead.  It’s a solid action film with some nice twists.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Oldie Review - Casablanca

Director: Michael Curtiz
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 1942
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Peter Lorre, Paul Henreid, Claude Reins, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, S.Z. Sakall, Madeleine LeBeau, Dooley Wilson, Joy Page, John Qualen, Leonid Kinskey, Curt Bois
 
Description: A cynical American expatriate (Humphrey Bogart) struggles to decide whether or not he should help his former lover (Ingrid Bergman) and her fugitive husband (Paul Henreid) escape French Morocco.

Review: I don’t think there is any other production in movie history with so many unforgettable one-liners as “Casablanca”. “Here’s looking at you kid”, “Play it Sam”, “Louis I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” have all become classic statements that are still engraved in the collective film memory so many years later.
“Casblanca”, from 1942, was made while the Second World War was still in full swing and is about Rick Blaine, café owner in Casablanca, a place of transition where Europeans tried to flee the continent to come to the United States. Blaine is an opportunist who lost most of his faith in humanity because of past events. That changes when resistance fighter Victor Laszlo and his wife Ilsa Lund arrive in Casablance. Blaine and Lund have a shared history that is brought back to life by their sudden reunion.
While many classics struggle to stand the test of time, “Casablanca” is different. The fantastic screenplay by the brothers Julius and Philip Epstein and Howard Koch still stands strong and has a pleasantly fast pace that ensures that the film doesn’t collapse for a moment. There is simply no time for that with all the witty one-liners constantly spoken by the characters.
But what really makes “Casablanca” the ultimate film classic is the chemistry between the two main characters. Humphrey Bogart was never better than the sullen Rick Blaine, who sees the fire in his heart rekindle by the return of a lost love. And in the face of Ingrid Bergman, pictured at its best by the stylistic rules of the American studio system of course, you could easily drown. The magic between the two is still unparalleled and is no other less than film magic. Nobody should miss the chance to see this film. And I was a little ashamed that, as a self-named movie nerd, I hadn’t seen it before. Check on my bucket list.

Rating: 5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Justice League

Director: Zack Snyder
Genre: Action.. Adventure/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Connie Nielsen, Diane Lane, Amber Heard, Robin Wright, J.K. Simmons, Ciarán Hinds, Billy Crudup

Description: Fuled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists the help of his new-found ally, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), to face an even greater enemy.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 45: A DC COMICS MOVIE

Review: I don’t like saying this, but “Justice League” reminds me a lot of “The Avengers”. Not only the tone and the humor, but also the story structure is similar: short introductions of all the team members, the search of a bad guy Steppenwolf, and even the way the team fights against itself. Or take the entrance of Steppenwolf teleports to Earth thanks to a magical cube, and tries to get his hands on it while soldiers try to stop him. It’s not necessarily copied, the so-called Motherboxes do come from the original stories, but they are clearly playing it safe with the intention of “Justice League”. He therefore misses the impact, innovation and own identity that “The Avengers” had.
It turns out to be a successful formula, which proides a significant improvement over the overambitious “Batman V Superman”. Whereas the dark predecessor threw all kinds of subplots, themes and comic strips into a blender and hoped for a form of coherence, Zack Snyder had a clear them for the sequel. The film opens with the meaning of Superman’s emblem, the symbol for hope. This time it’s not a nice one-liner, but the core of the film. Truly every character ans subplot revolves around hope: Flash’s relationship with his father, Cyborg’s resurrection, Batman and Wonder Woman’s struggle with their past and Aquaman’s cantankerous and lonely quest for more. The tone is therefore more consistent than ever in the DCEU.  
Steppenwolf is allowed to join the lon line of uninteresting bad guys. His background as the seconds of Darkseid and his role as a military leader of the Planet Apokolips are hardly explained. Moreover, there is not glimmer of charisma or personality. “Justice League” has more lack of construction. Cyborg, Flash and Aquaman haven’t been able to benefit from a solo film yet, and have to try to develop their characters within some scenes.
The best thin about “Justice League” is, especially for the fans, that the fifth DCEU movie finally has a grip on the source material. The interaction between all the heroes is convincing and strong. And especially The Flash is a pleasant and enjoyable presence.
Compared to the other superhero movies that came out in 2017, “Justice League” is too safe to compete with. “Justice League” feels more like a rectification, mainly due to the optimistic and heroic tone in the last few shots.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Trial of the Chicago 7

Director: Aaron Sorkin
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Sacha Baron Coehn, Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong, John Carroll Lynch, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Rylance, Ben Shekman, J.C. MacKenzie, Frank Langella, Michael Keaton

Description: The story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

Review: Director Aaron Sorkin wrote the script for “The Trial of the Chicago 7” as early as 2007, but due to the writers’ strike in 2008 the film was cancelled at the time. The fact that the project has now been revived undoubtedly has to do with the spirit of the times. The years 2016 to 2020 have brought back the sixties and seventies, with all their public protest and blurring of political norms. So it’s not a bad idea to translate the important stories of that tie to the big screen. Steven Spielberg did this earlier with “The Post”, which zoomed in on the publication of the Pentagon Papers and thus advocated bold journalism to keep politics in check. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” takes a similar approach. And although the filming took place a year ago, the past months of civil protests and excessive police violence have only made the story more topical.
The so-called Chicago 7 are the leaders of various organizations that travelled to Chicago during the Democratic Convention of 1968 to protest against the Vietnam War. Although this protest was meant to be peaceful, it degenerated into a situation in which activists clashed with the police. They are prosecuted, with the accusation of conspiracy on the table. A rather bizarre accusation, since these people hardly knew each other before they arrived in Chicago. But then again, this is not a well-founded lawsuit conducted for the public interest. This is the newly formed Nixon government that will teach those ‘know-it-all hippies a lesson.  
The intriguing thing about the lawsuit is that the defendants represent totally different organizations and in some ways have a very different way of life, even though they were pursuing the same goal with their protest. During the trial, however, the public prosecutor brings them all together, whether they like it or not. However, there differences in attitude to life mean that not everyone wants to conduct the trial in the same way. Some simply want to prove their innocence, while others see the trial as a good opportunity to publicly make the point they travelled to Chicago for at the time. Sorkin wisely does not take sides in this. It is up to the viewer to decided which is the most appropriate way of protest.
“The Trial od the Chicago 7” is probably one of the purest courtroom dramas ever created. For the most part, the film is set in the courtroom and only shows the story in flashbacks when the details are discussed in the trial. This happened mainly with witness statements, in which there is often a jumping back and forth between different angles.
What makes “The Trial of the Chicago 7”especially worth watching is the impressive line-up of actors that Sorkin has at his disposal. It might not be a real star cast, but it’s one of the strongest ensemble casts we will see this year. Mark Rylance is perfectly cast as a passionate and pragmatic lawyer, Frank Langella puts down a deliciously hating judge and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is allowed to elevate the role of prosecutor to something more human than what is usual in courtroom movies. And while is may seem somewhat lazy to present Eddie Redmayne as a good student and Sacha Baron Cohen as a transverse hippie, as idealistic opposites they end up surprising the most. Their acting duel towards the end is a true highlight.
Overall, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is a really strong film, with a story set in the past is stull topical today. Especially today.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 28

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Smokin’ Aces (2006)
When a Las Vegas performer-turned-snitch named Buddy Israel (Jeremy Piven) decides to turn state’s evidence and testify against the mob, it seems that a whole lot of people would like to make sure he’s no longer breathing.
 

Drama: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) and journalist Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys).
 

Comedy: Police Academy (1984)
A group of good-hearted, but incompetent misfits enter the police academy, but the instructors there are not going to put up with their pranks.
 

Animation: Antz (1998)
A rather neurotic ant (Woody Allen) tries to break from his totalitarian society while trying to win the affection of the princess he loves.
 

Romance: The Five-Year Engagement (2012)
One year after meeting, Tom (Jason Segel) proposes to his girlfriend Violet (Emily Blunt), but unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together.
 

Horror: Bone Tomahawk (2015)
In they dying days of the old west, an elderly sheriff (Kurt Russell) and his posse set out to rescue their town’s doctor from cannibalistic cave dwellers.
 

Science Fiction: District 9 (2009)
Violence ensues after an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth finds a kindred spirit in a government agent (Sharlto Copley) exposed to their biotechnology.
 

Crime: The Godfather Part III (1990)
In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealing in New York City and Italy in 1979, aging Mafia Don Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) seeks to avow for his sins, while taking his nephew Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia) under his wing.
 

Thriller: The Devil’s Own (1997)
A police officer (Harrison Ford) uncovers the real identity of his house-guest (Brad Pitt), an I.R.A. terrorist in hiding.
 

Documentary: Kiss the Ground (2020)
A revolutionary group of activist, scientist, farmers, and politicians band together in a global movement of “Regenerative Agriculture” that could balance our climate, replenish our vast water supplies, and feed the world.
 

Family: Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday (2016)
A fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Ruebens) to take his first holiday ever in this epic story of friendship and destiny.

80s Movie Review - The 'Burbs

Director: Joe Dante
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 1989
Starring: Tom Hanks, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, Bruce Dern, Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, Brother Theodore, Courtney Gains, Gale Gordon, Dick miller, Robert Picardo, Cory Danzinger, Franklyn Ajaye, Rance Howard

Description: An overstressed suburbanite (Tom Hanks) and his paramilitaric neighbor (Bruce Dern) struggle to prove their paranoid theory that the new family in town is a front for a cannibalistic cult.

Review: Before Tom Hanks got his fame and showed his acting talent in movies like “Saving Private Ryan”, “Forrest Gump” and “The Green Mile”, he was known for his comedies. “The ‘Burbs” is a typical example. It’s a light somewhat dark comedy, with themes like xenophobia, suburbia and neighborly fights. The movie is set in the American suburbs. It’s a quiet street, almost idyllic. But that peace is disturbed when the mysterious Klopek family moves in. Some of the neighbors don’t trust the Klopeks and decide to investigate it.
The story is simple and not spectacular. But the movie has more to offer than meets the eye. The power is in the lively characters. They all look like ordinary people, living their life in the suburbs. The arrival of the Klopeks, who have a different way of life, show us the true colors of the other neighbors. It all starts with the always hungry Art Weingartner and the eccentric and patriotic soldier Mark Rumsfeld. They drag Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks), the most sceptic of the three, into this too. Soon they don’t only see the Klopeks as strange and eccentric, but also as devil worshippers and killers who bury people in their yard. The fun thing is that as a viewer you’re constantly shifting between two thoughts: Are the Klopeks really murderers or are they just a little different from the rest and need their privacy.
The humor is hilarious and sometimes even in the category slapstick. But thanks to Tom Hanks it’s never absurd.
“The ‘Burbs” is a fun and very good comedy, that I can enjoy over and over again. It’s an underestimated movie and probably also overlooked. Definitely the funniest movie Tom Hanks has been in.

Rating: 5/ 5