90s Movie Review - Clear and Present Day

Director: Phillip Noyce
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Action
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer, Henry Czerny, Benjamin Bratt, Thora Birch, Harris Yulin, James Moffat, James Earl Jones, Greg Germann, Rex Linn

Description: CIA Analyst Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) is drawn into an illegal drug war fought by the US government against a Colombian drug cartel.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 14: A MOVIE RELEASED IN THE YEAR YOU WERE 10 YEARS OLD

Review: CIA agent Jack Ryan is called in by his boss Admiral James Greer to investigate the brutal murder on a personal friend of the US President, by a Colombian drug cartel on Hardin. Ryan learns that Hardin was laundering money for the drug cartel. When Greer falls seriously ill, Jack must take over as head of the CIA.
The trail soon leads to the powerful Colombian drug lord Ernesto Escobada. In his sleuthing Jack is hampered by people, both within the CIA and close to Escobada, who plays a mysterious double game. It turns out that National Security Advisor James Cutter has started a war against drug lords in Colombia. An action that threatens to make Jack a political victim. When a visit to Colombia almost kills Jack, he must pull out all the stops to ensure the sincerity and integrity cherished by Greer. A personal visit to Escobada seems the only solution, although not without danger.
In “Patriot Games”, Harrison Ford played the role of CIA agent Jack Ryan for the first time. Despite the somewhat weaker plot, “Patriot Games” proved to be a successful film. In this film, Ford was portrayed as the new Jack Ryan, after Alec Baldwin did it in “The Hunt for Red October”. For this reason, “Patriot Games” was a film that focused more on the person Jack Ryan. With “Clear and Present Danger” director Philip Noyce made a very different film. It is still widely regarded as one of  the best Tom Clancy film adaptations. It has an intriguing story with various angels, a political conspiracy and great action. The film remains exciting and entertaining until the end.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 49

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

Action: Raw Deal (1986)
A former FBI agent turned small-town sheriff (Arnold Schwarzenegger) agrees to help the FBI chief infiltrate the Chicago mafia when the FBI chief’s son is killed by them.
 

Drama: The Natural (1984)
A middle-aged unknown (Robert Redford) comes seemingly out of nowhere to become a legendary baseball player with almost supernatural talent.
 

Comedy: Booksmart (2019)
On the even of their high school graduation, two academic superstars (Kaitlyn Dever, Benie Feldstein) and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to calm four years of fun into one night.
 

Animation: Turbo (2013)
A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.
 

Romance: The Secret: Dare to Dream (2020)
A feature film adaptation of the self-help book, “The Secret”, which focuses on the power of positive thinking.
 

Horror: Quarantine (2008)
A television reporter (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman are trapped inside a building quarantined by the CDC, after the outbreak of a mysterious virus which turns humans into bloodthirsty killers.
 

Science Fiction: Bumblebee (2018)
On the run un the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small California beach town. On the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld) discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken.
 

Crime: In the Name of the Father (1993)
A man’s (Daniel Day-Lewis) coerced confession to an I.R.A. bombing he did not commit results in the imprisonment of his father (Pete Postlethwaite) as well. An English lawyer (Emma Thompson) fights to free them.
 

Thriller: Clear and Present Danger (1994)
CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) is drawn into an illegal war fought by the US government against a Colombian drug cartel.
 

Documentary: This is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist (2021)
March 18^, 1990, 13 works of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Guards admitted two men posing as police officers responding to a disturbance call, and the thieves tied the guards up and looted the museum.
 

Family: Beethoven (1992)
A slobbering St. Bernard becomes the center of attention for a loving family, but must contend with a dog-napping veterinarian and his henchman.

TV Show Review - Behind Her Eyes

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2021
Starring: Simona Brown, Eve Hewson, Tom Bateman, Robert Aramayo, Tyler Howitt, Georgie Glen, Aaron Anthony

Description: We follow Louise (Simona Brown), a single mom with a son and a part-time ob in a psychiatrist’s office. She begins an affair with her boss (Tom Bateman) and strikes up an unlikely friendship with his wife (Eve Hewson)

Review: “Behind Her Eyes” is a reasonable thriller with interesting characters and a dark plot. And although the resolution of the mystery is partially successful, I still believe it is worth watching.
When I started the series I didn’t know yet what kind of series “Behind Her Eyes” was going to be. A drama? A thriller? What I did know is that it will raise enough question for the viewer to continue watching. The curiosity of what will happen next.
“Behing Her Eyes” is a Netflix adaptation of the book of the same name, written by Sarah Pinborough. Three storylines are followed in this series. First, the lives of newly divorced Louisa and her son Adam. Second, the life of psychiatrist David with his wife Adele. And finally flashbacks of David, Adele and her friend Rob.
Louise gets caught up in the lives of David and Adele. With the former she has an affair and the latter she build’s a friendship. You immediately know something is not right, something that is reinforced by the strange actions of both David and Adele, but also by the flashbacks, in each episode, Louise and the viewer, obtains more and more pieces of the puzzle surrounding David and Adele. This mystery element is by far the strongest point of “Behind Her Eyes”.
However, some of the unwinding of this mystery is moderately done. For the sake of spoilers, I will remain vague about this. There comes a point in the series where everything becomes clear, only the justification for this revelation is absent. How can what happens, happen? The series has a twist, also in genre, which surprised me. And not necessarily in a good way. I’m still not really sure what I think of the ending. It left me unsatisfied in a way.

20s Movie Review - The Secret: Dare to Dream

Director: Andy Tennant
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Katie Holmes, Josh Lucas, Jerry O’Connell, Celia Weston, Sarah Hoffmeister, Aidan Pierce Brennan, Chloe Lee, Katrina Begin, Sydney Tennant, Yohance Myles, Jessie Terrebonne, Rosemberg Salgado, Samantha Beaulieu

Description: A feature film adaptation of the self-help book, “The Secret”, which focuses on the power of positive thinking.

Review: We live in uncertain times and sometimes it is difficult to stay positive. By now everyone knows the book “The Secret”. Especially in these strange times, it may be difficult to stay focused on the future and to keep yourself busy with achieving your dreams. The movie, which is based on the self-help book which focuses on the power of positive thinking, is not a very good movie, but a real feel-good movie when you just need to believe in positivity again.
Miranda Wells is a hard-working widow who struggles to raise her three children alone. A powerful storm brings a great challenge and a mysterious man named Bray Johnson into her life. In just a few days, Bray’s presence causes the family to rebound. But Bray has a secret and it could cause everything to change.  
I had very little expectations, but I was in the mood for a no-brainer feel-good type of movie. I was actually entertained. The emphasis in this film is really on showing what the consequences can be of your thoughts, statements and the way you look at life. It’s not a very good movie, the acting isn’t all that great either, but it’s a nice feel-good movie and one that is about real people and real lives. Simple but fun.

Rating: 3/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Life of David Gale

Director: Alan Parker
Genre: Drama/ Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2003
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Laura Linney, Gabriel Mann, Matt Craven, Rhona Mitra, Jim Beaver, Melissa McCarthy

Description: A man (Kevin Spacey) against capital punishment is accused of murdering a fellow activist and is sent to death row.

Review: David Gale is an ardent opponent of the death penalty. From his position as a renowned professor, he reaches quite a few people with his message. To this end, he is also a member of the non-profit organization Death Watch. One day, however, circumstances throw a spanner in the works. Gale is accused of raping and murdering his fellow activist Constance Harraway and ends up on death row himself. Three days before his execution, Gale agrees to an exclusive interview with reporter Elizabeth “Bitsey” Bloom. Bitsey soon learns that there is more to the assignment than she had imagined and that this man’s life is in her hands. Risking her life, she makes frantic efforts to piece together the shocking events surrounding the murder before it’s too late.
The death penalty has been a hot topic of political and social debate for decades, particularly in the United States. This is one of the few countries where the death penalty is still actively practiced. “The Life of David Gale” unmistakably has a political message and its position is against. However, this is not thrown in your face. The film is not a political pamphlet. The message is cleverly integrated into the overall narrative.
Kevin Spacey plays the titular David Gale and was third choice after George Clooney and Nicolas Cage. In retrospect, this is a stroke of luck, as Spacey is convincing and intense as ever. He puts down a layered character, keeping you in the dark for a very long time about his morals, motives and what exactly happened. Kate Winslet must meet a high bar to reach this level, but this experienced actress certainly holds her own. She is a bit more one-dimensional and less colorful than Spacey, but Spacey character simply gets more room to explore. After all, in the end, everything revolves around David Gale and the other characters are the extras needed to shape the whole thing. For a thriller, it is important that it is exciting. “The Life of David Gale” surely succeeds at that. The journey is just as important as the destination, but that twist is really good. As a thriller, the film doesn’t really excel cinematically. But because of the strong cast and overall story, the film is one to remember.

Rating: 3/ 5

80s Movie Review - The Natural

Director: Barry Levinson
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 138 minutes
Year: 1984
Starring: Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Barbara Hershey, Robert Prosky, Richard Farnsworth, Michael Madsen

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR THE 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 13: A SPORTS MOVIE

Description: A middle-aged unknown (Robert Redford) comes seemingly out of nowhere to become a legendary baseball player with almost supernatural talent.

Review: New York, 1939. Unknown baseball player Roy Hobbs arrives at The New York Knights. A professional baseball team that loses more than it wins. Sixteen years earlier, Roy was a talented pitcher on his way to a promising career. Because of an incident, Roy was long forgotten. Now he’s back, hoping to finally get the baseball career he always dreamed of.
Robert Redford is perfect for his role as Roy Hobbs. Same goes for Robert Duvall and Kim Basinger. The story is cleverly crafted. Many different genres are blended in the film. It’s not just a sports drama, but also has romance, comedy and crime in it. It also sits well with its portrayal of the American baseball culture and its depiction of pre-war America.
The movie is entertaining, but one thing bothered me. The 16-year hiatus that Roy has, is never fully explained and we are left with too many unanswered questions. And the ending was a bit too cliché and predictable. This film could be a lot better, if those two problems were solved. Overall, “The Natural” is still a sports film worth watching.

Rating: 3 / 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 48

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

Action: Shooter (2007)
A marksman (Mark Wahlberg) living in exile is coaxed bac into action after learning of a plot to kill the President. After being double crossed for the attempt and on the run, he sets out for the real killer and the truth.
 

Drama: Unbroken (2014)
After a near-fatal plane crash in WWII, Olympian Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) spends a harrowing 47 days in a raft with two fellow crewmen before he’s caught by the Japanese navy and set to a prisoner-of-war camp.
 

Comedy: This is 40 (2012)
Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are both to turn 40, their kids hate each other, both of their business are failing, they’re on the verge of losing their house, and their relationship is threatening to fall apart.
 

Animation: From Up On Poppy Hill (2011)
A group of Yokohama teens look to save their school’s clubhouse from the wrecking ball in preparations for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
 

Romance: The Hero (2017)
An ailing movie star (Sam Elliott) comes to terms with his past and mortality.
 

Horror: Ouija (2014)
A group of friends must confront their most terrifying fears when they awaken the dark powers of an ancient spirit board.
 

Science Fiction: Aquaman (2018)
Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land.
 

Crime: The Town (2010)
A longtime thief (Ben Affleck), planning his next job, tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager (Rebecca Hall) connected to an earlier heist, and a hell-bent F.B.I. Agent (Jon Hamm) looking to bring him and his crew down.
 

Thriller: Secret Window (2004)
A successful writer (Johnny Depp) in the midst of a painful divorce is stalked at his remote lake house by a would-be scribe (John Turturro) who accuses him of plagiarism.
 

Documentary: Seaspiracy (2021)
Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species, and uncovers alarming global corruption.

Family: Instant Family (2018)
A couple (Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne) find themselves in over their heads when they foster three children.