90s Movie Review - The Nightmare Before Christmas

Director: Henry Selick
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Fantasy/ Musical
Runtime: 77 minutes
Year: 1993
Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’hara, William Hickey, Ed Ivory, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page, Susan McBride, Debi Durst, Greg Proops, Kerry Katz, Randy Crenshaw, Sherwood Ball, Carmen Twillie

Description: Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon), king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but doesn't quite understand the concept

Review: Tim Burton has his own style, which is clearly present in every one of his movies. Everything breaths the typical, dark and fairytale like atmosphere. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was written by Burton, but directed by Henry Selick.
Selick had some experience with stop-motion, so the perfect man for the job. The characters, characteristic world and the atmosphere came from Burton’s mind, but it was Selick that brought them to life.
Both of them made it into an amazing piece of art. There is so much going on, so many wonderful and unique things to see. The movie is set in three worlds: Halloween town, Christmas town and the real world. Halloween town is Jack Skellington’s home. Jack is animated amazingly. He has so many facial expressions. To create them, there were about 400 exchangeable heads used. Stop-motion needs so much eye for detail, that makers of the genre deserve all the respect they can get.
The movie is an animated musical. The music is written (and sung) by Burton’s go to composer Danny Elfman. The songs don’t get stuck in your head, the way Disney does it, but “The Nightmare Before Christmas” has some show stoppers and effective songs.
It’s especially the way the movie was made that will amaze everyone. It’s such a beautifully crafted work of art, with a great atmosphere.

Rating: 5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Monsters Inc.

Director: Pete Doctor, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Family/ Fantasy
Runtime: 92 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, John Ratzenberger, Frank Oz, Bonnie Hunt

Description: In order to power the city, monsters have to scare children so that they scream. However, the children are toxic to the monsters, and after a child gets through, two monsters realize things may not be what they think.

Review: In Monstropolis monster live in all sizes, types and colors. They are like people, they are funny, friendly, hard-working and driven. The world of monsters also needs power and electricity. They get that energy from children’s screams from those who are frightened at night. The children are visited through a very special  system of closet doors at Monsters In., the largest scare factory of Monstropolis. The motto: We scare because we care. Top scarer is James P. Sullivan, Sully for short. A big, blue, fluffy horned monster with a heart of gold. His assistant, roommate and best friend is Mike Wazowski. He is enthusiastic, headstrong, short-tempered and has only one eye. Mike and Sully provide a record yield of energy. None of the fellow monsters can match them. This is to great frustration of the cynical chameleon Randall Boggs. Because he is jealous of their success, he does everything to come out on top.
When the little, curious human girl Boo accidentally sneaks into the monster world, it is the monsters who are shocked. They think humans are toxic and dangerous. one touch can be fatal. Sully and Mike are spooked too at first, but take Boo into protection. They are determined to return the girl to her bedroom, which isn’t as easy as it seems.
Still, to this day, “Monsters Inc. is my favorite film from Pixar. It’s a creative film, in terms of story and animation. Many monsters pass by, big, small, round, rectangular, many eyes, one eye, teeth, scales, fur, all the colors of the rainbow, you name it. The story is sweet, funny, exciting, action-packed. Perfect for the whole family.
Sully and Mike are voiced by John Goodman and Billy Crystal and they couldn’t have found anyone more perfect for those roles. Especially Crystal is hilarious as Mike, who also happens to be my favorite Pixar sidekick.
“Monsters Inc.” is, as I stated before, my favorite Pixar film. And the film entertains me every single time I watch it.

Rating: 5/ 5

80s Movie Review - E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Drama/ Family/ Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 1982
Starring: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace-Stone, Robert McNaughton, Peter Coyote, KC Martel, Sean Frye, C. Thomas Howell, David M. O’Dell, Richard Swingler, Frank Toth, Erika Eleniak, Michael Darrell, Robert Barton

Description: A troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape Earth and return to his home-world.

Review: Aliens were ‘hot’ at the end of the 70s and beginning of the 80s. Steven Spielberg already made “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and Ridley Scott gave us the chills with “Alien”. Then comes Spielberg again with what appears to be a cute, sweet and adorable alien: “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial”. As endearing as E.T. is, we haven’t seen many aliens like that.
The adventure is for the entire family. The story is simple: Elliott is a lonely eight year old boy and befriends an alien who he names E.T. At first he wants to keep their friendship a secret, but soon his brother and sister find out.
With “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial” Spielberg made an ode to youth. Kids are boss in this movie. Adults aren’t portrayed in the nicest way, except for Elliott’s mother, and the story is told from the point of view of Elliott.
The show stealer is without a doubt E.T. itself. He doesn’t only steal the show, but also our hearts. This is one of those movies that always makes me cry. And Henry Thomas also did a fantastic job, just like his movie sister Drew Barrymore who was only seven while filming.
“E.T. the Extra Terrestrial” is a delightful adventure, for young and old. It’s timeless and heartwarming. It’s a classic and one of my favorite films from my childhood. And kids today should keep seeing it!

Rating: 5/ 5

Netflix Friday - Volume 76

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

Action: Birds of Prey (2020)
After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) joins superheroes Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett, Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to save a young girl from an evil crime lord (Ewan McGregor)
 

Drama: Freedom Writers (2007)
A young teacher (Hilary Swank) inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves and pursue education beyond high school.
 

Comedy: Dark Shadows (2012)
An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection.
 

Animation: The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Egyptian Prince Moses (Val Kilmer) learns of his identity as a Hebrew and his destiny to become the chosen deliverer of his people.
 

Romance: Love and Other Drugs (2012)
In 1990s Pittsburgh, a medicine peddler (Jake Gyllenhaal) starts a relationship with a young woman (Anne Hathaway) suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
 

Horror: Ghost Ship (2002)
A salvage crew discovers a long-lost 1962 passenger ship floating lifeless in a remote region of the Bering Sea, and soon notices that its long-dead inhabitants may still be on board.
 

Science Fiction: Jumper (2008)
A teenager (Hayden Christensen) with teleportation abilities suddenly finds himself in the middle of an ancient war between those like him and their sworn annihilators.
 

Crime: Richard Jewell (2019)
Security guard Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) is an instant hero after foiling a bomb attack at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, but his life becomes a nightmare when the FBI leaks to the media that he is a suspect in the case.
 

Thriller: The Guilty (2021)
Demoted police officer Joe (Jake Gyllenhaal) assigned to a call dispatch desk is conflicted when he receives an emergency phone call from a kidnapped woman.
 

Documentary: Britney Vs. Spears (2021)
Journalist Jenny Eliscu and filmmaker Erin Lee Carr investigate Britney Spears’ fight for freedom by way of exclusive interviews and confidential evidence.
 

Family: Marley & Me (2008)
A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog Marley.
 

90s Movie Review - The Silence of the Lambs

Director: Jonathan Demme
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Horror
Runtime: 118 minutes
Year: 1991
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald, Ted Levine, Brooke Smith, Paul Laxar, Frankie Faison, Kasi Lemmons, Dan Butler, Lawrence T. Wrents, Don Brockett, Frank Seals Jr., Stuart Rudin, Masha Skorobogatov

Description: A young F.B.I. cadet (Jodie Foster) must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer (Anthony Hopkins) to receive his help on catching another serial killer (Ted Levine) who skins his victims.

Review: One of the most terrifying serial killers in movie history is Dr. Hannibal Lecter (although Buffalo Bill always scared me more). According to Entertainment Weekly Hannibal the Cannibal is the most popular movie creep, even more then Freddy Krueger, Darth Vader, Norman Bates and Jaws. The performance by Anthony Hopkins is sublime. Besides being dangerous and scary, Hopkins manages to be charming and stylish which makes it somehow hard to hate him.
“The Silence of the Lambs” was a huge success and won five Academy Awards. Jodi Foster also does a fantastic job as the brave yet innocent Clarice. And the dialogues between Lecter and Clarice are so brilliant and memorable. It’s a cat and mouse game and both characters get so much depth because of it. And there is mutual fascination. Clarice does her best to get information from Lecter about serial killer Buffalo Bill, but at the same time she has to expose herself. Even though Lecter isn’t in the movie that much, for us viewers he is always there. Both Foster and Hopkins are magnificent, but it’s Hopkins that leaves an unforgettable impression.
“The Silence of the Lambs” is a fantastic film, a movie that gives me the chills every single time, a classic.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Cruella

Director: Craig Gillespie
Genre: Crime/ Comedy
Runtime: 134 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Mark Strong, John McCrea

I WATCHED THIS FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 41: A MOVIE WITH AN ACTOR/ ACTRESS YOU LOVE
 
Description: A live-action prequel feature film following a young Cruella de Vil (Emma Stone)

Review: Cruella is not only a biography of one of Disney’s coolest creeps, but also a demonstration of the political power of fashion.
She’s every dog’s fear: if you’re not careful, you’ll become a coat. It’s a great premise for a bad guy. In the animated film “101 Dalmatians”, Cruella de Vil is at least as memorable as all those spotted puppies. In the late 90s there was a live-action remake, with Glenn Close as Cruella. Now the villain gets her own movie, which focuses on her rise as a gifted fashion designer. In the hands of Australian director Craig Gillespie, the dalmatians are just a footnote. Central to the film is the expressiveness of fashion.
“From a young age I was all about making a statement”, Cruella tells u in a voice-over. Those who wondered about dyed half-and-half hair need no longer doubt; that’s how she was born. In a jam-packed plot, her personal journey of discovery unfolds. “Cruella” is set in London mid-1970s, where anarchic punk fashion originated. Cruella grows up as Estella and is urged to put away her “psycho” side. She hides her distinctive hair with a red wig. She earns a living as a thief and sews disguises for her team of villains.
Estella’s sense of style leads logically to the world of fashion. When she joins the leading couturier ‘the Baroness’, her alter ego and sky-rocket Cruella gets wide open access. The Baroness is a symbol of the establishments. Her classic dresses clash with Cruella’s punk designs.
Fans of the cartoon will recognize some Cruella de Vil quotes and her characteristic driving style. And this movie shows what formed her and how she eventually became the bad woman she is in “101 Dalmatians”. Emma Stone is phenomenal as Cruella, perfect choice for the role. Another reason why I love her so much.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV-Show Review - Midnight Mass (Mini-Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Horror/ Drama/ Thriller
Number of episodes: 7
Year: 2021
Starring: Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, Annabeth Gish, Hamish Linklater, Michael Trucco, Rahul Kohli, Annarah Cymone, Igby Rigney, Alex Essoe, Rahul Abburi, Matt Biedel, Henry Thomas

Description: An isolated island community experiences miraculous events, and frightening omens, after the arrival of a charismatic, mysterious young priest (Hamish Linklater).

Review: Mike Flanagan’s latest creation, “Midnight Mass”, can be seen on Netflix since September 24^th. And it’s safe to say that this renowned horror director can add yet another top-notch project to his performance list.
In “Midnight Pass”, we follow an isolated religious island community on the cost of Northeast America. The center of this community is the Catholic St. Patrick’s church, and the priest of this church has been Monsignor John Pruitt for decades. However, after a trip to the Holy Land, he has fallen ill and is staying in a hospital on the mainland. His replacement is Father Paul, a young priest who by God makes miracles happen at St. Patrick’s. Another important islander is Riley Flynn. Some twenty years ago, as a young twenty-something, he left the island to pursue his dreams. But now, due to circumstances, he has returned. At first glance, time seems to have stood still on the island for centuries, but little do the inhabitants know that their home is on the brink of great ominous changes.
What “Midnight Mass” does well is that it slowly builds to a climax. Each episode dissects yet another part of the story and mystery. It takes its time to introduce the isolated religious island and its inhabitants. In addition, it becomes clear almost immediately that something is off. The isolation also gives you the sense of suspense, because if something happens one if dependent on the mainland. Furthermore, Flanagan is known for fleshing out his characters and certain themes well, in this case their relationship with religion and death. Flanagan also dislikes jumpscares, gore and a climax centered on a monster. In doing so, he joins a ranks of directors and writers who in recent years have walked away from mediocre but well-selling horror films that do focus on these things.
In takes guts to give a lot of attention in a horror production to people sitting around talking to each other about human themes like justice, guilt, depression, life meaning, the meaning of religion and what happens after death. Sure there are scary scenes in it, and even jumpscares, but this is done in a way that it adds something and they are effective. The atmosphere is often dark and creepy, which in the long run offers more suspense than a quick and loud sound. Thus, the series requires a certain amount of patience and interest in the above themes.
In conclusion, it can be said that “Midnight Mass” is one of the better horror production of the moment. Certainly it was the best TV-series I’ve seen in 2021. With an exciting dark atmosphere and well-crafted characters and themes, you will be on the edge of your seat.