90s Movie Review - Good Will Hunting

Director: Gus Van Sant
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Minnie Driver, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Description: A therapist (Robin Williams) counsels Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor with e genius IQ.

Review: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are big names now, but in 1997 that was not the case. “Good Will Hunting” was a real career starter for the two. They don’t only star in the movie, they wrote the screenplay as well. And for the last, they won an Academy Award.

We meet Will Hunting, a janitor at Harvard who also happens to have a very high IQ. While in mandatory sessions with therapist Sean Maguire, Will is clear about the fact that he doesn’t have any ambition of doing anything with his intelligence.

Matt Damon and Robin Williams’ performances are central to the film. Together they portray a beautiful and believable friendship. The two actors are very well attuned to each other and the scenes between them are the backbone of the film. Both performances are amazing, and Williams deservedly won an Academy Award for it.

The film is character driven, the plot comes second. It takes some time to develop. Will’s struggle between choosing for himself and what others expect of him is portrayed in a beautiful way.

The story grabs you and doesn’t let you go, yet the film isn’t too heavy. This combination is hard to find. It’s been a while since I last watched it, but after the rewatch I realized how much I really love this film.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - The Roses

Director: Jay Roach

Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, Ncuti Gatwa, Sunita Mani, Allison Janney
 
Description: A tinderbox of competition and resentments underneath the façade of a picture-perfect couple is ignited when the husband’s professional dreams come crashing down.
 
Review: It is not uncommon for a remake of a film to be given a slightly different title. However, int the case of “The Roses”, the difference says it all. Danny DeVito’s 1989 original was called “The War of the Roses”, and that war, the (literal) divorce battle that took up most of the film, is merely the dessert in this new version.

Back then the stars were Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, now they are Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. Two actors who know how to handle both the verbal and physical dimension of comedy and who thoroughly enjoy their roles.

Some of the dialogue hits home. At one point, Andy Samberg’s character Barry says “When we were younger, I knew what she was going to say before she said it. Now I don’t know what she’s said after she’s said it.” This feels like something many couples might go though after being together for a long time.

Sometimes you really want a film to live up to your expectations. But a quarter of the way through “The Roses”, you know that’s not happening. It’s understandable that the film needs an introduction. But for at least half of the film, we watch a happy marriage. It’s just like any other romcom. Their marriage is then slowly falling apart, before it finally comes to an outrages divorce battle.  

No complaints about Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman, both great, together and apart. Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon, who play friends Barry and Amy, are give little funny material. A waste of comedic talent I would say.

It was still and entertaining film. This is mainly because of the two leads. I expected a more raw, tragicomic film about a broken marriage. But we got a pretty standard romcom with some dark humor at the end.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - The True History of the Kelly Gang

Director: Justin Kurzel
Genre: Crime/ Action/ Drama
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: George MacKay, Essie Davis, Nicholas Hoult, Charlie Hunnam, Russell Crowe

Description: Australian bushranger Ned Kelly (George MacKay) and his gang flee from authorities during the 1870s.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 39: A FILM WITH RUSSELL CROWE
 
Review: The story tells the rise of Australian bushranger Ned Kelly and his gang in the 19^th century.
The film has a really strong opening. We see the storyline of Ned growing up. This is the most compelling part of the story. The film has a bold tone and the visuals are beautiful. And the performances are good (Essie Davis and Charlie Hunnam in particular).

The second half really didn’t work for me. It’s less compelling, with less interesting dialogue and a general feeling of emptiness. The modern clothing feels a bit out of place in this historical setting. And the film sometimes feels fragmented, which doesn’t make the story flow smoothly. And the movie just didn’t grab me, especially in that second half.

This movie was not at all what I expected and I was a bit disappointed. Strong start, disappointing finish. A waste of great talent.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

Movie Review - Weapons

Director: Zach Cregger
Genre: Horror/ mystery
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, Alden Ehrenreich, Amy Madigan, Justin Long
 
Description: When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
 
Review: “Weapons” is a horror film directed by Zach Cregger, who also made “Barbarian”. This movie really surprised me with its originality and shocking twists. “Weapons” is no different.

At the start of the movie, we learn that all but one kid from the same class have disappeared. They all vanished at the exact same time in the middle of the night.

The film has a complex, non-linear structure in which the story is told from different points of view. This makes the film unpredictable and captivating. It has a mix of horror and thriller, with elements of dark comedy. It constantly balances tension, terror and humor, avoiding conventional horror tropes.

I praise Zach Cregger for his creative and idiosyncratic storytelling style, which kept me on the edge of my set the entire time. The film is definitely not for everyone and especially towards the end it’s pretty gruesome. It has great performances by Julia Garner and Josh Brolin and I loved the bold approach to the genre.

Please go in with a blank slate, knowing as little as possible about the film. This way the experience is so much better, because it has many unexpected, surprising twists. “Weapons” is unique in its storytelling and content. Get ready to be blown away. My favorite film of 2025 (so far).

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - The Family Experiment by John Marrs

Title: The Family Experiment (Dark Future # 5)
Author: John Marrs
Genre: Science Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2024
 
Description: The world’s population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, the breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them.
 
But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show called The Substitute. It will follow ten couples as they raise a Virtual Child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the change or a real baby…
 
Review: I have already read “The One” (book one) and “The Marriage Act” (book four) in this series by John Marrs. They can be read out of order, because they are all different stories, with new characters. They are only set in the same universe. An alternate, not so distant future. Events from the other books are always briefly mentioned in the other stories. “The Passengers” is the second book and “The Minders” is book three. I still need to read those.
 
With “The Family Experiment” we enter a dystopian future in which virtual parenting is a thing. The book follows several participants in a reality show who are raising a virtual child. Whoever wins, can either keep their virtual child or win money to raise a real child in the real world. Because in this future it’s become nearly impossible to have a child and raise one, because of the economic crisis.
 
The set-up of the story is very similar to the other two book I read. We follow several POV’s/ storylines of people dealing with the same situation. Regular chapters are interspersed with adds, news bulletins and social media responses, and we also get some scenes from the past. You don’t really get to know what these ‘flashbacks’ have to do with the rest of the story, but the mystery of this makes it more interesting.  
 
The book has many unexpected plot twists. The suspense is compelling and the way each contestant is dealing with the situations is fascinating. The characters are very different, so it’s easy to follow. The amount of characters might be a bit overwhelming for some readers, especially if you’re not used to reading from multiple perspectives.  
 
John Marrs is known for building tension and ends his chapters often in cliffhangers. This makes you want to keep reading. It’s a very fast paced book. I found this book very original and it deals with AI and the dangers of it.
 
If you have enjoyed “The One” or “The Marriage Act”, or are a fan of the anthology series “Black Mirror”, you will most likely enjoy “The Family Experiment” too.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Title: Say You’ll Remember Me (Say You’ll Remember Me # 1)
Author: Abby Jimenez
Genre: Romance/ Contemporary
Published: 2025
 
Description: There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes – all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong…
 
… unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date – possibly the best in living history – Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moments, as crushins as that may be.
 
Only no amount of distance or time is enarly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing than one single perfect memory is to make a life – and even a love – worth remembering.
 
Review: “Say You’ll Remember Me” is an emotionally charged romantic novel. I stated before that I’m not much of a romance reader, but somehow these romance books, with a lot of emotional topics by Abby Jimenez have worked for me.
 
This book tells the story of Samantha and Xavier, who have one amazing date. But when Samantha is leaving, to take care of her mother miles away from Xavier, it makes an actual romance impossible. You might say….
 
Reviews for this book were mixed, so I was a bit skeptical. But I really enjoyed it. It has depth, humor and warmth. And I love the emotional load, especially from Samantha’s storyline. Dealing with her mom, who suffers from dementia and Samantha trying to take care of her. The harsh reality of life really touched me, since I had a grandmother who suffered from this. It hits close to home.
 
The hopeful love story really made me smile. I was really rooting for Xavier and Samantha. I liked both characters. Their romance had a rather rapid development, I’m not a fan of those “insta-love” type stories, which felt a bit implausible at times.  This is the only criticism I have. But I loved how they  tried to make it work, while life wasn’t really helping them. And the fact that is was not a pure romcom, made it better for me. This last point might be the reason why many readers don’t like is as much of Jimenez’s other books.  
 
“Say You’ll Remember Me” really moved me, but if you like Abby Jimenez’s previous books you won’t automatically love this one. It’s a romantic story with a heavy theme and emotional depth. And that’s what I loved about it.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - Angels & Demons

Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Thriller/ Mystery
Runtime: 138 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgård, Ayelet Zurer

Description: Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) works with a nuclear physicist to solve a murder and prevent a terrorist act against the Vatican during one of the significant events within the church.

Review: “Angels & Demons” open with a bang, as well as visual as sound. Director Ron Howard sets the tone to the spectacle we are going to experience. You are overwhelmed with tons of info, see grotesque images of the Vatican and the laboratory of CERN. After that opening, we see Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon for the first time in this film. He is called to the Vatican to help them with the kidnapping of the four preferiti.

The movie has a quick montage and it looks all so impressive. But there is also some room to breathe and reflect. The search for the missing preferiti is exciting, but sometimes a little bit predictable. But overall it’s a well-executed thriller that keeps you on the edge at all times. I loved Tom Hanks in “The Da Vinci Code” but also in “Angels & Demon” (okay, I love Tom Hanks in everything). Ewan McGregor and Stellan Skarsgård are solid supporting actors.

Although I really enjoyed “Angels & Demons”, I prefer “The Da Vinci Code”.

Rating: 5/ 5