Hello everyone worldwide!
Hope you are all having a good weekend so far, hopefully with Ron De Jeremy Rum included.
Now, with this post i was hoping to give you a good science fiction horror advice for this weekend . So i choose a film released in 2009 called Pandorum. A fun and well made science fiction horror film by director Christian Alvart , with a cast of Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster and Cung Le among the cast list. The film was a big box office failure at the time , but have become a cult film in recent years . A lot of action, the cannibal humanoids looks creepy , so a good combination for a good time.
More reviews are coming soon, so until next time, make sure you go in true Ron Jeremy style.
Cheers from Daniel
lördag 27 februari 2016
Solace
Can you imagine that it is soon 21 years ago, since one of the best serial killer films was released called Seven ? Oh man, time is running away fast. But the good news is that some films still deliver, even until this day. And Seven is one of those films that will always be close in my heart. I did see it in a cinema, back in 1995, and of course i gave it the highest rating. Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich all did excellent performances, and the style of the film by director David Fincher, made it unique. Serial killer films have been released in many years, in many different shapes. Usually, most of them are not very good, but sometimes we do get a nice surprise. American Psycho with the brilliant actor Christian Bale, is without a doubt one of the biggest serial killer classic films. A film that many people may not talk about, is the really brutal, disturbing film called I Saw The Devil. Directed by Kim Jee-woon, he gave us a very unique look into a serial killer´s sick mind. I would say this film is still one of my favourite in this genre, so i suggest you buy this one on dvd, or blu ray, as long as it is in your movie collection. Let us not forget Zodiac, a really intensive and well acted thriller with Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey, Jr. Very long, but a very interesting view on the Zodiac serial killer case in San Fransisco. Let´s speak about Seven again, i know that for many years, there have been discussions about a sequel to Seven. For a long time, we did not hear anything more about it. Until a script for a film called Solace turned up, that is said to be re-written script for a sequel to Seven. When New Line Cinema confirmed that the film was going to be made, with director Afonso Poyart, i could not help to feel curious about this project. Knowing that from the beginning, this was supposed to be a sequel to Seven, just made my curiousity even bigger. Since i really love the classic Seven, and still enjoy it today, is this ( supposed to be ) sequel almost as good as Seven is, or is it just a cheap way to get audiences fooled ?
FBI Agent Joe Merriweather ( Jeffrey Dean Morgan ) and his partner Agent Catherine Kowles ( Abbie Cornish ) are trying to locate a serial killer, that have left several bodies marked with a special signature, and a card with what they belive is a riddle. Agent Joe recognize the pattern, and he knows that this is the same serial killer they have been hunting for a long time. He decides to go out and visit his old friend John Clancy ( Anthony Hopkins ). John used to help the FBI to find out details of dead victims, since he can see what happened before they were killed. He dropped out, especially because of his young daughters death. Agent Joe tries to talk to John about coming back, that they really need his help. Eventually, John agrees, especially because he knows that this is the serial killer he tried to find before. Time is ticking, and more victims could be found dead. Who is this man doing this, and why does he choose specific victims ?
For those of you who remember the film Seven, might remember how well made it was. There was a lot of tension, emotions, and unexpected turns during the film. And it all made things better with such powerful performances, that were included in Seven. With Solace, we have a completely different story. Sure, there is a serial killer here, and he have his very own signature, that he leaves on each body. But there is not a lot of tension here, or a lot to be pleased about. Since we have such great actors as Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Abbie Cornish, you would expect to get a nice experience. Unfortunately, Solace is more of an pretty basic thriller, that you have seen so many times before. No unexpected twists, no surprises to lift the story, and most of the acting performances are not very good. And the only good reason to watch Solace, is thanks to Anthony Hopkins. He may not deliver here, as he usually does from an acting perspective. But, in a few scenes, he makes us feel curious about his character John Clancy, for helping FBI finding out what happened to dead victims. So he is basically the strongest point in this film, while we have some big problems to deal with. Director Afonso Poyart have directed 2 films in Portugal in the past. I have not seen any of his previous work, but i wonder if he was the right man to direct a serial killer film with a cast like this ? Knowing that this was supposed to be a sequel to Seven, makes you worried. There is nothing interesting about this film, if you compare it to the 90´s classic, and that is such a shame. In some scenes, i can see that there is an interesting story to be told. Especially with the character of Anthony Hopkins, because he knows how to make characters feel alive. But without a good script, or without strong characters, Solace falls pretty flat on the ground. Colin Farrell as a serial killer, was not the brightest idea ever either. I do like him as an actor, but his performance here is not what you would expect. I just read today that in France, the box office numbers in tickets sales were 6, 594, 509 million dollars. That is pretty impressive, considering this film did not screen almost anywhere in America. I suppose that french people love Antony Hopkins, and i can´t say no to that. But this is not the film he will be remembered for, in fact, most of us will probably forget about it.
Rating: DD
FBI Agent Joe Merriweather ( Jeffrey Dean Morgan ) and his partner Agent Catherine Kowles ( Abbie Cornish ) are trying to locate a serial killer, that have left several bodies marked with a special signature, and a card with what they belive is a riddle. Agent Joe recognize the pattern, and he knows that this is the same serial killer they have been hunting for a long time. He decides to go out and visit his old friend John Clancy ( Anthony Hopkins ). John used to help the FBI to find out details of dead victims, since he can see what happened before they were killed. He dropped out, especially because of his young daughters death. Agent Joe tries to talk to John about coming back, that they really need his help. Eventually, John agrees, especially because he knows that this is the serial killer he tried to find before. Time is ticking, and more victims could be found dead. Who is this man doing this, and why does he choose specific victims ?
For those of you who remember the film Seven, might remember how well made it was. There was a lot of tension, emotions, and unexpected turns during the film. And it all made things better with such powerful performances, that were included in Seven. With Solace, we have a completely different story. Sure, there is a serial killer here, and he have his very own signature, that he leaves on each body. But there is not a lot of tension here, or a lot to be pleased about. Since we have such great actors as Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Abbie Cornish, you would expect to get a nice experience. Unfortunately, Solace is more of an pretty basic thriller, that you have seen so many times before. No unexpected twists, no surprises to lift the story, and most of the acting performances are not very good. And the only good reason to watch Solace, is thanks to Anthony Hopkins. He may not deliver here, as he usually does from an acting perspective. But, in a few scenes, he makes us feel curious about his character John Clancy, for helping FBI finding out what happened to dead victims. So he is basically the strongest point in this film, while we have some big problems to deal with. Director Afonso Poyart have directed 2 films in Portugal in the past. I have not seen any of his previous work, but i wonder if he was the right man to direct a serial killer film with a cast like this ? Knowing that this was supposed to be a sequel to Seven, makes you worried. There is nothing interesting about this film, if you compare it to the 90´s classic, and that is such a shame. In some scenes, i can see that there is an interesting story to be told. Especially with the character of Anthony Hopkins, because he knows how to make characters feel alive. But without a good script, or without strong characters, Solace falls pretty flat on the ground. Colin Farrell as a serial killer, was not the brightest idea ever either. I do like him as an actor, but his performance here is not what you would expect. I just read today that in France, the box office numbers in tickets sales were 6, 594, 509 million dollars. That is pretty impressive, considering this film did not screen almost anywhere in America. I suppose that french people love Antony Hopkins, and i can´t say no to that. But this is not the film he will be remembered for, in fact, most of us will probably forget about it.
Rating: DD
The Boy
Growing up is not easy. You have to learn and deal with many situations, but it is also what helps us become who we are. It also depends on how our parents are. If you have parents who are positive, and belive in raising children in a good way, you are guaranteed to have more structure in your life, while growing up. My childhood had good moments, and of course i had a hard time during the bully abuse years. But my family was always there, so i can not say they treated me wrong. I sometimes watch documentaries, about criminals, or criminal cases, and you can find out many things about why some people become so destructive. Some might have been abused their whole childhood, some were molested, while others were not raised at all and could do whatever they wanted. So there is no doubt that good parenting is very important. Children need a good structure, and to feel safe, with their closest in family. I have been reading a lot here in Sweden, about so many criminal cases, where children, and young people, have been victims of horrible crimes. Maybe you heard about the killing of Alexandra Mezher, who was killed by a young refugee man. Since i don´t know his background, i can only pressume that he is not mentally healthy for doing such a hateful crime. There are many cases we could talk about, but let us get back to the review. So what happens, when a child is disturbed from a very young age ? This is one of the subjects in the film The Boy ( not the horror film that came out recently ). I actually did not know anything about this film, and came across it through VOD. Just reading the cast, and some of the story, made me curious to see if this could be something interesting. Since i enjoy several films with actor David Morse, it is nice to see him still do independent films. When a film comes out, and you barely hear anything abou it, you wonder if it is a warning sign. Is The Boy an fascinating view on a disturbed young boy, or is this not worthy your precious time at all ?
Ted Henley ( Jared Breeze ) is a young boy, helping his father John Henley ( David Morse, to operate the family motel, called The MT. Vista Hotel. It is located at e very deserted location, so the rooms are never fully booked. Ted is very fascinated in dead animals, that he find on the highway. In fact, he bring them back to the motel. For some disturbing reason, he seems to enjoy the idea of death. A family checks into the motel, as Ted injure their car, just to make sure that they can stay there longer. Ted is changing, becoming more destructive, with his fascination for dead flesh. He is curious to take this to the next level, but is there any way to stop him, or is Ted doomed to become a future serial killer ?
It is such a shame that The Boy did not even get to be shown in cinemas in Sweden. Because this is a unique small film. Disturbing in some ways, but from a psycological perspective, i find this film interesting. We will never understand how a young boy can be interested in dead animals, or enjoy to preserve dead flesh, and maybe that is why you are curious to find out what makes a sick boy enjoy this. I have heard about men who collect road killed animals, and eat them, but not in the same way as in the film The Boy. In some ways, i was reminded of Jeffrey Dahmer, the serial killer. He did collect dead animals and was interested in dead flesh, but took this to a completely more insane level. The lead actor, Jared Breeze, who plays the disturbed young boy Ted Benley, is really good in his performance. When a young boy this age, can play someone who is about to become a serial killer, you know that he can act. To capture those facial expressions, and show no remorse, is not easy. David Morse, who plays the boy´s father, is also very good. One of the things i find interesting with this film, is how we get to see how such a young boy, can become so destructive. I will not go into details about this, i think you might understand my point of view as you watch the film. Director Craig William Macneill have previously worked on several short films, including the experimental film The Afterlight. He was the co-director to this film, but with The Boy he made his feature film debut as an director. I have to say he manage to give us a film that is very odd. He manage to balance both a psycological perspective, but also a look into a disturbed personality. The film is very slow in some scenes, but once the tension grows, you do not want to finish the film. There is a feeling that anything can happen, when this boy´s obsession for death grows, and you can not know what he will do next. The Boy is not a film that might be seen by a large audience, simply because this is a more complicated independent film. But if you enjoy intelligent films, i suggest you see this one. A disturbing view on a young boy, who is about to destroy his own life. You will guaranteed feel emotional, seeing his behavior. One thing is for sure, i am staying the hell away from young boys who picks up road kills. Good thing there is usually a bar on the highway, i drive better with some whisky anyway.
Rating: DDD
Ted Henley ( Jared Breeze ) is a young boy, helping his father John Henley ( David Morse, to operate the family motel, called The MT. Vista Hotel. It is located at e very deserted location, so the rooms are never fully booked. Ted is very fascinated in dead animals, that he find on the highway. In fact, he bring them back to the motel. For some disturbing reason, he seems to enjoy the idea of death. A family checks into the motel, as Ted injure their car, just to make sure that they can stay there longer. Ted is changing, becoming more destructive, with his fascination for dead flesh. He is curious to take this to the next level, but is there any way to stop him, or is Ted doomed to become a future serial killer ?
It is such a shame that The Boy did not even get to be shown in cinemas in Sweden. Because this is a unique small film. Disturbing in some ways, but from a psycological perspective, i find this film interesting. We will never understand how a young boy can be interested in dead animals, or enjoy to preserve dead flesh, and maybe that is why you are curious to find out what makes a sick boy enjoy this. I have heard about men who collect road killed animals, and eat them, but not in the same way as in the film The Boy. In some ways, i was reminded of Jeffrey Dahmer, the serial killer. He did collect dead animals and was interested in dead flesh, but took this to a completely more insane level. The lead actor, Jared Breeze, who plays the disturbed young boy Ted Benley, is really good in his performance. When a young boy this age, can play someone who is about to become a serial killer, you know that he can act. To capture those facial expressions, and show no remorse, is not easy. David Morse, who plays the boy´s father, is also very good. One of the things i find interesting with this film, is how we get to see how such a young boy, can become so destructive. I will not go into details about this, i think you might understand my point of view as you watch the film. Director Craig William Macneill have previously worked on several short films, including the experimental film The Afterlight. He was the co-director to this film, but with The Boy he made his feature film debut as an director. I have to say he manage to give us a film that is very odd. He manage to balance both a psycological perspective, but also a look into a disturbed personality. The film is very slow in some scenes, but once the tension grows, you do not want to finish the film. There is a feeling that anything can happen, when this boy´s obsession for death grows, and you can not know what he will do next. The Boy is not a film that might be seen by a large audience, simply because this is a more complicated independent film. But if you enjoy intelligent films, i suggest you see this one. A disturbing view on a young boy, who is about to destroy his own life. You will guaranteed feel emotional, seeing his behavior. One thing is for sure, i am staying the hell away from young boys who picks up road kills. Good thing there is usually a bar on the highway, i drive better with some whisky anyway.
Rating: DDD
onsdag 24 februari 2016
The Forest
As a child, i spend many summers out in my grandfathers summer house. Since it was pretty close to the ocean, we would go out with his boat, to swim from small islands, and just enjoy a hot summer day. On some evenings, we would have barbecues, where we also used his old stone owen to get hot dogs really tasty from a real fire. But i remember something else, as we were sitting there, especially on a late night. As he walked off, to head towards bed, i would sit there looking at the fire. As the forest areas around his cabin, became more dark, you would feel that someone was watching from the trees. Almost like something was out there, watching you, observing you, and perhaps confront you out of the dark forest. We all have our memories from childhood, where we remember moments where we felt fear. It could be at any location really, in an dark alley, in an old building. But there is something creepy about being close to a forest, in a dark night. It feels like there could be an animal watching you, or perhaps another person ? There are plenty of films that have used a forest theme in horror films. And it is actually a good idea to use a forest, if you have a good idea for a horror film. One film, that managed to pull this off, was The Cabin In The Woods. At first you might think this is just a rip off completely of Evil Dead, but it manage to give us a different unexpected twist that worked well. If you have not seen it, and enjoy horror films, i suggest you rent it. We also have The Woods, a horror film from 2006, directed by Lucky McKee. The story of a young woman, who is sent to a boarding school, do have some nice creepy moments. And another important detail, Bruce Campbell is also in this film, that is a good reason to see this film. No matter what we are scared of in a forest, we always see this come back into the horror genre. In early january, a new film called The Forest had a cinema release. I was hearing some positive reviews from some critics, and that is not usual from a january horror film release. Usually, most films in this genre get panned by critics this month of a new year, but The Forest seemed to change that tradition. I got a chance to see it, not even seing a trailer. Is this a suprisingly good start of horror movies in 2016, or is this just another cash in release, hoping to make some cash, but don´t deliver anything ?
Sara Price ( Natalie Dormer ) recive a phone call from Japan. Her twin sister Jess ( Natalie Dormer ) is most likely dead. She was last seen going into the Aokigahara Forest, known as the Suicide Forest. Every year people are found dead in this forest, and the people who come here plan to take suicide. Sara refuse to belive that her sister is dead, so she decide to travel to Japan and find out if she could still be alive. At the hotel she stays at, she meets journalist reporter Aiden ( Taylor Kinney ). She tells him the reason why she is in Japan. Aiden asks if he can write an article on this, and she agree. But Aiden knows about the Suicide Forest, and suggest that he get a local guide as they search for Jess. The guide makes it very clear, no one leaves the path. As the crew go on their journey through the woods, nothing will ever be the same again.
Remember what i said earlier, that some critics were positive for The Forest, for being a january horror film release ? It is actually not all bad. I am curious about a suicide forest, located in Japan. Just the thought of this makes you curious to see why people commit suicide. This forest actually exist, so this is an interesting detail, that this is not made up. The forest name is Aokigahara, and they find dead bodies here every year. So, to make a film based on this is a very interesting idea. To make a story like this interesting, you have to make sure that you stay true to the real facts. There are elements here, that follow the rules of visitors. Never leave the path, always make sure you know that you are going in the right direction. There are some positive surprises here, that the film is actually not terrible all the way. The story about a twin sister, trying to find out if her sister is still alive, is actually quite good. Lead actor Natalie Dormer ( who most of you might know from Games Of Thrones, including the last Hunger Games films ), is the most strong character in this film. Her performance is the key to this film, i have a feeling that The Forest would not have delivered anything without her. Just the fact that she does 2 roles, including her twin sister, must have been challenging . So does this mean the rest of the film is bad ? Not completely, but let´s get to the problems. Jump scares are used, to try and scare us. For the most part it does not give the film anything positive, just a few times where we actually feel frightened. Another detail is that i am not really interested in the character Aiden, played by Taylor Kinney. He just feels a bit too predictable, and does not do much to make us feel interested. One of the things i do enjoy, is the scenes where dead bodies are hanging in the trees, silently, now this is more creepy than jump scares. Director Jason Zada is mostly known for working on the popular Elf Yourself website, and campaign, including the interactive short horror film Take This Lollipop. The Forest is his directorial debut film, and he does a pretty good job, for a while. When the jump scares take over, and the predictable storyline feels to light, we simply don´t get much more. Too bad, there is an interesting idea here, unfortunately not executed correctly. The Forest is not as horrible as you might think, but it does not give anything fresh, or interesting. I am looking forward to see the new independent horror film The Witch. Now, that might actually be something that could be scary.
Rating: DD
Sara Price ( Natalie Dormer ) recive a phone call from Japan. Her twin sister Jess ( Natalie Dormer ) is most likely dead. She was last seen going into the Aokigahara Forest, known as the Suicide Forest. Every year people are found dead in this forest, and the people who come here plan to take suicide. Sara refuse to belive that her sister is dead, so she decide to travel to Japan and find out if she could still be alive. At the hotel she stays at, she meets journalist reporter Aiden ( Taylor Kinney ). She tells him the reason why she is in Japan. Aiden asks if he can write an article on this, and she agree. But Aiden knows about the Suicide Forest, and suggest that he get a local guide as they search for Jess. The guide makes it very clear, no one leaves the path. As the crew go on their journey through the woods, nothing will ever be the same again.
Remember what i said earlier, that some critics were positive for The Forest, for being a january horror film release ? It is actually not all bad. I am curious about a suicide forest, located in Japan. Just the thought of this makes you curious to see why people commit suicide. This forest actually exist, so this is an interesting detail, that this is not made up. The forest name is Aokigahara, and they find dead bodies here every year. So, to make a film based on this is a very interesting idea. To make a story like this interesting, you have to make sure that you stay true to the real facts. There are elements here, that follow the rules of visitors. Never leave the path, always make sure you know that you are going in the right direction. There are some positive surprises here, that the film is actually not terrible all the way. The story about a twin sister, trying to find out if her sister is still alive, is actually quite good. Lead actor Natalie Dormer ( who most of you might know from Games Of Thrones, including the last Hunger Games films ), is the most strong character in this film. Her performance is the key to this film, i have a feeling that The Forest would not have delivered anything without her. Just the fact that she does 2 roles, including her twin sister, must have been challenging . So does this mean the rest of the film is bad ? Not completely, but let´s get to the problems. Jump scares are used, to try and scare us. For the most part it does not give the film anything positive, just a few times where we actually feel frightened. Another detail is that i am not really interested in the character Aiden, played by Taylor Kinney. He just feels a bit too predictable, and does not do much to make us feel interested. One of the things i do enjoy, is the scenes where dead bodies are hanging in the trees, silently, now this is more creepy than jump scares. Director Jason Zada is mostly known for working on the popular Elf Yourself website, and campaign, including the interactive short horror film Take This Lollipop. The Forest is his directorial debut film, and he does a pretty good job, for a while. When the jump scares take over, and the predictable storyline feels to light, we simply don´t get much more. Too bad, there is an interesting idea here, unfortunately not executed correctly. The Forest is not as horrible as you might think, but it does not give anything fresh, or interesting. I am looking forward to see the new independent horror film The Witch. Now, that might actually be something that could be scary.
Rating: DD
fredag 19 februari 2016
Room
I read news online, or watch CNN, mostly. I do watch news on swedish television, mostly on mornings before i go off to work. There are so many tragic news reported daily, and it never ends. Murder, rape, war, terrorists, the list could go on forever. At some point we do get some positive news also, and we need that in a world full of darkness. But there are some news that i can never forget. And especially something that happened in Europe, in a town called Amstetten, in Austria. This was the year of 2008, and the whole world was shocked. A man named Josef Fritzl, have hold his daughter Elisabeth Fritzl locked up, in the basement area. She told the world that her father raped her, physically assaulted her, and many other sexually pervertic activities. I followed the news a lot during this time, because i just could not belive how a father would do this to his own daughter. And also, that he made her pregnant 7 times.....is just completely disgusting. I don´t think anyone could look away from this case, Josef Fritzl is still seen as one of the most disturbed humans that have ever been hard of on this planet. If you ask me, he should be tortured for what he did. This is not the only case where women have been held prisoners, there are many other victims out there. As long as perverts, pedohiles, are among us, we are never safe. I might have a very brutal view on this subject, but i think we should kill every single pedophile. Hard words ? Yes, but no one that sexually abuses a child deserves to live, that is my view. I would gladly watch them all burn with a gasoline tank and a lighter, if you don´t like my view, that´s fine, i am just being honest.
Speaking about the Fritzl case, author Emma Donoghue, wrote a novel called Room in 2010. This novel was based on the story of Felix Fritzl, the 5 year old child who were one of kids locked up. I have not read the novel myself, but i read that a lot of book critics praised the book, and it did win a lot of awards. As i found out that a movie adaptation was going to be made, i became very curious, because i have read a lot about the Fritzl case since 2008. I was mostly surprised that director Lenny Abrahamson would direct this film, who directed the amazing film Frank, with a brilliant performance from Michael Fassbender. As i finally got a chance to see Room, my expectations were pretty high, considering the director´s previous film. Is this an amazing movie adaptation of the beloved novel, or is this a film that falls flat to the ground ?
Joy " Ma " Newsome was abducted many years ago, from pervert Old Nick ( Sean Bridges ). She have a young son, Jack Newsome ( Jacob Tremblay ), who is also a prisoner. They stay inside this room everyday, where they try and spend time together, in the best possible way they can. Joy´s only happiness left in this world, is her son Jack. She tries to make every day good for him, but it is very hard. At certain moments, Old Nick comes inside to sexually force Joy to please him. Each day, Joy looks out in the window, placed on the roof. She is tired, and hope is not her strong side anymore. But she can´t stop thinking about a way to get out, especially get her son into safety. But is it possible ?
People, you need to listen.
You have to see Room, it is such an important film.
Not only because of the content, but the emotions, and the performances are absolutely splendid. The story ( loosely based on the Fritzl case ), shows you how a pervert see himself as a God figure. He thinks he can do what he wants, and no one have the right to question his choices. The pervert Old Nick, really well acted by Sean Bridgers, shows you a very brutal, and disturbing view from his sick behavior. As you watch him force his victims to follow his commands, you just feel like you want to beat him up, really bad. To capture these emotions, and make you feel hate for a character is not easy to do. But director Lenny Abrahamson have managed to take this novel seriously, and make very strong characters in this adaptation. The lead role from Brie Larson, is so well acted, she really feels like a victim. The child Jack, played by Jacob Tremblay, is one of the best child performances i have seen for many years. The scenes where you see him lie in bed, while Old Nick sexually force himself on his mother, is just so tragic. You really feel terrible for the child. Since the film is basically mostly filmed in a room, you need to keep the story alive to make the audience interested. This is something that director Lenny Abrahamson manage to do, using simple details, and with powerful performances. The dialogue may be simple, but works very well with the atmosphere, knowing that these 2 people are prisoners. There are some other really good performance here also, especially from William H. Macy. He is one of the legendary actors who can transform a character, into his own uniqe style. Joan Allen also gives a really good performance, as the mother of Joy. Knowing that her daughter was missing for all these years, it must be hard to handle the situation, in a correct way. Room is disturbing, but a very important film. People need to realise how evil this world can be, and you can not trust anyone completely. I read that Room will get a swedish cinema premiere on march 18, so write that date in your calender. This is a film everyone should see, because the issue is very important. A special thank you to director Lenny Abrahamson, for making this film, directors like you make this world a better place.
Rating: DDDD
onsdag 17 februari 2016
Exeter ( The Asylum )
Let´s go back into the year 2003. This was the year where Limp Bizkit released their 4th studio album Results May Vary. This was also the year Metallica returned with a new album, after many years, called St. Anger. This was also the year we got to experience the film Matchstick Men, where Nicolas Cage did a surprisingly good performance as con artist Roy Waller. Of course we had more great films released this year, but one film that actually surprised me alot, was the new remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. When i heard about it online, i was not sure if this was a good idea. But director Marcus Nispel proved himself, to be the right man for the job. Very brutal, very gory, and actually some good performances. Critics praised the remake, as well as fans of the original film. And i still enjoy it very much, even today. Marcus moved on to direct more films, including 2 remakes more. First one of these remakes was Friday The 13th. I did not enjoy this remake, and there are several reasons why, but let´s move on. In 2011, Marcus released his remake of Conan The Barbarian. It became a box office bomb and was seen as an awful remake. I would say that Jason Momoa, as Conan, did a descent job. The problem was that the film was quite messy. Nice to see Ron Perlman though as Conan´s father, at least he gave the film some fun moments. After the terrible box office numbers, Marcus took a break, and you really did not hear much from his future projects. Until i saw that his latest film Exeter ( The Asylum ) got a dvd release. I did not pick it up at the release, but eventually got a chance to see it. Is this another great horror release from Marcus Nispel since his Texas Chainsaw remake, or is this even worse than his Friday The 13th remake ?
Father Conway ( Stephen Lang ) is in charge of volunteer work, restoring an abandoned asylum, that used to lock up mentally insane people. Patrick ( Kelly Blatz ) is one of the volunteer workers, who have agreed to help fix up this building. Father Conway is disappointed that Patrick have not applied for college, but he still have hope for him. When Patrick´s friends discover where he works, they begin to plan a party at the asylum. Patrick is not happy about the idea, but agree to let them arrange the event. Amber ( Gage Golightly ) suggest that they should levitate Patrick´s younger brother Rory ( Michael Ormsby ). As they do the ritual, at first nothing seems wrong. Until Rory seems to be possessed. This is just the beginning of a nightmare, that never seems to end.
Since there are so many horror films released every year, i only pick out a certain amount of films to watch. Sometimes, you can get a sense if some films looks really bad, but then again, you could also be wrong. I usually try and look for something original, or classic influenced films, that might have something to offer. So when i found out that director Marcus Nispel have released a horror film called Exeter ( or The Asylum as the title is in the UK ), i thought i might as well check it out. The plot is very basic, young teenagers party in an abandoned mental intitution, and everything goes straight to hell. From here, we get demon possessed people, gory scenes and hysterical people, trying to handle the situation. The plot is not very interesting, but in a film like this, you really care more about the gore, and the demonic bodies. The cast is not completely awful, some of the characters fit into the enviroment. So what is the bad side of this film? Since it is very basic, and we have seen this before, you don´t really get any surprises. When Marcus Nispel directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, he did manage to throw in a few unexpected twists. In Exeter, he makes things much more easy, and go with the traditional style. if you have at least some surprises, the film might become more interesting. Apart from this, i would say that Exeter is that tries to blend classic horror elements. You can laugh at the special effects, and just enjoy some of the gore scenes. Nice to see legendary actor Stephen Lang as Father Conway, the priest who tries to help teenagers work for a good cause. He is the most interesting personality in this film, and manage to make a pretty solid performance. Is there anything fresh about Exeter ? Not at all. But that´s ok, this is more of a drunk horror film, that fits when you are having a party. Are you tired of british costume films and just want some flesh wounds and demons ? Then you might give this film a try, besides, if you plan to have a party, nothing works better than demon possessed people going nuts.
Rating: DDD
Father Conway ( Stephen Lang ) is in charge of volunteer work, restoring an abandoned asylum, that used to lock up mentally insane people. Patrick ( Kelly Blatz ) is one of the volunteer workers, who have agreed to help fix up this building. Father Conway is disappointed that Patrick have not applied for college, but he still have hope for him. When Patrick´s friends discover where he works, they begin to plan a party at the asylum. Patrick is not happy about the idea, but agree to let them arrange the event. Amber ( Gage Golightly ) suggest that they should levitate Patrick´s younger brother Rory ( Michael Ormsby ). As they do the ritual, at first nothing seems wrong. Until Rory seems to be possessed. This is just the beginning of a nightmare, that never seems to end.
Since there are so many horror films released every year, i only pick out a certain amount of films to watch. Sometimes, you can get a sense if some films looks really bad, but then again, you could also be wrong. I usually try and look for something original, or classic influenced films, that might have something to offer. So when i found out that director Marcus Nispel have released a horror film called Exeter ( or The Asylum as the title is in the UK ), i thought i might as well check it out. The plot is very basic, young teenagers party in an abandoned mental intitution, and everything goes straight to hell. From here, we get demon possessed people, gory scenes and hysterical people, trying to handle the situation. The plot is not very interesting, but in a film like this, you really care more about the gore, and the demonic bodies. The cast is not completely awful, some of the characters fit into the enviroment. So what is the bad side of this film? Since it is very basic, and we have seen this before, you don´t really get any surprises. When Marcus Nispel directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, he did manage to throw in a few unexpected twists. In Exeter, he makes things much more easy, and go with the traditional style. if you have at least some surprises, the film might become more interesting. Apart from this, i would say that Exeter is that tries to blend classic horror elements. You can laugh at the special effects, and just enjoy some of the gore scenes. Nice to see legendary actor Stephen Lang as Father Conway, the priest who tries to help teenagers work for a good cause. He is the most interesting personality in this film, and manage to make a pretty solid performance. Is there anything fresh about Exeter ? Not at all. But that´s ok, this is more of a drunk horror film, that fits when you are having a party. Are you tired of british costume films and just want some flesh wounds and demons ? Then you might give this film a try, besides, if you plan to have a party, nothing works better than demon possessed people going nuts.
Rating: DDD
måndag 15 februari 2016
The Last Witch Hunter
Yesterday was Valentines Day, worldwide. People are going crazy about buying chocolate, flowers, cards, underwear ( at least this is a good idea ). But people seem to forget the 80´s way of Valentines Day. Back in those days, we celebrated with Cannon Films, all the classics like American Ninja with Michael Dudikoff, Delta Force with Chuck Norris and many more. Valentines Day back in those days were more about big guns, special kicks and explosions. If someone handed a bouquet of flowers to Chuck Norris, he would kick them down, faster than the bite of a cobra. This is what Valentines Day should be like, just like in the good old days. But times change, and people seem to be too soft. Luckily we do have some guys who still like to play rough, as Vin Diesel. Most of you know him from the Fast And The Furious Films, or perhaps from the first XXX film. He did do a different action film in 2003, in the film called A Man Apart. This was more of an Steven Seagal type of film, and actually not that bad. Vin Diesel may not be one of the greatest actors of all time, but in the right film, and the right character, he can deliver. I personally enjoyed him in the films Pitch Black and Riddick. Seeing him fighting aliens was a fun ride. The Chronicles Of Riddick, the first sequel to Pitch Black, had a few funny scenes, but was clearly not the right sequel for the first film. The third film Riddick managed to capture more of the style, and feeling of the first film. There are rumours that Universal wish to do a fourth film, but until we get this confirmed, let´s just hope it is possible. Vin Diesel is usually working on more Fast And Furious sequels, so we don´t really get to see him do different genre films. He did do The Pacifier, back in 2005, a comedy that i think reminded us of Kindergarten Cop with Arnold Schwarzenegger, but did not manage to be as funny as this 90´s classic. About a year ago, i was hearing rumours that Vin Diesel would be in an horror action film called The Last Witch Hunter. Considering he have done so many sequels to Fast And Furious, i think the concept of Vin Diesel being a witch hunter would be fun to see. I just got myself a blu ray release of this film, since i was curious to see if he would manage to deliver in a completely different character, and another genre film. Is this the best film we have seen lately from this massive guy, or is this a film that he should have stayed away from ?
Kaulder ( Vin Diesel ) is a witch hunter, who was cursed with eternal life in the Middle Ages, by the Whitch Queen. The Black Plague have been released by the Witch Queen, as she kills Kaulder´s family. Kaulder manage to survie though, but as he is killing her, she gives him a curse, eternal life as punishment. Kaulder works for an organization called The Axe and Cross. Their mission is to make sure that witches who break the law, are imprisoned. Also, they make sure that ordinary humans are not harmed by witch craft. Ever since Kaulder was made imortal by the Witch Queen, he is accompanied by a priest called a " Dolan ". This priest is meant to be record the achievements of Kaulder, and to be his keeper. As the years go by, the 36th Dolan ( Michael Caine ) is now ready to retire. He had a long good run with Kaulder, but decide to retire and let 37th Dolan ( Elijah Wood ) take over his place. The 36th Dolan is found dead in his home, at first it seems to be a natural Death, until Kaulder find traces of black magic have been used. It seems to be the same type of magic that the Witch Queen used, so Kaulder suspect that she might be back. To find out more information, Kaulder visit a bar, where Chloe ( Rose Leslie ) might be able to help him. She is a witch, but a good one. Chloe helps Kaulder create a memory spell, so he can go back and see what really happened that moment, when he became immortal. Is the Witch Queen really back, or is there another explanation to all the evil events ?
Let´s start by saying that this is not a film that will ever be Oscar nominated. With that said, i think you might understand where this is going. The Last Witch Hunter is a silly film in some ways, but at the same time have a nostalgic look from 90´s action films. There were plenty of horror films back then mixed with horror, and i can sense that there are some influences from this time period. Is Vin Diesel a better actor ? Not really, but he works best in action films, where he does more violence, and less talking. In some ways, it is fun to see him do a film like this, because i did not excpect him to do this mix. Remember when Schwarzenegger did End Of Days ? That is actually a good horror action film, and one of the better ones in this genre. The Last Witch Hunter does not manage to reach that high, but i enjoy the concept. I get a sense that here are influences from the 1986 film Highlander here, since Vin Diesel´s character Kaulder, have lived for 800 years, and is still fighting against witches. When we see some scenes, where we see Kaulder as an ordinary human, before he was cursed by a witch, gives us a different perspective of his personality. He had a wife, a child, and all of that was taken away from him. The action scenes looks pretty good for the most part, except from some CGI effects on the witches. One of the best performances here in this film, is Michael Caine. He may not do one of his better performances, but his presence feels welcome. And he does fit to play the 36th Dolan ( a different kind of priest ). Elijah Wood is also here as the 37th Dolan, unfortunately, i don´t feel that he put much effort into his character. Considering he was so damn good in the remake of Maniac, i know he can act, so he have proved himself. Director Breck Eisner have directed many different types of films, maybe his most known ones are Sahara with Matthew McConaughey, or the horror remake of The Crazies from 2010. In my view, i think he manage to deliver some popcorn entertainment with The Last Witch Hunter. It is silly, and you know the acting won´t be very good. But once the action scenes kick in, we can still have a good time. This became a major box office flop in America, doing better in international ticket sales. I guess people did not care about Vin Diesel doing this, so my advice is to give it a chance. Sometimes, it is fun to be reminded of the cheesy action horror films of the 90´s. Excuse me a moment, those damn witches of Granloholm is back, good thing i keep my chainsaw ready.
Rating: DDD
Kaulder ( Vin Diesel ) is a witch hunter, who was cursed with eternal life in the Middle Ages, by the Whitch Queen. The Black Plague have been released by the Witch Queen, as she kills Kaulder´s family. Kaulder manage to survie though, but as he is killing her, she gives him a curse, eternal life as punishment. Kaulder works for an organization called The Axe and Cross. Their mission is to make sure that witches who break the law, are imprisoned. Also, they make sure that ordinary humans are not harmed by witch craft. Ever since Kaulder was made imortal by the Witch Queen, he is accompanied by a priest called a " Dolan ". This priest is meant to be record the achievements of Kaulder, and to be his keeper. As the years go by, the 36th Dolan ( Michael Caine ) is now ready to retire. He had a long good run with Kaulder, but decide to retire and let 37th Dolan ( Elijah Wood ) take over his place. The 36th Dolan is found dead in his home, at first it seems to be a natural Death, until Kaulder find traces of black magic have been used. It seems to be the same type of magic that the Witch Queen used, so Kaulder suspect that she might be back. To find out more information, Kaulder visit a bar, where Chloe ( Rose Leslie ) might be able to help him. She is a witch, but a good one. Chloe helps Kaulder create a memory spell, so he can go back and see what really happened that moment, when he became immortal. Is the Witch Queen really back, or is there another explanation to all the evil events ?
Let´s start by saying that this is not a film that will ever be Oscar nominated. With that said, i think you might understand where this is going. The Last Witch Hunter is a silly film in some ways, but at the same time have a nostalgic look from 90´s action films. There were plenty of horror films back then mixed with horror, and i can sense that there are some influences from this time period. Is Vin Diesel a better actor ? Not really, but he works best in action films, where he does more violence, and less talking. In some ways, it is fun to see him do a film like this, because i did not excpect him to do this mix. Remember when Schwarzenegger did End Of Days ? That is actually a good horror action film, and one of the better ones in this genre. The Last Witch Hunter does not manage to reach that high, but i enjoy the concept. I get a sense that here are influences from the 1986 film Highlander here, since Vin Diesel´s character Kaulder, have lived for 800 years, and is still fighting against witches. When we see some scenes, where we see Kaulder as an ordinary human, before he was cursed by a witch, gives us a different perspective of his personality. He had a wife, a child, and all of that was taken away from him. The action scenes looks pretty good for the most part, except from some CGI effects on the witches. One of the best performances here in this film, is Michael Caine. He may not do one of his better performances, but his presence feels welcome. And he does fit to play the 36th Dolan ( a different kind of priest ). Elijah Wood is also here as the 37th Dolan, unfortunately, i don´t feel that he put much effort into his character. Considering he was so damn good in the remake of Maniac, i know he can act, so he have proved himself. Director Breck Eisner have directed many different types of films, maybe his most known ones are Sahara with Matthew McConaughey, or the horror remake of The Crazies from 2010. In my view, i think he manage to deliver some popcorn entertainment with The Last Witch Hunter. It is silly, and you know the acting won´t be very good. But once the action scenes kick in, we can still have a good time. This became a major box office flop in America, doing better in international ticket sales. I guess people did not care about Vin Diesel doing this, so my advice is to give it a chance. Sometimes, it is fun to be reminded of the cheesy action horror films of the 90´s. Excuse me a moment, those damn witches of Granloholm is back, good thing i keep my chainsaw ready.
Rating: DDD
fredag 12 februari 2016
In The Heart Of The Sea
A clear blue sea, what could be better than that ?
Well, not much, except for a white beach, a sunny day, and some Ron De Jeremy Rum in a glass, next to your towel. I simply love being close to the ocean, because that is where i belong. Some people love snow avalanches, snow storms and snow tsunamis, i love palm trees and desert sand, where no snow is ever seen. Ever since i was a child, i loved being close to the ocean, and in the ocean, swimming. As a child, i did read some children books, including some of the old classics that could be found in the school library. Adventure stories would take you away, on great continents, and exotic locations, that felt unreal. I would guess that most people know who director Ron Howard is. Most of you have probably seen in in the classic tv show Happy Days. He was also included in the classic film American Graffiti, where we could see a young Harrison Ford, and Richard Dreyfuss. As the years went on, Ron worked more on directing films, instead of being an actor. And he have plenty of good films in his career that are worth mentioning. You might have seen Cast Away with Tom Hanks ? Or how about the 80´s classic Cocoon ? He also directed the very powerful film A Beautiful Mind, where Russel Crowe did a fantastic performance as John Nash, the nobel prize winner. But my favourite film so far from his catalogue is without a doubt Frost/ Nixon. Based on the true story on Richard Nixon´s tv interview with british journalist David Frost. If you have not seen it, i suggest you buy the dvd. Now, i have not seen either Rush, or Made In America, that he directed in recent years. But when i read that Ron Howard was going to make a movie adaptation on the classic story about Moby Dick, i became curious to see what he would try and bring this adaptation. Knowing that he can direct all kinds of genre films, and have worked with many great actors in many years, is The Heart Of The Sea a worthy adaptation of the classic tale of Moby Dick, or should this film have been left out at sea for good ?
In the year 1850, Thomas Nickerson ( Brendan Gleeson ) invites author Herman Melville ( Ben Whishaw ), to tell him the story of the ship Essex. Thomas is the only survivor left, who knew what happened on the ship, back in 1820. As a young man, Thomas Nickerson ( Tom Holland ) is chosen to go along on the ship Essex, to retrieve whale oil. The ship captain George Pollard ( Benjamin Walker ) is determined that they can manage to get as much whale oil as possible. As they head into an awful storm, it seems that captain George not may have much experience out in the ocean. Luckily, they have Owen Chase ( Chris Hemsworth ), the First Mate on board the ship. He knows how to handle situations, even if the storms can be complicated. Without any luck, it seems as if they crew have problems finding whales. If they don´t get the whale oil, they can´t get paid. In Atacames, Ecuador, the crew see an enourmous white whale, that attack the Essex ship and destroy it. 6 men are killed, and the rest of the crew is forced to travel in a smaller boat. Not knowing how they will survive so far away from home, without water and enough weapons, all they can do is work together. As the days are going by, the crew is in desperate need of a sollution, but is it possible ?
As i sat down in the cinema, i was hoping that Ron Howard would give us a tasteful version of Moby Dick, that feels traditional but still enjoyable. Unfortunately, i have to say that In The Heart Of The Sea is not as effective as it should be. When you have a cast of Chris Hemsworth, Cillan Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, and many other great actors in the cast, you would expect a lot of great performances. Somewhere along the sea adventure, we do get to see some whale hunting, and some nice special effects. But the story based on the book In The Heart of The Sea, by author Nathaniel Philbrick, is not as powerful as it should have been. Considering that this is the kind of film, a lot of people in all ages enjoy watching, there are some details that could have been made better. The most interesting part of the film, is when Brendan Gleeson as Thomas Nickerson, invite author Herman Melville ( Ben Whishaw ). Brendan is actually the strongest character here, and his story telling makes the film feel more interesting, as he gives the best performance in this film. Ben Wishaw is also good, as he usually is, especially as Q in the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre. I like Chris Hemsworth as an actor in the Thor films, or in The Avengers films, but here he kind of feels pretty dry. He does not give his character enough power to look like a lead character, where the best scenes are seeing him trying to kill the whales. So even if the cast is ok, the film does not manage to lift the story of the Essex ship much further. We find ourselves in different dangerous sitiations, but without powerful performances, the action scenes are not more than the usual storm outbreaks. I can sense that Ron Howard had a good idea on this film, because i do like some of the whale attacks. Especially when Moby Dick is shown, we finally get what we asked for. But for a film that is over 2 hours, we should have had much more to be served with. In The Heart Of The Sea is not an awful film, it just does not make you inspired of the classic tale of Moby Dick. Such a shame, i was actually looking forward to this film. I still respect Ron Howard, he have given us so many great films over the years, and i still belive in him. In The Heart Of The Sea is not a film i think many people will remember.
Rating: DD
Well, not much, except for a white beach, a sunny day, and some Ron De Jeremy Rum in a glass, next to your towel. I simply love being close to the ocean, because that is where i belong. Some people love snow avalanches, snow storms and snow tsunamis, i love palm trees and desert sand, where no snow is ever seen. Ever since i was a child, i loved being close to the ocean, and in the ocean, swimming. As a child, i did read some children books, including some of the old classics that could be found in the school library. Adventure stories would take you away, on great continents, and exotic locations, that felt unreal. I would guess that most people know who director Ron Howard is. Most of you have probably seen in in the classic tv show Happy Days. He was also included in the classic film American Graffiti, where we could see a young Harrison Ford, and Richard Dreyfuss. As the years went on, Ron worked more on directing films, instead of being an actor. And he have plenty of good films in his career that are worth mentioning. You might have seen Cast Away with Tom Hanks ? Or how about the 80´s classic Cocoon ? He also directed the very powerful film A Beautiful Mind, where Russel Crowe did a fantastic performance as John Nash, the nobel prize winner. But my favourite film so far from his catalogue is without a doubt Frost/ Nixon. Based on the true story on Richard Nixon´s tv interview with british journalist David Frost. If you have not seen it, i suggest you buy the dvd. Now, i have not seen either Rush, or Made In America, that he directed in recent years. But when i read that Ron Howard was going to make a movie adaptation on the classic story about Moby Dick, i became curious to see what he would try and bring this adaptation. Knowing that he can direct all kinds of genre films, and have worked with many great actors in many years, is The Heart Of The Sea a worthy adaptation of the classic tale of Moby Dick, or should this film have been left out at sea for good ?
In the year 1850, Thomas Nickerson ( Brendan Gleeson ) invites author Herman Melville ( Ben Whishaw ), to tell him the story of the ship Essex. Thomas is the only survivor left, who knew what happened on the ship, back in 1820. As a young man, Thomas Nickerson ( Tom Holland ) is chosen to go along on the ship Essex, to retrieve whale oil. The ship captain George Pollard ( Benjamin Walker ) is determined that they can manage to get as much whale oil as possible. As they head into an awful storm, it seems that captain George not may have much experience out in the ocean. Luckily, they have Owen Chase ( Chris Hemsworth ), the First Mate on board the ship. He knows how to handle situations, even if the storms can be complicated. Without any luck, it seems as if they crew have problems finding whales. If they don´t get the whale oil, they can´t get paid. In Atacames, Ecuador, the crew see an enourmous white whale, that attack the Essex ship and destroy it. 6 men are killed, and the rest of the crew is forced to travel in a smaller boat. Not knowing how they will survive so far away from home, without water and enough weapons, all they can do is work together. As the days are going by, the crew is in desperate need of a sollution, but is it possible ?
As i sat down in the cinema, i was hoping that Ron Howard would give us a tasteful version of Moby Dick, that feels traditional but still enjoyable. Unfortunately, i have to say that In The Heart Of The Sea is not as effective as it should be. When you have a cast of Chris Hemsworth, Cillan Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, and many other great actors in the cast, you would expect a lot of great performances. Somewhere along the sea adventure, we do get to see some whale hunting, and some nice special effects. But the story based on the book In The Heart of The Sea, by author Nathaniel Philbrick, is not as powerful as it should have been. Considering that this is the kind of film, a lot of people in all ages enjoy watching, there are some details that could have been made better. The most interesting part of the film, is when Brendan Gleeson as Thomas Nickerson, invite author Herman Melville ( Ben Whishaw ). Brendan is actually the strongest character here, and his story telling makes the film feel more interesting, as he gives the best performance in this film. Ben Wishaw is also good, as he usually is, especially as Q in the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre. I like Chris Hemsworth as an actor in the Thor films, or in The Avengers films, but here he kind of feels pretty dry. He does not give his character enough power to look like a lead character, where the best scenes are seeing him trying to kill the whales. So even if the cast is ok, the film does not manage to lift the story of the Essex ship much further. We find ourselves in different dangerous sitiations, but without powerful performances, the action scenes are not more than the usual storm outbreaks. I can sense that Ron Howard had a good idea on this film, because i do like some of the whale attacks. Especially when Moby Dick is shown, we finally get what we asked for. But for a film that is over 2 hours, we should have had much more to be served with. In The Heart Of The Sea is not an awful film, it just does not make you inspired of the classic tale of Moby Dick. Such a shame, i was actually looking forward to this film. I still respect Ron Howard, he have given us so many great films over the years, and i still belive in him. In The Heart Of The Sea is not a film i think many people will remember.
Rating: DD
The 5th Wave
If you want to make money, all you need is a solid story about vampires and love triangles.
I think we all knew that after author Stephenie Meyer released her first book about Twilight. Girls went crazy for the story about Bella and Edward, as if this was the greatest book ever written. I will be honest and say, i have never read any of the Twilight books. Why ? Because reading about a romance between a vampire and a teen girl is simply not my thing. I prefer reading about realistic characters, or at least stories that feels interesting. I did see 3 of the Twilight films, the first one and Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Part 2. I made the mistake to see any of them, but at least i can be happy i did not see all of them. These teenage adaptations of books, made into feature films, have been done many times. We had a movie adaptation of The Host, Mortal Instruments - The City Of Bones, and other ones ( that i seem to have forgotten ). I think the best movie adaptations so far, made into motion pictures from famous teenage favourite novels, is without a doubt The Hunger Games. Jennifer Lawrence proved herself in the lead role as Katniss Everdeen, and i doubt we will ever see anyone beat her in this genre. As we all know, making movies from popular novel adaptations are always difficult. And i understand that fans hope that the directors capture the feeling of the books they love. So, here we are with a new film, based on the novel The 5th Wave, written by author Rick Yancey. There are three novels to The 5th Wave, and the final third one is not released yet. Since i have not read these books so far, i did not know what to expect, when the news came out that a movie adaptation of the first novel is being made. But then i saw the name Chloe Graze Moretz in the lead role. As many of you might know, she was really good in the Kick-Ass films. I am looking forward to see her also in Dark Places, a thriller with Charlize Theron. Since i have enjoyed The Maze Runner films, and the Divergent films ( so far ), could The 5th Wave be the adaptation from a sci fi novel, or is this another release in Twilight style, that no one asked for ?
Cassie Sullivan ( Chloe Graze Moretz ) is a normal teenage girl, enjoying life with her friends. One day, everything suddenly changes. Earth is being visited by aliens, who have placed out a giant spaceships, floating all over the world major cities. No one really knows who they are, or what they want. But once the disaster waves strike worldwide, people understand that this is very serious. For each wave, there is a scale. The first wave seems pretty harmless, but for each wave it becomes more dangerous. Cassie escape her home with her little brother Sam Sullivan ( Zackary Arthur ) and her father Oliver Sullivan ( Ron Livingston ). Oliver know of a camp, where people go to eat, get supplies and live as normal as possible. They locate the camp, and decide to stay, while waiting for answers on what will happen next. Suddenly one day, the camp is visited by military forces, led by Colonel Vosch ( Liev Schreiber ). He promise to make sure every child is safe, if they are transported to their military facility. Cassie watches her brother Sam being taken away, while all the grown ups are told to get information. As Colonel Vosch begin to inform everyone, something goes terribly wrong. One of the camp visitors draws a gun, feeling that something is wrong with this operation. People are shot down, as Cassie escapes, trying to get to her brother. Is Sam really safe, or is the military planning something else with the kids ?
Going in to see The 5th Wave in a full packed cinema, i did not know what to expect. I was mostly shocked that so many wanted to see it this night, i think there may have been only 6 chairs empty, and that does not happen very often. As the story begins, i kind of get a feeling that this could be pretty good. You don´t see the aliens, just an enormous space ship floating in the sky. So you really don´t know who these visitors are. Once we are told how they look like, through special made glasses, i kind of felt dissapointed. Luckily, there is a twist further into the story, so everything may not be what you think. Once we find out that the humans, who have survived these waves ( they get bigger for each threat level ), are trying to fight back against the visitors. I have seen a lot of science fiction action films in my days, and after watching The 5Th Wave, i can honestly say that this is not a good adaptation. First of all everything feels very predictable. You really don´t feel interested in the story, and the only times you actually feel interested is the scenes with Chloe Grace Moretz. To see her try and survive, does have a few descent scenes, but not much else. My favourite character in this film, is actually Bailey Anne Borders. She is really tough as the character Julia, who is actually the strongest soldier in her team. If they do make a sequel on The 5th Wave, i hope she returns. The rest of the film is basically following the basic concept of survival, against another life form. That could have been ok, if the story would have been more complicated. Instead, the plot is very simple and very predictable. Director J Blakeson directed the really good thriller The Disappearance Of Alice Creed, so there is no question that he can direct. I don´t know why he choose to make The 5th Wave so simple, i would have liked to see a much darker version, with better developed characters. It is like he choosed to use some parts of the book, but just made it simple. The 5th Wave is not as good as the fans of the book probably was hoping for, but at least it is better than any of the Twilight films. Is there a sequel coming ? Hard to say, but i am guessing we will at least see one more film, depending on how the box office numbers end for this first film. If we ever get attacked by a 5th Wave in Sweden, i have all figured out. I will escape in Ulf Ekmans private jet, and ask Fadde Darwich to fix the champagne party on board the plane. See, i know exactly how to handle the apocalypse.
Rating: DD
I think we all knew that after author Stephenie Meyer released her first book about Twilight. Girls went crazy for the story about Bella and Edward, as if this was the greatest book ever written. I will be honest and say, i have never read any of the Twilight books. Why ? Because reading about a romance between a vampire and a teen girl is simply not my thing. I prefer reading about realistic characters, or at least stories that feels interesting. I did see 3 of the Twilight films, the first one and Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Part 2. I made the mistake to see any of them, but at least i can be happy i did not see all of them. These teenage adaptations of books, made into feature films, have been done many times. We had a movie adaptation of The Host, Mortal Instruments - The City Of Bones, and other ones ( that i seem to have forgotten ). I think the best movie adaptations so far, made into motion pictures from famous teenage favourite novels, is without a doubt The Hunger Games. Jennifer Lawrence proved herself in the lead role as Katniss Everdeen, and i doubt we will ever see anyone beat her in this genre. As we all know, making movies from popular novel adaptations are always difficult. And i understand that fans hope that the directors capture the feeling of the books they love. So, here we are with a new film, based on the novel The 5th Wave, written by author Rick Yancey. There are three novels to The 5th Wave, and the final third one is not released yet. Since i have not read these books so far, i did not know what to expect, when the news came out that a movie adaptation of the first novel is being made. But then i saw the name Chloe Graze Moretz in the lead role. As many of you might know, she was really good in the Kick-Ass films. I am looking forward to see her also in Dark Places, a thriller with Charlize Theron. Since i have enjoyed The Maze Runner films, and the Divergent films ( so far ), could The 5th Wave be the adaptation from a sci fi novel, or is this another release in Twilight style, that no one asked for ?
Cassie Sullivan ( Chloe Graze Moretz ) is a normal teenage girl, enjoying life with her friends. One day, everything suddenly changes. Earth is being visited by aliens, who have placed out a giant spaceships, floating all over the world major cities. No one really knows who they are, or what they want. But once the disaster waves strike worldwide, people understand that this is very serious. For each wave, there is a scale. The first wave seems pretty harmless, but for each wave it becomes more dangerous. Cassie escape her home with her little brother Sam Sullivan ( Zackary Arthur ) and her father Oliver Sullivan ( Ron Livingston ). Oliver know of a camp, where people go to eat, get supplies and live as normal as possible. They locate the camp, and decide to stay, while waiting for answers on what will happen next. Suddenly one day, the camp is visited by military forces, led by Colonel Vosch ( Liev Schreiber ). He promise to make sure every child is safe, if they are transported to their military facility. Cassie watches her brother Sam being taken away, while all the grown ups are told to get information. As Colonel Vosch begin to inform everyone, something goes terribly wrong. One of the camp visitors draws a gun, feeling that something is wrong with this operation. People are shot down, as Cassie escapes, trying to get to her brother. Is Sam really safe, or is the military planning something else with the kids ?
Going in to see The 5th Wave in a full packed cinema, i did not know what to expect. I was mostly shocked that so many wanted to see it this night, i think there may have been only 6 chairs empty, and that does not happen very often. As the story begins, i kind of get a feeling that this could be pretty good. You don´t see the aliens, just an enormous space ship floating in the sky. So you really don´t know who these visitors are. Once we are told how they look like, through special made glasses, i kind of felt dissapointed. Luckily, there is a twist further into the story, so everything may not be what you think. Once we find out that the humans, who have survived these waves ( they get bigger for each threat level ), are trying to fight back against the visitors. I have seen a lot of science fiction action films in my days, and after watching The 5Th Wave, i can honestly say that this is not a good adaptation. First of all everything feels very predictable. You really don´t feel interested in the story, and the only times you actually feel interested is the scenes with Chloe Grace Moretz. To see her try and survive, does have a few descent scenes, but not much else. My favourite character in this film, is actually Bailey Anne Borders. She is really tough as the character Julia, who is actually the strongest soldier in her team. If they do make a sequel on The 5th Wave, i hope she returns. The rest of the film is basically following the basic concept of survival, against another life form. That could have been ok, if the story would have been more complicated. Instead, the plot is very simple and very predictable. Director J Blakeson directed the really good thriller The Disappearance Of Alice Creed, so there is no question that he can direct. I don´t know why he choose to make The 5th Wave so simple, i would have liked to see a much darker version, with better developed characters. It is like he choosed to use some parts of the book, but just made it simple. The 5th Wave is not as good as the fans of the book probably was hoping for, but at least it is better than any of the Twilight films. Is there a sequel coming ? Hard to say, but i am guessing we will at least see one more film, depending on how the box office numbers end for this first film. If we ever get attacked by a 5th Wave in Sweden, i have all figured out. I will escape in Ulf Ekmans private jet, and ask Fadde Darwich to fix the champagne party on board the plane. See, i know exactly how to handle the apocalypse.
Rating: DD
torsdag 11 februari 2016
Warning , do not see this documentary film........
Greetings everyone , Daniel here!
I am working on fresh movie reviews , and will hopefully post 2 of them this week. Now , i am writing this to warn you all. Svt , swedish television have made a documentary film called Black Jack - Från Film Till Verkligheten. So what is this documentary film about? A satanic band that have since 1990 made Sweden suffer in eternity. They might look friendly , but once they control your mind with their music, you will forever be trapped in darkness. So why are they not stopped? Because they have too much power and political friends. Make sure no one see this documentary film. If you do, you might not survive.
Cheers from Daniel
I am working on fresh movie reviews , and will hopefully post 2 of them this week. Now , i am writing this to warn you all. Svt , swedish television have made a documentary film called Black Jack - Från Film Till Verkligheten. So what is this documentary film about? A satanic band that have since 1990 made Sweden suffer in eternity. They might look friendly , but once they control your mind with their music, you will forever be trapped in darkness. So why are they not stopped? Because they have too much power and political friends. Make sure no one see this documentary film. If you do, you might not survive.
Cheers from Daniel
tisdag 2 februari 2016
Jeruzalem
One of the great things about travelling, is that you can learn so much history on many places of this world. Since i have been to 15 countries....so far, i try to check out some museums, and go on history tours when i can. I remember going on one tour especially in Edinburgh, Scotland. The history about Edinburgh is very cruel, and how people were tortured by the bubonic plague, is fascinating, and also disturbing. Witch hunting, and killing people in all kinds of ways, shows us a time, where laws were very different. Of course, every country, or city, have a history that have many details to tell. Glasgow, Dublin, London, Berlin, Prague, there are so many stories i could tell you of what i experienced, but let´s continue with the review instead. I was born a christian, but don´t really go to churches, or read the bible. I think we can make a choice, of how we want to live, and what we want to belive in. But i do know that Jerusalem have a very important history, when it comes to the bible. Every year, millions of people travel to Jerusalem, capital city of Israel, to see very famous locations, and hear stories from biblical scripture. There are many museums to visit, that have a lot to tell about the history of Jerusalem, and i am actually thinking about going here someday. From what i have heard, from people who have visited the city of Jerusalem, is that they love the city, the people, and so much to learn from the history of Israel. I remember seeing some very interesting restaurants on Travel Channel, as they did an episode on the food culture of Israel. Speaking of the bible, i think most people know that the book tell about God and Satan. So what if you get to experience evil in Jerusalem, right in front of your very own eyes ? Jeruzalem, a new found footage horror film, takes on this subject. I actually discovered this film while it was shown at the Fantasia International Film Festival, in july last year. The reviews were very varied, but i could not help to be curious about the concept of the film. Since very few of the found footage horror films are any good nowdays, is Jeruzalem finally a film that keeps the genre alive, or is it pretty much the same as the rest, with no surprises to deliver ?
Best friends Sarah ( Danielle Jadelyn ) and Rachel ( Yael Grobglas ) are travelling to Tel Aviv, to experience new things, meet people and learn a different culture. At the airplane they meet Kevin ( Yon Tumarkin ), who loves to travel worldwide. His plan is to go to Jerusalem, because he is very interested in history, and old scriptures. Rachel convince Sarah that they should change their travel plans, and go to Jerusalem first. Sarah eventually agree, even though she is skeptical. At the hostel they find, they meet Omar ( Tom Graziani ) who welcome them to Jerusalem, and promise to show them around town. Everything looks great, and all 3 of the tourists are having a great time. Until Kevin begin to act strange, as if he is changing his mind on Jerusalem. He seems to know that they are in danger, after a history tour in caves. Rachel is not worried though, she is ready to enjoy her time with Omar and Sarah. But what if Kevin is right, maybe everything is not what it seems ?
The so called found footage horror film is usually very basic, with pretty much the same concept as most releases. One of the few films in this genre, that actually managed to do something different, was a film called Afflicted. It is still one of the better releases in this genre, and if you have not seen it, you should run down and rent it at your local dvd store. Jeruzalem have some elements that you can recognize from Afflicted, it is a story about young people travelling to experiencing the world, and they love to party. The biggest difference between these films, is that Jeruzalem is more based on biblical influences. We do get to see some locations in Jerusalem, where historical places gives the film a realistic look. Of course, since we know this is just a fictional story, we know it will become more unrealistic, once the demons attack. Once you see the demons, they do look kind of creepy with their wings. So the film does manage to make you scared, in certain situations. Directors Doron Paz and Yoav Paz ( both brothers to each other ), have directed one feature film in the past, called Phobidilia. I have not seen the film, but i know that critics have praised the film. This second feature film of them, is perhaps not original in any way. But from an horror perspective, i feel that the concept works pretty good. The camera work is intensive, and the location in Jerusalem is a good location, with mystical dark buildings. One nice detail, is that you are supposed to be following a new camera method, used by wearing digital glasses. So the whole film is basically seen from these special designed camera glasses, where it also scan people, finding their Facebook profiles, and you can also use it as an gps. You get the sense that there is an evil presence over the city. Especially when the demons begin to emerge, things really take a different turn. While watching Jeruzalem, i could feel that we have influences from the spanish horror film Rec here. And that is a good thing, because in found footage horror films, you need to make it instensive eventually, instead of just relying on a few creepy scenes. The acting from lead actors Danielle Jadelyn and Yael Grobglas are fine, but the most interesting character in Jeruzalem is the crazy man known as King David ( Itsko Yampulski ). You will see what i mean, when you hear his story at the mental institution. Jeruzalem may not be original in any way, but from the found footage genre, Jeruzalem manage to deliver at least a good time. Besides, how can you go wrong with demons in a city full of religious people ? A good advice people, next time you go to Jerusalem, make sure you have plenty of Ron De Jeremy Rum, a bag of weapons, and Åsa Romson by your side. This way you know the party will never end.
Rating: DDD
Best friends Sarah ( Danielle Jadelyn ) and Rachel ( Yael Grobglas ) are travelling to Tel Aviv, to experience new things, meet people and learn a different culture. At the airplane they meet Kevin ( Yon Tumarkin ), who loves to travel worldwide. His plan is to go to Jerusalem, because he is very interested in history, and old scriptures. Rachel convince Sarah that they should change their travel plans, and go to Jerusalem first. Sarah eventually agree, even though she is skeptical. At the hostel they find, they meet Omar ( Tom Graziani ) who welcome them to Jerusalem, and promise to show them around town. Everything looks great, and all 3 of the tourists are having a great time. Until Kevin begin to act strange, as if he is changing his mind on Jerusalem. He seems to know that they are in danger, after a history tour in caves. Rachel is not worried though, she is ready to enjoy her time with Omar and Sarah. But what if Kevin is right, maybe everything is not what it seems ?
The so called found footage horror film is usually very basic, with pretty much the same concept as most releases. One of the few films in this genre, that actually managed to do something different, was a film called Afflicted. It is still one of the better releases in this genre, and if you have not seen it, you should run down and rent it at your local dvd store. Jeruzalem have some elements that you can recognize from Afflicted, it is a story about young people travelling to experiencing the world, and they love to party. The biggest difference between these films, is that Jeruzalem is more based on biblical influences. We do get to see some locations in Jerusalem, where historical places gives the film a realistic look. Of course, since we know this is just a fictional story, we know it will become more unrealistic, once the demons attack. Once you see the demons, they do look kind of creepy with their wings. So the film does manage to make you scared, in certain situations. Directors Doron Paz and Yoav Paz ( both brothers to each other ), have directed one feature film in the past, called Phobidilia. I have not seen the film, but i know that critics have praised the film. This second feature film of them, is perhaps not original in any way. But from an horror perspective, i feel that the concept works pretty good. The camera work is intensive, and the location in Jerusalem is a good location, with mystical dark buildings. One nice detail, is that you are supposed to be following a new camera method, used by wearing digital glasses. So the whole film is basically seen from these special designed camera glasses, where it also scan people, finding their Facebook profiles, and you can also use it as an gps. You get the sense that there is an evil presence over the city. Especially when the demons begin to emerge, things really take a different turn. While watching Jeruzalem, i could feel that we have influences from the spanish horror film Rec here. And that is a good thing, because in found footage horror films, you need to make it instensive eventually, instead of just relying on a few creepy scenes. The acting from lead actors Danielle Jadelyn and Yael Grobglas are fine, but the most interesting character in Jeruzalem is the crazy man known as King David ( Itsko Yampulski ). You will see what i mean, when you hear his story at the mental institution. Jeruzalem may not be original in any way, but from the found footage genre, Jeruzalem manage to deliver at least a good time. Besides, how can you go wrong with demons in a city full of religious people ? A good advice people, next time you go to Jerusalem, make sure you have plenty of Ron De Jeremy Rum, a bag of weapons, and Åsa Romson by your side. This way you know the party will never end.
Rating: DDD
Star Wars The Force Awakens
I am a movie nerd, and i am proud to be one.
I can tell you that, i have seen so many cool movies since i was a child, that it would take forever to count them all. But lets talk about one film that changed the whole world in 1977. It was the science fiction film Star Wars , by director George Lucas. This was a very unique film in many ways. A completely different world of planets, monsters, costume designs, weapons,and strong characters. The film became a worldwide box office hit, and a whole new franchise gave life to an entire new world of science fiction fans. As the sequels came along, the audiences did not let the films down. They are some of the most loved science fiction films of all time. Since the release of Return Of The Jedi in 1983, it seemed as if Star Wars would not return. We all know that it did come back, but it was a long progress, and many ideas shifted apart. It would take more than 15 years, before George Lucas decided to make the three first chapters of Star Wars, back on to the screen. Beginning with The Phantom Menace, this was the first time we were introduced to Anarkin Skywalker as a child. My biggest problem with this film was the character Jar Jar Binks, a character we should not have had included. On the other hand, there are plenty of good looking action sequences, and nice to see Liam Neeson fighting with a laser sword. The second chapter Attack Of The Clones included even more action, and nice to see Yoda in battle. Revenge Of The Sith, the final film of these three films was the most epic film of them all, with much more darkness, more details on the characters. The final battle scene is also something i really enjoyed, as i look back. Since the release of Revenge Of The Sith, you could hear rumors that there was an discussion to bring Star Wars back. Of course, no one knew when this would happen exactly, until information came out that director J.J. Abrams would take on the job, to direct The Force Awakens. Fans worldwide were very pleased about this, because he managed to bring back Star Trek, on a whole new level. And i had a feeling that he could be the right man to continue the story of Star Wars. So, when the film finally arrived to cinemas, i just had to see if cinema magic would be possible again, 10 years later. Is J.J. Abrams finally giving us a Star Wars film in the old school feeling we all wished for, or should they have given the job to another director ?
30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ), the last jedi, have disappeared. The first order have risen from the fallen Galactic Empire. They seek to eliminate Luke and the New Republic. The Resistance, led by Luke´s twin sister General Leia Organa ( Carrie Fischer ), opposes the First Order, to make sure they can´t find Luke. Resistance pilot Poe Dameron ( Oscar Isaac ) meets Lor San Tekka ( Max Von Sydow ), on the planet Jakku to obtain a map on where Luke is located. Suddenly stormtroopers arrive with commander Rylo Ken ( Adam Driver ), who destroy the village and capture Poe. Poe´s droid BB-8 manage to escape out in the desert, with the map to Luke´s location. BB-8 encounters scavenger Rey ( Daisy Ridley ). She decide to let BB-8 follow her. Meanwhile, Poe is tortured by Rylo Kenn, using the force, as he get the information he needs on BB-8. But stormtrooper FN-2187, also known as Finn ( John Boyega ), helps Poe to escape into a stolen TIE fighter. The ship crash on the planet Jakku, and Finn seems to be the only survivor. Finn encounter Rey and BB-8, but the First Order locate them and launch an airstrike. But they manage to escape together in the rundown ship, the Millennium Falcon. Eventually, the Falcon breaks down and is captured by a much larger ship, run by Han Solo ( Harrison Ford ) and Chewbacca ( Peter Mayhew ). The crew on board Millennium escape when gangs attack, who want to settle with Han Solo. With the help of C-3PO and BB-8, they hope to find the location to where Luke is hiding. But Rylo is prepared to stop the Resistance force.
If you love Star Wars, and if you love the old films mostly, then be prepared to love The Force Awakens. This is definetely a throwback to the George Lucas classics, with more depth and stronger characters, than in the first films, that started off with The Phantom Menace. Now, don´t get me wrong, i enjoy all the Star Wars films for different reasons. But i will say that chapter 4, 5 and 6 feels both more nostalgic, and magical, compared to the first films. There are plenty of reasons to why i feel this way, but i suggest we talk about The Force Awakens instead, and i will explain more later. I was worried that a new Star Wars film would not be as good as i was hoping for it to be. After walking out from a cinema, i can guarantee that you will be very pleased. You have amazing CGI effects here, very good acting performances, a solid storyline, and very well made cinematography. We even have princess Leia ( Carrie Fischer ) back on screen, including Han Solo ( Harrison Ford ), and of course Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ). But these are not the main characters, in fact we have 2 new characters. Finn, played by Joey Fodega, and of course the strong female character Rey , played by Daisy Ridley. Since there is a new generation, and Star Wars have also developed in certain details, we also get classic characters to come back. We have Chewbacca, of course played by legendary actor Peter Mayhew. But that´s not all, C-3PO is also back, played by Anthony Daniels. There are more characters you will recognize, but we also have new ones, that fit very well with the story. The Force Awakens feels much more detailed, than the first films from the millennium. And i will try and explain why. Even if The Phantom Menace, Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith, were packed of action, and many great actors, you always felt that perhaps the true spirit of chapter 4, 5 and 6 was not there. This is something director J.J. Abrams picked up with The Force Awakens. Everything feels more majestic, more cinematic, and more detailed to bring the true spirit of Star Wars back on a bigger level. The evil character Kylo Ren, have a unique style, and is well played by actor Adam Driver. In the battle scenes, you get a sense that he is a different version of Darth Wader, but still not as cool as Darth Maul. Either way, this is a step in the right direction for Star Wars, and you feel so much joy to see the classic characters back, with a new cast included. There is no doubt that The Force Awakens was needed to be made, Star Wars feels more relevant today than ever, and we need this franchise for the next generation of new fans, and old fans of course. Be prepared to have a blast, there are many details that you will enjoy along the way. The acting delivers very high quality from most of the actors, and the CGI effects is really well made. Thank you J.J. Abrams, for bringing Star Wars back to classic ground. The whole world needed this, and we might see a bigger chance of world peace, thanks to The Force Awakens.
Rating: DDDD
I can tell you that, i have seen so many cool movies since i was a child, that it would take forever to count them all. But lets talk about one film that changed the whole world in 1977. It was the science fiction film Star Wars , by director George Lucas. This was a very unique film in many ways. A completely different world of planets, monsters, costume designs, weapons,and strong characters. The film became a worldwide box office hit, and a whole new franchise gave life to an entire new world of science fiction fans. As the sequels came along, the audiences did not let the films down. They are some of the most loved science fiction films of all time. Since the release of Return Of The Jedi in 1983, it seemed as if Star Wars would not return. We all know that it did come back, but it was a long progress, and many ideas shifted apart. It would take more than 15 years, before George Lucas decided to make the three first chapters of Star Wars, back on to the screen. Beginning with The Phantom Menace, this was the first time we were introduced to Anarkin Skywalker as a child. My biggest problem with this film was the character Jar Jar Binks, a character we should not have had included. On the other hand, there are plenty of good looking action sequences, and nice to see Liam Neeson fighting with a laser sword. The second chapter Attack Of The Clones included even more action, and nice to see Yoda in battle. Revenge Of The Sith, the final film of these three films was the most epic film of them all, with much more darkness, more details on the characters. The final battle scene is also something i really enjoyed, as i look back. Since the release of Revenge Of The Sith, you could hear rumors that there was an discussion to bring Star Wars back. Of course, no one knew when this would happen exactly, until information came out that director J.J. Abrams would take on the job, to direct The Force Awakens. Fans worldwide were very pleased about this, because he managed to bring back Star Trek, on a whole new level. And i had a feeling that he could be the right man to continue the story of Star Wars. So, when the film finally arrived to cinemas, i just had to see if cinema magic would be possible again, 10 years later. Is J.J. Abrams finally giving us a Star Wars film in the old school feeling we all wished for, or should they have given the job to another director ?
30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ), the last jedi, have disappeared. The first order have risen from the fallen Galactic Empire. They seek to eliminate Luke and the New Republic. The Resistance, led by Luke´s twin sister General Leia Organa ( Carrie Fischer ), opposes the First Order, to make sure they can´t find Luke. Resistance pilot Poe Dameron ( Oscar Isaac ) meets Lor San Tekka ( Max Von Sydow ), on the planet Jakku to obtain a map on where Luke is located. Suddenly stormtroopers arrive with commander Rylo Ken ( Adam Driver ), who destroy the village and capture Poe. Poe´s droid BB-8 manage to escape out in the desert, with the map to Luke´s location. BB-8 encounters scavenger Rey ( Daisy Ridley ). She decide to let BB-8 follow her. Meanwhile, Poe is tortured by Rylo Kenn, using the force, as he get the information he needs on BB-8. But stormtrooper FN-2187, also known as Finn ( John Boyega ), helps Poe to escape into a stolen TIE fighter. The ship crash on the planet Jakku, and Finn seems to be the only survivor. Finn encounter Rey and BB-8, but the First Order locate them and launch an airstrike. But they manage to escape together in the rundown ship, the Millennium Falcon. Eventually, the Falcon breaks down and is captured by a much larger ship, run by Han Solo ( Harrison Ford ) and Chewbacca ( Peter Mayhew ). The crew on board Millennium escape when gangs attack, who want to settle with Han Solo. With the help of C-3PO and BB-8, they hope to find the location to where Luke is hiding. But Rylo is prepared to stop the Resistance force.
If you love Star Wars, and if you love the old films mostly, then be prepared to love The Force Awakens. This is definetely a throwback to the George Lucas classics, with more depth and stronger characters, than in the first films, that started off with The Phantom Menace. Now, don´t get me wrong, i enjoy all the Star Wars films for different reasons. But i will say that chapter 4, 5 and 6 feels both more nostalgic, and magical, compared to the first films. There are plenty of reasons to why i feel this way, but i suggest we talk about The Force Awakens instead, and i will explain more later. I was worried that a new Star Wars film would not be as good as i was hoping for it to be. After walking out from a cinema, i can guarantee that you will be very pleased. You have amazing CGI effects here, very good acting performances, a solid storyline, and very well made cinematography. We even have princess Leia ( Carrie Fischer ) back on screen, including Han Solo ( Harrison Ford ), and of course Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ). But these are not the main characters, in fact we have 2 new characters. Finn, played by Joey Fodega, and of course the strong female character Rey , played by Daisy Ridley. Since there is a new generation, and Star Wars have also developed in certain details, we also get classic characters to come back. We have Chewbacca, of course played by legendary actor Peter Mayhew. But that´s not all, C-3PO is also back, played by Anthony Daniels. There are more characters you will recognize, but we also have new ones, that fit very well with the story. The Force Awakens feels much more detailed, than the first films from the millennium. And i will try and explain why. Even if The Phantom Menace, Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith, were packed of action, and many great actors, you always felt that perhaps the true spirit of chapter 4, 5 and 6 was not there. This is something director J.J. Abrams picked up with The Force Awakens. Everything feels more majestic, more cinematic, and more detailed to bring the true spirit of Star Wars back on a bigger level. The evil character Kylo Ren, have a unique style, and is well played by actor Adam Driver. In the battle scenes, you get a sense that he is a different version of Darth Wader, but still not as cool as Darth Maul. Either way, this is a step in the right direction for Star Wars, and you feel so much joy to see the classic characters back, with a new cast included. There is no doubt that The Force Awakens was needed to be made, Star Wars feels more relevant today than ever, and we need this franchise for the next generation of new fans, and old fans of course. Be prepared to have a blast, there are many details that you will enjoy along the way. The acting delivers very high quality from most of the actors, and the CGI effects is really well made. Thank you J.J. Abrams, for bringing Star Wars back to classic ground. The whole world needed this, and we might see a bigger chance of world peace, thanks to The Force Awakens.
Rating: DDDD
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