Poverty is a pain in the ass. You see homeless people everyday, people who lost their jobs and can´t pay their bills, and have no money for food. Since i have worked 18 years in health care, i have met a lot of people, who have many problems. And things are not getting better, at least not for people who have no help, and no family to help them. Some end up having alcohol problems, drug addictions, or even steal just to survive. But then we also have people who live in poverty, who struggle and try to find their way in life. So what if you grow up in a middle class family, but know who you really are, but can´t show it ? This is where i am reminded of the icon we all know as Harvey Milk. The American politician who fight for the rights of gay people, and for anyone who needed to have their voice heard in society. He could see how much hate there was, against homosexuals, so he decided to run for political office in San Fransicso in the 70´s. Harvey loved everyone, no matter if you are straight or gay, everyone should live in a safe society, where we all respect each other. Then in November 27, 1978, Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone was assassinated Dan White. Even if Harvey Milk is no longer with us, his spirit to fight for equal rights have moved on in today´s society. By the way, if you have not seen the film Milk, with Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, i highly recommend that you do see it. It is strange that it is 2017, and we still have people who hate homosexuals. You would think that we should be able to find a way, to live together in society without the hate ? There is no reason to see a homosexual person as different, at the end of the day we all breath with the same lungs, and have our hearts beat, as any human being. Most of us have probably seen some really good films from the ghetto, such as Boyz N The Hood or Menace II Society. Films that shows how life is, when you live in the ghetto, not knowing if you will survive, or end up dead. We all heard stories from different ghettos worldwide, all the problems with drugs, crimes, and poverty. And it never seems to stop, while some people are trying to make things right. So imagine a young man, who lives in the ghetto, where men are supposed to be tough, knows he is attracted to men ? This is a story we will follow, about one man´s journey into real world, in Moonlight. I have heard so much positive reviews from many critics, before i got a chance to actually see Moonlight. Then at the Golden Globe Awards this year, Moonlight won the award for Best Motion Picture - Drama. And now the film have 8 Oscar Academy Award Nominations, so there is no doubt that this could be a special film. Is Moonlight as good as the critics are saying, or is this a film that may have been over hyped ?
Chiron ( Alex Hibbert ) is a shy and withdrawn child, who is hiding from bullies in a crack house, and found by Juan ( Mahershala Ali ), a crack dealer, who takes Chiron with him to his house, where Juan lives with his girlfriend Teresa ( Janelle Monáe ). Both Juan and Teresa can tell that Chiron is a kid with a lot of issues. The next morning, Juan take Chiron home to his emotionally abusive mother Paula ( Naomie Harris ). Chiron´s mother does not like to see someone taking care of her son, but at the same time, she can barely take care of herself. The only one who Chiron feel secure with, is his friend Kevin ( Jaden Piner ). Chiron and Juan spend more time together, and Juan feels that Chiron needs a father figure, so he can learn about life. But everything falls apart, when Juan confront Paula for smoking crack in a near by car, and Paula tell Chiron that Juan sold it to her. Chiron feels betrayed, and hate everyone, including his mother, Juan and Teresa. The years go by, and Chiron ( Ashton Sanders ) is now a teenager, still being a bully victim with almost no friends. But Kevin ( Jharell Jerome ) is still Chiron´s close friend. As they spend a night together on a beach, they both let their feelings go. Chiron and Kevin have feelings for each other, but they can´t let anyone know. Chiron´s mother Paula continue her drug addiction, causing their relationship to fall apart, and Chiron is forced to try and care of himself, and his mother. When bully Terrel ( Patrick Decile ) order Kevin to beat up Chiron, for being a fagot, Kevin see no other way then to do it. He can´t show anyone how he really feels about Chiron. Hurt once again, especially by his only friend, Chiron feels more anger inside. As an adult, Chiron ( Trevante Rhodes ) have moved away from his childhood, to Atlanta, now living as a drug dealer. With no future plans, and so much anger inside of him for being hurt so many times, can Chiron find a way to find happiness ?
The first thing that strikes me with Moonlight, is how well made this film is. From the colorful cinematography, to the locations, capturing the rough society. Seeing a young boy, growing up with a very unstable drug addict mother, will leave you affected. To see a mother, who can´t take care of her young son, and he have to find ways to survive himself, shows how cruel society can be in real life. Children don´t choose their parents, but they have rights to live a secure life. He is also a bully victim, and sexually attracted to a male friend and can´t show this to anyone, so just imagine everything he is going through. The story goes through different time periods of Chiron´s life, and once you follow his path, it is hard not to be touched by the rough edges of his life. All three actors Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes, who play Chiron from a child to an adult man, all do a wonderful performance. They manage to build up the character, for who he is, but have a hard time showing, since he is very shy. You can see the anger inside of him, you can feel his pain, why he have to deal with all the shit in his life. Naomie Harris as the drug addicted mother, makes a really strong performance. Moonshine is the kind of film that will get you thinking about how difficult life is. We are supposed to be in a certain way, just to fit in to society. And i have a feeling that many people out there can relate to this, we have all experienced different situations in life where everything is shit. But this is where Moonlight also manage to pick up something positive, that even if you are running from your past, maybe something good came along with it. And in the case of Chiron, he have tried to run away from who he really is, when he knows that he is not being himself. The love story between him and his best friend Kevin ( also played by three different actors from a child to an adult ), makes you feel hope, that no matter how long time goes by, true love never goes away. It is not often you see a film with a love story between men in this way, and i feel that Moonlight really capture that feeling really good. Director Barry Jenkins may not be a director you have heard of before, perhaps because his directorial debut film Medicine For Melancholy was not seen by many people. I have not seen it myself, so far, but i know critics were very positive when the film was released. Moonlight proves that director Barry Jenkins know how to show a realistic view of life, and shows a cruel reality, just the way we all should face the truth. Moonlight is a very strong film, with a lot to say. Especially the message that you should love anyone you want, gay or straight, we are all humans. A powerful film, that might help young men realise, just be yourself, no matter how much hate you get. Run to the cinema and see Moonlight, i am going to see it soon again, for sure.
Rating: DDDD
tisdag 31 januari 2017
söndag 29 januari 2017
Rogue One : A Star Wars Story
I am very proud of being born in august 1977. And there are three reasons why i am proud
# Because i am fantastic.
# Director Wes Craven released his film The Hills Have Eyes.
# Star Wars was released, changing science fiction films history.
Let´s stop right here for a moment, and focus on Star Wars. The 1977 film, directed by George Lucas, became one of the most biggest science fiction films in box office history. Not only was the film really well made, it also had some really great original characters. The film have a very majestic story, where especially Luke Skywalker is forced to face reality. 3 years later we got the sequel The Empire Strikes Back, a film that is the best of the Star Wars films from director George Lucas. It is darker, with even bigger special effects, massive action scenes, and with some really good acting included. Here we were also introduced to Yoda, who train Luke Skywalker to become a Jedi. 3 years later we got the next chapter called The Return Of The Jedi. Not the best of the Star Wars films, but still really entertaining and filled with plenty of solid action scenes. After the 80´s it seemed as Star Wars would not return, and we did not see any films coming out for a long time. Not until the end of the 90´s, when director George Lucas revealed that 3 films are going to be released. Fans were really excited, and happy to see Star Wars return to the big screen. And in 1999, we got Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the story of how Anakin Skywalker worked his way to become a Jedi knight. For us who remember seeing this film in theatres back then, most fans were disappointed. I have seen the film recently again, and i still feel that it is not as good as the old films. Mainly because the film felt too childish, and way too silly in some scenes. The sequels Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith was an improvement from chapter 1. Revenge Of The Sith actually managed to bring some more darkness into the Star Wars world, and this was what we needed. After a long break, and George Lucas told everyone he would not direct another Star Wars film, no one really knew what would happen. Until we got the news that director J.J Abrams ( director of 2 of the latest Star Trek films ), would direct the new Star Wars film, simply called The Force Awakens. As the film finally hit theatres, i had to see it in 3D, and i had a really good time. This was more a traditional Star Wars film, with so many classic characters. And then, not long after the premiere, we found out another Star Wars story was coming out. But not a sequel to The Force Awakens, this would be a different story of Star Wars. After the first trailer of Rouge One was released, i found myself applauding in front of the computer. This looked like another fun ride in the universe of Star Wars. I finally went to see the film in 3D, hoping i would hug everyone of joy of the experience. Is this Star Wars story another worthy release to the franchise, or should the film company Walt Disney Studios have focused on the sequel to The Force Awakens instead ?
Research scientist Galen Erso ( Mads Mikkelsen ) and his family, are hiding on the planet Lah´mu when Imperial weapons developer Orson Krennic ( Ben Mendelsohn ) arrives. Orson needs Galen to finish building the Death Star. It all ends with Galen´s wife Lyla Erso ( Valene Kane ) being killed, while their daughter Jyn escape and is taken to safety by Rebel extremist Saw Gererra ( Forest Whitaker ). 15 years later, cargo pilot Bodhi Rook ( Riz Ahmed ) defects from the Empire, smuggling a holographic from Galen to Gererra, on the desert moon Jehda. Rebel officer Cassian Andor ( Diego Luna ) free Jyn Erso ( Felicity Jones ) from an Imperial labor camp at Wobani, before taking her to their Rebel leaders. She is told to find and rescue Galen. The Rebel Leaders need information on the Death Star. Gerarra shows Jyn a message from Galen, where he reveal that he built a vulnerability into The Death Star, and ask them to retrieve the schematics from a high-security Imperial data on the planet Scarif. The Death Star is prepared to wipe out the city of Jehda's capital. As the attack us carried out, Jyn manage to survive, but it is clear that Darth Wader ( Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous ) know that the rebels are planning to attack the Death Star.
One of the things that first strikes me, is that Rouge One is much darker, than some of the other Star Wars films. And i think that there might be a tone of The Empire Strikes Back in this film. Those of you who remember that film, probably remember that it was different from the 1977 film. This is exactly what Rouge One is also, different but still epic. You will notice that the characters from Star Wars are not around in this story, except for a few ones, that´s because this is not the same story of Luke Skywalker. But that´s ok, because the main focus should be what this film manage to do. If you love the Star Wars franchise, i know you will enjoy Rouge One as well. There are plenty of cool characters, fantastic special effects, and of course some really good acting included. One of my personal favourite characters in Rouge One, is Orson Krennic, played really well by actor Ben Mendelsohn ( i really hope you have seen him do a fantastic performance in Mississippi Grind ). The character Orson is heartless, selfish, and evil, and Ben Mendelsohn manage to show this through his acting. Felicity Jones is also very good as Jyn Erso. She is rough, intelligent, and tries to handle every complicated situation. Nice to see Forest Whitaker here as well. Maybe not his strongest performance, but i still think he fits the character of Saw Gerarra. Mads Mikkelsen is also here, for a short time also. That is too bad, because something tells me that he should have had more scenes. I would have liked to know more about his character Galen Erso. Rouge One manage to find it´s place in the Star Wars universe, and there is plenty of good stuff here to be found. Especially when the battles between good and evil takes off. The CGI effects in space looks fantastic, and i will say that the CGI and digitally-repurposed-archive footage of Peter Cushing looks amazing. Almost as you can see him standing there. Director Gareth Edwards, known for his films Monsters, and the Godzilla remake, have managed to make a Star Wars film that goes back to the roots of the classic concept. He manage to throw in a lot of the ingredients that fans want to see, and he also manage to give us some other treats along the way. From a technically perspective, director Gareth Edwards proves himself to be a very effective science fiction story teller. I am very pleased about one certain detail, that he choosed to bring back Walkers to the battle scenes. A simple detail, but nostalgic. If you enjoy all the Star Wars films, then you are going to love Rogue One guaranteed. There is something for everyone in here, and that is a very good sign. Excuse me a moment, Jehovas Witnesses are attacking again, time to bring out my laser sword.
Rating: DDDD
fredag 13 januari 2017
Train To Busan
In recent years, i have been discovering some really great quality films, coming from South Korea. And i think it all started for me personally with 2 films, from director Chan-wook Park, and his films J.S.A: Joint Security Area and Sympathy For Mr.Vengeance. These were some of the first films i bought on dvd from South Korea, and i still remember how good both films are. Director Chan-wook Park proved himself to be a director, who could take on very different genres, and make really emotionally strong films. He continued making more really good films, such as Lady Vengeance and the powerful vampire film Thirst. Then in 2013, he made his first american film called Stoker, with Nicole Kidman. I can´t say this is one of his best films, but still an interesting choice. Very different from his previous work. I have not seen his latest film called The Handmaiden, released last year, but i am really looking forward to see it. I hear it is one of the best films he have directed so far, and that sounds wonderful. . Last year i reviewed a very good horror film called The Wailing, from director Hong-jin Na. This was one of the better horror films i saw in 2016, a very different story, well crafted and beautiful cinematography. I also loved the way director Hong-jin Nam builded up suspension, with a combination of classic ingredients, in a very intelligent way. Since i watched The Wailing, i have not really seen any other film from South Korea. I have seen that there are some films out there, that looks interesting. And i might review at least one, or two of them, eventually. In may of 2016, i read about one of the films that was going to screen at the Cannes Film Festival, a South Korean zombie film called Train To Busan. As the first reviews came out of the festival, i understood that this would be a film, for fans of the zombie genre. Of course, swedish cinemas did not even think about screening this film, simply because they prefer to show romantic swedish film like Jag Älskar Dig ( a swedish romantic comedy that sucks ass ). I suggest you buy Dyke Hard on dvd, if you want to see real swedish quality films. I just had to wait until Train To Busan came out on blu ray and dvd, and it is finally avaible. As i got my blu ray copy, i was jumping like a school girl around my appartment. Is the zombie genre finally back on track with some real quality, or is this another lame release, just to trying to milk money from fans of the genre ?
Seok Woo ( Yoo Gong ) is a hard working man, but never have time to do anything with his daughter. He did not make it to her school performance, something his daughter Soo-ann ( Soo-ann Kim ) is very upset about. She wants to go and visit her mother, who lives in Busan. So her father Seok Woo promise to take the train there with her. At first the train ride seems pretty normal, until one infected woman climbs on board, turning into a zombie. This is just the beginning of a ride to hell.
Remember the positive feeling about the remake of Dawn Of The Dead ? That they could still make a hell of a good zombie film ? This feeling comes to my mind, as i watch Train To Busan. This is without a doubt one of the best zombie films, i have seen in quite some time. It is fast, brutal, very intensive, and even have some emotional moments that works really well. Most of all, the idea of being stuck on a train filled with zombies, and finding ways to survive, is just brilliant. I would not say that this film is original in any way, but from a zombie horror genre perspective, i doubt you will be disappointed. Especially if you enjoyed 28 Days Later, or 28 Weeks Later, these zombies are also very fast in Train To Busan. You will also find great acting included here, especially from Yoo Gong, Soo-an Kim ( some of her scenes are really good, magnificant child actor ), Ju-mi Yung and Dong-seok Ma. We do have more good performances in Train To Busan, but to name them all would take some time. I would like to tell all actors who were involved in this film, what a wonderful job you did. To be able tó show as much fear, as we are shown here, is not very easy. Just imagine acting out that you are running for your life, as if this could be your last day alive, and make it look realistic ? Now that´s acting, did you hear that Ben Winchell from Max Steel ? The train scenes looks really good, and since we know there is only a limit of locations, where these survivors are locked in, this film becomes more interesting. How would anyone deal with this situation, not knowing if you will arrive anywhere safe ? Director Sang-ho Yeon is perhaps most known for his anime films The Kings Of Pigs and Saibi. I have actually not seen these 2 films, but seeing his work in his first live-action film, i can tell that he is a very professional director. He knows how to catch the feeling of panic, frustration, anger, all together on screen. And with the amazing cast, he manage to show us a very different take on the zombie genre. I also get a feeling that he might enjoy the 1985 classic film Runaway Train, because you can feel some references in the film ( not spoiling where exactly ). The zombies are completely insane, and this is also a detail i enjoy, they will attack really hard, but not only that, you also find out they have a different weak spot, than the usual zombie. Train To Busan is absolutely a horror feast for everyone to enjoy, South Korea proves once more why they are so good at making quality horror films. Make sure you buy this blu ray film, and show your grandparents why we love going on train journeys. Speaking of trains, i would love to strike some zombies on board, anyone have a chainsaw near by ? Good, looks like it´s party time folks !!!!!!
Rating : DDDD
Seok Woo ( Yoo Gong ) is a hard working man, but never have time to do anything with his daughter. He did not make it to her school performance, something his daughter Soo-ann ( Soo-ann Kim ) is very upset about. She wants to go and visit her mother, who lives in Busan. So her father Seok Woo promise to take the train there with her. At first the train ride seems pretty normal, until one infected woman climbs on board, turning into a zombie. This is just the beginning of a ride to hell.
Remember the positive feeling about the remake of Dawn Of The Dead ? That they could still make a hell of a good zombie film ? This feeling comes to my mind, as i watch Train To Busan. This is without a doubt one of the best zombie films, i have seen in quite some time. It is fast, brutal, very intensive, and even have some emotional moments that works really well. Most of all, the idea of being stuck on a train filled with zombies, and finding ways to survive, is just brilliant. I would not say that this film is original in any way, but from a zombie horror genre perspective, i doubt you will be disappointed. Especially if you enjoyed 28 Days Later, or 28 Weeks Later, these zombies are also very fast in Train To Busan. You will also find great acting included here, especially from Yoo Gong, Soo-an Kim ( some of her scenes are really good, magnificant child actor ), Ju-mi Yung and Dong-seok Ma. We do have more good performances in Train To Busan, but to name them all would take some time. I would like to tell all actors who were involved in this film, what a wonderful job you did. To be able tó show as much fear, as we are shown here, is not very easy. Just imagine acting out that you are running for your life, as if this could be your last day alive, and make it look realistic ? Now that´s acting, did you hear that Ben Winchell from Max Steel ? The train scenes looks really good, and since we know there is only a limit of locations, where these survivors are locked in, this film becomes more interesting. How would anyone deal with this situation, not knowing if you will arrive anywhere safe ? Director Sang-ho Yeon is perhaps most known for his anime films The Kings Of Pigs and Saibi. I have actually not seen these 2 films, but seeing his work in his first live-action film, i can tell that he is a very professional director. He knows how to catch the feeling of panic, frustration, anger, all together on screen. And with the amazing cast, he manage to show us a very different take on the zombie genre. I also get a feeling that he might enjoy the 1985 classic film Runaway Train, because you can feel some references in the film ( not spoiling where exactly ). The zombies are completely insane, and this is also a detail i enjoy, they will attack really hard, but not only that, you also find out they have a different weak spot, than the usual zombie. Train To Busan is absolutely a horror feast for everyone to enjoy, South Korea proves once more why they are so good at making quality horror films. Make sure you buy this blu ray film, and show your grandparents why we love going on train journeys. Speaking of trains, i would love to strike some zombies on board, anyone have a chainsaw near by ? Good, looks like it´s party time folks !!!!!!
Rating : DDDD
onsdag 11 januari 2017
Passengers
Space!
We have only seen a little bit of planets, meteors, stars, and we have so much more to discover. No matter how many galexies there are out there, or how many planets we don´t know anything about, humans will alway try and learn more about space. And i think this is very fascinating, that we have so much to learn from the endless space. When i was a young boy, i used to read about planets, where they were located and what the differences were between the planets ( that we knew of back in the 80´s ). I was also very fascinated in science fiction films, and i remember a favourite one from the 80´s called Cocoon. The 1985 film, directed by Ron Howard, had an interesting concept. What if aliens was left on the bottom of the sea, for almost 10.000 years in cocoons, and now these aliens, dressed as humans, go back to take their loved ones back home to planet Antarea. This is a very well made film, and have some really good performances, especially from Don Ameche and Jessica Tandy. I will also say that Brian Dennehy and Steve Guttenberg also did really good performances. Cocoon may be a science fiction film, but it also shows a different side of elderly people, how important it is to let old folks live life. That it is never too late to live life, as long as you have an open mind. The sequel Cocoon - The Return, did not turn out to be as good as the first film, but nice to see most of the cast return. Science fiction films have proven to be a genre, where anything is possible. Where the future does not stop to, it just keep on growing, especially in technology. And you can see that NASA have proved many times, the way we travel to space is developing very well. I would not be surprised if companies will develope a travel agency to Mars one day. We already know they have talked about the possibility before, so of course it will happen. One of the best science fiction films in recent years, must be Gravity, by director Alfonso Cuarón. A beautiful film, with some really intensive space scenes, with a brilliant performance by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The film was a box office success, and i have to say that this is one of the best looking sci fi films i have ever seen, from a cinematography perspective. As i usually check out what comes out in cinemas every year, i came across an article on The Telegraph, about Passengers, a new science fiction film with Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. I noticed that the director is Morten Tyldum, who directed the very strong drama The Imitation Game with Benedict Cumberbatch. With a combination of great actors and a Oscar Academy nominated director, is this the best sci fi films in recent years, or is this all a big mess ?
The starship Avalon, is transporting over 5000 colonists to the planet Homestead II, that will take 120 years. The colonists are sleeping in hibernation pods. But when the ship passes through a large asteroid field, the ship´s shield is heavily strained. This causes a malfunction on board the ship, and one of the hibernation pods wakes up a passenger called Jim Preston ( Chris Pratt ). He used to be an engineer on earth, and as he wakes up, he have no idea why he is the only one awake on board the ship. He finds out that he have 90 years left, until they reach Homestead II. There is only one he can talk to on board the ship, the bartender android Arthur ( Michael Sheen ). But with no humans to communicate with, Jim is fed up with the life, the way it is right now, stranded on a spaceship. Until he come across one of the hibernation pods, and see the name Aurora Lane ( Jennifer Lawrence ). According to her video profile, she is a writer. Jim can´t stop thinking about her, and he finally make the decision to wake up her, using a manual for the hibernation pods. He manage to do so, and Aurora is of coursed shocked, waking up too early. She does not know Jim woke her up earlier, but can he keep the truth from coming out ?
I did not really know what to expect, not knowing that much about Passengers. But i have to say, after seeing the film in 3D ( there are some really beautiful scenes in space ), i am quite surprised that this film have some important issues to tell us. Not going to spoil it for you, but let´s just say this. If you felt that science fiction films have been mostly about aliens, guns, explosions, and killing, then you might actually be pleased. Passengers tries to dig more deep, in how we would try and survive on a spaceship. Just imagine not knowing if you would ever meet another human again, or if you would ever walk on solid ground ? How would you deal with a situation, floating around in space, not knowing ? Passengers brings up different subjects, on how we could possibly function, in odd situations. And this is where the film becomes interesting, because we all have different needs as human beings. Some of us need a social life, some of us prefer to be more alone. Do we give up, or do we just try and deal with the situation ? Chris Pratt make his character feel very natural, like a typical ordinary man, stuck in a very complicated situation. I think he made a good decision with this, of course he might not make good decisions, but would anyone of us do so if we were in the same shoes ? The biggest strength of Passengers is Jennifer Lawrence, and she really proves again why she is one of the best actors of her generation. This may not be her best performance, but still solid enough to make this film better, thanks to her. The beautiful scenes from different angles of the spaceship, contribute a feeling of stillness in time. Michael Sheen is a nice touch to this film, as the android bartender Arthur. He may not have a lot of dialogue, but i enjoy his character. The downside of Passengers is that the film can be very slow in some scenes. But overall, i think director Morten Tyldum have made an interesting science fiction film, different from many usual releases. There is a depth here, and a different story, and this is a good combination. I would not say that Passengers is recommended to all science fiction lovers. You won´t find much action here, it is more about how we react in complicated situations in life. Passengers do deliver, maybe not as much as it could have done. Still, a interesting idea that will leave you thinking, how would you handle this situation ? I am definitely going to space, anyone want to join? I just need Lulu Carter to help me design the spaceship first, to get things right of course.
Rating: DDD
We have only seen a little bit of planets, meteors, stars, and we have so much more to discover. No matter how many galexies there are out there, or how many planets we don´t know anything about, humans will alway try and learn more about space. And i think this is very fascinating, that we have so much to learn from the endless space. When i was a young boy, i used to read about planets, where they were located and what the differences were between the planets ( that we knew of back in the 80´s ). I was also very fascinated in science fiction films, and i remember a favourite one from the 80´s called Cocoon. The 1985 film, directed by Ron Howard, had an interesting concept. What if aliens was left on the bottom of the sea, for almost 10.000 years in cocoons, and now these aliens, dressed as humans, go back to take their loved ones back home to planet Antarea. This is a very well made film, and have some really good performances, especially from Don Ameche and Jessica Tandy. I will also say that Brian Dennehy and Steve Guttenberg also did really good performances. Cocoon may be a science fiction film, but it also shows a different side of elderly people, how important it is to let old folks live life. That it is never too late to live life, as long as you have an open mind. The sequel Cocoon - The Return, did not turn out to be as good as the first film, but nice to see most of the cast return. Science fiction films have proven to be a genre, where anything is possible. Where the future does not stop to, it just keep on growing, especially in technology. And you can see that NASA have proved many times, the way we travel to space is developing very well. I would not be surprised if companies will develope a travel agency to Mars one day. We already know they have talked about the possibility before, so of course it will happen. One of the best science fiction films in recent years, must be Gravity, by director Alfonso Cuarón. A beautiful film, with some really intensive space scenes, with a brilliant performance by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The film was a box office success, and i have to say that this is one of the best looking sci fi films i have ever seen, from a cinematography perspective. As i usually check out what comes out in cinemas every year, i came across an article on The Telegraph, about Passengers, a new science fiction film with Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. I noticed that the director is Morten Tyldum, who directed the very strong drama The Imitation Game with Benedict Cumberbatch. With a combination of great actors and a Oscar Academy nominated director, is this the best sci fi films in recent years, or is this all a big mess ?
The starship Avalon, is transporting over 5000 colonists to the planet Homestead II, that will take 120 years. The colonists are sleeping in hibernation pods. But when the ship passes through a large asteroid field, the ship´s shield is heavily strained. This causes a malfunction on board the ship, and one of the hibernation pods wakes up a passenger called Jim Preston ( Chris Pratt ). He used to be an engineer on earth, and as he wakes up, he have no idea why he is the only one awake on board the ship. He finds out that he have 90 years left, until they reach Homestead II. There is only one he can talk to on board the ship, the bartender android Arthur ( Michael Sheen ). But with no humans to communicate with, Jim is fed up with the life, the way it is right now, stranded on a spaceship. Until he come across one of the hibernation pods, and see the name Aurora Lane ( Jennifer Lawrence ). According to her video profile, she is a writer. Jim can´t stop thinking about her, and he finally make the decision to wake up her, using a manual for the hibernation pods. He manage to do so, and Aurora is of coursed shocked, waking up too early. She does not know Jim woke her up earlier, but can he keep the truth from coming out ?
I did not really know what to expect, not knowing that much about Passengers. But i have to say, after seeing the film in 3D ( there are some really beautiful scenes in space ), i am quite surprised that this film have some important issues to tell us. Not going to spoil it for you, but let´s just say this. If you felt that science fiction films have been mostly about aliens, guns, explosions, and killing, then you might actually be pleased. Passengers tries to dig more deep, in how we would try and survive on a spaceship. Just imagine not knowing if you would ever meet another human again, or if you would ever walk on solid ground ? How would you deal with a situation, floating around in space, not knowing ? Passengers brings up different subjects, on how we could possibly function, in odd situations. And this is where the film becomes interesting, because we all have different needs as human beings. Some of us need a social life, some of us prefer to be more alone. Do we give up, or do we just try and deal with the situation ? Chris Pratt make his character feel very natural, like a typical ordinary man, stuck in a very complicated situation. I think he made a good decision with this, of course he might not make good decisions, but would anyone of us do so if we were in the same shoes ? The biggest strength of Passengers is Jennifer Lawrence, and she really proves again why she is one of the best actors of her generation. This may not be her best performance, but still solid enough to make this film better, thanks to her. The beautiful scenes from different angles of the spaceship, contribute a feeling of stillness in time. Michael Sheen is a nice touch to this film, as the android bartender Arthur. He may not have a lot of dialogue, but i enjoy his character. The downside of Passengers is that the film can be very slow in some scenes. But overall, i think director Morten Tyldum have made an interesting science fiction film, different from many usual releases. There is a depth here, and a different story, and this is a good combination. I would not say that Passengers is recommended to all science fiction lovers. You won´t find much action here, it is more about how we react in complicated situations in life. Passengers do deliver, maybe not as much as it could have done. Still, a interesting idea that will leave you thinking, how would you handle this situation ? I am definitely going to space, anyone want to join? I just need Lulu Carter to help me design the spaceship first, to get things right of course.
Rating: DDD
30 Years Celebration Of The Stepfather
On January 23rd in 1987, one of the best thrillers of the 80's was released. The Stepfather, directed by Joseph Ruben, is a disturbing psychological thriller, where Terry O' Quinn did a fantastic performance as the serial killer Henry Morrison ( Jerry Blake, Bill Hodgkins ). Maybe not among the best serial killer films ever made list, but still a cult classic that stands very strong, even today. So it is 30 years ago now in 2017, since this film came out, and i think we should celebrate that, with a review in here on Daniels Super Sexy Movie Reviews.
I think it will be posted, at the end of January because i have some other reviews to post first. But you will have it written, and finished by then, guaranteed. I can tell you here also, that later this year, i will also celebrate 30 years of Schwarzenegger´s classic action film Predator as well. But that´s further up ahead. So enjoy the upcoming reviews of January, and thanks to everyone who enjoys reading my reviews worldwide.
Cheers from Daniel
I think it will be posted, at the end of January because i have some other reviews to post first. But you will have it written, and finished by then, guaranteed. I can tell you here also, that later this year, i will also celebrate 30 years of Schwarzenegger´s classic action film Predator as well. But that´s further up ahead. So enjoy the upcoming reviews of January, and thanks to everyone who enjoys reading my reviews worldwide.
Cheers from Daniel
Deepwater Horizon
When i grew up, i had a neighbor who worked on an oil rig in Norway. I remember some of the stories he told me, how tough it was, the long work shifts. But he also told me that the team work was very important. I remember how well paid these men and women were, but it also came with a prize. Health issues, with the problems of enough sleep, and other issues. Was it all worth it ? I think he stayed because he wanted to support his family, and he would not get that high pay check in another job in Sweden. Oil rigs are of course needed, and the men and women who struggle out there in the ocean, deserves respect. I don´t think i could handle that kind of job, i am simply not the right man for the job. But that´s ok, helping people in health care is where i belong. I have watched several reality shows, where you get to see how oil rig workers do their job everyday. It seems very dangerous, and you have to be aware of what is happening around you, just in case something goes wrong. One example of what could happen, is if we take a look back into the year of 2001. Brazilian oil rig Petrobras 36 exploded, killing 11 people on board the oil rig. Of course company BR did not want to take the blame for this, so they continued making more money instead, spending it on champagne and prostitutes. Really ? Yes, i doubt anyone would be surprised, since it is Brazil we are talking about. Petrobras 36 caused a lot of problems in the ocean, and of course the cost of this disaster became very high. Could this have been stopped ? I don´t know, but i get the feeling that BR could have had much better safety precautions. We have another example, of an oil rig disaster. Maybe you have read about the Deepwater Horizon disaster ? The oil rig exploded out in the Gulf of Mexico, and left an enormous oil spill. I remember reading about this in newspapers, after this happened, and hearing some interviews on CNN. Once you saw pictures taken from the oil rig, you understood how serious this disaster was. I will never forget some of the images that were shown on tv, dreadfully to see. Some of you might have heard of the name Peter Berg, who is both an actor, but also works as a director. Some of you might have seen his films Battleship or Lone Survivor. He have made a film based on the disaster that happened at Deewater Horizon, and the critics have been positive so far. Since Peter Berg succeeded with Lone Survivor, does he deliver this time again, or did he dig himself too deep with this project ?
April 20, 2010, oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon is about to start drilling of the southern coast of Louisiana on behalf of BP. Engineer Michael " Mike " Williams ( Mark Wahlberg ) and rig supervisor James " Jimmy " Harrell ( Kurt Russel )are surprised that the workers assigned to pour the concrete foundation, are being sent home early, without doing a pressure test. This was approved by BP company man Donald Vidrine ( John Malkovich ). Both Mike and Jimmy knows, that a pressure test is very important to do, just in case something could go wrong. Jimmy go over to talk to Donald, that they really should do a pressure test. Donald agree to do this, but order them to do the pressure test, while Jimmy is not ready. At first everything seems to be going ok, but suddenly a massive blowout, coming from underneath the sea, explode and kill workers on board. And this is just the beginning, more explosions are on the way, and Mike have to find a way to help the team to survive, if they can stay alive for much longer.
To see director Peter Berg, work again with Mark Wahlberg, is a delightful experience. And this time, i have to say that they really worked hard, to deliver something special. Knowing that Deepwater Horizon is based on an actual disaster, makes this film even more interesting. All the people that was on the oil rig Deepwater Horizon, deserve much more respect, than they got. It becomes pretty obvious that BP did not want to take the blame for this disaster, as if they wanted to leave it all behind. Of course they had to fix everything, because this was their fault, but did they really do that ? I think it is very important that director Peter Berg choose to tell the truth, instead of making everything look like it was just an accident. The CGI in this film looks really good, and the disaster scenes are also very well made. But that´s not all. The acting from the cast is also really good, not only from Mark Wahlberg, but especially from Kurt Russell and John Malkovich. Kate Hudson is actually alright, considering the disaster of Mother´s Day. Even if we know what happened from news papers, we did not really know the actual truth. We may not find out everything in Deepwater Horizon, but i find a lot more details here than i knew before. The characters feel realistic, and the environment around the oil rig also feel realistic. Details like this is very important, if you want to tell a true story, and director Peter Berg knows what he is doing. I can tell that he did not want to make another cheesy disaster film, instead he focuses on real information, and try and stay within the truth. Knowing that people lost their lives because of this disaster, makes you wonder if anything could have been done differently ? Remember the classic of The Towering Inferno with Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, the classic disaster film from 1974? One of the greatest disaster films classics of all time. Deepwater Horizon may not have anything similar to do with this film, when it comes to the actual disaster. But you can feel that director Peer Berg wanted to make his film feel majestic, like a classic disaster film. And he does this really well. This is actually one of the best disaster films i have seen in many years. Deepwater Horizon is the perfect blu ray experience, if you want massive explosions scenes, and a really well made action drama. This is the best film from director Peter Berg so far, no doubt about that. One thing is clear, after this experience, i am never going on board an oil rig.
Rating: DDDD
April 20, 2010, oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon is about to start drilling of the southern coast of Louisiana on behalf of BP. Engineer Michael " Mike " Williams ( Mark Wahlberg ) and rig supervisor James " Jimmy " Harrell ( Kurt Russel )are surprised that the workers assigned to pour the concrete foundation, are being sent home early, without doing a pressure test. This was approved by BP company man Donald Vidrine ( John Malkovich ). Both Mike and Jimmy knows, that a pressure test is very important to do, just in case something could go wrong. Jimmy go over to talk to Donald, that they really should do a pressure test. Donald agree to do this, but order them to do the pressure test, while Jimmy is not ready. At first everything seems to be going ok, but suddenly a massive blowout, coming from underneath the sea, explode and kill workers on board. And this is just the beginning, more explosions are on the way, and Mike have to find a way to help the team to survive, if they can stay alive for much longer.
To see director Peter Berg, work again with Mark Wahlberg, is a delightful experience. And this time, i have to say that they really worked hard, to deliver something special. Knowing that Deepwater Horizon is based on an actual disaster, makes this film even more interesting. All the people that was on the oil rig Deepwater Horizon, deserve much more respect, than they got. It becomes pretty obvious that BP did not want to take the blame for this disaster, as if they wanted to leave it all behind. Of course they had to fix everything, because this was their fault, but did they really do that ? I think it is very important that director Peter Berg choose to tell the truth, instead of making everything look like it was just an accident. The CGI in this film looks really good, and the disaster scenes are also very well made. But that´s not all. The acting from the cast is also really good, not only from Mark Wahlberg, but especially from Kurt Russell and John Malkovich. Kate Hudson is actually alright, considering the disaster of Mother´s Day. Even if we know what happened from news papers, we did not really know the actual truth. We may not find out everything in Deepwater Horizon, but i find a lot more details here than i knew before. The characters feel realistic, and the environment around the oil rig also feel realistic. Details like this is very important, if you want to tell a true story, and director Peter Berg knows what he is doing. I can tell that he did not want to make another cheesy disaster film, instead he focuses on real information, and try and stay within the truth. Knowing that people lost their lives because of this disaster, makes you wonder if anything could have been done differently ? Remember the classic of The Towering Inferno with Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, the classic disaster film from 1974? One of the greatest disaster films classics of all time. Deepwater Horizon may not have anything similar to do with this film, when it comes to the actual disaster. But you can feel that director Peer Berg wanted to make his film feel majestic, like a classic disaster film. And he does this really well. This is actually one of the best disaster films i have seen in many years. Deepwater Horizon is the perfect blu ray experience, if you want massive explosions scenes, and a really well made action drama. This is the best film from director Peter Berg so far, no doubt about that. One thing is clear, after this experience, i am never going on board an oil rig.
Rating: DDDD
fredag 6 januari 2017
Hacksaw Ridge
Controversial films have always been interesting for me. Especially the ones that people discuss, if the films are told in a truthful way, or simply becomes fiction. One of the films i am thinking about, is the 2004 film called The Passion Of The Christ. The drama film, directed by Mel Gibson, became an enormous box office success. But it also had critics from all corners, who either praised the film, or said that it was not correct, from a historical perspective. I remember seeing the film in a theatre, and i was surprised how brutal it was. Especially the scenes where they whip Jesus, until his body is completely torn up. I remember reading that some people left the cinema, because it was just too much for them to see. I personally felt that it was necessary to show a different picture, of this biblical story. Some films have been made very soft, and i doubt that people back in those days, were soft and cuddled with ( what they considered to be ) criminals. Director Mel Gibson really made a powerful film, and he knew that the film would be controversial. We all know Mel Gibson from his acting career, but i think he really proved his talent to direct films, even with his first directorial debut The Man Without A Face. After the enormous success with The Passion Of The Christ, Mel Gibson decided to direct his next film called Apocalypto. The film tells the story of the Mayan civilization, around the year 1511. I have to say this is one of my favourite films, from the films that Mel Gibson have directed. It is really well made, beautifully filmed, and the acting holds very high quality. I would say that Braveheart is Mel Gibsons greatest film so far, as an director, but Apocalypto is pretty close to that top. After a couple of controversial years for Mel, he came back into acting again, with Edge Of Darkness. A film that may not have been a huge box office success, but i still feel this was a great comeback. Last year i enjoyed his film Blood Father, and it was nice to see him try doing a classic action film. When i read about his upcoming film Hacksaw Ridge, and that he was directing again, i was of course curious about the project. Especially that this was based on the true story of soldier Desmond Doss, who served as a combat medic in World War II. I also liked the fact that actor Andrew Garfield was cast in the lead role, i really love his film Boy A, one of the best british drama films in many years. With a great director, and a really good actor combined, i just had to see if this would work out to be a perfect combination. Is Hacksaw Ridge one of the best World War II films in many years, or did it all look too good to be true ?
Desmond Doss ( Andrew Garfield ) is a young man, who tries to live a life of kindness, and care for other people. One day, while helping his local church, Desmond saves a man, who is injured on the street. At the hospital, Desmond meet nurse Dorothy Schutte ( Teresa Palmer ), they begin dating and eventually become a couple. When the majority of town, including his brother Harold " Hal " Doss ( Nathaniel Buzolic ), are enlisted to fight in World War II, Desmond also want to go there, and help. His father Tom Doss ( Hugo Weaving ) is not happy about this, he does not want his sons killed in war, because he knows what he experinenced, while he was away fighting in World War I. Desmond manage to become a combat medic. But when he begin to refuse, not to use a gun, or to wear a gun, Sergeant Howell ( Vince Vaughn ) tries to warn Desmond, that this will cause very big problems. Eventually the soldiers in Desmond´s group, begin to use violence, towards Desmond, so he wants to leave. But Desmond stays strong to what he believe, killing another person is against his faith. Will Desmond survive this war, or is this about to become even worse ?
I know that Hacksaw Ridge is seen as a christian film, but i would rather see this film in a different way, from a humanity perspective. The way a war changes us all, and how far we are willing to go, no matter what happens. And this is where the story of Desmond Doss becomes interesting, how he managed to survive a war, refusing to use guns. Was it just faith that made him take a stand, or was it also that he did not see killing as an option ? You get to understand his personality pretty much, by the really well made portrait, done by actor Andrew Garfield. He was a really good choice to be in this lead role, and he knows how to develope characters. He feels both natural, and also manage to make us feel interested in his character personal issues. Another actor who really makes a good performance, is legendary actor Hugo Weaving. The scenes where he gets to show his Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde sides, give this film a stronger impact. I also feel that Teresa Palmer is a good choice, as Desmon´s wife Dorthy. Also very nice to see Vince Vaughn do a very different role in this film, he actually does a better peformance here, than in most of his films in recent years. Now, there are some really well made war scenes here, and this is where Hacksaw Ridge lifts up, to become a powerful and emotional war movie. This is where director Mel Gibson makes this film work really well. But when he switches over to a much softer tone, and make some really sentimental scenes, we have a problem. I don´t mind dialogue, or emotions on screen, but if it becomes too sentimental, i can´t really feel myself connecting. If you are going to make scenes feel emotional, make it much more raw, darker, just throw out the pain that is ready to explode. If director Mel Gibson would have shown more of this from Desmond Doss, we might have had an even better film. With this said, i think Hacksaw Ridge manage to tell a fascinating story, about a man who takes a stand, what he believe is right. There are some scenes that are difficult not to react to, where he is beaten down, because he is considered to be different, and a traitor. I think one thing this film teach us all, that we should believe in anything we want to, as long as we know some people will not accept this. Hacksaw Ridge is not a classic in war films, or a film that might affect our minds, like Saving Private Ryan did, but this is still a well made film with a very important message. Well done Andrew Garfield, you did it again, delivering another strong performance. I hope we get to see him doing a british film in the future, i know he have so much more to give us. Until then, i suggest you give this film a chance, especially if you are interested in historical stories.
Rating: DDD
Desmond Doss ( Andrew Garfield ) is a young man, who tries to live a life of kindness, and care for other people. One day, while helping his local church, Desmond saves a man, who is injured on the street. At the hospital, Desmond meet nurse Dorothy Schutte ( Teresa Palmer ), they begin dating and eventually become a couple. When the majority of town, including his brother Harold " Hal " Doss ( Nathaniel Buzolic ), are enlisted to fight in World War II, Desmond also want to go there, and help. His father Tom Doss ( Hugo Weaving ) is not happy about this, he does not want his sons killed in war, because he knows what he experinenced, while he was away fighting in World War I. Desmond manage to become a combat medic. But when he begin to refuse, not to use a gun, or to wear a gun, Sergeant Howell ( Vince Vaughn ) tries to warn Desmond, that this will cause very big problems. Eventually the soldiers in Desmond´s group, begin to use violence, towards Desmond, so he wants to leave. But Desmond stays strong to what he believe, killing another person is against his faith. Will Desmond survive this war, or is this about to become even worse ?
I know that Hacksaw Ridge is seen as a christian film, but i would rather see this film in a different way, from a humanity perspective. The way a war changes us all, and how far we are willing to go, no matter what happens. And this is where the story of Desmond Doss becomes interesting, how he managed to survive a war, refusing to use guns. Was it just faith that made him take a stand, or was it also that he did not see killing as an option ? You get to understand his personality pretty much, by the really well made portrait, done by actor Andrew Garfield. He was a really good choice to be in this lead role, and he knows how to develope characters. He feels both natural, and also manage to make us feel interested in his character personal issues. Another actor who really makes a good performance, is legendary actor Hugo Weaving. The scenes where he gets to show his Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde sides, give this film a stronger impact. I also feel that Teresa Palmer is a good choice, as Desmon´s wife Dorthy. Also very nice to see Vince Vaughn do a very different role in this film, he actually does a better peformance here, than in most of his films in recent years. Now, there are some really well made war scenes here, and this is where Hacksaw Ridge lifts up, to become a powerful and emotional war movie. This is where director Mel Gibson makes this film work really well. But when he switches over to a much softer tone, and make some really sentimental scenes, we have a problem. I don´t mind dialogue, or emotions on screen, but if it becomes too sentimental, i can´t really feel myself connecting. If you are going to make scenes feel emotional, make it much more raw, darker, just throw out the pain that is ready to explode. If director Mel Gibson would have shown more of this from Desmond Doss, we might have had an even better film. With this said, i think Hacksaw Ridge manage to tell a fascinating story, about a man who takes a stand, what he believe is right. There are some scenes that are difficult not to react to, where he is beaten down, because he is considered to be different, and a traitor. I think one thing this film teach us all, that we should believe in anything we want to, as long as we know some people will not accept this. Hacksaw Ridge is not a classic in war films, or a film that might affect our minds, like Saving Private Ryan did, but this is still a well made film with a very important message. Well done Andrew Garfield, you did it again, delivering another strong performance. I hope we get to see him doing a british film in the future, i know he have so much more to give us. Until then, i suggest you give this film a chance, especially if you are interested in historical stories.
Rating: DDD
Ben-Hur
The movie industry have changed a lot over the years. People don´t need to see every film in theatres anymore, they can just choose to watch some releases on Netflix, or Amazon instead. I think this is a good thing, because the theatre system have changed, and the ticket prizes have increased a lot ( especially here in Sweden, where one ticket cost more than a lap dance in Thailand ). Mostly we see big budget films coming out, while smaller films are most likely to be avaible on VOD, or straight to dvd releases. But in the old days of cinema, people rushed to the cinema to see Hollywood stars. As an example, Kirk Douglas, who made so many classics, did you know that the film The Vikings from 1958, was the 3rd most popular film at the british box office ? Clearly, british people love vikings. One of his biggest classics is of course Stanley Kubrick´s version of Spartacus, that became a box office success as well. Let´s stay withing the historical stories, and talk about a film that have been considered a masterpiece, and a true classic by many film critics. The 1959 film Ben-Hur, with legendary actor Charlton Heston, was a massive box office hit worldwide, and a film that managed to stay strong in cinemas for years. This film is considered to be one of the greatest motion pictures of the 50´s, and there is a good reason for that. It is majestic and deliver very solid acting performances. This was also at a time when Chartlon Heston was a huge Hollywood star, especially after his Golden Globe nomination for The Ten Commandments. Ben-Hur have had a remake done after the epic 1959 film, but from what i remember, the 2003 film delivered nothing out of the ordinary. There was also a mini series on tv based on Ben-Hur, i did not even see this one at all. I suppose because i knew it was not going to be any good. In early 2016, i read an article online, about Kazakh director Timur Bekmambetov. He was going to release a remake of Ben-Hur, and i honestly did not know if i was looking forward to see this. I had fun with director Timur Bekmambetov´s films Wanted, and Abraham Lincoln : Vampire Hunter, but a remake of such a classic as Ben-Hur ?`Skeptical as i was, i decided to take a look after all, just to see if i might be surprised. Do we finally have a worthy remake of Ben-Hur in our hands, or is this just another dull release, just made to get peoples cash ?
Jewish nobleman Judah Ben-Hur ( Jack Huston ) and his adoptive Roman brother Messala ( Toby Kebbell ) are best friends. While racing horses, Ben-Hur is badly injured, and Messala carry him back to Jerusalem, where he is taken care of. Despite the hospitality of Ben-Hur´s mother Naomi ( Ayelet Zurer ) and his sister Tirzah ( Sofia Black D´Elia ), Messala feels alienated in his adopted family. Messala leaves Jerusalem, and joins the Roman army instead. This is his chance to show his skills in the Roman Empire´s war in Germany. 3 years passes by, and Messala returns to Jerusalem as a decorated Roman officer. Messala reunite with Judah to convince him to serve as an informant. Messala inform everyone present, that a new Roman governor Pontius Pilate ( Pilou Asbaek ) will be taking residence in Jerusalem. A young youth named Dismas ( Moisés Arias ), have been taken care of by Judah, as he was found injured. Days later, Pontius Pilates marches into the city of Jerusalem, with his army. Ben-Hur and his family is watching the march from the balcony. Suddenly, Dismas tries to assassinate Pontious Pilates with a bow and arrow, but fails. The soldiers breaks into Ben-Hur´s home, wjere the family is arrested. Judah takes responsibility for the assassination, and is sentenced to enslavement on board a gallery. His mother and sister are sentenced to be crucified. After 5 years, Judah is finally free, after surviving a battle at sea, and manage to get to land. Can Judah return to Jerusalem, and make his life back to normal ?
I was supposed to see Ben-Hur in cinemas during august of 2016, but the film only screened for a week here in Sundsvall, Sweden, so this review is made through the blu ray release. If you have seen the 1959 version of Ben-Hur, you don´t have to guess what this updated film version will deliver. You have pretty much the same concept, and even the horse race included. Now, there are some issues with this remake. While some scenes looks pretty good, like the battle scenes in the ocean, and the horse race, we get a pretty basic story served. This means no big surprises, or something different, and a film like this could have needed some different ideas brought together. Not to change the concept of the film too much, but more solid action scenes, and less dialogue. This is one of the issues i have with Ben-Hur, you don´t really care about the characters as they talk, and have discussions about how to solve problems. If you want to make interesting conversations, make sure it sounds deep, or at least interesting to listen to. Here it just becomes conversations, and not much more. The acting in general is pretty basic, i would say that Jack Huston, is one of the few actors who deliver some good scenes. Toby Kebbel also manage to deliver some scenes, but i have no idea why Morgan Freeman is here. A legendary actor like him, should have had a strong character. Here, he does not seem to care much at all. And that is too bad, because with the potential that Morgan Freeman have delivered in many films, he should have tried harder with his character. The CGI scenes looks ok, for the most part. Not anything special, but functional. But once the ocean scenes are over, and the horse race is also finished, we get an ending so terrible, i have no idea what director Timur Bekmambetov was thinking with this. If you want to make Ben-Hur feel majestic, make sure you end the film really powerful. Instead, we get a cheesy ass ending, almost on the same level as Jennifer Aniston´s Mother´s Day performance. Ben-Hur have some good parts, and this could have been a fun action film, but with all this dialogue that don´t wake any emotions, you really don´t care. Director Timur Bekmambetov do have some good ideas, but he don´t use them as much as he should have done. If you love the 1959 film, stick with that one, i have a feeling it will be hard to make a remake as good as that film.
Rating: DD
Jewish nobleman Judah Ben-Hur ( Jack Huston ) and his adoptive Roman brother Messala ( Toby Kebbell ) are best friends. While racing horses, Ben-Hur is badly injured, and Messala carry him back to Jerusalem, where he is taken care of. Despite the hospitality of Ben-Hur´s mother Naomi ( Ayelet Zurer ) and his sister Tirzah ( Sofia Black D´Elia ), Messala feels alienated in his adopted family. Messala leaves Jerusalem, and joins the Roman army instead. This is his chance to show his skills in the Roman Empire´s war in Germany. 3 years passes by, and Messala returns to Jerusalem as a decorated Roman officer. Messala reunite with Judah to convince him to serve as an informant. Messala inform everyone present, that a new Roman governor Pontius Pilate ( Pilou Asbaek ) will be taking residence in Jerusalem. A young youth named Dismas ( Moisés Arias ), have been taken care of by Judah, as he was found injured. Days later, Pontius Pilates marches into the city of Jerusalem, with his army. Ben-Hur and his family is watching the march from the balcony. Suddenly, Dismas tries to assassinate Pontious Pilates with a bow and arrow, but fails. The soldiers breaks into Ben-Hur´s home, wjere the family is arrested. Judah takes responsibility for the assassination, and is sentenced to enslavement on board a gallery. His mother and sister are sentenced to be crucified. After 5 years, Judah is finally free, after surviving a battle at sea, and manage to get to land. Can Judah return to Jerusalem, and make his life back to normal ?
I was supposed to see Ben-Hur in cinemas during august of 2016, but the film only screened for a week here in Sundsvall, Sweden, so this review is made through the blu ray release. If you have seen the 1959 version of Ben-Hur, you don´t have to guess what this updated film version will deliver. You have pretty much the same concept, and even the horse race included. Now, there are some issues with this remake. While some scenes looks pretty good, like the battle scenes in the ocean, and the horse race, we get a pretty basic story served. This means no big surprises, or something different, and a film like this could have needed some different ideas brought together. Not to change the concept of the film too much, but more solid action scenes, and less dialogue. This is one of the issues i have with Ben-Hur, you don´t really care about the characters as they talk, and have discussions about how to solve problems. If you want to make interesting conversations, make sure it sounds deep, or at least interesting to listen to. Here it just becomes conversations, and not much more. The acting in general is pretty basic, i would say that Jack Huston, is one of the few actors who deliver some good scenes. Toby Kebbel also manage to deliver some scenes, but i have no idea why Morgan Freeman is here. A legendary actor like him, should have had a strong character. Here, he does not seem to care much at all. And that is too bad, because with the potential that Morgan Freeman have delivered in many films, he should have tried harder with his character. The CGI scenes looks ok, for the most part. Not anything special, but functional. But once the ocean scenes are over, and the horse race is also finished, we get an ending so terrible, i have no idea what director Timur Bekmambetov was thinking with this. If you want to make Ben-Hur feel majestic, make sure you end the film really powerful. Instead, we get a cheesy ass ending, almost on the same level as Jennifer Aniston´s Mother´s Day performance. Ben-Hur have some good parts, and this could have been a fun action film, but with all this dialogue that don´t wake any emotions, you really don´t care. Director Timur Bekmambetov do have some good ideas, but he don´t use them as much as he should have done. If you love the 1959 film, stick with that one, i have a feeling it will be hard to make a remake as good as that film.
Rating: DD
söndag 1 januari 2017
Welcome to 2017
A new year is here, and of course I have a lot of movies to review. But I am very grateful for having my own movie review blog, because this is the best movie review blog of Sweden.
So in january i will have both big titles, and something smaller from the independent films industry, just to mix it up a bit. So sit back, lets start this year on Daniels Super Sexy Movie Reviews, and i will be posting 2 reviews this first week of this new year.
Cheers from Daniel
So in january i will have both big titles, and something smaller from the independent films industry, just to mix it up a bit. So sit back, lets start this year on Daniels Super Sexy Movie Reviews, and i will be posting 2 reviews this first week of this new year.
Cheers from Daniel
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