The Sandman

As most of you readers know by now, i love B movies. I would have to say that B movies is one of the most important issues, that we should bring into the Swedish Election 2018 in September. Sweden needs to make more B movies with monsters, aliens, redneck ninjas, lesbian kung fu truck drivers, to make it clear that Sweden needs a bigger B movie industry. SyFy Channel is for me personally, what Swedish TV4 Channel should be like. You see, SyFy Channel actually knows what the audience wants, while Swedish TV4 Channel does a 16th Season Of Bonde Söker Fru, and Let´s Dance Season 24 ( because all the Swedish famous people wants to get a second chance to be famous again, not talking about you Anna Book....don´t worry ). So now you probably understand, why especially Sweden needs a TV channel like SyFy Channel. We need quality TV Series, and quality B movies, I have seen plenty of TV series from SyFy Channel, and even some movies also. And i have to say, you people who run this channel, we love you all. Please continue to make your lovely productions, we need this more than ever. Speaking of SyFy movies, most of you have probably seen the Sharknado films, or perhaps the wonderful SyFy movie Alien Apocalypse with legendary actor Bruce Campbell ? I would also like to recommend a film called Big Ass Spider!. This is a fun mix of horror comedy, and the special effects are actually not all terrible. Of course there are SyFy films that don´t really add anything to my personal taste, but i have to say, most films are actually fun to watch. When it comes to pure horror films made by SyFy, i have only seen a few. Since they produce mostly monster films, or disaster films with volcanoes or tsunamis, i like to check out some films that go in a different direction. And this is where i choose to watch The Sandman, a SyFy horror film that was first released during Halloween week in 2017. Since i have watched several other horror films during Christmas, i decided to save some titles for later, including The Sandman. And i discovered this film thanks to the awsome YouTube channel Geek Legion Of Doom, so please check their movie reviews out. Is this another high masterpiece from SyFy, or is this almost as bad as any of the Fifty Shades films ?

A young girl named Madison ( Shae Smolik ) have formidable powers, who can bring a monster from her nightmares, The Sandman to attack anyone who tries to hurt her. After her father dies from a heart attack, Claire ( Haylie Duff ) decides to take care of Madison, to make sure she have a home and a safe environment. But every time Madison have a nightmare, The Sandman is always close to her, as she brings him into our world. If anyone don´t show Madison respect, she brings back The Sandman to destroy anyone who dares to go against her.

The Sandman is a film that guarantee be appreciated if you watch a lot of straight to dvd releases, especially in the horror genre. This is a film that of course include cheesy lines, and acting that won´t win any Golden Globe Awards. But i have to say, the design of The Sandman actually works. There is something creepy about the look of The Sandman. One big difference with this film, if you think about the usual SyFy film, is that this film actually have characters that you can care about, especially the little girl Madison, played by child actor Shae Smolik. Her character made me think about the 1984 film Firestarter ( based on the novel by Stephen King ), with a very young Drew Barrymore as a child with telepathic powers. There are a few similarities between this film and Firestarter, but the biggest difference is that Madison can summon the demon known as The Sandman to attack anyone she feels is a threat to her. And i like this premise, this is a different approach than most horror films with children involved. The story is pretty simple, and nothing you really care about. For me personally, i care more about the story surrounding of Madison. We never really get much information on how she was chosen to let The Sandman find new victims, and this is one detail i think this film could have digged deeper into. I also like the character Claire, played by actor Haylie Duff ( who played Summer Wheatly in one of my favourite films, Napoleon Dynamite ). Director Peter Sullivan is perhaps known for directing ( a lot ) of Christmas TV movies. He should be in Guinness Book Of World Records of directing the most Christmas movies of all time, considering how many he have made. I have not seen any of these films, so for me to see him make a horror film like The Sandman is a nice surprise. I think he has done a pretty good job on this film, where i could only guess that he might be influenced by the 1984 film Firestarter. If this is true, then i would be pleased. Because it is not often you see a horror film these days with children having telepathic powers. I do think he could have improved some details, such as the origin story of where The Sandman comes from, and why Madison can bring him back to attack people. This is one of the SyFy Movies that actually have a different approach than their usual catalogue. If you enjoyed Firestarter with Drew Barrymore, give The Sandman a chance and you might be surprised. But i must warn you, if you say you love Fifty Shades Of Grey, there is a chance The Sandman might eat you alive....honestly.

Rating: DDD

I, Tonya

I remember the year of 1994 for many reasons. First of all i remember 1994 because this was the year when British band Jamiroquai released their second album The Return Of The Space Cowboy, an album i played constantly at that time. This was also the year when Rollins Band released their best studio album caller Weight, an album that everyone should own. I also remember the year of 1994 because this was the year when director Luc Besson released his masterpiece movie Leon, a film i must have seen at least 15 times. Another thing i especially remember about the year of 1994, was the shocking news that Nirvana´s front man singer Kurt Cobain was found dead. Since i grew up with grunge music, or course i also listened to Nirvana during the 90´s. But let´s look back at something else that made history back in 1994. Norway was going to hold Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, and i remember how happy Scandinavia was over this. Especially Norway of course, and i did watch the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer on TV. But the one thing i think most people remember about this Olympic Games in 1994, is the scandal surrounding professional figure skater Tonya Harding. Former professional figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked, and injured. This was an attempt to make sure that Tonya Harding would win over Nancy at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, but Nancy actually won the silver medal in figure skating, while Tonya´s figure skating career was destroyed. I remember the publicity and all the news papers who hunted down Tonya Harding, they wanted to show the world what an awful person she was. I was pretty shocked myself, how desperate Tonya must have been to make someone do this to Nancy. She says that she had nothing to do with this at all, i don´t know if i can believe that. Tonya could never return to the world of figure skating after this, so she decided to become a boxer instead. She did 6 boxing fights, won 3 matches and lost 3 matches, and after this her boxing career was over. Ever since the 1994 Winter Olympics, the name of Tonya Harding will always be known worldwide, and the story will always be known in the world of sports. I read an article online back in 2017, that actor Margot Robbie ( most of you have seen her as Harley Quinn in the film Sucide Squad ) was chosen to play Tonya Harding. This got me curious, because this would be a very different project for Margot Robbie, compared to her other films. With a world famous scandal, and a great cast included, is this one film everyone should see this beginning of 2018, or should they have left the project alone ?

As a little girl, Tonya Harding practise figure skating everyday, as her mother LaVona Fay Golden ( Allison Janney ) keep pushing her to become perfect, If she does not become the best at figure skating, she is worthless. Tonya ( Margot Robbie ) is now a teenager and is becoming noticed, for being a very talented figure skater. She meets Jeff Gillooly ( Sebastian Stan ) at the ice rink, and they become a couple. Jeff is not the nice guy that he seems to be, and Tonya is soon stuck in a relationship with violence. Her way out is to focus on her figure skating career, as she tries to win every competition. But one event will change everything, when figure skater Nancy Kerringan is attacked, and injured, where Tonya´s husband Jeff seems to be behind. This will be the start where Tonya´s figure skating career is slowly dying out.

Going into this film, basically knowing nothing more than the 1994 Winter Olympics, i was really surprised how the portrait of Tonya Harding feels very deep with this film. If this story is telling the truth, on how her childhood was, including her teenage years, i have to feel sorry for her. Having a mother, who verbally abused her, and mentally abused her everyday, must have been truly horrible. Just imagine having your own mother, telling you that nothing you do is any good, no matter how good you are at something you love to do ? Then of course, there is the story of the relationship between Tonya and Jeff. There seemed to be abuse in the relationship, and a relationship filled with personal problems. Was it Jeff´s idea to attack Nancy, or did Tonya have something to do with this as well ? This is one of the questions i would guess most people would want to know. This film does bring that subject up, and you will have to decide for yourself what the truth is. I, Tonya is a film that tell a fascinating story, both very tragic, but you will also laugh at some odd situations. Lead actor Margot Robbie, who does the performance as Tonya Harding, gives one of the strongest performances of her career so far. She have really digged deep into her character, and tries to portrait who Tonya was during her figure skating career. There are many different details that we find out during the film, about Tonya´s personality. I don´t know how much is realistic, or fiction, but i will admit the film is fascinating. Allison Janney who plays Tonya´s mother LaVona, does a fantastic performance. I would say that she deserved to win at the Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actress. She is so good, that you feel so angry watching her stone cold personality. She have no heart at all, for anyone. There are other performances in the film that also works really well. Director Craig Gillespie have directed a number of films, and the most interesting film in his past has to be the really charming film Lars And The Real Girl. I would say that he have made I, Tonya into a very dramatic film, where comedy manage to work better than expected. Director Craig clearly have worked hard, to make sure the portrait of Tonya Harding is powerful. I, Tonya is a film that will divide people, where some might stand up for Tonya, and others will say she is a monster. No matter what side you are on, this is a really good start for the film year of 2018. Make sure you see I, Tonya, i guarantee you will be satisfied. 

Rating: DDDD

Bright

Buddy cop movies have been around for a very long time. I could easily pick out a lot of films that have used this genre since the 70´s. But i suggest we stick to the 80´s right now, when actors Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy teamed up in 48 Hours. An action comedy from 1982, that actually worked well, thanks to the chemistry between Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy. There are some classic scenes in here, where loud mouth Eddie Murphy delivers some classic one liners. Even if the film is almost 36 years old, i still think the film is funny today. Of course there was a sequel made in 1990. It is not as good as the first film, but not all terrible either. It was mostly fun to see them team up again. Lethal Weapon is perhaps one of the most famous buddy cop movies that most people know of. And last year it was 30 years ago that Lethal Weapon was released in cinemas, back in 1987. To see Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as partners, felt a bit nostalgic. I heard in the end of 2017, that they are supposed to return in Leathal Weapon 5. Bad idea ? Yes, i think they might be old for this shit. Speaking of the 80´s, there was a film released in 1988 that actually made something different in the buddy cop genre, and mixed it with science fiction horror as well. How many of you remember the film Alien Nation, directed by Graham Baker ? This film have become a cult film for many sci fi fans, and actually no official sequel was ever made. A Tv series was made of Alien Nation, that only lasted one season, and some TV movies based on the TV series of Alien Nation. I personally have always enjoyed the feature film of Alien Nation. It is a very different approach on how humans and aliens, can work together in society. In this case, 2 police officers that become partners, one is a human, and the other one is one of the "Newcomers ". Lead actors James Caan and Roger Aaron Brown did a great job, portraying police officers from 2 very different cultures, fighting against the deadly drug Jabroka. Last year i read about a Netflix film called Bright was coming out in December on Netflix. The trailer looked like a different version of Alien Nation, but with a complete different story, set in Los Angeles. Since i have always enjoyed the concept of Alien Nation, i was curious to see if Bright would be a fun trip for VHS old school nerds like myself. Do we finally have a Netflix film that will please all you Fifty Shades fans worldwide, or is this a film made to make us suffer for all eternity ?

Present Day, Los Angeles. Humans, orcs, centaurs, dwarfs and elves all live in the same society. Veteran LAPD Officer Daryl Ward ( Will Smith ) is chosen to work with his new orc partner Nick Jakoby ( Joel Edgerton ). A criminal orc almost kills Daryl while on patrol, but manage to survive thanks to Nick. Daryl and Nick continue to work together on the streets of Los Angeles. While on patrol, they respond to a disturbance to a house, that turns out to be a Shield of Light safehouse. They found a number of dead bodies, and a still-living torso of an elf woman embedded in a wall. They apprehend a unhurt survivor, a young elf naked Tikka ( Lucy Fry ). She is carrying a magic wand, that according to Nick is like a nuclear weapon, that can only be commanded by a " Bright ", a rare person. If an ordinary human try and use the magic wand, they will die. Tikka warn Daryl and Nick that something evil is coming for them. At first, Daryl and Nick don´t know what she means, until they encounter Leilah ( Noomi Rapace ), an Infirni elf, who is seeking the magic wand. She is planning to cause chaos, and Daryl and Nick are not willing to let that happen, even if they risk their lives.

I know that a lot of critics have slammed Bright for many reasons. But you know what, i actually am one of those who enjoyed Bright. I would not say that this is an original film, or break many new grounds. But the film does manage to bring back the Alien Nation vibe, with some different adjustments. To see humans among orcs and elves in society, may sound pretty lame. But once you get into Bright with an open mind, i think you will have a good time, especially if you grew up watching VHS violence in the 80´s and 90´s, like i did. There is plenty of action scenes, and shoot outs, so you won´t get bored. In some ways i would call this film a throwback to action films of the 80´s, when acting was not the biggest issue, as long as you delivered a fun action film. There are science fiction elements in Bright as well, since society is very divided with different species. Will Smith does a performance that may not be one of his strongest, from an acting perspective. But i think he does make his character fun, and i have seen him do much worse performances than in Bright. Joel Edgerton as the partner of Will Smith, is in my opinion a good choice as the Orkish police officer Nick. The combination of these characters, reminded me of why i enjoyed Alien Nation from the 80´s. That 2 very different personalities, can work together, no matter where they are originally from. The CGI effects are ok for the most part ( except for a few details ). I also enjoy the brutality that this film go for, and that is a very good idea when you go for a mix up like this film does. Director David Ayes is perhaps known mostly for his films Harsh Times, Street Kings and End Of Watch, until he was offered to direct Suicide Squad. By the way, i actually enjoyed Suicide Squad ( even if i did have some issues with the film ). With his new film Bright, he have really tried to bring back the 90´s again, and i think he does a good job. The acting is not very good, but you want to see a film like this because of the brutal action scenes. And Bright is a popcorn moment, especially for you who enjoy action films from the 80´s and 90´s. I know a sequel is on the way, and i hope we could see a cameo of Dolph Lundgren in the sequel. He would be awsome to see in Bright 2, because Dolph is always awsome. I suggest you log in on Netflix and give Bright a chance. You might actually have a fun moment with this film, as i did watching the film.

Rating: DDD

Beyond Skyline

Science fiction films have always been a part of my childhood, starting of in my early years of the VHS era. Back then you could find a lot of bad sci fi films on VHS, that you never heard of. But there were some good releases, and those were the ones you would remember. Around the early 80´s, up until the late 90´s, i have seen quite a lot of releases, until dvd films started taking over. Let´s just mention some of the classics, how about the 1986 film Critters, or the greatest sci fi sequel of all time Aliens from 1986 ? I would also like to mention the 1987 classic The Hidden, a film that does not get mentioned a lot anymore these days. But if there is one sci fi film that should have been respected more in the 90´s, it has to be the 1993 film Fire In The Sky. A sci fi film that is based on a true story by Travis Walton´s book The Walton Experience. I have not read the book, but i have seen interviews with Travis Walton. Now, the film Fire In The Sky turned out to be a well made sci fi film, with a really nice cast included. How about Robert Patrick, Peter Berg, D.B. Sweeney, James Garner, Noble Willingham and many others ? What made Fire In The Sky so special, was that director Robert Lieberman managed to mix serious drama with science fiction, in a positive combination. The scenes on board the space ship, is still today ( almost 25 years later ), still creepy. Fire In The Sky did not get the big audience it deserved, at the time the film came out. Most people probably saw the film on VHS, when the film should had been screened worldwide. If you love sci fi films, you should see Fire In The Sky on dvd. You can find it online on different dvd stores, like Amazon. How many of you have seen the sci fi film Skyline from 2010 ? This was a sci fi film that divided sci fi fans. Some people enjoyed the film, while some really hated the film. Me personally enjoyed some of the special effects, but the acting was terrible. Also, the plot was not any good, so the only thing positive about the film were the CGI effects. For a long time, there did not seem to be any plans of a sequel, so i did not expect a sequel to be made. But then in early 2017, i was reading online that a sequel was coming out. This surprised me a lot, because it has been 7 years since the first film came out. When i read that actor Frank Grillo will be in the lead role, i was happy. He have done a great job in The Purge sequels. With a great lead actor, in an unexpected sequel, is this a sci fi film that deserves respect, or is this even worse than the original film ?

Los Angeles police detective Mark Corley ( Frank Grillo ) is visiting his estranged teenage son, Trent Corley ( Jonny Weston ) who have just landed in jail. Suddenly chaos emerge around Los Angeles, as it seems that humanity is under attack by aliens. Mark manage to escape underground with his son Trent, and with other survivors. They have no idea what these aliens want, or why they are attacking humans. Mark is determined to survive this, no matter what he has to do. 

I have to say, knowing this is a sequel to a film that was not appreciated by all sci fi fans, i think you are in for a surprise. This sequel is actually much better than the first film, and that is something you don´t see everyday. There are a couple of things that this sequel does better than the first film. The cast are actually acting, the action scenes looks more effective, and the battle between aliens and humans works more effective this time around. I would also like to say that the setting around Los Angeles is also a good idea, it makes the film feel more majestic than an apartment building that the first film took place in. I also like that you get a deeper look, inside the aliens spaceships, how they function and how they think. Speaking of battles between aliens and humans, there is a hell of a lot of action scenes in this film. Even martial arts fighting is included into the plot. And this combination actually works, even how strange this sounds. Frank Grillo in the lead role is a really good choice as the lead actor. He knows how to make action scenes, and he knows how to kick ass. To see him do a science fiction film like this, is a pleasant surprise. Perhaps he wanted to try something different, and i think he made the right choice. We even have an actor from The Purge: Election Year in here, that you have seen together with Frank Grillo. Remember the bad ass character Laney Rucker, played by actor Betty Gabriel ? She is still awsome as always, even if she is not in the film Beyond Skyline for a long time. I would love to see Laney Rucker and Frank Grillo do some film together again, because they are so cool on the big screen. There are a lot of CGI in this sequel, but i actually feel that most of it actually looks good. Some details are perhaps a bit over the top, but most of the special effects feel effective. Director Liam O´Donnell actually was one of the producers of the first Skyline film, but this time he is the director of the sequel. And i have to say, he have found a great way to mix the looks of Skyline, but make everything more majestic in this sequel. Everything is not perfect of course, but i have to say that this is one of the best sci fi B movies i have seen in a long time. Beyond Skyline could be one of the highlights in the sci fi genre this new year, and it is just the beginning of 2018. I suggest you buy yourself a dvd, or blu ray copy of the film, and support this film for all the work they put into making this film. Finally science fiction is back on track, i could even hope we have a third Skyline film on the way. 

Rating: DDD

The Tribes Of Palos Verdes

Every family have their own problems. No matter what kind of family you have, there is always some problems that hides beneath the surface. It could be a family member who feels mentally ill, or have an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or something else. No family is perfect, but that´s ok. Family will always be your ground point in life, so make sure you are close to your family ( unless it just don´t work for many reasons ). When i grew up, we used to have a good life. My dad owned his own construction business, and then suddenly one day, he left for a new woman. All hell breaks loose, and since this day it has been a roller coaster. Things are better now, in my adult life. And i have realised that you can´t change the past, you have to try and make the best out of the situation. Speaking of family problems, there are plenty of really good films that i could recommend. One of these films i am thinking about is the film The Squid And The Whale, released in 2005. A very strong, and solid drama comedy from director Noah Baumbach. I personally think that this film is one of the best performances i have seen actor Jeff Daniels do in his career so far. One of my absolutely favourite dysfunctional family drama films of all time, is of course Buffalo´66. Directed by Vincent Gallo, who also stars as the main character Billy, this is one of the most emotional drama films in cinema history. The acting in this film is fantastic, especially from Vincent Gallo and legendary actor Anjelica Huston. This is a film everyone should own on dvd, or blu ray. Buffalo´66 is a masterpiece of the late 90´s. In the category of dysfunctional family films, we can´t forget about The Coen Brothers wonderful weird film A Serious Man. Both very funny, and tragic, this film clearly shows you how anything can go wrong in your own family. Recently i started reading reviews about a drama film called The Tribes Of Palos Verdes, since i enjoy reading other movie reviewers web pages. I noticed that this could be a story that included a dysfunctional family, but from a different psychological perspective. I finally got a chance to see the film, hoping i would be pleasantly surprised. Is this a great start to the new film year of 2018, or should this film have been kept locked up instead ?

Medina Mason ( Maika Monroe ) is a young woman who loves to surf on the coast of California. She lives with her twin brother Jim ( Cody Fern ) and Medina´s mother Sandy Mason ( Jennifer Garner ). Medina´s father Phil Mason ( Justin Kirk ) is kicked out, after Sandy finds out he have had an affair. Sandy´s mental problems become even worse than before, and Jim also have his own mental issues. Medina tries to do the best she can out of this situation, but can she handle the situation, or is this family falling apart ?

It becomes very clear what The Tribes Of Palos Verdes manage to do very well. To tell a story of how it is to grow up with a mentally unstable mother, gives a strong impact of how important it is to handle family relationships. How do you handle your own mother, who clearly is not feeling mentally well ? Do you just leave her behind, and focus on your own life, or do you stick with her no matter how bad your day is ? This film also tell how difficult it is growing up, right before you are about to enter adult life. The performance from actor Jennifer Garner as the mentally unstable mother Sandy, gives a very solid performance. The scenes when she clearly feel lost, and go into a dream world of what her family needs, is very sad. No matter what she would buy, no matter what she would try to improve for her kids, maybe it would be better if she gets professional help instead ? Her anger, and anxiety shows very clear that she is having a hard time being a mother. Of course she wants the best for her children, but does she know how to do that ? The other actors Maika Monroe and Cody Fern ( who have the most screen time ), also manage to portrait strong characters. I especially enjoy the character Medina, played by Maika Monroe, a young woman struggling with her personal life, as well as the problems between her parents and her mother´s mental problems. I enjoy the soundtrack of this film, it really fits with the California locations, and capture the feeling of how you want to get away, and leave all the problems behind. Directors Brendan Malloy and Emmet Malloy have made a film that clearly wants to make you connect. That no matter if you have a family with many problems, or other issues, we can all see certain details that we can connect with. For me personally, i think the film works best when we find out more about Jennifer Garner´s character Sandy, while she is having her mental breakdowns. This is where the film becomes more solid, and feel more interesting. A few slow moments overall throughout the film, but over all i feel that The Tribes Of Palos Verdes is a solid drama film that manage to deliver an interesting view on family issues. A film worth your precious time, and perhaps a film that most people in your family could see, and might recognize themselves.

Rating: DDD

Rebel In The Rye

Just to be clear, i have decided to post this review, even though i have heard about Kevin Spacey´s personal problems. I have been thinking about writing this review for quite some time, so i won´t change the posting of this review, even if i have read about his situation. I hope you understand i don´t take his side, this is just a movie review.


True based stories is something that always is interesting, especially if you read a book, based on true events. No matter if it is about historical events, political events, or any kind of story that actually happened, it is always good to know the truth. There are plenty of stories where we have seen the truth comes out, that have changed many people´s opinions and minds. Of course, you can spin the truth around, depending on who you are talking about. Just look at former Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner. He seemed to be the perfect man, who really cared about the people, more than anything else. Now we know the truth, and i guess social media revealed his true personality. His story is just an example, where a lot of secrets where revealed, and it seems that he have been hiding this for a very long time. I suggest you see the really well made documentary film Weiner, and i guarantee you that you will be fascinated in what happened with his scandals. There are plenty of interesting stories, made on real people, that have become really good films. One film that comes to my mind, is perhaps one of Russel Crowe´s best performances in A Beautiful Mind. The film is based on the life of Nobel prize winner John Nash, and i have to say director Ron Howard, managed to make a really powerful film on this historical personality. This is a film you must see, a drama film that have a lot to say, from a psychological perspective and that from a humane perspective. If i say the name Nicholas Hoult, i think most people will remember his classic child performance in About A Boy with Hugh Grant. He have made quite a lot of films since then, in very different categories. I came across the film title Rebel In The Rhye, where Nicholas Hoult plays legendary writer J.D. Salinger, that could be seen on VOD. Not knowing much more about it, i decided to check it out, to see if Nicholas Hoult have made a performance that would be remembered. I also noticed legendary actor Kevin Spacey is in this film, so that also made me curious to see him doing a dramatic role. With a good cast, and a story of a legendary writer that changed American culture, is Rebel In The Rye a nice surprise, or is this a film you will likely not remember at all ?

J.D. Salinger ( Nicholas Hoult ) is a student at Columbia University, trying to become a writer. His lecturer Whit Burnett ( Kevin Spacey ) can tell that J.D. is talented at writing, but try and make sure he understands how he needs to think, to get one of his stories published. J.D. continue working on his writing, as he seems to have an idea what he wants to publish. But everytime he send out his stories, no one seems to be interested. Until one of the stories get published, and J.D. is finally being recognized for his hard work. J.D. is called out for World War II, to serve his country. During this time, J.D. is working on his first novel. He is about to find out, that his debut novel The Catcher In The Rhye will change his life forever. But with fame, and publicity, will affect his personal life. Something he is not ready to handle.


Ever since i saw the first trailer of Rebel In The Rye, i could tell that this would be an interesting film about the writer J.D. Salinger. And after seeing the film, i have to say, this is worth your time. There is a very fascinating story behind this legendary writer, and this film manage to tell his story in a simple, but still interesting way. You find out more about him as a person, and what made him feel so much passion for writing stories. You also get to see his personal problems, and how he tried to conflict these problems. Lead actor Nicholas Hoult does a great performance as J.D. Salinger, maybe one of his better performances in recent years. One of the stronger performances in this film, is from legendary actor Kevin Spacey, as Whit Burnett. His character is clearly trying to help his student Salinger to feel inspired, to write as much as possible, even if he is turned down for publishing. The film also manage to capture the feeling of how hard it must be, to be a respected writer. The time period captured around the 1940´s, looks good, and the costume design also strikes well. Are there details that have been left out ? Probably, but i don´t mind. I still see this film to be interesting, and for me that is a good sign. Director Danny Strong have written screenplays for HBO films such as Recount and Game Change ( both really good films ). He have also written screenplay for TV series Empire. Rebel In The Rye is his directorial debut film, and i like his vision of this film. For his first feature film, i think he have done a good job. He clearly wanted to tell the story of J.D. Salinger, in a simple but effective way. Rebel In The Rye should be appreciated by people who loves historical films, especially for those who loves to read books, or write books. J.D. clearly made an impact with his work, and this film shows that he really wanted to make a difference. Rebel In The Rye is a historical drama film that may be simple, but the film does deliver a story worth knowing about. If you don´t know what to watch after New Year´s Eve, why not watch this film on VOD and perhaps learn something about history ? Keep up the good work Nicholas Hoult, maybe one day we will see you do a film that really will make a strong impact.

Rating: DDD

The Best Movie Of 2017

Greetings movie lovers worldwide!

The year of 2017 is coming to an end, and i have seen some really good films this year. Of course there were some really bad ones as well, but i had to choose one film that i really enjoyed for many reasons. 

And in my personal opinion, the best film i watched this year is....

Moonlight

Now this is a really powerful and emotional film. The story of a young man, who grows up with a drug addicted mother, and is also a bully victim, will affect you deeply. Director Barry Jenkins digs deep into your mind, when this film show you what a destructive world we live in. The acting in this film is really powerful, and the cinematography by James Laxton looks beautiful. 

So congratulations Moonlight, this is a must see film for everyone.

My last review of this year will be posted tonight, a review of the film Rebel In The Rye. So thank you all my readers for this year, love you all. And i will see you in 2018.

Cheers from Daniel