söndag 30 april 2017

Logan

Marvel Comics have made changed many people lives. Especially comic book lovers, who collect comic books and dream about being one of their favourite comic book characters. The transformation from a comic book, to a film adaptation, is of course never easy to do. But i think a lot of talented directors have managed to lift some of the comic book characters we all love, and delivered solid entertainment.There are of course a lot of titles we could choose from, and a lot to discuss. Let´s go back in time to the year 2000. This was the year when director Bryan Singer gave us his view on the world of X-Men. As a first film, this was a really well made action film, and one of the characters that everyone was talking about was of course Wolverine, played by actor Hugh Jackman. He had the looks, and the right elements to be Wolverine, and he clearly enjoyed doing this character. Hugh continued to work on a lot of X-Men films, and i can without a doubt say that Wolverine would always be a character that stayed strong throughout the film series. Over the years, each film have presented us with a lot of different mutant characters, and i think it is interesting to get to know all these characters. One of the things i think every X-Men film have managed to do, in different ways, is to deliver comic book action scenes, where we get some nice treats. But in 2009, the X-Men franchise would get a different perspective, when the film is more based on the life of Wolverine. This was an interesting idea, even though i don´t think this film had the same quality level as the previous films. There were of course discussions, when we would see Hugh Jackman in his own character Wolverine film, and we finally got it in The Wolverine, released in 2013. I have to say, i love the fact that this film takes place in Japan, to see Wolverine fight Yakuza gangsters is just lovely. There is also a different view from Wolverine´s perspective, than in the X-men films, that make this film interesting. I highly recommend you see this film on blu ray, with some nice special features. After The Wolverine was released, there were rumors that Hugh Jackman was planning to end making films with the character Wolverine. And it seemed that the next film, simply called Logan, would be the final chapter. So here we are, with the latest film with this legendary character. I am not sure if this will be the last we will see of Hugh Jackman as the legendary mutant, but of course i had to check this out. Is this the most strongest portrait of Wolverine, or is this just a film made, to make money at the box office but without any passion for this genre ?

The year is 2029. Mutants are on the brink of extinction, with no new mutants being born in 25 years. James " Logan " Howlett ( Hugh Jackman ), formaly known as Wolverine, is now working as a limousine driver in Texas. He drinks everyday, and his health is not in a good condition. His adamantium skeleton is poising him. Logan lives in an abandoned smeldon plant, with mutant tracker Caliban ( Stephen Merchant ) and Charles Xavier ( Patrick Stewart ), who is suffering from Alzheimer´s disease. This causes some serious problems, where Charles can´t control his telepathic abilities. Logan is approached by a woman called Gabriela Lopez ( Elizabeth Rodriguez ). She is a nurse for the biotechnology corporation Alkali-Transigen, who wants Logan to escort her and her 11 year old girl Laura Kinney ( Dafne Keen ) to a place in North Dakota called " Eden ". Unfortunately, as Logan accept the job, and go to pick her up, he discover that Gabriela have been murdered. Someone seems to be after Laura, and Logan has to escape with the girl, and Charles Xavier ( Patrick Stewart ). Transigen´s cybernetically-enchanced chief of security Donald Pierce ( Boyd Holbrook ), and his enforces are on Logan´s trail, as they want Holly back.

Since i have followed the X-Men films, ever since the year 2000, i have experienced some really good highlights, and most films have been really good. I would say that every film had something specific to tell each story, both about the characters, but also about the mutant world. I think so far, my personal favourite has to been X-Men: Days Of Future Past. It looked fantastic, had a really strong cast, and a really interesting story set in the 70´s. Logan is more like The Wolverine film, but perhaps a much deeper personal look into his life. There is a lot of dramatic scenes, where you can clearly see that Logan is having a difficult time in his life. He drinks, his health is not what it used to be, but somehow he will not give up. Hugh Jackman is of course really good as Logan, and i can´t imagine how anyone else would do this character better than him. One difference with this film, compared to the X-Men films, is that you get much more deeper view on this broken mutants soul. Also, some of the fighting scenes with the Wolverine claws are really raw, and i love that. One of the most interesting details in this film, is of course the introduction to the mutant character Laura Kinney ( X-23 ), played by actor Dafne Keene. If this is supposed to be her introduction to her own film ( in the future ), she does a really good start. I actually think the character Laura Kinney is one of the more interesting characters, very mysterious. Knowing she is the daughter of Logan, makes you curious to find out more about her life. Patrick Stewart is of course guaranteed to deliver a solid performance, as Charles Xavier. The story takes place out in Texas, and i like the dirty, desert areas, surrounding the loneliness of Wolverine. It gives the film a different approach, because it would a perfect location to hide from the outside world, in deserted desert buildings. Director James Mangold have directed a lot of films in his career, and one of the films i consider to be one of his best is the 1997 classic Cop Land. It is one of the best performances you have ever seen Sylvester Stallone do in his career. James actually directed The Wolverine, so he knows his material. And you can tell he really want to try and make a majestic approach in this film, and he definitely knows what he is doing. To combine drama, and pure action, is hard. Especially if you try and make a story that feels interesting. And this is where Logan actually manage to hit the jackpot. A few scenes feel a bit drawn out, but as a Wolverine film, i am not disappointed. A really well made action film, with a lot to say. If this is the final film of Wolverine and Hugh Jackman, fans will be pleased, i know i am.

Rating: DDDD

tisdag 25 april 2017

Hey kids, gather round, i got some great news for all of you who love Steven Seagal ( the man waving his arms every 5 minutes )

Yes, it has been a long time since i actually have seen a Steven Seagal film.

Actually, i might have reviewed one film in here, years ago, and of course it was a pile of shit.

So i have this idea, why not review one of Steven Seagal´s more latest films ?

I know kids, you are all screaming :- Yeeeeaaah, you´re the best Danny Boy

Yes, i know i am. But thanks!

So he have a film called The Perferct Weapon out on dvd and blu ray, that is supposed to be a science fiction action film ( hold on a second, Seagal in sci fi ? ).

Yes, you read that right. Steven Seagal is now making his way to science fiction, and that has to be a masterpiece.....right ?

Before i watch this film, i will finish a review of the latest Wolverine film Logan, and Seagal will show up later, probably in the beginning in May.

So remember kids, once Steven Seagal shows up, you just want more.



Cheers from Daniel - The Swede That Knows Everything You Need To Know

torsdag 20 april 2017

Life

Space have so many unanswered questions. Are we alone ? Is there alien life form out there ? What planets does exist out there that we have not discovered ? As technology approve, and scientists look for proof of new discoveries, i am sure we will find out something spectacular in the future. I personally don´t believe we are alone in space. There must be some kind of life form out there, that we have not discovered yet. At least the mormons have their own planet called Kolob. I have tried to locate it, i might find it with the help of my own home built laser rocket ( built by orange boxes and fuel tanks, looks fantastic ). I am curious about new discoveries, because we can learn new things, and perhaps find answers to different question about space. Aliens have always been a very big topic around the world. People claim they have been abducted by aliens, some are even pregnant by aliens, or they have gone on board their spaceship, to their home planet. Most of these stories sounds very fake, and i suppose they want to make some extra money. Speaking of aliens, i think most of us have seen films, based on alien life forms. One of the biggest science fiction classics of all time, is of course Riddley Scott´s classic film Alien. The 1979 sci fi horror film, is still today seen as one of the best science fiction cult films, where aliens got a brand new look. There is no doubt this film, left a very big impact. It looks really good, and Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, has to be one of the best female action heroes of all time. Sigourney kicked even more ass, in one of the best sci fi horror sequels ever made, Aliens by director James Cameron. You have to get the extended blu ray film, it is so damn good. There are of course plenty of films where aliens are a big part of the story. One of my personal favourite films, that many people might not have seen, is a film called Fire In The Sky. Released in 1993, it became a kind of a cult film, based on a true event, about a man who goes missing from a forest, and is found naked in a telephone booth, many days after he is lost. As the evidence come forward, it seems that he was abducted by aliens. A really good film, thanks to a great cast. Hard to find in stores, but you can buy the dvd on certain online stores. Arrival last year was a really good sci fi film, and i have not seen many sci fi films in this genre that looked interesting. Until i heard last year, that director Daniel Espinosa was going to make a new sci fi horror film called Life. When the trailer finally was released, i was actually looking forward to see if this would be as good as it seemed. With a really good cast, and what looked like a really well made film, i had to make a cinema visit. Is this the best film from Daniel Espinosa in many years, or is he back at the low level since Child 44 ?

The six-member International Space Station crew, capture a probe returning from Mars. This probe have a soil sample that might contain evidence of extraterrestrial life. Exobiologist Hugh Derry ( Ariyon Bakare ) revives a dormant cell from the sample, and it quickly grows into a multi-celled organism, who is named " Calvin ". Hugh tries an experiment, using electric shocks on " Calvin " to see how it will react. The result ends very bad, and " Calvin " attacks Hugh, crushing his hand. The team, Dr. David Jordan ( Jake Gyllenhaal ), Dr. Miranda North ( Rebecca Ferguson ), Rory Adams ( Ryan Reynolds ), Sho Murakami ( Hiroyki Sanada ) and Ekaterina Golovkina ( Olga Dihovichnaya ), all have to try and survive against " Calvin ". No one knows how to handle this situation, but unless something is done, no one will survive on board the space ship.

I have to start and say that Life actually looks great. Remember how Gravity with Sandra Bullock looked like ? Life is not as well made as that film, but you are reminded of the CGI effects, and you enjoy the company of the space team. Some of the scenes where we follow the team, floating around the space ship, feels natural. And this is an important detail, it needs to look realistic to become more interesting. But of course we get to see the alien life form eventually, and the realistic image goes away. But that´s ok, because we do have some positive details to find in Life. I enjoy the acting for the most part, especially from Jake Gyllenhaal and Rebecca Ferguson. Ryan Reynolds is not bad, he does have his sense of humour, but i have seen him much stronger performances in the past. My major problem with this film, is the fact that it copies so much from a lot of sci fi films, especially Alien. Now, that does not have to be all bad. Because this is a good looking film, and the alien effects looks pretty good. But if this film had another unexpected twist, then we might have had a stronger film. With that said, director Daniel Espinosa ( who made the great films Easy Money and Safe House ), have definitely stepped it up, delivering a better quality film since Child 44. I still don´t understand why he made that film, and for that i am happy he decided to go for a much more solid project. You can clearly see that director Daniel Espinosa love classic sci fi films. His long shots of the space ship, and the crew floating around looks really good, and the scenes in space also looks gorgeous. If he could have surprised us with something about the alien life form, i think Life could have been really interesting. What we are left with is a very simple story, that you can pretty much figure out as the film goes on. In a way, i am a little disappointed, but as a sci fi horror film i feel that Life still deliver, thanks to the cast. Their characters do combine with their sense of humour. Most of you must know by now that Alien: Covenant is coming out in May. I think that could be the best sci fi horror film this year ( unless we get an unexpected surprise ). Life is not close to that level, but still a nice try to make a sci fi horror film that reminds us of classics. I think you might enjoy this film, is you enjoyed Alien. But don´t expect anything original, if you are ok with that, give Life a chance in the cinema. Considering how bad Child 44 was, i think Daniel Espinosa have improved himself with this film. And that is something should be thankful for.

Rating: DDD

fredag 14 april 2017

Pet

Many humans love to have pets. No matter if you love fishes, dogs, cats, lizards, snakes, hamsters, rabbits, you can choose from a very big selection. When i was a kid, i had a hamster who i named Akira. He was not afraid of many things, not even my sister´s rabbit Mimmi. He would walk around outside my mothers house, and eat snails. For some reason, he loved chewing on those....things. I also had a turtle, and fishes. But, eventually as i went into my teenage years, i was too busy watching video violence on VHS, and listening to music cds, so i did not get any more pets. I don´t have any pets now either in my adult life, maybe because i don´t have much time over for having a dog, or a cat. Who knows, maybe i will get one someday, just to comfort myself over the fact that Fifty Shades Of Grey actually exist ( i did not think that would be possible ). Speaking about pets, how many of you watched those pet comedies back in the 90´s, such as Beethoven, or Dr .Doolitle with Eddie Murphy ? Yes, the 90´s released a ton of family comedies, that were made to please kids, and addicted smiling mothers. But we also had some other pet films, that i think were more interesting. Especially the 1988 film Monkey Shines, by director George A.Romero. About a man who is paralyzed, and needs help in his home, so he gets his very own monkey to assist him. The film flopped, but had an interesting view on how humans and animals can connect, in good ways, but also in bad ways. Monkey Shines clearly showed that you can´t always trust every animal, they have animal instincts inside of them. I suggest you see this film, if you have not seen it. Shout! Factory released a nice blu ray release of the film, with some nice special features. Other classic animal films is of course the film Cujo, based on the novel by author Stephen King. A horror film from 1983 that might not be as effective as it was back in the 80´s, but is still considered to be a classic. Have you ever heard about how some people, have weird obsessions, that have something to do with animals ? Some like to be dressed as dogs, or be trained as a dog, while some even go as far as having sexual fantasies about animals. But then we also have those who have fantasies, having women as their slave, locked up in a cage, like an animal. This is something the film Pet takes on, telling the story of a man with his mental illness. I got a chance to see this film from the dvd release from Njutafilms. Is this a really good independent film, or is this a release that no one should remember ?

Seth ( Dominic Monaghan ) is a very shy man, with no friends at all. He works at the local Animal Control, where he takes care of dogs. When he is not working, he have become addicted to a girl named Holly ( Ksenia Solo ) who works as an waitress. One night he decides to kidnap her, and lock her in a special made cage, inside the Animal Control facility. He finally have the girl of his dreams, where he wants her to be. But is Holly the innocent girl, or does she have a secret within her, that only Seth knows about ?

Going into Pet, without knowing almost nothing at all about the film, is a very good way to see if the film with an open mind. And i will say this, considering i have seen a lot of films over the years, where women are being hold hostages, Pet have a different approach than most of these films. Just imagine how disturbing it would be, to find out a man see women as pets? We have seen some really disturbed men in cinemas for many years, and i would say that this character called Seth, ( played by actor Dominic Monaghan ), is one example of how mentally insane people can be. This is a psycological thriller, who basically tries to give us an image, of how Seth thinks, and react in ordinary day life. And it becomes very clear, that he have big problems thinking realistic. Instead, he digs into his own darkness, and thinks he have everything in control. Since this is a very low budget film, you can´t expect to have everything perfect. And there are some issues with this film, especially the acting. Some of the characters are not something you care about, so eventually you feel more interesting in Seth, and his disturbed mind. Lead actor Dominic Monaghan, ( probably most known for his role as Meriadoc in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy ), give a performance that is interesting. I would not say he does a really good performance, but he is definitely the highlight of this film. The story is very simple, and that´s ok, as long as you make sure it fits with the characters. One thing i do enjoy about Pet, is how simple it is, but still manage to keep the viewer fascinated. Us normal people, could never understand the mind of the mentally insane, so a view into their thoughts, and ideas, give us an image of how they function. Director Carles Torrens have directed several films in the past, and one of the films most people recognize by his work, could be the spanish horror film Apartment 143. Pet have some horror influences, but is more on a psychological level. There is nothing really original about the film, but it works, thanks to the lead character Seth. I like the twist that comes almost an hour later into the film, makes you think for a moment if you really know what is going on. I enjoy this film, for what it is trying to do. Pet may not find a large audience, this is a small independent film for fans of smaller productions. If you enjoy films in this format, i suggest you rent the film, and give it a try. Pet does have something to say, and you might not enjoy the message.

Rating: DDD


Here is the link to the dvd release from Njutafilms, in case you are curious to see the film,

http://www.njutafilms.com/pet/

torsdag 13 april 2017

The Assignment ( Tomboy )

One of my favourite female actors of all time, have always been Sigourney Weaver. Not only because of her wonderful performances in the Alien films, but she have done some really good films from her past. Eyewitness, The Year Of Living Dangerously, Ghostbusters, Gorillas In The Mist, Dave, The Ice Storm and many more titles. Sigourney have always felt very natural on screen. She is no diva, does not seem to care about a stereotypical image of women, she does what she likes, and this is something i always loved about her as an actor. I can imagine that there are many women out there who look up to her as a role model, especially for women who are trying to become actors. One of the films i mentioned earlier, Gorillas In The Mist, have always been one of my favourite films with Sigourney Weaver. The film is based on the true story, about the naturalist Dian Fossey. She was a woman who studies gorillas, and tried to help gorillas survive from hunters. Her work in Africa meant a lot for gorillas, and you can clearly get an image of some of the things she tried to do, during her years in Africa. But it all ended December 27th, 1985, when she was found murdered in her cabin in Rwanda. I think Sigourney really did a fantastic performance as Dian Fossey, and i suggest you pick up the blu ray film, or dvd, for sale somewhere. This is a film worth having in your collection. In more recent years we have seen Sigourney done a lot of films. And i instantly think of two films, known as The Girl In The Park, and the political action thriller Vantage Point. I especially enjoyed The Girl In The Park, an interesting view on how we handle situations in life, when something unexpected happens. I enjoyed her performance in the sci fi action film Chappie, from director Neil Blomkamp, a different take on robot technology, and if robots are just machines. If i say the name Michelle Rodriguez, you might think of her in the Fast & Furious films. I personally remember her mostly from her really good performance in Girlfight. I still think that is her best film so far in her career, and this is a film that should be seen. Michelle have of course been in a number of films, such as Resident Evil, Machete and Battle: Los Angeles ( a film i actually enjoiyed, while most critics disliked it ). So how would it be to see both Sigourney Weaver and Michelle Rodriguez in the same film ? Here is your chance, in the new film The Assignment. I really had no idea what to expect from this film, but the cast made me curious to see what this could be. Is this an surprisingly good action thriller, or is this an awful release that no one should care about ?

Frank Kitchen ( Michelle Rodriguez ) is a contract killer, who always finish his jobs. Dr. Rachel Jay ( Sigourney Weaver ) lost her brother through an assassination from Frank, To revenge her brother, and to make a better world ( in her mind ), she sends John Hartunian ( Anthony LaPaglia ) and his men to knock Frank down. Frank is captured and is becoming a part of a sex change experiment. Dr. Rachel belive that Frank will now become a new person, as a woman. As Frank wakes up, as a woman, she is now ready to revenge everyone who were a part of this, including Dr. Rachel.

If you ever wanted to know what it would look like, to see Michelle Rodriguez as a transgender person, with a big penis and a hairy chest, then you have come to the right place. And she have a beard as well, i instantly started to thinking about the Eurovision Song Contest Winner Conchita Wurst back in 2014. The differences here are of course that Michelle is a assassin, and happen to have the biggest penis in this galaxy ( unless you count in Ron Jeremy of course ). The cast here is really special, you have Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub ( from the classic tv series Monk ) and Anthony LaPaglia. So what if you throw all these actors together, in a very odd mix of action thriller, from the legendary director Walter Hill ( who made The Warriors and 48 Hours ), what do you get ? This may be the most strange film i have seen this year so far. Because parts of this film makes no sense at all, and you will most likely laugh. Especially seeing Michelle Rodriguez naked male body, i cant describe it. So there are of course a ton of assassination films out there, does this film have anything special to offer ? Well, not much. But as i come to think about it, i think director Walter Hill have made this film so strange, because he knows that this could become a cult film. With a story that makes no sense, and odd characters, i can perhaps understand what he wanted to do with this film. From a quality level of film making, i can tell you that this film does not give much. I believe that The Assignment gives a different look on an assassins life, who wakes up after having a sex change. I can´t say i have never seen anything like this before, and for that i have to say director Walter Hill have at least tried a different path. Directors who dare to take risks are always good, but it also depends if you do it correctly. Sigourney Weaver gives her performance with some emotions, but far away from her really good films. Michelle Rodriguez is not the most strong lead character as an assassin, but she does manage to give her character some kind of roughness.  I feel very split about this film, because parts of The Assignment are not very good, while some parts give me a feeling that this could be a future cult film. The mix of all of this gives me no choice, but to find a rating that feels correct. The Assignment is a film that should be seen, if you enjoy the films of Walter Hill. And this is his most odd film ever, and perhaps one of his worst films. I can´t really recommend this film, but i have a feeling this could be a cult hit on dvd in the future. You are not going to see anything like The Assignment this spring, and if you want quality you won´t find it here. A very odd release, made to make us confused.

Avaible on VOD, and shown in selected theatres, and you can get this film on dvd from April 17 in the UK, if you want to experience something different.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MZDXQZJ

Rating: DD

fredag 7 april 2017

Kong: Skull Island

Humans have always been fascinated by animals. We can learn so many things, from the way they behave in nature, how they handle different situations, and how they adjust in different enviroments. I am especially thinking about apes. You can clearly see that humans and apes, have many things in common. Especially chimpanzees, the closest species to humans. Just look how they can communicate, show facial expressions, how they use different tools in different situations. We could of course mention many more examples, but it is clear that apes have so much knowledge within them. Speaking of apes, since the very early days of Hollywood, they have made a huge impact on the audiences worldwide. And it all started back in 1933 with the motion picture King Kong. Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, the film about a huge ape, running loose in the city of New York became a cult hit. I have of course seen the film, at least 2 times. And it is a classic, even if it might look silly today for a younger generation, we have to remember that back in those days, special effects did not have the same budget as in present day. The classic scene with King Kong on the Empire State Building is still to this day one of the most iconic cinema scenes of all times. Over the years there have been several films made about King Kong, and the one i remember mostly is the 1976 film simply called King Kong. With a young Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange. I know that this film have been critisized for many reasons, but i remember enjoying this film, especially from a technical perspective. The special effects on King Kong himself, considering it was 1976, did not look so terrible. Looking back, i think the 1976 film King Kong should be seen as a cult classic, even if it is not a really good film. But then we also have a sequel called King Kong Lives, released in 1985 with Linda Hamilton ( Sarah O´ Connor from The Terminator ), and this film can not be seen as a classic. In fact, this is perhaps the worst King Kong films of all time, and you can understand why it bombed at the box office. If you just want to laugh about all the bad acting, and bad special effects, then King Kong Lives is the film to choose. It seemed that King Kong would not return to the big screen, for a long time. Not until Peter Jackson, director of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, decided to make his version of King Kong. It turned out to be the best King Kong film ever, in my opinion. Really well made, really good acting, and a story filled with passion for the classic story of King Kong. And here we are, in 2017, with another sequel of King Kong, this time called Kong: Skull Island. Since i have been a fan of these films for a long time, i had to do a 3D cinema visit, to see if King Kong still delivers. Is this one of the best sequels of this franchise, or is Kong: Skull Island a sequel that will soon be forgotten ?

In 1973, U.S. government agent William "Bill" Randa ( John Goodman ) hires former British Special Air Service Captain James Conrad ( Tom Hiddleston ) to go on an expedition, to a mysterious island out in the South Pacific. The island is known as Skull Island, and they belive that there could be unusual animals out there, never been seen before. With the expedition of James, William, Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard ( Samuel L. Jackson ), Fotographer Mason Weaver ( Brie Larson ), warrant officer Reg Slivko ( Thomas Mann ), all head towards the island in choppers, informed to bomb the island. But as they begin their mission, a big ape strike all the choppers down. Some of the team members die instantly, while some of the survivors manage to surive the crash landings. Stuck on an island, where no one knows what is going on, this expedition needs to find a way to survive. But the big ape is not all they should be worried about, here on Skull Island, there are other problems, unknown to civilization.

I have seen all the films so far, based on King Kong, from the original film, and all the sequels ( or remakes, depending on who you ask ).  Since it has been a pretty long time since we have seen King Kong in action, i was looking forward to the latest film Kong: Skull Island. The trailer looked really nice, and i did like to see the cast, filled with talented people. So things were looking good for this latest Kong film. Now, after seeing it in a theater, i can say i have mixed emotions. Maybe my expectations have been aimed very high, since the 2005 film version. There are some really good looking action scenes here, and i love the fact that the film is taking place in the 70´s. I also enjoy the main character, James Conrad, played by wonderful actor Tom Hiddleston, he is always good in anything he does. I know you should not compare films too much, but in this case it is pretty hard not too. You see, i knew it was going to be hard to make a film about King Kong, as good as the Peter Jackson film. And it becomes very clear that Kong: Skull Island is nowhere near as good as the 2005 film. With that said, i still enjoy this film from an action perspective. Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts have not had an easy task, taking on a project like this. Considering his debut feature independent film The Kings Of Summer was a big surprise, he is clearly trying new grounds with Kong: Skull Island. I think he have managed to make his vision of King Kong look good, and he also have added monsters on the island, that reminds us of Peter Jackson´s version. The acting is both good and bad, depending on what characters we are talking about. I enjoy John C. Reilly as the wacky, but fun Hank Marlow, who have lived on this island for 29 years. John Goodman is of course a solid choice as William "Bill " Randa, the senior official, who is in control of the expedition. As a King Kong movie, i feel that Kong: Skull Island is a fun ride, if you can forgive some small details that could have been improved. After all, if you enjoy big budget action films without complicated twists and turns, and focuses on delivering entertainment, then you should feel right at home. As a popcorn film, this is a good choice for a cinema visit this weekend, especially if you loved Peter Jackson´s King Kong, you will recognize yourselves in here. Kong: Skull Island is not the epic sequel i was hoping for, but still a good time if you love these kinds of films. There is no doubt, King Kong continues being an icon among monkeys. 

Rating: DDD

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Time flies by, faster than you expect. I was reminded by this, when i recently watched a tv show about classic video games, and the first Resident Evil game was mentioned. When i got my first Playstation kit, i had to make sure that i would buy Resident Evil, back in the late 90´s. This was at the time one of the best games i have ever played. It was dark, creepy, mysterious, and very well made with really good graphics. Capcom have proved themselves by making the greatest horror video game, and people went nuts about this title. It was very clear that the Resident Evil franchise would grow, and find even more video games nerds. The games continued to be released, and Resident Evil became a household name for years to come. Over the years, there are plenty of titles to choose between. One of my personal favourite games of Resident Evil is without a doubt Resident Evil 4. It looked different, but still managed to capture the world of Resident Evil, but in a different approach. After number of games in early 2000, director Paul W.S. Anderson was chosen to make a film based on the video games of Resident Evil. This was both taken with positive feedback, while some fans critisized the choice of the director. I personally think that the first film, released in the year 2002, had some positive surprises for fans to enjoy. But the most important issue on this film, is the main character Alice, who is played by Milla Jovovich. We have seen Milla done action films before, both in The Fifth Element and the Joan Arc film. She turned out to be a great choice as Alice, and she stayed as the character in plenty of more films based on the video games. It was clear that Milla Jovovich became a female action icon, through her character Alice. As the films went on, and tried to bring in different stories, and characters from the games, the audience seemed to enjoy themselves. But not the film critics, in fact almost every film was getting low ratings. Except for a few positive reviews, probably from film critics who did not take the films too serious. I have enjoyed all the films so far, for different reasons. But i still think the third film, called Resident Evil: Extinction is the best of the series. This film was also directed by another director, Russel Mulcahy ( the legendary director of cult film Highlander ). The desert theme, with the endless desert landscapes, turned out to be a really good idea. In early 2016, i remember reading about Milla Jovovich, where she told that the next Resident Evil film will be the last one. I did of course not believe that at first, but further along the way, it became clear she was telling the truth. So now we have the final film here, and this film franchise have been going on for 15 years ( a very long time ). Is this the worthy ending of Resident Evil we all wanted, or have director Paul W.S. Anderson failed to give us a solid final film ?

Alice ( Milla Jovovich ) awakens in the ruins of the White House. after being betrayed once again by Albert Wesker ( Shawn Roberts ). While searching for survivors, The Red Queen appear and tell Alice, that she must return to Racoon City within 48 hours. The Umbrella Corporation have created an airborne antivirus, wich will kill every organism infected by the T-virus. But she has to hurry, before all of mankind is wiped out. On her way to Racoon City, Alice is captured by Alexander Isaacs ( Iain Glen ), whose clone Alice have killed in the past. She manage to escape, and find her way to a completely destroyed Racoon City. Here, she meet a gang of survivors after the attack on Arcadia. Alexander is heading towards Racoon City, with an enormous army of flesh eating zombies. On Alice journey to find the antivirus, she is about to learn that she have not been informed with the whole truth. That there is another side of this story, that could make things even more complicated.

I think it was a good choice for Milla Jovovich to close the chapter of Resident Evil now. She have been in this film adaptation franchise since the very first film, and eventually you have to finish the series. This final film, simply called The Final Chapter, is pretty much what you would expect. You have bad dialogue, bad acting and a lot of violence ( this is a good thing ). As usual you have massive hoards of zombies, a lot of killing and fighting. And even if these films have not followed the games in any specific order ( only a few details ), the strength of Resident Evil film adaptations is Milla Jovovich. It is her you want to see kick zombie ass, and use all kinds of weapons. Without her performance as Alice, i am not sure if we would feel the same entertainment level as we do now. She is as usual the biggest reason why this last film works. Not because of her acting, it is her physical performance that lift this film. The action scenes function, if you enjoyed the previous films. You get plenty of the basic elements, including some different characters. So what is the major problem with this last film ? The editing is way too fast in the battle scenes. In previous film we have at least seen Alice attack at close range, here it is edited in such a fast way, you miss out the epic battles ( that could have made this film more epic ). There are some scenes that looks ok, but some of the action scenes are so fast edited, it is hard to keep up with what is going on. But we do have Shawn Roberts here, as the evil Albert Wesker, almost like Schwarzenegger´s Terminator, with bad dialogue, but fun to watch. I wonder if he decided to make this character as bad as possible ? Either way, Albert Wesker is once again a fun trip, even this time around. The story is not very good, but in a film like this we don´t really need a solid story. We want to see action and gore, and you can be sure to find it here as well. One thing i did enjoy, is the fact that Milla Jovovich still can kick so much ass, after all these years. We don´t get to see many women in these days, being a part of a whole films series, and she have done a great job with the Resident Evil films. Is this one of the better Resident Evil films ? No, but not the worst either, i think Retribution could be my less favourite. Could this last film have been made more epic ? Yes, i think director Paul W.S. Anderson should have skipped all the fast editing, and focused more on majestic close scenes. Still, let´s be happy that this could have been a lot worse as the ending. Thank you Milla for all your hard work, you did it. And this final film confirm my thoughts, never mess with Milla in the shopping mall, then your legs might break into pieces.

Rating: DDD