tisdag 27 juni 2017

R.I.P Michael Nyqvist

Late yesterday night i found out that legendary Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist have passed away. Only 56 years old, but he made such an impact for his magical screen presence. He was good in many different films, and could do characters feel interesting. One film that i think many of us will remember Michael Nyqvist from, was the first film The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo on the massive successfull Millenium series. I also remember his powerful performance in the film The Black Pimpernel. Nyqvist made his name heard in Hollywood, where he have been praised for his performances in John Wick and Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol. I know there are a couple of films coming out that Nyqvist finished before he passed away. We will all miss him dearly, and remember all his wonderful performances, both in Scandinavian films as well as international films.

Rest in peace Micke 

söndag 25 juni 2017

The Mummy

Since my childhood, i have always been interested in Egyptian history. I used to read books about Egyptian king and queens, also about the Egyptian gods. There was always especially one of them i was curious about, and his name was Ra. It is said that he was the most important god of ancient Egypt. I have not been to Egypt yet, but i plan to go at some point. Would be nice to see some ancient Egyptian historical places. Let´s talk about films for a moment, where Egyptian history is attached. Let´s focus on one specific historical detail, mummies. Most of you have probably seen one film, with mummies coming to life. One of the most classic mummy films has to be The Mummy from 1932 with legendary actor Boris Karloff. This film is a perfect example of a classic horror film, that have entertained many generations of people worldwide. I did see the film, i believe it was about 15 years ago on tv, and i do remember some of the classic scenes still today. There are plenty of classic mummy films to choose between, so let´s bring out another cult film. The Mummy from 1959 with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. You might think this is a remake, of the 1932 film because of the title. But the fact is that it is not, instead this 1959 film have a completely different plot included. I actually have The Mummy ( 1959 ) on dvd and blu ray ( in a combo pack release ), and since it was produced by the legendary company Hammer Films, it did deliver some nice treats. Of course, thanks to the performances of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, the film does bring some nostalgic moments. If we move on into the 90´s, one of my personal favourite films was released about Egyptian mythology. Roland Emerich´s wonderful science fiction action film Stargate, turned out to be an epic adventure, with really good special effects and also really good performances. Stargate is one of those 90´s classics that will always be worth watching again, because they managed to capture the Egyptian look so well, and combined this with modern technology. Then in 1999 we got The Mummy with Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and Arnold Vosloo. This film was a fun ride, almost like an Indiana Jones version of the classic story, but with mummies instead. The sequel The Mummy Returns was ok, but did not charm me as much as the first film. When i heard last year that legendary actor Tom Cruise was going to be in a remake of The Mummy, i was surprised. I did not expect to see him to do a role like this. Of course i had to take a look at this film in a theatre, just to see if a remake would work. With a great cast, and a classic concept, is The Mummy one of the highlights of this summer in cinemas, or is this film worse than we expected ?

In 1127 A.D., a group of English crusader knights capture a large ruby from ancient Egypt and bury it within the tomb with one of their number. Present-day London, a Crossrail construction crew discover the knights tomb. A mysterious man is authorized to investigate the uncovered findings on location. The hieroglyphics written on a circular mural in the tomb ( that took place during the New Kingdom era ), tells the story of the ruthless Princess Ahmanet ( Sofia Boutella ). She thinks she will take over the thrown from her father Pharaoh Menehptre ( Selva Rasalingam ), but when his second wife gives birth to a son, her chance to take over the thrown is gone. Princess Ahmanet is determined to take the thrown anyway, so she sell her soul to the Egyptian god Set, who gives her a special dagger to transfer his spirit into a corporeal form. Ahmanet murder her family, and attempted to kill her lover to give Set physical form. But her father´s priests stop her, as well as slaying her lover. Ahmnet is mummified, and buried alive for eternity. In present-day Iraq, U.S. Military officer Nick Morton ( Tom Cruise ) and his partner Sergeant Chris Vail ( Jake Johnson ) discover the tomb of Princess Ahmnet. Archaeologist Jenny Halsey ( Annabelle Wallis ) arrives at the tomb to investigate. She can tell that this tomb was made to be like a prison, to make sure Ahmanet would not wake up again. The sarcophagus with the body of Ahmnet, is going to be flied over to England. On their way to England, the plane crashes, but both Jenny and Nick have survived. However, Nick have been possessed by Princess Ahmanet, as he wakes up in the morgue, and is still alive so Princess Ahmanet can use his body as a replacement vessel for Set. Ahmanet is now awake from her tomb, and no one will stop her this time, from making Set coming back to life.

One of the things i always remember from The Mummy films with Brendan Fraser, is that those are the only films i have actually enjoyed his performances in. His other films are in some ways....very forgettable. This is why Tom Cruise is a much more professional actor, and he is a good choice to be in a film like this. He have a lot of great performances with him from the past, and even in a horror film, he knows how to deliver. You might think that this would not be his cup of tea, being chased by mummies? Well, i think he does a pretty good job. He knows how to do action scenes, and with his great physical condition, you will have some fun. I did notice that this film is much darker than the Mummy films with Brendan Fraser. And i do like that, because we did not need another action comedy. The horror influences are more clear here, and i think this was the right way to go. Princess Ahmanet, played by actor Sofia Boutella, is clearly the highlight of this film. Her screen time is especially what makes The Mummy a fun watch. Once she get started attacking London, you actually cheer for her. Annabelle Wallis as the archeologist Jennifer, is not the strong female character you would have wished for. She is not completely terrible, but i think she should have had a more rough personality. Nice to see Russel Crowe here as Dr Henry Jekyll. I understand he is supposed to be Mr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I do like the idea, but his transformation scenes looks a bit silly. The CGI is not as good as it could have been. The best part about this The Mummy remake is that there is a lot of action. And for a film that is supposed to show a battle between good and evil, you need plenty of action to make it a fun popcorn film. Director Alex Kurtzman have worked as a screen writer and producer on many films, such as The Island, Transformers, Watchmen and Star Trek. He did direct his first full feature debut film in 2012 called People Like Us, a drama film with a good cast, but not many saw the film in theatres. Since this Mummy remake is his second film as an director, i think he does manage to make a horror film that suits the genre well. Does this film have flaws ? Yes, there are a couple of things that could have been improved. Still, i did have fun watching The Mummy, because it is supposed to be a popcorn film, and not an Oscar Academy Award winner. Got nothing better to do in the rain this summer ? Go and watch The Mummy, just unhook your brain cells and just have fun instead. Besides, we always hoped to see Tom Cruise kick some mummy ass at some point in his career, right ?

Rating: DDD

torsdag 22 juni 2017

Black Butterfly

It is always nice to see actors who have been in the movie industry for many years. Actors who have proved themselves from an acting perspective, delivering unforgettable films. And one of the actors i am thinking about right now is Spanish actor Antonio Banderas. Since the early days of his career, starting off in Spanish classics such as Pedro Almodóvar´s Matador, he clearly had a screen presence for all ages. No matter what character he did, he could charm us on the big screen. When he started making his way into Hollywood, with the 1993 film Philadelphia, he kept getting more offers to do bigger productions. And it was especially one film that changed his acting career forever, with the 1995 film Desperado. I still consider this to be one of the best action classics of the 90´s, and director Robert Rodriguez really hit jackpot with this film. Antonio Banderas as El Mariachi, the guitar playing hitman, was a perfect choice for this character. Antonio knew exactly how to portrait such a personality. This film is actually a sequel to the 1992 film El Mariachi, a cult classic ( also directed by Robert Rodriguez ). Antonio Banderas kept on working hard, being in many different films, and many different characters. One of the films i think we need to mention, is The Mask Of Zorro. When this film came out in 1998, i had no expectations at all. It turned out to be pretty good, maybe because the combination of Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins was a really good match. Also, i think director Martin Campbell found the right balance for a Zorro movie, with nice sword fighting scenes, and actually funny dialogue as well. The sequel was ok, but not as good as the first film. Since Hollywood have changed over the years, you don´t really see Antonio doing many big budget films anymore. But that´s ok, he still knows how to deliver on screen, and i really enjoyed his performance in The Expendables 3. His crazy character Galgo was a great way to bring some comedy into the Expendables franchise. About a week ago, i got a chance to see one of Antonio Banderas latest films on VOD, called Black Butterfly. Not knowing almost anything about the film, i decided to give the film a chance. Is this a surprisingly good thriller with a legendary actor, or is it a predictable and dull film from start to finish ?

Paul ( Antonio Banderas ) is an author, who is struggling to write a new book. He is out of money and need to sell his house, located outside a mountain town. After a tense encounter with a drifter named Jack ( Jonathan Ryhs Meyers ) at the local diner, Paul picks up Jack on the highway. Jack seems to have no destination at this point, so Paul offer him to go with him home for a shower, and to get some sleep. Jack accept his offer. Jack offer to help Paul finish some work around the house. Since the writing is going very slow, Paul need to find some inspiration to write his best work so far. At first it seems alright, where Jack want to help Paul finding a really good story. But things are about to take a different turn, when Paul realise that Jack is not who he seems to be.

It is always interesting to see a film, taking place in a small community, out in the countryside. This is a great chance to introduce realistic characters, and also use the beautiful landscape. Black Butterfly does start off pretty quiet, but when Antonios character Paul, picks up hitchhiker Jack, things become more interesting. And for a while, the tension begins to grow between the alcoholic writer, and the stranger. I do like some of the scenes between these men, when you feel that they obviously have issues between each other. But then something happens with the film. About an hour into the film, what could have been exciting and thrilling, is made way too easy.  The story becomes very cliche, where you can predict pretty much everything, at least the ending go on a different path. It is such a shame that no real effort is made to make a really unexpected turn, because there is a good idea behind the film Black Butterflies. Antonio Banderas is without a doubt the strongest actor in this film. His screen time saves this film from falling flat to the ground. Director Brian Goodman, is mostly known as an actor in films such as Blow with Johnny Depp, and The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift. He did direct his debut feature film What Doesn´t Kill You, with Ethan Hawk and Mark Ruffalo. This film is actually a good criminal drama, with some great performances. Black Butterflies is his second feature film to direct, and this time it seems that he is lost in a maze. If he only could have developed the psychological tension between the main characters, instead of making the plot too easy. Black Butterfly does have potential, but loose too much power after a while. I read that there is an upcoming Antonio Banderas film called Versace, where Antonio Banderas plays the legendary Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace, who was murdered in 1997. The film will be directed by legendary director Billie August. This does sound very interesting. Black Butterfly is nothing you will remember, or care about. Wait for Versace comes out, and we actually might have something delightful.

Rating: DD

onsdag 21 juni 2017

Monolith ( Locked In )

Ever since i got my driver license, i remember the feeling of high speed on the highway. The freedom of wearing sun glasses, looking like Val Kilmer as Iceman in Top Gun, you can´t have a sexier look than that ( i think you might as well admit this guys, this is how we all feel ). One of the things i of course also enjoy, are seeing how many different car models there are out there. The negative side is of course that some of them cost a lot money. But i don´t complain, my car is alright. When it comes to cars in films, you might remember such classics such as Smokey And The Bandit or Cannonball Run ? During the early 80´s, a tv show made it´s name thanks to a cool look and an actor who knew how to keep it cool. I am of course talking about the tv show Knight Rider, with legendary actor David Hasselhoff. I watched a lot of episodes back in those days, and i actually own almost all season on dvd ( you know, especially for my romantic nights with my wife ). Knight Rider managed to combine action, with cool car scenes, without making it too cheesy. And David Hasselhoff as the undercover Los Angeles police detective Michael Knight, made the show special. His look and personality, inside the talking car KITT, made this a classic tv show. There were tv movies made from Knight Rider, even new tv series based on the original show, but they all failed to bring back the magic. Since Knight Rider have opened other doors to different car films, i can clearly see that times have changed. Just look at the very popular Fast And The Furious films. No talking cars, but a lot of car chasing scenes, and plenty of action. It looks like Fast And The Furious will go on for 10 films, and then call it a quit. I would not be surprised if there is another film coming our way, based on one of the characters of the film, or a prequel. After all, in Hollywood, money talks. Not that long ago, i came across a film on Sky Cinema called Locked In ( Monolith is the american title ). What strike me was the fact that the film includes a talking car, just like in Knight Rider. Of course, the story of Monolith is completely different, but i was curious what this film could offer. I noticed that the lead actor is Katrina Bowden, who i remember from films such as Tucker And Dale Vs Evil and Piranha 3DD. To see her do a lead role, in a very different genre from her catalogue, is of course interesting as well. Does Monolith have a solid story to offer, or is this a simple release that no one will remember ?

Sandra ( Katrina Bowden ) is driving in her very modern car, specially built to keep anyone safe inside the car. She have her son David with her, as they are on the way to Los Angeles. Sandra wants to surprise David´s father. On their way, out in the Utah desert, things does not turn the way she plans. An accident causes her to choose another way, and this is where everything goes bad. Sandra is locked outside of the car, and her son David is too young to understand how you open the door. Since the car is built not to let any stranger in, Sandra will have to find a way to get her son out, or he will die.

Since Monolith ( UK title Locked In ) is not a film that have made much noise, and have not been seen much at all on different film pages, this makes me pleased. Obviously, this is not a film that is trying to make big budget commercials, just to get an audience. Instead, this film rely on reviews, and what the audience thinks of the film. And this is where Monolith manage to succeed in a positive way. Since this is sort of a Knight Rider combination with classic highway films, you get a nostalgic feeling of Monolith. It would have been easy just to rip off Knight Rider completely, and called it something else. But the story is different, as well as the characters. A very technological car does of course have many advantages, but you can´t really be sure. And this is where Monolith tries to give you an angle, how bad things can get if you trust technology too much. Lead actor Katrina Bowden, does a good job, portraying a desperate mother, stuck in a very complicated situation. How far are you willing to go to help your child, locked inside a security safely built car ? I would say this is one of her most interesting characters in films, and i have seen her in some of her earlier work. Director Ivan Silvestrini have directed short films, and tv series in the past. Monolith is his full feature debut release, and i have to say he does a good job. I would not call this an original film in any way, and there are some scenes that could have been improved. Overall, i think the idea behind the story is nicely put together, without giving us anything unique. The scenes of the Utah desert areas looks great, and match great with the story. The car looks really cool, and the technology it offers, gives you an example of what the future might offer ( i have already heard of cars driving on their own, so you can just laid back and rest ). Monolith is sort of a thriller drama, but without lots of violence, and more focused on human behavior in difficult situations. If you enjoyed Knight Rider, then you might actually enjoy this film. The stories between the tv show and this film are very different, but the car reminds us of why we love futuristic cars. Have you been looking for something different to see lately ? Monolith can´t be compared to anything at this moment, and that is a good sign. A film that does have something to say, and make you think about how precious life is.

Rating: DDD

lördag 17 juni 2017

Power Rangers

I was a very big fan of fighting games back in the 90´s. I played Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter games for hours, and i loved many of the characters. I also loved Tekken of course, because Tekken had some of the best graphics at that time. Hollywood knew this could be a great cash in, so of course movie studios decided to make movies, based on video game characters. Some of you might remember the 1993 film Super Mario Bros with Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper ? Wow, this is a really awful film. And the film studios made more films based on video games. How about Double Dragon or Street Fighter with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kylie Minogue ? But then something happened. We actually got a film that was better than expected. The movie adaptation of Mortal Kombat by director Paul W.S. Anderson did manage to capture some of the feeling of the game, and included many of the game characters. I still today consider this film to be one of the only good film adaptations, based on a video game. But martial arts in the 90´s did not make a name only by Jean-Claude Van Damme´s classic action films. A tv show called Power Rangers, became very popular Super Sentai Series from Japan. The 1993 american tv show, based on the Japanese source material, was a huge success, and kids loved the colorful fighting Power Rangers. Toys and merchandise with Power Rangers also sold very well, it was clear that the concept worked very well for a young generation. A movie based on the tv series was released in 1995, simply called Mighty Morphy Power Rangers: The Movie. Since the film was a box office hit, a sequel was made. Of course none of these films were any good. And to be honest, i never have been a fan of the tv series. I only remember seeing some episodes on Saturday mornings in my youth, if nothing else was on tv. When i heard last year that a new film was going to be released, based on the classic popular tv show, i was very skeptical. How on earth can you bring Power Rangers back on screen after 20 years ? It did not sound like a good idea. But then i saw a trailer, and was actually surprised. This new film adaptation actually looked better than i expected. A trailer can look good, but it does not always guarantee a great film. I just had to give the new Power Rangers film a chance, to see if i would be hooked on this new version. With no high expectations at all, is this Power Rangers film the best in the film series so far, or is this another example why you should leave teen tv show adaptations alone ?

In the Cenozoik-era, The Power Rangers are set out to protect life on Earth, including the Zero Crystal. The Green Ranger, Rita Repulsa ( Elizabeth Banks ), betrays the Power Rangers, and plan to dominate the universe. The Red Ranger, Zordon ( Bryan Cranston ), survives Rita´s attack and hides five of the Power Rangers source power, The Power Coins. Zordon orders Alpha 5 to perform a meteor strike, killing him and send Rita to the bottom of the sea. In present day, high school football star Jason Scott ( Dacre Montgomery ) is dismissed from the team, and placed under house arrest for a failed prank. In school detention, Jason meet Billy Cranston ( RJ Cycler ) and Kimberly Hart ( Naomi Scott ) Since Jason helped Billy from being bullied, Billy offer Jason some help, to make sure his ankle monitor does not send out any alarm. It works, and now Jason can move outside as much as he want.  Because Billy helped Jason, in return he asks Jason for help at an old gold mine. Billy detonate explosions, removing a lot of rocks. Students Trini ( Becky G ) and Zack ( Ludi Lin ) are also on location, and witness something unique. The five young people pick up Power Coins, that Zordon hided a long time ago. The evil Rita awakens from the ocean, and she plans to finish her mission. The teenagers manage to locate an ancient space ship, that is lying underground. Here they come in contact with Alpha 5 and Zordon´s consciousness. Since the young teenagers found a coin each, this means they have been chosen to be the next generation of Power Rangers. They must learn to defend themselves and also prepare to face their biggest fear, Rita. She is ready to destroy the wold, unless someone dares to stand against her.

Films based on popular tv kids shows is usually not my thing. We have seen many examples of this happening before, who remember the awful film adaptation of Jem And The Holograms ? You might think making a new movie adaptation of Power Rangers would fall flat to the ground. I am happy to say that, this film is actually not as bad as you might think. This is an science fiction action film, thought to be for fans of the Power Rangers, as well as teenagers. But after watching this film, i can tell you that even adults who love science fiction action might enjoy this film. It is silly, and does include a lot of CGI, but not all turns out to be negative. The young actors are actually not bad. And how often do you see teenagers do good characters very often ? Exactly, this is something we don´t see very often. There is especially one of the characters i enjoy, who is called Billy Cranston ( played by RJ Cyler ). He is a very nerdy character, who is filled with a lot of knowledge. His scenes does make an impact in the team. Thanks to a good cast, who seem to have a good chemistry on screen, the Power Rangers become more fun to watch. There is plenty of action scenes later on in the film, and if you love to see martial arts mixed with science fiction, then this could actually work. Director Dean Israelite is perhaps mostly known for his directorial debut film Project Almanac. It was actually a pleasant surprise, with the idea of teenagers travelling in time from a home made time machine. In some ways, i can understand why he would choose to make a remake of Power Rangers, because he clearly loves science fiction with his debut film Project Almanac. This new film includes a much bigger budget project, and this gives director Dean Israelite a very big challenge, to try and please fans of Powers Rangers, but also please science fiction fans. He does manage to surprise me, because my expectations were not very high. So i am glad he have tried to make a film that keep the feeling of Power Rangers, but make it more serious than the 90´s tv show. The main villain Rita Repulsa, played by actor Elizabeth Banks, is very over the top. And i don´t mind that she is, makes the film a bit more fun. If you never enjoyed Power Rangers from the 90´s, then i doubt you will care about this film. But if you can watch a film with an open mind, then this updated version could actually please you. Power Rangers does what it sets out to do, find an audience that enjoy simple action films. And that has to be a good sign, especially when it is done in a positive way.

Rating: DDD

fredag 16 juni 2017

The Belko Experiment

In my teenage years, i tried working at an NCC Office building. I remember it being the most boring job ever. My job was to help a guy, trying to sort out papers, with order numbers, that had to be written down on a computer. I still remember how bored i was with this job. The man i worked with was nice, but i never understood why he loved writing down order numbers so much. It was like it was his favourite thing to do in life. If we talked about something else, he would fall right back into the numbers. Not the easiest co worker, but hey, at least it was an experience to try a different job. Office work have never made me interested. Sitting in the same building all day long, writing on a computer, having meetings, this is not my kind of thing. I am simply not fit to be an office guy. Speaking about offices, how many of you have seen the tv series The Office ? I have not seen many episodes of the BBC version, but i have seen many episodes of the american tv series. Now this is a great comedy tv series. Steve Carell and his co workers, who are clearly insane, will make your day feel better at any time. One of the reasons The Office worked so well, was because they knew how to make fun of ordinary day life situations, and turn the comedy volume up to an insane level. If you have not seen any of the seasons so far, i suggest you log in online to HBO and watch the seasons. I guarantee you will enjoy yourself. Maybe some of you remember the classic 1999 film Office Space, by director Mike Judge ? A classic comedy if you ask me, with lots of funny characters and some really funny scenes. Especially one scene, where an job interview is being done, and it is very important that you love singer Michael Bolton, if you want to work at this office ( just simply brilliant ). Last year, i think it must have been around september, i was reading about upcoming films, and came across an interesting title. A film called The Belko Experiment. As i started reading more about the film, i became more curious about the content. This seemed to be a completely different take on office films, and i do like films that tries to go a different way. After hearing some positive feedback from the cinema release earlier this year in America, i got a chance to experience The Belko Experiment. Is this one of the most original horror films of this year, or does this film fail to deliver what we were hoping for ?

A new day have just begun at the Belko Industries office building. All the employees are ready to work, and conversations are going around about all the latest gossip. But suddenly, an unknown voice in the building speaker, tell everyone to follow certain rules. To get out of the office building, as many as possible needs to be killed, and the office workers need to do this themselves. At first it seems as a bad joke, but when steel doors block every window, and people´s heads begin to explode, the people inside the building realise that this is not a joke. They have no chance, kill anyone you can, or you will be killed. Who is behind this insane game ? Is there any way out of this madness ?

If you loved the classic cult film Battle Royale, then you might actually be interested in seeing The Belko Experiment. This is sort of another version of Battle Royale, except in an office building, instead on an island. And i like the concept of this film. How far are you willing to go, to make sure you survive ? I would not say this is an original film in any way, but the positive surprise is that this is actually a intelligent film. It would have been easy, just to have people killing each other just to survive. But when you found out some more details, throughout the film, the story becomes more interesting. Director Greg McLean, ( who most horror fans know for his classic Australian horror film Wolf Creek ), combines different ideas and make The Belko Experiment feel like a roller coaster ride, within the walls of an office building. The film works effective as a psychological view on how we handle extremely difficult situations, when we are forced to do whatever it takes to think about ourselves. The cast is one of the highlights of this film. You have John C. McGinley ( who also were in Office Space ), Michael Rooker ( who is perhaps most known for his character Merle Dixon in The Walking Dead, including a number of classic films ), Melonie Diaz ( who were brilliant in the film Fruitvale Station ), Tony Goldwyn ( known for many films, including The Last Samurai ). The cast list is very long, but i think most actors does a good job with their performances. The dialogue between the characters also works well. Perhaps it would have been interesting with an unexpected twist, considering this film have a very interesting idea behind the plot. And this is where i wish The Belko Experiment could have explored some more, and perhaps taken some daring moves.  The hunt itself does include some cliches, we have seen before. A part from this, i will recommend that you watch The Belko Excperiment. It is not often you see a film like this one, that actually tries to do something different in the horror genre these days. One thing is clear from now on, if i ever find myself in an office building again, i will look where the axe is hanging on the wall. I no longer trust office workers after watching The Belko Experiment. Maybe something good comes out of this after all ?

Rating: DDD

måndag 12 juni 2017

It´s Only The End Of The World ( Juste La Fin Du Monde )



There are some directors out there, who from an early age knows how to make quality films. Directors that don´t care about the box office numbers, but focus on making a really solid film. There are of course many directors to choose between, but let´s take one example, Jeff Nichols. His full feature film Shotgun Stories, proved to be a unique experience, but this turned out to be just the tip of the ice berg. His next film Take Shelter, really lifted him up on a completely different level. The film is a really unique look into one man´s mental issues, if he really is right or wrong ? Michael Shannon in the lead role as Curtis, proved why Michael Shannon is one hell of an actor. His facial expressions, his reactions to different situations, it all shows why Michael Shannon made this wonderful film so good. If you have not seen Take Shelter yet, you simply have to. Director Jeff Nichols continued to make wonderful films, and his next one called Mud, really proved how good he is at telling strong, emotional stories. Matthew McConaughey is brilliant as the criminal Mud, who meets two young boys while hiding from justice. Mud is a must see, and let´s not forget, Reese Witherspoon is really good in this film as well. Let´s move outside America for a while and focus on European directors. Most of you have probably seen some really good films from Europe over the years, and i love a lot of films coming out from different countries. So let´s talk about one Canadian director for a while. Director Xavier Dolan have really made a big impression on film critics and audiences worldwide with many of his films. He is very young, only 28 years old and have directed 6 full feature films, and acted in several films as well. The films i have seen by director Xavier Dolan are very intelligent drama films, telling different stories from different peoples lives. And one of my personal favourite films that he have directed is Laurence Anyways. The story of a couple of a woman, and a transgender woman, who are in love, is both really beautiful but also show us how difficult it can be to live as a transgender woman. A very strong film, with a lot to say about relationships, making choices and dealing with life. Director Xavier Dolan keeps on working hard, and i always look forward to see his next project. After i heard that he won the award Grand Prix Award for his new film It´s Only The End Of The World. But that´s not all, this film have won 3 awards at the César Awards 2017, as well as 5 awards at the Canadian Screen Awards ( one of the awards was for Best Motion Picture ). I just had to see this film in cinemas, especially when i read that the film is based on a play about a homosexual man, who knows he is going to die soon. Since director Xavier Dolan have done such good films in the past, is this film his best film so far in his career, or is this a downfall for him ?

Louis ( Gaspard Ulliel ) travels to his mother ( Nathalie Baye ) and his sister Suzanne ( Léa Seydoux ) after being away for 12 years. Louis is a homosexual man, with a disease. He is going to die soon. And this trip to his family could be his last. But no one knows about this, and this could be the only chance he have to say goodbye. While he arrives he also meet his brother Antoine ( Vincent Cassel ) and his wife Catherine ( Marion Cottilard ). This is supposed to be a lovely family reunion, where the family is finally gathered together. But with Louis keeping his secrets to himself, can he be honest and tell the truth ? Or is it too difficult to handle ?

When you are emotionally attached to a film, you know it will stick to your mind. And this is exactly what It´s Only The End Of The World does. Seeing Louis going back to his family, trying to tell his family that he is dying, is a really emotional moment. How do you tell someone that you will die ? Do you have the strength to tell someone you love, that you won´t survive a disease? There are many questions around this subject, and i don´t think there is any real answer to them. All i can see is the pain in Louis eyes, when he knows that this might be the last time he sees his sister and mother. The acting from the cast is incredible. The characters are all very well written, and the power from the performances strike you from the very first minutes of the film, to the end. Nathalie Baye as the wonderful mother of Louis, is both charming, funny, and makes you enjoy every moment of her screen time. Léa Seydoux as Louis sister Suzanne, is a young woman with many issues kept inside of her, but with a good heart. Her perfomance is also very good, and you kind of feel sorry for her throughout the film. Vincent Cassel as the angry, self centered Antione, who hates everyone, is without a doubt the most powerful character of the film. When he gets really angry within the final scenes in the film, you can really feel how much anger he is carrying inside of him. Almost as if he is ready to explode. Vincent Cassel does one of his best performances of his career. I have never seen him this good in a film for many years. And of course the main character Louis, played by Gaspard Ulliel, is the shy son with a dark secret. Gaspard make his character feel mysterious, and at the same time you can recognize his shyness. When you see his sad eyes, that holds so much pain and sadness, you sit there in the theatre and wish his disease would vanish, that he deserves to live a long happy life. Director Xavier Dolan is known for making very strong films, and this film is not different in that sense. This is a powerful film that have so much to say. There is a lot of dialogue, and if you can cope with that, you are in for a very special theatre visit. It´s Only The End Of The World is in my opinion one of the most strongest drama films of this year. I actually went to see this film 2 times in a cinema, because i love this film. It is very hard to say if this will be one of the best films of this year so far, because we still have plenty of films coming out. But this is without a doubt one of the best film i have seen in cinemas in quite some time. If you love a really strong drama, with fantastic acting, you must see It´s Only The End Of The World in cinemas right now. Director Xavier Dolan is one of the most talented Canadian directors of our time, and he proves this clearly with this film.

Rating: DDDD

Colossal

Every year there are tons of films released. And i always try to look for something original, and interesting. Usually, you find something interesting within independent film releases. Since a lot of big budget films usually lacks of original stories, i prefer to turn to independent films. Not all of them are good of course, but most interesting films have something to offer. There are of course tons of titles to choose between, if we are talking about really good independent films. One of my personal favourite ones from recent years, has to be Nebraska from director Alexander Payne. The wondeful story of old man Woody ( played brilliant by legendary actor Bruce Dern ), who believe he won a lottery and need to get his money in Nebraska. This film is both funny, very dramatic, and with really beautiful cinematography by Phedon Papamichael. The film really managed to capture the feeling of how important it is to follow our dreams, even if they seem impossible. I suggest that you go online and buy Nebraska on blu ray, you have never seen actor Bruce Dern as good as he is in this film. A lot of actors from Hollywood have tried to head into smaller films, and in many cases it turns out to be a really good choice. Just look at Brokeback Mountain with Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger ( both of them doing splendid performances ) from critically acclaimed director Ang Lee. A really strong film, made on a budget of only 14 million dollars, but proved why smaller films sometimes work better than big budget releases. This film also had actor Anne Hathaway on board. She also did a wonderful performance in Brokeback Mountain. Let´s talk about Anne for a while. She started out with the fluffy, girl film The Princess Diary back in 2001. At that time, i did see the film, but can´t say it was that good. So to see her develop her acting level, and land a role in a much better film, such as Brokeback Mountain, proves that anything is possible. Anne continued making some good films, including Rachel Getting Married and Interstellar. In the beginning of 2017 i was reading about a new film coming out this year called Colossal, with Anne Hathaway. As i watched the trailer, i could tell this was going to be something special. This film looked unique, and i just had to see it. Is this one of the most original films of 2017, or is this a film that failed to deliver something interesting ?

Gloria ( Anne Hathaway ) is an unemployed writer, struggling with alcohol problems. Her bad behavior, and her selfish attitude, is too much for her boyfriend Tim ( Dan Stevens ) too handle. So he kicks her out, and break up with her. Gloria is forced to move back to her hometown, to try and start all over again. She reunite with her childhood friend Oscar ( Jason Suedikis ), who have taken over his father´s bar. Oscar helps Gloria with her apartment, get her furniture and other things for her new home. He even help her get a job at his bar, but that does not help her, considering her alcohol problems. Still, they decide to have a night out, when Gloria passes out on a park bench. As she wakes up in this park, she does not know that this park will change her life. Within a certain area of this park, she is in control of a giant reptilian kaiju in Seoul, South Korea, that is seen on tv worldwide. At first Gloria does not understand why she is connected to this reptilian kaiju, but the park area seems to be holding some answers. 

There is no doubt that Colossal is one of the most odd films released this year. I can´t really say i have seen anything like this film, because the mix of genres are unique. Imagine a Pacific Rim film, mixed with 28 Days with Sandra Bullock, and throw in some Donnie Darko vibes in there, and you have something that might look like Colossal. I don´t honestly know what category i should place this film in, but it does not matter. I like to see a film that stands out, and don´t try to follow any trends. This film moves in all kinds of directions. This is the kind of film that some people, will probably hate. People, who don´t enjoy odd films will most likely stop watching after a while. I do believe that this is a film, for quality film audiences. Those people who prefer to see smaller films, because they don´t enjoy seeing another big budget box office release. One of the most positive surprises is how great the characters are in this film. In some ways they look just like ordinary people, but obviously they have something secret hidden within them. And once you get to find out more about their background, you can understand why they have a lot of issues from the past. It is so nice to see actor Anne Hathaway in one of the best performances she have done in years, as the alcoholic Gloria. Her character have lost hope, and lives day by day, with the help of alcohol. But the odd change, that change the film completely later on, makes her character become more interesting. I really enjoy the fact that Colossal completely changes tone later in the film, and mix in some really unexpected turns. I am not going to give away any details, but if you love a film that does not follow a certain pattern, then i think you might be happy with Colossal. Director Nacho Vigalondo, have directed several films in the past, and one of them that you might have seen is Open Windows with Elijah Wood. Not a unique film in any way, but watchable. However, i will say this. Colossal is the best film i have seen from director Nacho Vigalondo. He really stepped it up with this film, to a new level of quality. He nails great characters, and have a pretty solid story also. And i am happy to say that actor Jason Suedikis also does one of his best performances in his career. I seriously doubt you will see any film like Colossal this year, this is one of those films you won´t forget, because it is odd as hell. And this is why i enjoy this film so much, there is so much intelligence behind this story. Colossal makes you entertained, but this film also makes you think, about making choices in life. Make sure to see Colossal this summer, you won´t regret that you did choose to see this film.

Rating: DDDD