There are actors who you either enjoy, or you don´t like at all. Of course there are actors who have done both really bad films, and some films you have enjoyed as well. One actor i never really liked is the British actor Hugh Grant, and i will tell you why. From the 1994 hit romantic comedy Four Weddings And A Funeral, he kept on doing a lot of comedies that left no impact for me. And to be honest, i would not say he gave any powerful performances either, except for the drama comedy About A Boy. Perhaps one of the only films i can say i enjoyed with Hugh Grant, maybe because he played a selfish man, who focus more on a luxary lifestyle than seeing what is more important in life. Grant continued doing more comedies, and none of them really got me interested. Another great example of an actor who have not made me interested in his films, is the actor known as Zac Efrom. From his early years of the films High School Musical, he made some really clear choices in characters that would fit for a younger audience. And to be honest, i have seen at least few of them such as New Year´s Eve ( don´t ask me why i watched this one ), That Awkward Moment, Bad Grandpa, and Mike And David Need Wedding Dates. I will say that he was at least ok in the comedy Neighbors, where he managed to pull off some funny scenes. Other than that i can´t say i have liked a lot of his work so far. Earlier this year i was hearing a lot of talk about Zac Efron, in his new film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile. In this film he is playing the serial killer Ted Bundy, who murdered a lot of young girls in the 70´s And it seemed that movie critics were surprisingly positive about the performance from Zac Efron, and this got me interested in this film. I always enjoy seeing an actor doing something totally different from what they have done before, so is this film the best work of Zac Efron´s career so far, or is this a serial killerbiographical film that does not leave a big impcat at all ?
In 1969 Seattle, law student Ted Bundy ( Zac Efron ) meets Liz Kendall ( Lily Collins ), a secretary and a single Mmther. They begin to date, and Ted help her raise her daughter Molly. By 1974, news reporters announce the murders of multiple young women, including two who disappeared in broad daylight at Lake Sammamish. Several women have seen a similar man as Ted Bundy drinving a Wolksvagen Bug, as a composite sketch is released of the suspect. After hundreds of calls on people who recognize the sketch, Ted is arrested in 1975. A young woman named Carol DaRonch ( Grace Victoria Cox ) picks out Ted in a police lineup, claiming he kidnapped her and threated to kill her before she managed to escape. Ted is released on bail, returning home to Liz. But as more victims are found, it will be harder for Ted to deny the truth, as he believes he will proof that he is not guilty of any murders.
Let´s be honest here right from the beginning. Without Zac Efron in the lead role, this film would not be on the same level of quality as it stands now. Efron really show you that he can act, if he only is given the right kind of character. For me personallly this is his best acting performance in his career so far. He manage to capture the image of Ted Bundy, on why he managed to charm so many ladies and control them with his disturbing personality. But wait a minute, what about the other performances ? To be honest, it is very hard for other characters to reach the same level of acting as Zac Efron gives in this film, but i will say we do get some other performances worth mentioning. Legendary actor John Malkovich as presiding judge Edward Cowart shows you why Malkovich knows what he is doing. He is the kind of actor who can lift up any character, and he does in this film as well giving us a solid performance. English actress Kaya Scodelario ( who you might have seen as Teresa in The Maze Runner trilogy ) gives a really good performance as Ted Bundy´s riend Carol Ann, who clearly worship Ted. It is nice to see lead singer of Metallica here, James Hetfield as the character Bob Hayward, a police officer in Utah. I would not say Hetfield gives a strong performance, but it is nice to see him in this environment for a change, doing something different outside his music career. Actress Lily Collins who plays Ted Bundy´s wife Liz Kendall, does not feel that strong as the character i was hoping for. Her performance is not bad, just not as strong as this character would have needed to be. It is worth to mention that this film does not focus on the brutal murders Ted commited, more about his trials and his relationship with Liz. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile is a great choice for a Netflix night, if you want to see a biographical film about one of the most famous serial killers of the 70´s. This is a film that shows you how disturbing a monster can be, who have no remorse on his victims. Director Joe Berlinger ( who were one of the director´s on Metallica´s documentary film Some Kind Of Monster ) , have managed to make a film that shows you the mentality of a serial killer. Zac Efron really deserves all the positive reviews he have gotten so far, and this film is his most serious project so far.
Rating: DDD
måndag 17 juni 2019
Demon Eye
Demons, the evil creatures that lurkes in the shadow of darkness, are not to play with. Unfortunately this is something that The Dansband Society does not seem to understand in Sweden. Every time we have a dansband ( Swedish styled music, beyond horrible ) played live, the demons make people go insane. Some people roll around as if they are demon possessed, some people fly up in to the roof while some people begin to talk ancient demonic words, and it is all because of dansband music. Demons love this music, that is why a portal to hell opens up every time one of these satanic bands play. So the only way to make everything normal again is to play Ursprung Buam, an Austrian folk music band who defeat demons with their wonderful Tyrol songs. When it comes to films that bring up demons, or some evil entity we have a lot of films titles to choose between. I could probably mention a couple of ones, but i think this time i would like to focus on one film, that probably none of you have seen. A film released in 2010 known as The Shrine. An independent horror film from director John Knautz. This film is about two female journalists, and a photographer who travel to Poland to investigate a missing person. This is a well made horror film, and the demonic fight towards in the end is really fun with lots of gore. I have to mention that i love that this film uses a very old village as location, with polish accents during their religious sacrifices. The dark locations also feel right for the atmosphere of this film. If you have not seen The Shrine, try and pick up the DVD. This is a film worth having in your collection, if you enjoy demonic horror films.I recently listened to a review of a British horror film known as Demon Eye, on the YouTube channel Geek Legion Of Doom. Since i enjoy demons ( especially if they love tea afternoons in the garden of course ), i had to take a look at this film. Is this a film you should check out, or is Demon Eye most likely a film no one will remember ?
Sadie ( Katie James ) return home to her father´s cabin after being away for a long time. Her father was found dead, suspected to hang himself. Sadie have no idea why he did this. At her father´s cabin, she meets local news paper worker John ( Darren Day ) who tell her they are looking for a photographer for their local news paper. Sadie agrees to begin work there, but since she discovered a mysterious amulet, she learns about the folklore of the Demon Girl. Somehow her father´s death seems connected to the Demon Girl. Some secrets are better kept hidden.
There is an interesting folklore story here in Demon Eye, that could have made this film more interesting. Unfortunately, this film have some problems that we need to talk about. First of all, there are a couple of scenes where we see the demon watch while walking from the lower floor ( and this demon is no dog, so i find this very strange ) The CGI scenes with the demon girl does not feel very effective. I understand that this is an independent film, but i have seen several low budget horror films that can make CGI scenes work on a lower budget. If the demon girl have been made more effective with CGI, i think the story could have been more effective as well. Let´s get into some positive things about Demon Girl. Actress Katie James, who plays the lead character Sadie gives this film a performance that works ( except for her jump scare scenes, she does not seem very frightened ). Actor Robert Hamilton may have one of the better acting performances in Demon Eye, as local news paper worker Dan. The location of this film is beautiful, with some really nice landscape locations. I also like the idea of the amulet, that the Demon Girl created before she was burned. You get a sense that this amulet is her passage way to our world, and who ever wears the amulet can use the Demon Girl for wishes. Even if i enjoyed certain details about Demon Girls, i can´t deny that this film fails to deliver as a horror film. You won´t be very scared, and the demonic girl does not feel as effective as she should have been. Director Ryan Simmons should have put more effort into the folklore story, and fixed the CGI effects. He does have a story here that sounds interesting on paper, but does not seem to work completely on camera. I suggest you see The Shrine on DVD instead, and see how a demon horror film should look like. Demon Eye have some potential ideas, but in the long run this is a film that will not be remembered for bringing anything interesting into this genre.
Rating: DD
Sadie ( Katie James ) return home to her father´s cabin after being away for a long time. Her father was found dead, suspected to hang himself. Sadie have no idea why he did this. At her father´s cabin, she meets local news paper worker John ( Darren Day ) who tell her they are looking for a photographer for their local news paper. Sadie agrees to begin work there, but since she discovered a mysterious amulet, she learns about the folklore of the Demon Girl. Somehow her father´s death seems connected to the Demon Girl. Some secrets are better kept hidden.
There is an interesting folklore story here in Demon Eye, that could have made this film more interesting. Unfortunately, this film have some problems that we need to talk about. First of all, there are a couple of scenes where we see the demon watch while walking from the lower floor ( and this demon is no dog, so i find this very strange ) The CGI scenes with the demon girl does not feel very effective. I understand that this is an independent film, but i have seen several low budget horror films that can make CGI scenes work on a lower budget. If the demon girl have been made more effective with CGI, i think the story could have been more effective as well. Let´s get into some positive things about Demon Girl. Actress Katie James, who plays the lead character Sadie gives this film a performance that works ( except for her jump scare scenes, she does not seem very frightened ). Actor Robert Hamilton may have one of the better acting performances in Demon Eye, as local news paper worker Dan. The location of this film is beautiful, with some really nice landscape locations. I also like the idea of the amulet, that the Demon Girl created before she was burned. You get a sense that this amulet is her passage way to our world, and who ever wears the amulet can use the Demon Girl for wishes. Even if i enjoyed certain details about Demon Girls, i can´t deny that this film fails to deliver as a horror film. You won´t be very scared, and the demonic girl does not feel as effective as she should have been. Director Ryan Simmons should have put more effort into the folklore story, and fixed the CGI effects. He does have a story here that sounds interesting on paper, but does not seem to work completely on camera. I suggest you see The Shrine on DVD instead, and see how a demon horror film should look like. Demon Eye have some potential ideas, but in the long run this is a film that will not be remembered for bringing anything interesting into this genre.
Rating: DD
fredag 7 juni 2019
Her Smell
Life can be a shit hole, unless you know how to turn things around and make something good out of it. No matter what problems you have, there is always a chance to try a different path. In my youth, i witnessed some close friends become very injured by drugs. Especially two brothers, who i grew up with from an early age. One of the brothers overdosed, and luckily survived but was brain damaged. He is basically a completely different person today, not the happy guy i grew up with. His other brother overdosed and died, found by his own mother in his appartment. The biggest tragedy of all is that the drugs destroyed this family completely. I still have images in my head, going down to the hospital seeing one of the brothers lying in bed from an overdose, and i will never forget what i saw. Drugs can fuck you up completely, so i never felt the need to do them ( never tried any big drugs, except for Marijuana ). Alcohol i can handle, so im no addict in any way. When it comes to films that brings up addiction, i am always reminded by the independent drama film Sherrybaby, with actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. Released in 2006 from director Laurie Collyer, this film tells the story of former heroin addict Sherry Swanson, who was recently released from prison. She is about to start a new life, hoping to find a job and get connected with her daughter. This film is both really tragic, and realistic, how hard it is to be addicted to drugs and alcohol, and Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a really powerful performance. Her character Sherry is never getting out of addiction, you can sense that from the beggining, unless she really finds a way out. A must see on DVD or Blu Ray, if you want to see a very tragic portrait about addiction. I recently heard some reviews on a new independent film known as Her Smell, a film that clearly tells a story of how addiction can affect your entire life.
Punk band Something She, with members Becky Something ( Elisabeth Moss ), Marielle Hell ( Agyness Deyn ) and Ali Van Der Wolf ( Gayle Rankin ), have made a big impact with their raw sound, and honest lyrics. But things are out of control with front singer Becky. She can´t take care of her baby daughter, she can´t record new songs in the studio for a new album, and her life is on the way to become even worse with her alcohol and drug addiction. Will Becky ever get out of this misery, or is her time running out for good ?
It has been a while i have seen a film that hit you right in the face, with a very realistic and brutal reality of addiction. And this is exactly what the film Her Smell does, and i am not afraid to say that this is one of the best films i have seen so far this year. The acting in this film is so damn good, it is hard to describe. You have to see for yourself to understand. Lead actress Elisabeth Moss as the drug addicted singer Becky is absolutely phenomenal. I have never seen her do such a fantastic performance as she does here, and she deserves to be nominated at every film festival for her astonishing performance. Becky is exactly the proof of how bad things can become in the music industry, if you have access to drugs and alcohol and still perform on stage with no control. Especially the tragic scene where she drops her baby daughter, being too drunk and high on drugs. But there are more performances we need to talk about from the cast. Legendary actor Eric Stoltz ( who i have seen in many films, especially remembering his magical performance in the 1985 film Mask ) does a really good performance as manager Howard. You can tell his character is frustrated, for each chance he gives Becky. Legendary actress Virginia Madsen ( still looking gorgeous as Always, from classics such as Sideways ) gives a powerful performance as Ania, mother of Becky, You can tell she feels hurt by her daughter´s addiction, and Virginia shows this clear with her facial expressions. Actress Agyness Deyn as basist Marielle is one of the characters i feel is very interesting. Her angry scenes, when she is so frustrated over Becky´s bad behavior, will make you affected. Her Smell is not only about addiction, but this film really shows you how bad a person can become being addicted to drugs and alcohol in an honest way. The storyline is effective, with some really good looking cinematography from Sean Price Williams. Director Alex Ross Perry, i salute you sir for giving us such an amazing film such as Her Smell. We need a very honest and realistic film about addiction, and Alex manage to give us exactly what we need to see. A powerful and honest film about real life, where the end of the rainbow is not always shining bright. Support this independent film, buy a DVD or Blu Ray. This is one of the best films of 2019, so far.
Rating: DDDD
Captain Marvel
I love to see actors who dare to try different types of characters, and in different genres. If you are willing to explore different types of characters as an actor, you have a bigger chance of becoming more interesting for people who love films in all categories. Just look at actress Brie Larson, and she is a perfect example of a woman who is not afraid to go in different directions. One of the earliest memories i have of her, is in the drama film Tanner Hall, released in 2009. This film tells the story of Fernanda ( played by actress Rooney Mara ) who enters her senior year at Tanner Hall, a boarding school in New England who is about to experience a big change in her friend circle. Tanner Hall is a well made film, and manage to tell a story about young women, from their perspective facing reality. She also did a great performance in the action comedy 21 Jump Street ( based on the classic 80´s TV series with the same name ), released in 2012. A great comedy and the chemistry between lead actors Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum works really well. But it was in 2015 when Brie Larson really got a chance to shine in the very emotional drama film Room, a film that would change her career forever. Room is one of the best drama films i have seen from the year of 2015, that tells the story of Young mother Joy, and her 5-year-old son Jack, who live inside a room and is not allowed to go out. They are captives of an old man they call " Old Nick ". This is a very emotional film, about how this mother and son are trapped by a very disturbed man and how they manage to live each day with only being inside a room. Director Danny Cohen have made a film that is very important, because this has happened several times, such as the Josef Fritzl case. If you have not seen Room, i suggest you pick up a DVD copy or on Blu Ray, it is a film you will not forget. When i heard last year that Brie was going to become Captain Marvel in a new film, based on the comic book character, i was pleased. She felt like the right choice for this character, and a lot of Marvel films in the past have turned out to be very good. Is this one of the best films of actress Brie Larson´s career so far, or is Captain Marvel not as strong as i hoped it would be ?
The year is 1995, and on the Kree Empire´s capital planet Hala, Starforce member Vers ( Brie Larson ) suffers from amnesia and recurring nightmares involving an older woman. Commander Yon-Rogg ( Jude Law ) is her mentor, and trains her to control her abilities. During a mission to rescue an undercover operative infiltrating a group of Skulls, aliens shapeshifters who are at war against Kree.,Vers is captured by Skulls commander Talos ( Ben Mendelsohn ). Vers manage to escape from Talos spaceship and crash lands on Earth. Vers tries to communicate with Yon-Rogg to inform them where she is located. But the soldiers of Commander Talos have followed her to Earth, as she seems to be getting flashbacks of her earlier life. It seems that she have been a pilot on Earth back in 1989. Her presence attracts S.H.I.E.L.D agent Nick Fury ( Samuel L. Jackson ) who helps her against the Soldiers of Commander Talos. But is there another threat than Talos and his men, and has she really been told the truth about her past ?
If you enjoy other films of Marvel characters, i guarantee you will have a good time with Captain Marvel. This is another high quality Marvel film, with some really good action scenes and actually some funny scenes as well. Even the serious moments works pretty good as well, and still manage to capture the right balance of a comic book adaptation. Actress Brie Larson does a really good performance as Captain Marvel, and i especially enjoy the scenes where she is kicking ass. Brie shows why she is such a great actress, who can take on all genres and manage to do so, almost on the same quality level as Wonder Woman had. But let´s be honest, Brie is not the only good actor here. Samuel L. Jackson is back as Nick Fury, and he have no problem making another really good performance. I have to say actor Jude Law is better than i expected as the character Commander Yon-Rogg and probably give one of his better performances in recent years here in Captain Marvel. There are some other good performances i have not mentioned here as well, but let´s get into the best parts of this film. The fighting scenes feels both intensive and looks great. You can tell they have tried to make each fight to be designed on a high quality level. Battle scenes with weapons is also something that manage to work as well, with some really cool characters joining the battle. The CGI scenes works well, especially the flying scenes. Almost feels like a mixture of Top Gun and Star Wars combined. The alien shapeshifters is another cool detail about this film, made me think of Critters 2 ( a classic horror comedy from 1988 ). Let´s not forget the 90´s soundtrack, especially when i hear Garbage classic song I´m Only Happy When It Rains, a perfect choice for this film. Captain Marvel have a lot to offer, especially for Marvel fans and i am already looking forward to a sequel. A really good action film for everyone to see on DVD and Blu Ray this summer, Captain Marvel is exactly what you need after a visit from the beach, and hopefully some lovely drinks are included.
Rating: DDDD
The year is 1995, and on the Kree Empire´s capital planet Hala, Starforce member Vers ( Brie Larson ) suffers from amnesia and recurring nightmares involving an older woman. Commander Yon-Rogg ( Jude Law ) is her mentor, and trains her to control her abilities. During a mission to rescue an undercover operative infiltrating a group of Skulls, aliens shapeshifters who are at war against Kree.,Vers is captured by Skulls commander Talos ( Ben Mendelsohn ). Vers manage to escape from Talos spaceship and crash lands on Earth. Vers tries to communicate with Yon-Rogg to inform them where she is located. But the soldiers of Commander Talos have followed her to Earth, as she seems to be getting flashbacks of her earlier life. It seems that she have been a pilot on Earth back in 1989. Her presence attracts S.H.I.E.L.D agent Nick Fury ( Samuel L. Jackson ) who helps her against the Soldiers of Commander Talos. But is there another threat than Talos and his men, and has she really been told the truth about her past ?
If you enjoy other films of Marvel characters, i guarantee you will have a good time with Captain Marvel. This is another high quality Marvel film, with some really good action scenes and actually some funny scenes as well. Even the serious moments works pretty good as well, and still manage to capture the right balance of a comic book adaptation. Actress Brie Larson does a really good performance as Captain Marvel, and i especially enjoy the scenes where she is kicking ass. Brie shows why she is such a great actress, who can take on all genres and manage to do so, almost on the same quality level as Wonder Woman had. But let´s be honest, Brie is not the only good actor here. Samuel L. Jackson is back as Nick Fury, and he have no problem making another really good performance. I have to say actor Jude Law is better than i expected as the character Commander Yon-Rogg and probably give one of his better performances in recent years here in Captain Marvel. There are some other good performances i have not mentioned here as well, but let´s get into the best parts of this film. The fighting scenes feels both intensive and looks great. You can tell they have tried to make each fight to be designed on a high quality level. Battle scenes with weapons is also something that manage to work as well, with some really cool characters joining the battle. The CGI scenes works well, especially the flying scenes. Almost feels like a mixture of Top Gun and Star Wars combined. The alien shapeshifters is another cool detail about this film, made me think of Critters 2 ( a classic horror comedy from 1988 ). Let´s not forget the 90´s soundtrack, especially when i hear Garbage classic song I´m Only Happy When It Rains, a perfect choice for this film. Captain Marvel have a lot to offer, especially for Marvel fans and i am already looking forward to a sequel. A really good action film for everyone to see on DVD and Blu Ray this summer, Captain Marvel is exactly what you need after a visit from the beach, and hopefully some lovely drinks are included.
Rating: DDDD
torsdag 6 juni 2019
The Least Of These
Every now and then, i try to move outside of my comfort zone. What do i mean by that ? Well, i usually avoid films that i don´t think look interesting. Especially films produced by Pure Flix, who have a history of bad films. Last year i did try and give one specific film a chance, even though i had several warning signs shining all around me. A drama film called The Trump Prophecy, a faith based drama film, that is based on a true story of a fireman who predicted that Trump would become president. If you never heard about this film, you should check it out just to see how a really awful film looks like. Last year i named The Trump Prophecy the worst film of 2018. This film had nothing positive to give the audience. The acting is really bad, the cinematography is awful, the horrible CGI scenes are probably among the worst i have ever seen, and the story makes no sense at all. Do you remeber the name of Stephen Baldwin ? I think if you grew up in the 90´s, you might remember him from the classic thriller The Usual Suspects, released in 1995. Since then, Stephen have left Hollywood a long time ago and is now more focused about his love for President Trump, and making Christian films. I have not seen his films in recent years, only Heard him on interviews from different news stations where he talked politics. But i have Heard about one of his latest films, known as The Least Of These. This film is based on a true story about the Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines, how he tried to help people in India with health problems. I have heard some reviews of this film from different movie critics, and this seemed to be a film that divided a lot of people. So i decided to give Stephen Baldwin and his film crew a chance, just in case this might actually be goo. Is this drama a film that will touch your heart, or is this a film you won´t remember at all ?
In the late 1990´s journalist Manav Banerjee ( Sharman Joshi ) moves with his pregnant wife to the State of Orissa, in hope for a better career and hoping for a good life for his family. When speculation mounts that Australian missionary Graham Staines ( Stephen Baldwin ) is illegally proselytizing leprosy patients, Manay agree to investigate undercover for the local newspaper. Manay finds a series of revelations that are impossible to explain, and he begin to question if maybe everyone is wrong about Graham, and all the things that he do for the Indian people are actually making a big difference.
I tried giving The Least Of These a chance, but this is not a good film. And there are several things that don´t work with this film. First of all the acting. The acting in this film feels very lame, as if the actors who are on board are here for the paycheck. Actor Sharman Joshi ( who i only have seen in one film before known as London 1920 ) is not the strong character a film like this needs to be, as the journalist Manav. In some scenes he does not even act, almost like he only remember the dialogue and say it like he is supposed to. In a few scenes he finally get some acting done, but not strong enough to leave any emotions. Actor Stephen Baldwin ( who have done some classics such as Bio Dome ) is here playing Graham Staines, the Australian missionary worker. I would not say he is very good here either, but he may be one of the few who does some kind of acting, and should have tried harder to make his character feel interesting. Actress Shari Rigby who i have never seen in a film before, could have been interesting as Graham´s wife Gladys. Unfortunately, she does not give the performance that we could have had. The rest of the Indian cast does not make a strong impact either, and i know there are many great Indian actors out there, but they don´t seem to be a part of this film. The story of Graham Staines could have been executed in a much more powerful way. Since this is supposed to tell a story of how he helped people, they should have digged deeper with more emotions and a more clear image of what he managed to do. Director Aneesh Daniel have made a directorial debut film that does have something important to tell you, but fails to do it in a powerful way. This film feels more like an ordinary TV drama film, that we have seen so many times before. The Least Of These is a film that will most likely be forgotten, as many other faith based films have proved in the past. If you want to see a powerful film, choose something else such as Boy Erased, and i am sure you won´t regret it.
Rating: D
In the late 1990´s journalist Manav Banerjee ( Sharman Joshi ) moves with his pregnant wife to the State of Orissa, in hope for a better career and hoping for a good life for his family. When speculation mounts that Australian missionary Graham Staines ( Stephen Baldwin ) is illegally proselytizing leprosy patients, Manay agree to investigate undercover for the local newspaper. Manay finds a series of revelations that are impossible to explain, and he begin to question if maybe everyone is wrong about Graham, and all the things that he do for the Indian people are actually making a big difference.
I tried giving The Least Of These a chance, but this is not a good film. And there are several things that don´t work with this film. First of all the acting. The acting in this film feels very lame, as if the actors who are on board are here for the paycheck. Actor Sharman Joshi ( who i only have seen in one film before known as London 1920 ) is not the strong character a film like this needs to be, as the journalist Manav. In some scenes he does not even act, almost like he only remember the dialogue and say it like he is supposed to. In a few scenes he finally get some acting done, but not strong enough to leave any emotions. Actor Stephen Baldwin ( who have done some classics such as Bio Dome ) is here playing Graham Staines, the Australian missionary worker. I would not say he is very good here either, but he may be one of the few who does some kind of acting, and should have tried harder to make his character feel interesting. Actress Shari Rigby who i have never seen in a film before, could have been interesting as Graham´s wife Gladys. Unfortunately, she does not give the performance that we could have had. The rest of the Indian cast does not make a strong impact either, and i know there are many great Indian actors out there, but they don´t seem to be a part of this film. The story of Graham Staines could have been executed in a much more powerful way. Since this is supposed to tell a story of how he helped people, they should have digged deeper with more emotions and a more clear image of what he managed to do. Director Aneesh Daniel have made a directorial debut film that does have something important to tell you, but fails to do it in a powerful way. This film feels more like an ordinary TV drama film, that we have seen so many times before. The Least Of These is a film that will most likely be forgotten, as many other faith based films have proved in the past. If you want to see a powerful film, choose something else such as Boy Erased, and i am sure you won´t regret it.
Rating: D
måndag 3 juni 2019
Maria
In the world of action films, there is a cliché about only men can kick ass. That is totally wrong. There are bad ass women out there, who will rip your nuts off in just three seconds. So men who don´t think women will knock you out, think again. I can give you some good examples, in a time when certain women proved that they can´t be stopped. If you grew up like me in the 80´s and 90´s, you probably remember B action martial arts actress Cynthia Rothrock. She has done a lot of B action movies for many years. One of my personal favourites is the 1992 film known as Lady Dragon, directed by David Worth. This film reminds me of the 1989 cult classic Kickboxer, with Jean-Claude Van Damme, and it is not hard to understand why. Both films are directed by David Worth, but i prefer Kickboxer if i had to choose. However, Lady Dragon is still a fun ride, where Cynthia Rothrock gets some great kick ass scenes. I also enjoy her training scenes, that shows you how good she is at martial arts. I suggest if you want to see a classic Cynthia Rothrock film, pick up Lady Dragon on DVD ( get the German release, they have a lot of her films for sale ). But let´s be honest, one of the most classic films with a female action heroes is of course Luc Besson´s Nikita. Released in 1990, this film became a cult hit for fans of action films. Lead actress Ann Parillaud as the assassin Nikita, turned out to be a really good character in a very well made action film. Nikita manage to balance a great story and the action scenes are impressive. Director Luc Besson clearly knew what he was doing, and this is a must see. I recently came across a new Philippine action movie called Maria, that i have read some reviews online. This seemed to be a throwback to the 90´s, and i love to see films like this being made in present day. Is the new action film Maria a great time for the whole family, or is Maria proof that the 90´s action films were better ?
Maria ( Cristine Reyes ) lives an ordinary family life, but she have a secret past as an assassin in the Black Rose cartel. She betrayed the Black Rose cartel and left without finishing the job. To disappear, she faked her own death to start a new Life. But the cartel finds her, through Kaleb ( Germaine De Leon ) and he wants her dead. He sends out his best assassins, and kill both her husband and daughter. Maria thought she could leave her past behind, now she must face reality and make things right again.
If you are looking for Oscar performances, or a great plot, you won´t find it here in Maria. However, if you want to see a bad ass woman, kicking a hell of a lot of ass, this is a film for you. Maria is a throwback to the martial art films of the 90´s, where you recognize the plot. But the most positive is that actress Cristine Reyes is the lead character Maria. She has done a lot of films in the Philippines, but this is the first film i have seen her in. Cristine manage to become the Cynthia Rothrock of the Philippines, and she does a really good job with her fighting scenes. Her acting may not be really strong, but as an action actor she knows what she is doing. I also enjoy the performance of actress Jennifer Lee as the fighter Miru. This film is actually better with the female cast, since some of the male actors don´t feel as interesting. I will say though that evil Kaleb, played by actor Germaine De Leon is a good choice for a bad guy. Since Maria does not have a strong plot, this film rely on the action scenes. The budget is limited, but this film manage to get it done right anyway, thanks to great fighting choreography. The dialogue is not anything you will remember here, Since it is very basic. But that´s ok, if you just want to be entertained by an action film, you won´t care about the dialogue. The revenge theme is actually something that works for a film like this. Is there anything that this film fails with ? I would probably say that the acting is one of the main problems with this film, especially when most of the male cast does not deliver as much as the female characters. Other than that, i can´t complain much since i enjoy films such as Maria, that tries to bring martial art action movies of the 90´s back to present day. If you enjoy earlier films of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Cynthia Rothrock, then you will most likely have a good time with Maria. I hope to see actress Cristine Reyes in more films like Maria, we definitely need more films with women kicking ass.
Rating: DDD
Maria ( Cristine Reyes ) lives an ordinary family life, but she have a secret past as an assassin in the Black Rose cartel. She betrayed the Black Rose cartel and left without finishing the job. To disappear, she faked her own death to start a new Life. But the cartel finds her, through Kaleb ( Germaine De Leon ) and he wants her dead. He sends out his best assassins, and kill both her husband and daughter. Maria thought she could leave her past behind, now she must face reality and make things right again.
If you are looking for Oscar performances, or a great plot, you won´t find it here in Maria. However, if you want to see a bad ass woman, kicking a hell of a lot of ass, this is a film for you. Maria is a throwback to the martial art films of the 90´s, where you recognize the plot. But the most positive is that actress Cristine Reyes is the lead character Maria. She has done a lot of films in the Philippines, but this is the first film i have seen her in. Cristine manage to become the Cynthia Rothrock of the Philippines, and she does a really good job with her fighting scenes. Her acting may not be really strong, but as an action actor she knows what she is doing. I also enjoy the performance of actress Jennifer Lee as the fighter Miru. This film is actually better with the female cast, since some of the male actors don´t feel as interesting. I will say though that evil Kaleb, played by actor Germaine De Leon is a good choice for a bad guy. Since Maria does not have a strong plot, this film rely on the action scenes. The budget is limited, but this film manage to get it done right anyway, thanks to great fighting choreography. The dialogue is not anything you will remember here, Since it is very basic. But that´s ok, if you just want to be entertained by an action film, you won´t care about the dialogue. The revenge theme is actually something that works for a film like this. Is there anything that this film fails with ? I would probably say that the acting is one of the main problems with this film, especially when most of the male cast does not deliver as much as the female characters. Other than that, i can´t complain much since i enjoy films such as Maria, that tries to bring martial art action movies of the 90´s back to present day. If you enjoy earlier films of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Cynthia Rothrock, then you will most likely have a good time with Maria. I hope to see actress Cristine Reyes in more films like Maria, we definitely need more films with women kicking ass.
Rating: DDD
Another Pick For My Segment, Is It Really That Bad ? Python ( with Caspier Van Dien )
Cheers everyone!
Daniel here, with lots of rain all over Sweden. No sun ? Have not seen it for over a year, i think it might have been when i was in Greece last year ( they had great Raki as well, almost like water, good for breakfast ). I have noticed that my segment Is It Really That Bad have been appreciated, especially Dracula 3000. I suppose there are people who enjoy this film, i don´t know why but i guess maybe Pat Robertson can answer that. So i was going through a list of films where critics have not been very positive ( except for a few who must love B movies ), and i came across the 2000 film known as Python. This is a B horror movie with Caspier Van Dien and Robert Englund, and a giant python snake ? Wow, this must be the masterpiece. I never saw this film back in 2000, even if i saw it on DVD shelves. But Since i seem to be good at picking up films we all want to see, i will be giving Python a chance on my segment Is It Really That Bad ? New movie reviews in June are on the way, so have a great week and remember, the perfect gift to your wife / girlfriend is a Blu Ray copy of Commando Ninja. See you soon!
Cheers from Daniel
Daniel here, with lots of rain all over Sweden. No sun ? Have not seen it for over a year, i think it might have been when i was in Greece last year ( they had great Raki as well, almost like water, good for breakfast ). I have noticed that my segment Is It Really That Bad have been appreciated, especially Dracula 3000. I suppose there are people who enjoy this film, i don´t know why but i guess maybe Pat Robertson can answer that. So i was going through a list of films where critics have not been very positive ( except for a few who must love B movies ), and i came across the 2000 film known as Python. This is a B horror movie with Caspier Van Dien and Robert Englund, and a giant python snake ? Wow, this must be the masterpiece. I never saw this film back in 2000, even if i saw it on DVD shelves. But Since i seem to be good at picking up films we all want to see, i will be giving Python a chance on my segment Is It Really That Bad ? New movie reviews in June are on the way, so have a great week and remember, the perfect gift to your wife / girlfriend is a Blu Ray copy of Commando Ninja. See you soon!
Cheers from Daniel
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