Joker

Let´s go back 30 years in time, to the year of 1990. I was 12 years old, and i remember my Uncle told me about the film Batman he have seen in a cinema from director Tim Burton. And i remember how impressed he was by Jack Nicholson who played The Joker. I did see the film as the film was released on VHS that year. And i have to say, even if Michael Keaton was really good as Batman, it became clear that Jack Nicholson stole the show with his magical performance as The Joker. There was something very fascinating about this comic book character, something mysterious. I did come across The Joker in the comic book store, that used to be Downtown in my hometown. But i never really cared much about the Batman comic books, so the films became more interesting. I think the biggest reason why Jack Nicholson was such a perfect choice for this character, is because he knew how to act insane, especially from his cult classic film One Flew Over The Cuckoo´s Nest. There are so many scenes in this film, where Nicholson shines so Bright as The Joker, in so many ways. Just the way he express his feelings, facial expressions and that magical smile. If you have not seen the 1989 film Batman from director Tim Burton, you should see it to experience the performance from Jack Nicholson. It would take some time before we got to see The Joker again in a Batman film ( not the nominated films, there are plenty of ones ), until the year of 2008. This was the year when the big budget film The Dark Knight was released from director Christopher Nolan. An enormous success in the Batman franchise, when actor Christian Bale returned as Batman. But it was the performance of actor Heath Ledger who made this film unique, as The Joker. What an incredible performance Heath gave into this role, his best performance ever. When i heard that amazing actor Joaquin Phoenix ( who i especially enjoyed in the fantastic film You Were Never Really Here ) was going to play The Joker in a new film, i was really excited. Is this the best film portrait of the iconic comic book character so far, or is Joker not as good as i was hoping for ?

In Gotham City, struggling comedian Arhtur Fleck ( Joaquin Phoenix ) is disregarded and mistreated by society. He tries to get diffent jobs dressed up as a clown, but nothing is going the way he has planned. Life is tough, and he lives at home with his old mother Penny Fleck ( Frances Conroy ) who needs help with her condition. The only light Arthur has, is to try and become a stand up comedian and end up at the popular TV show with Murray Franklin ( Robert De Niro ). When Arthur suddenly one night murder three young men in the subway, he is beginning to change into a completely different personality. And no matter what it takes, he will be in the spotlight of The Murray Franklin Show.

I had a feeling that Joker would be a unique film. And the biggest reason to that is the performance of Joaquin Phoenix. This is without a doubt one of the best performances he has ever given to us so far, and he knocks you out with his powerful body language and face expressions. But that´s not all, because this film clearly want to show you how a mentally ill person can behave, and turn into a monster. The biggest difference with this film and other films with comic book characters, is that this film does not try and be an ordinary comic book movie. This is more about the person behind the make up, and why he became the man we all know as the Joker. When you think about his background, and how he lived as a child with his mother, it is not strange this would all affect him. Especially when he finds out the truth about his mother´s history. I have to mention the performance of actress Frances Conroy ( who some of you might remember from the 2010 film Stone ), as Arthur´s mother Penny. Frances manage to give us a portrait of a woman, who clearly is in need of her only son Arhtur. Legendary actor Robert De Niro gives a really strong performance as TV host Murray ( reminded me a bit of his classic film King Of Comedy ). Interesting fact, both Frances and Robert De Niro both worked together on the film Stone, so nice to see them both again in this film. Joker is not a film for you if you are expecting big comic book fights, a lot of special effects and different super heroes. This is a film that focuses on the dark side of a personality, and how you struggle with a mental illness. Director Todd Philips ( who previously have directed a lot of comedies such as The Hangover trilogy ) have made a film that will affect you on so many levels. He knows how to tell a story of a story of a man, who is falling apart. Joaquin Phoenix, thank you for giving us one of the strongest performances in a film for many years. Joker will go down as one of the few films that really gives you an honest portrait on how mental illness can look like. A must see for everyone out there.

Rating: DDDD

The Year Of 2020, The Year When Dilynn Fawn Harvey Strikes

Cheers everyone!

I have had the honor to talk to different actors over the years, including directors. For me this is a true honor, since i only write reviews while these people work hard to make films and develope characters. And in 2019, something special happened that has never happened before. I got a chance to know the wonderful actress Dilynn Fawn Harvey ( from the wonderful film Clownado ), closer than any other actor before. And i have to say, this is one of the most caring, heart warming people i have ever talked to in the film industry. She can be bad ass on the big screen, in many different B movies. But on the inside she has a heart of gold, who cares about everyone. So this year i would like you all to keep your eyes open, for her upcoming films and projects. Dilynn is a very unique personality with a lot of passion for her hard work. I have a feeling that more people will notice her in the future, because this is an actress who is ready to take on more projects. I guarantee i will be publishing reviews on her upcoming films in here, and i look forward to see what projects she is working on right now. Take care everyone of yourselves, and remember, if you want the best movie review blog in Sweden, you will find it right here on Daniels Super Sexy Movie Reviews. 

Cheers from Daniel

I Just Watched A Film So Bad I Almost Laughed Out Of A Sofa

Cheers everyone!

I am back, your favourite Swedish movie review guy. Really ? Yes, i know its amazing. A new year of movie reviews are coming your way. Even if i see a lot of good films every year, i see some bad ones as well. And then you come across a film that is so bad, you dont know if you should cry or laugh. When i saw the film Vegas Skyline, i knew i have come across something special. 

So what is Vegas Skyline ? 

Imagine a mixture of the worst 90's CGI effects you have seen of a spaceship, aliens so badly designed on a computer and naked girls having sex, and you have the plot for Vegas Skyline. This film makes no sense at all, maybe thats why i wondered who could write a film like this. Vegas Skyline is the film that will go down in history, as one of the funniest films ever made. And not because it is any good, its actually the worst film you have ever seen. Is it worse than Kirk Camerons disaster Saving Christmas ? Almost, i think Saving Christmsas might still be number 1. But i have no doubt saying Vegas Skyline is number 2 on that same list. So if you wondered where to find a really awful film to watch for a good laugh, just go on Plex and watch this film for free. New movie reviews are on the way, so stay tuned and have a good week. 

Cheers from Daniel

Portals

Humans have always been interested in sience fiction, learning about technology, physics, space and what we might learn about the future. And there is a good reason to why we are so fascinated about all of this, the ability to do things easier in the future. Just imagine when we can travel with space ships, or travel from one destination to another, just like in Star Trek while being transported. All of this may sound impossible right now, but i would not be surprised if we will see a lot of new technology in the future that we have only seen in movies. What if you could travel through time, through a special developed program ? This is exactly what happened in the cult science fiction action film Timecop, released in 1994. Directed by Peter Hyams, this film tells the story of police officer Max Walker ( played by Jean-Claude Van Damme ) who is offered a position at The Time Enforcement Comission ( TEC ). He is not sure if he should take the offer, until one night when his wife Melissa Walker ( played by actress Mia Sara ), is attacked by unkown assailants as Max see the house explode. Max see a chance through the TEC program to go back in time to save his wife. Timecop is one of those sci fi action films that manage to be more clever than most action films, and deliver some great action scenes as well. I suggest you pick it up on DVD or Blu Ray, and enjoy it with your family. Since we are talking about science fiction films, i got a chance to sit down and watch a sci fi film known as Portals. I have seen the trailer of this film, but i was mostly hooked up by the cool looking poster. I also noticed that this is an anthology film, with directors from the really good anthology horror film V/H/S/2. It is not often we get an sci fi anthology film these days, so is Portals a pleasent surprise, or should this film have been left to dust in an addict ?

All over many locations, strange looking dark portals appear in front of people. No one knows why, or what this is supposed to mean. At first it seems that no one really have any answers, until an unexpected turn can reveal some of the answers.

If you have been looking for a ground breaking science fiction independent film, you are not going to find it with Portals. However, this is an interesting sci fi film for a number a reasons, and let me explain why. We get to hear different stories, where these black portals have a meaning for each story. How would you react if a black hole approached you, out of nowhere, and what does it mean ? Is this a sign that the world we once knew is about to change ? Is this a sign of the end of times ? Is there a special purpose for these portals ? To get your own idea on what the film is trying to say, you have to see the film and figure out yourself. We have here a number of different directors, who have tried to tell a story each, with the portals as the main subject. When it comes to the stories, i like some stories more than some of the others. And i especially enjoy one story, that is called Call Center Part II, from director Gregg Hale ( who also directed one of the stories of the film V/H/S/2 ). I have to say that actor Paul McCarthy-Boyington gives one of the best peformances in this film, as the character Stan. The thing about Stan is that he seems to have known about these portals, but no one takes him seriously. So this clearly makes him more interesting, when people see that Stan´s vision may have been correct. The other segment i enjoy is the story known as Sarah, directed by Eduardo Sanchez ( the director of the horror film Exists ). This story may start off slow at first, but manage to become more interesting as two sisters find themselves stuck inside a car parking building with a portal and strange people. The acting in most stories are very divided, where a few actors give a performance that fit their characters. Even if Portals could have been a stronger film, i find myself enjoying the concept of Portals. This film does not rely on CGI effects or typical science fiction stories, but takes a different turn into a more deeper meaning. If you are not planning on watching the latest Star Wars film, give Portals a chance. This is an independent film, made for a certain kind of audience who appreciate independent films.

Rating: DDD

Transit 17

2020 has arrived. Who would have thought we would get here, after American doomsday guy John Hagee predicted the world would end somewhere between April 2014 and September 2015, with the blood moon showing. Of course nothing happened, but John was pretty sure he was right anyway. So this year i hope he can give us the right date of the end of the world, with such a serious subject you should probably be sure about when it is supposed to happen. If he for some reason can´t be sure, he should swing by my place and have a whiskey, and we can just watch The Expendables trilogy instead. When ever i think about the apocalypse, or a zombie invasion, i usually think about a British horror classic released in 2002. I am of course thinking about 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle ( who gave us the 90´s masterpiece Trainspotting ). 28 Days Later is a really well made post-apocalyptic horror film, that tells the story of Jim ( played by Irish actor Cillian Murphy ), who wakes up in a hospital and finds out that London is deserted. He encounter some survivors on his way, but also finds out what really happened, that a highly contagious, rage-inducing virus have spread across Great Britain turning everyone into zombies. Director Danny Boyle managed to bring back this genre to life with this film, since some of the late 90´s zombie films did not feel very interesting. If you love post-apocalyptic horror films, then you need to see 28 Days Later. The sequel 28 Weeks Later is actually pretty good, and also worth a watch. I read online in June 2019, that director Danny Boyle is ready to take on a third film, and i can´t wait to see what they would do this time. Post-apocalyptic films keeps on getting released, and i got a chance to sit down and watch a film called Transit 17. As you might have noticed, i am a big fan of zombie invasions. Is this a surprisingly good apocalypse film, or should Transit 17 be thrown into a trashcan ?

The year is 2026. Europe have been devastated by a virus that has turned a huge portion of the population into zombies. But there is hope, through a young girl who needs to be taken to a secret location. With the help of a special team of soldiers such as Tex ( Guy Bleyaert ), Eve ( Zara Phythian ), Brad ( Lee Charles ), Deena ( Kimberly Stahl ) and many more. But as their mission begins, they will soon realize how bad it is out there. 

If you are expecting anything groundbreaking with this film, then you might be dissapointed. Transit 17 reminds us of many other post-apocalyptic films. However, if you can accept that, and you like the traditional format of this genre, then maybe Transit 17 might please you after all. This is the kind of film you will enjoy, if you love bad acting and cheesy dialogue, in a familiar B movie concept such as Rise Of The Zombies. The difference here though is that this is more of a military film. Let´s talk a bit about the positive. Even if this film is made on a extremely low budget, i like the action scenes. They remind me of low budget films of the 90´s. No serious dialogue, just shoot and ask questions later. The guns look pretty fun as well, almost as if they were picked out to look bad ass, and you can´t take them serious either. When we are going into the characters for a bit, there is especially one guy who stands out from the rest. And that is actor Guy Bleyaert who plays the character Tex. Imagine a mixture of Rutger Hauer, with an American accent that is beyond perfect , and you have Tex in front of you. When i hear him talking serious, i laugh. This is without a doubt the best character in this film. I have to mention actress Zara Phytian as the character Eve, a bad ass female soldier who is not afraid to kick ass. This is exactly the kind of character a film like this needed. Now to some negative. Not all of the zombies look awful, but some of the zombie actors don´t do a very good job. If you are going to be a zombie, go crazy and attack like you are completely insane. This is where some of the zombies feels lame. I am glad though that at least some of the zombies did a better job, there are some zombie attacks that works better. The storyline is nothing you will care about, so even if there is a rescue mission in mind for this film, you will eventually only care about the action scenes. Transit 17 is a mixed bag, with something that you have seen in so many zombie films before. I got to say though that director Guy Bleyaert ( yes that same guy who plays Tex ) have given us a good laugh with this film. If you want to get into a good mood, and just laugh at a 90´s vibe zombie flick, then Transit 17 is the choice to go for. This is the film that Jehovah´s Witnesses were hoping for to hit DVD shelves worldwide, good for you congregations.

Rating: DDD

15 Years Anniversary Review Of Napoleon Dynamite

Let´s travel back to the year of 2004. I remember several thing about this year, and i will mention some of the things i especially remember. This was the year when i went to my first Limp Bizkit concert in Stockholm, on their Results May Vary Tour. It was nice to hear live versions of songs, taken from their album Results May Vary, an album i still listen to. 2004 was the year when TV series Lost debuted on ABC, and became a hit TV series. Lost acually turned out to be one the better TV series that year, with a great cast and an interesting plot. This was also the year when Ben Affleck film known as Gigli, won several awards at the Golden Rasperry Awards 2004. The film won in the categories such as Worst Picture, Worst Actor, Worst Actress, Worst Director, Worst Screen Couple and Worst Screenplay. I have seen Gigli a long time ago. Gigli is a really bad film, and could possible be one of the worst films that Ben Affleck has ever made. But in the summer of 2004, something magical was about to happen. A small independent film was about to take the whole world by storm. A small independent film known as Napoleon Dynamite, was released in the summer of 2004. I saw the film first on DVD, since the film did not show in theatres here in Sweden ( except for a few places ). But i remember the first time i watched this film, i fell in love. This was exactly what i needed, a comedy filled with family issues, personal problems, and most of all odd characters. Since this film was released i have probably seen this film over 15 times. But since this film turned 15 years this year, i thought it would be a good idea to celebrate, considering this is such a cult Classic. Is this still one of the best independent comedies in many years, or has the magic of Napoleon Dynamite started to fade away ?

Napoleon Dynamite ( Jon Heder ) is a socially awkward 16-year-old who lives in Preston, Idaho, with his Grandmother, Carlinda Dynamite ( Sandy Martin ) and his older brother, Kipling Ronald " Kip" Dynamite ( Aaron Ruell ), 32 years old, who is unemployed and spend hours on chat rooms with his girlfriends, dreaming about becoming a cage fighter. Napoleon daydreams his way through school, especially about fantasy creatures such as ligers. This is his way to deal with him being bullied at school. When the new student Pedro Sanchez ( Efren Ramirez ) begins at school, Napoleon gets the chance to find a new friend who he can share his thoughts, and visions with. The school is looking for a new class president, and Pedro Sanchez will run as a candidate, with Napoleon as his biggest support. But things become complicated when both Napoleon and Pedro want to go with their female friend Deborah " Deb " Bradshaw to the prom dance. 

Even if 15 years have passed, Napoleon Dynamite is still one of the best independent comedies of the 2000´s. This film has everything you could wish for, black comedy, great characters, fantastic soundtrack, wonderful dialogue and wonderful costume design. This is probably my favourite school comedy, where this film manage to capture everything we all recognize from bulluying, weight issues, depression, becoming an adult and much more. Lead actor Jon Heder is brilliant as Napoleon Dynamite, and he manage to make Napoleon a very odd character, but in a wonderful way. In some ways you could probably say that we all have had a Napoleon Dynamite at our school, an odd student with passion for odd things. But we have so many more characters to talk about, so let´s continue with Kip, played by actor Aaron Ruell. Kip is one of those characters that are so nerdy and wonderful, that you can´t help loving his personality. Just the fact that he is impressed over himself, over chatting with babes online, shows you what kind of guy he is, a true ladies man. One of my favourite characters of this film, is without a doubt Napoleon´s friend Pedro Sánchez, played by actor Efren Ramirez. Pedro is one of the funniest characters in this film, with some fantastic dialogue. Let´s not forget another wonderful performance from actor Jon Gries, playing Uncle Rico. The thing about Uncle Rico is that he is still trapped in the 80´s, when he have planned to be an American football star. And this is also a very funny part of this film, as he dreams away to his past, when he is stuck as a salesman. From a comedy perspective, this film have so many delightful moments. Weird moments, are combined with brilliant tunes, and the characters match the storyline. Director Jared Hess have made a film that will live on as a cult film, for a very long time. He knew exactly what the world needed, and Napoleon Dynamite will always be his best film. If you have not seen Napoleon Dynamite, you need to see it. This is one of the funniest films of the 2000´s, and a must have on DVD or Blu Ray.

Rating: DDDD

Zombieland: Double Tap

When i was a young boy, i remember the first time i learned something educational. And this did not happen in ordinary school, but through watching the VHS tape of horror film Zombie Flesh Eaters. Directed by legendary director Lucio Fulci, this film helped me learn what matters in life, wich is of course zombies. Zombie Flesh Eaters was made on a very low budget, but worked so well thanks to fun practical effects, great characters and a fantastic soundtrack. I remember getting my hands on the uncut UK release of this film on VHS, and i was probably too young to watch this film. But this was the best educational source material i could find during that time, that helped me become more intelligent than any math books. Zombie Flesh Eaters is one of those films in the zombie catalogue of films, that everyone should see. This is in my opinion one of the best film from director Lucio Fulci. My interest for zombie films continued over the years, and i watched a lot of films from different countries. One of the reasons why zombie films are usually entertaining, is that you can always find something to enjoy, no matter what the plot is about. So what happens if you mix comedy with zombies ? It worked really well in the British horror comedy Shaun Of The Dead, released in 2004. Actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are brilliant in their roles, and this is one of the best horror comedies ever made. But in 2009, we get a surprise when director Ruben Fleischer released his horror comedy Zombieland. This film turned out to be a really funny mixture of zombie horror and Comedy, combined together with some great dialogue. The combination of Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson worked really good, as well as actress Emma Stone and actress Abigail Breslin. I never thought we would get a sequel to Zombieland, but after hearing about a sequel was going to be made, i became excited. Is this the best sequel released this year, or is Zombieland: Double Tap a big disappointment ?

10 years have passed since survivors Tallahassee ( Woody Harrelson ), Columbus ( Jesse Eisenberg ), Witchita ( Emma Stone ) and Little Rock ( Abigail Breslin ) have managed to found a way to enjoy life as good as possible, even if the zombies are still around. But the zombies have evolved, where the most dangerous ones are called T-800. They set up a new home in The White House. Columbus decides to propose to Wicthita with the Hope Diamond, but Witchita is not ready. The next morning it turns out that Witchita and Little Rock have left with a note. Tallahassee and Columbus go on their own, even if Columbus is concerned over Witchita. One day Witchita suddenly shows up, looking for weapons. Turns out that Little Rock left her for a hippie known as Berkeley ( Avan Jogia ). They team up to go look for Little Rock, while the T-800 zombies are getting more dangerous.

Going into a sequel to such a great horror comedy as Zombieland, actually made me concerned. Would they really manage to pull it off again, and deliver a really entertaining sequel ? Well i got some good news for you folks. Zombieland: Double Tap is excatly the right kind of film for everyone to enjoy, especially if you love zombie films. This is actually a sequel that knows how to keep the same tone of the first film, and still bring some new ideas as well. I have to be honest though, i still enjoy the first film a bit more than this sequel, but let´s get into what i especially enjoy about Zombieland: Double Tap. The chemistry between actors Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson is really good. They manage to bring some magic moments with their characters Columbus and Tallahassee, especially when they deliver some really funny dialogue. The strongest performance in this film comes from actress Emma Stone as Witchita, a really cool character with a strong personality. But we also have some great cameos here as well, especially from actor Luke Wilson as the bad ass character Alburqurque. This is exactly the kind of guy you want next to you on Sunday dinner with family. The zombies are actually effective as well, and are divided into three different kinds of zombie species. The Homer zombies are actually a funny part of the film, where brain cells are clearly missing. The comedy timing from the cast also works well, in most scenes. There are a few times where the comedy scenes become a bit too hysterical, but not affecting the quality of the film. Director Ruben Fleischer manage to make a sequel that is entertaining, without loosing the thread of the first film. Zombieland: Double Tap is without a doubt one of the better sequel films released this year, so if you are planning to get a DVD or Blu Ray in January to watch, i suggest you pick up this one. A nice return to familiar faces, and who can say no to a zombie invasion ? I know i can´t, does not get much cozier than this.

Rating: DDD