Another year have passed by, and so many movies have been seen. Every year always bring us highlights, average releases and....terrible ones we would love to forget about. But one thing is for sure, movies sure make life better.
So of course i have to look back now, as the year of 2015 is coming to an end. And i choose to pick the film i enjoyed best this year. I did see some really good films in 2015, but only one film got my highest rating. So without any doubts, my pick for the best movie of this year is.......
Birdman
Wow, now this was a fantastic experience, sitting in the audience in january, and seeing such a fantastic film. Birdman had everything, a fantastic cast, acting on the highest level, brilliant cinematography, and of course Birdman won 4 Academy Awards. Best Picture, Best Director, Oroginal Screenplay and for Cinematography. I realise that Birdman was released in 2014 in some countries, between october and november. But the swedish premiere for the film was January 9th, in 2015, so i did not see it until the swedish premiere.
Birdman can not be described in an ordinary way, it is a film about life, passion, sadness, frustration, and taking chances. Of course i bought myself a copy of the film, because this is a film that should be seen over and over again. Michael Keaton proved that he have done the best performance so far in his acting career, he is absolutely fantastic in the lead role. Edward Norton, Emma Stone and Naomi Watts all did wonderful performances in Birdman, and i feel so much love for this film.
Thank you all readers worldwide, i love you all, and i will see you in 2016.
Promise me something, as we enter a new year. Support B action movies with Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and all the action stars we all love. We need to keep the B movie industry alive.
Happy new year all my wonderful readers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers from Daniel
torsdag 31 december 2015
onsdag 30 december 2015
Faults
Does the name Jon Gries sound familiar ?
Of course it does. But if you say no, i think we need to have a talk. Do you remember the cult classic film Napoleon Dynamite ? I hope everyone have seen it by now, it is one of those films that you have to see, or you will never die happy. Jon Gries was of course Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite, the uncle who wish he would have been a big football star, but is a salesman instead. Jon Gries made Uncle Rico so unique, you just have to love his style, and his personality. What many people may not know, is that Jon Gries have done several films over the years. Did you know that he was actually one of the werewolves in Fright Night Part 2 ? But let us take a look at some of his more serious work. He have been in all Taken films with Liam Neeson, as the character Casey. He have also been in a very good in a low budget horror film called Skinwalker Ranch. Another film i have not seen yet, but heard that it is good, is a film called Bad Turn Worse, where Jon Gries also is included in the cast. I know that he is in the new thriller Falsely Accused, with Rosanna Arquette, that´s coming out in 2016. So we will definetely see him again, on different projects. Even if he seems to work more on independent films these days, i can´t help to be curious to see what he will do next. I came across the film Faults, while reading on South by Southwest ( SXSW ) Festival. I would never have known about the film, unless i would have read what films would be shown on the festival. It took some time before i could see the film, since it is only released on dvd in USA so far. Some independent films are hard to get, and i like to take on challenges, especially on films that are not screened almost nowhere. And this is where i came across Faults, an independet film that seemed to have an interesting plot. I managed myself to get a copy online, since i try and support indepenent film makers. With a great lead actor, Jon Gries, in the cast, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who have done many really good performances, is Faults surprisingly good, or did the trailer promise too much and left us disappointed ?
Ansel Roth ( Jon Gries ), is a writer and cult specialist, who tries to make money on his fake career. Since he refuse to play for his meal, at the hotel he is staying at, he is forced to be kicked out. At this hotel, he is already booked to hold a presentation on cults. As he beings his presentation, he is inturrupted by one of his previous customers, who says that Ansel killed his mother, and did not help her at all from the cult church she left. Ansel have no money, and his manager Terry ( Leland Orser ) threaten that he have to pay him the rest of his debt in one week, or he will be in serious trouble. As he packs his stuff, from the failed presentation, an old couple comes forward to ask for his help. Paul ( Chris Ellis ) and his wife Evelyn ( Beth Grant ) are worried about their daughter Claire ( Mary Elizabeth Winstead ). She is trapped inside a cult church, and her parents are worried that she might be in trouble. Since Ansel is broke, and need money to pay his manager Terry, he accept the mission to try and help Claire out of the cult. He arrange a kidnapping of Claire, and take her to a motel. Here he begins his sessions, to try and make Claire understand that her parents want her back. Is she really brainwashed, or is there another side of this story ?
I was supposed to see Faults earlier this year, but ended up seeing it very late. But to be honest, i am glad i saved this film as my final review of this year. Faulst is an intelligent film, with different perspectives when it comes to scam artists. We have the main person, Ansel Rost, really well acted by Jon Gries, who is an scam artist. He belive he is helping people to leave religious cult organisations, but is he really doing that ? Is he professional at all, or have any skills in this area ? You could say that Ansel could have been a pastor in a religious cult, or in a very strict church. He belive that he knows exactly what to do, when he clearly have no structure to make his image work. And that is also typical cult leaders, they manage to find people who belive in them, until the day comes that everything falls apart. The kidnapped girl Claire, is played by actor Mary Elizabeth Winstead , and she does her character in an honest way. How would you feel being taken away from a cult, where you feel is your home ? She is actually one of the producers of Faulst, and that is an interesting detail. The most interesting view in this film, is if Claire really is brainwashed, or is her parents the ones who are insane ? You have to ask yourself that question, because once you see certain details in the parents behavior, you understand perhaps why Claire left. Director Riley Sterns have directed short films in the past, and Faults is his directorial debut. I have to say, for his first full feature film, he have managed to make this a good debut. We have interesting characters, great performances, and influences from The Coen Brothers included. I am looking forward to see if he will direct another feature film in the future, Faults proves that he knows how to make an independent film. If you don´t like a mixture of black comedy, religious issues and odd personalities, i have a feeling that you won´t enjoy this, However, if you do like the sound of this mixture, i suggest you get yourself a dvd copy, because Faults is not easy to find in video stores. This way you also support indepenent film makers, and i feel that they deserve to be recognized for their work. Faults is an odd film, but i enjoy the concept of the film, including the wonderful performance of lead actor Jon Gries. Remember people, avoid religious cults, just see what happened with FLDS and Warren Jeffs, people need to wake up and learn who the real God is, i am talking about Dolph Lundgren of course. A holy man who both kicks ass, and say brilliant dialogue, what more could we ask for ?
Rating: DDD
Of course it does. But if you say no, i think we need to have a talk. Do you remember the cult classic film Napoleon Dynamite ? I hope everyone have seen it by now, it is one of those films that you have to see, or you will never die happy. Jon Gries was of course Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite, the uncle who wish he would have been a big football star, but is a salesman instead. Jon Gries made Uncle Rico so unique, you just have to love his style, and his personality. What many people may not know, is that Jon Gries have done several films over the years. Did you know that he was actually one of the werewolves in Fright Night Part 2 ? But let us take a look at some of his more serious work. He have been in all Taken films with Liam Neeson, as the character Casey. He have also been in a very good in a low budget horror film called Skinwalker Ranch. Another film i have not seen yet, but heard that it is good, is a film called Bad Turn Worse, where Jon Gries also is included in the cast. I know that he is in the new thriller Falsely Accused, with Rosanna Arquette, that´s coming out in 2016. So we will definetely see him again, on different projects. Even if he seems to work more on independent films these days, i can´t help to be curious to see what he will do next. I came across the film Faults, while reading on South by Southwest ( SXSW ) Festival. I would never have known about the film, unless i would have read what films would be shown on the festival. It took some time before i could see the film, since it is only released on dvd in USA so far. Some independent films are hard to get, and i like to take on challenges, especially on films that are not screened almost nowhere. And this is where i came across Faults, an independet film that seemed to have an interesting plot. I managed myself to get a copy online, since i try and support indepenent film makers. With a great lead actor, Jon Gries, in the cast, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who have done many really good performances, is Faults surprisingly good, or did the trailer promise too much and left us disappointed ?
Ansel Roth ( Jon Gries ), is a writer and cult specialist, who tries to make money on his fake career. Since he refuse to play for his meal, at the hotel he is staying at, he is forced to be kicked out. At this hotel, he is already booked to hold a presentation on cults. As he beings his presentation, he is inturrupted by one of his previous customers, who says that Ansel killed his mother, and did not help her at all from the cult church she left. Ansel have no money, and his manager Terry ( Leland Orser ) threaten that he have to pay him the rest of his debt in one week, or he will be in serious trouble. As he packs his stuff, from the failed presentation, an old couple comes forward to ask for his help. Paul ( Chris Ellis ) and his wife Evelyn ( Beth Grant ) are worried about their daughter Claire ( Mary Elizabeth Winstead ). She is trapped inside a cult church, and her parents are worried that she might be in trouble. Since Ansel is broke, and need money to pay his manager Terry, he accept the mission to try and help Claire out of the cult. He arrange a kidnapping of Claire, and take her to a motel. Here he begins his sessions, to try and make Claire understand that her parents want her back. Is she really brainwashed, or is there another side of this story ?
I was supposed to see Faults earlier this year, but ended up seeing it very late. But to be honest, i am glad i saved this film as my final review of this year. Faulst is an intelligent film, with different perspectives when it comes to scam artists. We have the main person, Ansel Rost, really well acted by Jon Gries, who is an scam artist. He belive he is helping people to leave religious cult organisations, but is he really doing that ? Is he professional at all, or have any skills in this area ? You could say that Ansel could have been a pastor in a religious cult, or in a very strict church. He belive that he knows exactly what to do, when he clearly have no structure to make his image work. And that is also typical cult leaders, they manage to find people who belive in them, until the day comes that everything falls apart. The kidnapped girl Claire, is played by actor Mary Elizabeth Winstead , and she does her character in an honest way. How would you feel being taken away from a cult, where you feel is your home ? She is actually one of the producers of Faulst, and that is an interesting detail. The most interesting view in this film, is if Claire really is brainwashed, or is her parents the ones who are insane ? You have to ask yourself that question, because once you see certain details in the parents behavior, you understand perhaps why Claire left. Director Riley Sterns have directed short films in the past, and Faults is his directorial debut. I have to say, for his first full feature film, he have managed to make this a good debut. We have interesting characters, great performances, and influences from The Coen Brothers included. I am looking forward to see if he will direct another feature film in the future, Faults proves that he knows how to make an independent film. If you don´t like a mixture of black comedy, religious issues and odd personalities, i have a feeling that you won´t enjoy this, However, if you do like the sound of this mixture, i suggest you get yourself a dvd copy, because Faults is not easy to find in video stores. This way you also support indepenent film makers, and i feel that they deserve to be recognized for their work. Faults is an odd film, but i enjoy the concept of the film, including the wonderful performance of lead actor Jon Gries. Remember people, avoid religious cults, just see what happened with FLDS and Warren Jeffs, people need to wake up and learn who the real God is, i am talking about Dolph Lundgren of course. A holy man who both kicks ass, and say brilliant dialogue, what more could we ask for ?
Rating: DDD
måndag 28 december 2015
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
Movie adaptations of novels can be tricky to make. Either you follow the book, or make a film based on the book, using most of the details and make some changes. One of the problems sometimes is that some directors, does not even follow the book at all. There are plenty of examples of movie adaptations, but we don´t need to get into details. What is most important if you are making a movie, based on a beloved book, make sure you know the material. I remember back in 2012, i was hearing a lot of talk about a movie adaptation of Hunger Games, by author Suzanne Collins. I remember my first reaction, i hope this is not another Twilight inspired film, with cheesy acting and a terrible storyline. Not excited about this movie adaption, i still decided to give it a try, especially because Jennifer Lawrence was in the lead role. As i walked out of the theatre, i was pleasantly surprised. This film was in many ways a really well made teenage action movie, but with a much more emotional level than any of the Twilight films. The character Katniss Everdeen, felt like a freedom fighter, that really wanted to make things right, when the world is falling apart. As the sequel Catching Fire came out, we got a really good sequel in our hands. The biggest reason why Catching Fire turned out so well was because of Jennifer Lawrence, she is an amazing actor. From the first moment i saw her do a fantastic performance in Winter´s Bone, i was bedazzled. You could tell that, for her young age, she knew exactly what acting is all about. She also proved herself once again, doing another really wonderful performance in Silver Linings Playbook. Both of these films prove that she is one of the best actors of our time. If you thought she would stop here, she proved herself again in American Hustle by director David O. Russel. Just her presence on screen, makes you feel warm inside. She is without a doubt one of my favourite actors, and i have a feeling that she will continue to deliver wonderful performances. When i watched Mockingjay Part 1 in a cinema, the first part of the final Hunger Cames film, i was really dissapointed, And it was not Jennifer Lawrence fault, she did do her performance well, but the film was not what i expected. Boring, slow and uninspiring, are just some of the problems with the first part of Mockingjay. I remember walking out of the cinema, hoping that the next chapter would change everything, that was wrong with Part 1. While i was in Stockholm in december, i got a chance to see the final film Mockingjay Part 2 in their brand new IMAX cinema. Since i was curious on both this final film, and to experience a film in an IMAX format, i made sure to get hold on tickets. Since i felt dissapointed with the first Mockinjay film, is this finally a worthy last chapter of the well made Hunger Games films, or is this another dissapointment ?
Katniss Everdeen ( Jennifer Lawrence ) is recovering after her being attacked by Peeta Mellark ( Josh Hutcherson ), who was brainwashed by the Capitol. The rebels attack and disable the Capitol´s weapon arsenal in District 2. Katniss tries to rally the loyalists against the Capitol, but ends up being shot, and injured, in the confrontation. Despite that Katniss plan to kill President Snow ( Donald Sutherland ), personally, she is stopped by President Alma Coin ( Julianne Moore ). She will not allow Katniss to join into the battle against Snow. Instead, Alma Coin assign Katniss on the " Star Squad " with Gale Hawthorne ( Liam Hemsworth ), Finnick Odair ( Sam Claflin ) and Cressida ( Natalie Dormer ). Their mission is to go inside the Capitol invasion, providing with video of their incursion for propaganda purposes. Alma also sends Peeta Mellark ( Josh Hutcherson ) to join the squad, including Boggs ( Mahershala Ali ), who is chosen to be the team leader. Even if Katniss knows the rules, she is still planning to stop the tyranny of President Snow. With this team, she might have a bigger chance to end this misery, before more innocent people are killed.
If you have read my earlier reviews of The Hunger Games films, you might have noticed my low rating for Mockingjay Part 1. I might have been one of the most hard critics on that film, but there was a good reason for it. Mockinjay Part 1 was so damn boring, so it did not matter if the acting was good. The other Hunger Games films managed to keep me interested, while Mockingjay Part 1 felt drawn out. It is not a bad movie, i just don´t feel that it was a worthy part 1 of this final film. Luckily, after seeing Mockingjay Part 2, i can say that director Francis Lawrence must have listened. The action is much more brutal, the action scenes are much more detailed, and we do get to see a much more tougher side of Katniss. Jennifer Lawrence proves once again why she is perfect in the lead role, she is absolutely splendid as Katniss, and here in Mockingjay Part 2 she is more tough than ever. While Part 1 moved slow, and had a lot of dialogue, Part 2 manage to move away and go more for pure action. And this is one of the reasons why i really enjoyed this final film, we needed a big last chapter. There are many great acting performances here, especially from Julianne Moore and Donald Sutherland. The young cast also does very well, and this is one of the strength of The Hunger Games movie adaptations. They really made sure that they needed to act good, instead of doing the same mistake that the Twilight films did. One of my absolute favourite scenes in Mockingjay Part 2 is down in the Capitol sewer, where they try and get away from beasts known as " mutts ". They almost look like a mixture of the mutated vampires of Blade 2, and the action in these scenes are really well made. I was watching this in an IMAX theatre, and i just loved to see this in this format. Another really great scene, is in the end, when Katniss head towards the Snow mansion, while people are being killed in the streets. you can tell that director Francis Lawrence wanted to make sure that we would have a final battle, in a big way. The ending is not good, way to cheesy, and i suppose that it was done this way, just to make it simple. But overall, this is a really good ending of The Hunger Games, and Jennifer Lawrence is the biggest reason why these films are so good. Mockingjay Part 2 will definetely please the fans, and the audiences, if you were hoping for a hard hitting final chapter. Do not remake The Hunger Games, did you hear that Hollywood ? Jennifer Lawrence is Katniss Everdeen on the big screen, and nothing will ever change that. I am really looking forward to see Lawrence in her latest film Joy in cinemas, i might actually see it next week if i get the time. Until then, make sure you see this final chapter, i guarantee you will be much more pleased with this one, compared to Mockingjay Part 1.
Rating: DDDD
Katniss Everdeen ( Jennifer Lawrence ) is recovering after her being attacked by Peeta Mellark ( Josh Hutcherson ), who was brainwashed by the Capitol. The rebels attack and disable the Capitol´s weapon arsenal in District 2. Katniss tries to rally the loyalists against the Capitol, but ends up being shot, and injured, in the confrontation. Despite that Katniss plan to kill President Snow ( Donald Sutherland ), personally, she is stopped by President Alma Coin ( Julianne Moore ). She will not allow Katniss to join into the battle against Snow. Instead, Alma Coin assign Katniss on the " Star Squad " with Gale Hawthorne ( Liam Hemsworth ), Finnick Odair ( Sam Claflin ) and Cressida ( Natalie Dormer ). Their mission is to go inside the Capitol invasion, providing with video of their incursion for propaganda purposes. Alma also sends Peeta Mellark ( Josh Hutcherson ) to join the squad, including Boggs ( Mahershala Ali ), who is chosen to be the team leader. Even if Katniss knows the rules, she is still planning to stop the tyranny of President Snow. With this team, she might have a bigger chance to end this misery, before more innocent people are killed.
If you have read my earlier reviews of The Hunger Games films, you might have noticed my low rating for Mockingjay Part 1. I might have been one of the most hard critics on that film, but there was a good reason for it. Mockinjay Part 1 was so damn boring, so it did not matter if the acting was good. The other Hunger Games films managed to keep me interested, while Mockingjay Part 1 felt drawn out. It is not a bad movie, i just don´t feel that it was a worthy part 1 of this final film. Luckily, after seeing Mockingjay Part 2, i can say that director Francis Lawrence must have listened. The action is much more brutal, the action scenes are much more detailed, and we do get to see a much more tougher side of Katniss. Jennifer Lawrence proves once again why she is perfect in the lead role, she is absolutely splendid as Katniss, and here in Mockingjay Part 2 she is more tough than ever. While Part 1 moved slow, and had a lot of dialogue, Part 2 manage to move away and go more for pure action. And this is one of the reasons why i really enjoyed this final film, we needed a big last chapter. There are many great acting performances here, especially from Julianne Moore and Donald Sutherland. The young cast also does very well, and this is one of the strength of The Hunger Games movie adaptations. They really made sure that they needed to act good, instead of doing the same mistake that the Twilight films did. One of my absolute favourite scenes in Mockingjay Part 2 is down in the Capitol sewer, where they try and get away from beasts known as " mutts ". They almost look like a mixture of the mutated vampires of Blade 2, and the action in these scenes are really well made. I was watching this in an IMAX theatre, and i just loved to see this in this format. Another really great scene, is in the end, when Katniss head towards the Snow mansion, while people are being killed in the streets. you can tell that director Francis Lawrence wanted to make sure that we would have a final battle, in a big way. The ending is not good, way to cheesy, and i suppose that it was done this way, just to make it simple. But overall, this is a really good ending of The Hunger Games, and Jennifer Lawrence is the biggest reason why these films are so good. Mockingjay Part 2 will definetely please the fans, and the audiences, if you were hoping for a hard hitting final chapter. Do not remake The Hunger Games, did you hear that Hollywood ? Jennifer Lawrence is Katniss Everdeen on the big screen, and nothing will ever change that. I am really looking forward to see Lawrence in her latest film Joy in cinemas, i might actually see it next week if i get the time. Until then, make sure you see this final chapter, i guarantee you will be much more pleased with this one, compared to Mockingjay Part 1.
Rating: DDDD
fredag 25 december 2015
The Vatican Tapes
Many years ago, i think it must have been the year 2000, i was supposed to go on a vacation with male friend Patrick to Rome. We had planned everything, and was about the book the tickets, when my boss at work says i can´t go. There were 2 people sick, and we had almost no one that could take the working shifts. We were of course very dissapointed, but said we would do this journey someday. So far, it has not happened. Instead, i have travelled with my wife a lot, we have been to many places in Europe, including much more far away in Thailand. I know my wife want to visit Rome, to see all the historical places, and who knows, we might even visit the Vatican. Speaking of the Vatican. I still hear stories that there are actually priests performing exorcisms, worldwide. You would think that this is just a story, and just fictional. I don´t know really what to belive about this, i think it is up to everyone to decide if you feel this is fake or real. I would like to see an exorcism performed on Michelle Duggar, she does seem to be posessed by Satan, you can see it in her eyes. Exorcism in the movie industry is classic, and we have loads of releases. But in my personal opinion, only one exorcism film is the best of them all. I am talking about The Exorcist from 1973. Max Von Sydow did a really good performance as Father Merrin, and the film shocked audiences worldwide. Director William Friedkin managed to capture the exorcism rituals in his own unique way, using well made practical effects with well made make up on Linda Blair. There are a lot of exorcism films out there, so you really don´t know if anyone of them are going to be any good. I usually just give them a chance, but not many of them manage to deliver enough horror quality. One of the films i can remember right now that was actually alright was The Possession Of Michael King. A small budget found footage horror film, that not many people have seen, but well made considering the budget. If you have not seen it, i suggest you give it a chance. Earlier this year i was hearing rumours about a new exorcism horror film called The Vatican Tapes. Since i always enjoy checking out new horror film releases, i had to see if this could be a pleasent surprise in the exorcism genre. Do we finally have a good exorcism film in our hands, or is this another release that will be forgotten, just as fast as Peter André´s solo albums ?
Angela Holmes ( Olivia Taylor Dudley ) is an ordinary young woman, living a normal life with friends and family. But she seems to be changing, her personality is not the same as she used to be. She is becoming more agressive, and everywhere she goes, accidents seem to happen. After a serious car accident, she is taken to hospital. A priest named Father Oscar Lozano ( Michael Péna ) see that something is very wrong, and suspect she could be possessed. Two exorcist experts in the Vatican, Cardinal Brunn ( Peter Andersson ) and Vicar Imani ( Djimon Hounsou ) are contacted, to try and help Angela. Is Angela really possessed or is there another reason to her behavior ?
I usually try and check out exorcism horror films, if i notice that we have some new ones coming out. The Vatican Tapes is actually not that new, it was showing in cinemas during the summer of 2015, but i got a chance to see it through the american dvd release. Now, just because a horror film includes exorcism rituals, does not make it a good film. You need a good structure of the story, or you need acting to make the film interesting, in case the story is thin. In the case of The Vatican Tapes, there is no excuse for bad editing, and jumping the next scene into each other, and with bad acting included. The acting is actually really awful, i am trying to think the last time i saw acting on this level. Just like Kirk Cameron´s awful film Saving Christmas ? Maybe....not so bad as this one, but still, bad enough to make you feel frustration. There could have been an interesting plot if director Mark Neveldine would have used the Vatican properly, including well made exorcism scenes. Everything looks so cheap, even the exorcism possessions looks really silly at some moments. Let´s talk about director Mark Neveldine. He actually did a good action film back in 2006, called Crank, with Jason Statham. It was fast, impulsive, and well made. He did do the sequel called Crank: High Voltage also, but let´s forget about this one. Because his next film had very different styles, when we talk about Gamer and Jonah Hex. So you realise that he likes to take on different genres, with very different results. The problem with The Vatican Tapes is that you really don´t care about anything. You don´t care about the characters, or the story, so once the film ends the first thing that comes to mind is :- I think i might scratch my nuts. If you feel like watching an exorcism film, i suggest you go back to The Excorcist, or perhaps The Exorcism Of Emily Rose ( one of the few more modern exorcism films that turned out better than expected ). Just avoid The Vatican Tapes, it is not worth your precious time. Oh, i almost forgot. Swedish actor Peter Andersson is here, as one of the vatican exorcists. I hope he got a good paycheck, i see no other reason why he did this film.
My advice Hollywood, do a found footage horror film based on The Duggars Family, because one of them must be possessed by a demon, or most of them. Now, that should be interesting, especially if we have Peter Stormare as the catholic exorcism priest. Better call Michael Bay, i doubt he can say no to this concept.
Rating: D
Angela Holmes ( Olivia Taylor Dudley ) is an ordinary young woman, living a normal life with friends and family. But she seems to be changing, her personality is not the same as she used to be. She is becoming more agressive, and everywhere she goes, accidents seem to happen. After a serious car accident, she is taken to hospital. A priest named Father Oscar Lozano ( Michael Péna ) see that something is very wrong, and suspect she could be possessed. Two exorcist experts in the Vatican, Cardinal Brunn ( Peter Andersson ) and Vicar Imani ( Djimon Hounsou ) are contacted, to try and help Angela. Is Angela really possessed or is there another reason to her behavior ?
I usually try and check out exorcism horror films, if i notice that we have some new ones coming out. The Vatican Tapes is actually not that new, it was showing in cinemas during the summer of 2015, but i got a chance to see it through the american dvd release. Now, just because a horror film includes exorcism rituals, does not make it a good film. You need a good structure of the story, or you need acting to make the film interesting, in case the story is thin. In the case of The Vatican Tapes, there is no excuse for bad editing, and jumping the next scene into each other, and with bad acting included. The acting is actually really awful, i am trying to think the last time i saw acting on this level. Just like Kirk Cameron´s awful film Saving Christmas ? Maybe....not so bad as this one, but still, bad enough to make you feel frustration. There could have been an interesting plot if director Mark Neveldine would have used the Vatican properly, including well made exorcism scenes. Everything looks so cheap, even the exorcism possessions looks really silly at some moments. Let´s talk about director Mark Neveldine. He actually did a good action film back in 2006, called Crank, with Jason Statham. It was fast, impulsive, and well made. He did do the sequel called Crank: High Voltage also, but let´s forget about this one. Because his next film had very different styles, when we talk about Gamer and Jonah Hex. So you realise that he likes to take on different genres, with very different results. The problem with The Vatican Tapes is that you really don´t care about anything. You don´t care about the characters, or the story, so once the film ends the first thing that comes to mind is :- I think i might scratch my nuts. If you feel like watching an exorcism film, i suggest you go back to The Excorcist, or perhaps The Exorcism Of Emily Rose ( one of the few more modern exorcism films that turned out better than expected ). Just avoid The Vatican Tapes, it is not worth your precious time. Oh, i almost forgot. Swedish actor Peter Andersson is here, as one of the vatican exorcists. I hope he got a good paycheck, i see no other reason why he did this film.
My advice Hollywood, do a found footage horror film based on The Duggars Family, because one of them must be possessed by a demon, or most of them. Now, that should be interesting, especially if we have Peter Stormare as the catholic exorcism priest. Better call Michael Bay, i doubt he can say no to this concept.
Rating: D
onsdag 23 december 2015
The Ridiculous 6
Let me give you one good advice. Say the name Adam Sandler to a film critic and he or she will probably punch you in the face.
Why ?
Simply because a lot of critics hate Adam Sandler. I personally don´t hate him, he have actually done some good comedies over the years, especially the 1996 classic Happy Gilmore. I can honestly say i even enjoyed Big Daddy also, who else would dare to agree on that ? He have always had an certain style for almost all of his films, vulgar humour, that is really stupid, but sometimes funny. But he did prove himself, chocking probably the whole world with the very serious film Reign Over Me. A film that should have been a much bigger success, but did not get the recognition that Adam Sandler deserved for his performance. It is no surprise that he is still making films today, with the old school vulgar humour, and unfortunately i experienced Grown Ups 2. Don´t see this film, it is very awful indeed. He tried to become a bit more serious with a film called The Cobbler, where the premise looked good, while the final results did not match good enough. I have a feeling that most film critics have given up on him, that he will never make a good film again. I have a feeling he might suprise us again in the future, like he did with Reign Over Me. Just because he usuall make the same type of comedies, does not mean that he could change. After Grown Ups 2, i was not really excited to see any new films with Sandler for a while. Until i recently i discovered on Netflix, that the latest film of Adam Sandler, was released here, instead of in theatres. I had no idea that he have made an western comedy, i did not even know that he would put the film out in this format. Since many famous directors, and actors, have delivered quality productions with help of Netflix, i was kind of curious to see if Adam Sandler have managed to do something unexpected. I have not even seen a trailer of this film, so i had no idea what to expect. Considering that Sandler is know for makng under the belt comedies, is Ridicoulus 6 a step into a new positive direction, or is this back to the same vulgar concept we have seen him done too many times ?
In the Old West, a man named Tommy Stockborn ) is living with Native Americans, where he is preparing himself to get married to his Native girlfriend named Smokin Fox ( Julia Jones ). Tommy have an in-run with a gang of bandits, led by Will Patch ( Will Forte ). They don´t like Native Americans, but Tommy beat them all up, as they stand no chance against him. One day, at the Native village, an old bank robber man named Frank Stockburn ( Nick Nolte ) arrives. He claims that he is the father of Tommy. Frank begin to tell Tommy, what happened to his mother when he was just a child. That she was murdered by a silhouetted man, wearing tatoos on his hand. Frank also tell Tommy that he have 50.000 dollars hidden, buried in a meadow, next to a pine tree. The reason Frank told Tommy this, is because he says that he is dying of consumption, and want Tommy and the Natives to have all the money. Unfortunately, the next day, a gang of bandits led by the ruthless Cicero ( Danny Trejo ). Frank is kidnapped and they want him to show them where he hided all that money. Tommy decides that he must get his father back to safety, so he resemble a gang on his own, with 5 half-brothers, Ramon ( Rob Schneider ), Lil´Pete ( Taylor Lautner ), Danny ( Luke Wilson ), Herm ( Jorge Garcia ) and Chico ( Terry Crews ). Together they ride off, to find the man who is said to be their father, and to make sure justice is done.
Now, i choose to look at this film in different ways. Is this a stupid film ? Yes. Is it any funny at all ? Actually, yes it is, more funny than i expected. And the reason i enjoyed this comedy is because of this list of actors, who all portrait so many crazy characters. Just look at the acting list in this film, and you might be surprised......
Adam Sandler
Nick Nolte
Rob Schneider
Danny Trejo
Luke Wilson
Jon Lovitz
David Spade
Harvey Keitel
Taylor Lautner
Norm MacDonald
Vanilla Ice
Steve Buscemi
Terry Crews
And many more, the list never ends. Let´s think for a moment, when was the last time we saw an acting list like this in the same film ? That does not happen very often. So we already know that The Ridiculous 6 is a stupid film, but that´s alright. If you just want to laugh, especially in a western comedy, made to look stupid, i can tell you that this film works. Kind of remind me of Cactus Jack with Kirk Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger, where Schwarzenegger had the best character name in history, called Handsome Stranger. We get sexism here, racism, slavery, you name it, Sandler makes fun of all kinds of subjects. Everything does not work, and you get a sense that some of the jokes feel pretty blend. But it is the cast that make this film funny, especially Taylor Lautner. I can´t belive i said that, since i hated the guy in the Twilight films. He is actually really funny as the hillbilly boy Lil´Pete. He sounds just like he got out from banjo duels in Deliverance, waiting to squeal like a pig. Another suprisingly funny character is Mark Twain, the legendary author of Huckelberry Finn. He is now a gangsta, and does his gangsta style, played by Vanilla Ice. The story is nothing you really care about, since it is not much of an story. So why would you want to see Ridiculous 6 at all ? Good question, well it depends on your kind of humour i suppose. If you don´t like Adam Sandler, or vulgar humour, you are going to hate this guaranteed. If you do like Adam Sandler, and just want a stupid comedy, making fun of the western genre, than this is the film for you. I understand why so many people hate this film, because i know Adam Sandler is seen as a jerk. But i try and look outside of the frame, and look at what we have. It have been a long time a funny western comedy have been released, and i am not talking about Lightning Jack with Paul Hogan and Cuba Gooding, Jr. This film actually reminds me more of the 80´s classic western comedy Three Amigos, with Checy Chase, Steve Martin and of course Martin Short. Director Frank Coraci have directed several of Sandler´s films like The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Click and Blended. Even if you know that the characters are stupid, and that the script as as thin as Coolio´s career at the moment, you can still get some good laughs here. The Ridiculous 6 is a stupid movie, but still makes fun of many stupid things, in a western film, that actually deliver some good laughs. I will probably the only man on this planet who laughed at this film, but that´s ok, i am at least no Josh Duggar or Kim Davis, so i am pretty safe. Buckle up boys, and let us ride into the sunset, but i can not guarantee what i will do next to the campfire. There might be some brokeback lessons ready for a long shot.
Rating: DDD
Why ?
Simply because a lot of critics hate Adam Sandler. I personally don´t hate him, he have actually done some good comedies over the years, especially the 1996 classic Happy Gilmore. I can honestly say i even enjoyed Big Daddy also, who else would dare to agree on that ? He have always had an certain style for almost all of his films, vulgar humour, that is really stupid, but sometimes funny. But he did prove himself, chocking probably the whole world with the very serious film Reign Over Me. A film that should have been a much bigger success, but did not get the recognition that Adam Sandler deserved for his performance. It is no surprise that he is still making films today, with the old school vulgar humour, and unfortunately i experienced Grown Ups 2. Don´t see this film, it is very awful indeed. He tried to become a bit more serious with a film called The Cobbler, where the premise looked good, while the final results did not match good enough. I have a feeling that most film critics have given up on him, that he will never make a good film again. I have a feeling he might suprise us again in the future, like he did with Reign Over Me. Just because he usuall make the same type of comedies, does not mean that he could change. After Grown Ups 2, i was not really excited to see any new films with Sandler for a while. Until i recently i discovered on Netflix, that the latest film of Adam Sandler, was released here, instead of in theatres. I had no idea that he have made an western comedy, i did not even know that he would put the film out in this format. Since many famous directors, and actors, have delivered quality productions with help of Netflix, i was kind of curious to see if Adam Sandler have managed to do something unexpected. I have not even seen a trailer of this film, so i had no idea what to expect. Considering that Sandler is know for makng under the belt comedies, is Ridicoulus 6 a step into a new positive direction, or is this back to the same vulgar concept we have seen him done too many times ?
In the Old West, a man named Tommy Stockborn ) is living with Native Americans, where he is preparing himself to get married to his Native girlfriend named Smokin Fox ( Julia Jones ). Tommy have an in-run with a gang of bandits, led by Will Patch ( Will Forte ). They don´t like Native Americans, but Tommy beat them all up, as they stand no chance against him. One day, at the Native village, an old bank robber man named Frank Stockburn ( Nick Nolte ) arrives. He claims that he is the father of Tommy. Frank begin to tell Tommy, what happened to his mother when he was just a child. That she was murdered by a silhouetted man, wearing tatoos on his hand. Frank also tell Tommy that he have 50.000 dollars hidden, buried in a meadow, next to a pine tree. The reason Frank told Tommy this, is because he says that he is dying of consumption, and want Tommy and the Natives to have all the money. Unfortunately, the next day, a gang of bandits led by the ruthless Cicero ( Danny Trejo ). Frank is kidnapped and they want him to show them where he hided all that money. Tommy decides that he must get his father back to safety, so he resemble a gang on his own, with 5 half-brothers, Ramon ( Rob Schneider ), Lil´Pete ( Taylor Lautner ), Danny ( Luke Wilson ), Herm ( Jorge Garcia ) and Chico ( Terry Crews ). Together they ride off, to find the man who is said to be their father, and to make sure justice is done.
Now, i choose to look at this film in different ways. Is this a stupid film ? Yes. Is it any funny at all ? Actually, yes it is, more funny than i expected. And the reason i enjoyed this comedy is because of this list of actors, who all portrait so many crazy characters. Just look at the acting list in this film, and you might be surprised......
Adam Sandler
Nick Nolte
Rob Schneider
Danny Trejo
Luke Wilson
Jon Lovitz
David Spade
Harvey Keitel
Taylor Lautner
Norm MacDonald
Vanilla Ice
Steve Buscemi
Terry Crews
And many more, the list never ends. Let´s think for a moment, when was the last time we saw an acting list like this in the same film ? That does not happen very often. So we already know that The Ridiculous 6 is a stupid film, but that´s alright. If you just want to laugh, especially in a western comedy, made to look stupid, i can tell you that this film works. Kind of remind me of Cactus Jack with Kirk Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger, where Schwarzenegger had the best character name in history, called Handsome Stranger. We get sexism here, racism, slavery, you name it, Sandler makes fun of all kinds of subjects. Everything does not work, and you get a sense that some of the jokes feel pretty blend. But it is the cast that make this film funny, especially Taylor Lautner. I can´t belive i said that, since i hated the guy in the Twilight films. He is actually really funny as the hillbilly boy Lil´Pete. He sounds just like he got out from banjo duels in Deliverance, waiting to squeal like a pig. Another suprisingly funny character is Mark Twain, the legendary author of Huckelberry Finn. He is now a gangsta, and does his gangsta style, played by Vanilla Ice. The story is nothing you really care about, since it is not much of an story. So why would you want to see Ridiculous 6 at all ? Good question, well it depends on your kind of humour i suppose. If you don´t like Adam Sandler, or vulgar humour, you are going to hate this guaranteed. If you do like Adam Sandler, and just want a stupid comedy, making fun of the western genre, than this is the film for you. I understand why so many people hate this film, because i know Adam Sandler is seen as a jerk. But i try and look outside of the frame, and look at what we have. It have been a long time a funny western comedy have been released, and i am not talking about Lightning Jack with Paul Hogan and Cuba Gooding, Jr. This film actually reminds me more of the 80´s classic western comedy Three Amigos, with Checy Chase, Steve Martin and of course Martin Short. Director Frank Coraci have directed several of Sandler´s films like The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Click and Blended. Even if you know that the characters are stupid, and that the script as as thin as Coolio´s career at the moment, you can still get some good laughs here. The Ridiculous 6 is a stupid movie, but still makes fun of many stupid things, in a western film, that actually deliver some good laughs. I will probably the only man on this planet who laughed at this film, but that´s ok, i am at least no Josh Duggar or Kim Davis, so i am pretty safe. Buckle up boys, and let us ride into the sunset, but i can not guarantee what i will do next to the campfire. There might be some brokeback lessons ready for a long shot.
Rating: DDD
måndag 21 december 2015
Dope
In the 90´s, i listened to a lot of hip hop music, especially in the nu metal era, where metal was mixed up with hip hop. The list can go on forever when it comes to hip hop albums i used to play, but some of them were Snoop Dogg, Warren G, 2Pac, Cypress Hill, Busta Rhymes, Nas and many more. At the time when Clawfinger broke out with their debut album Deaf Dumb Blind, nu metal started to be a bigger part of my life. The hip hop scene may not be a pig part of my life nowdays, but i still listen, both to new tracks by legendary hip hop artists and new acts. One of my very favourite hip hop songs right now, is Snoop Doggs song So Many Pros. By the way, check out the music video. It is without a doubt one of the best music videos in a very long time. When i growed up, i used to select cd albums with a certain style within the hip hop genre. I usually only bought the ones that had hook up melodies, especially Snoop Dogg. His sound was at that time was just what we needed. I even had Cypress Hill on album, but they were never really good on whole albums if you asked me. Snoop Dogg had a completely different way to make albums, and i suppose that it was more my style. Since i grew up in a typical swedish neighbourhood, you really did not hear a lot of hip hop there. It was more of a Jan Johansen street, where everyone smiled like they were from a catalogue, straight from Kappahl. And you heard those terrible ballads that i wished would go away. Thankfully i turned my stereo up and played everything from hip hop, rock, metal, anything to make the swedish smörstekta ballads go away. I also remember playing the Gary Moore album Dark Days In Paradise also on high volume, actually his best album if you ask me. It was more dark, and raw, than many of his albums from the 80´s and 90´s. Speaking of hip hop, have you seen many films with hip hop music included ? Maybe some of you remember Boyz N The Hood ? I am guessing most of you would think of 8 Mile with Eminem, doing an amazing performance. It is still one of the best hip hop films ever made, and proved that Eminem was not only a rapper, but he could act also. I started reading this summer about a new hip hop film called Dope, that were being praised on film festivals. Some even called this one of the best films this year, so of course i had to check it out. Not knowing much about it, i got a chance to sit down and see it finally. Is this a new classic within hip hop films, or are the positive reviews not really true ?
Malcolm Adekanbi ( Shameil Moore ) is a very intelligent student, with a big passion for 90´s hip hop music. Not many people understands why he is not listening to modern day music, but Malcolm´s big passion is the 90´s. He is hoping that one day, he will go to Harvard University. He spends a lot of time with his 2 best friends, James " Jib " Caldones ( Tony Revolori ) and Cassandra " Diggy " Andrews ( Kiersey Clemons ), who all play in a band, inspired to mix different music styles. One day while Malcolm is on his way home, he is stopped by a street drug dealer named Dom ( ASAP Rocky ). Dom want to know why Malcolm loves the 90´s hip hop music so much. Dom understand that Malcolm have a lot of knowledge about this subject, and realise he could use Malcolm, to take advantage of him. Dom asks Malcolm to go over and talk to a girl named Nakia ( Zoe Kravitz ), to invite her to a party with Dom. At first Malcolm fails, but Dom suggest he tries again. Nakia finally agree, but only if Malcolm will come to the party also. Malcolm agrees, and decides to bring his friends Jib and Diggy also. The party does not end very well, when Dom´s crew members are shot by revival members, but Malcolm and his friends survive, including Nakia. Malcolm take the chance to know Nakia a bit better, asking her to the prom, but she have other plans. The next morning, Malcolm discover that someone have put down a lot of drugs, and a gun in his backpack. He realise it must have been Dom, and he needs to get rid of it. A phone calls, as it turns out someone is looking for the drugs. Just a moment later, Dom calls and says that this guy who called earlier is fake, and Malcolm needs to hide the merchandise, until Dom is being held at the station. Malcolm and his friends are in big trouble, and they need to make sure this backpack does not go in the wrong hands.
I love it when i watch a film, and just absolutely love it. Dope lands right in my taste, being a crazy mix of an realistic story, about growing up, and all the crazy things that can happen. Dope throws in a great soundtrack of hip hop songs. mix it up with really good acting, and deliver a film that manage to deliver quality entertainment. The simple story of 3 school friends, who end up in trouble, when they find themselves trapped in a drug drama, goes all kinds of crazy ways. The cinematography looks great, the film colors are so bright, and the atmosphere of the big city fits right in. Let´s talk about the biggest strength in Dope, the acting. There are so many great characters here, who really do wonderful performances. Especially lead actor Shameik Moore. His cool 90´s hair style, and his kind personality, is someone you simply love, straight away. His friends played by Tony Revolori and Kiersey Clemons, both do really good performances, for being so young. There are so many films that fails to capture the feeling of youth, but director Rick Famuyiwa manage to capture that feeling, and bring in the emotions that we all felt in our teenage years. All the problems, all the frustration, but also all the good times, it is all here, maybe a bit more wilder than i can remember though. I feel that this is the best film that director Rick Famuyiwa have made so far, and i have seen almost all of his films. For some reason, he must have decided to change his style as an director, because his previous films looks nothing like Dope, and that is something i love about this film. I can´t say i can compare this film to any other releases out there, and that is something unique in these days. Dope looks great, and feels great, with such a cool style that follows all the way to the end. The soundtrack is one of the reason why the film manage to deliver the message, it all goes together, like a combined theatre play. While some of the films this year followed a pretty typical Hollywood standard, Dope manage to find another way, and deliver a film that should be seen by a larger audience. I know that the theatrical run was this autumn, but buy the dvd or blu ray, this is a film worth having in your collection, if you love intelligent independent films. I might get my own 90´s hair style after watching Dope, feels great to be nostalgic and showing a time when music videos meant more than reality shows. In some ways, i miss those days, but the good memories will always be there, and Dope helps them stay.
Rating: DDDD
Malcolm Adekanbi ( Shameil Moore ) is a very intelligent student, with a big passion for 90´s hip hop music. Not many people understands why he is not listening to modern day music, but Malcolm´s big passion is the 90´s. He is hoping that one day, he will go to Harvard University. He spends a lot of time with his 2 best friends, James " Jib " Caldones ( Tony Revolori ) and Cassandra " Diggy " Andrews ( Kiersey Clemons ), who all play in a band, inspired to mix different music styles. One day while Malcolm is on his way home, he is stopped by a street drug dealer named Dom ( ASAP Rocky ). Dom want to know why Malcolm loves the 90´s hip hop music so much. Dom understand that Malcolm have a lot of knowledge about this subject, and realise he could use Malcolm, to take advantage of him. Dom asks Malcolm to go over and talk to a girl named Nakia ( Zoe Kravitz ), to invite her to a party with Dom. At first Malcolm fails, but Dom suggest he tries again. Nakia finally agree, but only if Malcolm will come to the party also. Malcolm agrees, and decides to bring his friends Jib and Diggy also. The party does not end very well, when Dom´s crew members are shot by revival members, but Malcolm and his friends survive, including Nakia. Malcolm take the chance to know Nakia a bit better, asking her to the prom, but she have other plans. The next morning, Malcolm discover that someone have put down a lot of drugs, and a gun in his backpack. He realise it must have been Dom, and he needs to get rid of it. A phone calls, as it turns out someone is looking for the drugs. Just a moment later, Dom calls and says that this guy who called earlier is fake, and Malcolm needs to hide the merchandise, until Dom is being held at the station. Malcolm and his friends are in big trouble, and they need to make sure this backpack does not go in the wrong hands.
I love it when i watch a film, and just absolutely love it. Dope lands right in my taste, being a crazy mix of an realistic story, about growing up, and all the crazy things that can happen. Dope throws in a great soundtrack of hip hop songs. mix it up with really good acting, and deliver a film that manage to deliver quality entertainment. The simple story of 3 school friends, who end up in trouble, when they find themselves trapped in a drug drama, goes all kinds of crazy ways. The cinematography looks great, the film colors are so bright, and the atmosphere of the big city fits right in. Let´s talk about the biggest strength in Dope, the acting. There are so many great characters here, who really do wonderful performances. Especially lead actor Shameik Moore. His cool 90´s hair style, and his kind personality, is someone you simply love, straight away. His friends played by Tony Revolori and Kiersey Clemons, both do really good performances, for being so young. There are so many films that fails to capture the feeling of youth, but director Rick Famuyiwa manage to capture that feeling, and bring in the emotions that we all felt in our teenage years. All the problems, all the frustration, but also all the good times, it is all here, maybe a bit more wilder than i can remember though. I feel that this is the best film that director Rick Famuyiwa have made so far, and i have seen almost all of his films. For some reason, he must have decided to change his style as an director, because his previous films looks nothing like Dope, and that is something i love about this film. I can´t say i can compare this film to any other releases out there, and that is something unique in these days. Dope looks great, and feels great, with such a cool style that follows all the way to the end. The soundtrack is one of the reason why the film manage to deliver the message, it all goes together, like a combined theatre play. While some of the films this year followed a pretty typical Hollywood standard, Dope manage to find another way, and deliver a film that should be seen by a larger audience. I know that the theatrical run was this autumn, but buy the dvd or blu ray, this is a film worth having in your collection, if you love intelligent independent films. I might get my own 90´s hair style after watching Dope, feels great to be nostalgic and showing a time when music videos meant more than reality shows. In some ways, i miss those days, but the good memories will always be there, and Dope helps them stay.
Rating: DDDD
Saving Christmas
Christmas time, a moment every year where families gather around the christmas tree, sing christmas songs, and wait for Santa Clause coming with presents. It is also a time where most families sit down, to enjoy christmas food, in all kinds of combinations. I have celebrated christmas every year, both in my own family and in my wifes family, and it is interesting to see how different to families can be, when it comes to making christmas dinner. My wifes family is very determined to make christmas dinner very big, with everything on the table, including the classic swedish pig ham. Every year we have chaos, in shopping malls, in stores, because of christmas. People shop like maniacs, and it never seems to end. But i do have a plan, when i get older, i might celebrate christmas in Thailand, with lots of sun, some drinks, and perhaps a lap dance included. Life is supposed to be lived in a good way.
I am not much fond of snow and ice, so for me i enjoy christmas for another reason, seeing everyone in family and having a good time. I was also dressed as Santa Clause once, when a family neighbour asked if i could help them out, since they did not have anyone who could dress up. The problem was i had a couple of drinks, before i knew this. So i was a bit drunk, but the kids were happy, they laughed as i falled down on a street filled with ice, and i still managed to give them all gifts. Speaking about christmas, remember all the classic christmas movies out there ? I have seen plenty, but there are 2 i find very funny. Elf of course with Will Ferrell and Bad Santa with Billy Bob Thornton. They are both very different christmas comedies, but manage to both deliver different sides of the christmas season, and also make you think for a moment. I can tell you, i have seen a lot of christmas movies over a long time of period, and only a few good ones can be worth to mention, as i did earlier. So, when i hear about some new releases, i take the time to see a few, just to see if they are any good. In december last year, i was hearing a lot of talk about a christmas film with Kirk Cameron, called Saving Christmas, but it was not the positive talk i heard. In fact, every single critic hated this fim, So i asked myself a question, can it really be that bad ? I decided since it is almost christmas time, to check this film out and write a review, hopefully to inspire people about christmas. Is this a suprisingly good christmas film for the whole family, or are the critics right that you should avoid this at all cost ?
Kirk ( Kirk Cameron ) loves christmas, and he loves this time of the year, when everyone can sit down and spend some time together. He have a conversation with his sister Bridgette ( Bridgette Ridenour ), when he finds out she is worried over Kirk´s brother-in-law, Christian White ( Darren Doane ). Kirk goes out to talk to him, where he finds out that Christian have lost hope on christmas. That we should not celebrate with presents, or have christmas trees, we should celebrate for the real reason, Jesus. Kirk agree, people need to understand what christmas is all about, so he decides to make a change.
I could have talked about this film for the biblical messages that is filled in here. I could say that i don´t really understand what Saving Christmas was trying to do for people with the message of the film. I understand that this film is trying to be educational, but i feel that i have to be honest.
The truth is, Saving Christmas is just as bad as Left Behind.
Seriously ?
Yes, i am serious. And it is not because it is an christian film, it is because this film is horrible in so many ways. The acting is so bad, i wonder where they found these actors, from a Jehovas Witnesses family meeting? The christmas feeling here is so drained in sweetness, that you feel like punching Kirk Cameron in the face, so you at least feel good about christmas. This film, is supposed to show what christmas is all about, from a christian perspective. That is not the problem with this film, the real problem is that you really don´t care about the message, because the film fails completely to deliver any christmas feeling at all.There is a christmas tree, hot chocolate, and christmas decorations, but the christmas spirit does not feel inspirational. And the comedy scenes ? Oh man, i cried, at least 3 times, from feeling depressed. Are you not supposed to laugh at funny scenes ? I guess not, at least not in Saving Christmas. Director Darren Doanne have directed a lot of music videos in the past, with bands such as Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Shinedown, and even some videos with popular pop artist Jason Mraz. He have also directed films , including the documentary film Unstoppable, with Kirk Cameron. Now, i have only seen his work as a music video director, and he did well in this area. As a movie director, he comletely lost his point with Saving Christmas. It is supposed to be cute, funny, and make christmas look great. I already regret seeing this film, just like i regret seeing After Earth and Änglagård Tredje Gången Gilt. I wish that a drunk Billy Bob Thorton could have walked into this film, and told Kirk Cameron what most of us are thinking. I understand now why this was one of the most hated christmas films released last year, and i think no film will change that position. Congratulations Kirk Cameron, you destroyed christmas with this film, Santa Clause better have some Ron De Jeremy Rum with him in his bag, i need a couple of drinks after this experience........
Rating: D
I am not much fond of snow and ice, so for me i enjoy christmas for another reason, seeing everyone in family and having a good time. I was also dressed as Santa Clause once, when a family neighbour asked if i could help them out, since they did not have anyone who could dress up. The problem was i had a couple of drinks, before i knew this. So i was a bit drunk, but the kids were happy, they laughed as i falled down on a street filled with ice, and i still managed to give them all gifts. Speaking about christmas, remember all the classic christmas movies out there ? I have seen plenty, but there are 2 i find very funny. Elf of course with Will Ferrell and Bad Santa with Billy Bob Thornton. They are both very different christmas comedies, but manage to both deliver different sides of the christmas season, and also make you think for a moment. I can tell you, i have seen a lot of christmas movies over a long time of period, and only a few good ones can be worth to mention, as i did earlier. So, when i hear about some new releases, i take the time to see a few, just to see if they are any good. In december last year, i was hearing a lot of talk about a christmas film with Kirk Cameron, called Saving Christmas, but it was not the positive talk i heard. In fact, every single critic hated this fim, So i asked myself a question, can it really be that bad ? I decided since it is almost christmas time, to check this film out and write a review, hopefully to inspire people about christmas. Is this a suprisingly good christmas film for the whole family, or are the critics right that you should avoid this at all cost ?
Kirk ( Kirk Cameron ) loves christmas, and he loves this time of the year, when everyone can sit down and spend some time together. He have a conversation with his sister Bridgette ( Bridgette Ridenour ), when he finds out she is worried over Kirk´s brother-in-law, Christian White ( Darren Doane ). Kirk goes out to talk to him, where he finds out that Christian have lost hope on christmas. That we should not celebrate with presents, or have christmas trees, we should celebrate for the real reason, Jesus. Kirk agree, people need to understand what christmas is all about, so he decides to make a change.
I could have talked about this film for the biblical messages that is filled in here. I could say that i don´t really understand what Saving Christmas was trying to do for people with the message of the film. I understand that this film is trying to be educational, but i feel that i have to be honest.
The truth is, Saving Christmas is just as bad as Left Behind.
Seriously ?
Yes, i am serious. And it is not because it is an christian film, it is because this film is horrible in so many ways. The acting is so bad, i wonder where they found these actors, from a Jehovas Witnesses family meeting? The christmas feeling here is so drained in sweetness, that you feel like punching Kirk Cameron in the face, so you at least feel good about christmas. This film, is supposed to show what christmas is all about, from a christian perspective. That is not the problem with this film, the real problem is that you really don´t care about the message, because the film fails completely to deliver any christmas feeling at all.There is a christmas tree, hot chocolate, and christmas decorations, but the christmas spirit does not feel inspirational. And the comedy scenes ? Oh man, i cried, at least 3 times, from feeling depressed. Are you not supposed to laugh at funny scenes ? I guess not, at least not in Saving Christmas. Director Darren Doanne have directed a lot of music videos in the past, with bands such as Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, Shinedown, and even some videos with popular pop artist Jason Mraz. He have also directed films , including the documentary film Unstoppable, with Kirk Cameron. Now, i have only seen his work as a music video director, and he did well in this area. As a movie director, he comletely lost his point with Saving Christmas. It is supposed to be cute, funny, and make christmas look great. I already regret seeing this film, just like i regret seeing After Earth and Änglagård Tredje Gången Gilt. I wish that a drunk Billy Bob Thorton could have walked into this film, and told Kirk Cameron what most of us are thinking. I understand now why this was one of the most hated christmas films released last year, and i think no film will change that position. Congratulations Kirk Cameron, you destroyed christmas with this film, Santa Clause better have some Ron De Jeremy Rum with him in his bag, i need a couple of drinks after this experience........
Rating: D
Prenumerera på:
Inlägg (Atom)