Trailer: CBGB (2013)
A look at the New York City punk-rock scene and the venerable nightclub, CBGB. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Randall Miller
Starring: Malin Akerman, Rupert Grint, Ryan Hurst and others
Current release date: Ocotober, 2013
A look at the New York City punk-rock scene and the venerable nightclub, CBGB. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Randall Miller
Movie clip: The Butler (2013)
A look at the life of Cecil Gaines who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler from 1952 to 1986, and had a unique front-row seat as political and racial history was made. From: IMDb.com
Trailer #2: The Butler (2013)
A look at the life of Cecil Gaines who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler from 1952 to 1986, and had a unique front-row seat as political and racial history was made. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Lee Daniels
Starring: John Cusack, Forest Whitaker, Lenny Kravitz and others
Current release date: August 16, 2013
Trailer: The Butler (2013)
A look at the life of Cecil Gains who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler from 1952 to 1986, and had a unique front-row seat as political and racial history was made. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Lee Daniels
Starring: John Cusack, Forest Whitaker, David Oyelowo and others
Current release date: August 16, 2013
International trailer: Gambit (2012)
An art curator decides to seek revenge on his abusive boss by conning him into buying a fake Monet, but his plan requires the help of an eccentric and unpredictable Texas rodeo queen. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Michael Hoffman
Starring: Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman and others
Current release date: 2013
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Directed by Tim Burton
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(Review originally written at 27 October 2008)
First of all I love Tim Burton and the dark style he always manages to put in his movies but I feel that he somewhat overdid it this time, which perhaps is not as much Burton's fault but more the story's.
For me the main problem with this movie was its story and then particularly its characters. There just is no good character within this movie. All of the characters are evil in a way. Sweeney Todd is supposed to be the main 'hero' but he isn't much of a likable character, since he's a person who slices innocent people's throats. There isn't really a person to sympathize for within this movie. It's like you're watching all bad people, which in a way also somewhat makes this a depressing movie to watch. I know this certain darkness suits Tim Burton well and is part of his trademark style but I just feel he overdid it this time and it doesn't work out as well as it does in most of his other movies.
He perhaps also overdid things with the movie its visuals. The movie is so stylish and done mostly in gray and black & white tints that the movie looks fake at times, as if it came straight out of a computer. The fairytale like feeling and dark Gothic atmosphere Tim Burton is so well known for is mostly missing within this movie and perhaps Burton too much tried to make this movie like an old horror movie from the black & white era. Also some of the computer effects within this movie feel pointless, mostly because of the reason that they look like they come straight out of playstation game cut scene. It's pointless and it doesn't add anything to the movie. It instead only lets the movie look even more artificial and fake then it already does.
Nevertheless the movie turned out to be in a way also better than expected really. I mean a dark violent musical? Sounds like a real odd and bad thing on paper but it's a movie that works out surprisingly well and knows to combine it's violence, images and musical moments nicely, even though I wasn't that impressed by its musical moments and not a too big fan of the movie its visuals. The story did worked out well and surprisingly, despite of its earlier mentioned flaw of not really featuring any likable characters.
I must also say that out of all the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborations, this is probably the least. Why? Because Johnny Depp doesn't really feel like Johnny Depp in this movie. Perhaps it's because of the style of the movie or all of the make-up he has to act underneath but there are only a handful of great Johnny Depp moments within the movie. It's as if most of the time he is restrained, which is probably also due to the fact that he has a lot of singing to do in this movie. Sacha Baron Cohen on the other hand was really great and perfectly cast. In a way he plays more of Johnny Depp type of role than Jonny Depp played within this movie. Cohen's role is quite small though but nevertheless memorable and entertaining. Alan Rickman is also fine and so is Tim Burton's girlfriend Helena Bonham Carter, who always perfectly fits into his movies and style in particular.
So, it's a movie that works out surprising well and I can also recommend it but this doesn't take away I had some problems with the movie its style and main characters.
7/10
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First of all I love Tim Burton and the dark style he always manages to put in his movies but I feel that he somewhat overdid it this time, which perhaps is not as much Burton's fault but more the story's.
For me the main problem with this movie was its story and then particularly its characters. There just is no good character within this movie. All of the characters are evil in a way. Sweeney Todd is supposed to be the main 'hero' but he isn't much of a likable character, since he's a person who slices innocent people's throats. There isn't really a person to sympathize for within this movie. It's like you're watching all bad people, which in a way also somewhat makes this a depressing movie to watch. I know this certain darkness suits Tim Burton well and is part of his trademark style but I just feel he overdid it this time and it doesn't work out as well as it does in most of his other movies.
He perhaps also overdid things with the movie its visuals. The movie is so stylish and done mostly in gray and black & white tints that the movie looks fake at times, as if it came straight out of a computer. The fairytale like feeling and dark Gothic atmosphere Tim Burton is so well known for is mostly missing within this movie and perhaps Burton too much tried to make this movie like an old horror movie from the black & white era. Also some of the computer effects within this movie feel pointless, mostly because of the reason that they look like they come straight out of playstation game cut scene. It's pointless and it doesn't add anything to the movie. It instead only lets the movie look even more artificial and fake then it already does.
Nevertheless the movie turned out to be in a way also better than expected really. I mean a dark violent musical? Sounds like a real odd and bad thing on paper but it's a movie that works out surprisingly well and knows to combine it's violence, images and musical moments nicely, even though I wasn't that impressed by its musical moments and not a too big fan of the movie its visuals. The story did worked out well and surprisingly, despite of its earlier mentioned flaw of not really featuring any likable characters.
I must also say that out of all the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborations, this is probably the least. Why? Because Johnny Depp doesn't really feel like Johnny Depp in this movie. Perhaps it's because of the style of the movie or all of the make-up he has to act underneath but there are only a handful of great Johnny Depp moments within the movie. It's as if most of the time he is restrained, which is probably also due to the fact that he has a lot of singing to do in this movie. Sacha Baron Cohen on the other hand was really great and perfectly cast. In a way he plays more of Johnny Depp type of role than Jonny Depp played within this movie. Cohen's role is quite small though but nevertheless memorable and entertaining. Alan Rickman is also fine and so is Tim Burton's girlfriend Helena Bonham Carter, who always perfectly fits into his movies and style in particular.
So, it's a movie that works out surprising well and I can also recommend it but this doesn't take away I had some problems with the movie its style and main characters.
7/10
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Directed by Chris Columbus
(Review originally written at 6 June 2008)
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
No, I'm not a big Harry Potter fan and probably never will be but I can appreciate the qualities of the movies. Definitely for a children movie this movie is of course of very high class, with fabulous looking sets, a whole load of well known British actors and an highly experienced crew involved.
The movie forms a nice first set up for the future series of Harry Potter movies. Still I'm glad the movies and its characters have matured a lot since this movie. Probably also has to do with the fact that this movie and the second were directed by Chris Columbus who is an experienced children movie director, while the other Harry Potter movies were directed by more 'serious' directors. Yes, it makes this movie a good children's movie to watch but also sort of makes this movie look and feel more outdated than any of the other Harry Potter movies, which also goes at the expense of its re-watchable value.
Nevertheless, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" remains good quality- and fun film. It knows to create an entire new world of its own with lots of often strange characters in it.
The movie is of course a set up and the first establishment of a long running series of movies. This means that the movie consists for a big part out of character introductions. Yes, this results in the fact that there are a bit too many characters in the movie, also since some of them don't even seem to serve a purpose at all for the story but this got resolved in the later movies, by simply leaving out some characters but by introducing many new ones as well. So its sort of problem solving with another problem.
Also a bit of a shame that the movie is lacking a real central villain. Professor Snape is treated as a villain, even though we learn by the end of the movie that he's not such a bad guy after all. The real main villain if the movie is of course Voldemort but he gets mostly only mentioned by name and basically doesn't do an awful lot in the movie and only sort of shows up in the very end of the movie. Not the way to treat a villain in my opinion, even though its of course clear from this movie on that he is going to play a much bigger and more important role in the future Harry Potter movies. I however in a case like this feel that they should had putted in a new and different villain besides Voldemort, since this movie is definitely lacking a sense of danger, excitement and action, even though the movie never bores, despite its quite long running time (for a children's movie anyway.).
The movie its quality is also surely being uplifted by its presence of well known and respected actors, such as Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane and Alan Rickman among many others. Each of them are giving fine performances but it are mostly Harris and Rickman that catch the eye with their performances. The child actors are also managing fine, although its definitely and luckily true that their acting improved throughout during the later movies.
The movie is great looking and knows to create a magic new world, with its set, costumes and make-up. It's not hard to see that this was a costly movie to make. The special effects are also mostly fine, though not really during the game of quidditch, or any other 'flying' sequence for that matter. The movie gets also greatly supported by the musical score from John Williams. Sort of a waste for the series that Williams only scored the music for the first 3 movies.
A good and fun enough start of the series, though luckily the movies improved more over the years.
7/10
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Snow Cake (2006) Directed by Marc Evans
(Review originally written at 13 December 2007)
This is a great little powerful overlooked 2006 movie. It's sometimes unfair and unbelievable that this happens but every year there are these types of movies that are great ones and seem like big award worthy ones, but no one has ever heard of. No I'll admit that this is not exactly THE greatest one in its genre and it still has its flaws but nevertheless it seems unfair that this movie was almost completely overlooked at the time of its release.
It's definitely true that the movie its impressive cast makes this movie a better and also more interesting one to watch. I don't think there would have been any other reason for me to ever decide to watch this movie. The movie features three really solid main performance. Not just Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver but also really surprisingly enough Carrie-Anne Moss is excellent in the movie. You perhaps would expect Alan Rickman to steal the movie but this is really not the case. Sigourney Weaver also gives a fine memorable performance as an autistic person. These type of performances are normally ones that will get you nominated for an Oscar but this movie was overlooked by most of the big award shows, as well as most cinemas.
Don't expect to see a movie about autism though. It's just an element within the movie. It's mostly just about life with realistic events and emotions, even though perhaps on paper it doesn't seem like this. It had all the elements in it to really go over-the-top and become an over sentimental ambitious one but the movie never really pushes its dramatic elements overly through, which is of course a good and positive thing. It makes the movie more credible and it allows the story to tell itself without forcing things. This strengthens the characters and dramatic aspects. Luckily the movie at times also features some relieving comedy, that is used in the right places and doesn't ever completely take over the whole movie.
A nice little honest feeling dramatic movie with all the right intentions.
8/10
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Directed by David Yates
(Review originally written at 25 November 2007)
Lots of people at the time praised "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" for its dark approach and atmosphere. Well, if "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" was a dark movie, than this is an ultra-dark movie. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" was a semi-dark children/fantasy movie that never really dared to cross the line. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is not afraid to this though. I must say that this movie is actually closer to horror than fantasy in my opinion. It had an incredible atmosphere, with also some classic build up horror moments. There is little room left for fun in this movie and it's all very serious. Yes, perhaps a bit too serious though. I felt that the movie could had used some relieving humor at times, something all of the other Harry Potter movies were still loaded with.
No, I'm not a great Harry Potter fan and never will be probably, but I have to give it credit for some thing. The series perfectly adapt to the maturing of the main characters as well as the viewers/readers. In other children book series the readers/viewers of course mature over the years, but the stories don't mature with them and everything remains just the same as the first book/movie. I praise the Harry Potter series for not doing so.
So the movie is quite different from any of the previous other Harry Potter movies. It has a new style, which provides the movie with a different atmosphere. This is being empathized all the more by the different musical score from the still unknown Nicholas Hooper. I liked this idea. A new approach calls for a new style, also in the music. None of the themes sound familiar or reminds us of any of the other previous Harry Potter movies.
The movie is more political than fun. The whole taking over Hogwarts thing by the ministry was done quite nicely and interesting. Harry and friends need to face some serious grown up difficulties now. Voldermort is back, no doubt, which means that there now needs to be fought in a battle between life and death. So no giant spiders, house elves, games of quidditch, brewing potions behind closed doors or snakes this time, but a real murderous evil villain, with dangerous followers, that needs to be stopped.
I'm sort of fed up though with all of these new characters that constantly get introduced in every new Harry Potter movie. It's of course not that any of those characters are bad, or being portrayed by horrible actors, but it just goes at the expensive of already some fine and established actors, such as Minerva, Dumbledore, Snape and Hagrid, who are now all being pushed more to the background. The movie is now filled with literally dozens of characters, that are not all getting the attention they need and deserve.
This is a very recommendable movie, especially if you thought that all of the Harry Potter movies were still too childish.
8/10
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Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) Directed by Tom Tykwer
(Review originally written at 6 July 2007)
The idea of the movie is interesting but also a dilemma. How to bring a movie about smell to the screen? The movie does this well, by creating an unique atmosphere, that is visually focused on the smells in the movie, to help and tell the story and make it understandable.
You can say what you want about this movie but you have to admit that it's pure eye-candy to look at. Every sequences is unique on its own, with its fantastic visual looks. Big kudos to the cinematography, make-up, sets and costumes of the movie. Also the musical score is suiting for the movie its feeling.
By watching this movie it becomes very obvious that it was based on a book. The movie does not really have one clear main plot line, in terms of having a beginning, middle and ending that all fit in with each other. It makes the movie a bit frustrating and overlong to watch at times, since it just isn't clear were the movie is trying to head to. It doesn't make "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" the most easy movie to watch, although it definitely more accessible than the marketing and whole hype surrounding the movie suggest it is. Though I don't think I want to watch this movie again any time soon.
It's a well directed movie and Tom Tykwer does a good job at keeping the story as 'down to Earth' as possible, with the exception of 2 or 3 sequences, that were too significant and complicated to bring it to the screen in a simple way. Nevertheless, it in essence is a pretty unusual and inaccessible story, that is made perfectly understandable and accessible, due to the movie its directing. Seems like Tom Tykwer has a great future ahead of him.
Can't say that I was always too happy about Ben Whishaw as the main lead of the movie. No, I don't think Ben Whishaw will grow into become a great well known actor. The supporting cast is significantly better with actors such as Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman, with John Hurt as the movie its narrator.
All in all an unique viewing experience, that isn't among the best movies of the year but nevertheless is a real recommendable one.
7/10
Watch trailer
The idea of the movie is interesting but also a dilemma. How to bring a movie about smell to the screen? The movie does this well, by creating an unique atmosphere, that is visually focused on the smells in the movie, to help and tell the story and make it understandable.
You can say what you want about this movie but you have to admit that it's pure eye-candy to look at. Every sequences is unique on its own, with its fantastic visual looks. Big kudos to the cinematography, make-up, sets and costumes of the movie. Also the musical score is suiting for the movie its feeling.
By watching this movie it becomes very obvious that it was based on a book. The movie does not really have one clear main plot line, in terms of having a beginning, middle and ending that all fit in with each other. It makes the movie a bit frustrating and overlong to watch at times, since it just isn't clear were the movie is trying to head to. It doesn't make "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" the most easy movie to watch, although it definitely more accessible than the marketing and whole hype surrounding the movie suggest it is. Though I don't think I want to watch this movie again any time soon.
It's a well directed movie and Tom Tykwer does a good job at keeping the story as 'down to Earth' as possible, with the exception of 2 or 3 sequences, that were too significant and complicated to bring it to the screen in a simple way. Nevertheless, it in essence is a pretty unusual and inaccessible story, that is made perfectly understandable and accessible, due to the movie its directing. Seems like Tom Tykwer has a great future ahead of him.
Can't say that I was always too happy about Ben Whishaw as the main lead of the movie. No, I don't think Ben Whishaw will grow into become a great well known actor. The supporting cast is significantly better with actors such as Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman, with John Hurt as the movie its narrator.
All in all an unique viewing experience, that isn't among the best movies of the year but nevertheless is a real recommendable one.
7/10
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