IkkegoeMikke's My Opinion as a Movie-Freak

Kingsman : The Secret Service
2014
Matthew Vaughn
I am offering you the opportunity to become a Kingsman.
A tailor?
A Kingsman agent.
Like a spy?
Of sorts. Interested?
You think I've got anything to lose?


I'm not a big fan of Bond films. Too clean, too boring and too stiff. And there was always Q who came up with some new inventions and coincidentally they came in handy in that movie. I would love to own his crystal ball. Also, every movie was stuffed with action, but you'd never see a speck of blood (Before all Bond fans react furiously: I admit that I haven't seen all Bond-movies. So I could be wrong on that part). And in every film a bunch of gorgeous ladies paraded around, but I've never seen a millimeter of offensive nudity. "Kingsman : The Secret Service" feels like a James Bond flick, but then provided with all these last-mentioned facts and an excessive dose of humor.


Harry Hart (Colin Firth) is a member of "The Kingsmen", an espionage organization, which is even more secret than the secret service itself, that gets al the dirty jobs from MI6. Hart is a genuine Englishman and looks more like a distinguished businessman or banker than a master spy. During an operation in the Middle East, the father of Gary "Eggsy" (Taron Egerton) got killed, after which Hart gives this toddler a medal that could be useful in the future. 17 years later, during the kidnapping of a professor by the multi millionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), another secret agent is killed during the rescue operation. Hart recommends Eggsy (grown up, unemployed and no prospects) as a candidate to join "The Kingsmen ".


The whole film has the atmosphere of an old spy movie like James Bond or "The Avengers", a popular series from the 70's with John Steed as a secret agent who faithfully wore a bowler and was equipped with an ordinary umbrella with all sorts of ingenious gadgetry. Compared with the civilized manners in those days, "Kingsman" is rather brutal and radical. Don't get me wrong. Hart is an example of courtesy and attempts to be as reserved and correct as possible, regardless of the situation he finds himself in, as befits a true Brit. But it's mainly the dissolute tone and graphic violence that makes the difference. The film sometimes tends to take on Tarantino-like proportions. The fragment in the local church is such an example. 3 Minutes of rage swirling across your screen with Hart acting as a purebred John Wick. Or the scene in the local pub where he demonstrates equivalent fighting techniques as "The Equalizer". Colin Firth doesn't look particularly like a well-oiled fighting machine and some movements look rigid, but all in all this 55-year was convincing enough. He proves that besides serious roles full of drama as in "Devil's Knot" and "The Railway Man", he's capable to handle lighthearted, action-packed roles as well.


When Eggsy begins the grueling training, with annoying rich kids as opponents, I was afraid it would lead to a kind of "Ender's Game" or "Divergent" story. Fortunately, this wasn't the case. The whole training proceeded under the watchful eye of Merlin (Mark Strong). The only thing that was a bit unbelievable for me, was the fact that an inexperienced teenager as Eggsy, whose most exciting life experience so far was peeing against an electric cattle fence, can grow out into an experienced parachutist in such short period. However I tolerated this since this action comedy doesn't take itself seriously in the first place. And also lets mention Michael Caine, as the Godfather of all Kingsmen, who perfectly took upon himself the role of ancien.


In a real spy movie, a bad guy shouldn't be missing obviously. This part was played with visible pleasure by Samuel L. Jackson as the lisping multimillionaire Richmond Valentine who worries about the future of the earth. In particular, the global warming, concerns him. For this, however, he has devised a diabolical plan. Only the implementation of this plan is inadequate. Jackson is peerless in this role (About time after a few feeble performances) as the eccentric Valentine who can't stand seeing a drop of blood and tends to lose consciousness in that case. To avoid this, he has a graceful assistant called Gazelle (Sofia Boutella). A true fury and fighting machine with razor-sharp legs with the necessary amputated limbs as a result. Finally, also a honorable mention for Hanna Alström as the Swedish princess. She didn't need much acting talent, but her graceful butt was prominently displayed in the end.


"Kingsman: The secret service" is a must see movie. Do you enjoy a touch of dry English humor, overly bloody action moments and all of this with a wink to the great spy movies of yesteryear ? Surely this film is made for you. Brace yourself for this espionage which contains brute force as well as humor. And it doesn't avoid well known clichés, but still brings them in a different way so that you actually won't notice it really. Magistrale movie !

Interstellar
2014
Christopher Nolan

“I'm not afraid of death. I'm an old physicist - I'm afraid of time.”

Magnificent. Fascinating. Absorbing. Breathtaking. Titillating. Mind-blowing.




Nolan managed to make an epic film. A mix of fiction and non-fiction. The set-up to establish a colony on an unknown planet in another galaxy ("To boldly go where no man has gone before" comes spontaneously to mind) is not really science fiction anymore, given at this time all preparations are made to try the same thing on Mars. But as they plunge into the wormhole, after which they'll be teleported to another galaxy, the non-fiction ends and speculations begin. How it works, is demonstrated in a playful manner, using a sheet of paper and a pencil. Just to keep it simple for someone like me and explain it in an understandable way. But I have to admit that the visualization of this utopian trip looks stunning. As a counterpart of this high-tech future story, there's also the human aspect whereby Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) has to make a difficult choice between his family and saving humanity.


The space trip is preceded by the melodramatic part of the movie which I normally would have described as the corny sappy part. But here I didn't have that feeling at all and the whole was brought well-founded. The sketched relationship between Cooper, Murph (Mackenzie Foy) and Tom (Timothée Chalamet) on the dusty ranch, is explained in detail and in a sound manner. In gloomy conditions they try to grow crops. A project that is doomed to fail because fungi slowly eats away all crops on our planet. Cooper, a former astronaut who was employed by NASA, focuses on the agricultural sector now (because there is a need for the production of food, and not space experts) and has constructed a fully automated farm. According to Murph there's a so-called poltergeist who wants to deliver a message. Because of this phenomenon they discover a secret NASA complex run by John Brand (Michael Caine) who explains to Cooper his exodus theory and asks him to lead this exodus as pilot of the intergalactic spaceship "Endurance".


Usually the soundtrack of a film leaves me Siberian cold. But in "Interstellar" the composer Hans Zimmer created a perfect atmosphere with his compositions. Cooper leaving his family wouldn't be so impressive with the supporting organ sounds missing. Knowing Nolan you can also assume that the appearance of the film would be impressive. And it is. The interior of the Endurance, the landscapes of the three planets, the images of infinite space, the black hole Gargantua, the presentation of the fifth dimension and the trip through the black hole. It all looked very impressive and realistic. Nolan is also known as a supporter of limited-use-of-CGI and it wouldn't surprise me if they made use of huge settings interspersed with tiny elaborated scale models. The planet Miller I personally found the most successful and imaginary result. And finally I just like to mention the accompanying robots TARS and CASE. An innovative design with a humorous communication interface.


What remains are the performances, with Matthew McConaughey as main figure. After seeing him at work in "The Lincoln Lawyer", "Mud" and "Dallas Buyers Club" (for which he won an Oscar), you can only agree that McConaughey is a talented actor with a peculiar accent who leaves a mark on each film. Personally, I think "Interstellar" isn't his most impressive rendition. Yes, he's cut out for the emotion-rich family parts, but as an intellectual NASA astronaut I found him quite implausible. In contrast, I thought Jessica Chastain (as the adult Murph) and Anne Hathaway (daughter of Professor Brand) acted excellent. Casey Affleck (adult Tom), Topher Grace (Murph colleagues and for the umpteenth time in a fairly geeky role) and Matt Damon appear only briefly and each with a different important contribution. The only one who really should feel at home in this film is John Lithgow, for his participation in "3rd Rock from the Sun".


I could repeat the superlatives I wrote down at the beginning because despite some developments that went beyond my understanding and an ending I wasn't impressed by, this is still a wonderful film that manages to blend both the scientific and the personal feelings of the protagonists perfectly. I'm still wondering who ultimately planted that wormhole near Saturn, that fifth dimension still goes over my head and how Cooper finally succeeded in sending the right information needed to Murph also seemed quite an achievement. And posturing about love as something scientific that knows no boundaries, was also an excuse to give it all a deeper philosophical tone. But ultimately, this is another SF that can be included in the gallery of all those other masterpieces.

A most violent Year
2014
J.C. Chandor

“If I were you, I would start treating us with a little more respect or I guarantee he will make it his mission in life to ruin you.”

New York, 1981. The most violent year in the history of the metropolis New York. No doubt about it, but that violence probably took place somewhere else than where this film took place. Are you expecting some sort of mafia film like "Once upon a time in America", "The Godfather", "Scarface" or "The Untouchables" ? Well sorry, but this will be a disappointment for you because it's not such type of mafia movie. Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) is the opposite of a Don Corleone. Anything that smells like mafia stuff or corruption, he tries to avoid studiously. He's trying to run his business in oil fair and square, without falling back on violent and corrupt interventions. And this despite the tough competition which apparently has no problem with applying harsh and intimidating methods. Abel, the epitome of honesty in these turbulent criminal years, faces terrified truck drivers and an increasing loss because of stolen oil. This together with an investigation by the District Attorney Lawrence (David Oyelowo), who is determined to uncover wrongdoings, ensures that an investment Morales trying to finalize with some Jewish businessmen, will be compromised and is doomed to fail.


I didn't expect a film about a supplier of oil in the first place. It certainly provides opportunities for other business sectors to be placed at the center of public attention. After "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "Promised Land" it was time to put the hard-working fuel suppliers, who make sure that we ordinary citizens have a cozy warm house during a severe winter, in the spotlight. I don't want to have a prejudice against this noble profession, but as a subject, it resulted in a painfully slow movie in which there was not much to be seen. I did notice the terrible shortage of light-bulbs in that time. Large parts of the film are bathed in scorching darkness. Dark offices, dark corridors, nocturnal wanderings through the house and garden, dark tunnels and staircases. Probably it has to do with the fact that these were the most nefarious years and the protagonists were accustomed to nightly activities. Or it's because many things weren't allowed to see the light in that period ? I'm still completely in the dark about that.


I'll be honest though. The performances are spectacular. Isaac plays the stubborn manager masterfully. Despite all the setbacks and the enormous pressure he remains determined on the outlined course he doesn't want to deviate from. Despite the warning from a union man that the truck drivers will abandon him and the continuing distrust of his wife Anna Morales (Jessica Chastain), which apparently has a mafia past, has a dizzying cleavage and commits the only violent offense in this film (with a poor deer as the victim), he doesn't want to yield to unfair practices. He fits perfectly in snowy New York. He's as cool and chilly. And that was my biggest problem with the characters. They are all totally numb. Anna is even colder than Abel. The only one who showed some emotions was Julian (Elyes Gabel) whose fear and desperation were believable.


I've also seen A.J. Chandor's film "All is lost" long time ago and can only conclude that this film fits perfectly. "All is lost" was also visualized beautifully with an unusual rendition, but painfully slow and boring. Brilliant performances, elaborate personalities and expressive character roles serve as the foundation of timeless classics. But when a movie only contains that and has nothing else interesting to offer, you can be sure that a large part of the audience will be slightly disappointed. Including me.

I'm sure that Morales has the saying "Honesty is the best policy" framed above his bed. And yet, his character was quite contradictory when it comes to being honest. The term "morality" is extremely valuable to Morales (What's in a name), but at the final confrontation with Lawrence, corruption comes into play. The "like knows like" feeling pops up and then finally Morales tends to do a favor in a way it's still applied nowadays in the world of business and politics. And the ultimate act in the end, with a banal handkerchief being used to seal a puncture in a huge oil tank, is implausible as a physical phenomenon and also in contradiction with the character of Abel. Apparently the business aspect is more important than the human aspect at that moment. Eventually still a ruthless businessman, our saint Abel.

John Wick
2014
Chad Stahelski

"John will come for you and you will do nothing, because you can't do nothing."


Do you hate complicated films where your brains hurt while trying to keep up with the story ? Do you start to drool spontaneously when watching endless violent action scenes ? You answered twice "Yes Sir" ? Well, then "John Wick" is cut out for you. Because the story is simple in a way that even your goldfish can follow it easily and it it contains a concatenation of rough,cruel liquidations. I never thought that stealing a Ford Mustang and wringing the neck of a puppy could result in a never-seen, raging revenge. John Wick, however, thought otherwise. This retired former hitman leaves a bloody trail in New York, after they steal his car and kill his dog, donated by his deceased wife. The fact that this is committed by the son of his former boss, who's from the Russian mob, doesn't impress him. Instantly he demolishes his basement floor. Years ago, he buried his whole arsenal of weapons and other adult toys there, just to forget his past and change gear in his new life.


Digging up Keanu Reeves again, certainly wasn't a bad idea. The man has a natural talent for portraying an icy cool killer. His emotionless visage is perfect for the role. And the less dialogs in a film, the better. It's not the dialogues, he has to struggle through, that gives him the appearance of a cold-blooded assassin, but his stoic calmness and the expressionless gaze does. He demonstrated this already in "The Matrix" and also in "47 Ronin" (wrongly considered by many as a pulp film). If you want to keep track of the number of victims, you should purchase a large oversize abacus. .

I enjoy a straightforward action film, with not to much frills and where the emphasis lies on mindless brawling and shooting. It shouldn't be serious all the time. Although after a while I felt kind of impassive about it and sank deeper into my cozy seat to watch it with such an infinite look. I compared it with a ride on a wildly popular, matchless rollercoaster. During your first ride, you feel the adrenaline rushing through your body and you rush back to the entrance full of enthusiasm just to experience that indescribable feeling once again. During the tenth drive you're sitting in it very relaxed, looking around in search for the next challenge. That's "John Wick" in a nutshell. A flashy rollercoaster ride that starts fiery and impressive, but as the journey takes longer, the euphoria fades away slowly.


In terms of genre, it's ultimately of the same level as "The Equalizer". Only the latter contained a bit more story, I thought. In "John Wick" you have a stolen car and a dead dog on the one hand, and on the other hand an increasing number of corpses. That's it. And yet it's pure enjoyment witnessing the flashy action and shown coolness. Chad Stahelski, a former stuntman (interesting fact: he was the one who played Neo in "The Matrix" during dangerous scenes), doesn't beat around the bush and creates a series of precisely choreographed fight sequences. Without much effort he succeeds in giving Reeves the reputation of a bogeyman. But as Viggo (Michael Nyqvist) remarks it himself: "John is not exactly "The Bogeyman". He's the one you sent to kill the ****in 'Boogeyman.". And this top assassin moves in a swirling way to eliminate his enemies with a well-aimed shot. His shooting technique is slightly off-track and looks somewhat forced. But that doesn't keep him from transforming the place where he appears, into an outright shooting gallery.


There were some pretty surreal scenes which impressed the imagination. Like the "Continental" hotel, the professional cleaning team and the reputation of John Wick in itself and his cult status hovering around him as an aura. "The Continental Hotel" could serve as a scenic design in a future Batman movie, which bathes in a real cartoonish atmosphere. It's a famous meeting point for notorious assassins, with its own monetary system, an unnaturally friendly desk clerk that meets with all the needs of the guests and a resident physician who can be called for when guests return reasonable damaged after taking care of their "business". There is only one golden rule which is mercilessly punished after being violated. It's prohibited to arrange matters in the hotel itself.


For most of the supporting acts you can safely say that there's a total lack of character development. Most are no more than a shadow in this film, who come momentarily into view and then they're mercilessly being slaughtered. But it seems as if they are suffering from anemia, because despite the continuous aggression, there is very little blood splattered around. So only Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen (Iosef) and Willem Dafoe remain. Michael Nyqvist wasn't very convincing as Viggo and was at the times too theatrical. Alfie Allen played the well-known roll as the conceited, imagining-himself-being-untouchable son of a criminal who as he starts to realize what predator is hunting him, needs a larger size Pampers. Not that very original. And Willem Dafoe tries, but gets little screenplay to play himself into the spotlight. So Reeves is the only one to steal the show. And he does that with panache and style. Once he slips into that measured black suit and swings a duffel bag full of toys for adults in it, over his shoulder, he walks confidently towards you while the camera zooms in. And then you can brace yourself. Magnificent.


"John Wick" isn't exactly of a high level in cinematic terms but does meet the requirements of the targeted audience. A pure action movie full of spectacle. Unfortunately, there are rumors that the sequel "John Wick" is planned already. I admire Reeves that he's still capable to portray a character as Wick at his age of 50. He can take that kind of personage to a next level, but I'm afraid that this sequel will be a weak carbon copy from the original.

Wolves
2014
David Hayter

Life is like an onion.
That's what they say.
The more you peel it back,
the more it makes you cry.
Especially when
you're afflicted.

It's obvious that everyone is looking for that gold mine to produce something similar like "Twilight". They even got help from David Hayter (writer of "X-men") and miraculously they found another theme. Imagine a brainstorming session at TF1 International : "Hey, Twilight used vampires . What if we use a pack of werewolves instead ? And a handsome young guy as a key player who meets a fresh, young wench somewhere in a remote place ? Maybe it's the start of a brand new series that will be so successful, teens will stumble over each other to see it ! ( followed by applause, cheers and heartfelt hugs) ". After watching this horribly acted and meaningless predictable story about an ancient tribe of werewolves who've retreated in a commune where they eventually compete among each other, I recommend to store these plans. Just to avoid a financial hangover.


Clayden Richards (Lucas Till) has a fairly turbulent puberty. For instance he dreams about werewolves at night. His parents blame this on his raging hormones that play tricks on him. However, everything is going really well for him. He has wonderful and caring parents, a gang of friends and the prettiest girl in school. He is a quarterback and has the appearance of an Adonis. Most teenage girls would melt just looking at him. Until he beats up an opponent during a match and while making out with his girlfriend, the beast in him bursts out. Literally. He flees from the place where he grew up and on his trip some guy called Wild Joe sents him out to the deserted village Lupine Ridge. Of course the place is swarming with werewolves. As you can see, the name of the village "Lupin" is distracted from the Latin word lupinus. Very subtle. What follows is the revealing of Clayden's past and his relation to Connor, a kind of alpha werewolf who rules the place.


Nothing new under the werewolf-moon and at times it's downright ridiculous. You really can't say it's exciting and it reminded me of "Teen Wolf" with Michael J. Fox. Only the latter I actually could appreciate. At times the transformation of the villagers looked successful. But mostly I thought I was watching the Muppet show with some wearing carnaval costumes. However, I hope the makers weren't serious because I couldn't suppress a smile. I still don't know whether this was a smile because it all looked ridiculous or because that shown on the screen was actually meant to be funny. Some performances were pitifully poor. Lucas Till has the charisma of a flowerpot. Merritt Patterson looks delicious (useful for the werewolf Clayden) and sweet. Only Jason Momoa could convince me. But probably his huge impressive stature and his deep penetrating eyes caused this. The best acting performance was Stephen McHattie as the cooperative farmer who of course knows the whole history of Clayden's family.


"Wolves" is as thrilling as the stretched elastic in the underpants of a grandmother. Not really exciting. Even the presence of the beautiful Patterson and the sensual scene with Till doesn't help. I can still remember me seeing a fragment of a black and white movie when I was young, with someone turning into a werewolf because of the shrill sound of a school bell. That scared the crap out of me and for days I had nightmares (mind you I was only 12 years or so). "Wolves" will only keep me from sleeping because I'll be laughing irrepressible. And despite the sometimes bloody splatter scenes, you can hardly call it horror. It's also known that a person who's mutated into a werewolf, won't make use of his natural voice ! The term "Popcorn-teenager-horror" for tar sensitive souls will fit well. I praised "Wer" and thought it might be a revival of the werewolf genre. This film is quite the opposite.

The Judge
2014
David Dobkin

“The law is the only thing capable of making people equal”


Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) is a shrewd and successful lawyer with a smooth tongue. A chatterbox that overwhelms you with its arguments and you can't get in a word edgeways. He uses arguments and counter-arguments in such a natural way, as if he's ordering something to eat at a sandwich bar. Therefore for some he's an insufferable person who does not mince his words. My favorite scene is the confrontation with some drunk local figures in a local bar where he and his two brothers Glen (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Dale (Jeremy Strong) chat about lost times. The way he gives those windbags tit for tat and knows how to silence them, is a perfect representation of who the person Hank Palmer is. This piece reminded me a bit of Matt Damon in "Good Will Hunting" who puts a group of university students in their place. Slyly I enjoy those moments. I know, schadenfreude is not a nice virtue.


Because of family circumstances, Hank must return to his hometown which he turned his back on years ago. The funeral of his mother confronts him with his past. There are his brother Glen, who once stood at the beginning of a promising career as a professional baseball player, and his other mentally handicapped younger brother Dale, who has a passion for filming and usually carries a camera to capture all kinds of scenes. And then there's his father Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall) who's invariably called "Judge" by everyone. A bitter man who can look back at an impressive career as a judge in the town of Carlinville and who's more concerned with his legacy as a righteous judge than his current miserable situation. The next day after the three brothers went on a night out, Mark Blackwell is found dead and his blood is found on the grill of Judge's car. Hank's father can't remember anything and pleads not guilty. Were it not, that years ago he made the error to give this Mark Blackwell a light imprisonment who after being released drowned a 16-year-old girl, there probably still would be some doubt. But this fact does give Judge a decisive motive for murder with hit and run.


"The Judge" is not a typical courtroom drama as we've seen frequently. It's a subtle made family drama with the legal dispute as a side issue and the emphasis on the family joust. Unresolved resentment and mistakes made in the past, played an important role. The whole is explained in detail in a brilliant and subtle way and time has been taken to outline the whole family situation, based on conversations and fragments filmed by Dale. And despite the significant playing time of 140 minutes, you won't get the feeling that you have to drag yourself through it. An intriguing and fascinating family sketch that sometimes tends to become melodramatic (culminating in the confrontation in the basement during a suddenly emerging tornado).

It was to be expected that the confrontation between Downey Jr. and Duvall would guarantee some acting from the top shelf. A brilliant performance by Duvall as the stubborn paterfamilias, who nevertheless expresses some human feelings as his granddaughter comes to visit (incidentally also an admirable role played by Emma Tremblay). Downey can be arrogant. He demonstrated this already in "Iron Man". The difference is that this bugged me in "Iron Man", whereas it fits perfectly here. And definitely worth mentioning are the two emotional (and sometimes funny) renditions of D'Onofrio and Strong. Vera Farmiga ("The Conjuring"), as the ex-girlfriend of Hank, we see trotting along and merely serves as a distraction of the clash of arms between the two Palmer-clan members.


"The Judge" is a pleasure to watch when it comes to the acting, but ultimately it's still just a typical family drama with a court case as a side topic. For the rest, it's crammed with every imaginable emotive subject such as death, illness and an unwavering feud. The priority is the father-son relationship with some story-lines wrapped around it. Ultimately these stories have nothing to do with the core of the matter and only serve to incorporate frequent used cliches so it's guaranteed you'll use a handkerchief to wipe away a tear.

American Muscle
2014
Ravi Dhar

“You owe…you pay.”

"American Muscle" is a simple revenge film (the terms exploitation and grindhouse are commonly used) and you certainly won't expect a creative storyline and memorable performances. The only purpose of such a type of film is to create a violent flick as quickly as possible and with a limited budget. There certainly is an audience for such films and I myself sometimes like watching such a go-for-it-without-thinking pulp film. This gritty film also focuses on brute force, bloody settlements and some female nudity. But what annoyed me the most after a certain time, was the totally nonsensical and vastly simplistic content. Most of the characters their muscle development isn't proportional to the development of the brains. Sometimes the shown stupidity in here, made me laugh spontaneously.


The story is dead simple. John Falcon (Nick Principe) has been released after a prison sentence of 10 years. As soon as he leaves the gate, he has only one goal and that's to take revenge on those who ensured him to end up behind bars. He also wants his wife Darling (Robin Sydney) back by his side. Darling is a naive girl with a drug problem. Despite John's attempts to keep her from the deadly stuff, it seemed as if she's the one who caused that John received those years of imprisonment. The path John's following, leads directly to the members of the responsible gang of which his brother Sam (Todd Farmer) is the leader.


So what we get to see is a seventies-looking brutal film full of unfussy sadistic violence and massacres. The fake blood gushes through the film, the bloody bullet wounds are imaged frequently unscrupulously and you can gawk almost every 5 minutes at some female nude. Frankly however, most of them better left their clothes on, because they weren't really appetizing to look at anyway. Besides the desirable-looking dancers in the stripteasebar where John walks in during his trip, most look like unkempt sluts who get drugs as a reward after they've let themselves being used. John's concern about Darling wasn't really sincere in my opinion, since he has sex with every woman he come across his path (It seems to me that in that area there are living a bunch of women who aren't hard to get at all. Or they lack something in certain areas, if you catch my drift). Apparently the love between him and Darling isn't something he takes too seriously.


Nick Principe needs no effort to look unsympathetic. He's a real badass, with a body the size of an antique wardrobe and with pumped up, tattooed muscles. He isn't very talkative. His conversations are usually limited and his dialogues concise out of a few phrases he pronounces muttering. He rumbles through the desert scenery as a terminator. Nothing and no one can stop him. The fact that the intellectual level of his opponents isn't higher than that of a cactus that has been standing all day in the blazing desert sun, helps too of course. For sure the most dumb ones were the biker gang members, who accepted the assignment to kill John and send him to the happy hunting grounds. They could as well have a target cell painted on their obese body, while carrying a sign with the slogan "Please aim below in the bull's-eye." The only one who gets an award for the most courageous person of all, is one of the bimbos from Sam's entourage (an old-fashioned alternativo with a huge, inverted brush on her head), who despite being a light weight and having a muscle-less stature, takes it up against John. Respect.


The real fans of this genre will probably enjoy this film. However this rugged film was a bit too simplistic and at times completely idiotic. Some fights were nicely put on the screen (despite the amateurish shooting skills again) and other scenes were plain ridiculous. Most dialogues are negligible and meaningless (the toilet scene is a typical example). The reason for the entire revenge expedition and the cause of John ending up in prison wasn't obvious. However, there are some positive points. The playing time is roughly 77 minutes long so it's really a film you can watch in between. The best fragment was in the desert landscape where iron works stood around. But sadly enough, this was ruined by a lousy, silly-looking shoot-out. "American muscle" looks much like the scantily dressed women in this film. There is the attempt to make it look interesting, but ultimately the end result is ugly, insignificant and only good for a one time use.

Bhopal : A prayer for rain
2014
Ravi Kumar

“We are Union Carbide, united in our efforts to build a better future for everyone.”

Despite the fact it's already indicated at the beginning that they have incorporated certain facts in a different way, just to increase the dramatic effect of the film, I was stunned and shocked after watching this docudrama. Frankly, I had never heard of this industrial disaster that took place in Bhopal in 1984. A human tragedy that could have been avoided. But greed and indifference were the main causes leading to this human tragedy. Martin Sheen plays Warren Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide, and is perfectly casted for this movie. He manages to portray Anderson as a man with some human feelings, while on the other hand his business instincts prevail again and he asks casually why an amount of pesticide isn't sold. However his contribution is outplayed by the typically Indian actors. Bollywood movies are unknown territory to me and I guess they usually aren't the epitome of superb performances or a stunning footage, but I'm convinced that the message of this movie was much more important.


December 1984, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. In a Union Carbide pesticide plant, a chemical reaction of water with Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) ensure that a deadly toxic gas cloud spreads over the surrounding slum. The next day there are around 2,000 casualties and hundreds of thousands of residents affected by the toxic cloud. Soon after another 8,000 victims would die because of that. 30 years later, there are still problems and casualties caused by this disaster. The combination of inadequate security, human errors and mismanagement caused this terrible disaster. Had the slip-blind plates been placed so water wouldn't mix with the chemical substance, if only the scrubbers were functioning (but they were under repair), had the refrigeration worked and was the torch installation not taken out of service, this could have been prevented.


A terrible topic about the disastrous consequences caused by human negligence and greed, which is played in a fair way by Indian actors. Especially by Rajpal Yadav as Dipil. A person who's lovable and sometimes comical at the same time. A rickshaw-puller whose vehicle was recreated into pleated iron after transporting a corpulent passenger, who's desperately looking for some work, so he can support his family, pay for the impending wedding of his sister and mainly keep his wife satisfied. He sees a chance to work in the factory as an ordinary handyman. Afterwards he's offered a better paid job (after the previous person dies because a drop of Methyl Isocyanate dripped on his arm, which subsequently is indicated as a typical accident because of an irresponsible act of the concerned person). Essentially he's technically incompetent for this job. But finally it's a dead simple task : he has to keep an eye on a pressure gauge and let someone know when it falls below a certain level. A beautiful rendition and a character that arouses pity every time. Motwani (Kal Penn) is a local reporter who fills his own newspaper with rumors and allegations against Union Carbide. In retrospect, he proved to be an important character in reality. These two together with Martin Sheen, are the key players in this drama. Mischa Barton is presented as the American journalist Eva Gascon, but soon she vanishes from the scene and you wonder what importance her part was anyway.


The known outcome is visualized in a simple yet effective way. Thousands of dying victims, coughing up blood and suffocating. Children looking around apathetically. Helpless doctors trying to save victims with the insufficient available resources. And while this drama unfolds, the chairmen of Union Carbide are trying to find a way out so they can put the blame on anybody but themselves. The fact that there's a description in the contracts about the slip-blind plates, is sufficient enough to conclude it's the factory managers fault. The final settlement made with Union Carbide was a compensation for damages of a lousy 470 million dollars. It shows once again what a human life is worth for such industrial giants. Sickening.

Boyhood
2014
Richard Linklater

"You don't like me much, do you Mason?
That's okay, neither do I.”

As a concept movie, "Boyhood" definitely can be called a successful experiment. It took Richard Linklater no less than 12 years to realize this film. It's a registration of the daily life of an average American family with characters interpreted by the same actors or actresses in different life cycles. Is this an unique concept ? Unfortunately not. In 2001, the Harry Potter saga started with the main characters growing up while the story progressed. So that gimmick is already used.

I'm also the proud owner of a whole collection of home videos I made for years with my Sony Handycam. Would the result be similar to "Boyhood" if I'd edit these nostalgic film clips into a motion picture ? No of course not, because my creation wouldn't be right. The synchronization between the different periods would be wrong. The themes wouldn't be in harmony. The continuity wouldn't be guaranteed, especially regarding the overall atmosphere. In terms of content, there might be similarities, but ultimately it simply will become a banal family documentary, dominated by triviality and platitude. What I'm trying to say is that probably there will be some who'll portray "Boyhood" as an extra-long home video, while for me it's not so evident to come to this result. Ingenious and phenomenal at the same time.


Don't expect truly earth shaking events or developments. You only witness the calmly on-going life of Mason (Ellar Coltrane). A life like most of us have experienced it. A life full of ups and downs, with its euphoric moments and sad moments. A life that forms you as a human being into the personality you'll finally be when reaching adulthood. Also Mason goes through all these stages : first a carefree teenager, school troubles, domestic problems, puberty, an exceptional father who occasionally crosses (during major and minor moments) his life, teenage love, his heart being broken and than the final step to adulthood. 12 Years interwoven with no visible indication in what time span it's happening at that time and this summarized in 165 minutes. Together with his sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), daughter of Richard Linklater and a teenager with an attitude, and his mother (Patricia Arquette), who won a gold medal in the Olympic discipline "choosing the wrong guys", a touching coming-of-age story unfolds itself. Afterwards you realize how volatile time is and how our life goes on with an irreversible pace.


Ellar Coltrane plays literally and figuratively the role of his life. The beginning was a little bit sluggish and lethargic. It seemed to leave him indifferent which made him act quite apathetic. But as he grows older, I appreciated his deep philosophical musings more and more. His argumentation while driving on the highway about humanity functioning in modern society as self-healing and reproducing robots, because the manufacturing of cyborgs would be too costly, I found funny but at the same time I realized that it was uncannily accurate and that there's actually a little truth in what he claims. Again something I could identify myself with. Lorelei Linklater grows into a rebellious and wayward teenager. Arquette's roundings expand as the years pass. The only one whose looks remain timeless, is that of Ethan Hawke. Although it feels as if he plays an ancillary character who pops up occasionally into the life of Mason, I found this the most beautiful role in "Boyhood" and for me the one who exerts the most influence on the development of the person Mason. A brilliant interpretation: serene, vulnerable and supportive. And maybe it's my imagination, but I thought Mason resembled more and more Hawke as he grows older. What a coincidence.


The final conclusion is that it's a brilliant concept with delightful characters who grow and unfold themselves as time progresses. So what's wrong with it than ? Absolutely nothing, except in the end it's just a dull affair. You can't say there are many startling things happening. Despite the chaotic periods Mason's mother is going through , you can't detect any real traumatic experiences. Every average family's life looks like this. And yet this film is praised to the skies. And that's because everyone sees something in it they can relate to and finally think something like "Hey, I also experienced it like that" or "Damn that happened to me also in that period". And that's the strength of "Boyhood". A mirror is held up in front of you and you'll come to one conclusion : Life is a concatenation of moments you need to enjoy fully, because there comes a time you'll realize that those moments have passed. And that's perfectly summarized by Mason's final sentence: "It's the constant moments, it's just ... it's like always right now".

The Collection
2012
Marcus Dunstan

“He will cut your balls off and feed them to you”


Are you a fan of "Saw" and other related torture movies, this will be your cup of tea. But if you were tired of the whole "Saw" saga after part three, you better skip "The Collection" because you can't call it very original. This sequel to "The Collector" (which I've never seen) begins impressive, has an anticipated open end and is terribly boring in the middle, with ridiculously improbable situations. It's never really exciting and ultimately it becomes a cat and mouse game in a big, abandoned hotel, full of deadly and insane booby traps and with rooms that look more surreal as time goes by. To make it somewhat entertaining, I recommend to get a scarf and hat and equip yourself with bells and flags, so that you can encourage the contestants as a real enthusiastic supporter.


Because of the short running time, there's no wasting of time at the beginning of the film. In a flash, we're informed that the city is attacked by a ruthless serial killer called "The Collector". We meet Elena (Emma Fitzpatrick) being towed along by some friends to an obscure secret nightclub. After a skirmish there with her boyfriend, she discovers a suitcase with Arkin (Josh Stewart) trapped in it. Arkin is a victim of the first film who survived and escaped his imprisonment. Only the nightmare starts back again here and short after you'll get to see the most hallucinatory massacre ever. I did something I rarely do. I re-watched that part twice in a row. Once this bloody part is over, you can say that you've watched the best part and from here on it's just a very long carnage. The creators of the film (especially the writer Patrick Melton, who is also responsible for SAW IV, V, VI and VII) paid more attention to the level of sadism than the story itself. You can easily guess what'll come next. Elena is kidnapped by "The Collector" and Arkin is recruited as a guide for a group of mercenaries to rescue her out of the hands of this sadist.


Putting this film in the same league as "Saw", is for the latter a little unworthy. The concept of "Saw" was of a very different nature and was put together somewhat subtler. I must admit that "Saw" impressed me. "Jigsaw" kidnapped people because he felt they deserved it, because of the sins they have committed in the past. The choice they had was to save themselves from their situation in a painful way or simply die. "The Collector" had no exact plan in mind in my opinion. He's simply a psychopath who transforms his victims into grotesque artworks and saves it in formaldehyde. Or he uses them as a favorite pastime and tortures them brutally. His identity is not revealed in this film. It remains a sinister stranger who occasionally puts on a mask and starts killing brutally.


It's totally absurd to talk about character development, because that's missing completely. First you have the seemingly invincible killer who has a built-in GPS system because he always appears at the right time and in the right place in this fairly large hotel. And next we have a bunch of mercenaries who will solve the problem. The fact that the one they are hunting just reshaped a whole gang of disco goers into ready-to-eat barbecue packets, apparently doesn't impress them and they enter unfamiliar terrain seemingly carefree. Their fate is also in hands of one person who knew where this lugubrious building was situated just by using clues he carved into his arm. I would clear off and leave the job to a whole army of soldiers.


There are also inexplicable moments in this film. The way they free themselves out of the metal cage is nonsense. And especially if you see how that person swings into action afterwards, as if it's hunky dory. Most serial killers in other slasher movies have a motive and a pattern. This "Collector" guy apparently doesn't have a clue about any plan and just goes on doing stuff. He kills, chops and cuts around, slices and assembles bodies, tortures and torments when he has time. He uses all kinds of instruments to achieve his goal (not like Michael Myers who invariably uses a butcher knife) and also he drugs a whole bunch of victims so they can be used as an army of zombies against intruders. And that's not all. He also has a collection of raging dogs and tarantulas. You see, there's enough variation.
Ultimately, it's just a mediocre film with a great deal of attention for the traps and the bloody effects of them. It's a tough film and the pace is very fast. So fast that you may have missed some slaughtering. Don't worry ! In the end you get a second chance to watch it again during the end credits. The end invites for a successor, but I'm sure I'm going to skip it.

Begin Again
2013
John Carney

"Are you really an A & R man? You look more like a homeless man."


"Begin Again" is a modern fairy tale in which individuals are about to make a new start in their life and (coincidentally) begin again : the start of a new career, a new relationship, a new image or simply a new personal life. The amount of films with people who are on the brink of disaster, in a desperate situation and then by a twist of fate take control again, are legion. It's the same in this with music filled feel-good movie. Only the chosen princess in this tale I personally think isn't such a success. Not a bad word about the acting skills of Keira Knightley, but the moment she starts laughing, I feel shivers going down my spine. And she laughs a lot in this film. The choice of Mark Ruffalo as the quarreling hit music producer and full time alcohol drinking future candidate clochard ,contrasts sharply with this. An endearing and beautiful rendition. Fortunately, he didn't turn green during a fit of rage.


The whole story starts with an intimate and fragile performance by Gretta (Keira Knightley) in a dingy pub. She has just broken with her boyfriend, the rising star Dave Kohl (Adam Levine) who couldn't resist the temptations of his stardom and leaves his artistic better half for a female producer. Gretta is a songwriter who puts fragments of text and music on paper once and a while, trying to channel her deeper feelings in poppy sounding romantic tunes. At the same time the producer Dan (Mark Ruffalo) tries to cope with his own personal problems. He has lost his magic touch of discovering new talent and starts drinking a lot. As a result he's being sacked by his partner and co-founder of the record label. By coincidence he sits at the bar of this pub and he becomes enchanted by the song. Surrounded by a disinterested audience, he's the only one who realizes the potential of Gretta's song. And that's the beginning of the fairy tale.


I've played in a band once and I was also fantasizing about the glory and fame. The attention, the innumerable people who listen to your music and know your song by heart, the number of fans who follow you unconditionally, the feelings you can produce within total strangers and the money we could earn with it. Unfortunately it remained a fantasy because we had two drawbacks: it wasn't exactly commercial music and we didn't live in the US, the country where your dreams can come true and where some poor guy can grow out into a mega-star. Dan hears Gretta's song for the first time and he's touched by the innocence and simplicity. He's the only one who can imagine how a full orchestra could support this with sophisticated arrangements and turn it into a huge hit. For me this was the most successful and imaginative scene. It demonstrates why he was a brilliant music producer. The empathy and the ability to project a simple piece of music to something grander and overwhelming. The music, in my opinion a rough mix of Suzan Vega and Birdy, isn't my favorite genre. But that didn't matter at all. It's a wonderful laid-back movie that makes you feel relaxed.


Unfortunately it's a film which progress is as obvious as that Easter Monday will fall on a Monday. As the dominoes begin to fall, you can predict what direction it's going and what the final outcome will be. The music career of Gretta goes as planned, the characters who lost each other somewhere reunite irrefutable and the decisions taken are as expected. No astonishing developments or unexpected endings. A simple film which gives you a good feeling and contains a positive message. But perhaps it's because my love for music is so big and I agree with the subtly hidden complaint against the music industry nowadays, that I appreciated this film. Today it's only the commercial aspect that counts and not the emotional value. Gretta made this already clear at the beginning of the film : "Sorry, what does beauty got to do with anything? I actually just think that music is about ears not eyes ".


I also admire Knightley who seemingly has sung the soundtrack by herself and she did this in a creditable way. She can, although she was out of tune a few times, still start a singing career in case Hollywood would turn its back on her. Also the supporting roles were exceptionally successful. James Corden as the helpful Steve who is musically talented, although his street performances were extremely bad. The ballad via voice mail was actually the musical highlight in this film. The endearing role played by Corden was brilliant. Hailee Steinfeld as Dan's daughter Violett, who's not satisfied with the attitude of her father, was spot on. Take a guess how that will work out ! Ceeloo Green as the savior Troublegum took care of the fun part. But mostly I was surprised by Adam Levine, front-man of Maroon 5 (Not that I knew him because it is not my type of music and I suppose it's reasonable commercial). The practical experience he gained in the music circuit was convenient I guess. I'm still wondering if the name Dave Kohl was a parody on that of the front-man of Foo Fighters. The combination of the singer with little acting experience and the actress with little singing experience was sublime. The only thing I'm sure of is that (and who has experience in sound recordings can confirm it) the recording of the demo will sound pretty lousy when you see what kind of amateurish material they used in a noisy metropolis like New York. For the rest, this was a sympathetic musical film with the versatile and colorful New York City as a setting.

The Physician
2014
Philipp Stölzl

Remember boy !
The more painful the treatment, the more they respect the Barber

"The Physician" is a beautiful, old-fashioned adventure film, situated in the dark ages with its poverty and unsanitary conditions. In those days the church still had some influence so it punished any scientific progress because these odious practices were against the will of God. And despite the terrible poverty, they were showing up in a flash in order to extort the last money those poor people had, as a compensation for some ritual they've performed. The same happened to Rob after the passing of his mother. In these dark times people died of an innocent appendicitis or pneumonia. Rob is abandoned to his fate but sees a chance to travel with an itinerant quack who performs surgery in a questionable manner and sells healing potions most likely manufactured from horse urine. When Rob is told that in the distant Middle East, a man named Ibn Sina teaches medicine and puts this knowledge into practice, his decision made. He leaves for the Middle East to be educated by this wise man. The only requirement is that he must appear as a Jew. This also had some consequences for his foreskin


A fascinating historical film made in Germany ("Der Medicus'). First I was surprised that this was a German film since it has the look and feel of a Hollywood movie. In retrospect it's also a bit logical. The book this film is based on and written by Noah Gordon, was not a success in the US, but all the more in Germany. It was also massively viewed in Germany and they made a mini TV series out of it. The rest of Europe unfortunately will only enjoy this wonderful film when it comes out on DVD. It's a successful film with a lot of attention paid to the sets, costumes, music and CGI. If you add the even brilliant performances to it, you finally end up with an admirable and excellent product. The 150 minutes are over before you know it, because you are sucked into the story in a way.


The performances were extraordinarily beautiful. Tom Payne as the inquisitive and innocent looking Rob, Stellan Skarsgard ("The Railway Man," "Kill your Darlings") as the itinerant quack who takes care of Rob and at the same time knows absolutely no compassion sometimes. I didn't recognize Emma Rigby immediately, even though I only just saw her at work in "Plastic". Her fake appearance in that movie (botox treatment most likely) was transformed miraculously into a more natural appearance. But what elevates this film to a higher level, is the casting of Ben Kingsley as the Persian philosopher who wants to pass his knowledge to motivated pupils and at the same time exhibits an unprecedented hunger for knowledge. A masterful performance and a realistic portrayal of Ibn Sina, the Muslim physician, philosopher, physicist and scientist who made important contributions to medicine and whose studies were respected in Europe for a long time. Apparently Kingsley likes playing the role of a physician or psychologist. He has the appropriate appearance and his charismatic personality is perfect for it. Just watch "Shutter Island" or "Stonehearst Asylum" and you'll see.


But also the overall appearance of the film looks grand and wonderful. From shabby, dark and especially dingy London to the oriental scenes in distant Persia and the Madrasa College. The costume department has done its utmost to display it as authentic as possible. How Philipp Stölzl and Jan Berger have shaped this film and managed to make a movie with Hollywood proportions, is admirable. The only drawback is that there are also some Hollywood cliches like the storyline about Rebecca and Rob. Fortunately they avoided to show epic grand battles and focused on Ibn Sina and the influence of religion in that time. The only thing that bothered me personally was the so-called gift Rob had. The timeless topics about health and religious fanaticism dominate this wonderful film. Some won't like the old-fashioned tone, but in the end I really enjoyed this medieval adventure film. A film set in an era when the Middle East was a source of knowledge and progress.

The Imitation Game
2014
Morten Tyldum

“Cryptography is the science of codes.
Like secret messages?
Not secret. That’s the brilliant part. Messages that anyone can see, but no one knows what they mean, unless you have the key.
How is that different from talking?
Talking?
When people talk to each other they never say what they mean. They say something else. And you’re supposed to just know what they mean. Only, I never do. So how is that different?
Alan, I have a funny feeling that you’re going to be very good at this.”


Looking back, the above-mentioned conversation between Alan Turing and his school friend Christopher Morcom, is for me the perfect summary of the fascinating life of the intellectual mathematician Turing. The phenomenon he faced throughout his whole life had to do with "decoding". From an early age, Alan had trouble dealing with his fellow men. It was for him in a way a kind of cryptogram how to act and react towards his fellow men. A brilliant mind who simply couldn't grasp simple human interactions. At a later stage he was the one who designed a forerunner of the current computer and who formed the basis of the principles of artificial intelligence, in order to crack the infamous Enigma cipher, which was used by the Germans during WWII and which combination changed every 24 hours. An almost impossible task to do for a human being. But thanks to the pioneering work of Polish scientists in this area it was made possible by him, by building one of the first self-correcting computers "The Bombe". Ultimately this would drastically change the course of WWII and shorten this dreadful period with 2 to 4 years. So millions of lives were spared in that way.


This magnificent biopic highlights three important episodes in the life of Turing: his school period in Sherborne where he obviously was the center of harassment's because of his odd behavior, the war period which took place mainly at Bletchley Park where he and some staff members built the innovative machine and the postwar period. The result is a clever interwoven story that jumps effortlessly from period to period. I'm not a huge fan of these flashbacks normally but the Norwegian director Morten Tyldum succeeds wonderfully in making three parallel stories without too much confusion.

Although most of the story takes place during the 2nd world war, it's not a typical war movie. So don't expect any heroic battle scenes. The emphasis is on the person Turing and his mental state that haunted him throughout his life. A hard, impatient, arrogant, narcissistic person who wasn't easy to work with. He had a profound distaste of explaining complicated theorems and he treated everyone in a derogatory way. Many of his traits appear autistic and point in the direction of Asperger syndrome.


What really impressed me in this film was the interpretation of Benedict Cumberbatch who impersonates the person Turing in a brilliant way. A realistic portrait in which the viewer is trying to decipher the riddle Turing. He managed to change your feelings regarding this genius again and again. From sympathy to irritation and than changing it into pity. One moment you passionately hate this bastard. The next moment you deeply admire him and you are outraged about the treatment this "war hero" underwent. A lack of appreciation for his impossible feat and the fact that it was only in 2009 one pleaded for a posthumous rehabilitation and the British government eventually offered its apologies. Although I also had a mathematical education and am working daily with computers, I must admit that I'd never heard of Alan Turing. This year there was a scene in "The Machine" I enjoyed, where a certain Vincent, also an A.I. expert, subjected certain software systems to a Turing test. Also a known procedure described in an article by Turing while working at the University of Manchester.


No doubt about it. This was one of the most interesting films of the last year with some masterful acting. Not only by Cumberbatch (and I put my money on him when it's about the Oscar), but also by Keira Knightley, who I usually dislike when she uses her exaggerated expressive smile again. Also the result of cracking the code and the taken subsequent actions, gave the story an extra dimension. There were some historical inaccuracies though : The machine never got the name "Christopher" (this was purely for increasing the drama content of the film), the impression one gets as if Turing was the initial designer and the fact that he wrote a letter to Churchill on his own. But despite these trivialities, this was a successful tribute to a war hero. Unfortunately you can't prove this but I'm sure that without the commitment of this person, my vernacular probably would be German.
Donnerwetter ....

The Stranger
2014
Guillermo Amoedo

"The Stranger" is a typical example of a film with an original approach to an already widely used subject, that initially creates a momentary excitement, which then however is nipped in the bud by a pace that claims some patience, dark settings (although in this case that's quite obviously) and mostly lousy renditions by some members of the cast. In the beginning I had the impression that this story took place somewhere in South America. Afterwards I was quite surprised when it turned out it was situated somewhere in Canada. The Chilean director Guillermo Amoedo sought most of his cast among the Chilean population. Hence the confusion. Besides, the sounding title "Eli Roth presents The Stranger" isn't a reason to get excited immediately. Just as in "Clown" his name is prominently mentioned on the cover. But this isn't an insurance for a high quality end result.


The main character Martin (Cristobal Tapia Montt) appears one evening at the door of a shabby house that's inhabited by Peter (Nicolas Duran) and his mother Monica (Alessandra Guerzoni), asking if they know where his ex-girlfriend is. The simple answer he gets, leads him to the local cemetery where he's looking sadly down at the grave of Ana (Lorenza Izzo). Moments later the local hooligan Caleb (Ariel Levy) and his mindless friends bump into him. Martin doesn't even bother to defend himself while these loafers brutally molest him. It looks like he's sick of life and he's actually left behind for dead. Caleb's father, Police Inspector De Luca (Luis Gnecco), tries to cover up the crime and hides the corpse. Peter, who witnessed the whole thing, takes Martin home to take care of him. Apparently it's not so obvious to kill this stranger and afterwards it seems that his blood, as he declared furiously, is contagious.


The only feeling I had after watching "The Stranger" was an unsatisfied one. The subject was inventive and had potential to make something interesting out of it, but that wasn't realized. The film is painfully slow and in terms of action it's not that impressive. The obvious theme of vampirism shines through the film even though it's not explicitly named. But the fact that Martin is in need of consuming blood and can't stand sunlight clearly points in that direction. His only goal is to get rid of similar people, including himself. Therefore there's this ever-present morbid, depressed and violent atmosphere around him. And then there is the phenomenon of healing blood which really distances this film from all the other movies with blood-sucking creatures of the night. But attempts to differentiate itself from the older movies where Dracula and associates flutter, are nullified because the most common clichés of this genre are still valid. For example, a sun cream with factor 100 is indispensable for Martin.


Cristobal Tapia Montt really was wonderful in his role. The constant inner struggle. The destructive attitude on the one hand and the role as martyr which he appropriates himself. At times I even thought he looked a little bit like Jake Gyllenhaal. Nicolas Duran's contribution was also acceptable on some level. Although I'm still impressed how quickly he managed to overcome his drug addiction. Furthermore, the rest was filled with the familiar, clichéd characters. But also there were some abominable interpretations. At times it seemed as if the dialogues were read directly from the script. Among other Alessandra Guerzoni made use of overacting in general. And Luis Gnecco appeared not to master the English language and it looked as if he was dubbed sometimes. Even Ariel Levy's performance wasn't that impressive from time to time. Although his appearance at the end was fairly successful.


"The Stranger" isn't exactly a masterpiece and has some flaws. Yet Amoedo succeeded in creating an eerie atmosphere with some horror moments and downright brutal, bloody fragments. This film brings nothing new in the familiar horror genre, but it's still worth the effort to give it a try. And although the ever-present darkness isn't exactly an advantage, ultimately this creates a dark and grim atmosphere.

The Collector is way better than The Collection, so give it a shot if you like horror.

Keep up the good work

Outcast
2014
Nick Powell

Cage can put this one on his "Senseless contribution to meaningless film that brings grist to the mill"-list, because this was a typical mainstream movie. It's been several weeks since I've seen it, and to be honest I can't remember much of it. That's usually a sign that it wasn't a very good film and failed to impress me after all. About Cage's performance we can be brief. As brief as the time he appeared in the film in an unconvincing way. Apparently Cage joined the club of action heroes who choose one soulless trashy movie after another just to collect some pocket money (with the exception of "Joe" I've heard). Even the fact of Anakin Skywalker waving dangerously with his sword in this adventure film, can't change the fact that the final result is disappointingly weak. Probably the pubescent teenage girls present in the audience will experience this as a plus point, but that's the only positive contribution I can think of.


The story begins with Gallain (Nicolas Cage) and Jacob (Hayden Christensen) as two fiery crusaders in the Middle East where they spend their time with cutting up a few Muslims into pieces. Jacob however, with an extremely modern haircut, passes a for Gallain sensitive border and the two eventually go their separate ways. I found it astonishing that they ended up in China. That must have been a very long walk. In this medieval China the king's son Shing (Andy On) can whistle for the throne since the dying king appointed his youngest son Zhao (Bill Su Jiahang) as his heir. Out of fear of revenge, the king sends Zhao together with his charming sister Lian (Liu Yifei) and a royal seal to a safer place. Don't be amazed, but on the way to their safe harbor, they meet Jacob, who now looks more like a premature hippie under the influence of opium, who takes them under his wing.


It looks a bit like what Viggo Mortensen's job was, while being on the road with those hobbits in "The Lord of The Rings". A heroic warrior who acts like a security guard for some innocent and vulnerable young people. And although I always admired Nicolas Cage a lot, this became nevertheless a tedious and very bad movie. Not only has the subject been used a zillion times, there's also a pile of cliches and an atrocious acting Cage. Ultimately, he's not the central figure in this film, although he stands explicitly in the foreground on the movie poster.

Obviously the Chinese princess would fall for Jacob and the small Zhao looking up to him as a super hero whose adventures he followed for years in some comic magazine, was also nothing new under the sun. This movie is not even an alternative to pass your time on a rainy Sunday. Closing your eyes and taking a nap, would be more satisfying. Terrible action scenes (too close and nauseating shaking images) are being followed by incomprehensible fragments. I still can't understand that an army diligently seeks for the two royal children and still can't recognize them when they go into a town before their eyes. And how Jacob could kill an opponent who's riding a horse by using a bow and arrow at a ridiculous far distance and knowing that he usually stumbles around completely drugged, is absolutely ridiculous.


Eventually only Jiahang, Yifei and On acted convincing enough. I asked myself what fashion statement Cage wanted to make by wearing that absurd woolly hat at the end. That was a complete mystery to me. But eventually it matched his entire role : ridiculous. Now I understand why the Chinese distributor Yunnan Film Group ceased the release of this movie a few hours before the screening in thousands of cinemas. It probably has something to do with the Chinese have learned from a young age that they can never lose their face.

The Aggression Scale
2012
Steven C. Miller

Aggression Scale : (noun) A psychological test measuring the frequency of overt aggressive behaviors that may result in physical or psychological injury to others.

Actually it was my intention to begin with a quote from Owen, the teenager who's at the core of this bloody home invasion, but this is impossible because he says not a single word throughout the film. Not a sound even. I was expecting a typical B-movie but as the movie progressed, I was pleasantly surprised. You can call it "Home Alone" for adults ("The Aggression Scale is like Home Alone on crack." I read somewhere) : bloody, vicious and sometimes straightforward explicitly violent. Compared with Owen, Kevin looks like a wimp. And the viciously tricks and booby traps that Owen constructs for his attackers, are worse and more deadly than those of Kevin.



Essentially the story isn't that extraordinary. A certain Bellavance (Ray Wise) just left prison and wants to leave to a safer place together with his son. The only problem is that his hard-earned money is stolen. Four loyal gang members are instructed to find the money. And this task is tackled in a simple way: you take a list of all people who had something to do with it and you start off from the top of this list. Those who can't answer the questions, are unceremoniously provided with some fresh ventilation holes. And that's the first image you get to see in "The Aggression Scale". Immediately a bluntly and senseless slaughtering. The victim didn't even get the time to answer the question anyway. But it had effect, this "in-your-face" violence. I must admit I immediately sat straight after that moment. A real attention grabber that clarifies which direction it'll go.


What Lloyd (Dana Ashbrook) and his companions weren't expecting, was the presence of the young scion Owen (Ryan Hartwig) of the family Rutledge, which was next on the list. This silent boy carries a fairly destructive secret with him. The Rutledge family has just moved into their new home where they wanted to start a brand new life. Lauren (Fabianne Therese) isn't happy about this course of events and clearly shows that. She doesn't feel like babysitting the weirdo Owen in this reconstituted family. However, she doesn't realize that she should be happy that this youngster stands at her side.


Clearly it's a low-budget film, but one that was enormously appreciated by me. A fast-paced aggressive film that keeps your attention all the way. The continuous flow of violent scenes is perfectly dosed and the thoughtful actions of Owen make it interesting. Although he sometimes looked like a youthful MacGyver who used farfetched methods which were successful because of the necessary amount of luck and coincidence. Also the performances can be praised. Ray Wise, who of course became known as Leland Palmer in "Twin Peaks", his contribution wasn't extensive. But the moments he came into the picture, he managed to portray a ruthless gangster.




There are several movies that show how someone can collapse psychologically and starts to react extremely aggressive. "The Aggressive Scale" however, shows how far one can go in his aggressiveness. It's a disturbing thought that someone is unable to control his aggressiveness without medication and constantly threatens others. But it's a starting point that's suitable to weave a fascinating concept around. The best hidden item in this film was the way Owen and Lauren grew together. They began as two strangers who interacted apathetically with each other and end up as a kind of Bonnie and Clyde. Inseparable and deadly vengeful.

Plastic
2014
Julian Gilbey

“How it started shouldn't matter.
How things end, that's what's important.”

"Plastic". You could call it a sort of "Ocean's Eleven" with some whippersnappers. Apparently it's based on true facts again. Yet it all seems pretty unlikely that a few pubescent boys can set up such a sophisticated system to commit fraud, involving extortion, hacking and setting up an ingenious plan with among other things a private jet and some cheap hired hostesses. There could be some truth in it but most likely the complete story is filled with exaggerated rumors and unverifiable facts so that the whole becomes a grotesque myth. Throw together a bunch of flashy-looking teenagers who resemble the cast of the "Beverly Hills 90210" series (except that the 90210 gang didn't commit credit fraud since their mommies and daddies had sufficient cash), a portion of forced humor, some terrible renditions with embarrassing dialogues, some minimal action and a childish "Mission Imposible" scenario, and you have a perfect summary of "Plastic".


The four "Robin Hood" -like youngsters, who enjoy being crooks besides their student life, are Sam (Ed Speleers), Fordy (Will Poulter), Yatesey (Alfie Allen) and Rafa (Dabastian De Souza). Sam is the founder of the group and the one with the biggest brains. Fordy is the co-founder of the enterprise and is a genius when it comes to computers and hacking someones mailbox.

Yatesey is the most unsympathetic member who actually causes trouble constantly. You'll probably start hating him from the outset which is mostly required in these kind of films. And Rafa is the schmuck of the gang who constantly goes about looking dazed and apparently has no idea what's going on. His task is limited in the beginning to copying credit cards at some gas station (later his role is of considerably greater importance). However, it goes wrong when they con a mendacious and dangerous Polish gangster and they are compelled to come up with a considerable sum of money in a short term. After this, the story becomes incredibly unlikely.


With none of the characters I had an affinity. The start was far from bad and it even appeared to become fascinating. The only thing I wondered in the beginning was whether these rascals had any relatives, what motivated them to lead this life of crime and how the hell could they keep clear of the authorities after seeing the pile of stolen credit cards. As the film progressed their interactions with each other and the way they communicated, became terribly innervating. The accumulation of clichés, coincidences and the used archetypes was a bit too much. The stunningly Frankie (Emma Rigby), who works at a credit card company of course, is required material to bring the beauty ideal to a higher level. It's evident she appears, during their stay in Miami, in a super sexy swimsuit that leaves nothing to the imagination. The moment she strolls along the beach together with the four rascals, I got spontaneous flashbacks of "Baywatch". The fierce gangsters are a cliche image of the Eastern European gangster : the well known dialect, total indifference when it comes to liquidations and an example of total stupidity during the real confrontation.


When the big scam began, it became downright ridiculous. The outcome was extremely predictable. And the denouement with the most laughable shootout ever seen, was too ridiculous for words. At that time, I was categorically sure you should take that "based on a true story" expression with a huge grain of salt. Was there anything positive about this movie ? Yes there was ! The interpretation by Graham McTavish as the arrogant jeweler and smarty-pants (and again it's unlikely someone would take such a decision) was entertaining. And I appreciate Will Poulter ("We're the Millers" and "The Maze Runner") more and more as an actor. But in the end I thought it was just an artificial product: a plastic film, as it were ....

Honour
2014
Shan Khan

“Two people love each other, why can't people be happy for them?
He's Punjabi, Mona.
He's Muslim, Adel.
Yeah, but that ain't how it works.”

Occasionally you watch a movie with a rarely used (or abused) topic. No alien creatures threatening to destroy humanity, not another childish story about a post-apocalyptic world with a youngster as a liberator, not again cheap humor in a silly comedy with overstressed eager beaver, not an average action story with muscled guys or a horror with once again an evil spirit being driven out by using medieval rituals to the place where it came from. "Honour" is about honor killings.


Despite our modern society this ancient use is still applicable in some cultures. Especially in the Muslim communities they sometimes fall back on this custom. Mostly the targeted persons are those who ashamed their family and, believe it or not, these mad acts are justified by certain laws of Islam. In some countries the majority of perpetrators go unpunished like in Pakistan. It's a despicable thought that there are hundreds of women being killed each year because they have violated the family honor. And that's the starting point of this film.


"Honour" is a gray and depressing impression of the beautiful Mona (Aiysha Heart) whose life enters a gruesome cycle of violence after she began an affair with a Punjabi and therefore experiences the wrath of her primal conservative mother (Harvey Virdi). Mona's mother (the similaritywith the nasty witch from Hansel and Gretel is striking) and brother Kasim (Faraz Ayub) first try to take the law into their own hands. This goes wrong (in an incomprehensible way) and they hire a bounty hunter (Paddy Considine) to liquidate Mona.


You can call the performances of the actress Aiysha Hart and the other actors commendable. Persuasive and dedicated. A cast that does its utmost to realize a credible and realistic story. Considine plays a sublime character role. You can see the duality in his character evolving. From a cold blooded, racist assassin into a true understanding person who apparently still has a bit of humanity inside him. Despite these superb performances, the film still fails on several points. Apparently Shan Khan couldn't really decide whether it should be a didactic documentary or a thriller. It's not a documentary because the background of the problem is pretty vaguely presented and there's hardly any explanation. For a thriller, there has been as much as no suspense. Also, the storyline was pretty confusing because of the constant use of time jumps and constantly viewing the same situation from a different viewpoint. The whole movie was like a Spaghetti Bolognaise: tasteful with a clew of storylines.


Despite being a low-budget film, "Honour" partly succeeded to convince. It throws some light on a mysterious and incomprehensible to our standards culture, where barbaric practices are still honored. All in all I thought it was a good movie and a must see, if only to conclude that unfortunately such practices are still part of our modern society. And despite the dark atmosphere, this film also shows a gentle side so there remains still a bit of hope. Technically, I thought the executed idea of the film being a loop, not unkind and creative.

The Equalizer
2014
Antione Fuqua

“When you pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too.”

Can you remember Denzel Washington's performance in "The Book of Eli" ? His coolness and calmness. The grimness. The power he has to move mountains. Approaching his target confidently , his inner tranquility taking over and with extreme precision dealing with his opponents. Shrewdly assimilating the situation, let it sink in for a moment and than act fast accurately. Masterfully, breathtaking to watch and immensely exciting. He also demonstrates these qualities in "The Equalizer". The only difference is that he's not completely blind here.


At first sight Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) looks like an ordinary, well-organized man who has an normal job in a hardware store. Apparently he was one of the Pips performing with Gladys Knight in the distant past (according to the plausible explanation of Robert who as a bonus demonstrates a few sultry dance moves as illustration). The fact he has nothing to do with the Pips, quickly becomes obvious. His true identity is not explained completely in detail. It's evident he had a career as a sort of Special Task Force member which he turned his back on and now runs a meticulously organized and strictly simple life. A sober furnished room with precisely folded bed sheets, a sink that looks spick and span and a daily routine going to a coffee shop with a tea bag tucked in his shirt after a consumed supper and a book in his possession which he puts on the table on the same exact place everytime. He himself is a walking "Wikipedia" who comes up with an appropriate philosophical quote from time to time. So, it's a militaristic ordered life.


But he also has skills to deal with injustices. It's as if he gives the criminals of this world, who placed themselves above the ordinary people and act as untouchable individuals who manipulate defenseless civilians, a taste of their own medicine and knock them off their pedestals. A kind of liquidator. Similarly when the face of Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young hooker Robert met in the coffee shop, is being remodelled by her pimp Slavi (David Meunier) (pimped as it were) after which she ends up in the hospital.

When Robert wants to straighten out the situation (by offering Slavi a substantial sum of money, which the Russian of course declines) we finally get what we were waiting for after 30 minutes : hardcore action in slow motion with a with precision hitting Washington wiping out a complete Russian gang in about 19 seconds. And apologizing afterwards for it. A beautiful scene with a true avenging angel playing the starring role ! The only drawback is that he has liquidated an important part of the Russian mafia. And of course they are not going to start a Cossack dance. On the contrary. They send Teddy (Marton Csokas), a violent character without emotion and also with deadly skills. He looks after the affairs of a certain Vladimir Pushkin (Vladimir Kulich). A fearsome opponent for McCall with similar qualities.


That things aren't really believable and the same old clichés are used again, I take that for granted. Washington can set himself as a one-man army and dismantle a Russian gangster mob as a Schwarzenegger, whereby there's slow motion footage and rousing music. Also the usual characteristics of a revenge movie aren't eschewed : the simple way of getting rid of a rather well-organized criminal group, explosions in the background (and of course there's no looking back), again members of the mob who are too dumb for words and are all horrible lousy shooters who'd miss an African elephant even while aiming at it from a meter away and the well-known climax in the end with usage of all available attributes. You know a cliché, you got it. And that the Russians are back, merely has to do with the fact that this is allowed again on an international level. As soon as North Korea stops rocking the boat whenever their country is used in a movie and starts sending threats to certain countries, you can be sure there will be Korean casualties again in future action movies.


Washington is the most suitable man for this part. Just think of the character Joyhn Creasy in "Man on Fire" who leaves a trail of destruction in Mexico city while looking for Lupita. Also the same coolness and determination. He plays those roles with a certain flair, as if they were written specifically for him. His famous "Denzel" -characteristics he uses in each film : the quiet gaze, his typical smile and the icy one-liners. I must admit, I'm a Washington fan. His mutation of a cheerful, helpful and humorous average citizen into an avenger of the top shelf who exhibits sadistic features, is magnificent. And despite her young age, Chloë Grace Moretz shows a lot of maturity. The makeup probably helped with this, but still it's an excellent interpretation by this young talent. The rest of the cast really looks like a bunch of terrifying mobsters with their upper bodies covered by tattoos, their corrupt spirit and their stone-hard indifference.


Despite the long playtime and the slow storyline, I never felt bored. This action packed revenge movie was over before I knew it. Of course the content is a bit shallow and afterwards you start wondering why the heck there isn't a global group of such figures as McCall who hunt down organizations worldwide and liquidate them with an arsenal of nail guns. You do get the impression that McCall is a kind of super hero with human vulnerability and that it's just an intense action movie with some mindless hulks. But it was fun and a hell of a rollercoaster ride ...