Before you read anything about The Maze Runner or before you start watching it, it’s important to know one thing: This movie is based on a series of books and this is only the first one (the next one will be released in September). With that knowledge in the back of your mind you are mentally prepared that this film doesn’t have a real ending. Not knowing this could result in a frustrating experience. With that out of the way, what is this movie about? Continue reading
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been very popular since the eighties. When growing up I watched the cartoons as well and even though I liked them I never bought the action figures. My pocket money went to the He-Man action figures and BraveStarr and after I stopped watching the cartoon I never checked out the turtles again. The characters were kept alive though in various new cartoon series and movies, but the image I have of them is still from the very first cartoons, where “Cowabunga!” was heard a lot. Continue reading
Most movies are easily digested: You start them, don’t think much and after about an hour and a half you are hopefully entertained. Of course there is nothing wrong with that, but once in a while you need a challenge. The Captive is a film which manages to provide that at its start. Continue reading
One of the most visually striking elements from the first Avengers movie was the long shot in which the camera showed all the Avengers in one swooping move through the city. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) managed to beat their enemy by turning into a team. They are now back and this second film opens with a similar impressive scene, all in one shot, where all the Avengers are introduced while attacking a Hydra base. This action filled opening shows a lot of promise, but does Age of Ultron succeed in keeping the movie at that level? Continue reading
If you watch as many movies as I do, it colors the way you experience other films. Whether you’d want to or not you make connections, start guessing how the story will unfold and you hope that you will be surprised. Especially when watching older films you notice the impact of modern films on what you’ve come to expect. The biggest difference usually is the tempo, which is much slower with longer shots. Different techniques are used as well. The Getaway has moments that are typical for the seventies. You immediately notice this at the start of the film, where the only thing you hear is the annoying sound of a machine, played against imagery which stops with a freeze frame. Blood looks different (more like red paint). These are probably things a modern audience won’t appreciate anymore, but I love the nostalgic factor of them. Continue reading
With his movie Bullhead director Michaël R. Roskam and starring actor Matthias Schoenaerts managed to make a big impression in Hollywood. Schoenaerts appeared in Blood Ties and in this crime drama he reunites with Roskam. It would be the last movie that James Gandolfini would act in. Continue reading
There are times when you are endlessly browsing through Netflix when you come across titles which don’t ring any bells. Parallels is one of those, where I didn’t know the actors either. What I thought was interesting though was the science fiction element of the film (or series, but more on that later) which is all part of the title: Parallel worlds. Continue reading
If there is one genre which has grown a lot in the last couple of years it is the “young adult” one and more specific the movies which are set against a future society where there (usually) is one special person who is the key to solving a huge problem within that society. The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner are examples of it and so is Insurgent.
In the first movie the viewer was introduced to the world of Tris (Shailene Woodley), in which order was kept by placing people in specific factions based on their character. Tris turned out to be someone who didn’t fit to one of the faction and ended up facing the political leader, having to fight her. It was an enjoyable movie which nicely set up the world. With the world building done in the first movie, it was a question what would be done with it in this second film. Continue reading
Both the world of books as the world of movies are filled with characters which are widely loved. There is something about these characters that people feel a connection with, making them care for them and their adventures. As one of these characters starts appearing in more books/movies you come into them with specific expectations of what that character would do. You wouldn’t expect Rambo to suddenly start giving ballet classes. Bram Stoker wrote the story of Dracula in 1897 and the character became popular, a vampire looking for blood in order to spread his curse. It resulted in many plays and movies, which made him a legend. According to Dracula Untold a part of his life was never shown. Maybe there was a reason for that? Continue reading
If you’d see the man above, you wouldn’t probably notice him. You might think of him as a friendly older man, but as this documentary series show, appearances can be deceiving. His name is Robert Durst and his story is incredible. He’s the son of a successful businessman who owned (and his family still does own) a lot of property in New York. In his youth he saw his mother commit suicide and it possibly is one the moments which would change the rest of his life.
The series opens with a man who was murdered, cut up and found floating in the water. The investigation eventually led to Robert Durst, who at the time was his neighbour. It is not the only murder he seems to be involved in, as his wife mysteriously disappeared (and never found) and one of his best friends was found dead in her house. Continue reading