The new Star Wars movie won’t be out for a couple of months, but the expectations are already very high. Fans are slowly fed new information and the merchandising machine has already kicked into high gear. So in stores you can already buy new action figures, lego and clothing which all are linked to the new movie. It’s an industry which really didn’t exist and this documentary shows how it came into existence and very quickly grew to something huge. Continue reading
These are sad times if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli. Recently both Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki made their final films and it currently seems that When Marnie Was There will be the last movie released by the legendary studio. The demand for animated movies has changed and financing them has become a lot harder. The studio won’t close its doors yet, so there still is hope for a new film, but chances seem slim. Is When Marnie Was There an adequate farewell? Continue reading
If you think of one thing when you hear the name Fabergé, it’s eggs. They were made by Peter Carl Fabergé and his many expert jewellers from 1885 till 1917. It’s estimated that about 50 were made, of which 43 are still in existence and a couple of them are hoped to be discovered. The thing which makes these objects so special isn’t only the fact that they are made of expensive metals and precious stones, but also something a collector of them calls “the closest thing which comes to human perfection”. The eggs are extremely detailed and some of them contain surprises. This movie doesn’t only show his famous product, but also the circumstances in which the company became successful. Continue reading
Usually when we deal with other people we assume they are good people. If someone approaches you with a friendly smile and is nice to be around you will quickly trust that person. When David (Dan Stevens) knocks on the door of the Peterson family he comes across as a very charming man. He tells them he was a soldier who fought together with their son, who died while serving. David promised him that he’d visit his family and give them his final message if he would pass away. From the moment David arrives though some very shocking events start taking place. Continue reading
Every sport needs its pioneers and when it comes to stunt driving on a motorcycle there is only one name that comes to mind: Evel Knievel. Even though a lot of people won’t know exactly what he did, his name is still well-known. This documentary shows the life of a legend and tells the story about how a simple boy eventually found his calling and made a career out of it which would earn him millions. Continue reading
Samuel L. Jackson is one of those actors who works hard and appears in a lot of movies every year. His recent choices have mostly been solid and he’s an actor I always enjoy watching. When I was at the cinema a while ago I saw large advertising banners for this film which piqued my interest, especially since I had seen little to nothing about this film online. That was already a warning that this might not be good, but as I have one of those unlimited cards for the cinema the only risk I took was losing some time. Continue reading
The entertainment industry is a tough business, in which a hit single isn’t always a guarantee for a long career and where popularity can be gone in an instant. You’ll have to work hard to get to the top…and to stay there. It’s something which the mother of Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), Macy Jean (Minnie Driver), has figured out early. When her daughter wins second price in a talent competition she forces her to throw away her price, because second best isn’t good enough. Her mother’s drive to push her to be the best eventually pays off, but it also has a dark side. Continue reading
During your teenage years you always look forward to summer vacation. Over here it’s six weeks of freedom and you know that you are going to have a lot of new experiences. You might hang out with friends, travel abroad and might be lucky enough to find a summerlove (or more). Les Combattants (also known as Love at First Fight) is set during such a summer period and tries to capture that feeling. Continue reading
It’s a shame to see how the careers of some actors or actresses develop. On the box of this movie it clearly states “Academy Award Winner” Nicolas Cage. What that cover doesn’t mention though is that he received that statue in 1996, almost 20 years ago and that the quality of the movies he stars in has taken a huge nosedive. The number of B-movies to his name keeps increasing, but there might be exceptions. Is Tokarev one of them? Continue reading
When growing up I regularly watched boxing matches. It always was an event when Mike Tyson or “Prince’ Naseem were fighting. Tyson was so explosive that you knew in advance that you were going to see a short match, but that it would be spectacular. Times have changed though and I haven’t followed the world of boxing anymore, which also meant that I didn’t know anything about boxer Manny Pacquiao, the subject of this documentary. Continue reading