Transcendence (2014)

Review Transcendence

Movies always have been a product of their time, a reflection of what is going on in the world in which we are living. With programs like Siri and Cortana we can now talk to our phones and they will answer our questions. We are slowly moving to a situation in which computers are getting “smarter”. Of course that also brings the fear that they will eventually see us as a threat and terminate us or simply ignore us. This has been the basis for the Terminator movies, but also recent films like The Machine and even Her. Transcendence gives the concept its own spin and looks at artificial intelligence in the form of Johnny Depp. Continue reading

Brick Mansions (2014)

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If there is one genre which will always manage to entertain me easily then it is the action genre (probably having to do with growing up in the eighties and nineties). With those movie I’m not bothered by a simplistic story and if it has some good one liners, lots of action and only a few dull moments I’m entertained. Brick Mansions fits the genre perfectly and doesn’t waste much time in showing the viewer its setting. In Detroit there is a neighbourhood which became so dangerous that the city decided to build a big wall around it, guarded by police at the exits making sure the people living there wouldn’t bother others. Continue reading

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Review Edge of Tomorrow

Does such a thing as talent exit? Was your favourite artist of director really born that way? Or was it something else? Is it possible that they have become as good as they have simply because they put in enough time to learn their trade? As someone who likes learning new things I really don’t believe in talent. It is all about gaining experience, making new techniques your own and repeating something a lot. If you put in enough time you will become good at it. Of course the speed you learn that skill might differ from person to person. Edge of Tomorrow proves that with enough time you will be able to amaze everyone, but in this case that might take you a couple of lives. Continue reading

Intelligence – Season 1 (2014)

Review Intelligence season 1

Intelligence is a drama series starring Josh Holloway (Lost). His character, Gabriel Vaughn, is of great value for the American security forces as he is the first human who has a chip in his brain. With this chip he can access any online network allowing him to quickly analyse the situation he is in and use the information to his advantage. Secret agent Riley Neal (Meghan Ory) is his partner, not only to to fight threats, but also to protect Gabriel, as his bodyguard.

Does Intelligence succeed in using this unique ability to create a fascinating show? Continue reading

300: Rise of an Empire (2014)

Review 300 Rise of an Empire

The original 300 movie has always been high on my list of favorite films. Visually it is in a league of its own, with highly stylized, brightly lit and often spectacular, slow motion imagery. The story of 300 men fighting like brothers against a huge army appealing to the raw instincts of the primal man inside of us. Can another movie, set in the same universe, repeat that formula successfully? Continue reading

That Awkward Moment (2014)

Review That Awkward Moment

The concept behind making a succesful romantic comedy seems quite simple: Cast some good-looking, popular men, add love interest(s) and create some obstacles that prevent the love to blossom into a relationship. That Awkward Moment seems to have all those ingredients right: The men here are Zac Effron, Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station) and Miles Teller (The Spectacular Now), the love interests Imogen Poots , Mackenzie Davis and Jessica Lucas and the main obstacle here is the agreement the three men have made that they will stay single. With the basic ingredients right does it have enough spice to make this a movie worth watching? Continue reading

The Lego Movie (2014)

Review The Lego Movie (2014)

“Everything is awesome!” is the one thing you will surely remember after leaving the cinema having seen The Lego Movie. That is what you might think of the movie, but those words are actually the lyrics of the main theme of the movie. If you are honest it sounds like a J-Pop song and despite that knowledge it is very catchy. Two weeks after having seen this movie myself I still hum it from time to time. So the music of the movie is solid, but what about the rest of it? Continue reading

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Review The Grand Budapest Hotel

There are some directors whose work you’ll recognize almost instantaneously because of their style. You know that a Michael Bay movie most likely will have some explosions, lots of shots of barely dressed women and a saturated color palette. Quentin Tarantino is known for his dialog and homages to other films and I could name many other examples. If you watch one of their movies you will realize their hand eventually.

One of the most instantly recognizable styles is the one used by Wes Anderson. His movies have a very specific look, where the sets almost have a dollhouse quality to them, often with bright colors and a feel of another time. There are a couple of camera moves he also loves to do, like moving it along one axis….along with the action, often through walls, instead of cutting between faces during a conversation he will actually swing the camera around. The characters in his movies all seem to be unique as well, their clothes having some distinct features which make them stand out. I have to admit that initially I was not a huge fan of his style as I thought his movies were simply strange, but especially with his last couple of movies he has managed to win me over. The stories he tells seem to have become stronger and therefore I was very much looking forward to his new film: The Grand Budapest Hotel. Continue reading