After seeing The Jinx, a real crime documentary series about Robert Durst, I wished there would be more episodes. Especially with the developments in the case at the end of the show. It wouldn’t surprise me if there will be more in the future, but at the moment it seems that’s it. The show was made after director Andrew Jarecki made All Good Things, a movie which was inspired by/based on the disappearance of Robert Durst’s wife and the various murders he seemed to be linked to. Continue reading
When you are going to see a movie, even if you don’t know anything about it, you go in with certain expectations. Of course you hope the movie you payed for is going to be good, but that is not what I’m talking about. You expect that you will join a character in his or her journey, getting to know them and care for them (even if they are bad). You might also expect a three-part setup, one introducing the character, the second something happening to them and the third act resolving their issues. Not many movies stray away from that formula and if they do they can divide opinions. I personally love those type of movies, 21 Grams and Pulp Fiction are prime examples. The Place Beyond the Pines maybe does not cut up its story in the same way as those movies, but it will not meet expectations people will have about it. The trailer of the movie does not prepare you for what the movie is providing and in this case this is a good thing. Continue reading
When growing up I developed a passion for videogames. Fuelled by my father, who would always buy the latest computers/consoles, I started playing them when I was very young and I never really stopped (although I don’t play as much as I used to, mainly because of time constraints). If there is one thing videogames generally are not very good at it’s telling stories which manage to involve you emotionally. Sure games can frustrate you sometimes, but it’s not often they will make you care much for the main character or sweep you away in the story. It’s basically all about experiencing action. Gangster Squad to me is like the videogame version of The Untouchables. The story is about the same, but it lacks the emotional impact and cranks up the action. Is that a bad thing though? Continue reading
With the weekend about to start it’s time to take a look again at the career of an actor or actress, with this week’s choice for Ryan Gosling. He was born November 12, 1980 in London, Ontario. He didn’t like being a child and really didn’t have any friends until he was in his teens. He got in some trouble after watching First Blood and decided he would take stake knives to school and throw them at other kids. Luckily no one got hurt, but he was suspended. He had trouble reading and eventually was placed in a class for special-needs students. His mother also gave him home schooling.
As for acting, he started out as a mouseketeer and became close friends with Justin Timberlake. After his contract with Disney ended he appeared in several TV shows, including the adventure series Young Hercules. In 2000 he made the move to movies, appearing in Remember the Titans. It wasn’t until 2004 that people started really noticing him when he starred in The Notebook. Other notable performances are those in Half Nelson, Lars and the Real Girl, Blue Valentine, The Ides of March and Drive. Continue reading
With a title like Blue Valentine you would expect that it’s a perfect romantic movie you’d want to watch with your significant other. Is this really the case or is it better to search for another movie to watch? Continue reading