Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! (2017) – Review

Super Size Me 2 recensie

When Morgan Spurlock made his documentary Super Size Me in 2004, he wanted to show how unhealthy eating at McDonald’s was. He only ate at McDonald’s for a month, always had to answer affirmatively when asked if he wanted to “supersize” and showed what these meals did to his physical and mental health. With his entertaining way of presenting, he was able to make a film that had an impact (and for which he also received an Oscar nomination), as a result of which certain chains seemed to add healthier options to their range. With this sequel, Spurlock wants to investigate whether fast food chains have really become healthier. He does this by opening a fast food restaurant himself. Continue reading

Frank and Ollie (1995) – Review

Frank and Ollie review

Frank and Ollie is a documentary that had been on my IMDB “to watch” list for a long time, but was actually not available. It was therefore a positive surprise when I saw it available through Disney+ and could finally see it. I am always fascinated by films that are about making films and I was curious to know what this film had in store. Continue reading

Free Solo (2018) – Review

Free Solo review

When I was in Greece last summer, I visited a beautiful bay surrounded by rocks about 15 meters high. Of course I wanted to enjoy the view and decided to climb it. Atually the word climbing is perhaps a little much, because nowhere did I have to hang on a ledge or look carefully at how I could get up. There were many flat pieces and certain sections almost looked like stairs. Once I was on top, I already had the feeling of being quite high and I could imagine the consequences of a fall. It is therefore difficult to imagine that someone climbs a mountain range, El Capitan in Yosemite Park, of 2307 meters high. Without a single form of security. However, that is what Alex Honnold had in mind and that has resulted in the documentary Free Solo. Continue reading

Minding the Gap (2018) – Review

Recensie Minding the Gap

The first idea you might get when you see the poster for this documentary is that it is a film about skating. A topic about which interesting documentaries have been made (Dogtown and Z-Boys), but that’s not what Minding the Gap is. Bing Liu is a skater who, within his circle of friends, is the one who has enjoyed filming and editing everything from an early age. From the start of their teens, the boys spend every moment they can skating and therefore have a close bond. They grow up together, but as they age, the mutual dynamics begin to change. What starts as a skate film develops to more than that during the running time. A journey of discovery that is not only about finding your own purpose in life, but also dealing with the past and knowing how to handle that. Continue reading

Brothers’ Nest (2018) – Review

Review Brothers Nest
Relationships are complicated and people have secrets, even for those who have known them all their lives. There are situations or feelings that you keep to yourself and may never discuss or express in other ways. Frustration can swell up and eventually manifest itself in a shocking way. The same goes for the two brothers in Brothers’ Nest. Continue reading

Border (2018) – Review

Gräns Border recensie
In a sea of ​​films, the waves can sometimes become so predictable that, while sailing, you hope for a wave that may have a different shape, such as square, so it stands out and gives you a new experience. Unfortunately the chance of this happening is extremely small, but as a film lover you hope to discover one. A film which gives you hope that there are still unique things to be found. Gräns ​​(Border) is such a title. Continue reading

The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story (2019) – Review

The Boy Band Con the Lou Pearlman story recensie

“Industry rule # 4080, record company people are shady!”, those are the words of A-Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip in “Check the Rhime”. In this YouTube Original documentary, former members of various boy/girl bands, including The Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, talk about their experiences with businessman Lou Pearlman. After years of working in the aircraft industry, he was inspired by the success of New Kids on the Block to also enter the music industry. He set up a record label and started a talent search to put together his first band, The Backstreet Boys. He provided shelter, dance lessons and everything the boys needed and spent a lot of time with them until their breakthrough. He was seen by the members of the band as a kind of father figure, a story that other groups tell as well. Yet Pearlman turned out to be a man with two faces. That became clear when bands were already a huge success, had sold millions of records, but the first check they received turned out to be even less than the minimum wage. In addition, it appeared that their mentor had also made themselves a member of the band and as a result managed to earn even more money. Continue reading

American Animals (2018) – Review

American Animals recensie

When a film opens with the text “Based on a true story”, the question is always how closely the real events have been followed and what has been dramatized. American Animals also opens with a similar text, but that text is soon adapted to “This is a true story”. As a viewer you immediately wonder what kind of film this will be, what can you expect when a filmmaker claims to tell the story as it is? Continue reading

F*** You All: The Uwe Boll Story (2018) – Review

Fuck-You-All-The-Uwe-Boll-Story-recensie
Uwe Boll is probably one of the most hated directors ever. This German is now no longer behind the camera (he runs a number of restaurants), but his films have caused a lot of controversy through the years. When directing he was someone who did not avoid controversy and at one point even stood in the boxing ring against film critics after he had challenged them to fight or simply shut up about his films. In this documentary, director Sean Patrick Shaul looks at this man, his films and the people he worked with. Continue reading