Hi readers,

After some very long time of being away I shall start a new project.
I hope that you will find it as exciting as I am.
It is time to re-watch all of my dvd collection. With each movie I will write a blog. Trust me it will be high and low but all films that I enjoy one way or the other.

So please stay tune for some roller coaster reviews of some really good films.

The Purge (2013)

Actors: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Max Burkholder, Rhys Wakefield, Adelaide Kane,
Edwin Hodge, Arija Hodge and others

Director: James DeMonaco

The story takes place during a special evening and night. It is the year 2022 in USA and times have changed. The economy is flourishing, unemployment at an all time low as well as that crime have almost been eradicated. On the surface people are happy and secure. We learn that the USA have new founding fathers that have saved the country.
The story centres around the wealthy Sandin family who lives in a gated well to do area of an american city.
Ethan Hawke plays James Sandin, a successful business man selling security solutions for homes. His family lives in a large expensive house and all seem to be perfect. It is time for the annual Purge which is instrumental in keeping the new US society happy and safe. The Purge is an annual event that takes place over one night. It means that all crime is legal and that all emergency services such as police and ambulances are suspended. According to news flashes and conversation through out the film the purpose of the Purge is for people to release all their hatred. Murder, rape, fire, beatings are all legal and fully fine to go out and do. Another dimension of the Purge is contempt for the poor and that anyone that is not successful or seen as a burden to society is not wanted and even more desired to be the victim of the Purge. In fact it is implied that it is seen as positive to specially target homeless, poor people and other undesirable  aspects of society.

The Sandin family close their home down to be in the security of their home. The parents explain to questions from the children that they have no need to participate in this years  Purge. All is going like normal until the son faces a moral dilemma that will change things forever for the family.
The son sees on CCTV monitor a man being chased and is screening for anyone to help him. During a split moment the son opens the gates to the home and allows the chased stranger sanctuary.
Now the tables slowly turns and the family as the host of this victim become themselves the hunted. A group of sinister but well adjusted and successful individuals gather around the family home to demand the release of the victim of this years Purge. What follows is a break in to the family home, slaughter, torture and suspense. The film finish with a nice twist involving people you do not expect and reactions that surprises. The end of the night of the Purge finish the quite enjoyable cinematic experience.

The film was a pleasant surprise. Some fine acting and the script well made and not too predictable. It gives you both a moral perspective as well as a commentary of a future perhaps which is both imaginative and realistic. The veneer of present day democratic civilisation is examined and provides a warning about what could happen. The film has aspects of interpretation of 1984 of it. Not that it is near as close as sophisticated or brilliant as the novel but tries to examine questions about humanity, morals, what is a life worth and the cost of your own existence. The acting is mostly good. The family unit who at the beginning of the film appears solid and perfect first experience threat followed by danger is finely portrayed. This is in juxtaposition to the gang of the group out to Purge that shows no moral compass. They claim the right to hunt down this unwanted as they call it burden to society in the homeless/poor person they want to kill. The efforts of  Rhys Wakefiled is brilliant in his on surface polite manners but expose a deep moral morass that brings to mind the classic portray in American psycho. Superior and polished in a deadly combination.
The ending is well made and a sudden outburst from the surviving mother of the Sandin family is brilliant. She wants to keep sanity and have to resort to the new way of thinking to survive. Memorable.

Rating: 3,75 of 5.0

W.E (2011)

   
Director: Madonna
Actors: Abbie Cornish, James D'Arcy, Andrea Riseborough, Richard Coyle and James Fox

A film set between two stories and ages can be a rewarding trick if pulled off. This can make it easier to show off a complex story or show how experience of past influences. It has been shot in characters reminissing about their past or a character/s taking inspirations or ideas of the past or indeed the future. Some examples that springs to mind is Julie/Julia, Fried green tomatoes or more lighthearted but fun Return to the future.
The story revolves in two eras of time. A wealthy but bored woman, Wally, in modern day New York is infatuated by the upcoming auction of the estate of the late Edward, former King, and Wallis Simpson. The story about how this famous couple is probably the most evocative of the 20th centuary. How did the Prince of Wales who was briefly King of the United Kingdom sacrifice everything for love and the woman he desired. They both must have known what his decision would lead to in terms of them both becoming banned from Royal Society and status. Why did he not just keep his love as his mistress? Was it so romantic so many wants to believe?
The films shows both the love story between Edward and Wallis and the unhappy married couple of Wally and William Winthrop. The latter is a well to do couple in New York. Wally's husband is brilliantly portrayed as a tyrannical and obsessive psychiatrist who is himself unstable and even beat his wife.
Wally starts to attend the exhibition of at the auction house with the estate of Edward and Wallis. She gets the attention of one of the security guards who romantically pursue her. One romantic scene is when he invites her to stay on after the exhibition have closed. He serenades Wally playing on the Royal couples grand piano and serves champagne. Still throughout the film she looks so miserable and very lonely. Her marriage is totally lifeless and empty.
Across the film it spans back to the romance between Wallis Simpson and Prince Edward all from the beginning to the abdication crisis. It shows the affair starting in London and then ever evolving until Edward gives up the throne.
Madonna shows her strength in the elegance of the 1930's era, jewellery, props and a great sense of style. It portrayes Edward as a very spoilt person with total lack of sense of duty and only to enjoy himself in his position.
The film lacks depth and the slow pace makes it pretty difficult to watch. I felt strongly that it so lacked any real purpose to show what led up to the abdication and what motives really played at hand. What was it in the love affair between Edward and Wallis that led to such a drastic decision to give up power, wealth, status and to be King of the most powerful Empire at the time. This is so poorly done.
The film also lack a structure hwo the two stories link together. Wally is clearly in a very unhappy marriage. Her flirtatious security guard never stand a chance. What is the purpose with this parallell story line. Sadly I suspect it is all style over substance.
Madonna is a great artist who so wants to be a great movie director. Sadly yet again she shows that she is not. Madonna should stick to the music industry.
The film lacks substance and depth and with its unnecessary slow pace drags the viewer down so in the end it is hard take in the drama of the present day Wally. The film should have deserved more and if Madonna had perhaps only concentrated on a in depth analysis and story telling of either story it would have been worth the viewing.

Rating: 2,0 out of 5,0

The Hobbit, An unexpected journey (2012)

The Hobbit: An unexpected journey (2012)

 

Actors: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Elijah Wood, Christopher Lee, Cate Blanchett etc

Director: Peter Jackson

Few movies has been so eagerly awaited. The likes of Star Wars episode 1 which indeed flopped in its majesty was in my mind when entering the cinema theatre. How would this film stand? 

It is true that it felt a bit hyped and bloated. Indeed this film is not without some serious flaws. My immediate thought is how Jackson will be able to carry this film split in three. Even this one felt at times way too long. Will the story hold? I suppose one must watch all of the movies and then compare. 

I will start with the flaws to end on a more positive note. Firstly it lacks the depth of the Lord of the ring trilogy (LOTRT). Hobbits and dwarfs in all its glory cannot compare with all the other characters.
The story is more simple so at close to three hours of the first instalment this feels a bit stretched and convoluted. Mind you dear audience this all might also be a very elegant way of actually developing both characters and storyline. Perhaps we have all got so used to tight films and time slots that we have little or no patience for this kind of development of film.

Now to the positive note.
This film is such a joy of proper adventure to watch that it just fly bye. The use of High frame rate with glorious 3D really makes this so elegant viewing.
This is so unusual as a great adventure film in great porpotions. Not too much effort on the viewer is actually required. The battle scenes is great and entertaining. However it lacks a great villain as in LOTR as of now. It has some funny bits as in the scene with the giants trying to cook the gang. Easily saved by the Hobbit himself in the end.
The film does marry in bits from LOTR with very little explanation which is a shame.
The best part of the movie the meeting with Gollum. The following great scene is cleaver and greatly shot. The scene with the riddles is truly greatly entertaining and well executed.

Overall this film is very enjoyable and the close to three hours felt welt spent. Perhaps a bit too hyped and not enough depth and the remaining question is if it will manage to carry over three films. Still this one was truly entertaining and of great value. Best watched on the big screen and in 3D.

Rating: 3.75 of 5

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Actors: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Kurt Fuller, Michael Sheen, Carla Bruni etc
Director: Woody Allen

This piece of cinema is about nostalgia and exploring yourself. Perhaps not the finest piece that Allen has directed but a good effort.
Gil (Owen Wilson) is an successful Hollywood writer who is in Paris with his girlfriend Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents on a trip. Gil wants to become a serious author but is not having much success in this department. He is searching for himself. There is some amusing and really funny scenes when the couple spend time with some long lost friends and the pompous Paul brilliantly played by Michael Sheen drives Gil to despair. He is also reminded that perhaps it is not all that rosy in his relationship with Inez. Gil is also obsessed with the 1920's intellectual Paris.
Unexplained one night at the stroke of midnight a grand old car stops and picks Gil up. He is transported to the very era and gets a chance to meet Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, Cole Porter to name a few. This happens night after night and he even gets critique of his novel by Gertrude Stein.
Gil is transformed and takes all his impressions in. Naturally is his girlfriend convinced that he has an affair. The aspect of time travel is never explored but just happens which is refreshing and is not needed.

Is nostalgia necessary? Would it be better to live in a different era? How can I make the most of my own time? Allen tries hard to address these issues and sadly it is mostly felt like a half bake cake. He never really manage to answer any of theses potentially interesting questions nor to show any resolve in the story.
Perhaps the answer that is indeed answered is to make the most of the time we live in now and that each era has its own merits. Our main character is faced with a dilemma when he with a girl is transported back to Moulin Rouge during "La Belle Epoque". She is from the 1920's but is longing to another era. According to her that is the best era. This makes the main character to think about his own situation and eventually break up with his most unsympathetic girlfriend. Eventually he meets a girl who shares his beliefs that Paris is at its most beautiful when it is raining.
This film have some funny moments and some interesting thoughts. However it at times become almost tedious when the main character bumps into yet another intellectual legend never seemingly learning anything. He is only impressed and shows how one dimensional he sadly is.
The outcome of the film is probably to make the most of the time we live in. It is great to have a notion of nostalgia but you only think about a fraction of the aspects of the time.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Tremors (1990)

Actors: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward and Finn Carter

Director: Ron Underwood

What can beat an underground blind prehistoric hungry monster that responds to vibration?

Not very much. This is a fun action movie before CGI. The monster is this slimy snake like being that moves fast under the surface and likes to eat people. 

The sleepy village of Perfection gets invaded. The heroes are the two overgrown handy men of the village. They try to get out and into the big world. 

Obviously nothing is explained and in the end a happy ending. All of a sudden people start to get eaten. The scenario is a remote part of USA surrounded by mountains and only one road out. Of course the road gets blocked and the good people of Perfection is stuck. 

There is some wonderful characters in this film. The couple who have built their own fortress with a basement full of all sorts of fire arms. The elephant rifle is proving to be very useful in the end. 

The two main characters are the epitome of how americans like to see themselves. Resourceful and in the end without any external support they save the towns people. Or at least the once that survives. 

One could find so many flaws in the film but that is beside the point. It is sheer good old action. No real thought is required and one can simply rest and just enjoy the film. 

Stable one knows that in the end it will be a happy ending.

This is before CGI so the special effects is a full size monster built up. It is great fun. No trying to even remotely look realistic and one can almost see the seams in the costume. As an added bonus when the monsters get blown up it is sheer orange gunk that is splashed all over.

I hope anyone that watches this good piece of action will enjoy it as much as I do.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Edge of seventeen (1998)

Actors: Chris Stafford, Tina Holmes, Andersen Gabrysh and Stephanine McVay
Director: David Moreton

This near perfect coming out movie is wonderful. It is set in 1984 Ohioo and it gets everything right.
The era, music, props and plot.
It is one of the most realistic and tender films. It does not offer a sweet ending and that is just one of the many strength of the film.
Confusion, sex, love, orientation, pivotal moments and wanting to please all and no-one.

Eric is a high school student who is dreaming to get to New York. He and his best friend Mag take a summer job at a restaurant at the local fair ground. The other guy is there. Amongst confusion and the shake of some whipped cream it is soon official.
Who am I this film oozes and never really answers. Some amazing acting and pivotal moments stays and one only wants to jump in and say; Hold on, do the right thing.
They do not do the right thing.
The confusion that enters everyone is so real and not to be forgotten.
Who am I, who are your, who are we?
Questions that is in all families of teenage kids growing up to fast. The thrill of finding one self is evident and so steeped in a sense of loss.
One of the strength is that it captures the mid 1980's so perfectly. Music, fashion and social attitudes all combined.
Is the main character a hero? Not sure about this. However he breaks a woman's heart so hard it will give him nightmares for a long time. He has just convinced to consummate the so call relationship. No words except him repeating "I am sorry" manifest how she has gulled both of them to think this is it. She is betrayed and he knows he has done this.
Once he has come out to his mother more hardship. He gets a hug however no love from his mother. The movie is wonderful. Full of spot on music and fashion. The storyline is with depth and integrity. A must see.
Rating 4.5 out of 5