Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

Genre

Action | Crime | Thriller

Director

Quentin Tarantino

Country

USA

Cast

Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, Gordon Liu, Michael Parks, Bo Svenson, Jeannie Epper, Samuel L. Jackson, Larry Bishop, Sid Haig, Perla Haney-Jardine, Helen Kim, Chris Nelson, Laura Cayouette, Clark Middleton, Stephanie L. Moore, Lawrence Bender

Plot

The Bride (Uma Thurman) continues her quest of vengeance against her former boss and lover Bill (David Carradine), the reclusive bouncer Budd (Michael Madsen) and the treacherous, one-eyed Elle (Daryl Hannah).

Opinion

I thought splitting Quentin Tarantino's epic film into two parts was a shame, but I am glad it happened because the two episodes are very different even though the stories are tied together.

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 is astonishing, and, although it is not filled with action, it still is enjoyable and entertaining. 

The film cleverly alternates between funny moments, such as the Bride's training with the Cantonese Martial Arts Master, and dramatic moments, such as memories, in black and white. 

Those who had complained about the lack of witty dialogue in the first episode will be happy to know that Quentin Tarantino once again demonstrates a mastery of dialogue: it is the real essence of the film - the scene in which Bill is speaking with the Bride while he makes a sandwich and Bill's final monologue are unforgettable. 

The acting is good. Uma Thurman really fits in with her character, and Daryl Hannah is dazzling. However, David Carradine is the real deal: he is mesmerizing as Bill and he totally steal the show.

Quotes

Bill: As you know, I'm quite keen on comic books. Especially the ones about superheroes. I find the whole mythology surrounding superheroes fascinating. Take my favorite superhero, Superman. Not a great comic book. Not particularly well-drawn. But the mythology... The mythology is not only great, it's unique.

[...] Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there's the superhero and there's the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he's Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn't become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red "S", that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race. Sorta like Beatrix Kiddo and Mrs. Tommy Plimpton.

The Bride: Ah-so. The point emerges.

Bill: You would've worn the costume of Arlene Plimpton. But you were born Beatrix Kiddo. And every morning when you woke up, you'd still be Beatrix Kiddo. 

The Bride: Are you calling me a superhero?

Bill: I'm calling you a killer. A natural born killer. You always have been, and you always will be. Moving to El Paso, working in a used record store, goin' to the movies with Tommy, clipping coupons. That's you, trying to disguise yourself as a worker bee. That's you tryin' to blend in with the hive. But you're not a worker bee. You're a renegade killer bee. And no matter how much beer you drank or barbecue you ate or how fat your ass got, nothing in the world would ever change that.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

Genre

Drama | War

Director

Michael Cimino

Country

UK | USA

Cast

Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cazale, Meryl Streep, George Dzundza, Shirley Stoler, Chuck Aspegren, Rutanya Alda, Amy Wright, Joe Grifasi

Plot

Michael (Robert De Niro), Steven (John Savage) and Nick (Christopher Walken) are young factory workers from Pennsylvania who enlist into the Army to fight in Vietnam. After some time and many horrors, the three friends fall in the hands of the Vietcong and are brought to a prison camp in which they are forced to play Russian roulette against each other. Michael makes it possible for them to escape, but they soon get separated again.

Opinion

Ranked by many, actually almost every single person who saw it, as a masterpiece, The Deer Hunter is one of the most overrated films ever, and one of the worst Academy Award Best Picture winners ever.

The film is boring, senseless and historically inaccurate. To begin with, it's too long - 3 hours seemed like an eternity. The wedding sequence at the beginning goes on and on - 30 minutes or so - but doesn't tell you more about the characters than a 10 minutes sequence could have. Then the action goes straight to Vietnamese jungle: the three friends don't need any kind of training, they just go, and they serve in the same squad too. The Vietnamese are portrayed as monsters or victims, there are no shadings. When Michael and Steven are back home, Nick is still in Vietnam and plays the Russian roulette for god only knows how many years - if it was a sport he would have been the World Champion. 

The acting is good. Robert De Niro is spectacular and should have gotten the Oscar instead of Christopher Walken - I am not saying Walken sucks in the film, he delivers a good performance, but, in my opinion, De Niro's better. Meryl Streep and John Savage are a great supporting cast.

Do you want to see a film about the Vietnam War? Watch Apocalypse Now or/and Full Metal Jacket, they are definitely worth the time.

Quotes

Michael: A deer has to be taken with one shot. I try to tell people that but they don't listen.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Genre

Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Peter Jackson

Country

USA | New Zealand

Cast

Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Stephen Fry, Orlando Bloom, Graham McTavish, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Cate Blanchett, Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Manu Bennett, Lawrence Makoare, Anthony Sher, Craig Hall, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Ben Mitchell, Robin Kerr, Dallas Barnett

Plot

After successfully crossing over the Misty Mountains, the thirteen dwarves commanded by Thorin (Richard Armitage), the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, the dwarves homeland, from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Opinion

Out there is plenty of people saying that fans of Tolkien will be disappointed with the new trilogy, and there are way too much differences between the book and the films. That's pretty much normal since Jackson made three films out of a 300 pages book.

Having said that, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a terrific middle chapter filled with tons of action, emotions and fun from the first frame to the last.

The film is exciting all the way through and more engaging than An Unexpected Journey, although I did enjoy its slow pacing.

I particularly loved the giant spiders sequence, and the way they talk to each other when Bildo puts the ring on, even though they sound like Gollum. The arachnids are visually stunning and scary. Legolas comes back and, although I'm pretty sure he wasn't in the book, he brings some fun. New creation Tauriel is enjoyable. Bilbo's encounter with Smaug is tense and brilliantly written. Gandalf's encounter with Sauron is visually stunning. Ed Sheeran's 'I See Fire' is perfect.

However, the film has a big issue: the script. They talk, talk and talk, but, at the end of the day, they don't really say much.

The acting is good. Martin Freeman keeps on doing a perfect job as Bildo Baggins. Ian McKellen is still perfect as Gandalf. Richard Armitage succeeds in showing Thorin's worse qualities. Orlando Bloom has some charm. And Ken Stott stands out among the dwarves.

Quotes

Thranduil: Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world it festers and spreads. A shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it ever was. So will it always be. In time all foul things come forth.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Bryan Singer

Country

USA | UK

Cast

Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Nicholas Hoult, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Shawn Ashmore, Omar Sy, Evan Peters, Josh Helman, Daniel Cudmore, Fan Bingbing, Adan Canto, Booboo Stewart, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Lucas Till, Evan Jonigkeit

Plot

As the Sentinels, fightings robots for killing mutants, are created, it soon leads to chaos, killing both mutants and humans. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is so sent back to the past to prevent a tragic event from ever occurring to prevent both mutant and human extinction.

Opinion

I was excited about this film, but I had a bad feeling because X-Men: First Class was fantastic, and doing great - or better - wasn't going to be an easy task, so I saw this with low expectation, but what a surprise! After more than 10 years, Bryan Singer is back in control and directs unarguably the best X-Men film yet.

Sequel to both First Class and X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: Days of Future Past is truly an impressive and spectacular film, and one of the greatest superhero films of all time.

The film finds its strength in the storyline, as 2 hours fly. The action is great especially when it comes to Quicksilver and Blink - the slow motion scene while freeing Magneto is spectacular. Also the film has surprisingly found the sense of humour that has been missing from the recent films of the series. 

Up to this moment, the franchise has been inclined to make of Wolverine the main character. Finally things have changed, and other characters gain importance, starting from Mystique. 

Also, Bryan Singer manages to fill a long series of discrepancies among the previous films.

The acting, once again, is first class. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are incredible as Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, and the chemistry between them is more enjoyable than ever. Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman and Ellen Page are all great. However, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique and Evan Peters as Quicksilver steal the show. 

Quotes

Professor X: The future: a dark, desolate world. A world of war, suffering, loss on both sides. Mutants, and the humans who dared to help them, fighting an enemy we cannot defeat. Are we destined down this path, destined to destroy ourselves like so many species before us? Or can we evolve fast enough to change ourselves... change our fate? Is the future truly set?

Magneto: All those years wasted fighting each other, Charles... to have a precious few of them back.

The Bone Collector (1999)

Genre

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Director

Phillip Noyce

Country

USA | Canada

Cast

Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker, Mike McGlone, Luis Guzmán, John Benjamin Hickey, Bobby Cannavale, Ed O'Neil, Leland Orser

Plot

When a badly mutilated corpse is discovered by policewoman Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie), quadriplegic ex-homicide detective Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is asked to investigate the case. At first he refuses, but when he takes a close look at the evidence, he is intrigued and tries to track down the serial killer with the help of the young policewoman.

Opinion

The Bone Collector is a way too much pretentious film that fails pretty much on everything. 

Looks like the film is trying to imitate Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window - in this case Denzel Washington plays James Stewart, and Angelina Jolie plays Grace Kelly - and, at the same time, David Fincher's Seven. The result is a too weak plot and some ridiculous parts. 

A huge issue - or mistake - with this film is the serial killer. As I am in the process of writing a mystery novel, I learned that there are several things the story must have to be good. One of those things - the most important in my opinion - is being able to lead the audience into finding out who the killer is. This film totally fails in that. I would have bet the killer was a cop - one in particular but I won't spoiler - but at the end is just some guy barely shown in the film with a weak motive. 

The fighting scene is the queen of ridiculousness: the serial killer, which is so smart to elaborate perfect murders, can't beat a quadriplegic man.

Denzel Washington does a very good job as the paralyzed cop. Unfortunately I can't say the same thing about Angelina Jolie: she looks bored the whole time. The supporting cast helps a lot, with great performance from Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker and Ed O'Neil.

Quotes

Lincoln Rhyme: Destiny is what we make it.

Twice Born (2012)

Original Title

Venuto al mondo

Genre

Drama | Romance | War

Director

Sergio Castellitto

Country

Italy | Spain

Cast

Penélope Cruz, Emile Hirsch, Adnan Haskovic, Saadet Aksoy, Pietro Castellitto, Luca De Filippo, Mira Furlan, Jane Birkin, Sergio Castellitto, Branko Djuric, Isabelle Adriani, Jovan Divjak, Sanja Vejnovic, Emina Muftic

Plot

Oft-married Gemma (Penélope Cruz) brings her teenage son Pietro (Pietro Castellitto) to Sarajevo, where his father (Emile Hirsch) died in the Bosnian conflict years ago.

Opinion

I haven't read the novel by Margaret Mazzantini, but the person who recommended me this film did, and enjoyed both, so I gave the film a try.

Twice Born is an ambitious and complex film that deals with love, motherhood at any cost, and horrors of war.

The film is certainly well built, and the direction from Sergio Castellitto - the novelist's husband - is great and manages to show love and war in the same moment, often leaving room for glances and music. Moving forward and backwards in time is certainly not new, but it always fascinates me. 

Penélope Cruz gives a magnificent and intense performance as Gemma. Needless to say is that Emile Hirsch's performance as Diego is wonderful. Adnan Haskovic as Gojco and Saadet Aksoy as Aska are outstanding. 

Having said that, I can't see how it is even possible for this film to have a 17% rating at Rotten Tomatoes, because if those people have actually seen this film, there is no way they could have give all those negative reviews.

Just a little note for whoever translated the title in English: why 'Twice Born'? It doesn't really make sense, it should have been 'Came to the world' or something like that.

Quotes

Diego: The weirdest love stories are always the best.

Gojco: Love only comes once. It moves like the sea. But it's always the same.

Serena (2014)

Genre

Drama

Director

Susanne Bier

Country

USA | France | Czech Republic

Cast

Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Rhys Ifans, Sean Harris, Sam Reid, David Dencik, Blake Ritson, Ned Dennehy, Charity Wakefield, Michael Ryan, Kim Bodnia, Ana Ularu, Bodil Jørgensen

Plot

In Depression-era North Carolina, the future of George Pemberton's (Bradley Cooper) timber empire becomes complicated when he marries Serena (Jennifer Lawrence).

Opinion

I was pretty excited about this film because I couldn't wait to see Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper working together for the third time. Judging from reviews of Ron Rash's novel of the same name, I was expecting a good film, but it is a total disaster.

Serena is a huge misfire on all fronts, absolutely nothing works, from storytelling to filmmaking. It fails in being involving and entertaining. The only positive thing about this film is Morten Søborg's cinematography.

At some point in the film, Jennifer Lawrence says, "I think you've taken nine months to do about six months work", and that's funny because the film took over 18 months to be completed, while it could have been easily made in a few months, and still have the same crappy result.

The setting in the woods reminded me of when I saw Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone, but the comparison only ended up disappointing me. This could have been J-Law's Black Swan performance, but she is over the top and the emotional scenes are not believable. Bradley Cooper totally loses his charm, but the fault is of the script. At least, there is chemistry between the two actors and you can tell.

In a nutshell, the film is the proof - or reminded - that Hollywood stars such as Cooper and Lawrence can make lousy choices just like the rest of us.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Joss Whedon

Country

USA

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson, Thomas Kretschmann, Claudia Kim, Andy Serkis, Linda Cardellini, Julie Delpy, Stan Lee

Plot

When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for a global adventure.

Opinion

I used to think making a better film than the Avengers was quite impossible, but Joss Whedon did it!

Avengers: Age of Ultron is a dream come true, the sequel all the fans were waiting for, and inarguably one of the best Marvel films to date - not better than Guardians of the Galaxy though. 
The film still has all the elements of the first film, but it makes a huge step forward in the action - the 3D vision is totally worthy - dialogue and character. However, the main difference is the villain: James Spader's Ultron is marvelous.

The talk about artificial intelligence is very fascinating, both conceptually and cinematically. The storyline is far from the cliché superhero story. The script is great and amusing. The direction of Joss Whedon is flawless.

There is a great balance within the Avengers, where the superiority of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and Hulk is perfectly balanced with the more active roles of Black Widow and Hawkeye - I would have loved to see more Falcon though. I loved what they did with The Vision, The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.

All the actors gave a fantastic performance. Robert Downey Jr. keeps on playing the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist in a way nobody else could. Chris Evans always brings a sense of honor to his character. Scarlett Johansson really surprised me. Great performances also from Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders and Paul Bettany. Elizabeth Olsen gives one of the best new character portrayals in recent years - I really want to see more of her Scarlet Witch. However, James Spader totally steals the scene: he is perfect.

Quotes

Steve Rogers/Captain America: I'm sick of watching people pay for our mistakes.

Nick Fury: Here we all are, with nothing but our wit and our will to save the world! So stand and fight!

Green Street (2005)

Genre

Crime | Drama | Sport

Director

Lexi Alexander

Country

USA| UK

Cast

Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Leo Gregory, Claire Forlani, Marc Warren, Ross McCall, Rafe Spall, Kieran Bew, Geoff Bell, James Allison, Terence Jay, Joel Beckett, Francis Pope, Christopher Hehir, David Alexander

Plot

Unjustly expelled from Harvard, Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) moves to London to live with his sister (Claire Forlani) and her husband Steve (Marc Warren). As he meet Pete (Charlie Hunnam), Steve's cocky brother, he is introduced to the violent underworld of football hooliganism.

Opinion

Critics have said everything bad they could possibly say about this film, from Elijah Wood being not credible as the tough guy to Charlie Hunnam's awful cockney accent. Good thing is I'm not a critic.

Green Street is a very emotional drama that deals with many themes: loyalty, honor, revenge, importance of family - The Major's decision to leave the GSE for the sake of his family -, and power economically strong people have - Matt being kicked out of Harvard.

The film does not glorify hooligans, it portrays them honestly. The violence is believable, realistic, and frightening. The direction and cinematography are flawless. The story manages to engage the audience immediately. The sad and mesmerizing final fight perfectly goes along with Terence Jay's song "One Blood".

The acting is spot-on. Elijah Wood is amazing, and maybe he wasn't the best choice to play a tough guy, but who cares? After all, his character wasn't that tough at the beginning. Charlie Hunnam gives a great performance.

Now, the film is violent, but there is much more than that, so if you didn't get it, I really suggest you to watch it again.

Quotes

Matt Buckner: You know the best part? It isn't knowing that your friends have your back. It's knowing that you have your friends' back.

Pete Dunham: You don't run, not when you're with us... You stand your ground and fight!

Matt Buckner: I've never lived closer to danger, but I've never felt safer. I've never felt more confident, and people could spot it from a mile away. And as for this, the violence? I gotta be honest - it grew on me. Once you've taken a few punches and realize you're not made of glass, you don't feel alive unless you're pushing yourself as far as you can go.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Genre

Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Peter Jackson

Country

USA | New Zealand

Cast

Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Graham McTavish, Ken Scott, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Sylvester McCoy, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, Manu Bennett, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Barry Humphries, John Rawls, Bret McKenzie, Kiran Shah, Jeffrey Thomas, Michael Mizrahi

Plot

Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), Bilbo (Martin Freeman) finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever... Gollum (Andy Serkis). 

Opinion

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is simply beautiful. The film is a spectacular and thrilling combination of adventure, drama and fantasy, and it managed to left me with the same 'wow' the original trilogy did.

Director Peter Jackson successfully managed to craft a good prequel to the best saga ever. The film has some great scenes; the run in with fighting stone giants and the escape from the goblins' mountain are definitely the highlights. I particularly loved the scene in which Bildo runs into Gollum, firstly because I wasn't expecting it at all, and secondly because I've always liked the character - which, by the way, is even more 'realistic'. The score by Howard Shore is spectacular and touching.

The actors give great performances. Ian McKellen is absolutely stunning as Gandalf, and seems to be born to play the character. Richard Armitage plays Thorin in a very fascinating way. British Martin Freeman is absolutely perfect to play Bildo. Andy Serkis still does an amazing job with Gollum.

Quotes

Bilbo Baggins: Good morning.

Gandalf: What do you mean? Do you mean to wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning. Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?

Bilbo Baggins: All of them at once, I suppose.

Bilbo Baggins: I have... I have never used a sword in my life.

Gandalf: And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.

The Wolverine (2013)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

James Mangold

Country

USA | UK

Cast

Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Brian Tee, Will Yun Lee, Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen

Plot

In modern day Japan, vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality.

Opinion

Finally someone - director James Mangold and writers Scott Frank and Mark Bomback - decided to take the Wolverine series seriously.

The Wolverine is an interesting, thrilling and brilliant standalone film, way better than its predecessor. The story is well-written, and more complex and thoughtful than it was before: while in X-Men Origins: Wolverine the story explained his past, this film is an excellent character study and well-represented Logan's personal struggles.

The film has a big samurai made of adamantium, and that's really awesome as it sounds. The spectacular action is mostly filled with intense fight scenes. The cinematography is a little above average. The villains - yes, there are more than one - are fine, each with their own compelling motivation.

Hugh Jackman still does an incredibly good job with his Wolverine, and the chemistry he has with Tao Okamoto, who plays Mariko, makes the love story more realistic.

Quotes

Logan: What do you want?

Magneto: There are dark forces, Logan. Human forces building a weapon that could bring about the end of our kind. What do I want? I want your help.

Logan: Why would I trust you?

Magneto: You wouldn't.

Charles Xavier: Hello, Logan.

Logan: How is this possible?

Charles Xavier: As I told you a long time ago, you are not the only one with gifts.

Logan: Don't hurt my friends! 

Moneyball (2011)

Genre

Biography | Drama | Sport

Director

Bennett Miller

Country

USA

Cast

Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, Casey Bond, Stephen Bishop, Royce Clayton, David Hutchinson, Nick Porrazzo, Robin Wright, Kerris Dorsey, Ken Medlock, Nick Searcy, Jack McGee, Brent Jennings, Spike Jonze

Plot

Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's (Brad Pitt) successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.

Opinion

Every time I watch a sports film about a sport I'm not interested in, my main concern is that the film is going to be boring. But this wasn't the case.

Moneyball is a solid drama about baseball that goes beyond being a film about baseball; it is less about game-winning and more about people, about one man's vision and determination to change the system. What makes this film stand out from the others of the same genre is the absence of all the clichés: the film is not action-packed, there are no emotional moments and no motivational speeches as usually happens.

The film is helped by the great cast. Brad Pitt does an excellent job with Billy Beane's character, and his superb acting ability carries the film. Jonah Hill finally shows off his fantastic acting skills, delivering a fantastic performance - better than The Wolf of Wall Street's in my opinion. Philip Seymour Hoffman is wasted to play Art Howe.

Quotes

Billy Beane: How can you not get romantic about baseball?

Billy Beane: Would you rather get one shot in the head or five in the chest and bleed to death?

The Lives of Others (2006)

Original Title

Das Leben der Anderen

Genre

Drama | Thriller

Director

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Country

Germany

Cast

Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Tukur, Thomas Thieme, Hans-Uwe Bauer, Volkmar Kleinert, Matthias Brenner, Charly Hübner, Herbert Knaup, Bastian Trost, Marie Gruber, Volker Michalowski

Plot

In 1984 East Germany, Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe), an officer of the secret police, while conducting surveillance on writer Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) and his lover Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck), finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives.

Opinion

Danke, danke, danke für dieses Meisterstück! The Lives of Others is many things. It is a wonderful film, full of emotions and poetry. It is an example that must be followed by modern cinema, because it is possible to craft a magnificent film without special effects, violence and banalities. It is the kind of film what captures your attention from the first moment, and keeps you interested the whole time.

It is absolutely stunning to witness the process of transformation of Wiesler's character: he goes from being the bad guy, a slave of the system and enemy of freedom, to becoming a hero, a saviour. But why does the change happen? Is it maybe because of the reading of Brecht's poem? Or is it something else?

The music, stunning and heartbreaking, makes the final embrace between Georg, the writer, and his loved Christa-Maria look warm despite the tragic background.

However, the truly amazing part is that this is Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's directorial debut and he manages to build such a fascinating and moving film.

Ulrich Mühe delivers a powerful an emotional performance. He is dramatically contained, as his character requires, but there is a lot in his bright eyes, the only part of Wiesler that's still alive. Martina Gedeck gives a great performance. 

Quotes

Georg Dreyman: You know what Lenin said about Beethoven's Appassionata, 'If I keep listening to it, I won't finish the revolution.' Can anyone who has heard this music, I mean truly heard it, really be a bad person?

Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013)

Genre

Drama

Director 

Lars von Trier

Country 

Denmark | Germany | Belgium | UK | France | Sweden

Cast 

Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Stacy Martin, Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman, Willem Dafoe, Mia Goth, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Michaël Pas, Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier, Ananya Berg, Morgan Harley, Shanti Roney, Laura Christensen, Caroline Goodall, Kate Ashfield, Tania Carlin, Daniela Lebang, Omar Shargawi, Marcus Jakovljevic, Severin von Hoensbroech

Plot

The continuation of Joe's (Charlotte Gainsbourg) sexually dictated life delves into the darker aspects of her adulthood, obsessions and what led to her being in Seligman's care.

Opinion

If you've read my review of Nymphomaniac: Vol. I, then you know I really enjoyed it, but I can't say quite the same about this one.

Nymphomaniac: Vol. II is still brave and provoking, but more raw and violent - the poetic and philosophical aspects are almost abandoned - and not deep enough. However, Lars von Trier successfully managed to capture how unromantic sex can be.

The film doesn't really have any highlights, the storyline has a complete different turn and, at some points, the film is a little boring. There are some unnecessary scenes - the two Africans arguing while the camera repeatedly dips below the waistline and displays the men's erections - and the ending was really disappointing. Furthermore, there is a thing I didn't understand: why did P, played by Mia Goth, turn on Joe?

And now comes the best part of the film: the performances. Charlotte Gainsbourg - which has a more important role than she had in Vol. I - is astonishing. She delivers a first class performance. Stellan Skarsgård is excellent. Jamie Bell is mesmerizing. Willem Dafoe gives a great performance as always, but his character didn't add anything to the story.

Vol. I is the highlight of the story, so if you think you can't handle both, go with that one. 

Quotes

Joe: The human qualities can be expressed in one word: hypocrisy.

Joe: We elevate those who say right but mean wrong, and mock those who say wrong but mean right.

Rating

6.5/10

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

Genre

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Director

Darren Grant

Country

USA

Cast

Kimberly Elise, Steve Harris, Shemar Moore, Cicely Tyson, Lisa Marcos, Tamara Taylor, Tiffany Evans, Tyler Perry, Gary Anthony Sturgis, Tamela Mann, Judge Mablean Ephriam

Plot

Helen (Kimberly Elise) and Charles McCarter (Steve Harris) had everything: fine home, beautiful clothes, and success. In public, they were the perfect match. But behind the scenes was another matter. On what should have been the end of the happiest day of their lives, Charles evicts Helen, his wife of 18 years, out of their house in the presence of his mistress. Helen then goes from meek and mild to mad, starts a diary and a new life.

Opinion

Dear diary, as the film ended, I realized I've wasted two hours of my life. Diary of a Mad Black Woman is a dull, never-ending film.

The intent to keep the audience attracted failed since I had to stop, and watch the rest of it in the morning because I was falling asleep.

Tyler Perry is not a very talented writer, and the result is a horrifying story. It does show issues within black families, but it doesn't go any further.

The idea that a woman would console a man who threw her out of her own house, and left her broke is ridiculous. Also, the way she treated him after the accident makes her a worse person than him.

I would like to say the acting was awful, but the actors didn't have much to work with.

Quotes

Madea: Love is stronger than any addiction, baby; hell, it *is* one.

Rating

2.0/10

The Birds (1963)

Genre

Horror | Romance

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Country

USA

Cast

Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, Veronica Cartwright, Ethel Griffies, Charles McGraw, Lonny Chapman, Doreen Lang, Karl Swenson, Joe Mantell, Ruth McDevitt, Malcolm Atterbury, John McGovern, Richard Deacon, Elizabeth Wilson, Doodles Weaver, William Quinn, Alfred Hitchcock

Plot

A wealthy San Francisco socialite (Tippi Hedren) pursues a potential boyfriend (Rod Taylor) to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness.

Opinion

I'm sorry to say it, but this film disappointed me. The Birds is not a film, but the overlap of two completely different films. While the first part is flat and not tense at all, the second part recovers with the raid of birds, which is technically perfect.

However, the film still has several problems. The stubbornness of Melanie to bring to Mitch the lovebirds raised hopes for a thriller turn due to love obsession, but she just turns into a girlfriend. The possessiveness of Mitch's mother is mentioned but doesn't go further.

No explanation to the sudden uprising of the birds is given, and there is no conclusion, and that's somewhat uncomfortable.

The absence of background music is justified: the story doesn't need it since ambient sounds alone enhance suspense.

Great performances are delivered by the whole cast. 

Quotes

Mother in Diner: Why are they doing this? Why are they doing this? They said when you got here the whole thing started. Who are you? What are you? Where did you come from? I think you're the cause of all of this. I think you're evil. EVIL!

Rating

7.0/10

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Genre

Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Peter Jackson

Country

USA | New Zealand

Cast

Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Karl Urban, John Noble, Ian Holm, Sean Bean, Marton Csokas, Lawrence Makoare, Thomas Robins

Plot

While Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) continue to approach Mount Doom to destroy the Ring, unaware of the path Gollum (Andy Serkis) is leading them, Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), Pippin (Billy Boyd) and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) aid Rohan and Gondor in a great battle.

Opinion

The final film of the Lord of the Rings trilogy certainly doesn't disappoint like some other trilogies - Matrix, X-Men.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a glorious and thrilling final chapter. The film is full of emotions, ranging from astonishment to disgust, from funny moments to moving ones, and will keep the viewer on the edge of the seat for the whole time.

The film is stuffed with unforgettable landscapes - thank you, New Zealand -, memorable scenes - the battle at Minas Tirith was wonderfully made -, outstanding music, and stunning visual effects. However, the action is not all, and several factors steal the scene: the strong bond of friendship between Frodo and Sam, and Pippin and Merry, the improbable friendship between an elf and a dwarf, and love, for which Arwen gives up her immortality.

The performances are good, among which Viggo Mortensen's as Aragorn and Sean Astin's as Samwise stand out. Ian McKellen doesn't have much space, still he delivers. Orlando Bloom doesn't have a real chance to show off his acting skills. John Rhys-Davies keeps on doing great with Gimli. The only flaw is Elijah Wood's performance: he is stucked with the same facial expression for the whole film.

Quotes

Gimli: Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf.
Legolas: What about side by side with a friend?
Gimli: Aye. I could do that.

Aragorn: Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!*

Rating

9.0/10

X-Men: First Class (2011)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Matthew Vaughn

Country

USA | UK

Cast

James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Oliver Platt, Jason Flemyng, Lucas Till, Edi Gathegi, Kevin Bacon, Caleb Landry, Zoë Kravitz, Álex González, Glenn Morshower, Matt Craven, Rade Šerbedžija, Ray Wise, Michael Ironside, James Remar, Annabelle Wallis, Don Creesh, Brendan Fehr, Aleksander Krupa, Laurence Belcher, Bill Milner, Morgan Lily, Hugh Jackman, Stan Lee

Plot

Before Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were arch-enemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants, to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known: World War III.

Opinion

Although normally prequels suck, I was really excited about this one because it stars Michael Fassbender - one of my favourite actors - playing Magneto - my favourite mutant. But here it is, the resurrection of a dead franchise.

X-Men: First Class is classy and thrilling filled with great action and strong emotions, in other words, absolutely first class - sorry for the pun.

The collaboration between Bryan Singer and Matthew Vaughn was the perfect blend: Vaughn's great direction and Singer's compelling story manage to clear the X-Men's name.

The film not only takes us back to the roots of the beginning of the friendship between Charles and Erik, but introduces other mutants and develops the old one - Beast is great.

The acting is top class. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are superb, and every scene with them together is absolutely fantastic - credits go to their friendship too. Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult are a stunning supporting cast. Great performances also from Rose Byrne and January Jones.

Quotes

Charles Xavier: Erik, you said yourself we're the better men. This is the time to prove it. There are thousands of men on those ships. Good, honest, innocent men! They're just following orders.
Erik Lehnsherr: I've been at the mercy of men just following orders. Never again.

Rating

9.0/10