Captain America : The First Avenger (2011)

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Genre : Action,Adventure,SF
Country : USA

Cast :
Chris Evans : Steve Rogers/Captain America
Hugo Weaving : Red Skull
Tommy Lee Jones : Colonel Chester Phillips

Director : Joe Johnston

Summary
It is 1942, America has entered World War II, and sickly but determined Steve Rogers is frustrated at being rejected yet again for military service. Everything changes when Dr. Erskine recruits him for the secret Project Rebirth. Proving his extraordinary courage, wits and conscience, Rogers undergoes the experiment and his weak body is suddenly enhanced into the maximum human potential.

My Opinion

“Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier, but a good man.”

Since 2000 we are literally flooded with film versions of Marvel heroes. Just a small list: X-Men, Blade, Spider Man, Daredevil, The Hulk, The Punisher, Elektra, Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Iron Man, Thor, Wolverine, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy ... Pretty impressive. And this year there's the release of "Captain America: Winter Soldier" of which I read so many good things everywhere. In preparation for this, I had to watch the first film from "Captain America" so I'll be proper prepared.

Captain America was introduced before World War II by Marvel and was immensely popular among the American troops. That's because he fought against the Nazis, the Japanese and other enemies of the U.S. After the 2nd World War he fought against communists during the Cold War. After that he sank into oblivion but was summoned back to join "The Avengers". Unlike other Marvel superheroes he doesn't have any super powers. He just has those immense muscles to defend himself with.

This movie takes place in 1942. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wants to join the army at all costs, to participate in defeating the Nazi regime in Europe. He is far too petite and has a whole catalogue of illnesses. He is rejected while his good friend James "Bucky" Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is approved and about to leave to the front. At an exhibition Rogers attracts the attention of a certain Professor Erskine (Stanley Tucci) who makes him an offer: joining the secret project "Rebirth" where he'll receive injections and radiations with "Vita"-rays which will stabilize and activate the injected chemicals. His physical appearance changes quite dramatically. That thin, weak little boy changes into a healthy and muscular super soldier. Erskine has chosen him because he's sure that a weak person will continue to respect this gift and still will show compassion. "Because the strong man who has known power all his life, May lose respect for That power, but a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows ... compassion." But Steve Rogers is the only super soldier that mankind will know because professor Erskine is assassinated and thus the experiment can no longer be repeated.

The first half hour was funny and entertaining. The atmosphere of the 40's was beautiful integrated. A little bit sallow and with that 40's flair achieved by the costumes and decor. It really had that feeling of a pre-war film. The illusion they created seeing Chris Evans transforming from a toddler to an impressive person is wonderfully realized. Tommy Lee Jones (as the drill sergeant) and Tucci take care of some funny moments. Even the part where Captain America is used as a living billboard to attract new cannon fodder for the ongoing war, was reasonably entertaining. And then everything starts to look a bit ordinary and Captain America becomes a parody of itself. The transformation of a schmuck into an invincible someone is obviously something the audience loves to see, but the bland and cartoonish second part puts a damper on that grandiose beginning.

The fight against the Nazi Johan Schmidt (Hugo Weaving) or Red Skull, who's in possession of some sort of cube from Odin (crucial in "The Avengers") which contains a super power that he wants to use to put the entire Nazi regime aside and conquer the world with, is initially enjoyable but eventually decays into a lousy action-movie. I thought it was a poor and incoherent story filled with asinine coincidences. The revue Captain America performs in, happens to move to Italy. Turns out his good friend "Bucky" is kidnapped by Red Skull and sits in the castle that the latter has taken over, to expand his organization "Hydra" and provide them with devastating weapons which work with the occult forces of the captured cube. But despite that almost invincible power, it really is a piece of cake for Captain America to sweep them together on a pile. He waltzes through it as if he is faced with an army of garden gnomes who are trying to defend themselves with tiny weapons. This really looked rather simplistic. One moment Red Skull inspects his troops and before you know it he's evacuating the castle in a panic, because Captain America came knocking on a door and a German porter on duty became acquainted with his legendary shield. The credibility of the story at that time was like the person Rogers was before he got those chemicals : weak, poor and meager. You can't call it exciting actually. And it's as predictable as the fact that Easter Monday will be this year again on a monday.

The performances on the other hand are of an acceptable level. Chris Evans is superb as Captain America. The transformation of an insignificant schmuck into a savior and example of braveness for the American people, is simply sublime. Unfortunately his character eventually evolves into a third-rate action figure with an uninspired storyline. Tommy Lee Jones was again irresistible in a role that suits him. A humorless, moody loudmouth with a strong opinion and someone who says his unvarnished opinion. Hugo Weaving was perfect for the role as the dictatorial Nazi Schmidt and archenemy Red Skull. His grim facial features and demagogic madness made me forget to get iritated by his English with an exaggerated German accent.

But despite the fine performances, this Captain America was no more than an average action movie. No suspense and totally not impressive. Visually it didn't look that bad but the story was of a questionable level. Ultimately, it's only an introduction to the film "The Avengers." The only thing I could think of was "I hope the sequel isn't such a dull spectacle as this .....".

PS. However, I can tell you that the sequel is fantastic ... 

My rating 4.5/10
Links : IMDB

Blended (2014)

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Genre : Comedy
Country : USA

Cast :
Adam Sandler : Jim
Drew Barrymore : Lauren
Wendi McLendon-Covey : Jen

Director : Frank Coraci

Summary
After a blind date gone horribly wrong, Jim and Lauren agree they never, ever want to see each other again. Well, that's all about to change when the two find themselves and their respective families (including children) all stuck together in one suite at an African Safari vacation spot.

My Opinion

“I got a girl for you. A blond girl from my dance class.
Slightly chubby. But when you start to move, all that is worth it.
That big woman can make you move like a hurricane”

Are you a sucker for romantic comedies? Or movies where everything goes wrong and in the end the whole situation miraculously recovers ? Or a film in which a rather geeky-looking daughter suddenly transforms into a fairy-like lady, after which some sad sack who at first didn't have any interest, suddenly starts chasing her with his slobbering tongue to the floor? Or such a nonsense comedy with really lame jokes ? Even summarized they barely manage to conjure a smile on your face. Or are you looking forward to that particular film where again there's someone in it with the name Dick, and you already know in advance what roguish jokes are about to be made? Hallelujah! Then "Blended" really is a movie that fits you because it includes all these features and you'll save some time. No need to look for all the specific movies and see them all, because they (the geniuses) put everything in this movie. Brilliant.

Adam Sandler. Yes, popular in America. However, he's not on my list of favorite comedians. I always feel as if he is reluctant to act and then makes up some insipid one-liners to satisfy everyone. A little smile here and there happens occasionally. But tears from laughing while watching a Sandler's movie is nonexistent. I even think that a night of watching Sandler-movies could have a disastrous medical affect on me. Chronic diarrhea or an acute swoon ...

"Blended" is such a predictable feel-good movie where two single people meet each other, can't stand each other and find each other in the end, so everybody can fall in each others arms. A happy ending with a capital "H". The chemistry between the two is absent at the beginning. Of course this is caused by a series of misunderstandings as you'll notice afterwards. By a twist of fate (Dick turns out to have a lot of kids. Did you notice the subtle association between this fact and his first name ?) they both go on a trip to South Africa for a restful holiday with the whole family. That's the first positive thing I can say about this movie. The images of this adventurous and primitive Africa are gorgeous. The African Savannah with its wildlife and its beautiful sunsets. But for such images I can turn on the TV and watch something like National Geographics.

To their surprise they bump into each other of course. They are required to share the same suite and  also have diner together at the same table. Obviously at that table sits a typical couple that always appears in this type of film: one, probably divorced, noisy guy of mature age accompanied by a young wench with a bosom where there's enough space for a few flower pots and therefore the need of a balcony is superfluous at the apartment. Of course these two attachments shake around a lot and is a joy for one of the two sons who's in the "nude-magazines-under-the-bed" phase. And then we are ready for a series of embarrassing situations, childish fart jokes, endearing cuddles with cute teenage girls, the required human emotional bonding that develop gradually and a happy ending where everything falls into the fold.

The most annoying item in this film: the appearance of the African crooner Nickens all the time. Especially the one during the basketball game was really an embarrassment. They look like a bunch of Muppets, who pop up whether relevant or not and start singing a song related to the situation. I would have tied them to an elephant, cram a huge rocket in the butt of the elephant, light it real fast so it'll disappear soon into the bush with that tricked orchestra.

Most positive thing in the whole movie: the appearance of Drew Barrymore. She acts as if it's self-evident and looks so charming all the time. Not everybody is blessed with those qualities. She still has that sweet face like she had in "ET". And I have to admit that Sandler and her make a cute couple.
 

I can be brief about Sandler. He's an imitation of himself. He plays the same character role in all his films over and over again : a clumsy pathetic guy who sounds sometimes boorish, but ultimately his dry humor and his seemingly fragile personality manages to please members of the female sex. A repetition in other words. And that's something that is invariably misused in this film: endlessly repeating the same lame joke (bumping an innocent head, mispronouncing Sandler's name ...) until you want to scream to the screen "Yeaaaaah, we get it ... ! ".

My rating 2/10
Links : IMDB

Wicked Blood (2014)

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Genre : Action/Crime
Country : USA

Cast :
Abigail Breslin : Hannah
Alexa Vega : Amber
Sean Bean : Frank Stinson

Director : Kevin MacDonald

Summary
Hannah is a bright teen girl trapped in the dark Southern underworld of violence and guns, meth labs and vicious biker gangs, and whose only refuge is chess. She lives with Amber, her older sister; and her uncle Donny, an addict. All live in fear of Uncle Frank Stinson, who runs the illegal family business with an iron fist, aided by his psychotic younger brother Bobby. Things change for the worse when Amber falls in love with Wild Bill, a meth trafficker who finds himself at war with Frank. Hannah realizes the only way to save her family is by cleverly scheming to pit one pawn against another in a cunning chess game.

My opinion

“Lose not the Queen, for ten to one... if she be lost, the game is gone.”

"Wicked Blood" is a standard mafia movie, but then on a smaller scale. The story of the teenage girl Hannah (Abigail Breslin) who's being taken care of, after the loss of her parents, by her uncle Donny (Lew Temple), which has the appearance of Dr. Emmett Brown from "Back to the Future" but with too much "hillbilly crack" in his system. And then there's also Uncle Frank (Sean Bean). Frank is the local bad guy and head of a mini gang of mobsters. Besides running a striptease tent he has also a lucrative business as manufacturer and supplier of crack. The one who assists him throughout the film is his somewhat crazy, retarded younger brother Bobby (Jake Busey),. Apparently Bobby became slower after Hannah's mother bashed his head with a baseball bat.

Hannah is a passionate chess player (something she probably inherited from Donny who once was State Champion), and she applies the rules of this game in her daily life. Thoughtful and with reason she performs every next move. Eventually, she devises a sophisticated plan to escape from this violent, drug-related world. Throw in an undercover agent, an assault on Hannah's sister and the final revenge, and you have a complete picture of this standard crime film. A film with a story like there are already a thousand made of.

 

And yet it's not an unpleasant film. And that's thanks to Abigail Breslin who manages to give shape to the character Hannah in a natural and wonderful way. She reminded me of Saoirse Ronan repeatedly. She also has that innocent look, that determination and the all-pervading calmness. Maybe Ronan outclasses her a bit but only with a small lead. Despite the fact that the whole story is a bit exaggerated, improbable at times and thinking about it afterwards sometimes pretty laughable, the acting of Abigail Breslin was very convincing and plausible. A small, young girl only skilled in chess who goes to battle against a bunch of ruthless drug gangsters, who are not shy to liquidate someone who complains to much, is something that only could happen to Nancy Drew.

The one I enjoyed the most, was Lew Temple as the crazy, drug addicted low-life Donny. The chess games with Hannah briefly hinted a different picture of him though. That of a reasonably intelligent man who, because of past events and the current situation he is experiencing, recreated the individual as we see it now. The moments when he takes a shot (probably to check the quality) and starts to thrash about, accompanied by loud rock music, I found grandiose.

Sean Bean (Who I've recently saw in CleanSkin) looks like Boromir teleported into modern times. The same faraway look and stoic calmness he constantly shows. I expected him declaring a sentence like "One does not simply ... steal my drugs" any moment.

Despite the mediocre storyline and some irritating (The city where it all takes place is apparently so deserted and desolate as a ghost town along Route 66. Totally no inhabitants to detect) and hilarious (The FBI infiltrating such a crappy,small gang.) moments, it's still a movie you continue to watch. And that is merely due to the solid commitment of the actors and actresses. 

My rating 5/10
Links : IMDB

How I live now (2013)

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Genre : Action/Drama/Romance
Country : UK

Cast :
Saoirse Ronan : Daisy
Harley Bird : Piper
George MacKay : Eddie
Tom Holland : Isaac

Director : Kevin MacDonald

Summary
American teenager Elizabeth "Daisy" is sent by her estranged father away from New York to the countryside of England to stay with her Aunt Penn. She is introduced to her cousins, seventeen year-old Eddie,Isaac and young Piper and to their friend Joe. However Daisy is a resentful, needy of love and aloof girl who believes that she is cursed and that bad things happen wherever she goes. Aunt Penn is a busy woman who is studying the war scenario in England, which is on alert due to an imminent terrorist attack, and needs to fly to Geneva. However, the next morning, a nuclear bomb explodes in London and the authorities of the United Kingdom declare a state of siege.

My opinion

“You just gotta take that bad thing.
You take it. You put it in a box.
You close the lid, you look up and you focus on your goal. Okay ?
Because that's what you have to do now.
You have to look up and focus on your goal ! “

What an impressive, haunting and depressing film. An adaptation of a novel written by Meg Rosoff. I had no idea what this was about. The actual reason why I wanted to see it, is the fact that Saoirse Ronan played in it (I know. I'm a little biased). I saw her for the first time performing in "Hanna" and was immediately enchanted by her naturelle look and the professionalism she showed in her acting. As if she was already a seasoned old-timer from the movie business. When I saw her in "Byzantium" and "The Host" (although the latter was a bit too corny) it was clear to me that we would see more beautiful things of this frail young lady.  And "How I live now" can surely be placed in the gallery of magnificent and successful films. Despite the somewhat depressed subject.

It's been a long time since an oppressive feeling crept over me while watching a movie. A feeling because you realize that what is shown, is not entirely fiction and still hangs above us like the sword of Damocles. I had the same feeling 30 years ago after seeing "The Day After". A disturbing film about the consequences of a nuclear war and the terrible postwar state. We were in the middle of the "cold war" and it seemed as if the two most mighty countries had their whole arsenal of nuclear missiles aimed at each other. And a global nuclear war could break out any minute because of a nervous reaction. They had (and no doubt that this is still the case) a supply of nuclear warheads that was enough to blow up planet earth a gazillion times and turn it into space dust. And we earthlings too of course. After seeing "The day after" the first thing that came into my mind was : "Shit, I hope it'll never come to that ...." In today's society, this threatening situation is not that acute anymore and is no longer a hot topic in the news. That doesn't mean it could never happen.

While watching "How I live now", the exact same feelings came back. The "Shit, lets hope this never becomes reality ..." kind of reaction. And also because of the impression that you are going through exactly the same events. As if you were in the midst of those who were going through that hell. And although it's a gray and grim view of the future, this film was a sight for sore eyes. The storyline is perfect because of the sobriety of images. No deliberately added sensational images of bombardments or mutilated victims. Only the subtle used images of a shock wave, the threatening atmosphere during the action of the soldiers and the brutal terror that war brings. All this in an artistic framing so it was sometimes hard to believe that there are so many terrible things happening in a short distance. A beautiful morning with a tasteful view of the surrounding countryside made the ugliness of the upcoming war disappear. Superb.

In addition to the photographic qualities, there was the sublime cast with Ronan up front. The transformation of a theatrical,snooty, pampered, alternatively looking and pretty crazy girl into a friendly, frank, visibly enjoying life and loving girl, was fairly predictable. The rendition of Ronan (Daisy) was of an exceptionally high level. Her natural beauty, her confident attitude and her intense shining eyes was an add-on to the sublime acting. Her performance is admirable and credible. A masterly portrait of a tormented teenager with enervating, whining voices in her head and a load of self-pity she's carrying (probably the result of the traumatic experience as a baby). The rebellious and furious temper that slowly fades away and makes room for a lovely, timid girl who discovers the joy of life again. And in the end she becomes a savior who knows quite a bit about "Survival" techniques to watch over her little niece. Even the love relationship (In a way it's a forbidden relationship) was subtly addressed and wasn't really annoying. It served for them as the last straw to hold on to.

But not only Ronan sparkled in her role. The other young actors were perfectly casted and played their part realistic. The movie started rather slow and unclear. But once Daisy joins her distant family and experiences together with her cousins the daily grind of life at the countryside, the movie shifts into a higher gear. Harley Bird (Piper) is astonishingly good for her age. A kind of an English Shirley Temple on a survival trek. And Tom Holland (Isaac) has that innocent boyish look all the time. Splendour Performance.

This film is not about showing spectacular images and action-packed scenes during a war. It's about the aftermath of such a war with sometimes harrowing situations in which survivors end up. The daily struggle to survive and how replaceable we are as civilians in the hands of a reigning government apparatus. Despite the austere images this movie is at times still quite thrilling and cruel. An issue such as this impresses me more than movies about a deadly epidemic, zombie situations or another physical catastrophe. Despite the total lack of solid information so you understand the situation much better, the message is clear: love conquers all obstacles and as long as you focus on what is important, nothing is impossible to achieve. Let's hope that common sense continues to prevail in our society!

My rating 8/10
Links : IMDB