The 5th Wave (2016)

Summary :
Four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth in ruin. Against a backdrop of fear and distrust, Cassie is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother. As she prepares for the inevitable and lethal fifth wave, Cassie teams up with a young man who may become her final hope - if she can only trust him.

Genre : SF/Romance
Country : USA

Cast :
Chloë Grace Moretz : Cassie
Alex Roe : Evan Walker
Nick Robinson : Ben Parish

Director : J. Blakeson

My Opinion 

“There were no messages from our galactic party crashers during the first 10 days.
But pretty soon, they had a name.
We called them The Others."

I'm not a believer of those New Year's resolutions which are traditionally made during a drunk moment. Usually they are long forgotten after a few months. However, I have a new resolution after watching "The 5th Wave". I'm never ever going to watch another post-apocalyptic, teen film based on a youth book, where there's also the intention to use it in several, successive films. Content wise it's obvious this movie is intended for teenage girls. The initial genres linked to this movies are completely useless. It all started great and it seemed to me it was going into an interesting direction. But the moment the romantic, pubertal storyline started in the middle of the film, the labels of action-packed, adventurous scifi for this twaddle, claptrap movie were replaced by lame and romance. Probably it'll grow a fanbase among pubescent teenage girls. 

Clearly there was a lot of borrowing from other films. The minute Cassie (Chloe Grace "The Equalizer" Moretz), Miss Popularity at school and in love with hunk number one of that school, saw the alien spaceship dangling above the earth (enjoy it because this is the only brief moment those aliens are shown), it was as if this scene came out of "Independence day". Quickly it becomes clear that these intergalactic visitors aren't as friendly as E.T. Through several attack, which are called "waves", these villains try to decimate the world population systematically. You don't need to be an intellectual to guess how many waves there will be, after looking at the film title. Lets find some more parallels with other films. The first wave reminded me of "Dragon Day". The second wave caused a tsunami that was filmed in a similar manner as in "The Day after Tomorrow". There just wasn't an oil tanker in it. And the training camp where teenagers learn how to fight against "the others", can safely be compared with "Ender's Game". The similarities with other dystopian teen films, with an innocent person emerging as the savior of mankind like "The Hunger Games", "Divergent" and "The Giver", are so obvious that it's unnecessary to rekindle them.

As said earlier, it started quite reasonable and extremely shocking at the same time. The way Cassie's loved ones died, was even for me a lot to swallow. I'm sure Cassie's father Oliver (Ron "The Conjuring" Livingstone) imagined his fate less violent. And the third wave was fatal to Cassie's mother Lisa (Maggie Siff). It seemed as if the plagues that struck Egypt, were given a second life. Except that the fourth wave felt so infantile. A sort of laziness of the writer to make the twist used at the end of the movie a bit easier. It was so obvious to foresee what was going to happen when Cassie met the sturdy, wood chopping Evan Walker (Alex Roe). And from that moment on the film changed from a nail-biting, promising SF into an irritating, goody-goody teen movie that gave me cold shivers. Liev Schreiber still tried his best, but his role stands in sharp contrast to that in "Spotlight".

All my respect for Moretz who tried to play a proper role but probably was inhibited by the ridiculous story. What particularly surprised me was that her cosmetic case, full of make-up and hair products, was nowhere to be seen throughout the film. I have to give the filmmakers credit for that. They had to pay attention to that meticulously, because I'm almost sure she carried that case all the time with her, judging by her appearance. I've encountered a review title somewhere, that sums it up perfectly: "This SF-thriller doesn't want to tell a solid story to young adults – it just wants their money". I hope there won't be any sequels, so youngsters can spend their money on more meaningful things.

My rating 2/10
Links : IMDB

Brooklyn (2015)

Summary
Eilis Lacey leaves small town Ireland for a better life in New York, arranged by an Irish priest in Brooklyn. Working in a shop she takes a bookeeping course and participates in the Irish community. There she meets an Italian, and falls in love.

Genre : Romance
Country : Ireland/UK/Canada

Cast :
Saoirse Ronan : Eilis Lacey
Emory Cohen : Tony
Domhnall Gleeson : Jim Farrell

Director : John Crowley

My Opinion 

“Would you like to dance?
Are you here with that guy? The one who was teaching you to dance?
No.
So would you dance with me?
I'm not sure he taught me anything.
Doesn't matter. The secret is to look as though you know what you're doing.
Ah. I wish someone had told me that years ago.”

No, I'm not really a big fan of romantic movies. Such movies that'll make the female audience melt and whimper in a handkerchief out of sympathy with the main character. And no, I'm not an insensitive lump of testosterone who only likes to watch action packed, macho movies. But yeah, I usually eschew this type of movies. And yet I wanted to see this movie. Not because I made a mistake while buying paper tissues and now I'm buried under it. And not because I'm in an emotional slump and felt the urge to watch a sad movie with a trembling lower lip and moist eyes. The only reason I really wanted to see this movie is because of Saoirse Ronan. In my eyes she's a revelation in Hollywood. A young, fresh and certainly not unattractive appearance. She breaths new life into Hollywood-land. And in addition to these physical characteristics I also have a deep admiration for her quirky choices she makes among the film roles offered to her. 

Ronan is the pulsating heart of this film. She requires our undivided attention during the whole film as the young Irish girl Eilis Lacey, who gets a chance to start a new life in the US. All by herself she travels to this far country, ignorant what awaits her. She's leaving her mother and sister behind and before she knows it she's torn by homesickness. Even her job as a saleswoman at Bartocci and accounting courses can't help. This emotion keeps her in a grip. Until she meets Tony (Emory Cohen), a shy young Italian, at a dance and she slowly transforms from an introverted, simple Irish countryside girl into a typical American city girl who wears colorful dresses and discovers makeup. Her attitude and confidence change drastically. Compare that shy, lost girl at Customs with the resolute young woman watching at a valley along with Tony who reveals his future plans. An independent, decisive woman with a strict, determined look and her hands in her side, gazing at the horizon.

But it's not only Saoirse Ronan who shines in this film. Also the supporting cast is masterfully chosen and fits perfectly into the overall concept. Jane Brennan as Ellis's mother, a taciturn woman who accepts her fate and acts as if she has no emotions. Fiona Glascott as the sister Rose. Brid Brennan who plays the role of the haughty nosy Miss Kelly and surprisingly she plays an important role in the final decision of Eilis. Julie Walters as the owner of the guest house who needs to keep two light-headed boarders in line all the time. Domhnall "About time" Gleeson is an Irish village boy who makes an attempt to convince Eilis to stay in Ireland. And of course Emory Cohen and his Italian family. A confident young man who slowly tries to win the young Irish girl's heart.

It's not the obvious part that moved me. Probably the female audience will shed a tear during the final scene. But I myself was especially touched when a homeless person at a dinner, organized by the priest (Jim Broadbent) who helped Eilis around in Brooklyn, sang a Gaelic song. So pure, so sincere and so imbued with nostalgia. Catchy and intense at the same time. But especially the acting of Ronan is wonderful. She's so explicitly present in this film. Her big steel-blue eyes, her modesty and her fragile personality. She shows what deep emotions she's going through, just by using a serene expression. A performance that stands out from any of her previous performances. The heartbreaking choice she has to make between dull, drizzly Ireland and exciting, vibrant America is perfectly portrayed by her. For me, the Oscar for "Best Actress" is already reserved. 

My rating 8/10
Links : IMDB

Learning to drive (2014)

Summary :
Wendy, a self-absorbed New York book critic, is shocked to reality by the sudden end of her marriage. Always dependent on her husband for driving, she must now learn to take the wheel on her own. Her instructor Darwan is a Sikh Indian who watches with alarm as his pupil falls apart at the seams. He himself is contemplating an arranged marriage with a woman he has never met. As these two lives intersect, both will change in unpredictable ways.

Genre : Comedy/Drama/Romance
Country : UK/USA

Cast :
Patricia Clarkson : Wendy
Ben Kingsley : Darwan
Grace Gummer : Tasha

Director : Isabel Coixet

My opinion  

I never learned to cook because I thought my mother would always be there to cook for me.
And then there was half the world between us.
So I make my own food.
Your point ?
No point.

Driving lessons as a metaphor for life. An original way to highlight this. But just like the lessons in everyday life, this film is a bit slow and repetitive. Granted, you can actually compare this with life. In the beginning a lot goes wrong and you don't really know how to start and comprehend it all. But with a lot of practice and experience, you can cope with it. And sometimes it can go terribly wrong with misery as a result. So with perseverance, following good advice given and not violating too many rules, you could succeed. And you can come up with more things connected to ordinary life. But as I said, it isn't really exciting. Besides that, I also asked myself where the romance was in this movie. The fact that Wendy (Patricia Clarkson) is going through a divorce and Darwan (Ben Kingsley) is forced into a marriage with someone he doesn't even know properly, is not exactly my idea of romance. And it wasn't a real comedy either despite a few funny moments. I'd rather call it a tragic affair. And yet it was a movie I could watch effortlessly till the end. And that because of the sublime acting. 

So in terms of content, it's not really special. More than once the subject of two strangers, with totally different characters, spontaneously meeting each other and supporting each other so they can handle a difficult period, has already been used before. So here we have Wendy, a book critic and Darwan, a driving instructor. Wendy is an emotionally hurt, dignified lady. Because of her profession she has demarcated a territory around herself where both her husband and daughter aren't allowed in. As a result Ted (Jake Webber) packs his bags and moves in with his mistress (a female writer whose books are also praised by Wendy). Darwan is a Sikh and next to being a driving instructor, he's also a taxi driver at night. A person of traditions who sees it as his life's work, to ensure that Wendy gets her license. Patiently and full of wise advices, he even gets her to drive over a bridge. He's more of a psychiatrist with an instruction car as a relaxant seat.

Clarkson and Kingsley form a colorful duo. A mix of cultures. Clarkson, who also had the leading role in "October Gale", is a charming lady I'd love to see shining next to Helen Mirren in another movie. Her charisma is overwhelming and her emotions felt sincere. In contrast there's the calmness and patience of Kingsley. A distinguished and dignified character. The acting of the two main characters made sure this mainstream film was still enjoyable.

Ultimately "Learning to drive" is a tender and touching film full of symbolism. However, it lacks a bit of energy and progresses with a calm pace. A bit like how Wendy navigates through traffic. But it shouldn't be always just about suspense and frenzy action scenes. Thanks to the brilliant performances of the two main actors, this movie was fun to watch. For me this movie passed the test.

My rating 6/10
Links : IMDB

Paper Towns (2015)

Summary :
Adapted from the bestselling novel by author John Green, this is a coming-of-age story centering on Quentin and his enigmatic neighbor Margo, who loved mysteries so much she became one. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears - leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Quentin must find a deeper understanding of true friendship - and true love.

Genre : Mystery/Romance
Country : USA

Cast :
Nat Wolff : Quentin
Cara Delevingne : Margo
Austin Abrams : Ben

Director : Jake Schreier

My opinion  

"Marriage, children, career.
Then you will be happy.
Is that what you're saying?” 

I like to watch a feelgood college movie once and a while, with its peculiar weirdos and goofy situations. Although no movie will ever surpass "The Breakfast Club". And surely when it has additional similarities with "Serendipity", one of my favorite teenage love chick flicks ever made, it can't get any better. Ok, it's a collection of known clichés used in all kinds of situations and eventually it's not that big of a deal. Mainly it's about the close friendship between some guys who don't even belong to the club of the most popular students. They're all off to another university scattered over the US. And most important there's the quest they undertake together to find the childhood love of one of them. A special and mysterious young girl whose life appears to be one big adventure.

My favorite character was Austin Abrams as the loony Ben, who thinks Q's mother is an incredibly attractive woman and there's nothing he rather would do than spend some time with her in a bathtub. He's a sperm cell on two legs whose hormones repeatedly go bezerk whenever there's a C-cup to admire in the neighborhood. Radar (Justice Smith) is the sober, reserved member of the gang who does everything according to the rules. He even wants to postpone the act until prom night, because it should be something special. His parody of an Italian is the only moment he doesn't stick to those rules. And Quentin (Nat Wolff) is the main character who after a nightly adventure with Margo (Cara Delevingne) comes to the conclusion that he must do his utter best to win her heart forever. He even travels to a ghost town on paper.

You might say all elements are present for a typical teen movie full of romance. Initially, this is also the core of the story. However it comes with an unprecedented twist as the story unfolds. The mysterious Margo initiates an adventurous quest. A search Quentin starts together with his two closest friends with clues left behind by Margo as a main guidance. What we get is an entertaining road movie in which the close relationship between the three schoolmates gets all the attention. A mix of good old camaraderie and melancholic musings. And this peppered with funny dialogues. The end result is both surprising and original, when you take other teen films into consideration. To be honest it's more realistic and it's an attempt to break the enchanting of teenage love.

The three main characters form a tight group and interact in a natural way. Three close friends who know each other thoroughly. Each of them deliver some solid acting with Austin Abrams being the most successful one. Wolff looked a bit wimpy and dryly but was convincing enough as the key figure. Delevingne had a mysterious appearance which was necessary for her part. On the whole, this was definitely not a boring film, but I couldn't shake of the impression that it all went ahead rather leisurely. What remains is an unpredictable search for the girl Q is in love with since his childhood. However, I am sure many young people also have undertaken such a quest in their own way.

My rating 6/10
Links : IMDB

Stung (2015)

Summary
Mrs. Perch, an elderly, wealthy lady from rural America, is throwing a fancy garden party at her remote country villa. Same procedure as every year - except this time her illegally imported plant fertilizer seeps into the ground. Subsequently, a local species of killer wasps that usually lay their eggs into other insects mutates into 7 ft tall predators. And the celebrating upper class company provides just the right kind of prey. It's up to Paul and Julia, the two catering staffers, to stop the creatures, fight for their lives, and incidentally getting their stumbling romance in order.

Genre : Horror/Comedy/Romance
Country : USA/Germany

Cast :
Matt O'Leary : Paul
Jessica Cook : Julia
Lance Henriksen : Caruthers

Director : Benni Diez

My opinion  

Oh, God, help him! I think something bit him!
You're a doctor! Help him!
I'm a gynecologist for Christ's sake!

I had a good feeling about this movie and the last old-fashioned giant insects film I'd seen was "Big Ass Spider". A movie with considerably oversized vermin who marched along and wreak havoc among the present crowd . The combination of horror, comedy and romance caused already a bit of distrust. Ultimately, this film hit the ball wrong when it comes to the first two genres. And the last genre felt a little forced. It wasn't really comical at all. And scary or exciting it was nowhere so to speak. I was expecting a sort of B-movie with no impressive CGI, but it was in fact actually pretty disappointing.

We meet Paul (Matt O'Leary) and Julia (Jessica Cook), a bunch of friends / colleagues (not really clear) on their way to a garden party organized by a certain Mrs. Perch for her deceased husband. The two take care of the catering. Soon this pleasant party is thoroughly disturbed by giant wasps / hornets / bees (I have no idea what kind it was, but they all sting I guess) that obtained their proportions because a mixture of growth hormones and fertilizer ended up in the ground, right into a wasp / hornet / bees nest.

 
Firstly I must admit that you don't need to wait that long before the shit hits the fan. Before you know it, it's all slime and blood that splashes around. Guests struggling on the ground with foam on their lips after which giant insect start to burst out of them. Just as in "Big Ass Spider" the insects look realistic when they're still of a normal size. But the moment they get those unreal proportions, it looks as if they came straight out of a "Dr. Who" episode from the 70's. Especially the scene at the end looks extremely awful. Even the phenomenon that appeared at one time on the sons shoulder, and reminded me of "Total Recall" from 1990 where someone had an ugly little man growing on his belly, looked really outdated. But admittedly, the amount of gore was huge and at times highly entertaining.

 

Yet there was much that bothered me. The transformations that occurred after someone was stabbed, was startling fast (but this guaranteed the fast pace in this movie). The romantic part felt really out of place. If I was in this situation, then this was really the last thing I'd be worried about. The way Paul developed from an unreliable catering assistant into an outright hero, isn't that original either. And the way it ends up in the ambulance was probably a metaphorical reference to the movie title. I just didn't know why that would be humorous (just like I didn't get the joke about the bees), but maybe I have a wrong sense of humor.

 

All in all a simple, short story with some flaws, with especially a failed presentation of the annoying insects and a lack of humor and tension. I will still consume a sugary drink on a terrace without running away in panic at the sight of some curious wasps.

 

My rating 2/10
Links : IMDB

Suite Francaise (2014)

Summary
France, 1940. In the first days of occupation, beautiful Lucile Angellier is trapped in a stifled existence with her controlling mother-in-law as they both await news of her husband: a prisoner of war. Parisian refugees start to pour into their small town, soon followed by a regiment of German soldiers who take up residence in the villagers' own homes. Lucile initially tries to ignore Bruno von Falk, the handsome and refined German officer staying with them. But soon, a powerful love draws them together and leads them into the tragedy of war.
 
Genre : War/Romance
Country : UK/France/Belgium

Cast :
Michelle Williams  : Lucile Angellier
Kristin Scott Thomas : Madame Angellier
Matthias Schoenaerts : Bruno von Falk

Director : Saul Dibb

My opinion  

"This German is our enemy. Do you understand?
Yes. Madame."

Occasionally my lovely, sweet wife (yep, she regularly reads my reviews) gets the privilege to choose a movie. Usually this is accompanied by a blistering reproach that I always get it my way. I always think of her when choosing a movie and usually it's an acceptable one. She tends to forget that. I usually look those gore and scarier flicks in the middle of the night on my own, so I'm saved from a wife who awakes in a panic while planting her sharp nails into my shoulders. Hence I braced myself for a romantic war drama and expected it to be a wilted station novel. Ultimately, it wasn't so bad. The romantic rumble was limited and there was more attention for the mutual relations between the richer and poorer population in the village of Bussy and the vicissitudes of a fugitive, crippled farmer.
 

Besides, I must admit that I have a weak spot for WWII movies. I readily admit that those were the dark pages in the history of Europe, but those developments in these years  were a fertile ground for a whole range of excellent war films. The fact that Matthias Schoenaerts also succeeded in getting the leading role here, was another reason for me to give this movie a chance. Let's say chauvinism raised its head and as a Belgian I'm proud to see how this fellow countryman has worked his way into the club of the better international actors (sorry Muscles from Brussels, but you just didn't get in that club)

 

Surprisingly, I didn't suffer from aching jaws because of the complete absence of yawning. There's of course the forbidden love between Lucille (Michelle Williams), the daughter of the strict and cold landowner Madame Angellier (beautiful played by Kristin Scott Thomas) on the one hand and officer Bruno von Falk (Schoenaerts), a German officer who has been assigned a place to sleep at the manor of the latter two ladies, on the other. Eventually, this forbidden love remains slumbering a bit on the background and isn't imaged explicitely. But their like-minded love for music comes more to the fore. The additional storylines made it more interesting. The other arrogant German officer who sees himself as an Übermensch and treats the locals disrespectful, the callous mother in law who appears to be a resistance fighter in the making, the mayor and his wife (two genuine asskissers) trying to get in good graces with the occupiers but face the consequences afterwards and the resistance of a peasant against the oppressors.

All this is beautifully illustrated and featured with the usual scenes of war (a nosedive of German fighter-bombers against innocent refugees is included of course), which makes it an interesting war drama. But afterwards I didn't think it was that innovative, so to speak. It's the superb performances which nevertheless left a deep impression. The clichéd plot twists are not shunned, and what remains is a conservative adaptation of a manuscript left by a real war victim, Irène Némirovsky.  

My rating 7/10
Links : IMDB 

The Theory of Everything (2014)

Summary  
 The Theory of Everything is the story of the most brilliant and celebrated physicist of our time, Stephen Hawking, and Jane Wilde the arts student he fell in love with whilst studying at Cambridge in the 1960s. Little was expected from Stephen Hawking, a bright but shiftless student of cosmology, given just two years to live following the diagnosis of a fatal illness at 21 years of age. He became galvanized, however, by the love of fellow Cambridge student, Jane Wilde, and he went on to be called the successor to Einstein, as well as a husband and father to their three children. Over the course of their marriage as Stephen's body collapsed and his academic renown soared, fault lines were exposed that tested the lineaments of their relationship and dramatically altered the course of both of their lives.

Genre : Biography/Drama/Romance
Country : UK

Cast :
Eddie Redmayne : Stephen Hawking
Felicity Jones : Jane Hawking
David Thewlis : Dennis Sciama 

Director : James Marsh

My opinion 

"What are you ?

I’m a cosmologist
What’s that ?
It’s a kind of religion for intelligent atheists."

I must admit that I've seen this film a few weeks ago. Probably the fact that Eddie Redmayne was nominated for an Oscar, prompted me to see if he was a worthy contender for the coveted golden statuette. And the only thing I can say is that he totally deserved to win with his magnificent performance. I love to watch a biographical movie now and then. The only drawback is that I'm always a little bit disappointed about the subject covered in such a biopic and that the emphasis lies on something I wasn't looking for. In "jOBS" I missed the philosophy this visionary had about the Apple phenomenon and the development of the applied interface (which is currently perfectly normal for everybody). The clash between Jobs and Gates was cited as a fait divers, whereas that interested me. Also in "The Theory of Everything" the focus was on other facets of Hawking's life. What applies to both these films is the fact that the protagonists physically look an awful lot like the corresponding character. It's creepy to see how they both manage not only to capture the emotional part, but also to match the characteristics and physical traits of these famous people. "The Imitation Game" is obviously also a biopic which, however, had a more adventurous twist rather than being a purely biographical sketch.

You must admit that the performance of Eddie Redmayne is simply magnificent. Both excerpts from the college years, where he's still healthy,lively and the way he finishes his studies in a nonchalant manner, as the portrayal of a genius who's struck by a muscle disease, are brilliant and striking. A series of events wonderfully visualized using a variety of intense colors at certain times. The university professor who looks surprised at the solutions scribbled on the back of a timetable (10 math assignments which are almost impossible to solve I suppose, of which Stephen could ONLY solve 9). A family dinner Jane was invited to and where you already can get a sense of the intellectual atmosphere. The contradictions between Jane and Stephen when it's about religion. Hawking who excludes everyone after hearing the terrible verdict and the determination of Jane. These fragments stayed with me and made it a fascinating film. 

 

Which theories the brilliant mind of Hawking produced in that cripple body, isn't explained in detail. Here and there black holes, big bangs and the concept of time is mentioned, but eventually I was wondering what exactly Stephen Hawking's ultimate contribution was to mankind. What Jobs achieved you can discover in any computer shop. And from Turing we know that he has broken the Enigma code. But what abstract evidence Hawking delivered, wasn't clear to me. From one moment to the other he's a celebrity and a much sought-after guest speaker. That a woman who lives together with a paralyzed person can't really enjoy a thrilling,romantic life and that she's actually the person who's responsible for all practical matters in a marriage, is of course obvious. And that's the central theme of this biopic: a loving relationship slowly falling apart because of a fatal disease, the awareness of limitations and the danger to seek solace in someone else's arms. So it's mainly a biopic about the wife of Hawking, instead of about Hawking himself. An insight into the life of mathematical genius, who could explain the mystery of the origin of the universe by using his phenomenal intellectual brain, is thus transformed into an ordinary dime novel about an unhappy woman who feels abandoned by her ever loving husband. And that's something I wasn't waiting for.

Despite the romantic approach, I think it's an admirable film. The situation Hawking is facing during his life, ensured that other qualities came up : humor and willpower. These two qualities are subtly incorporated into this film. Even the choice Hawking made at an older age about his marriage, took me by surprise (actually it wasn't much I knew about the life of Hawking). Once again this proves that he sees himself as a normal functioning man. "The Theory of Everything" is a beautiful film that actually moved me and should serve as an example to show what one can achieve with the right attitude and a big portion of perseverance.

My rating 7/10

Links : IMDB