Change Your Image
paulclaassen
Having done a script writing course, I write scripts whenever time allows it.
My twin brother, Philip Cristian Claassen, is an accomplished actor and writer.
My film reviews are based on ENTERTAINMENT VALUE (for me) and not necessarily on how well or bad a film is made. Even badly made films can be thoroughly entertaining, while well-made films are not guaranteed to be entertaining...
I'm not a critic; I'm a film enthusiast.
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try again
Top 20 Korean movies
Zombie movies I've seen (Paul Claassen)
Strongest Owen Wilson Performance in a Non-Comedy Film
Most Powerful Hugh Jackman Performance
Reviews
Caddo Lake (2024)
Very confusing, but it does eventually make sense.
Hell, this is a confusing film, I initially thought. It has something to do with a dam about to collapse, a girl looking for her father's death certificate, a man named Paris looking for his mother's medical records, and something mysterious about the lake. I had no idea how any of these were connected, or if they were at all.
If you, like me, think this is a weird film at first, stick with it. Believe me, everything is connected and makes sense in the end - well, sort of if you keep in mind this is fantasy, and not realistic.
Paris was with his mom when she had a seizure and drove the car off a bridge into a lake. When he notices something strange about the lake - and he himself start having seizures - he believes the seizure that killed his mother was brought on by the lake.
Ellie is a young girl, who is constantly fighting with her mom. When her 8-year old sister Anna disappears after taking the boat, the family are forced to work together to try and find Anna.
The film remains confusing until the third act. I honestly had a difficult time trying to understand the movie. By the time the film reaches its final act, all is revealed, and the film makes sense.
Paris and Ellie's stories take place in different time periods, and the film essentially becomes a time travel movie, although unintentionally. The characters are connected in a way I never expected, so it kinda was a nice twist reveal. Choose your audience wisely if you intend showing 'Caddo Lake' at a movie night; not everyone might be able to comprehend the events, or twist.
I really enjoyed Dylan O'Brien's sincere portrayal of Paris, and also thought Eliza Scanlen was excellent as Ellie.
The Nightingale (2018)
One of the best vengeance movies.
Clare (Aisling Franciosi), a convict servant girl, is raped by Lieutenant Hawkins (Sam Claflin), who 'owns' her. After a quarrel between Hawkins and Clare's husband Aidan, Clare is raped once more by Hawkins and one of his officers while Aidan is forced to watch. Aidan and their baby are then killed in front of Clare, and she is left for dead.
Having lost everything she cares for, Clare goes on a path of vengeance when no-one believes her. With the help of an Aboriginal tracker, Billy (wonderfully portrayed by Baykali Ganambarr) she embarks on a journey to find Hawkins, Ruse and Jago - the three men responsible for her nightmare. Travelling across a dangerous wilderness and war-torn country, it proves to be no easy task, but Clare is determined.
Meanwhile, Hawkins, Ruse and Jago are heading towards the town of Launceston, where Hawkins has hopes of becoming a Captain. They ruthlessly kill and rape along the way, making the viewer hate them even more and hoping for them to meet their fate. And filled with so much hatred, Clare shows no mercy!
There's racism here as well, and although I usually avoid films with a racism plot - or sub-plot - I found it very effective in 'The Nightingale'. It was emotional, and I rooted for and sympathized with the Aboriginals all the way.
The performances are excellent, especially Aisling Franciosi and Baykali Ganambarr. The casting couldn't have been any more perfect. 'The Nightingale' is by far one of the best vengeance movies I've seen. This truly is a superb film.
Tails of Christmas (2024)
Dogs truly are the best therapy.
Whilst doing physiotherapy Caleb meets Amber, who owns an animal shelter. A Year later, Caleb is all better, and happens to drive past Amber's shelter. Being unemployed, he offers to volunteer for her Christmas adoption drive.
With his love for dogs, Caleb manages to make her drive a huge success, and in the process he falls in love with Amber, and an adorable dog named Rex. This dog is so precious that he might just inspire you to adopt a dog yourself!
From a romance perspective, it is just as predictable as a Hallmark movie. I mean, from the moment Caleb and Amber met it is inevitable they would fall in love. But hey, this is a movie with a simple premise, and a real feel-good movie! 'Tails of Christmas' is perfect for a family movie night - especially around Christmas!
The acting wasn't the greatest. Ash Tsai, who portrays Amber, sounded like she was simply saying her lines. She might not be the best actress, but at least her voice is nice and clear and I could hear every word. Eric Guilmette was much better in the role of Caleb, but then again, he is a far more experienced actor. And he's darn cute, too!
Hell High (1987)
I don't think I'm going to remember this.
In the opening scene, a little girl, Brooke Storm, unintentionally causes the death of a young couple. We then jump ahead 18 years, and Brooke is now a biology teacher. She still lives in the same house near the swamp where the young couple died.
Dickens, one of her students, is a real troublemaker. Along with three of his friends, Jon-Jon, Queenie and Smiler, they decide to play a prank on Brooke. Off course, things get out of hand and the prank goes horribly wrong.
Although labelled as a slasher, 'Hell High' is not a slasher in the true sense. It is more of a vengeance movie. For a slasher, the film is also oddly paced, and - apart from the young couple in the beginning - there are no deaths until the final act. The first two acts pretty much plays like a thriller. In fact, come to think of it, this isn't really a horror. Psychological horror, maybe, but if you watch 'Hell High' thinking it is a slasher in the vain of classic 80's slashers, you're mistaken.
Only time will tell whether I'm going to remember this film by its title. At first I thought students were going to be killed at High School, hence the reference to Hell High, but not a single killing occurs at the school...
Stopmotion (2023)
Unique? Yes, but I didn't like it...
Ella's mother suffers from arthritis, and unable to use her hands, Ella helps her mother complete her last stop motion film. When her mother suffers a stroke and is hospitalized, Ella feels compelled to finish the film.
When she meets a young girl in the same apartment building, the girl has her own ideas for a film. (The young girl doesn't have a name, and I therefore wonder whether this was an actual person, or just Ella's inner voice.) Ella abandons her original ideas and starts a new project with the young girl's ideas, but the girl never seems to be satisfied and continuously makes changes to the characters.
I couldn't understand why Ella would listen to the young girl, but if in fact this was Ella's own subconscious voice, it certainly would make a lot more sense. I found Ella to be a very weak and insecure character, and also not really likeable. In a way, she herself became nothing more than a puppet; just like her creations. Maybe this was the whole idea...?
Just like the painstakingly slow process of making a stop motion film, this film also felt slow - and not always interesting either. For such a short film (93 minutes) it was way too slow paced. I also became annoyed with Ella.
'Stopmotion' is a slow descent into madness...(and I mean slow...). There were a few very creepy moments, and yes, this is a unique premise, but I didn't find it all that captivating. And why did Ella become so violent during the finale? Was she finally driven mad?
Ok, so this film is obviously art, and will not have a wide appeal. I'm not sure what the film's budget was, but it made less than $900,000 at the box office. Enough said.
The Third Man (1949)
Who was the Third Man?
Broke writer Holly Martins (Joseph Cotton) is offered a job by a friend of his, Harry Lime (Orson Welles). However, on arrival he learns Harry was killed in a car crash. Soon becoming suspicious of the circumstances surrounding Harry's death, he decides to investigate.
Harry was knocked over by his own driver, and his own doctor - who happened to be passing by -attended to him. Three men carried him to the side of the road, but the third man never gave evidence at the inquest, and now Holly is trying to uncover the identity of the mysterious third man.
Holly meets Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli), who was Harry's lover, and together they attempt to unravel the mystery. Holly gets more involved than he ought to, and then finds his very life in danger. Meanwhile, Major Calloway (Trevor Howard) is also trying to solve the puzzle.
There's an unexpected twist just after the halfway mark, and I won't do spoilers here. I must admit, I did enjoy the film's first half more than the second, as I really liked the mystery element. 'The Third Man' nevertheless a captivating mystery thriller, with some good cinematography along the way.
The Duke (2020)
Hail Jim Broadbent!
Dorothy Bunton (Helen Mirren) is a housekeeper for a highly respected family. She do things by the book, and is strict in her own home when it comes to order. Her husband, Kempton (Jim Broadbent), on the other had, can't keep a job and likes to take chances.
When Kempton refuses to pay his TV license, he is jailed for thirteen days. Believing pensioners should not pay for a TV license, he goes on a 2-day trip to petition for free TV. When no-one listens to his plea, he steals a portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London, saying he will return it when pensioners are exempted from paying for a TV license. The film mainly revolves around his trial. But 'The Duke' is no courtroom drama. It is a hilarious depiction of a man fighting for what he believes in, petitioning on behalf of pensioners, and the events following the 'theft' of the painting.
Let's be honest, 'The Duke' would not have been so funny and enjoyable without the wonderful Jim Broadbent, who is just fabulous as Kempton. Based on a true story, this was a very entertaining movie, and there's even a twist...
Terrifier 3 (2024)
Definitely not for the faint of heart!
Let me start off with a warning: 'Terrifier 3' is NOT for the faint of heart, and ONLY if you can stomach extreme gore. As a horror fan I've certainly seen my share of horror movies, but 'Terrifier 3' is one of the goriest films I've ever seen.
Art the Clown is fast becoming one of cinema's most memorable and iconic villains, following in the footsteps of Freddie Krueger, Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. Just like these characters, Art the Clown is also immortal - some kind of demon. He shows absolutely no mercy and even kills young kids. This creature has no conscience whatsoever and is one of the most sadistic killers in film history.
The film starts with Art brutally killing a family, then cuts back to five years prior to pick up where 'Terrifier 2' ended, when Art was decapitated by Sienna. We swiftly go to the present again, and Sienna has been released from a psychiatric hospital. She goes to live with her Aunt Jess and husband Greg, and their daughter Gabbie.
Back from the dead, Art continues his killing spree in the most horrific ways possible! If you're squeamish, I guarantee you definitely won't be able to watch the kill scenes. However horrible they are, one has to give credit to the creators for their fantastic make-up and practical effects. If Oscars were given to practical effects, 'Terrifier 3' would deserve to win, or at least receive a nomination. It is insanely well done!
Sienna - still battling to get grips on reality - soon discovers Art is still on her trail, and her fight for survival starts all over again. Lauren LaVera returns as Sienna, and she is once again fantastic. The Sienna character grounds the film in a way and lends more realism to an otherwise wildly absurd movie. In fact, the acting from everyone in this movie - even the small parts - were so good.
Victoria, who was the protagonist in 'Terrifier' and ended up being horribly disfigured by Art, is back and has a much bigger part in 'Terrifier 3'. She, too, is now immortal and killing alongside Art. Victoria is a truly ugly character, while Art - although diabolical - is also kinda funny.
'Terrifier 3' is an exceptionally well made film, but I honestly never want to see it again. I'd still give the first two films repeat viewings, but not 'Terrifier 3'. With the tremendous success of the franchise, and 'Terrifier 3' in particular, it is no surprise that 'Terrifier 4' is in the works.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Dated, but still a fun movie with good effects.
It's 1868 , and news of a sea monster destroying ships causes great fear among seamen. A Search party which includes Professor Pierre Aronnax (Paul Lukas) and his associate Conseil (Peter Lorre) goes in search of the monster. Joining them is Ned Land (Kirk Douglas), who is to either kill or capture the monster.
During an encounter with the monster, Prof. Aronnax and Conseil are thrown overboard. Drifting away from their ship, they drift towards an unusual looking submarine. Ned soon catches up with them and they decide to investigate the seemingly abandoned vessel.
Soon after, Aronnax, Conseil and Ned are captured by the submarine's crew. The submarine, called the Nautilus, is an advanced vessel belonging to Captain Nemo (James Mason), who believes everything Man requires can be found in the ocean.
It soon becomes clear the submarine was responsible for the destruction of many ships, and not a sea monster, but Captain Nemo justifies his actions. With many treasures on board found in the ocean, Ned intends stealing some of the artifacts, but events take an unexpected turn when their lives are in danger.
With very good visuals for its time, I can only imagine what this film must have looked like seven decades ago, as some of the effects are still amazing today. The film also features good performances by a seasoned cast. Oh, and the seal was too precious!! This is an exciting fantasy action adventure, complete with cannibals and a giant octopus.
Alien Country (2024)
This was so cool!!
At first I thought this was a mockbuster, but 'Alien Country' is not, and neither is it trying to be another 'Alien' wannabe. This is a very different alien movie and a lot of fun, actually.
Jimmy (K. C. Clyde) is a dirt car racer. One night he finds a mysterious suitcase inside a dirt car. When him and his 'girlfriend' Everly (Renny Grames) opens the case, they find an unusual crystal. As the crystal starts to glow, a porthole to another planet opens, and unknowingly creatures from this world enters our world.
As the creatures start killing people, Johnny and Everly team up with a friendly alien to stop the bad aliens, but someone else is also after the crystal...
Being only 96 minutes long, 'Alien Country' is fast-paced and exciting. It is mostly a comedy, so off course the killings are also in a very lighthearted manner. The film features cool photography, cinematography and visuals, and the editing was also very good.
With likeable characters, a dashing cop in the form of Officer Kirk (played by the hunky Trey Warner), and lots of action, adventure and planet hopping, this was a lot of fun. There's also an interesting back story regarding Jimmy's dad. I really enjoyed this.
Alien: Romulus (2024)
Been there, done that, seen that...
I must be honest, after seeing the trailer to 'Alien: Romulus' I wasn't really interested in watching it. 'Been there, done that', I thought. I mean, with 'Alien: Romulus' being the seventh film in this long-running franchise, how fresh and original could it possibly be?
Cailee Spaeny stars as Rain in a very similar role to Ripley, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver. Her adopted 'brother' is an android called Andy. Rain is persuaded by her ex-boyfriend Tyler to join him and a small group of friends to break into a decommissioned ship to steal equipment. The only reason they want Rain to join them, is so Andy can accompany them in order to gain access to the ship.
The 'ship' turns out to be a space station, which will crash into the planetary rings within 36 hours, thus creating a countdown to elevate the suspense. The space station is divided into Romulus and Remus sections, so most of the film is set in Romulus, as the title indicates.
Off course, things soon go very wrong for the youngsters when the creatures appear. What follows, is more of the same alien mayhem we've seen before, and Rain rises to the occasion as protagonist - in pretty much the same manner Ripley did.
There isn't really anything here we haven't seen before. Rain is the new Ripley (but Sigourney Weaver was much better), Navarro is a similar character to Private Vasquez from 'Aliens', Tyler is similar to Corporal Hicks from 'Aliens', just not as likeable or memorable, and I knew the android Rook looked awfully familiar (think Ash from 'Alien'). I guess Andy can be compared with Bishop from 'Aliens', and the scene with Kay being found alive was very similar to what happened to Newt in 'Aliens.
The visual and practical effects remained good throughout all the films in the franchise, and 'Alien: Romulus' is no exception. Despite all the similarities to the previous films, I did find it entertaining and thought it was the best in the franchise after 'Alien', 'Aliens', and 'Prometheus'... Hmmm, ok, let's rather just say it was better than 'Alien 3', 'Alien Resurrection' and 'Alien: Covenant'... Then again, 'Alien Resurrection' felt more original. Oh, hell, let's just say we've seen it all before. I think I'll stick with 'Alien' and 'Aliens' - the only EXCELLENT movies in the franchise.
The ending leaves the door wide open for (yet another) sequel, and no doubt Cailee Spaeny will reprise her role as Rain for a few more films before she, too, gets tired of it.
The Substance (2024)
The Point of no return.
Once famous actress Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) now hosts an aerobics show for a television network, but on her 50th birthday she is dismissed by her producer Harvey (Dennis Quaid), who wants a fresh new young face for the show.
Upset, Elizabeth is involved in a car crash on her way home. At the hospital, a young male nurse hands her a flash drive. Once home, she watches the contents, which is an advertisement for a substance that will produce a younger version of yourself. She orders it, but the substance comes with strict procedural instructions she must follow without exception.
A younger, new version of herself literally emerges from within, and there are now two versions of Elizabeth Sparkle. As the young version, she decides to audition as replacement for her show, and introduces herself as Sue. Harvey - not realizing who Sue truly is - immediately hires her.
Enjoying her newfound youth, firm body, and success, Sue neglects the instructions, and things start going horribly wrong for both versions. 'The Substance' is an extremely well made film with a great soundtrack, photography, editing, and sound effects. Not to mention the insane practical effects!! Not since 'The Thing' and 'The Fly' have I seen these incredible practical effects.
Unfortunately the film completely falls apart during the final ten minutes. What the hell were they thinking? I'm not going to do spoilers, and all I'm going to say is that the reaction from the audience (in the movie) was not realistic and actually completely stupid. Even the photography was shaky and completely out of focus. Just why? The film had the potential for a much better ending... Even so, this was still an incredible watch and a very unique premise.
Demi Moore delivered a fantastic performance as Elizabeth Sparkle, and Margaret Qualley is perfectly cast as Sue. Ten out of ten for the make-up effects team!! The film teaches us a powerful lesson to accept yourself, and accept the fact that we all age.
The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
One of the greatest films ever made!
Bagdad is the dream city of the Ancient East. Ahmed is a thief, who steals whatever he wants. When he breaks into the palace and sees the beautiful princess, he falls in love with her. Ahmed's associate Abu suggests they steal her.
Meanwhile , the Princess awaits three princes to vie for her hand in marriage. She has been foretold she will marry the first suitor to touch the rose-tree in her garden. Three princes, Prince of the Indies, Prince of the Mongols, and Prince of Persia soon arrives. As fate would have it - disguised as a Princely suitor - Ahmed is the first to touch the tree; although purely by accident.
But when it is discovered Ahmed is a fraud, the Princess vows to marry the suitor who finds her the rarest treasure. Her Father agrees, and the suitors go in search of a rare treasure. What follows, is an action-packed, exciting and magical adventure, filled with danger around every corner.
'The Thief of Bagdad' is one of the most expensive films of the silent era, and this is evident in every scene. The film boasts impressive sets and visuals for a film made a century ago. Some of these effects - like the magic rope and flying carpet - are still incredible even today. One can't help but marvel at what they've accomplished with this ambitious, spectacular production. It quite simply is one of the greatest movies ever made.
Douglas Fairbanks delivers a wonderful performance as Ahmed, and being shirtless for most of the movie with that great athletic body, he is a feast on the eyes!
The Red (2024)
Good old-fashioned creature feature.
I must be honest, I didn't expect much going into 'Rippy', thinking it was going to be a cheap B-movie. It probably didn't have a big budget, but the film surprised me with good cinematography, good performances, and good make-up.
Maddy's dad was a local hero. Now she is trying to live up to his legacy, and she is put to the test when bodies start turning up - ripped to shreds. When Schmitty (Michael Biehn) tells her about a giant kangaroo, she doesn't believe him. But when more bodies turn up, and Maddy narrowly escapes an attack by the creature, she puts together a hunting party.
The back story about Maddy's father probably wasn't necessary, but I suppose they wanted a tragic back story in order for the viewer to root even more for our protagonist. 'Rippy' is a good old-fashioned creature feature with a simple premise. Although there are comedic elements, this is by all means a horror, with some creepy moments. Being such a short film (83 minutes) it was fast-paced and I enjoyed every moment.
'Rippy' gave me a sense of 'Razorback' meets 'An American Werewolf in London', and I had a bloody good time with it!
Trap (2024)
Well, I liked the first half...
I really enjoyed this movie...until the halfway mark...
Riley (Ariel Donoghue) is a huge fan of pop star Lady Raven, and she is super excited as she and her dad, Cooper (Josh Hartnett) attends her concert.
Cooper starts acting strange the moment he notices the high police presence. Talking to a vendor, Cooper finds out the concert is actually a trap set by the police to catch a serial killer called 'The Butcher', whom the police learned would be at the concert. (At first I thought this was ridiculous, but the source is explained later in the film.) The viewer soon discovers Cooper is the Butcher, and he is looking for a way out.
The fact Cooper turned out to be the killer, immediately elevated the suspense and I became more interested. All went well until the halfway mark. From there, the film spiraled downwards, ultimately becoming stupid. Most of the character actions were questionable and became unrealistic and unbelievable. There were also so many conveniences just to make the film work...but despite all their efforts it didn't. It made the film even more preposterous.
To further annoy me, Saleka Shyamalan was not convincing as Lady Raven. Contrary to her performance, I thought Josh Hartnett did a very good job as Cooper. Unfortunately, this could not save the film for me.
Kaze tachinu (2013)
An Animated film for adults, not kids.
'The Wind Rises' might be animated, but with its mature subject matter this movie isn't really for kids. In fact, with its premise this might as well have been a live action movie, and would have been equally good.
The film centers around Jiro Horikoshi, who has been fascinated by planes since he was just a kid. Because he is nearsighted, he always knew he would never be a pilot, so he had dreams of becoming an aeronautical engineer instead.
On his way to University in Ueno, a massive earthquake devastates the city, and big parts burn down. In all the chaos, he meets a young girl, Naoko, who's maid is injured. Two years later Jiro gets the opportunity to fulfill his dreams when he is assigned to design a fighter plane. He reunites with Naoko, who stays at the same hotel as him, and they become romantically involved. Jiro is later assigned to design a plane for Germany. But as his dream is becoming a reality, Naoko is diagnosed with tuberculosis.
'The Wind Rises' boasts excellent sound effects, great animation and a beautiful musical score. I enjoyed the characters and the story in general.
The Wild Robot (2024)
We all need a place to belong.
Roz is an advanced AI robot designed to make life easier for humans. When Roz - along with a few other robots - washes up on an island, she is constantly looking for someone to serve, but there are only animals on the island. Thanks to Roz' technology, she is able to translate the animal languages, allowing her to communicate with them.
When Roz accidentally falls on a goose nest, only one egg is spared. Unable to find someone to raise the chick, she takes it upon herself to care for it. Fink, a fox who initially wanted to eat the egg, becomes Roz' friend and helps her raise the chick they named Brightbill.
When Brightbill is all grown up, none of the other geese accepts him, and he remains an outcast. Just like Brightbill, Roz is also constantly looking for a place to fit in. 'The Wild Robot' is a wonderful movie with an underlying theme of acceptance, hope, and persistence.
As the film develops, it becomes an exciting action adventure, with great animation. This is a film young and old can enjoy. It is funny as it is endearing. By the end of the film, I thought 'Holy Mother Goose, this was enjoyable!'.
'The Wild Robot' ear.
Mira (2022)
Thrilling disaster survival story with incredible visuals.
Residents of Vladivostok are looking forward to witnessing the spectacle of a meteor shower. The public has been assured it poses no threat to Earth.
But they were wrong. Last minute changes show there is a big chance of meteors hitting Earth. Unawares, 15-year old Lera and her 8-year old brother Yegor are just as exited to see the meteor shower. Lera suffers from pyrophobia as a result of an elevator accident several years ago.
Lera's biological father, Valery Arabov, works on the space station Mira. Through modern satellite technology he is able to see and speak to Lera. When the meteors hit, it causes widespread chaos and destruction, and when Lera is trapped under rubble in a building, Valery is able to help her thanks to Mira. But with the space station also suffering substantial damage, time is running out for Valery to guide Lera.
Lera also goes in search of Yegor, who is trapped in a building on the verge of collapse. The destruction scenes are incredibly well done with fantastic visuals and special effects, excellent photography and good editing. With danger around every corner for all the characters, 'Mira' is a nail-biting thrill ride. I enjoyed the characters and rooted for all of them.
'Mira' is a thrilling action adventure survival story in the vein of 'Armageddon'.
Dans la brume (2018)
Captivating disaster drama.
'Just a breath away' is a French disaster survival film.
Sarah suffers from Stimberger Syndrome, a rare disease that affects the immune system. She's been living in a bubble inside her parents' apartment for 12 years. On return from Canada, her Dad, Mathieu tells his wife Anna there is hope for Sarah, but they will need to move to Canada where technology exist to help her.
An earthquake releases a toxic gas that rises up and settles just below the top floor of their apartment building. Mathieu and Anna had to leave Sarah to flee to the top story, where they stay with an elderly couple whilst waiting for the gas to clear. With no electricity, they can't charge the batteries powering Sarah's bubble, and Mathieu and Anna realize they desperately have to find a solution.
There's suspense all the way as they embark on a mission to save Sarah, and themselves, and face one obstacle after another. The the film is fast-paced and there truly never is a dull moment. Thanks to excellent visuals, well crafted suspense, good performances, unpredictability and a good script, I was captivated from beginning to end.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
Old-fashioned silly fun!
'Mars Attacks!' features an all star cast. When Earth discovers they are to be visited by Martians, they prepare in anticipation to welcome them. President James Dale (Jack Nicholson) of the United States consults with Professor Donald Kessler (Pierce Brosnan), who assures him they are intelligent life forms and therefore no doubt come in peace.
When the Martians arrive to big fanfare from the humans and the event being broadcast, their leader claims they do come in peace. However, they unexpectedly attack the humans. What follows is a sort of cat and mouse game between the humans and the aliens, with loads of satirical humour! The Martians then abduct humans to do weird experiments on them.
'Mars Attacks' is totally unpredictable, and is good old-fashion silly fun. There's also a lot more action than expected and some of these action sequences are incredibly well done. This is a hilarious action adventure sci-fi adventure! Going into 'Mars Attacks', you have to understand nothing here is intended to be taken seriously, and is a spoof of vintage sci-fi movies.
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Big CGI fights coming up.
The Original cast from 'Deadpool' is back for another adventure. Hollywood firmly believes sequels must be 'bigger and better'. 'Deadpool 2' definitely is (much) bigger, but not better than its predecessor.
'Deadpool 2' continues its trademark with vulgarity, profanity and gay jokes in abundance. Now add blasphemy to this. In this installment, Wade Wilson aka Deadpool becomes suicidal after a tragic incident. Colossus 'rescues' Wade and takes him to the Essex House for Mutant Rehabilitation - or simply the X-Mansion. Believing his fiancé wanted him to join the X-Men, he agrees to become a member.
14-Year old mutant Russell aka Firefist causes major chaos and destruction at an orphanage owned by the X-Men. Russell accuses the Headmaster of abusing him, and wants revenge. Wade and Russell are taken to prison for their antics, and soon after mayhem ensues when a soldier from the future, Cable, is in pursuit of Russell.
What follows, is plenty of over-the-top action and destruction. With the Deadpool movies being pure satire, I believe these overblown scenes are intentional as it mocks other superhero movies. The rude dialogue actually makes these over-the-top sequences funnier than it ought to be. There's also clever reference to other movies and actors. The action sequences are incredibly well done, and the fight sequences are fast and brutal.
'Deadpool 2' definitely looks a lot more like part of the 'X-Men' franchise than 'Deadpool' did. Although more entertaining than expected, I still enjoyed 'Deadpool' more. The crazy credits at the beginning and end of the movie are hilarious!
Hardware (1990)
A Single location THE TERMINATOR!
In a dystopian world, Mo and Shades are friends who buy and sell stuff to junk dealer Alvy. When Mo buys a robot head, he gives it to his girlfriend, Jill, as a Christmas gift. Jill is creative and makes sculptures out of almost anything. Having bought the rest of the robot parts from Mo, Alvy researches the robot. It turns out the robot is a MARK-13, a highly advanced prototype weapon.
I must be honest I found the film terribly boring and slow in the beginning. What a yawner, I thought. Very little made sense until the halfway mark and I almost stopped watching. Almost the entire film is set in Jill's apartment. I thought it was going to be a forgettable film, but when it finally shifted gear, it was non-stop action - all within the confines of one apartment!
It actually is amazing what they've accomplished with a single location. Who would have thought so much could happen - with so much action!! - in one apartment? There were shootouts, explosions, suspense, horror, and total chaos - and on top of this it became a survival story. Hell, I never expected it to turn out the way it did. This is like a single location 'The Terminator'!
It Happened One Night (1934)
Funny and entertaining!
I enjoy romance movies where two people initially have no interest in one another, but then grow fonder of each other through their adventures together - until they realize life simply won't be the same without the other. I find it more realistic.
Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) is the daughter of wealthy businessman Alexander Andrews, and is married to King Westley (Jameson Thomas). When Alexander suggests her marriage to be annulled - because he believes Westley to be only after her money - Ellie runs away from her father to reunite with Westley in New York.
On the bus, she meets reporter Peter Warne. As they get acquainted - but by no means fond of each other! - Peter agrees to help her on the condition she gives him an exclusive story. Reluctant at first, she agrees, and this is the start of their adventure together! Her bag with all her money was stolen at the start of her journey, and to help her (and protect her for his own personal gain), Peter poses as her husband.
Clark Gable is just fabulous as Peter, and there are many hilarious moments as they have to overcome the many obstacles to get to New York! 'It happened one night' is wonderfully entertaining!
Deadpool (2016)
This might hurt a bit...
Despite the film's huge box office success, I was never really interested in watching 'Deadpool' - mainly due to many negative reviews about the film's profanity, and because I'm not really into slapstick.
While this is indeed a very rude and crude film with more sexual and gay jokes than donuts at a police precinct, it was more entertaining than expected. I mean, there's bucket loads of satire, and while there is plenty of slapstick humour, there's also some really funny moments. Ryan Reynolds, off course, steals the show as the titular character and couldn't have been a better casting call. The film also boasts impressive photography and action sequences.
Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson, a bad guy who gets hired to take out even worse guys. He meets and falls in love with Vanessa, and eventually proposes, but then finds out he has terminal cancer. He is approached by a company who offers him a "cure for cancer", which will make him "better than better". However, he is used for an experimental procedure which leaves him disfigured. With regenerating healing powers, he vows to avenge those responsible for his disfigurement - and chaos and mayhem ensues.
Interestingly, underneath all the profanity, vulgarity and lack of consideration for human life, there's an emotional love story here that (almost) overshadows everything else. Keep in mind, though, this is not the kind of superhero movie you'd want to watch with your parents or your children!
Hadashi no Gen (1983)
Such an important movie, but hell, its a difficult watch!
Oh, wow! From the movie poster one would never think 'Barefoot Gen' is one of the most disturbing animated movies ever made! Not since I saw 'Grave of the Fireflies' have I seen an animated film that touched me so emotionally.
The film follows a young Japanese boy named Gen and his family living in Hiroshima. They are a poor family but they are happy. At the head of the family is the hard-working father Daikichi. His wife Kimie is pregnant, and their children are brothers Gen and Shinji, and daughter Eiko.
Due to food shortage, Kimie is suffering from malnutrition, and Gen and Shinji is only too eager to go out to look for food. Even though they themselves are hungry, they are willing to give the last food to their mother for the sake of the unborn baby.
In the blink of an eye, everything would change. If you know the fate of Hiroshima, the sight of the Enola Gay bomber will send shivers down your spine the moment it appears on screen. People were going about their everyday chores, and were lucky that they've been spared from air raids. Until that day...
The animation might not hold up by today's standards, but the hard-hitting story will never be dated. 'Barefoot Gen' is an emotionally charged, heart-wrenching film that deserves to be seen. Note, this film is definitely not for kids!