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 againReviews
Night School (1981)
A Slasher with style and substance.
'Night School' might give the wrong impression the film is set at a night school. It is not; neither are the murders committed at the school. As it turns out, most of the victims are all from Wendell College, the night school.
I'm surprised by how good this 80's slasher actually was. It has style and substance and made for an interesting whodunit murder mystery.
The film starts with a young teacher being beheaded at school after everyone had gone home already. Lt. Austin (Leonard Mann) is called to the scene. As he investigates, more murders take place - the one more bizarre than the other. They all have one thing in common, though: each victim's head is found submerged in water.
We meet Professor Vincent Millett (Drew Snyder), who has a personal interest in the girls at the college. Eleanor (Rachel Ward) is one of his affairs. Thought to be Vincent's only love, she is insanely jealous of him. Their relationship is taken to the next level when she announces she is pregnant.
Wendell College administrator Helene Griffin also has an interest in the girls (erm, make that a personal interest, as well), and then there's the somewhat mysterious Gary, a peeping tom with mental issues, who works at a restaurant.
The suspense is well crafted. All the characters in the film served a purpose, and were not merely added to become victims. Most of the characters were well fleshed out, and I rooted for them. Although it might seem obvious at times who the killer might be, there are interesting reveals during the final act. 'Night School' is actually a darn good movie that I somehow missed back in the day.
American History X (1998)
An Unpleasant watch.
By the time the film ends, it feels like a good movie. I however can't deny the fact that 'American History X' was mostly an unpleasant viewing experience. With all the racist remarks and foul language, it really was not a pleasure to watch. I've said this so many times before but can't stress it enough: I hate any kind of racist depiction in movies. In this day and age I don't want to be reminded of racial issues. We are - or should be - all equal.
What I admire about the film, though, is its good script, good character development, good photography, and good performances by the entire cast. Edward Norton, especially, was fantastic, and he owned every scene he was in.
Edward Norton stars as Derek, an arrogant neo-Nazi who was jailed for cold-bloodedly shooting hijackers. Derek's younger brother Danny is a kid with an attitude, and is quickly following in the Derek's footsteps.
When Danny's history teacher asks him to write a paper on Derek - called American History X - Derek's life is told through backflashes (shown in black and white) as Danny writes the paper. With Derek now being released from prison, he is a changed man. His girlfriends and friends are still part of a gang destined to 'set things right' in America.
'American History X' deals with many different issues - mostly racism - and due to its subject matter, I did not really enjoy the movie. This is not my kind of entertainment. As mentioned, the ending almost made me believe this was a good movie in its entirety, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Pamyo (2024)
Creepy and foreboding.
Note: this review might contain spoilers.
An American family contacts Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun), a shaman, when their baby son has a mysterious illness. Hwa-rim helps people who need to rid their homes and families of ghosts, demons, or supernatural beings. She discovers the baby's illness is due to a curse from the grave.
On behalf of the family, Park Ji-Yong (Kim Jae-cheol) shows Hwa-rim and her partner Bong-Gil (Lee Do-hyun) the location of the family's Grandfather's grave. Accompanying them, is feng shui expert Kim Sang Deok (Choi Min-sik) and funeral home owner Ko Young Geun (Yoo Hae-jin). The grave is in a remote location on a mountain, and there is no name on the grave. The family now wants the grave relocated, but on arrival Sang Deok senses something evil.
Hwa-rim performs rituals to ward off evil spirits, and the grave is excavated. The coffin is to be cremated. When one of the diggers kills a snake with a human head, evil spirits are unleashed and shortly after it starts to rain. Apparently, cremation can't be done when it rains as it will prevent the grandfather's spirit from smoothly moving upward.
When a custodian at the funeral home opens the coffin, a vengeful spirit is unleashed. Now, the Grandfather's spirit targets his family members, but when the coffin is cremated, the curse is lifted. However, later it is discovered there was a double burial on the grave site, with a large coffin being buried vertically underneath the Grandfather's coffin, and this is when things start going terribly wrong!
'Exhuma' is a creepy film with a constantly foreboding atmosphere. One never really knows what to expect. There were a few confusing moments here, but in general this is a good movie. The make-up and visual effects are very good. 'Exhuma' reminded me of a cross between the Korean film 'The Wailing' and the Cantonese film 'Rigor Mortis'.
Spartacus (1960)
When slaves rise up against Rome.
Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) has been a slave since the age of thirteen. He is among a handful of slaves selected by the Roman Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov) to be trained as gladiators. (I absolutely loved Peter Ustinov in the role of Batiatus; he was fabulous!)
Slaves are treated like animals, and those in power have no feelings for them whatsoever. They would have slaves kill each other purely for entertainment. Spartacus makes friends with the slaves, and when an opportunity arises, they overpower the guards and manage to escape. Now, the slaves are building their own army in revolt against the Romans.
Laurence Olivier stars as Crassus, a wealthy Roman senator and the film's main protagonist. Jean Simmons stars as Varinia, also a slave and the love interest of Spartacus. I enjoyed the developing romance between Spartacus and Varinia. The film follows Spartacus as he builds his army and plans to avenge the Romans, even if it seems impossible to fight against such a mighty power.
From all the costumes to the magnificent sets and thousands of extras, 'Spartacus' is an incredible production. In a time before CGI, the scale of the production is jaw-dropping! The film apparently had a cast of 10,500 members (with all the extras). Today the extras would simply be added with CGI in post-production. And this is why I enjoy older movies so much; it was real film making. On every level, 'Spartacus' is a film of epic proportions. It's hard to believe this film was made more than six decades ago!!
If I had to compare 'Spartacus' to more recent films, movies like 'Gladiator', '300', and the TV series 'Rome' comes to mind.
Taxi Driver (1976)
How many times did I yawn?
There really is one character here that matters, and that's taxi driver Travis Bickle (very well portrayed by Robert de Niro). From a character study point of view, this is an effective film, but if it's an entertaining movie you're looking for, 'Taxi Driver' is not a good option. I'm sorry, but I was not entertained by this slow (yes, and boring) movie, no matter how high the acclaim.
26-year old Travis gets a job as taxi driver. He works long hours - mostly at night when the "filth" (as he calls it) roam the streets. When he notices a woman one day that seems 'different' to the rest of the people he quite literally stalks her, and finally asks her out. This is Betsy (with a rather annoying portrayal by Cybill Shepherd). When she agrees to go out with him (not that it took much convincing) he takes her to a theatre that shows porn movies! Needless to say, that date did not go well!
I must be honest, I never really rooted for Travis. I found him pushy and arrogant; even obnoxious. He is a hypocrite and a liar and he never really had good intentions. Then again, I suppose this behaviour added to the character study. He clearly is disturbed, and in that regard the character is well set-up. As the viewer, we have to understand this guy does not think or reason the way normal people do. (In his opinion, there was nothing wrong with taking a girl to a porn movie on their first date!)
The film does take its time before anything of significance happens, though, and I yawned several times. I kept wondering when something exciting was going to happen. I almost stopped watching at the 30-minute mark, but decided to sit it through. Around the 1-hour mark there's promise of something eventful happening, but alas, I would have to wait unit the final act before the action arrived. Even then, I did not agree with Travis' methods, and definitely never rooted for the guy.
'Taxi Driver' is another example of a highly acclaimed, multi-award winning movie I believe will loose its appeal with the new generation. Its just too slow, and not even all that interesting...
The Sound of Music (1965)
The Hills are alive with the sound of music!
The Nuns at the Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg are not convinced free-spirited Maria (Julie Andrews) is ready to be a nun. The Reverand Mother then sends Maria to naval officer Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) - whose wife recently died - to look after his seven children.
The children are between the ages of five and sixteen. With Georg running the house as if he is on one of his ships, the children are subjected to a very strict upbringing and not even allowed to play. At first, it seems like its going to be a daunting task for our inexperienced young heroin, but as she gets to know the children - and they her - a strong bond forms between them.
When Georg goes away to visit Baroness Elsa Schraeder (Eleanor Parker) - whom he intends to marry - Maria and the children get a chance to be adventurous. In the process she becomes a mother figure to them. I enjoyed Maria being a free-spirited yet strong character who never allowed Georg to intimidate her, and she always voiced her opinion.
The love story was predictable, I suppose, but it is a beautiful and romantic story and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I must say, for a three-hour long movie, it was surprisingly fast-moving and I was never bored. On the contrary, I enjoyed every moment very much. The film took a very different direction during the third act, which I never expected, and it was wonderful.
'The Sound of Music' boasts fantastic sets and production design, beautiful costumes, good cinematography, good and funny dialogue, and superb performances. I absolutely love this delightful movie!
The Survivor (1981)
Confusing and forgettable.
'The Survivor' is not to be confused with 1984's 'Sole Survivor', which is also about a plane crash leaving only one survivor.
I'll start by saying 'The Survivor' had the potential to be so much better, but no thanks to the director's vision of the film and choppy editing, I found the film difficult to follow at times. There literally were moments in the film where I had no idea what the hell was going on. To add to this, many scenes were so dark that one could hardly follow the action.
After a confusing start of various images edited together, a plane crashes, killing everyone on board except pilot David Keller (Robert Powerll). Not being able to remember anything since taking off, David is trying to find out what happened.
Clairvoyant Hobbs (Jenny Agutter) - a rather strange character in her own right - seems to have some sort of connection with the victims, and contacts David. She feels she was somehow involved with the accident. I didn't fully understand this character, nor their quest for answers. At times the film seemed to have a supernatural edge, but when the reveal came it had nothing to do with supernatural powers. Speaking of which, I can't say I agree with the twist ending.
'The Survivor' has a confusing premise and I won't be surprised if I forget this in an instant.
The Pit (1981)
A Kid with issues.
12-Year old Jamie has no friends. He has trouble getting to know anyone. Some even refer to him as a nutcase. His best friend is Teddy, his teddy bear.
When Jamie's parents go away for a while, 24-year old babysitter/housekeeper Sandy stays with Jamie. At the age where Jamie is reaching puberty, he has magazines of nude girls. He also soon develops a crush on Sandy, despite her being much older than him. He even gets jealous of her boyfriend.
Much of the film revolves around the friendship (I'm being careful not to use the term relationship here) between Jamie and Sandy and in a way this set-up proves there to be something seriously wrong with Jamie. Jamie has a secret, which he feels confident enough to share with Sandy: he discovered a big hole (or pit) in the ground in the woods. At the bottom of this pit lives Trogs (or small Trolls), which he feeds raw meat.
When he has no more money to buy meat, Teddy suggests he feeds the Trogs all the people who are nasty to him (Jamie). It is never clear whether the teddy bear actually has a life of its own, or whether it is just voices in Jamie's head, and pretending to be Teddy talking to him.
With very little horror elements shown to the audience (except for one scene), the film is mostly a psychological horror about a young boy with tendencies to harm people. I suppose one could view this as a character study.
Unfortunately, when the killings started towards the end, the film looked cheap. The creature effects were not so well done. The film then also has an anti-climax ending. I did like the film's final moment, though.
Mirrormask (2005)
A Most unusual film.
Director Dave McKean dared to be different with this most unusual film. With visuals unlike anything I've ever seen in a film, this certainly was a unique viewing experience. Many viewers might hate the film for being so different, though.
How does one even begin to explain this film? Think of your most fantastical, magical dream. Now give it a bit of a weird edge, and 'Mirrormask' would be a visualization of that dream. Truly unique is an under-statement.
But what is the movie about? Well, that's just as difficult to explain as the visuals. I must admit, this is not always the easiest film to follow. Helena is a young circus performer who works at her family circus. Helena hates performing and during an argument with her mother Joanne, Helena wishes her mother would die. Just before her next performance, Joanne collapses and is hospitalized, and Helena blames herself.
One night she wakes from a dream, and walking down the street encounters three performers. But nothing is ordinary or what it seems anymore and she enters an alternate universe filled with weird and wonderful characters. This world is gradually being taken over by shadows. Being mistaken for a Princess, Helena must find a charm to wake the sleeping White Queen. This might seem like a fairytale, but believe me, this is definitely more nightmare than fairytale!
'Mirrormask' is guaranteed to be beyond your wildest imagination as we follow Helena on her quest. The visuals are remarkable and the mind baffles as to how they accomplished this. The film also takes many interesting and unexpected turns. Give it a go; even if just for the visuals.
The film reminded me of films like 'What dreams may come' (1998), 'Imaginaerum' (2012), and 'Moon Garden' (2022).
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
There are no accidents.
I love animated movies, but I remember watching 'Kung Fu Panda' many years ago and thinking it was definitely more suitable for a young demographic. With the release of 'Kung Fu Panda 4' I decided to watch the original again to see if I'd had a change of opinion, but - as it turns out - I don't. I still believe it is a cartoon for kids. (I also haven't seen any of the sequels).
Po, an overweight Panda Bear, has dreams of being a kung fu warrior, and his heroes are kung fu masters The Famous Five. His Dad, a goose, runs a noodle restaurant and has hopes of Po taking over the restaurant. (Interestingly, the film never explains how the goose came to be a Panda's dad. I would have liked a back story on this.)
At a ceremony for choosing the next Dragon Warrior, Po accidentally ends up being chosen. Now, he is being trained by Shifu, a red Panda. Meanwhile, the real Dragon Warrior, Tai Lung - a Snow Leapord - escapes from a maximum security prison. There's a back story telling us Shifu took in Tai Lung when he was little, and trained him, as well.
Action and adventure - and kung fu fighting - ensues, but I once again couldn't really get into the movie. I found it a bit too cartoonish; like a big budget kids cartoon. My opinion aside, 'Kung Fu Panda' is a film families can enjoy together. Kids, especially, will have a good time with the movie and fall in love with the characters. It is a story of good versus evil, with a message of believing in yourself - no matter what.
Retfærdighedens ryttere (2020)
A Vengeance movie with substance!
Fate is an interesting thing. It has its own plan for every individual, whether for the better...or not.
Trivial events lead to Emma and her daughter Mathilde taking the train instead of the car. When mathematician Otto gave up his seat on the train for Emma, fate was in his favour, but sadly not for Emma, and she was killed in what appeared to be a freak accident.
Otto believes nothing happens by chance, and he finds evidence that proves the accident was no accident. It turns out a key witness in a gang-related case and his lawyer were also on the train. Eliminating the witness, meant the gang members would go free. The gang in question: The Riders of Justice.
When Otto approaches Emma's husband, Markus (Mads Mikkelsen) with his findings, Markus is skeptical at first, but when irrefutable evidence indicates it was indeed no accident, Markus vows to avenge Emma's death and take out the gang members. With the help of Otto and his friends Lennart and Emmenthaler, they track down the Riders of Justice. Hungry for revenge and justice, Markus - a hardened soldier - is about to unleash his fury.
'Riders of Justice' is miles better than vengeance movies like 'John Wick' (ugh, hate that franchise!). It has more substance and character development than any John Wick film could ever wish to have. 'Riders of Justice' also has emotional depth, and fantastic performances all round. I also loved the subtle humour.
'Riders of Justice' takes us on a wild ride in a movie full of surprises. In a way, the film reminded me of films like 'Rendel' and 'Nobody'. I loved it!
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Well made and realistic, but it can be depressing.
'Hotel Rwanda' is based on the Rwandan genocide which - according to Rwanda - killed around one million people during the 100-day war in 1994. Most of the victims were from the Tutsi ethnic group.
Don Cheadle stars as Paul Rusesabagina, the manager of the four-star Hôtel des Mille Collines in Rwanda. He is of the Hutu ethnic group, while is wife Tatiana is Tutsi. When the President - being Huto - was killed by Tutsi extremists, this resulted in the start of the genocide the very next day. In an instant, Paul's life was turned into a nightmare. With Tutsis being killed, Paul had to do everything in his power to save his family.
With the hotel guests having been evacuated, Paul soon had his hands full with Tutsi civilians looking for refuge at the hotel. The rest of the film sees Paul pleading for help from the United Nations, the Red Cross, and military officials. Fearing time is running out before all hell breaks out at the hotel, the film also becomes a nail-biting race against time.
Don Cheadle delivered a fantastic performance as Paul. 'Hotel Rwanda' is a very well made film, but it can be depressing - even more depressing because this is based on fact, and so many innocent people lost their lives in such a short space of time.
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
Television documents the chaos.
TV presenter Jack Delroy went from humble beginnings to hosting one of the highest rated night shows, Night Owls. All went well until his wife died from cancer. After shunning the public and disappearing from the public eye, Jack surprised everyone by returning just a month later.
He is determined to pick up his career and aim to become the highest rated night TV show. He decides to interview - and give a demonstration - of a young possessed girl, Lily. His other guests are psychic Christou, former magician Carmichael Haig who wants to prove Christou is a fake, and parapsychologist author June Ross-Mitchell, who assists Lily.
The entire movie takes place on the set of the program. (Scenes when the cameras stopped rolling, were in black and white.) The film felt so authentic, it was almost as if I was actually watching a late night show - until things started going very wrong, off course. The performances were very good, and the visuals were also good - especially during the climax. There's also a twist ending that'll make you wonder whether you missed something during the course of the movie...
'Late Night with the Devil' was not entirely what I expected, but it was still a good viewing experience.
Immaculate (2024)
The Key to resurrection...
On invitation from Father Sal Tedeschi (Alvaro Morte), Sister Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) joins a convent in Italy . With the opening scene already having set the tone for the rest of the film, the audience already knows there is something terribly wrong at the convent.
Cecilia is welcomed by the not-so-friendly and somewhat mysterious Sister Isabelle, who also becomes Cecilia's mentor. Cecilia befriends Gwen, who apparently does not have faith but joined the convent for a place to stay, food, and to live a descent life.
Cecilia soon starts having nightmares and is plagued by creepy visions. Beware: Jump scares ahead!! The jump scares come without warning and they are guaranteed to make you jolt in your seat! Despite all the (effective) jump scares, 'Immaculate' is still a slow burn horror.
Here's where there might be spoilers, so if you don't want to know, stop reading! Without having had sexual intercourse, Cecilia discovers she is pregnant. This is viewed by the other Sisters as a miracle, and some even refer to her as Mary. However, her being pregnant is no miracle, as we discover, and under the façade of faith and devotion lies a sinister plan. Father Tedeschi is also not who he appears to be...
Hell, this film takes a turn I never saw coming!! The third act is fantastic, and it does become much gorier than I expected. Sydney Sweeney delivers a powerful performance and proves she has what it takes to become a vengeful protagonist. What an incredible finale!
De uskyldige (2021)
Not so innocent.
9-Year old Ida seems to have a nasty streak for wanting to hurt people. Although it appears to be innocent fun for a kid, we sense something almost sinister about her. Anna, her older sister, has autism and doesn't speak. She only makes sounds, and also can't feel pain.
Ida befriends Ben, who soon shows her that he is able to move small object via telekinesis. Ben appears to have cruel intentions, with seemingly no conscience. They befriend Aisha, who is able to communicate via telepathy. Ida decides to introduce them to Anna, and together the four kids slowly discover their powers. It turns out Anna is the only one with supernatural powers.
When Ben starts getting out of control, the others must stop him, and there's enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat! The child actors are absolutely fantastic. Alva Brynsmo Ramstad was incredible in a very demanding role as Anna, while Rakel Lenora Petersen Fløttum was able to convey so much emotion with a simple glance, or stare.
'The Innocents' is a highly effective, slow burn psychological horror film. The innocents are not all that innocent after all...
The film reminded me of 2012's 'Chronicle', with four teenagers discovering powers, and one of them slowly but surely getting out of control.
When Worlds Collide (1951)
Dated, but still entertaining.
Long before Roland Emmerich brought us the modern-day disaster movies, director Rudolph Maté gave us 'When Worlds Collide'. Back in 1951 the visual effects were groundbreaking and the film won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Off course the visuals are no match for today's films, but teleport yourself back in time more than seven decades, and you can imagine how good the effects must have been.
Pilot David Randall (Richard Derr) is hired to deliver a black box to Dr Cole Hendron (Larry Keating). Inside the mysterious box are predictions of impending doom: a new planet and a giant star are on a collision course with Earth.
Now, the scientists must build a modern-day Noah's Ark (in the form of a space rocket) to save a handful of people and ensure the survival of humanity. They plan on landing on the new planet, named Zyra. With a deadline looming before impact, the film is a race against time to complete the mission while there is being decided who the 44 occupants of the rocket will be.
The dialogue is sub-standard by today's standards, but remember this film was made well before space travel became a reality. (The space race only achieved success over a decade after the release of 'When Worlds Collide'). With little to no knowledge of space travel, the universe and rockets, this film was ahead of its time in that regard.
Off course the film offers a romance interest as well. Hendron's daugter, Joyce (Barbara Rush) - who is engaged to be married to Dr Tony Drake - develops feelings for David, and in the process ensures his selection to board the rocket.
The final act delivers plenty of action and excitement. Yes, it is dated, but it was nevertheless still an entertaining disaster movie.
The Sting (1973)
I couldn't get into it...
I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with the way I view (older) films. 'The Sting' is yet another highly rated movie I found slow and boring. Maybe its just that older movies were generally slower moving than most of today's films; I don't know. I suppose films were more about character development back then, and that we - as the newer generation - prefer films to move along at a faster pace. So, yeah, maybe the problem does lie with me. I simply did not find this movie entertaining - or interesting enough - for my liking.
The moment the film started with that instantly recognizable theme music that put a smile on my face, I honestly believed I was going to love this movie. Turns out the best thing about the movie (for me) was just that theme music. Had the film been about 25 to 30 minutes shorter, I might even have enjoyed it more.
The film is about con artist Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) who attaches no value to money. He spends it just as fast as he steals it. Easy come, easy go. When his partner Luther is killed by crime boss Lonnie Donnegan's men, Johnny teams up with another con artist, Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman), to take down Lonnie. Corrupt police lieutenant William Snyder (Charles Durning) is also after Lonnie, and Johnny.
Together with a handful of con artists, Johnny and Henry certainly went to quite an elaborate set-up to get to Lonnie. It seemed a bit excessive for them to go to such great lengths when they had more than enough opportunity to capture him - without all their mumbo jumbo make-believe efforts. I just didn't buy it.
Halfway into the movie I became bored and started watching the clock. This might be a high-rated, multi-award winning movie, but it is so not my kind of movie. I couldn't get into its premise or the characters. Being con artists, I didn't really root for them and never viewed them as protagonists.
'The Sting' won 7 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Original Score. Interestingly, I seem to agree with these nominations, but as a whole I did not enjoy the movie.
Amores perros (2000)
Depressing? Yes. Good? Yes!
'Amores Perros' tells three stories that interconnect. The first story is called 'Octavio and Susana'. Susana is married to Ramiro, who works at a supermarket. To provide for them he robs stores. Ramiro's brother, Octavio, lives with them. When Susana accidentally lets Ramiro's dog Cofi out, Cofi kills Poncho - a fighter dog owned by Jarocho. Realizing Cofi's capabilities, Octavio starts dog fighting with Cofi. (Many of these scenes will be too sensitive for dog lovers, as it was for me, even if shown merely for a few seconds). Octavio is secretly in love with Susana and - with Susana being ill-treated by Ramiro - Octavio asks Susana to run away with him. There are a few unexpected twists, though.
The second story is called 'Daniel and Valeria'. Caught in a loveless marriage, Daniel is having an affair with model Valeria. When he eventually leaves his wife and buys an apartment for him and Valeria so they can finally be together, a car accident leaves Valeria seriously injured, causing her sponsors to cancel her modelling contract. With tension rising between them - being aggravated by Valeria's dog being stuck under the floor boards! - their newfound freedom proves to be anything but the happy life they were hoping for.
The third story is 'El Chivo and Maru'. El Chivo might look like a hobo - with a love for dogs - but there is more to him than meets the eye. We discover him and his wife separated years ago, telling their daughter, Maru, he was dead, but now El Chivo is trying to make contact with Maru again. As it turns out, El Chivo is a hitman, and pursuing his next target.
All these stories and characters interlink throughout the film. Prepare yourself, though, this is no feel-good movie. On the contrary, it is quite depressing, but it is a good film. Each story takes unexpected turns, and the film captured my attention from beginning to end.
The Wretched (2019)
Creepy with good effects, but still all too familiar.
Although the film's logline mentions a witch, this antagonist has all the traits of a demon, and I will therefore view and review 'The Wretched' as a possession movie.
With so many possession movies out there, I need a movie of the genre to have a quality that sets it apart from the pack. There are so many cliched possession movies out there that it becomes a blur when I try to think of some of them.
Think 2023's 'When Evil Lurks'. This film dared to go beyond familiar ground and presented us with an utterly disturbing possession movie unlike I've seen in a while. 'The Wretched', for me, was just another possession movie in the myriad of movies in the genre. Having said that, 'The Wretched' is a well made movie and it is a good one. I just don't know if I will remember this in time, because there was nothing uniquely memorable here.
When a young woman, Abbie, hits a buck on her way home from the forest, she takes it home to slaughter and to "teach her son meat doesn't necessarily come from the grocery store shelf". That night a creature that crawled out of the buck consumes Abbie, and she becomes possessed. Well, maybe not possessed in the true sense; possibly the witch entered her body and now acted as Abbie - which is all the same as possession, anyway.
Our hero is teenager Ben, who lives with his Dad, Liam. Liam works at the marina, and offered Ben a job. Liam and Ben are Abbie's neighbours, and soon Ben becomes suspicious of the goings-on at the house next door.
There's some family drama and a few twists. There are some creepy and scary moments. But ultimately 'The Wretched' was just another possession movie for me. I also didn't find Ben a strong enough character (or actor) as the protagonist. And then there's Mallory who also works at the marina and sort of became an interest (I hesitate saying love interest) to Ben. I couldn't really place this character, who also, wasn't really a strong enough character.
The make-up and contortion effects were excellent, and definitely the film's highlight. 'The Wretched' is still worth a watch if you're into the genre, but for me this is going to be forgettable.
Lake Mungo (2008)
Paranormal Activity - The Documentary.
Presented documentary style, 'Lake Mungo' is a mockumentary - supposedly based on events that happened in 2005 in the small town of Ararat in Australia. The use of 'police footage' also gives the film a more realistic edge. The performances are so believable that one can easily be fooled into believing this to be a documentary.
The film - erm, documentary - is about Alice Palmer, a 16-year old girl who disappeared while the family were picnicking at a lake. Her body was found at the bottom of the lake just a few days later. Alice had drowned, and the family had a difficult time accepting what had happened.
Shortly thereafter the Palmer family started hearing noises coming from Alice's bedroom, and later they had sightings of her. It became clear Alice's ghost was in the Palmer home still. But this was only just the beginning of bizarre events that were to follow...
The film became more spooky and creepy as it progressed, but it also started losing its realistic feel when it edged towards the 'Paranormal Activity' genre. Still, those who believe in ghosts will definitely be freaked out by the film.
There are interesting - albeit shocking - reveals about innocent little Alice during the final act. 'Lake Mungo' was an interesting watch that had be captivated from beginning to end. I also loved the film's subtle score.
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Too much talk spoils it.
I've been wanting to see 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' for a while. Having seen it now, I'm a bit disappointed. Make no mistake, this is a very well made film, and yes it is a good film; it is just not what I expected.
I think the problem lies in my preconceived idea of what the movie was about. I expected a war movie. This is set during the war, but it is not entirely a war movie. In fact, the first gunshots are only fired around the 1 hour 50 minute mark. That's a long time to wait for a film running almost 3 hours long. There's no further gunshots or explosions of any kind until the finale. I suppose in that regard I was disappointed.
But if you don't have a preconceived idea of the movie and you follow it for the drama it is, you might enjoy it more. I've said this before and I'll say it again: these older films are destined to loose its appeal with newer generations. The new generation likes things faster; and films like these running for almost three hours with quite a bit of talk and little action will bear the brunt.
Prisoners of war lead by Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) arrive at a Japanese camp commanded by Colonel Saito. From the onset there is friction between the two leaders. Saito wants the soldiers to build a bridge over the river Kwai, while Nicholson refuses for his soldiers to do hard labour. The Japanese are building a railway from Bangkok to Rangoon, and Saito is faced with a deadline.
Nicholson finally agrees to help on the condition they design the bridge. Meantime, the British are making plans to destroy the bridge. While an interesting enough premise, I found there to be way too much talk for my liking and eventually became bored. I even found the climax a bit bland.
Aladdin (1992)
A Magical adventure for kids.
Ah, the tale of Aladdin and the genie in the lamp. Believe it or not, I saw Disney's live action adaptation long before this animated classic. And I'm using the term "classic" here simply because it is perceived as one, although not by me.
'Aladdin' is a wonderful story and there are many life lessons disguised behind a façade of cute characters a young audience will love. They, off course, won't understand the deeper meaning of what is presented here. They will laugh, fall in love with the characters, and have a good time.
Our hero, Aladdin, is a young thief with a pet monkey, Abu. Our heroin, Jasmine, is a princess. Interestingly, Aladdin is much happier than Jasmine, even though he owns nothing and doesn't have a place to stay. He is a free spirit. Jasmine on the other hand has all the wealth she can dream of, but she feels trapped and wants to escape from it all.
When these two characters meet, it opens the door wide for character development, while the viewer starts searching his soul. There's so much to learn from this bright, colourful, and lively animated movie. The antagonist is Jafar, along with his equally evil parrot Iago. Jafar tricks Aladdin into finding a lamp, which houses a genie that can grant the owner three wishes. Needless to say, Jafar has no good intentions and wants to use the wishes for his personal and selfish gain.
The Genie is wonderfully voiced by Robin Williams and by far my favourite character. I also rather enjoyed the Genie's story of a 'man' wanting to be free. The film takes us on a magical and action-packed adventure in a fight between good and evil - told in a kid's cartoon style. Good ending.
Dragonslayer (1981)
Confusing at times but redeemed by a good third act.
I love fantasy adventure movies, but for some reason I just couldn't get into 'Dragonslayer' - not until the third act, at least. In the beginning, I somehow found it difficult to get to know and follow the characters, and wasn't until the second act that I started familiarizing myself with their motives and intentions.
I knew from the beginning the film was about a village being terrorized by a dragon, and young Valerian asking a powerful sorcerer, Ulrich, for help. Ulrich was probably the character I least understood, and some of his actions didn't make much sense to me. The film felt like it only really got direction once the film's true hero, Galen (Peter MacNicol) stepped forward - even if a bit immature at first.
Twice a year, King Casiodorus chooses young virgin girls via a lottery to be sacrificed to the dragon in order to keep the dragon happy, and their village safe. (Oh, those poor virgins! Best not to be one then and you'll live!!). And so Galen begins his quest to slay the dragon, and win the hand of the girl he falls in love with - who happens to be a virgin...of course.
The film's visual and practical effects are very good, and I thought the dragon effects were excellent. The third act was so entertaining that it redeemed the film and I ended up having a pretty good time watching 'Dragonslayer'.
Das Boot (1981)
Overlong and very slow paced, but nevertheless extremely well made.
One thing you have to know going into 'Das Boot' is that it is more of a character study drama than an action movie. The film revolves around 50 men in the confines of a submarine. Hitler is sending U-boats (submarines) hoping to blockade and starve out Britain. Despite the fact battle for control of the Atlantic is turning against Germany, more U-boats are sent.
With the men bored waiting for action, so is the viewer - or me, at least. Although it wasn't entirely boring and we got to know the crew, I did find the film far too slow paced (from an entertainment perspective). The action only really starts at the 50-minute mark. Only, torpedoes are fired and we hear explosions, but nothing is shown on screen. This is going to be a major issue for the new generation audience who would definitely prefer to see the action, and not envision it. (The current generation already have a short attention span as it is, so with the film being so long and slow I doubt it will appeal to future generations).
It's a fact, 'Das Boot' is probably one of the best and most realistic submarine movies ever made. I know I'm in the minority here and crucify me if you will, but this movie does not rate among my favourites. I found this to be a fairly boring movie with a few good action and tense scenes scattered throughout. The best moments by far were the third act when the crew found themselves in a desperate situation fighting for their lives. Here, Chief Engineer Fritz Grade (Klaus Wennemann) rose to the occasion by becoming the film's hero (and not our main protagonist Capt. Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Jürgen Prochnow).
Interestingly, all hell broke loose during the film's final 10 minutes - when I thought it was all over - with an event I wasn't expecting. This was a really awesome scene! If the film was a bit shorter, it would have been faster paced and I would have enjoyed it more. This is nevertheless a very well made film and no doubt submarine enthusiasts will love it.
Starship Troopers (1997)
It's ALIENS for a younger demographic.
I remember seeing 'Starship Troopers' many years ago and disliking it. Watching it now as an adult, I found too much time taken up by young love issues, which felt immature and like they belonged in a daily soap opera and not a big budget movie. 'Starship Troopers' felt like an 'Aliens' movie made for the teenage and young demographic, whereas 'Aliens' is obviously much more mature.
The acting also looked more like soapie performances. Our protagonist is Johnny Rico (Casper van Dien) who joins the Federal Services together with his girlfriend Carmen (Denise Richards) and friend Carl (Neil Patrick Harris). All three quickly move their way up the ranks.
When Buenos Aires is destroyed by a bug meteorite, the Federal declares war against the Arachnids, and go to their planet to annihilate them. There's plenty of blood, guts, and alien juices flowing in the clash against Man and Arachnid.
The film's third act was by far the most exciting and entertaining - once all the petty love issues were out of the way, and it was non-stop action and fighting. The visual effects are excellent for its time, and actually still holds well by today's standards. The action sequences are well done - visually and physically. There's big character development and an amazing climax.