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
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!
Frozen II (2019)
Into the Unknown...
I love animated movies. Both 'Frozen' and 'Frozen 2' were mega hits at the box office, and despite fantastic animation, I just can't get into either of these two movies. I can't put my finger on it as to the reason. Maybe I view them more as movies aimed at a girl/female demographic. Maybe I just grew tired of the Disney movies where back stories are being sung instead of being told.
The original characters from the first film are back for another adventure. Unlike 'Frozen' where Elsa became an antagonist for a while, she remains the protagonist throughout 'Frozen 2'. When she keeps hearing a (singing) voice coming from the forest, Elsa decides to follow the voice to find out what it means. In the process, she awakes the magical spirits of the enchanted forest her parents warned her and Anna against.
In the midst of all the confusion, adventure, and magical spirits, Kristoff tries to propose to Anna every chance he gets, but with Anna being so ignorant (and dramatic) the poor guy battles to pop the question. Elsa and Anna are also trying to figure out what actually happened to their parents, and so our group of protagonists go on an action-packed, mystical and magical adventure.
Interestingly, neither Elsa or Anna are my favourite characters. I absolutely adore the snowman Olaf - who also serves as the main comic relief - and Sven, the reindeer. I must just say it again: the animation is absolutely stunning!!
The Boss Baby (2017)
You can't miss what you never had.
Silly premise, I always thought. And then I decided to give 'The Boss Baby' the benefit of the doubt, and I actually had a good time with it. I won't exactly rush into watching it again, but for a first time watch it certainly was entertaining.
When it comes to babies, I think they are indeed the boss in any household, inadvertently dictating what happens in the house. 'The Boss Baby' takes it to the next level. The Baby in question is literally a boss...and a baby.
Timmy was happy - until his new baby brother arrived. From the moment Baby arrived, Timmy had his suspicions about him, and when he discovers Baby can speak, he decides to get proof to convince his parents Baby is much more than he appears to be.
Turns out Baby works for Baby Corp - where babies come from (yeah, right, try to convince the kiddies out there!). Out of fear puppies will eventually get more love than babies, Baby goes on a mission to find out more about the reveal of a 'new puppy' that stays a puppy forever.
Timmy reluctantly joins forces with Baby, but only because he can finally get rid of Baby when he succeeds - or are there more here than meets the eye?
'The Boss Baby' is an animated film for the whole family. It is funny and imaginative and will have a young audience reeling with laughter, even if they won't fully understand the plot.
Hijack 1971 (2024)
Edge of your seat entertainment!
'Hijack 1971' is a fact-based story of a pilot's heroic actions during a hijacking.
In 1968, a South Korean passenger aircraft was hijacked and flown to North Korea. Only 39 of the 50 passengers were repatriated, and the hijacker received a big sum of money for the plane. In 1971, the hijacker's brother, 22-year old Yong-dae, hijacks a plane and forces them to fly to North Korea.
With the pilot injured and blinded, First Officer Tae-in takes over the ranks as pilot. Armed with hand grenades, sole hijacker Yong-dae has the upper hand, with the passengers reeling in fear. Now, Tae-in and the passengers must devise a plan before reaching North Korea, in fear that they might follow the same fate as the passengers of the 1968 hijacked plane.
The film offers plenty of drama, action and suspense and is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat for its entire runtime.
Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914)
For the sake of slapstick...
When Tillie Banks (Marie Dressler) accidentally injures a passer-by whilst playing with her dog, she takes him home to make sure he is alright. Clumsy Tillie becomes smitten with him, but little does she know he is a con artist. He is known only as The City Slicker, so for ease of reference I'll call him Charlie, since he is played by Charlie Chaplin.
When Charlie notices Tillie's father hiding a wallet full of money, he starts flirting with Tillie and then convinces her to take the money, and they elope together. They go to town, where Charlie bumps into Mabel (Mabel Normand) - 'the other girl'. He ditches Tillie for Mabel, but when he later learns Tillie inherits a fortune, he hastily wants to marry her. Many slapstick and some funny misadventures ensue. The film's best moments (apart from the climax) were Tillie being drunk!
And now for spoilers. If a script for 'Tillie's Punctured Romance' were to be submitted to a production company today, I'm certain it would have been rejected. There are just too many flaws in this film that won't be accepted in today's industry. I'll highlight the most obvious.
Tillie's Uncle, Douglas Banks, is a millionaire adventurer. When he has an accident on one of his adventures and is presumed dead, the newspaper prints an article about his death, and stating that Tillie is the sole heir of his fortune. All this even before Douglas is confirmed dead, and with him still lying on the snowy slopes. Also before Tillie has been informed. This simply won't do today. Maybe it was acceptable back then, or possibly they didn't bother to analyze scripts. Being completely unrealistic, this can only happen in slapstick films for the sake of humour.
Despite these and other flaws, the film redeems itself during the wonderfully chaotic climax featuring incredible stunts.
The First Slam Dunk (2022)
I'm no sports fan, but this was amazing!
I'm not a fan of sports movies and I know nothing about basketball, but 'The First Slam Dunk' is amazing!
First and foremost, what I enjoyed most, was the incredible animation. I mean, wow! It's mind boggling to think the animation is hand drawn. The character movements are smooth and realistic. The film also features the best cinematography I've ever seen in an animated movie. The slow motion and sound effects are also fantastic, and the soundtrack is awesome. Had 'The First Slam Dunk' been a live action movie, I probably would have lost interest early on, but thanks to the stunning animation I couldn't stop watching.
Secondly, I liked the characters, especially our hero Ryota, who still longs for his brother Sota several years after his death. Sota, who was three years older than Ryota, instigated Ryota's love for the sport. Essentially, the entire film takes place during a pivotal basketball game. Flashbacks show the events leading up to the game, and also provide the character back stories.
Ryota is constantly reminded of Sota, and these moments were touching and emotional. His memories of Sota inspired him to do his best, and to achieve what Sota always dreamt of. 'The First Slam Dunk' is therefore an inspirational film, with a sad undertone, but this sadness also became a driving force for our protagonist.
Despicable Me 4 (2024)
They're ba-a-a-a-ck!!
Here we go for another fun-filled action adventure! 'Despicable Me 4' is the 6th installment in the 'Despicable Me' franchise.
If you remember - or if you haven't seen the previous films - Gru used to be a villain but is now a family man. Apart from his adopted daughters Edith, Agnes and Margo, there's a new addition to the family: a baby boy named Junior. Gru is a member of the AVL (Anti-Villain League) and he captures a villain called Maxime (Aka Cockroach Man) at an award ceremony at the School of Villainy.
When Maxime escapes from prison, he vows to avenge Gru by taking his baby. To protect Gru and his family, AVL takes them to a safehouse in the peaceful town of Mayflower. They are given new identities and must act as a 'normal' family. Meanwhile, the Minions will be under AVL supervision, and five of them are given superpowers to assist AVL.
When Gru's cover is blown by the neighbour's daughter Poppy, she blackmails him into another mission, and action and adventure in true Despicable Me style ensues. It's a superhero movie of Hollywood proportions, and pure satire! 'Despicable Me 4' is essentially a spoof of superhero movies like The Incredibles, Fantastic Four, Kung Fu Panda, X-Men, Spider-Man, Men in Black, and even Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! See how many movies you recognize here.
The animation is fantastic, and Gru returns once again with his dry sense of humour and lame jokes, wonderfully voiced by Steve Carell. The Minions are as adorable as ever. The emotional depth of the original 'Despicable Me' is long gone, but 'Despicable Me 4' is funny and exciting. The soundtrack is also really good.
Rush Week (1989)
80s Slasher Whodunit murder mystery.
It's Rush Week at Tambler College and there's parties and plenty of pranks going around. Toni (Pamela Ludwig) is a journalist student assigned to write about rush week. But when students go missing, she decides to write about that instead - endangering her life in the process.
When no-one believes something happened to the missing students, Toni investigates. She is assisted by Jeff (Dean Hamilton), one of rush week's pranksters who also becomes romantically involved with her. 'Rush Week' is an interesting whodunit murder mystery, different to the many slasher movies of around the same time. It has more substance and there's hardly any gore here. In fact, many of the scenes end abruptly just when a victim is about to get killed - almost like a TV movie. This might be disappointing to die-hard slasher horror fans.
But, being an 80's slasher, there's plenty of female nudity. Yup, sexploitation at its best. Boobies, boobies, boobies! 'Rush Week' didn't make a big impact at the time of release, and is also one of the less known slashers of the 80's. Yet, I actually enjoyed it more than expected.
Dark Angel (1990)
He comes in peace...NOT!
An alien arrives on Earth in a ball of flames. A Drug deal goes horribly wrong. And about to get caught in the middle, is Detective Jack Caine (Dolph Lundgren). When members of a drug cartel called The White Boys lead by Victor Manning are killed, Jack's girlfriend, coroner Diane (Betsy Brantley) makes a startling discovery that defies logic.
Jack is assigned to the case, along with cocky new partner FBI Special Agent Smith (Brian Benben). Believing Jack was responsible for the deaths of the White Boys members, Manning sends his men after Jack. Meanwhile, the alien starts killing people, and when he is pursued by another alien, all hell breaks loose.
There's more than enough action to satisfy the action movie junkies. In a time before CGI, the explosions were real and looks great on screen. (Don't you just hate those fake CGI explosions!). Without some of the humour and one-liners, 'Dark Angel' could have been an even better sci-fi action thriller. It felt like a cross between 'The Terminator', 'Predator', and even a bit of 'Highlander'. Still, this was entertaining and I enjoyed it for what it is.
Indigènes (2006)
Ugh! Another film about racism...
I enjoy war movies providing its a good story with compelling characters. I hate watching movies dealing with racism, or discrimination. 'Days of Glory' deals with discrimination against Muslims who fought among the French in World War 2. As a result, I did not enjoy this movie.
The film doesn't waste any time before the action starts, but then they start throwing racist remarks around and discriminate against some of the soldiers, and soon enough it becomes clear why. In my opinion, we are all humans and therefore all equal. I don't judge people on race, religion or colour, or whether you're rich or poor. I judge people on their character and personality.
The discrimination referred to in the film happened nearly eight decades ago and is no longer relevant - or shouldn't be - so I don't understand while filmmakers still insist on telling these stories. Must the new generation really be reminded of these atrocities? Let sleeping dogs lie and move on.
Because of the subject matter of the film, I couldn't relate and found it an unpleasant watch. It wasn't engaging or memorable. On the contrary, I found the film slow and not all that interesting. Enough said.
The Walk (2015)
Engaging true-life drama of one of the world's most ambitious stunts.
I opted to watch the documentary 'Man on Wire' prior to watching 'The Walk'. 'Man on Fire' details the planning and execution of the ambitious and now famous stunt of tightrope walker Philippe Petit, walking on a wire between the World Trade Centre's twin towers. Many of the events in 'The Walk' might seem impossible, but if you've seen the documentary you'll realize the film to be a pretty accurate depiction of actual events.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as French artist Philippe Petit, and delivers a wonderful performance. Philippe's passion for wire walking started at a very young age. He eventually left home to become a street performer in Paris, always pursuing his passion. In Paris, he met Annie, another street performer who would become one of his accomplices in his daring stunt.
From the moment Philippe saw pictures of the (incomplete) Trade World Towers, it was his dream to rig a wire between them and walk it. 'The Walk' shows the extensive planning of the stunt. This preparation was just as exciting and suspenseful as the walk itself. Ben Kingsley stars as Papa Rudy, who advises and helps Philippe.
Director Robert Zemeckis' unique vision and style results in a beautifully filmed movie that is engaging from beginning to end. I loved this.
Storozhova zastava (2017)
More suited for teenagers.
Viktor's parents died in a car crash when he was very young still. The car veered off a bridge and Viktor has a fear of heights ever since. When him and his friends go in a school group to the mountains to view an eclipse that only happens once in a hundred years, Viktor freezes up when they have to cross a hanging bridge, and runs away ashamed.
Shortly after, an earthquake hits and Viktor is sucked into a portal, transporting him to the year 1120AD. As soon as he arrives, his life is in danger, and is saved by the legendary knight Oleshko.
Oleshko takes him to their village, where Viktor explains that he was transported from the future. Once they believe him, Viktor learns their ways under Oleshko's guidance. In order to get back home again, Viktor has to find the Perun stone, but the evil Cumans are after the stone as well, hoping it will give them power.
'The Stronghold' is an action fantasy adventure and although there was much to enjoy here, it definitely would appeal more to a teen demographic. There's also a teen romance in the movie with Viktor falling in love with Olenka. Due to the fact they are just kids, I didn't care much for their romance, and it felt forced for the sake of a romantic interest. Oleshko and Rosanka's relationship would have made a far better romantic interest.
'The Stronghold' is predictable in the vein of teen protagonist fantasies. This is not a great movie, but nevertheless entertaining with interesting (not great) visuals. Also, Viktor was stuck in 1120AD for several days, if not weeks, yet when he returned to his world, he appeared to have been away for a few seconds only. Does time move super slow in the past? Yes, I know this is high fantasy, but even so there has to be some sort of logic.
To kalokairi tis Karmen (2023)
Realistic and relatable.
Our hero is Demosthenes (played by hunky Yorgos Tsiantoulas), who recently broke up with his partner Panos (Nikolaos Mihas) after a four-year relationship. His best friend is Nikitas (Andreas Labropoulos), a former actor who is now a director.
Sitting on a nude beach where gay cruising is the order of the day, Nikitas and Demosthenes try to come up with ideas for a script Nikitas has to present as his next film project. Demosthenes reflects on his own life as inspiration for the film.
As Demosthenes tells his story, the film jumps backwards and forward depicting the events. We learn quite a bit about each character in the process. Although Demosthenes broke up with Panos, we still notice hints of regret despite him trying to convince Nikitas otherwise. We also meet Demosthenes' mom, who looks after his sick father. And then there's the dog, Carmen, who changes everyone's lives.
Filled with gorgeous physiques and full frontal male nudity, there's plenty of eye candy to keep you drooling, depending on your inclinations, off course. Apart from that, I found the film very realistic. The drama and humour were well balanced and never over the top or sentimental. It was current and relatable. I also thought the actors were perfectly cast in their respective roles.