Star Wars sequels...?

You might have heard it but Disney just bought LucasFilm and now there is some talk going on about a new Star Wars sequel. Luckily, I didn't miss that, it's not like the entire Internet doesn't shut up about it...

Brand New Django Unchained Trailer Arrives

Tarantino. Foxx. Waltz. DiCaprio. That's probably all you need to know. Now watch this trailer for "Django Unchained" and shed a tear that it'll be another 2 1/2 months before it'll be released.

Is that really a good idea?

Ok, let's start with the evidence and have a look at this trailer for Disney's "The Lone Ranger":

Updates, Updates, Updates!!! + Bruce Willis Revival (again)

Alright, so after starting this blog more than a year ago I decided to make a couple changes. First, the big one: From now on I won't review every movie I see. Don't worry, there'll still be times when I post reviews but I figured that I just couldn't keep up with my own demand and creative output. I mean, I love watching films but I realized that I got really picky with what I watched, always with the looming thought that I'd have to write about it afterwards. In short, I didn't want it to become a silly ongoing school assignment.

The Master (2012) Review

Picture the following scene: In early 2008 I walked into a small theater in my hometown Rostock, going to see the new movie by Paul Thomas Anderson, director of such great films as "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia". When I walked out about three hours later I was a changed person. "There Will Be Blood", the film I saw on that fateful night pretty much blew me away in a way no other movie has done it to me before or ever since. In my humble opinion "There Will Be Blood" might just be the best movie of the last decade. Just watch the following video and see how devoted fans of this masterpiece can be:

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Review

Is there really anything new that hasn't been said yet about "Raiders of the Lost Ark"? OK, if you're one of the ten people on this planet who hasn't seen this classic, then WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR???? GO SEE IT!!!

Celeste And Jesse Forever (2012) Review

"Celeste and Jesse Forever" is a film of missed opportunities and sad blandness. It's not terrible by any account but everything's just so poorly half-assed that it's a shame since the setup of the movie seems so promising and ripe with dramatic potential.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) Review

Don't we all love Robert Downey Jr.? What a guy, funny, quick-witted and with a great talent as a leading man. But things haven't been that rosy all the time. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s he was more known for his public escapades as a drug addict than for his films. But after arrest and rehab he went trough a drastic change and became one of the biggest box office stars of our time. Nonetheless he didn't immediately get high profile roles as a super hero, TV reporter or journalist. First, there was a little film in 2005 named "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang".

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Review

Oh Wes Anderson, hero of every scarf-wearing, record-collecting, retro-loving, fixie-riding, American Apparel-addicted hipster out there, you've done it again. "Moonrise Kingdom" is here and that's a reason to cheer for everyone who adores your quirky movies so much.

21 Jump Street (2012) Review

Oh, how the fanboys cried when it was announced that 80s cult show "21 Jump Street" would receive the official dumbing down by Hollywood, it was a sight to behold. Not just that the tone of the movie was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek now, no, they also cast Jonah Hill and charisma vacuum Channing Tatum as the leads. Was there any better way to doom a project?

Goon (2011) Review

I know I've just reviewed another sports movie but hear me out, "Goon" is worth a look. It's a hockey movie, alright, but unlike conventional fare like "The Mighty Ducks" or "Miracle", this one focuses on enforcers beating the crap out of each other.

Without Limits (1998) Review

I have a soft spot for sports movies. Wait, didn't I already make that point clear here? Whatever, let's get down to business: "Without Limits", a movie about American running legend Steve Prefontaine. For me as an ignorant European (you know that kind) the guy didn't ring any bells but I heard good things about the film so I went and checked it out.

Marvel's The Avengers (2012) Review

Man, I'm really late with my reviews. After grossing more than $600 million domestically and almost $1.5 billion worldwide I think you can easily call Marvel's The Avengers THE success story of summer 2012 (yes, even outshining The Dark Knight Rises and The Hunger Games). Setting up its heroes in their separate movies and teasing us with bits and parts of the greater scheme we finally get to see the showdown, years of build-up come to a conclusion and we get the ultimate superhero blockbuster.

Prometheus (2012) Review

This is the movie that I personally anticipated more than any other release so far this summer. While I was genuinely excited for "The Dark Knight Rises", "Marvel's The Avengers" and a handful other productions, none of them matched my eagerness for "Prometheus". But does it deliver?

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Review

So here it is, the conclusion to probably one of the most epic superhero stories ever told on the big screen. Years of anticipation, intense excitement and high hopes come to end now that "The Dark Knight Rises" is finally released. But I can't help but feel a little let down.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) Review

"Safety Not Guaranteed" is a sweet and good-natured film. What more can I say? Honestly, I really don't want to write anything else but that. Go and see it, it surely is a fine example of modern American indie cinema, it has all the ingredients, corky characters, an indie rock and pop soundtrack and indie darlings Mark Duplass and Aubrey Plaza in the lead roles.

Citizen Ruth (1996) Review

Pop Quiz: Name a movie that focuses on the abortion issue. Go! .... Can't come up with anything? If you can, good for you, you're a movie nerd. If not, then you're also fine. There are countless taboo topics that have been tackled by American cinema, whether it's racism, child abuse, death penalty, euthanasia, etc. But interestingly, there hasn't really been a movie about the abortion issue. Well, that was until "Citizen Ruth" came along, Alexander Payne's feature film debut as a director from 1996.

Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) Review

George Clooney is a busy guy. He acts, directs, produces, writes, hell, who knows what else. When he's not  appearing in another Ocean's movie to make some money he also supports smaller films or pursues his own, more personal projects. One of those films is Good Night, and Good Luck, his second feature film as a director after 2002's ingenious if flawed Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

Hard Candy (2005) Review

Consider this a warning but this film will haunt you if you're a dude. I'm serious. Think you're a tough guy? Watch this film and think again, I promise it'll make you squirm in your seat. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The Cabin In The Woods (2012) Review

Wow, just wow. Spoiler alert but "The Cabin in the Woods" is insane fun. You've seen the trailers? Good, I bet you thought this film would suck badly, right? Standard set-up, stock characters, what can be good about that? But guess what, it's all part of the plan...

Rumble In The Bronx (1995) Review

Fact 1: I love Jackie Chan. Fact 2: You love Jackie Chan. Do I really have to say more? This guy knows how to kick some serious ass and it's sweet to watch him go nuts with whatever he can find to fight some bad guys. I didn't really watch his older movies from the 80s until my late teens but I grew up on the stuff he released when he became famous in the US during the 90s. One of those movies was "Rumble In The Bronx" and I frikkin love that flick.

The Escapist (2008) Review

What a neat little film. Flawed but neat. "The Escapist" is the feature length debut of Rupert Wyatt and the fact that he directly went on to direct "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" after this gig should tell you something about its quality.

Exam (2009) Review

Discovering hidden gems, I love it, you know it. The first time I heard about "Exam" was in Empire and Total Film but since it didn't get a theatrical release in the US basically no one here had heard about it. But luckily I got my fingers on a copy of this smart minimalist thriller and it surely didn't disappoint.

Happiness (1998) Review

And here we go again, after watching some fairly convenient and "nice" movies I encountered another one that is anything but. Happiness by Todd Solondz is a poisonous little film that, like so many others before, looks into the dark soul of suburban USA. But what makes this film stand out from many others is that it is not afraid to touch dark topics without being exploitative. While other films such as Harmony Korine's Ken Park are more interested in just blatantly showing the perversions that happen behind white picket fences without any sort of context, Solondz's film is anchored by characters that are actually drawn out. We might not sympathize with their actions but at least we are able to understand them.

Life In A Day (2011) Review

What can you make of Life in a Day, a movie that is scrambled together from 4500 hours of footage from thousands of contributors from all over the worlds? First of all, you should be amazed by the sheer size of the whole project. Ok, ok, I'm not gonna tell you what to feel about this film, judge for yourself.

Law Abiding Citizen (2009) Review

I love a good guilty pleasure. "Law Abiding Citizen" is not a good guilty pleasure. It is a guilty pleasure, just not very enjoyable. Do you see where I am coming from?

Annie Hall (1977) Review

I know it's been quite some time since my last posting but due to an overwhelming class and finals schedule I didn't even have time to do such basic things as getting at least 6 hours of sleep per night or eating on a regulated schedule. Of course that includes watching movies as well, and it's been about 2 months that I watched the Woody Allen classic "Annie Hall". But now I am catching up and there is probably going to be a good amount of postings over the next days and weeks about all the movies I've seen recently but didn't have time to write about yet.

Away We Go (2009) Review

This film is right up my alley, sweet, honest and with a nice soundtrack. I remember seeing "Away We Go" about a year ago while doing something else, distracted by some meaningless endeavor. Of course, it left me unimpressed. But now that I've seen it consciously, listening to the well written dialogue, watching the wonderful performances by John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph I have to admit that this film is something of a hidden gem.

War Horse (2011) Review

Ok, it's official, I lost my faith in Steven Spielberg. First "Tintin", now "War Horse". What can I say? Disappointment? Oh yeah! Maybe I was just in a funny mood when I watched it and missed the entire point but it left me quite unimpressed and for the most part shaking my head in disbelief.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) Review

I don't know what's everyone's problem, the US American adaptation of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is a really, really good movie. Yeah, yeah, I can already hear all the whiners and complainers: "The Swedish version was SO much better", "This film was made for people who are too lazy to read subtitles", "So dumbed down for the stupid American audience", bla bla bla. Truth is, get over it, you rotten internet wanks because David Fincher's film is at least as good as the Swedish one.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) Review

Suprise, I liked this film! Not that I expected it but it was actually a fun if very basic legal thriller. Matthew McConaughey who's normally wasted in terrible Kate Hudson vehicles or some other romcom crap finally reminds us again that he can act. Ok, I don't want to praise him too much but as a slick and sleazy lawyer he gives his best performance in ages.

We see him handle the case of a shady woman beater, played by former teen icon Ryan Phillippe. But while he first tries to prove his innocence he soon realizes that taking over this case is potentially life-threatening.

The plot is not too great and often feels more at home on TV than on the big screen but what makes this film stand out is the above-average acting by everyone involved. I already said that McConaughey is good in the lead but I especially enjoyed the always delightful William H. Macy and Marisa Tomei, probably two of the most undervalued actors of cinema nowadays.

This film won't make an impact on film history but it is refreshingly simple in its approach and doesn't try to be more than it is and that's what makes it enjoyable to watch. If you're sick of heavy overblown Hollywood genre thrillers, give this one a try, it's great for a lazy Sunday afternoon.