OUTSIDE HOLLYWOOD EP.3 - Summer Blockbusters

 Hello there puny humans,
it's been some time since our last podcast, but now we are back: This time Björn Hoppe and I are reviewing the Summer Blockbuster Season and its greatest movies!



Listen and enjoy!
Your Cinemartian

BEGIN AGAIN - Movie Review

 Title: Begin Again
Running Time: 104 min
Director: John Carney
Starring: Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld, Catherine Keener, James Corden, Mos Def, Cee-Lo Green

Review:
After the independent film "Once", which he filmed with his former 'The Frames' band colleague Glenn Hansard, and which won an Acadamy Award as well as a Grammy for its songs, irish director John Carney makes his mainstream debut. Sticking with the topic of music, he is now joined by Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, as well as Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine with his first acting gig.
"Begin Again" starts off introducing our first protagonist Dan Mulligan and tries a bit too hard to show us that this obvious loser is obviously a loser, giving us every cliché including laziness, unpunctuality, alcoholism, being broke, being divorced, being unemployed and forgetting an important detail about his daughter so you see what a bad dad he is. However, Mark Rufallo is such a charismatic guy, that you kind of roll with it and have your fun. Then we get to know Keira Knightley's Gretta and her life with a boyfriend turned famous. This relationship eventually ends, but with less drama than you would expect.
In general, the movie is missing that big climacting break down, where everything goes wrong and which the characters have to recover from. But this is what is somehow charming about the movie. Except for the beginning mentioned above, the plot development feels very real, with some ups and downs, but no typical hollywood disaster. Among other things this might be due to the fact that a lot of scenes were improvised, which is pretty rare for movies outside of the comedy genre.
The songs, obviously playing a big part in this film, are mostly played in full length, but are embedded nicely into the film's story in different ways. They are very good listening and Keira Knightley's soft voice worked surprisingly well with them. So while not being the most thrilling thing in theaters right now, it is nice litte film to watch. A feel good movie about the love for and through music, with some cute ways to portray it.  

For Fans Of:
Once (2006)

Click Here To Watch Trailer! 

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 3D - Movie Review

 Title: Guardians of the Galaxy
Running Time: 121 min 
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Lee Pace, Karen Gillan, Benicio Del Torro, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Michael Rooker

Review:
Even without the rights to their biggies Spider-Man and the X-Men, Marvel Studios has managed to build maybe the biggest and most successfull movie universe of all time. So good, that while DC is still struggling to deliver outside of Nolan's Batman Trilogy, Marvel tried their luck with D-List comic heroes including a talking racoon and a tree version of hodor. What sounded like a gamble on paper seemed to have everyone hooked on a feeling after the first trailer and people got really excited about "Guardians of the Galaxy". And they had every right to do so!
If science fiction was music, then this film would be rock'n'roll! Witty, bold, insubordinate and just extremely cool: "Guardians of the Galaxy" takes you on a ride. This is a movie, that can almost get away with anything, just because it is so self-aware and doesn't take itself too serious. Yes, the writers have done an exceptional job. Instead of giving us each character's origin (with the exception of Peter Quill, but even his back story feels more like a prologue), they rather let the viewer learn about their past very smoothly through certain dialogues or scenes. With all its great one-liners, this film could as well be called a comedy and even the mandatory cheesy emotional moments of such a superhero story are quickly followed by a brilliant joke to losen up the atmosphere again. All this mixed with some kick-ass sci-fi space action and cleverly choreographed fight-scenes makes for some damn good entertainment.
But every great script relies on the delivery by the cast. The leading man in this case is Chris Pratt, who plays the charismatic self-proclaimed "Star-Lord" and gives us the perfect mix of Han Solo and Indiana Jones, with a hint of Andy Dwyer*. Next to him is Zoe Saldana as Gamora, being bad-ass as usual, eventhough she could have gotten more time to shine. Dave Bautista does his best portraying Drax the Destroyer, which might not be that much, but the way the script is written helps him out and in the end he really is a sympathetic guy. But the real showstealers here are Rocket and Groot. Especially the former of the duo provides most of the laughs and paired with that twee tree, he has the most hilarious moments of the film.
Lastly, this movie's look and style are a treat as well. The visuals effects are awesome and the use of prostetics and make-up instead of CGI can truly be appreciated. Also, the soundtrack is simply a must-buy. Almost Tarantino-worthy!
Having all that going on for it, "Guardians of the Galaxy" will make you overlook the forgettable villain or other minor flaws, mostly because you will be too busy quoting lines from it on the ride home from the theater.

 For Fans Of:
The Avengers (2012)
Serenity (2005)
The Losers (2010) 
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
John Carter (2012)
Star Trek (2009)
Footloose (1984)

Click Here To Watch Trailer! 

*Andy Dwyer is Chris Pratt's character on the show "Parks and Recreation"

WHEN ANIMALS DREAM - Movie Review

 Title: When Animals Dream (orig.: Når dyrene drømmer)
Running Time: 84 min
Director: Jonas Alexander Arnby 
Starring: Sonja Oftebro, Lars Mikkelsen, Jakob Oftebro

Review:
After great comedies like "Adam's Apples" or "The Green Butcher", and gritty thrillers like "Headhunters" or the "Millennium Trilogy", one really shouldn't underestimate Skandinavian film making. So when the name of a Danish production company popped up at the beginning of last weeks sneak preview, I didn't mind at all, and curiously watched as the plot of  "When Animals Dream" unfolded.
It evolves around 16-year old Marie, who lives on a small island with her father and mother, the latter of which appears to be seriously ill. Thus, she has to take care of her, without being fully grown up herself, but that's not all. Something mysterious is going on with her, and she discovers the darker sides of her personality.
What might as well be the premiss of another bromidic adaptation of a young adult novel, is really more of a drama with a fantasy/horror element. It is a movie thats certainly not for everyone. With its very slow narrative tempo and more silent moments than actual dialogue, it takes some patience and will probably bore you if you're not into that kind of stuff. If however you are looking for different type of film, with the typical dreary northern atmosphere, then this movie might be worth your attention. It's an interesting take on the topic (which i try not to spoil here) and if you want to stay surprised, I do not recommend watching the trailer as it firstly gives away a lot and secondly is missleading in terms of the amount of action presented in this movie.
So all in all, this isn't a film you will invite your friends over for, but rather something to check out out of personal interest. 

For Fans Of: 
Black Swan (2010)
Let Me In (2010)
Penny Dreadful (2014 - TV Series)

And check out my friend's review over at B.A.'s Screentest for a second opinion! (Spoiler Alert)

LUCY - Movie Review

 Title: Lucy
Running Time: 89 min
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-sik Choi, Amr Waked

Review:
The theory that humans use only ten percent of their brain capacity has already been proven false back in the 1980's, and yet, in 2011, Neil Burger's "Limitless" managed to build a highly intoxicating thriller around this exact same myth. Now, three years later, french director Luc Besson tries his luck with a similar premise, but a much more science-fictitious approach. So does his version of the false fact work just as well? Unfortunately, not quite so.
There is a lot of greatness in "Lucy", especially at the beginning. The stylistic choices in the opening scene are extremely clever, and beautiful modern film making. The film in general is very good-looking and has a lot of powerfull imagery and symbolism going on. Despite all this potential however, the film fails to captivate the viewer.
All the science presented is of course totally non-sense, but the actual problem in this movie is probably its lack conflict and characters to identify with. About twenty minutes into the movie, our main character is already kind of indestructible, and so every action sequence (while still looking really cool) loses its thrill as at no point we feel anything to be a real threat to our protagonist. Her humanity disappears without any sign of inner struggle, and since she gained her abilities through something that was essentially designed as a street drug, she doesn't even seem to be special or "chosen". That the other characters in the movie also seem oddly okay with someone basically turning into... well... God, and their lack of character development do not help either. And finally, the flash drive ending is just completely bonkers.
Overall, with some adjustments here and there, Lucy could have been a great sci-fi action thriller, but instead falls flat after a good start. Watchable, and somewhat entertaining, but not for movie theater prices. Catch this one on free TV or maybe as a rental.

For Fans Of:
Limitless (2011)
Transcendence (2014)
Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Click Here To Watch Trailer!

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES - Movie Review

 Title: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Running Time: 130 min
Director: Matt Reeves
Starring: Andy Serkis, Toby Kebbel, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Kussel

Review:
When Producer Arthur P. Jacobs bought the rights to Pierre Boulle's novel "La Planète des Singes" in 1963, he probably didn't expect that he'd start a franchise that would last 50 years and counting. The original film adaptation with Charlton Heston was a huge success and turned into a classic. Now, four sequels, one television series, an aweful reboot, and a critically acclaimed "re-reboot"/prequel later, we get the latest installment of this incredible saga*. Following  the events of "Rise" the movie takes us a step further to how the Planet of the Apes actually came to be. And it does so in an amazing way.
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" keeps you invested from the very first scene until the end credits roll. It is a true blockbuster, that is very well paced and full of action, heart and a lot of social commentary. The latter is actually impossible to miss, as the whole story evolves around two groups (in this case species) that are at the brink of war, mostly because of missunderstandings, preconceptions and radical individuals within their own ranks. This believable depiction of conflict might make the story predictable at some points, but only because real conflicts really do seem to follow similar patterns.
And then there's of course the elephant gorilla in the room: The visual effects! If you are not in it for content, there is no need to worry for this movie is truely a feast for the eyes! With the most advanced technique of performance capture Weta Workshop has done a groundbreaking job with the visuals. Seeing how they trasformed the actors into such realistic apes simply leaves you in awe and is an enchanting experience. If this movie does not get the Oscar Gold for its VFX, i doubt there is a sane person left in the Academy.
However, this method is called performance capture for a reason and in no way should the computer animation overshadow the fantastic job these actors have done. Andy Serkis, the god of playing animated characters, outperforms himself once again and elevates all his co-stars on to his level. Not only do they get the strong emotions across, but they physically play apes at the same time. Posture, movement and facial expressions are so spot on, that at no point in the movie you have the feeling you are watching film actors pretending to be apes, but rather apes acting in a film.
Further it needs to be mentioned that, unlike in Avatar for example, 90% of the scenes were shot on location, which meant an even greater challenge for the actors and  the VFX-Team. But before I run out of positive adjectives, I urge you to check out all the behind the scenes footage you can get your hands on and much more importantly to watch this film in theaters!

*so basically the sequel of the prequel of the planet of the apes, which is basically a reboot.

For Fans Of:
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Malcom X (1992)

Click Here To Watch Trailer!

And check out my friend's review over at B.A.'s Screentest for a second opinion!

In Memory Of Robin Williams

 Hello there fellow film lovers,
it has been quite some time since my last entry, and yet, I wish I didn't have a reason to post something today. However, as you might have heard by now, yesterday on August 11, 2014, the great Robin Williams died at age 63.

This news really took me by surprise and never has the passing of a celebrity affected me as much as this one. Probably because this was the person whose films I grew up with. More than a familiar face on TV. The man who could always make me laugh.
As a little kid, I watched "Jumanji" over and over again till it annoyed the heck out of my relatives and to this day it is the film I've seen the most. It was pure movie magic the first time and every other time I popped in that VHS and pressed the play button. "Mr. Doubtfire", "Jack" and especially "Hook" are more examples of how Robin Williams not only entertained me as a child, but spawned my imagination and gave me role models to look up to.
As I got older I had the pleasure of enjoying his more serious works, and saw that his warmth and kindness translated to drama as good as they did to comedy. With his outstanding performance in "Good Will Hunting" he gave us what a professor of mine called 'the best portrayal of a psychologist in film ever', which earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Also, his perfect delivery in "Dead Poets Society" (as seen below) gives you even more chills now that he's passed away. And finally as if we needed more proof of his talent, he even managed to creep us out by playing against his usual type in films such as "Insomnia" and "One Hour Photo".
I could talk all day about so many brilliant pieces in his filmography, but what is really worth mentioning is that (looking at his co-stars and friends) his affectionate and warm-hearted on-screen-persona must have been just the same when the cameras turned off. The world lost a great artist, but more importantly, it lost a great human being!

Carpe Diem,
Your Cinemartian



"I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul." 
- Steve Martin

"Robin was a lightning storm of comic genius and our laughter was the thunder that sustained him. He was a pal and I can't believe he's gone."
- Steven Spielberg

"I've never known a sweeter, brighter, more considerate person than Robin. Robin's commitment as an artist to lifting our mood and making us happy is compared to none. He loved us all and we loved him back."
- John Travolta

 "His kindness and generosity is what I think of. How kind he was to anyone who wanted to connect with him. And he could not help but be funny all the time. He would do something as long as it would keep you laughing. He made many, many film crews laugh out loud before the audiences ever saw it. He made such a big impact on the world." 
- Ben Stiller

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets. The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin’s family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams." 
- Barack Obama

"I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken." 
- Susan Schneider