LOVE ACTUALLY

LOVE ACTUALLY (2003)

Featuring: Hugh Grant plus too many famous people to mention...

Director: Richard Curtis (who also wrote the script)

Since it is almost Christmas, this year I decided to take a look at this off-beat British comedy. Back in the day, Leonard Maltin had the following to say about this movie:
"It seems as if every Brit from the prime minister to a fading rock star to a widower is falling in love..." Hence, the title which actually refers to the lyrics of the theme song "Love Is All Around Us".

It is impossible to give a summary of the plot here (just look at the picture below) as there are actually something like ten loosely connected yet fully independent story-lines, all taking place during the last few days before Christmas. However, in the end I found it all very charming and heart-warming with an amazing sound-track to boot. This is just the thing to watch with all those near and dear to you this time of year.

I rate it at a very merry 4 out of 5 stars. Cheers until next year!!

 

VOICE FROM THE STONE (2017)

Featuring: Emilia Clarke; Marton Csokas; Edward Dring

Director: Eric D. Howell

Based on the 1996 novel by Silvino Raffio this 2017 movie is also set in Tuscany, Italy during the 1950's. Verena (Emilia Clarke) is a nurse hired to aid a young boy (Edward Dring) who'd gone mute upon the recent death of his mother. Convinced that he can hear his late mother's voice in the walls of the ancient villa they all live in, the boy gradually draws his new carer into his own mysteriously silent world.

The mood is sombre and the pace is slow but the story is fascinating with a nice sting in the tail. As usual Emilia Clarke's performance is first rate but it is Edward Dring's wonderful depiction of the deeply troubled Jacob that really steals the show.

I rate it at a respectable 3 out of 5 stars.

 Edward Dring with Emilia Clarke

 

GIFTED (2017)

Featuring: Chris Evans; McKenna Grace; Olivia Spencer

Director: Marc Webb

Big gifts often come in small packages. Although that rings true for the central character in this movie the actual question it asks is this: What is "real" family.

Mary (Mckenna Grace) is a seven year old maths prodigy who has been in the loving care of her uncle Frank (Chris Evans) since she was a mere baby. That was shortly after her mother, his sister and also a maths genius, committed suicide. But then her estranged grandmother appears on the scene to stake her own claim on the little girl.

In an interview with Marc Webb who directed huge blockbusters like the Spider-Man movies, said that he really wanted to make a movie like this for some time now. And with stars like Chris Evans (Captain America) and Octavia Spencer (The Help) it is a winning combination - not even to mention the mega talented little Mckenna Grace. You have to have a heart of stone if you do not pick a tear for this one. 

I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

  Olivia Spencer, Mckenna Grace and Chris Evans

Trailer:

CUJO (1983)

Featuring: Dee Wallace; Daniel Hugh-Kelly; Danny Pintauro

Director: Lewis Teague

Every time I watch this movie (and it has been quite a few times now) it scares the heebie-jeebies out of me. No wonder it became a real cult classic amongst horror flick aficionados.

Again the main story contains a number of sub-plots but eventually everything work towards the main event. A mother (Dee Wallace) and her young son (Danny Pintauro) get trapped in their broken-down car on a desolate farm while a giant rabid dog is trying his best to get at them. How will they survive the ordeal?

Based on another Stephen King bestseller, the movie starts off happily enough in small-town America with nothing but wide open spaces only to climax into one of the most frightening claustrophobic and bloody film finales ever. Young Danny Pintauro's outstanding performance needs special mentioning though. It got him nominated for a Young Artist Award in 1984.

I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45vzCiU01O4

Mom and son shortly before the ordeal began...

 

DREAMCATCHER (2003)

Featuring: Morgan Freeman; Thomas Jane; Damian Lewis

Director: Lawrence Kasdan

A "dreamcatcher" is a device used by the indigenous peoples of North America to ward off bad dreams. Exactly how that fits into the story is not made very clear in the movie. For that you have to look at the trailer.

Four childhood friends who share extrasensory powers head off to their remote cabin in the woods for a boys only weekend. However, no sooner did they arrive there or things start to go horribly wrong. At the same time the military is on secret maneuvers to seek and destroy an alien base in the same area. And of course this goes awry as well. So it is up to our friends to jump in and save the world from total annihilation.

Like so many Stephen King stories this one has so many sub-plots, each with its own weird twists and turns that it becomes difficult to keep your head about it. Unfortunately this movie doesn't succeed in doing it and therefor become rather muddled and confusing towards the middle. However, the ending does tie some strings together. The special effects are great though. It might be worth watching it for the scary stuff alone if you are in the mood.

I rate it at 2 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzBSoQEQrLE

The four friends looking up at the title object

CARRIE (2013)

Featuring: Chloe Grace Moretz; Julianne Moore; Ansel Elgort

Director: Kimberly Pierce

"Carrie" was Stephen King's first commercially successful book. It was made into film initially in 1975, starring Sissy Spacek in the title roll and directed by Brian De Palma. This 2013 remake is basically a updated version of that movie.

Carrie White (Chloe Grace Moretz) is the daughter of a religious nut who believes the first and original sin was intercourse. The poor girl therefor never got told any of the facts of life. So when she has her first period, it comes as a complete surprise. To make matters worse, it happens in the school showers in front of all her female classmates who, of course, makes fun of it all. At the same time she also discovers that she possesses over immense kinetic powers. From thereon one thing leads to another which could eventually only spell disaster.

As this is a more technological updated version to the original it is easier for modern audiences to relate to. And even though the story might be familiar, director Kimberly Pierce presents it in such a way that it feels fresh. The special effects, although not as many as you might expect, are quite good. However, it is the performances of the entire cast that stands out and makes this one a cut above other horror movies of this era.

I rate it at 3 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSn7JyijA8k

Scary girl!

 

THE DARK TOWER (2017)

Featuring: Idris Elba; Matthew McConaughey; Tom Taylor

Director: Nikolaj Arcel

I am sure more movies have been made from Stephan King stories than from any other single author ever. And with Halloween-month just around the corner I thought it a good time to look at some of the films based on his work. There is no denying: he is the undisputed master of horror. This particular movie is actually excerpts from several of the Dark Tower series of books by the writer. In a sense it is a bit like what was done with Hearts In Atlantis (2001). I think the problem for movie makers is that all King's stories are so rich with intricate material that it becomes difficult to take one book or story and cover it all in one movie. Gee, it's even difficult to do a proper detailed review of most of these movies...

Be that as is may, in this movie Jake (Tom Taylor) is haunted by vivid nightmares of impending doom. He is convinced that they are premonitions but nobody wants to believe him and thinks he may be a little crazy. So he decides to follow up on some of the clues he got from his dreams on his own. However, what he stumbles onto is even more dreadful than what he could ever imagine.

Apparently, the critics didn't like this movie very much. On IMDB it scored a disappointing 5.7/10. I disagree. It contains everything you'd expect of a good horror flick: action, suspense, enough gore and a good plot with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Young Taylor acquits himself excellently of his task and doesn't have to stand back one inch for either of the two heavy weight co-stars.

I had no trouble in awarding it 4 out of 5 stars!

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjwfqXTebIY 

Idris Elba and Tom Taylor