Mansome

Mansome

Review: Morgan Spurlock will never be Michael Moore. His documentaries will always be on the border between a bit interesting and just kind of silly. Mansome is no different. Easy entertainment but nothing more.

Rating: 4.5/10

Life of Pi

Life of Pi

Review: I remember really enjoying Yann Martel's novel Life of Pi when I read it 10 years ago. A perfect combination of fantasy, spirituality and general feelgood vibes. I couldn't quite imagine it as a movie back then, but now Ang Lee has made one. And it's a very beautiful film, as always when it comes to him. But I don't know if my taste has changed during these 10 years or what, but the movie quite quickly bored me. I think I have to re-read the book to see.

Rating: 5/10

Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook

Review: I wish that this movie had been around 90 minutes long instead of 120 minutes. Because for the first 90 minutes it was an interesting film with some good acting and a nice plot. The last 30 minutes though just dived into the usual romantic comedy cliches and left me slightly with a bad taste in my mouth. Too bad, because the performances from Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence were really good and it's a shame that the ending let it all down so much.

Rating: 4.5/10

Hitchcock

Hitchcock

Review:  I wasn't too sure what I would think of this film when I first heard of it, but the choice of actors for it made me decide to watch it. And I'm glad I did, both Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren did excellent performances in it. I also liked most of the other actors as well as the settings. Not sure if this is a very memorable film, but at least I'm satisfied for the moment.

Rating: 5.5/10

Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina

Review: Well made, beautiful, somewhat good acting, too long, kind of boring in the long run.

Rating: 4.5/10

Django Unchained

Django Unchained

Review: I'm not a big fan of Western movies. As a matter of fact, I stay away from them. But I can make exceptions, especially when Quention Tarantino decides to make one. I first heard of Django Unchained over a year ago, so it was with great joy that I sat down to watch it. And I enjoyed it. It has most of the classic Tarantino parts; the violence, the nice settings and the interesting and good cast. I kind of missed his great dialouge in this one, but it worked without it. There was really only two things that bothered me with this film. First of all, it was too long. 2 hours and 45 minutes was way too long to tell this story. The second thing I didn't like was Samuel L. Jackson's character Stephen. It felt way too typically Samuel L. Jackson than anything else, and I didn't buy his house slave persona at all. As always I loved Christoph Waltz though, a truly great actor that outshone both Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx here. 

Rating: 7/10

Seven Psychopaths

Seven Psychopaths

Review: A great cast, a promising idea, a disappointing film. As much as this action comedy tries to be edgy and entertaining, it just feels low budget and lame. The director Martin McDonagh managed to do something interesting when he did In Bruges, but this time he fails. A shame.

Rating: 3/10

Kovasikajuttu

Kovasikajuttu

Review: An truly great and entertaining documentary about the Finnish punk group Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät. A must see if you want to get to the true essence of punk rock.

Rating: 8/10

Bully

Bully

Review: Bully is a documentary about, well, bullying. It's focus on a few American teenagers and their families, and how they suffer from, but also fight againt, bullying. It's a really strong and emotional film that handles an all too important subject, how to protect our kids from being put down in the worst possible ways. I don't really feel that it offers any real solutions, but showing that the problem exists is perhaps just as important.

Rating: 7/10

Palme

Palme

Review: First off  I have to say that what I saw wasn't the version of Palme that went up at the cinema. I was too lazy to get around to watching it there. I saw what you might call the extended version of it that Swedish television showed during the holidays. With that out of the way, this was a really great documentary. Well put together, personal and showing a bit of both sides of this man. There are certain scenes that the makers of it put in just for effect which I felt was unnecessary, but with that being said, I really recommend everyone with a slight bit of interest for modern history to check it out.

Rating: 7.5/10

John Dies at the End

John Dies at the End

Review: John Dies at the End is definitely not one of your everyday films. This twisted dark comedy-horror flick is quite entertaining though. Not something for everyone, but it worked for me.

Rating: 4.5/10

Movies 2012

So what's been good, and what's been bad when it comes to the movies this year? Well, it's been a mixed bag of both. If I should pick a few movies that were my real favourites this year, I have to say The Artist, En kongelig affære, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and the documentary Knuckle. I know that they all didn't come out this year, but I've seen them during 2012, and that's what counts. If I should pick out some flicks that have been extra crappy, then 21 Jump Street, The Grey and Irvine Welch's Ecstacy has to be up there.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Adventures of Tintin, The
Albert Nobbs
Amazing Spider-Man, The
Angels' Share, The
Anonymous
Artist, The
Attack of the 50ft Cheerleader
Autoluminescent: Rowland S. Howard
Avengers, The
Being Flynn
Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The
Big Fan
Bindlestiffs
Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975, The
Bourne Legacy, The
Café de Flore
Carnage
Chronicle
Clearskin
Conan O'Brien Can't Stop
Coriolanus
Cowboys & Aliens
Dark Knight Rises, The
Dark Shadows
Debt, The
Descendants, The
Dredd 3D
End of Watch
En kongelig affære
Expendables 2, The
Fetish Dolls Die Laughing
Flight
Frankenweenie
Game Change
Get the Gringo
God Bless America
God on Trial
Grey, The
Happy End
Help, The
Himlen är oskyldigt blå
Hobbit, The: An Unexpected Journey
Hodejegerne
Holy Flying Circus
Hotel Transylvania
Hugo
Hunger
Hunger Games, The
Hysteria
Immortals
Inbetweeners Movie, The
Indie Game: The Movie
形影不离 (Inseparable)
Iron Lady, The
Iron Sky
Irvine Welsh's Ecstacy
J. Edgar
Jeff, Who Lives at Home
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
John Carter
Just for Kicks
Knuckle
La piel que habito
Lincoln
Man on a Ledge
Man with the Iron Fists, The
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Melancholia
Men in Black III
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Moneyball
Moonrise Kingdom
Oslo, 31 Augusti
ParaNorman
Perks of Being a Wallflower, The
Prometheus
Rampart
Resident Evil: Retribution
Rise & Fall of a White Collar Hooligan, The
Rock of Ages
Rum Diary, The
Safe House
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Scoop
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Skyfall
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Strippers vs Werewolves
Super High Me
Ted
That's What I Am
This Means War
Tillsammans
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
21 Jump Street
Twixt
Underworld: Awakening
War of the Dead
Warrior
We Are Skateboarders
We Bought a Zoo
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Withnail & I
Woody Allen: A Documentary
Woman in Black, The

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Review: This is a film that I, like many other people, have been looking forward to ever since we first heard about it. And I have to say that Peter Jackson have succeeded once again. A really beautiful and majestic tale about a hobbit, a wizard and a bunch of dwarfs. Quite a lot of people have complained that this one was a bit too slow. I agree, there are slow parts of it, but have we all forgot about all the time we had to sit through Frodo and Sam going around and around. That was slow and annoying at times if any. This was a real treat for the eyes, and I can't wait for the next chapter!

Rating: 8/10

Lincoln

Lincoln

Review: Steven Spielberg's made a really good film depicting the later years of Abraham Lincoln's life, and his fight for the abolishment of slavery. Daniel Day-Lewis is excellent in the lead role, but everyone involved should get credit for this fine movie. I really recommend this one.

Rating: 7.5/10

Withnail & I

Withnail & I

Review: Withnail & I is considered a modern classic. And perhaps it was something extra if you watched back in 1987. But seeing it for the first time in 2012, it's far from special. Some good acting, some bad acting, some nice lines, lots of boredom. Nope, not a classic to me.

Rating: 4.5/10

Flight

Flight

Review: You can always count on some good acting from Denzel Washington, and his performace in Flight is no different. He's one of those few actors who can do a lot with very little, and his portrayal of drug dependant airline pilot Whip Whitaker was really good. The film itself was ok, but all in all nothing special.

Rating: 5.5/10

Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie

Review: For some reason this felt like the perfect way to start off Christmas this year. Think Tim Burton meets Frankenstein and Pet Semetary and you're kind of there. Really charming and definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 6.5/10

Derek Pilot Episode

I don't know why I haven't seen this one before, but better late than never I guess. Derek is a British comedy series starring Ricky Gervais, Karl Pilkington and Kerry Godliman. This pilot was aired in April this year, and in the beginning of 2013 the show was start on Channel 4. The pilot was promising, so I'm looking to see if the show can live up to that.

Resident Evil: Retribution

Resident Evil: Retribution

Review: This is the fifth installment in the Resident Evil film series. Each movie gets a  more and more vague storyline, and Resident Evil: Retribution seem to have skipped it all together. Never a dull moment in it though since they seem to believe that as long as there is action, a story is not needed.

Rating: 3.5/10

The Man with the Iron Fists

The Man with the Iron Fists

Review: I have full respect for RZA to follow his heart and doing what he's really passionate about. Unfortunately The Man with the Iron Fists mostly comes off as a lame copy of other classic movies from this genre. And it has to be said, don't use your own music for movies like this, and, you are a sorry excuse for an actor, even in a movie like this.

Rating: 2.5/10

Dredd 3D

Dredd 3D

Review: I was interested to see what they could come up with this time. The version with Sylvester Stallone from 1995 was, if a bit entertaining, too much of a slaughter of the original comic book. This version is better in that sense, more true to its origin. But it still kind of sucks. I want a movie about the Dark Judges instead.

Rating: 4/10

Skyfall

Skyfall

Review: I haven't been a big fan of James Bond lately, but since I've probably seen the other 22 movies I knew I would see this one too. And I'm glad I did. Skyfall was a good action movie that actually managed to keep my attention for the majority of the 137 minutes, which is not a mean feat. Far from a masterpiece, but still very much worth watching.

Rating: 6.5/10

The Angels' Share

The Angels' Share

Review: I can't seem to be able to stay away from the films of Ken Loach, even though the quality of them are uneven at best. Sometimes he makes really amazing movies, but The Angels' Share is not of them. I love the settings and the language, but the story is quite weak and stupid and not the least bit memorable. Worth watching though if you love Scotland and whiskey I guess. 

Rating: 4/10

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Review: A true coming of age film based on the novel by Stephen Chbosky. Nothing really new here, but I must say that there are some good acting in it, especially by Logan Lerman in the lead. A pleasant view, but nothing that I will remember for long unfortunately. 

Rating: 6/10

End of Watch

End of Watch

Review: An average cop film that got by more or less only by the acting of Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña. Disappointing and predictable ending that disappointed me more than anything.

Rating: 4.5/10

The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff

The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff

Review: I love stumbling across things like this! The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff is a four-part BBC comedy show, that parodies the works of Charles Dickens. The cast is a joy, many of my favourite British comedians make an appearance and the stylings are quite lovely. I get a Christmassy feel of it all, and for some reason I get a Terry Pratchett vibe while watching. The show is quite weird and out there sometimes, but I can't help smiling all the way through it and ending up feeling sad that it's over now. A true joy to watch!

Rating: 7.5/10

Ricky Gervais Live @ Scandinavium

A few days ago I had the pleasure of finally seeing Ricky Gervais live. I had been looking forward to this for a long time, so it was with joy I went to see him at Scandinavium. 

The opening act was Doc Brown, who I have to admit I hadn't really heard too much about up until now. He was however really good and funny, and his 30 minute set could easily have been longer if you ask me.

But it was quite obvious why everyone was here. As soon as Ricky Gervais stepped on stage the crowd loved him. And so did I. He's a real entertainer, and one of my absolute favourite comedians. The only downside to the show was that, except for a few jokes about Vikings, I had heard every single joke before. Maybe I should blame myself for watching his DVD's too many times, but I must admit that I was a bit let down by this. All in all though, I'm really glad I went and it was a very funny and entertaining evening. 

An Idiot Abroad Season 3

Time now for the third season of An Idiot Abroad. Not my favourite show on television, but I couldn't really stay away. This time around Karl Pilkington is joined by Warwick Davis. A few good laughs, but not really convinced. We'll see if it gets better as it keeps going.

The Bourne Legacy

The Bourne Legacy

Review: The fourth installment in the Bourne film series, but the first one without Matt Damon. The character Jason Bourne is not at all the focus in this one. Here we get to follow Aaron Cross instead, and his fight to survive. Jeremy Renner is doing a good job in the lead role, but I actually kind of miss Matt Damon. It's not really Bourne without him. Easy entertainment though, perfect for a Saturday.

Rating: 5.5/10

God on Trial

God on Trial

Review:  God on Trial takes place in Auschwitz during the Second World War. In it, a group of Jewish prisoners decide to put God on trial. It's an interesting story even though I feel that it doesn't work all the way through. It feels like you need to have a good knowledge about the Torah to get the most out of it. Some good actors even though the acting itself don't really impress.  

Rating: 5/10