Showing posts with label Woody Harrelson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Woody Harrelson. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Triangle of Sadness (2022)

A couple made of a model and an influencer wins a cruise on a luxury ship.

'Triangle of Sadness' is a difficult film to describe. Essentially a satire, it has comedic but also dramatic elements, with a strong message that doesn't try to be subtle. Well acted by the whole extended team of actors, well thought out and with a dialogue that's rich in subtleties.

Director:  Ruben Östlund      
With: Thobias Thorwid, Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Jiannis Moustos, Woody Harrelson

Rating: 10/10

Monday, December 26, 2022

Out of the Furnace (2013)

After the disappearance of his brother, Russell Baze decides to take things in his own hands.

'Out Of The Furnace' is a drama with some thriller bits mixed in. It contains some strong performances from the main actors and then some, but it will be tricky for the audience to keep emotionally involved in a story that would not have happened without the unfortunate and completely avoidable decisions of some of the characters. But the acting of the actors alone could be reason enough to see it to the end.

Director:  Scott Cooper     
With: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson, Sam Shepard, Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker, Boyd Holbrook

Rating: 7/10

Saturday, February 05, 2022

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

Nadine goes through an identity crisis when her best friend starts dating her popular brother.

'The Edge Of Seventeen' is a pseudo-teen comedy-drama. The main character is a kind of hyperactive introvert who lives with the impression that everyone else knows who they are, what they're doing, what they want and what needs to happen and the coming-of-age of the character comes from the aquiring the awareness that no one is perfect and no one is born with a natural self-confidence. The arrogance of the character is often an element of annoyance (how many can say that they have so many benevolent people ready to jump to the rescue ??), but the film is a great success and may help some of us more "different" people to realize that we are all children just testing the waters.

Director:  Kelly Fremon Craig   
With: Hailee Steinfeld, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner, Kyra Sedgwick, Woody Harrelson

Rating: 8/10

Friday, January 28, 2022

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock continue their post-apocalyptic adventures with a new challenge: evolved zombies.

'Zombieland: Double Tap' is the sequel to a successful horror-comedy, 10 years after the release of the first. The first film is not extraordinary, so it is difficult to understand why the producers wanted another one, especially without having Bill Murray attached. Fans of expensive blockbusters asked for it, they got it and were satisfied with just a mediocre movie. Ehh, at least it has Woody Harrelson, and some almost-cameos worth mentioning: Rosario Dawson and Luke Wilson.

Director:  Ruben Fleischer   
With: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Rosario Dawson, Luke Wilson, Zoey Deutch

Rating: 7/10

Sunday, January 23, 2022

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

Eddie Brock becomes involved in news about a serial killer who ends up infected by Venom when the journalist visits him, thus giving birth to Carnage.

'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' is a continuation of Venom's story from the first film, still starring Tom Hardy, but under the direction of Andy Serkis this time. The film remains entertaining, but our expectations are somehow deflated, especially due to the presence of Woddy Harrelson, which you almost forget was added to the cast. And Naomie Harris's character could have been better exploited.

Regia:  Andy Serkis      
Cu: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris

Rating: 7/10

Saturday, October 23, 2021

Kate (2021)

Kate is the perfect assassin, seeking revenge after being poisoned with only one day left to live.

'Kate' is a revenge action thriller, revenge being a very popular subject that has many well-made films in its name. The film is almost perfect, with stylistic themes similar to cinematic video games that have grown in popularity in the last 10 years or so. Its various stylistic layers (including an Asian strong vibe) manage to enrich the experience of watching 'Kate' in a very satisfying way and somewhat full of moderate emotions exactly where and when they should come out.

Director:  Cedric Nicolas-Troyan      
With: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Woody Harrelson, Miku Patricia Martineau, Tadanobu Asano

Rating: 9/10

Monday, October 04, 2021

Wag The Dog (1997)

A spin doctor is assembling a team that includes a Hollywood producer in order to set up fake news meant to distract the public from a scandal involving the president shortly before the election.

'Wag The Dog' is a delight from start to finish. With first-hand actors working as a great team, the film is a political satire that still remains relevant more than 20 years after its release. The manipulation the characters put in place is well thought out and, the more obvious and ridiculous it is, the more subtle and efficient it actually is in highlighting the human weaknesses that are cleverly hidden under the necessary exaggerations.

Director:  Barry Levinson   
With: Robert de Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Anne heche, Woody Harrelson, Denis Leary, Willie Nelson, Kirsten Dunst

Rating: 9/10

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

O mama indurerata inchiriaza 3 panouri publicitare pentru a insufla politia locala cu motivatie in a prinde vinovatul omorului fiicei sale.

O drama semi comica cu accente tragice ce foloseste o echipa de actori de prima mana ce impresioneaza prin jocul lor fara cusur ce nu a ramas neobservat de toate premiile de prestigiu. Cu un scenariu imperfect, ce se axeaza prea mult pe efecte compasionale si prea putin substrat, rezultatul final este imbogatit de ceea ce nu este scris si anume munca de echipa a actorilor implicati ce au reusit sa imbunatateasca mult materia prima cu care au lucrat.

Regia:  Martin McDonagh   
Cu: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, Zeljko Ivanek, Kerry Condon, Peter Dinklage, John Hawkes, Samara Weaving, Clarke Peters

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English

Friday, December 18, 2009

2012 (2009)


Filmele de genul acesta sunt unul din motivele pentru care lumea ajunge sa priveasca cinematografia, in special cea americana, ca pe ceva superficial, comercial, avid de profituri uriase si reclame costisitoare, facand ca cele cateva elemente de laudat de aceeasi nationalitate sa treaca neobservate, blamate sau aruncate la cos pe nedrept. Spre deosebire de alte productii care tot pe comercial se bazeaza dar mai depun si putin efort pentru o poveste cu un talc mai mult sau mai putin cliseic, cu umor inteligent strecurat, sau adrenalina foarte bine ... coregrafiata, aici nu vad nimic de laudat. Il aduc pe John Cusack bazandu-se pe sentimentul unanim ca e un tip simpatic, dar nu-i dau mare lucru de facut, ii dau un rol de nebun profetic lui Woody Harrelson dar il ravasesc prea repede, si mai adauga din cand in cand niscaiva replici umoristice obosite si gata ai un film. Rusine! Pentru ceva de laudat tot in tonul fatalist de sfarsit al lumii, dar cu ceva mai multa profunzime si arta, recomand din suflet un subapreciat - Deep Impact.

Regia: Roland Emmerich
Scenariul: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser
Cu: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover

Friday, November 20, 2009

La gramada...


Max Payne (2008)
Nu-s familiarizata cu jocul, dar cu siguranta filmul asta nu a satisfacut nici cea mai mica parte din fanii sai. Cu toate mijloacele, tehnice si legate de distributie necesare la dispozitie (cu mici defecte de casting scuzabile, deoarece nu reprezinta cauza principala a esecului - ma refer aici la Mila Kunis care aici nu stiu ce a patit dar e cam teapana, si la atribuirea unui rol prea mic lui Olga Kurylenko, in cazul in care este foarte clar ca acea chimie ecran-spectator ar avea mult mai mult de castigat de pe urma exploatarii ei), dar cu un scenariu prost, intrigi ridicole, scene de actiune cu efect soporific, filmul nu se ridica nici la inaltimea atinsa de un alt esec - Hitman.


Pandorum (2009)
Film SF cu elemente de horror, thriller psihologic &Co. Nu dupa o idee rea, cu un cast destul de reusit, filmul esueaza tocmai pentru ca incearca sa se concentreze pe prea multe fire de desfasurare. Ai si clacarea psihica cu efecte catastrofice, si pierderea memoriei pe perioada nedeterminata cu toata confuzia de la sine inteleasa, ai si alergatura specifica prezentei unei specii cu intentii medievale, ai si stressul propriei specii cu tendinte canibale.


Spread(2009)
Povestea unui tipar. Prezentat jumatate de film destul de realist si foarte bine realizat, cu toate problemele sociale si frustrarile feministe actuale, greseste in a doua jumatate pentru a ceda tentatiei de a transforma filmul intr-un happy end pentru spectator prin efectul de bumerang fatalist care tortureaza personajul, fortandu-l sa ajunga la resemnare si cainta, cu lectia invatata si mai matur. Si asa ajung sa-mi fie mila de personaj si sa am un gust amar si sa nu ma pot bucura deloc de foaia intoarsa. Si mie nici macar nu-mi place Ashton Kutcher. Oricum, e cel mai bun film al lui de la Dude, Where's My Car? incoace.


Feast 2 - Sloppy Seconds, Feast 3 - Happy Finish (2008/2009)
Sunt cele 2 sequel-uri de la primul Feast, si cum sunt foarte apropiat realizate si ca timp real si ca timp film si ca valoare, merita prezentate impreuna.
Imprumuta efectele speciale din primul, imprumuta gore-ul si-l face extrem, imprumuta sarcasmul si-l transforma in sadism, imprumuta umorul inteligent si uita de el transformandu-l in umor sec, zgarcit prezent si acesta oricum, si ce iese? O pierdere de vreme. Nu tu actiune entuziasta, nu tu suprize neasteptate, nu tu inovatie de orice fel, nu tu rasturnari de situatie care te fac sa sari in scaun.


Fast & Furious(2009)
Boring. Boring au fost si celelalte, cu exceptia catorva elemente din primul. Dar cu siguranta nu merita vreun sequel. Aduce toata distributia din primul, dar o omoara pe Michelle Rodriguez(?!), ii impaca total neplauzibil pe Paul Walker si Jordana Brewster, si ii ofera un rol inexpresiv si mecanic (iar?!) lui Vin Diesel.




Trick r Treat (2008)
Patru povesti originale de Halloween se intretaie intr-una cu un rezultat delicios. Pentru fanii genului un adevarat festin cu distributie familiara, cu twisturi suprinzatoare, cu imagine impresionanta, si cu nici macar o secunda de plictiseala .


Zombieland (2009)
Comedie/actiune semi-parodica a genului zombie-horror. Inegal si mult mai putin exploziv decat era de asteptat, ofera totusi cateva suprize foarte placute, cum ar fi momentul Bill Murray. Delicios! Pentru amatori totusi recomand Doghouse.