Shrek – the third

USA 2007. Direction: Chris Miller, Raman Hui. “Actors”: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonia Banderas uvm.

Story:

To find rebellious prince Artie, lawful heir apparent of critically ill king Harold, Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots leave the beloved kingdom “Far Far Away”. Sneaky prince Charming avails this opportunity to snap up the throne. Queen Lillian and princess Fiona already prepared for the attack and defend the kingdom. Meanwhile Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots have to bother around with prince Artie, who has to be reversed from a black sheep to the heir apparent……….

Evaluation:

The movie is cute, I didn’t see Shrek one, but Shrek 2 and I was not disappointed of Shrek 3. I watched it with my niece, who liked it even more, so get the DVD and please your smaller siblings or nieces and nephews! 

Goal! 2 – living the dream

UK 2006. Direction: Jaume Collet-Serra. Actors: Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Anna Friel, Stephen Dillane uvm.

Story:

 After Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker) made a name at Newcastle United for himself, unexpectedly Real Madrid shows interest and thus a dream for every kicker comes true. But as he plays together with David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Raul he gets in danger of loosing the ground beneath his feet. Suddenly his career, but also his friends and fiancée are at stake………..

Evaluation:

This movie is a must for all football fans. But the movie also shows the shady sides of the professional – football, particularly that it is important, if u are in the spotlight, to not loose ground. A great movie about the history of a football star and his heights and lows. After part I (which u should watch before) and part II, I am looking forward to part III. I am not a very huge football fan, but I really liked the movie.

Complete Idiot

Germany 2007. Direction: Tobie Baumann. Actors: Oliver Pocher, Adriana Altaras, Anke Engelke, Tanja Wenzel uvm.

Story:

 Simon Peters (Oliver Pocher), a luckless telemarketer stands shortly before is 30^th birthday and still searches for the love of his life. Since all tries to come on to somebody in the nightlife of Cologne as well as all attempts to couple him, of his Croatian cleaning lady fail, he unexpectedly spots the woman of his dreams in an “All American Coffee Company”. The name of her, a south American milk froth specialist, is Marcia P. Garcia, and all that separates  him from a slaphappy future is the first step…………….

Evaluation:

Surprise, Surprise, I didn’t expect this movie to be good. Oliver Pocher is quite funny, sometimes, but the movie was really ok, I could laugh several times, and I think Pocher fans will love the movie, and all others, like myself, can laugh about the successful gags.

Deck the Halls

USA 2006. Direction: John Whitesell. Actors: Matthew Broderick, Danny De Vito, Kristin Davis

Story:

 If one talks about „Mr. Christmas” in the small town Colverdale in New England, only doctor Steve Finch (Maththew Broderick) can be meant. Every last month of the year the family men pushes a strict Christmas program through: tinker, singing, baking, and sledging. Steve not only owns the best decorated house but is also an appreciated expert for all questions concerning the festival of love. But one day, frustrated Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito) moves into the neighbour house, who then put in his head to bump Mr. Christmas of his throne. He wants to decorate his house with such an amount of fairy lights, that his house can be seen form outer space. But Steve doesn’t wanna give in and starts arming as well…………..

Evaluation:

Who ever would like to have Christmassy feelings at home already, should watch this movie. It’s a nice movie with a happy ending. A movie for the whole family;  for Sunday afternoons, when its raining outside….. But apart from that, I don’t understand how Danny DeVito accomplishes always looking the same in each and every movie he acts in. really its amazing. Is he getting older????

Zodiac

USA 2006. Direction: David Fincher. Actors: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox.  

Story:

At the sunny Bay Area San Francisco’s starts 1968 a brutal a series of murders. The unknown killer bushwhacks couples and kills them. Afterwards he messes with cryptic letters the police and press around, in which he calls himself Zodiac and gloats about his crimes. Journalists and investigators of four districts search for the murderer. When a teenager escapes an attack and describes him as a white masked man, panic breaks out in the city. The unsolvable case soon becomes an obsession of four detectives………

Evaluation:

 Its long ago since a true story could enchain the way this one did. The movie lasts for nearly one and a half hours but doesn’t get boring. That’s a huge achievement. Its fascinating to see that basically everybody, even a caricaturist of a daily newspaper could solve a murder case. But as can be seen the private life suffers. My recommendation, watch this one!!!

88 Minutes

USA 2006. Direction: Jon Avnet. Actors: Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman, William Forsythe, Deborah Kara Unger

Story:

Psychiatrist Jack Gramm works as a college professor and as an advisor for the FBI. Gramm gets phoned by a unknown woman who tells him, he has 88 minutes left to live. Gramm is chasing the stranger. He suspects a former friend, Kim Cummings, his student Lauren Douglas and the sentenced serial killer Jon Forster, whose case he was dealing with and who could have instructed Gramms assassination……..

Evaluation:

The movie most of the time plays in real time……. Just A remark. Honestly, can a movie with Al Pacino be bad? I don’t think so, the movie is exciting till the end. Although Al looks ten years older with each movie, you buy every role, he plays. Suitable for a thrilling movie-evening.

Ocean’s 13

USA 2007. Direction: Steven Soderbergh. Actors: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Ellen Barkin, Al Pacino etc.

Story:

Danny Ocean and the gang would have only one reason to pull off their most ambitious and riskiest casino heist–to defend one of their own. But they’re going to need more than luck on their side to break The Bank. Ruthless casino owner Willy Bank never imagined that the odds were against him when he double-crossed Danny Ocean’s friend and mentor Reuben Tishkoff, putting Reuben in a hospital bed in critical condition. But Bank miscalculated–badly. He may have taken down one of the original Ocean’s eleven, but he left the others standing and, worse for him, gave them a shared purpose: to take Bank down on the night of what should be his greatest triumph–the grand opening of his new casino, appropriately named The Bank………… 

Evaluation:

 A successful third part!!!! In my opinion they could continue shooting parts, really, funny, exciting and full of great ideas. All three Ocean parts are a class of their own and which one can watch again and again and again…….no wonder with such a collection of great artists. Al Pacino fits perfectly in the ocean team. A must see!!!! Best all three in a row.

Spider Man 3

USA 2006, Direction: Sam Raimi. Actors: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace.

Story:

In the third part of Spider-Man, Peter Parker is able to balance the love to Mary Jane and his duties as superhero. But suddenly black clouds are approaching the horizon. When Spider-Mans suit changes jet-black and confers him new, unknown powers, Peter’s character changes as well and reveals dark, vindictive sides of him he cannot control anymore. Under the influence of his suit Peters ego grows bigger and bigger and he increasingly neglects all the people whom care about him most. Soon Peter is forced to make a decision between his seductive new power and the sympathetic hero he once was. Peter has to overcome his personal demons, while two of the most feared scoundrels, Sandman and Venom, gain huge powers and threaten Peter and all whom he loves………………

Evaluation:

Great special effects, Venom one of the two scoundrels really looks frightening. Unfortunately the movie was kind of schmaltzy due to the stupid love story between Peter and Mary Jane. Tobey Maguire crying looks like a five year old boy. Well, it is worth watching due to the special effects but hold your tissues ready!!!!

Shooter

USA 2007. Direction: Antoine Fugua. Actors: Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena, Danny Glovver, Kate Mara, Ned Beatty. 

Story:

A sharp shooter plans an assassination on the President of the United States. The former soldier Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) should prevent it. But suddenly he is under suspicion of being the assassin. While the ex- marine is hunt by all security organisation of the country as well as an intransparent organisation, he desperately tries to proof his innocence and to restore his honour……… 

Evaluation:  

The movie is great, if you like action; a lot of weapons, violence and explosion. Interestingly, weapons are used in the movie which are newly releases on the real weapon market. Crazy somehow……………Mark Wahlberg, whom I haven’t seen in much action movies before. But he was convincing and he is nice to look at *gg*. I wouldn’t buy the dvd and add it to my collection, cause I don’t like action movies so much but if ur bored, why not.

Streets of London – Kidulthood

Great Britain 2006. Direction: Menhaj Huda.  Main Actor: Aml Ameen. 

 Story:

 „Another teenager – homicide in London: The brutal homicides of teenagers still continue. In the night to Sunday another sixteen year old was murdered. Two unknown culprits stabbed the boy after a cinema visit in Eastern London. He is the sixths victim of violence.” World online March 18^th 2007. Welcome to the real life, welcome to the 21^st Century, welcome to the streets of London. To 15 year old Trife every day life is an adventure: Caught between the worlds of his school mates, the girl he loves and his mighty and dangerous uncle, his life consists of weapons, drugs and violence. The suicide of one of his classmate and the resulting day off of school is used for shopping, getting high and preparing for a party. But it always happens different than planned. In the streets of London teenagers grow up fast – and 48 hours could mean a whole life…….. 

Evaluation:

Well, it’s a movie about young gangsters so to say, but for me without really a story. The story could have been told in a more interesting way. Most of the time nothing really happened, except watching these “kids” spending there time with drugs and sex. A film that intends to show the reality in the streets of London but badly made. I wouldn’t recommend it.