Archives : Août 2014 - Sebastian Kluth

The Expandables 3 (2014) - Still cool and gripping but the weakest part of the franchise so far - 7/10 (17/08/14)

Par kluseba dans Action Movies le 26 Août 2014 à 06:17

The third part of The Expandables is another explosive action movie with interesting cameo appearances by cult actors such as Harrison Ford, Jet Li and Arnold Schwarzenegger and a bunch of old action heroes like Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes and Mel Gibson as well as a younger generation of action stars such as Kellan Lutz, Victor Ortiz and Ronda Rousey.

The most interesting actors in the movie are Antonio Banderas who plays the clown and comes around with a few amusing slapstick gags, Wesley Snipes who plays in a very emotional and almost schizophrenic manner where he quickly turns from being ridiculous to menacing and back again and Mel Gibson who portrays a clever, cold-hearted and unpredictable villain.

Some other actors have less screen time than usual and can't always convince. I would have liked to see more of Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren and Jason Statham. Instead, the new movie introduces a younger team of Expandables but these new actors like Kelsey Grammar, Kellan Lutz, Victor Ortiz and Ronda Rousey simply don't have the charisma and talent of the old generation and feel rather exchangeable. The idea to reinvent the franchise and feature a younger cast was promising but the final result is below expectations. There are far more charismatic action stars like the younger John Cena, Tony Jaa, Li Bingbing and Iko Uwais or even the older Josh Brolin, Mark Dacascos, Liam Neeson and Keanu Reeves for example but these issues have already been discussed before.

The story of this movie isn't as generic as the one of the first movie but not as diversified and dramatic as the plot of the second movie. I feel that the story is overall too similar to the second film who remains the best of the franchise to really come close to it. The Expandables 3 is still an entertaining action blockbuster but clearly the weakest of the three movies.

On the positive side, the locations in the movie have become more exotic and beautiful and take place in different parts of the United States of America, Russia and Somalia among others. The setting, camera, sound and special effects are top notch. On the negative side, I'm aware of the fact that this movie isn't supposed to be realistic at all but some scenes felt so forced and unreal that it was unintentionally hilarious like the part when the motorboat in the port of Mogadishu managed to perfectly jump upon the back of a driving truck. This wasn't the case in the first two instalments in my opinion.

In the end, this is a good movie if you feel like switching your brains off, getting a fast-paced entertainment and seeing many famous actors in the same movie. While the film is still solid, it's definitely the weakest release of the franchise and the seven out of ten points I'm giving here are maybe a little bit generous. Still, action movie fans can't obviously get around this movie as there are way too many gripping action sequences and cool actors around.
Mongol reviews

Par kluseba dans Mongol le 26 Août 2014 à 06:00

Mongol – Chosen By Tengri

August 20, 2014 in Reviews by Sebastian Kluth

Mongol - Chosen By Tengri (2014)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

Mongol is a folk metal band with influences of melodic death and some black metal vocalizations here and there. The whole concept of the band turns around Mongolian culture, but the septet hails from Devon in Alberta, and so is a young Canadian band. Founded back in 2009, the septet released an EP in 2010, followed by debut record The Altan Urug in 2012, which experimented with German film samples and convinced me with its clever use of alternative instrumentation, such as accordion and especially banjo. Mongol is now back with a new full length effort entitled Chosen By Tengri, which is well worth your attention if you care at all for Asian folklore and history.

The songs on this record can roughly be separated into three categories. Some tracks are above mid-tempo, and employ a lot of melodic death metal instead of focusing too much on the folky delivery. Vivid opener “Clans Carve The Way“ is a good example of this, and fans of bands such as Children Of Bodom should like these songs quite well.

The second variety of songs here is much more elaborate, and incorporates an atmosphere that is supported by multiple male vocal efforts in the choruses, as well as occasional female guest vocals that add a certain grace to the raw and romantic Mongolian folklore. Title track “Chosen By Tengri“ and “The Last Ride Of The Merkits“ (the second of which comes around with almost mechanical vocal passages that recall Mongolian throat singing) are perfect examples of this category, and probably also the best songs on this release. Fans of bands such as Eluveitie and Arkona should dig these tracks.

The third type of song here is even more interesting. These concentrate more on lengthy instrumental sections that develop a longing and nature-bound atmosphere. The “folk” instruments also have more space in these songs. The best example here is the closing “Whispering Winds“, where the title is pretty self-explanatory. It’s maybe not the best or most representative track on the album, but rather by far the most original and outstanding. It recalls several very authentic folk metal bands from Inner Mongolia such as Tengger Cavalry or Nine Treasures. I sincerely hope that the band will come around with more similar song ideas in the future.

In comparison to the band’s first release, Mongol seems to have found its magic potion, and the songwriting feels more coherent and mature. On the other hand, I liked the first record’s more experimental side, and think that it employed the folk instruments better than the follow up, while the metal passages sound much better from a melodic and technical point of view on the new album. Both releases are of a good to very good quality, but I slightly prefer the first, though the second can still be seen as a step forward. On a side note, I want to congratulate Jose Arias, who created the cover artwork for Chosen By Tengri, which I find to be authentic, beautiful, epic, and would make for an amazing flag or poster motif as well. If you care for more and more popular Mongolian folk metal, or just folk metal in general, Mongol is a must.

3.5 // 5
Alestorm reviews

Par kluseba dans Alestorm le 26 Août 2014 à 05:57

Alestorm – Sunset On The Golden Age

August 19, 2014 in Reviews by Sebastian Kluth

Alestorm - Sunset On The Golden Age (2014)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

I guess there’s no need to introduce this quintet from the United Kingdom. Alestorm is still delivering its vivid mixture of folk and power metal built around simplistic lyrics which the band imagines applies to the life of pirates. While the band has improved its live performance, where its music works much better than in the studio (as one can see and hear on the highly recommended Live At The End Of The World), the band’s fourth full length release, Sunset On The Golden Age, is an entirely entertaining effort that works better than the previous Back Through Time.

From the first few sounds of the energizing opener “Walk The Plank” onward, Alestorm brings its by now signature sound to bear, involving sea-shanty inspired keyboard, solid riffs, catchy melodies, raw vocals, and simple, shout-along choruses made for concert play. The whole thing is crowned by an aggressive guitar solo and a laid back bridge. The band starts the pirate party very well, and continues to do so without delivering any fillers (provided you enjoy this sort of thing). As highlights, I would first cite the hymn “Drink!”, which is so simple that it works surprisingly well. Dumb as it may be, it’s impossible for me to hear this song without a stupid grin on my face. Another track worth mentioning is the cover version of Taio Cruz’s “Hangover”, which absolutely blends in, sounding like a classic Alestorm track. “Magnetic North” and “Surf Squid Warfare” have a few more modern influences including some metalcore passages in the former and short growls in the latter. These little experiments keep the record diverse and interesting enough to keep going in style.

There are two longer songs on the album. “1741 (The Battle Of Cartagena)” opens with video game samples that one would expect from Dragonforce or Kokumaromilk, but turns out to be one of the most epic and gripping songs in Alestorm’s career. This is maybe the best song on this release, as it remains engaging and memorable the whole way through, and surpasses the band’s usual lyrical topics for something historical. The title track, “Sunset On The Golden Age”, is Alestorm’s longest track to date, with a length around eleven minutes and a half. Sadly, this song is also among the weakest, since it gets quite repetitive and drags on for far too long. The mid-tempo pace has a few decent melodies and would have been a good song if its length had been around five minutes. As it is now, the song doesn’t fit in with the shorter and more energizing tracks that form the rest of the record, and ends a great album on a very mediocre note.

Despite the rather disappointing title song, Alestorm delivers its best studio album (along with Black Sails At Midnight) in my opinion. To my surprise, the band’s predictable musical and lyrical approach still sounds fresh to my ears ten years after its foundation under the banner of Battleheart. The limited edition of this release features five acoustic versions of Alestorm classics, plus a bonus track where the band proves that they are actually decent musicians(!). I would recommend faithful fans of the band buy this limited edition release, while occasional listeners go for the regular release. I usually prefer more original and sophisticated music, but a simple, energizing, and charming record like this can be a true relief from time to time. It’s why Sunset On The Golden Age will easily make it to my list of this year’s favorites.

4.0 // 5
Three in a row: Go, Germany, go!

Par kluseba dans Accueil le 25 Août 2014 à 06:00

Dear readers of my blog,

after the win of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2014 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, another German squad has now won the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Canada. After victories over the United States of America and Brazil as well as a breathtaking 5:5 draw against the People's Republic of China at group stage, the young German women have won their quarter-final againt host nation Canada, their dramatic semi-final against France and in the end the final against Nigeria thanks to a goal by Lena Petermann after extra time. 2014 is definitely the best summer ever for German soccer! Congratulations to these clever, disciplined and powerful young women! Let's hope that the senior team will be able to repeat this triumphant achievements at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada. I will try my very best to go and see some of the games in Ottawa and Montreal just as I did for the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

PS: Here are a couple of pictures taken inside and outside the Olympic Stadium of Montreal prior to the games Germany versus Brazil and Canada versus North Korea two weeks ago!

Sincerely yours,

Sebastian Kluth
Lucy (2014) - Three gifted main actors, an incredible director and stunning visual effects lead us through a thought-provoking story where science and fiction collide in equal parts - 9/10 (13/08/14)

Par kluseba dans Science-Fiction Movies le 14 Août 2014 à 04:30

Lucy could easily be the best film of the year and should attract a lot more cinephiles to the movie theatres than it already does. The movie has many different strengths, differs from similar films and feels fresh and entertaining despite a more philosophical and scientific approach.

First of all, the movie has a running time of ninety minutes only. The viewer is immediately thrown into a story filled with pace and tension. This films simply doesn't include any unnecessary lengths.

The acting performances in this film are completely incredibly. Scarlett Johansson starts as a naive and shy lady that slowly becomes a clever heroine in a credible manner. Her character doesn't include the usual weaknesses of so-called superheroes. She doesn't talk too much, she only uses her powers when she has to and is still quite impressive and there is no cheesy love story or a demon from her past to distract us from the main plot. Morgan Freeman only has a smaller role in this movie but he simply convinces for being there because he is credible in his role as a clever scientist and has a lot of charisma. The ruthless main villain is portrayed by the incredible Choi Min-Sik who is one of my favourite actors ever and it's great to finally see him in a Western movie where his incredible talents get some more attention. This may not be his greatest performance but this man has a talent and history for playing dark characters.

The story of the movie is another strong point. It's not your usual tale of crime and vengeance. The film has a rather profound philosophical and scientific side and takes its time to explain what is actually going on without boring the audience. Many viewers felt let down by the ending of the movie but in relation to the entire film, it completely makes sense. The movie doesn't only convince with gifted actors and addicting action sequences but also offers some real food for thought.

The visual effects of the movie exploit all contemporary technologies extremely well. I was stunned by many impressive images from animal and nature sequences over animated pictures of the human body up to modern images with different rays and colours. These effects make the movie even more enjoyable in a cinema.

The rest of the movie is very well executed as well. There are no annoying shaky camera passages, the soundtrack is very fitting and the whole movie has an intriguing multicultural touch as it takes place in Taiwan and France and involves actors and characters from many different countries. The fact that the Korean actors only speak Korean might be annoying for some viewers but it makes the experience even more realistic. Just as Scarlett Johansson's character in the beginning, the viewer doesn't always understand what is going on when the Korean characters are talking and this adds even more tension to the plot and is a great element that is more and more employed in commercial movies as well.

Lucy may not reinvent a whole genre but this science-fiction movie focuses on the best elements of science and a really gripping fiction. If you only like slow-paced dramas or comedy movies for the whole family, this movie isn't for you but anyone else should absolutely watch this film as soon as possible. There are still some interesting movies to come out this year but so far, this film is a more than solid candidate for the greatest movie of the year and you really don't want to miss it.

 

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