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John1986
Reviews
Blueberry Hill (1989)
Belgium in the 1950s.
Belgium, 1959. The real paradise for: Juxeboxes, cars, Vintage, Rock and Roll, Vinyl records and of course beautiful Girls! This is a kind of autobiography of the director: Robbe de Hert, althrough his real name is "Robin". The character is portrayed by Michael Pas, with his sad eyes he is the perfect "rebel withouth a cause", who is in love with a girl who is somewhat "out of his league". On school he (and the rest of his class) are terrorized by the school secretary Mr. Verbies AKA the "cactus". The class is about to face the final exam, but instead of studyng, Robin and his droogs are drinking, Rock 'n roll dancing, watching girls and ran into trouble with other gangs and of course the Police. Robin has to pass the Exam, otherwise his dad will enlist him in the Belgian Navy (the "congo crisis" is about to break out), and also his classmate's have nothing to lose. Then someone catches the idea of stealing Exam-questions, but that's when things gone nasty.
A good and nostalgic vision of the late 1950s, through the eyes of a young lad, filled with dreams and love. Surely worth watching it. Robbe De Hert is also one of Belgium's best directors.
Gaston's War (1997)
A good (and one of the only) Belgian war film!
Well, i am a big fan of the Belgian films, but i noticed that Brave Little Belgium has not many war films. Indeed, we have a very rich war history (WWI, Korea, Waterloo, Battle of the Golden Spurs, Congo Crisis, etc...). Like you see, plenty of material for at least ONE Belgian war film. But after a long (and holy) quest, i found "Gaston's War", a war/drama film made by Robbe De Hert (one of my favorite director's).
The story is set in the year 1942-'43. The war is still going on, and Belgium has fallen to the Germans. Gaston Vandermeerssche, a 21 year old resistance fighter, has a mission to bring 2 British pilots, to the Spannish border. After the job is done, he gets another assigement, to build a new resistance in Holland. But he gets betrayed, and it doesn't take long for he is being arrested by the Gestapo and he falls into the hand of the SS.
I really enjoyed this movie. OK it isn't a big production, and the only kind of Battle scenes you will see, are real archive footage and some battle ambiance on the background (gunshots, bombs and all that stuff), but i really liked the story, and i just hope that in there will be more Belgian war films in the future.
De leeuw van Vlaanderen (1984)
A great Flemmish Medieval War film!
You know, this is a great Flemish war film! The story is set in the middle-ages, the 14th century (in the year 1302). Because all the gold reserves of the great French empire are gone, King "Filips De Schone" wants to have the complete power of a golden empire: "Flanders", which have ten times more gold, than there is in the whole French kingdom. The french army threatens the Flemmish people with slavery and death! City's get attacked, Woman's and Children are getting killed by soldiers and the whole Flanders is in the power of France. But the Flemish people don't want this, and a revolution breaks out. It all ends in a gigantic and bloody battle which is known as "The Battle of the Golden Spurs" (De Guldenporenslag!) This is a great and realistic film about: Love, Power, Death, Knights, Medieval and War. It shows one of the greatest victories of the Flemmish army in the whole History. Director Hugo Claus has done it well! The fight scenes are amazing and good. Even for a Flemmish film with a very LOW budget! I actually don't understand why everybody hates this movie.
Anyway, thanks for reading my comment!
The Border of Tong (1987)
A Good Cop Movie!
I saw this film on VHS in Belgium, where he was called "Chinatown-Connection". Well, i must say that it is really enjoyable. The actors where good, specially David Heavener (his first role!). But in my VHS copy, almost all Chinese actors are dubbed in Enlish. It's really annoying to see there lips move, and some few seconds later, you heard them talking, But i think it have something to do with the VHS distributor! But beside of that it was a really good cop movie, with great actors, and nice camera tricks. Its is also based on true events. Its just a shame that the films from then, are now extincted! I give this film an 8 out of 10.
Inferno (1998)
Quite good, actually!
Well, it's a good and simple TV movie, which will surely entertain you! I Have this film on VHS. It has a good story. The actors, but specially James Remar, are also good. The only thing i don't like is the ending! I don't gonna write it in my review, but when you see the film, you'l understand what i mean! It's actually a shame that this movie isn't available on DVD. There aren't much people who have saw this film. I personally think that the films from the 1990's and the early 2000s are better than the Special FX 3D movies from now (2010). Anyway, i like this entertaining Disaster movie, and i hope you also will. Well thanks for reading my review!
Wolf (2010)
A good Belgian SF movie.
I have seen this Flemmish Science Fiction film in the Theatre in Antwerp. It was Quite good actually! The story is set in Antwerp (Belgium), in "The Near Future", not far from NOW. Thomas Verhaege (Axel Daeseleire) is an Antwerp cop, who is chasing an international criminal who names himself "Douglas", played by the Belgian comedian Pieter Embrechts. But Douglass knows, that the Police is seeking him, and a futuristic Hologram, which has Top-Secret government information. But when Verhaege finds the Hologram, Douglass is kidnapping is wife. Only the son escapes. Douglass wants the hologram, or the woman dies.
The most people hates this movie, but i like it very much. I think it's something like: "Like it or Leave it!"
Team Spirit (2000)
A very good film about: sport, love and REAL friendship!
This is beautiful film. About sport, love, football, work, family and REAL friendship. I don't understand why everybody hates this movie. OK it's a remake of "All Stars" (1997). but so what. I like this because i am from Belgium. it has a good story, and a beautiful soundtrack! with some outstanding tracks. Such as: "Forever Young" by Paul Michiels, and some songs bu the Belgian singer Jan Leyers. The actors where also very good. (Michael Pas, Matthias Sercu, Arnold Willems, Tine Reymer and all the rest i have forgot.) And also the camera work was fantastic. The film has nice camera tricks. I Like this movie. it belongs to one of my favorite movies.
To Catch a King (1984)
An Excellent Thriller!
A good film, with a lot of great actors (Robert Wagner, Teri Garr and Barbara Perkins.) The film has a good story, and the music is nice (by Nick Bicât). It's a film about a conspiracy to kidnap the Duke Of Windsor, in the year 1940. But a Nightclub singer (Teri Garr) discovers the plot, and with Joe Jackson (Robert Wagner) she tries to protect the Duke against the S.S. and Nazi-Germany.
The film has a nice story, which is based on the book "To Catch A King" by Harry "Jack Higgins" Patterson. The only thing i don't like is the ending.
Thanks for reading my review.
Space Riders (1984)
Damn Good!!!
I saw this film on VHS in Holland in 2008 (i think). Damn Good!!!. No really, this is one of the best motor-race films ever made. For motorcycle/Barry Sheene fans, it is a must-see. But it will also entertain other people. The film has also an outstanding soundtrack which include: "Queen", "Duran Duran", "The Fixx"... Which makes that the movie doesn't get bored. And Barry Sheene has proofed that he is also a good actor. It also starred the famous actor Gavan O'Herlihy and Maria Sirtis (Troy from Star Trek: The Next Generation) has also a cameo. I couldn't believe that this fantastic movie was never released on DVD. Anyway: This movie is one of my favorite movies!