tomschreuder84 Reviews

The Office (2005–2013)

Just stick with the Original

[22 May 2007]

Being a huge fan of the original British series, I was sceptical about the US version. After watching a dozen of episodes, I still have the feeling it's nothing more than a cheap remake, in which the whole point of the original is missing.

What made the UK series so brilliant, was the great cast. Filled with sympathy and compassion I watched episode after episode, feeling their every emotion. Besides that, Steve Carell is just the wrong man to be the series' leading character. He looks too normal and although he annoys me, he does it without making me feel sorry for him as well. That two-sided aspect is one of the many things this version is missing.

The complete lack of emotion and subtlety, are what make the US version so much less funny and really separates the two versions from each other. Especially with the stories being mainly the same, you notice it very well. It's a shame the Americans had to ruin a perfectly made show with this completely unnecessary remake. I seriously can't imagine how this can remain funny for 4 seasons...

Four Rooms (1995)

A lot of fun times four

[7/10 · 17 January 2006]

Not really knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised by Four rooms. The stories are very different from each other and you can recognize the typical styles of the directors. Tim Roth plays his part brilliantly, being a kind of clumsy piccolo with a British accent when he's angry. His character fits perfectly in all of the stories. The rest of the cast is also quite good. I loved Madonna as the sleazy bitch she played, which is off course how she got famous in her early years. And, I was actually surprised to see Bruce Willis in the small role he played. Although the movie seems a bit of a b-movie now and then, it's just so much fun! I really love it! Rating: 8/10

King Kong (2005)

A childhood dream fulfilled in a magnificent way!

[8/10 · 14 December 2005]

King Kong is a phenomenal film. Off course were the special effects very impressive, but it has to offer much more than just that. It starts very stylish and the characters are introduced in a calm and decent way. Once the adventure starts, it gets even better. Kongs growing love for Ann Darrow is very believable, even good for a few laughs. But once we go deeper into Kong's natural habitat, the most astonishing special effects follow in a very high tempo. Everything you had dreams and nightmares about as a little kid, will sooner or later appear on the screen. After this adrenaline rush, things calm down a bit and with a healthy amount of romance, the story works towards the grand finale. The cast was very impressive. Especially Naomi Watts was convincing as the charming Miss Ann Darrow. Who wouldn't fall in love with those big, beautiful blue eyes? Jack Black plays a fun role as a too optimistic film producer. Adrien Brody's strong appearance is also worth mentioning. In no way did this film let me down, it exceeded all my expectations. Personally, I even liked it better than LotR. Peter Jackson has fulfilled his childhood dream in a magnificent way. Rating: 10/10

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Job well done, lads!

[8/10 · 20 October 2005]

Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is one of the most fun movies I have seen recently. Having seen the 3 short W&G movies, I had high expectations. The film was amazing and didn't let me down at all, it was even better than expected. It's beauty was for me mostly in the details and the clay-animation was superb: a stunning visual masterpiece from start to finish. It's very funny (for kids as well as for adults) and there's a lot of references to other, mostly classic- and horror-films. The story wasn't too complex, but very entertaining. It's also clearly very British, which I find very charming. It's one of my favorite animated films, a movie that really stands out in a genre dominated by computer-animation. Jobs well done, lads!

Simon (2004)

The best Dutch movie in decades!

[8/10 · 20 August 2005]

This is one of those movies that combines the best of two genres: comedy and drama. It starts as a hilarious story when an Amsterdam coffeeshop owner (Simon) runs over a homosexual student (Camiel). It turns out to be the start of a long, unusual and moving friendship.

The comedy element is mostly coming from Simon. Not only because of his jokes about Camiel's homosexuality, but also because he has such a typical personality.

Both Cees Geel and Marcel Hensema give great performances in their leading roles. But besides the actors performances, the story and especially the dialog are great.

It's also a movie that couldn't have come from any other country but The Netherlands, and because it is such a typical Dutch and therefor recognizable film, it's maybe the best one ever made here! Go watch it!