RonenRecommends | All posts published by author 'Ronen Divon'

Ronen's Rating System:

*****	A must watch
****	Worth seeing
***	If you must watch a movie and there is nothing else out there
**	Don’t bother
*	It’s so bad its almost good... not... These are films I walked out on, or just fell asleep
(K: stars)	Rating by my children. As they are easy to please, would typically be higher than mine...

Interstellar (2014) **

Posted on 11/30/2014 8:45 PM By Ronen Divon

Interstellar is a Sci-Fi film directed by Christopher Nolan to a script by himself and his brother, Jonathan Nolan. It features star power including Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy, Matt Damon and Michael Caine.
Starting with a compelling, even if not an especially novel idea, Interstellar goes at a slower than light-speed pace, from mediocre to ridiculous.

John Wick (2014) **

Posted on 11/17/2014 9:42 AM By Ronen Divon

John Wick is an action film of the hunted turned hunter assassin genre. It is directed by Chad Stahelski to a screenplay by Derek Kolstad, and is starring Keanu Reeves. John Wick makes Tarantino’s plotlines seem sophisticated and complex, which is by no means a compliment... The cliché story serves as a shallow excuse for the Reeves character to go on a killing spree that makes no sense, not even in the pulp fiction world this film inhabits. Set for a sequel, I can only wish that this excuse for a shadow character shall not be back.

Dear White People (2014) ****

Posted on 11/8/2014 3:19 PM By Ronen Divon

Thought filmmaker Justin Simien claims Dear White People is not about racism but rather about identity and how a person understands themselves to be, there is no denying that skin color plays a major part in the story. Dear White People is a satire about the relationships between Caucasians and African-Americans at an Ivy League college. While I find plenty of issues with Dear White People is it still a daring and noteworthy film, and a promising debut for filmmaker Simien.

Force Majeure (Sweden, 2014) ****

Posted on 11/1/2014 9:21 PM By Ronen Divon

Force Majeure is a Swedish family drama, written and directed by Ruben Östlund. It tells the story of two young parents, who go on a French Alpine skiing vacation with their two elementary school age kids. All is set for a fun vacation by a loving 'model family', until an external event sets in motion an avalanche, the effects of which shake the foundations of what, just moments earlier, seemed like the perfect relationship.
Östlund’s Force Majeure does not dictate views nor does it try to force opinions. The filmmaker simply holds a mirror in which reflect certain aspects of our human nature. The movie may not be for everyone’s taste, with its slower pace and foreign language. Yet, for those who appreciate quality cinema, this film is definitely worth checking out.

Fury (2014) ***

Posted on 10/31/2014 6:52 PM By Ronen Divon

Fury is a WWII war movie, written and directed by David Ayer, staring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal, Michael Peña, Jason Isaacs, and Scott Eastwood. The story takes place during April 1945, the last month of the fighting in Europe; when the Allies were already on German soil, pushing their way to Berlin. It is the tale of a battle-seasoned US Army crew of a Sherman tank named Fury. Led by a tough commander (Brad Pitt,) keen on getting his men alive through the war, the Pitt character is both a father, a friend, and a sort of God for his team. In a way he is also typical of a Sheriff in the Western genre, just displaced in time and place...

Gone Girl (2014) ****

Posted on 10/19/2014 8:21 PM By Ronen Divon

Gone Girl is a crime mystery, directed by David Fincher to a screenplay written by Gillian Flynn, adapted from Flynn's 2012 novel of the same title. What I did appreciate about the film, beyond the decent story and the fine acting, is the commentary it makes about the condition of our society. Though perhapse nothing new, it still drives home the notion of scandal-greedy TV anchors, of people’s thirsty for contact with celebrities, even if those are murder suspects, and of the ease with which the media can maniplate public opinion. These, along with several other noteworthy topics, make Gone Girl an interesting film. Just be warned that a romantic date flick, this movie is not.