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With 18 new films, it is again a pretty busy week on the HBO Max streaming service. Actually, every week is a nice one on HBO Max, with more than ten new titles almost every week.
Summer 85 (2020)
directing: Francois Ozon | Cast: Felix Lefebvre, Benjamin I could, Benjamin I could, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
Normandy, ’85. Summer vacation has just started when 16-year-old Alexis is rescued by David after his sailboat capsizes. It is the start of a special friendship. David is a friend’s dream and the boys are having the time of their lives together. But will the dream last longer than this summer?My Rembrandt (2019)
directing: Oke Hoogendijk | Cast: Jan Six
In her new documentary, Oeke Hoogendijk (The New Rijksmuseum) dives into the world of the old masters. In her own words, My Rembrandt has become ‘an epic art-thriller’, in which the filmmaker provides a fascinating insight into what makes the work of the Dutch master so special and why his art touches people so deeply.
King of Katoren (2012)
directing: Ben Sombogaart | Cast: Abbey Hoes, Frits Lambrechts, Fabrizio Matteini, Hans Croiset
King of Katoren is the story of seventeen-year-old Stach (Dagelet) who wants to become the new king. The old king of Katoren is dying and he tells his friend and chamberlain Gervaas that his ministers will take power when he is dead. In his last words he begs Gervaas to find a new king. That same night Stach is born, who seventeen years later dares to ask the question that no one dared to ask: what must one do to become king of Katoren? The ministers are in a bind because of the attention of the press and decide to give the young welding station five impossible assignments. Along the way, he meets ambitious journalism student Kim (Hoes).
Kipchoge: The Last Milestone (2021)
directing: Jake Scott | Cast: Eliud Kipchoge
Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge is one of the most inspiring athletes of our time. The world’s best marathon runner made history in 2019 when he became the first ever marathon in under two hours, also known as the INEOS 1:59 Challenge. On October 12, 2019, he succeeded in something many thought impossible and reached a milestone. He ran 42.195 km in a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds. This documentary follows him during the preparations for this legendary marathon.
&Me (2013)
directing: Norbert ter Hall | Cast: Mark Waschke, Veronica Echegui, Teun Luijkx, Rafael Cebrian
24-year-old law student Edurne Varona moves from Sitges to Brussels to do an internship at the EU. On her first day at work, she collides with 40-year-old German Eduard Schiller with a huge blow. The homosexual Eduard, disappointed in love, has come to Brussels from Berlin to start a new life. In his quest for happiness, he has decided to drastically change course and look for a woman. Edurne and Eduard see in the collision the reason for a special relationship. Everything changes when they meet beautiful 30-year-old Dutch mover Richard Merkelbach. A battle for Richard’s love ensues between Eduard and Edurne. The confrontation with the truth gives all three very different answers to the same question: how do I become happy?
W. – Watch the film (2014)
directing: Frank van Mechelen | Cast: Ruth Beeckmans, Robbie Clairen, Hubert ladies, Tom De Becker
Ex-Commissioner Witse settles into a new case after his sister’s daughter is murdered. In a world unknown to Witse, he must fight a serial killer, but above all against himself.
lovesick (2013)
directing: Hilde Van Mieghem | Cast: Susan Visser, Anna Drijver, Anna Raadsveld, Beatrice Hillen
The romkom ‘Smoorverliefd’ zooms in on the turbulent romance in the lives of four women in The Hague. Teenage daughter Eva, her mother Judith, aunt Barbara and big sister Anna are having fun together under a roof in The Hague. They are beautiful, brave and sensible, but sometimes they don’t know what to do anymore in a world full of fledgling infatuation, serial dating, unquenched lust, affairs, children’s wishes and indestructible old loves.
The Last Chase (1981)
directing: Martyn Burke | Cast: Lee Majors, Burgess Meredith, Chris Makepeace, Alexandra Stewart
The future: Evil fascists require everyone to recycle and drive electric cars. Former racing driver Franklyn Hart has had enough and drives across the country in a gasoline-powered car. Captain JG Williams is called in by the authorities to stop Hart.
I’m sorry! (2013)
directing: Dave Schram | Cast: By Robin Boissevain, Dorus Witte, Stefan Collier, Charlotte Bakker
Jochem does not have an easy time at school. He is bullied by Sanne’s mean group of friends and his class teacher Timo is far too busy acting popular for the students. Only classmate David is annoyed by the bullying, but during a class party he only has eyes for Vera. The bullying then gets so out of hand that Jochem doesn’t come home the next day…
Solitary Man (2009)
directing: Brian Koppelman, David Levien | Cast: Jenna Fischer, Michael Douglas, Jesse Eisenberg, Mary-Louise Parker
In Solitary Man by the directorial duo Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Knockaround Guys, 2001), Michael Douglas plays the car magnate Ben who receives bad news about his health. As a result, he leaves his wife, decides to go to bed with everything and everyone and even manages to help his car company to the buttons. These events lead Ben to end up on a road trip, where he soon runs into an old acquaintance; his old college buddy. Together they try to get Ben’s life back on track.
Painkillers (2014)
directing: Tessa Schram | Cast: Gijs Blom, Birgit Schuurman, Raymond Thiry, Massimo Pesik
Casper was abandoned by his father when he was young and now he is also in danger of losing his mother to cancer. Via via he manages to find out his father’s address. He can finally meet him now.
Secrets of War (2014)
directing: Dennis Bots | Cast: Maas Bronkhuyzen, Joes Brauers, Michael Nierse, Tonko Forests
The South Limburg boys Tuur and Lambert are best friends during the Second World War. Tuur’s father is part of the resistance, but Lambert’s father is an NSB member. Maartje, new in the village, only lets Tuur know that she is Jewish. The friendship explodes and then disaster strikes…
A woman comes to the doctor (2009)
directing: Reinout Oerlemans | Cast: Carice van Houten, Barry Atsma, Anna Drijver, Jeroen Willems
Stijn loves life and life loves him. He has his own business, a beautiful daughter and the hottest woman in the Western Hemisphere. Carmen doesn’t need to know that he occasionally enjoys other women. And besides, his heart belongs to Carmen, so who cares. He’s on top of the world. He made it. But then; breast cancer. His world collapses. Carmen and Stijn end up on a rollercoaster of hospital in, hospital out, chemotherapy and radiation. But he is there for her. Always. As terribly difficult as that is. Between the chemos they act like nothing is wrong.
Eighth graders do not cry (2012)
directing: Dennis Bots | Cast: Hanna Obbeek, Niels Verkooyen, Fiona Livingston, Bram Flick
The tough Akkie is in group 8 and is completely wild about football. During school time, Miss Ina prepares her class for important matters such as the Cito test, the school camp and the final of the school tournament. After school she likes to play soccer with her classmates. She doesn’t care that Joep doesn’t think football is a sport for girls. She is very good at it and can easily handle Joep. But then Akkie gets sick. Fortunately, she gets a lot of support from her classmates and Miss Ina. Despite the grief, the optimistic Akkie can’t help but interfere with everything from the hospital. When it looks like she’ll have to miss the soccer tournament, Joep comes up with a cool plan for her.
We Met in Virtual Reality (2022)
directing: Joe Hunting | Cast: Dust Bunny, DragonHeart, IsYourBoi, Jenny
Filmed entirely in the world of VR, the documentary WE MET IN VIRTUAL REALITY captures the tension and surprising intimacy of a nascent cultural movement and demonstrates the power of online connection in an isolated world.
Tourist (2014)
directing: Ruben Östlund | Cast: Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven, Clara Wettergren, Vincent Wettergren
During a skiing holiday, a family is attacked by an avalanche. Mother screams for her husband’s help, but he has run off like a hare. The disaster fizzles out, but the family has been badly damaged. How can the father repair this breach of trust?
to the pain (2020)
directing: Lee Isaac Chung | Cast: Steven Yeun, Ye-ri Kim, Ye-ri Kim, Ye-ri Kim
The Korean Yi family decides to exchange urban life for rural Arkansas to fulfill their ‘American dream’. Jacob hopes a farm will help his family get a better life, but the new environment comes with quite a few challenges. They are not doing well financially and the heart defect of their son David keeps the family constantly on their guard. Yet they try to find a way together in farm life. But when Grandmother unexpectedly moves in with them, the family is really put to the test.
Uncontrollable Circumstances (1989)
directing: Pierre Jolivet | Cast: Patrick Bruel, François Cluzet, Kristin Scott Thomas, Alan Bates
After a trip to Malaysia, two friends learn. Philippe (Patrick Bruel) and Daniel (François Cluzet) that their third friend Hans (Thom Hoffman), who has stayed there longer, is incarcerated for possession of drugs. He will be sentenced to death unless the other two confess their part in the affair and go to prison for it as well. They have five days to make a decision.
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