Change Your Image
Tilman-Borck
Reviews
AVA: A Twist in the Road (2021)
Moving film on grieving
In this day and age when we seem to be offered one superhero movie after another by Hollywood it is really refreshing to be told a human story that is realistic and doesn't shy away from the big subjects such as love or grief. Director Catherane Skillen carefully leads her wonderful cast through the ups and downs of a terrible loss and the eventual light at the end of the road. The style is realistic and avoids all the typical Hollywoods mistakes of adding unnecessary schmaltz by emphasizing emotional scenes with exaggerated. This cut -to-the- bone storytelling is so much ore convincing and gives the carefully laid out characters a chance to develop organically. I highly recommend this movie.
Solid Rock Trust (2022)
Classic suspense thriller with its heart in the right place.
"Solid Rock Trust" by writer/director Rick Ives manages to keep you hanging on the edge of the seat by using small means in an extremely effective way. The story takes place in one location focusing for the most part on one woman. This, of course, would be a huge burden on any actor but Koko Marshall caries that burden with grace and determination and the stillness of her movements is often counterbalanced by a manically moving held-hand camera. This gives the movie the momentum it needs. All of that pays off because the writing is spot on. The dramatic music that uses all the well-known tricks that let audiences identify the mood easily also highlights the suspense that is dissolved in a quite surprising way.
The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater (2020)
Wonderfully inventive indie comedy.
Writer Lorrisa Julianus and director C. J. Julianus take us on a wild journey that will leave you gasping for air until the very end. A dominatrix (writer Lorrisa Julianus herself) is fed up with her job and weighs her options for a new life. Having invested some money in a "serious" business, her options initially don't look that bad, when... well, you better check that out for yourself and I promise you this is going to be a fun ride that is confidently executed by the charismatic Lorrisa and her co-star Mickey O'Sullivan. The chemistry between these two is what always keeps us on the edge of our seats because, however questionable the protagonists' actions seem at times, we're definitely rooting for them to get it right in the end. Director C. J. Julianus sure knows how to get the best out of his stars and develops the hijinks and the unexpected twists and turns of the plot in a very convincing way. He has a great sense of timing for comedy and delivers a wonderfully original, irreverent comedy that I highly recommend.
Under Spanish Skies (2022)
A strong ensemble in a captivating drama.
Writer and director Nathan Buck takes us an a journey to the sunny south of Spain where events unfold that test the characters and force them to both confront their inner demons and reflect on their darkest hours. The tone is somber and quiet but the conflicts that are dealt with here aren't.
The beautiful landscape is photographed extremely well and counterbalances the tense situation between the protagonists.
This is a cut-to-the-bones drama that focuses on the characters and, thankfully, it has the actors to pull that difficult task of. Especially Philippe Brenninkmeyer, a well-known face to European TV-audiences, manages to convey the subtleties of the script in an admirable fashion.
If you're tired of loud Superhero movies and long to watch a story about our shared humanity, this is the place to go.
La Inevitable Muerte del Cangrejo (2022)
Highly recommended indie movie!
"The Inevitable Death of the Crab" is a highly original indie movie. It takes you on a journey that you did not expect beforehand. It uses a classical thriller plot but has a special modern take on it. The actors are extremely convincing and the cinematography, especially how it is lit is great. There are some original choices here when it comes to the plot and Ahcitz Azcona as the director who is also responsible for writing and is starring really cuts down to the essentials and offers us a great ride. It is remarkable that this movie was shot on a shoestring budget because it looks like 10 Million dollars. If you're tired of always the same Hollywood formula, give this one a chance. It deserves it.
Extramundane (2022)
Great indie find.
A great indie horror movie with good acting and surprising story twists. Wonderful photography and sets. I thought the story developed rather nicely and got me hooked the whole time. It's admirable that they got a movie out about the pandemic so fast. Interesting to see a reflection on current events. I also liked how the suspense slowly developed. This kind of movie needs more exposure. Instead of the boring Hollywood formulaic plots this movie offers a fresh perspective on life in general and in particular during a pandemic. Since we all have to suffer through this, it offers some relieve to see that the protagonists got it even worse than us.
Maysville (2021)
Great indie find!
This is a very original story with impressive acting. I liked the direction that is kind of subtle. Highly recommended!
This is why we need more indie movies!
Cohabitation (2020)
Great indie find.
Impressive indie movie with great acting. Very well directed. It shows the value of independent film-making with an original story far from formulaic Hollywood movies. Highly recommended.
Una Great Movie (2022)
Beautifully inventive indie movie!
If you're looking for a straight Hollywood movie, go look somewhere else, but if you enjoy a smart story about how smart stories evolve or what gets in their way, you've come to the right place.
Writer/Director Jennifer Sharp takes us on two different journeys: One of her protagonist to Mexico in search of new purpose and direction and one of a writer in, well, search of new purpose and direction who is writing that story and getting a lot of not always quite so helpful comments on the way on how to give her movie a "broader appeal". The result is a sweet story of a woman trying to find her destiny in a beautifully shot but not superficially picturesque Mexico and a writer desperate to successfully navigate through Hollywood's maelstrom without going under.
Six Years Gone (2022)
Great, moving independent film.
This wonderful indie movie offers a new approach to the missing-person-plot in that it doesn't focus so much on the search but on the long-lasting effect the events have on the mother. Veronica Jean Trickett gives a great performance making the audience follow her through the different phases of her plight.
The writing is extremely realistic and gives the protagonists time to develop. Apart from some emotional outbursts the mood is subdued and writer/director Warren Dudley trusts his material enough to stay away from forcing the mood with excessive music or overdramatic editing. In fact the matter-of-fact way of his storytelling only highlights the emotional journey of the protagonist. This is a movie that you will not forget.
Beguiled Company (2021)
Wild ride!
Zany, wild ride of a movie that concentrates on a group of down and out youngsters. Dialogue is realistic and natural. Nice cinematography. This is Tristan James Jensen's second feature and you definitely want to look out for this director.
Framed (2021)
Hommage to Hitchcock and Antonioni
This is an intriguing new take on the voyeurism subject that builds on "Rear Window" and "Blow Up".
It's all taken to another level though with great visuals and talented actors.
Obviously the female role is not as passive as in the afore-mentioned classic movies but seen through a modern lens.
This is a great find that I highly recommend.
Cicada Song (2019)
Great indie find!
This is a beautifully shot independent movie that takes you on a fascinating journey to places you usually don't get to see. The acting is superb and the director knows how to gather suspense in new and exciting ways. I highly recommend this one!
The Unearthing (2015)
Exciting, fresh movie.
This is a very fresh, exciting movie with a great cast. The director knows how to tell his story in an interesting way that keeps you engaged until the last minute. He moves with great ease in the genre and finds some new twists and turns that you'll enjoy.
The Berlin Bride (2019)
Innovative indiepicture.
This charming and beautiful fairytale of a movie tells its story in an unusual fashion. Our attention gets drawn to every day sights and sounds that are put together in a way that lets us rethink our own perception.
This works out particularly well because there is hardly any dialogue.
The contrast between the unique subject matter and the quiet dramaturgy is quite compelling and the music very much adds to the dreamlike quality.
Let this film take you on a wild journey and within the strange Berlin city life you will find the beauty of a fairy tale.
Occurrence at Mills Creek (2020)
Highly original indie film
This is a beautifully shot indie feature film that tells his story in a quiet, tension-building way.
Refreshingly, there is a great focus on the female perspectives of this story which
gives it a more modern feel than many genre films.
Rather than using on-the-nose, in-your-face effects the dramaturgy of this movie and the stylistic devices are subtle and gently seduce the audience to follow the story.
I highly recommend this movie to everyone who wants to see a different, fresh approach to indie filmmaking.