2019.
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- DirectorMichael ThurmeierGalen T. ChuStarsRay RomanoDenis LearyJohn LeguizamoWhen Scrat's acorn sends an asteroid to Earth, the Herd must find a way to stop the asteroid from hitting Earth with the help of a returning friend.Why can't we fear the apocalypse like normal families?
01.01.2019.
"Collision Course" may be an attempt to milk a dying cow, there are no really hilarious moments and it is a bit over-the-top, but it is not nearly as bad as its reputation and ratings on film sites suggest. It holds attention from beginning to end, has a decent plot and well-known and beloved characters are here again to make us emotional and cheer us up. The quality of the franchise has definitely declined, but it's still good, and I honestly enjoyed this movie.
7/10 - DirectorEric BressJ. Mackye GruberStarsAshton KutcherAmy SmartMelora WaltersEvan Treborn suffers blackouts during significant events of his life. As he grows up, he finds a way to remember these lost memories and a supernatural way to alter his life by reading his journal.Event Reborn
02.01.2019.
Someone in my FB movie group recently mentioned this movie and I couldn't recall it in my memory, so I went to take a look at my own review. But there wasn't one. When I saw it again, I understood why I didn't write anything after the previous watching. I had to sleep on it, for impressions to settle, before I was able to evaluate it, even subjectively.
"It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world." - Chaos Theory
And in essence, this is the basis of the film's plot. Ashton Kutcher plays a young man who finds a way to change the details of his own past, thus completely changing the present and the future. Unfortunately, every time he fixes one thing, he simultaneously messes up something else, embroiling himself in playing God more and more.
It's fun to watch actors from your favorite series ("That '70s Show", "Daredevil", "My name is Earl"...) all together in the same movie. When actors go from film to film, there is not enough time to connect them closely with the characters they interpret, as is the case with actors who interpret the character in the series from episode to episode for many seasons. And when they appear in a movie, after we've watched them for years as the same characters in a series, it is a bit strange. And when there are more such actors in the same movie... confusing.
For its relatively small $ 13 million budget, the film is technically great, the acting is good, and the story keeps your attention from start to finish. I mostly like the fact that the film has a mindfuck charm, although it's not one, because everything's pretty much clear all the time. There are four alternative endings and both times I saw "director's cut", which has the most striking finale. I don't want to write spoilers, but if you saw or will see this version, pay attention to the relation between the scene where Ashton's mother tells him that she had a few miscarriages and the way our protagonist resolves the whole situation. When my brain linked these two things, the entire movie significantly gained strength.
8/10 - DirectorTommy Lee WallaceStarsTom AtkinsStacey NelkinDan O'HerlihyKids all over America want Silver Shamrock masks for Halloween. Doctor Daniel Challis seeks to uncover a plot by Silver Shamrock owner Conal Cochran.Even a carpenter would do it better (pun intended)
03.01.2019.
After several minutes of ugly, monotonous and boring opening credits I already doubted that the movie will be any better. I was not wrong. The film is a disaster. Carpenter intended for every movie in the "Halloween" franchise to be a separate story, but after the success of the first one, they forced him to make a direct sequel. With the third film he returned to his original idea and failed terribly. The film has nothing to do with its predecessors, nor with the brain. Somehow they managed to make a movie in which the story feels hasted, although the film itself is rather slow and boring. The acting is mournful, and the film is in every way cheap and badly done, as if the carpenter hammered it from leftovers. The story is dull, unconvincing and pointless and overall resembles mediocre episode of some cheap TV series like "Tales from the Darkside" or "Monsters" ("Twilight Zone" is for this unreachable masterpiece). It is hard to believe that this is actually a part of the legendary franchise, and not an amateur TV movie. And just when I asked myself why I even waste my time on something so incredibly stupid, the movie surprised me and became even more stupid. The peak of shame transfer was reached in the extremely corny cliché in the motel room, the scene that almost made me vomit. And a totally battered final plot twist knocked the last nail in the coffin of this garbage. Literally the only thing in this movie that is worth seeing is the beauty of Stacey Nelkin, but I advise you, from all my heart, to simply google her photos instead.
3/10 - DirectorPaul LynchStarsAnnette O'TooleMichael DolanAllison HossackA cargo ship is forced from hyperspace into a strange region of "dark matter" where some of the normal laws of physics seem not to apply - even the dead linger, unable to find their reward. Worse, contact with these specters is fatal to the living. If the crew can't escape quickly, they'll join the current residents, human and alien, eternally denied whatever lies beyond death...Religious space SF
04.01.2019.
The transport spaceship gets pulled from hyperspace and gets stuck in the curvature of space and time. The crew soon discovers two more ships, one military and one alien. Soon the crews of these ships appear on their ship in an immaterial state. Holograms? Ghosts? Energy residues?
The episode quite convincingly presents the technical and spiritual elements of the story, exploring morale, religion, and human nature through SF drama. Technically it's nothing special, since this is just an episode of a low-budget series, but the story is interesting and the acting is above average for this type of series. One of the main roles is played by Annette O'Toole, known for the role of Lana Lang in the first Superman series and Martha Kent, Superman's mother in the "Smallville".
6/10 - DirectorSean BranneyStarsStephen BlackehartAutumn WendelP.J. KingBased on the H. P. Lovecraft story of the same name, a folklorist investigates reports of unusual creatures in Vermont only to uncover more than he bargained forTrue Lovecraft
07.01.2019.
This black and white SF mystery is in every aspect designed to conjure up the experience of reading Lovecraft. Lovecraft is respected both with the story and atmosphere, which makes the film one of the rare true adaptations of this great horror-fantasy author. Its style resembles Film Noir quite a lot, and only quality of the picture breaks down the illusion that you are watching a movie from the first half of the last century. Even the opening and the ending credits are archaic. This is an independent low-budget film, produced by "The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society". Despite the low budget and unknown actors, the film is very well shot and acted, and the lack of money for quality CGI is offset by excellent directorial tricks that are, at least for my taste, far more effective in intimidating than the technically costly, but essentially cheap CGI explicitness. Unfortunately, towards the end, they decided to break the tension, gradually built with quality hints, by an explicit depiction of extraterrestrial beings. But even that did not turn out to be so bad to completely spoil the experience, although I would personally prefer if they have abstained from this move. Overall, I am very pleased and I would like to see more of such adaptations of my favorite authors in the future. The only thing from this century with which I could compare it, on the basis of personal experience, is the video game "Undying" by Clive Barker from 2001. If you played it and liked it, you will probably like "The Whisperer in Darkness". If you did not, and you like this movie, you should try out the excellent interactive horror of my favorite video game.
7/10 - DirectorRebecca De MornayStarsJohn SavageBeau StarrRebecca De MornayAn omniscient friendly stranger tries to convince a man on the run who tried to kill his corrupt backstabbing boss but ended up accidentally killing three bystanders instead that there is a way for him to redeem himself.Your hand doesn't end where mine begins. It never ends.
07.01.2019.
A young businessman involved in financial manipulation ends up in prison, while his accomplices go unpunished and turn their back on him. After release from prison, he decides to retaliate, but things go wrong and he ends up seriously wounded and guilty of triple murder. On the run, a complete stranger approaches him and offers him a chance for redemption and a new beginning. The episode is very atmospheric and deals with the inner struggle of the individual between good and evil, selfishness and selflessness, instinct and self-control, material and spiritual. Although its mostly two men talking at the restaurant table, this is the best episode of the series so far, and it's unlikely they'll surpass it.
7,5/10 - DirectorNeil BurgerStarsEdward NortonJessica BielPaul GiamattiIn turn-of-the-century Vienna, a magician uses his abilities to secure the love of a woman far above his social standing.Just to be with her
08.01.2019.
At the turn of the nineteenth to the twentieth century, the poor boy falls in love with a young duchess, but because of class differences, they were forbidden to see each other. Soon he leaves Vienna, but fifteen years later returns and, under the new name, becomes a famous illusionist. They meet on one of his performances and the old flame revives. Since she is now a fiancé of the Prince, it will take much more than the cheap tricks to reunite them.
This mysterious romantic drama features superb cinematography, dark atmosphere and a great cast, led by Edward Norton, one of the greatest actors of his generation. The main female role was meant to be interpreted by Liv Tyler, but, luckily, she gave up at the last minute, and in her place came the fascinating Jessica Biel. There are also Rufus Sewell in the role of Prince and Paul Giamatti, who was excellent in perhaps the most interesting role in the film. The story is told elegantly, with a sophisticated sense of humor and details, and all the time keeps you in anticipation and speculation, not allowing your imagination to sleep.
8,5/10 - DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerSharon StoneMichael IronsideWhen a man goes in to have virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars implanted in his mind, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real - or is he?"Baby, you make me wish I had three hands"
10.01.2019.
In its time, "Total Recall" was heavily hyped and it earned cult status almost overnight. It must be admitted - quite deserved. The story is good, it is greatly shot and directed, and the effects are spectacular for 1990. On top of that add the sex bomb Sharon Stone and one of the greatest action heroes of all time, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and success is guaranteed. Even thirty years later, the movie is not as outdated as it could be expected. However, some decisions were, in my opinion, a mistake. As much as Schwarzenegger was a great advertisement at the time, I think the film would be much better with some quality actor in the lead role. Schwarzenegger simply makes it too silly, which this adaptation of Philip K. Dick certainly does not deserve. In addition, the chemistry between him and any of the main actresses is flat zero. Sharon, on the other hand, nailed her role, and thanks to this performance she got a chance to play in the "Basic Instinct", which secured her glory. The other thing that bothered me is the too obvious violation of the laws of physics in order to squeeze as many spectacular effects as possible. When people find themselves on the airless surface of Mars they begin to distort as if they were going to explode. While this definitely looks interesting, and, with the three-breasted prostitute, it is one of the scenes that will forever remain in your memory, in reality, they would simply and completely unspectacularly suffocate. But let's attribute this to artistic freedom, because this is a sci-fi action and its aim is primarily to entertain, and that definitely works.
7,5/10 - DirectorDwight H. LittleStarsDonald PleasenceEllie CornellDanielle HarrisTen years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens on Halloween Eve and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece. Can Dr. Loomis stop him?Cops do it by the book
11.01.2019.
After the first two movies, the rest of the franchise has quite a bad reputation and, after the terrible third installment, I was at the edge of giving up on it. However, my masochistic OCD could not leave me be. I had to continue. "The Return of Michael Myers" is a fairly decent film in every respect, and observed separately, an average horror of the eighties. But as the fourth part of the "Halloween", this film brings nothing new, neither technically nor essentially, and in no way contributes to the franchise. Basically, it reprises its predecessors with a new cast and, while not bad, it is completely unneeded, redundant, and if you watched the previous parts, quite boring. However, there are a couple of interesting attributes. For maintaining a decent level of tension in the second part of the movie I assign it one point. Another point for the performance of Danielle Harris, who, for an eleven-years-old, has played the lead very well. It earned the third point with a quite good ending twist. And finally, one more point for each of Kathleen Kinmont's boobs.
5/10 - DirectorBrad TurnerStarsRobert PatrickNicole de BoerMark McCrackenMajor John Skokes has been captured and imprisoned by enemy aliens. He finds he is not alone in his cell, however, but with a cadet, Bree Tristan, from the Europa base. She believes three months have gone by since her imprisonment and she has a skin graft on her arm which she believes is the aliens' attempt to transform her into one of them. Skokes believes the war is over for them and their only job now is to find away to escape. As the aliens continue their experiments on Bree, the two prisoners develop a tenderness for one another. When they realize their attempts at escape are futile, John gives her hope for the future of mankind, which she desperately wants to hear.Unbelievably good
11.01.2019.
I really did not expect something like this. The ratings I give to episodes of series of this type do not belong to the same scale at which I estimate movies. Simply, you have to give some slack to a low-budget SF TV series. But when this episode is concerned, there really is no need. This 45 minutes SF drama takes place in one room and with only two actors, but it was enough for authors to build a powerful atmosphere, quality characterization, and excellent development of a quite tense and emotional story. Some say that the final twist was obvious from the start, but I really did not expect it.
8/10 - DirectorLen WisemanStarsColin FarrellBokeem WoodbineBryan CranstonA factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run."It's safe to say we're separated"
12.01.2019.
"Total Recall" from 2012 is much better done than its predecessor from 1990. I did not read the story of Philip K. Dick, but while I watched it, I would bet that it was more faithful to the original material than the first film. And I'd lose that bet. The first film is a quite loose adaptation of Dick's story, while the second is based on the first and not on the source material and, although it is quite different, it takes on a lot of details that are not in the book. The atmosphere is more serious and darker, and Colin Farrell is much more convincing than Schwarzenegger. The same applies to the girls in the main female roles, who are also way hotter than those from the original movie. At any time I would change the year with Sharon Stone and five with Rachel Ticotin for just one night with either of these two, for which I have learned "Blade" and "Underworld" by heart. They brainwash him to forget Jessica Biel and plant Kate Beckinsale instead... Really tragic. I'm so sorry for him that I am willing to take his place in Kate's bed, so that he can search for his true love in peace. Three-breasted prostitute here is also much more beautiful than her predecessor, and the entire rest of the cast is also more attractive and/or better actors than the previous set. Nevertheless, while the 1990 movie is a striking adventurous SF thriller, the 2012 film is a classic action blockbuster, masked in the reboot of its predecessor, with which it shares only a similar premise and a bunch of essentially irrelevant details. Although technically better and seemingly more serious, it is essentially empty and forgettable, unlike the first one which, despite all the flaws, has remained in the vivid memory even after almost thirty years.
6/10 - DirectorRick BotaStarsKari WuhrerIonut ChermenskiHugh JorginA journalist uncovers an underground group who can bring back the dead and slowly becomes drawn into their world."Don't you think for a second you are not in danger"
14.01.2019.
"Deader" is another in the series of "Hellraiser" films filmed under scenarios that originally have nothing to do with this franchise, but are subsequently adapted to fit into it. In my opinion, this is so far the best "Hellraiser" installment, and I think it would be even better if it was made independently from the franchise. The elements that are inserted to link it to the franchise are obvious and unnaturally sticking out from the rest of the story. The story itself is typically Barker-ish dark and creepy, but also quite realistic, which makes it more terrifying and tense than horror based on fantastic creatures and situations. Excellent directing by Rick Bota and several masterly positioned jump-scares additionally increase the tension. Kari Wuhrer carries the entire movie on her shoulders and I really don't understand, with such a convincing performance, combined with her looks and sex appeal, how this actress is not much better known.
On IMDb, this film has 4/10, which is probably due to the disappointment of Pinhead and Cenobite fans, because "Deader" essentially has nothing to do with Barker's mythos. If I was not dead set to see the entire franchise, this rating would probably deter me from watching it and I would miss one of the best films of the genre I've seen in recent years. I am very satisfied and I'm giving it a strong eight.
8/10 - DirectorJerry ParisStarsSteve GuttenbergBubba SmithDavid GrafThe alumni of Commandant Lassard's Police Academy (1984) return to the school to train new recruits and prevent its closure.There should be more of Michael Winslow
15.01.2019.
The third film sticks to the recipe established by the previous two, but why change the winning combination. The same cast in the same roles once more performs the same jokes in a slightly changed environment. The movie does not bring anything new, but the old stuff did not become boring just yet. Pouring sand in the desert will not be able to drag people to the theater forever, but for now it still works just fine. You will not be thrilled, but you will relax and have a good time.
6/10 - DirectorMario AzzopardiStarsRichard ThomasPeter OuterbridgeTammy IsbellA desperate dying man injects himself with experimental nanobots that can supposedly cure anything. It works, but then his body starts to hideously mutate. He asks his soon-to-be brother-in-law, who invented the nanobots, for help.What happens when the cure grows more fearsome than the disease
15.01.2019.
A terminal patient injects experimental nanobots and overnight the disease disappears, and he slowly turns into a superman. But what happens when nanobots have nothing more to fix?
This is another SF drama dealing with the consequences of human playing God. This time in the main roles are better-known actors, Richard Thomas and Peter Outerbridge. The story is interesting, nicely developed and, unlike most of the episodes of this and similar series, does not feel rushed. and for an additional atmosphere, it is enriched with a spicy sex scene and tastefully measured nudity of Tammy Isbell.
7/10 - DirectorRoy Ward BakerCheh ChangStarsPeter CushingDavid ChiangJulie EgeIn China, Professor Van Helsing helps eight kung fu-trained siblings reclaim their ancestral mountain village, now the domain of seven powerful vampires and their army of undead slaves.Count-Fu Dracula
16.01.2019.
The story is original, interesting and nicely developed. The mixture of the classic "Van Helsing vs. Dracula" plot with Chinese kung-fu movies was, at least for me, something completely new, it held my attention and entertained me well. But the movie simply screams "seventies." A potentially top-notch horror adventure disrupts the frivolous atmosphere typical of the B production of this period. Constant overacting and masks and requisites, which look as if they were purchased from the Chinese department store for kids' toys, do not allow you to fully experience the adventure, because the scenes on the screen for a good part of the film leave an impression of silly parody. And on the army of the undead and their bouncing around better not to comment. This is the only film about Dracula from Hammer Films that does not contain the name of Dracula in its title and the only one in which Dracula is not played by Christopher Lee, who turned down the role after reading the script. Also, this film claims that Dracula has spent the whole century, from 1804 to 1904, in China, which is contradictory to the timeline of other Hammer films about the famous vampire. However, originality and strangeness of the story, directing in which you can feel the influence of Kurosawa and Leone (or at least it seemed so to me) and overall fun atmosphere distinguish this film from the rest of the franchise and make it one of the most interesting Hammer productions. It is worth a look.
7/10 - DirectorRick BotaStarsStelian UrianKatheryn WinnickAnna TolputtGamers playing a MMORPG based on the "Hellraiser" films find their lives endangered after being invited to a rave, the host of which intends to show them the truth behind the Cenobite mythos."Like a bad horror movie, isn't it?"
17.01.2019.
Another one in a series of scenarios that are obviously not originally written for the franchise, but subsequently adapted to fit into it. Not particularly successful this time. Frankly, I was bored. I can not specifically point a finger and say, "This is bad." Nothing in this movie is particularly bad, but nothing is particularly good either, so it's all together forgettable and leaves no impression. The premise is interesting, but it is developed to the unconvincing and unexciting story. The music is not annoying, but it's not catchy either, and by no means contributes to the atmosphere. But there's really no atmosphere, or tension, or fear... Not even decent jump-scares. The acting varies from bad to mediocre, and even famous names such as Lance Henriksen, Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha from the "Vikings") and Henry Cavill (the last Superman) are totally unimpressive. I did not even recognize Lagertha until the end credits. In short, to answer the question from the headline: No, it isn't LIKE a bad horror movie - it IS a bad horror movie. However, the premise brings refreshment in the franchise, there are beautiful and naked girls and some nicely done gore, and I liked the final twist, so I can not completely bury it (pun intended).
5/10 - DirectorSylvain WhiteStarsIdris ElbaZoe SaldanaJeffrey Dean MorganA CIA special forces team is betrayed and left for dead by their superiors, galvanizing them to mount an offensive on the CIA.Marvel heroes in the DC film
18.01.2019.
Pissed Idris Elba, macho Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the boobless sex scene with extremely hot Zoe Saldana, and the geek version of Captain America in mediocre action adaptation of DC comic of the same name. The story is linear, unimaginative and not particularly interesting, with template characters, unoriginal plot twists and lame humor attempts. Technically, the film does not have major flaws, but it does not have any particular qualities either. It is mediocre and unexceptional in every respect. You won't get bored, but I suggest you to watch something else instead.
5/10 - DirectorÉdouard MolinaroStarsChristopher LeeBernard MenezMarie-Hélène BreillatIn the 1700s, a vampire has a son from a normal woman. The mother dies, and he spends two centuries trying to teach his meek son how to be a proper vampire but no avail. Now they have to flee from Transylvania, and they end up in France.Christopher Lee's last Dracula performance
20.01.2019.
Having said that he would not play Dracula any more, Christopher Lee, however, once again appears in this role. Although, in his defense, the name Dracula is not mentioned in the film and his character is referred solely as the Count. Also, he objected using the word Dracula in the title. It is the French comedy "Dracula and Son" directed by Edouard Molinaro. The approach to the theme is quite different from Hammer's and the film somewhat realistically shows how the vampires, driven away from their castle in Transylvania with only shirts on their backs, manage without anything in modern society. While the son works the night shift at the butchery, in order to have access to blood, the father "plays" vampire in a toothpaste commercial. They both fall in love with the same girl, but while Dracula wants to bite her and keep her by his side through eternity, his son wants to become human and have a normal relationship. Their rivalry about the girl turns the second half of the movie into a classic slapstick comedy. Objectively, the only good thing in this film is Christopher Lee, and somewhat Bernard Menez who plays his son, while everything else, technically and substantially, is pretty bad. There's some decent humor occasionally, but do not expect that you will really laugh. However, it was interesting to see something new and different on this subject, and therefore I recommend it.
5/10 - DirectorTibor TakácsStarsJay O. SandersMatt CravenMichael DornOn the last day of their mission to Mars, three astronauts - Ed Barkley, Alan Wells and Pete Claridge - discover a cave with hieroglyphics on one wall. They also find a pod-like object but they are knocked out after trying to move it. They make it back to their ship and begin their voyage home. Five months into that return trip they begin to have equipment malfunctions and find a small growth of alien origin. Soon, one of the astronauts begins to believe that the others are aliens who have taken over the bodies of his shipmates."Alien" meets "The Thing"
20.01.2019.
From the title you can conclude that the story is totally unoriginal, but it's nicely developed in just 45 minutes. The episode is well acted and quite tense and unpredictable, but it is a spoiled by completely unnecessary and very bad CGI. It should have been left as an SF psychological drama-thriller, without a poor attempt at horror.
"The true measure of a hero is when a man lays down his life with the knowledge that those he saves will never know."
6/10 - DirectorAlejandro AmenábarStarsNicole KidmanChristopher EcclestonFionnula FlanaganIn 1945, immediately following the end of Second World War, a woman who lives with her two photosensitive children on her darkened old family estate in the Channel Islands becomes convinced that the home is haunted."Sometimes the world of the living gets mixed up with the world of the dead"
21.01.2019.
While I watched it several times since it came out, until a moment ago I had no idea that the film is Spanish. And not only is it Spanish, but it's also the only film that has ever won the award for the best Spanish film, without having a word in Spanish. Although the original script was written in Spanish, it was translated into English, it stars an Australian woman playing an English woman, it's backed by Americans and the story is placed in Jersey, but it is filmed in Spain and directed by Spaniard. IMDb classifies him as a horror/mystery/thriller, but even though the story itself is a mystery and perhaps somewhat a thriller, and the film has an atmosphere that balances on the verge of horror, in my opinion, essentially, this is primarily a strong psychological drama. Nicole Kidman once again proves her acting size and steals every scene in which she appears, but the rest of the team are not to be underestimated, especially eleven-year-old Alakina Mann. One of the strongest features of this film should be the surprise brought by the final plot twist, but since I saw it several times, I knew what would happen, and I really can not remember whether I predicted this twist or not when I first watched it, almost two decades ago, and if I did, in which part of the film it happened, and therefore I can not comment on its effectiveness. But even without the mindfuck factor, this movie has a lot of qualities and deserves a high rating.
8,5/10 - DirectorLars von TrierStarsCharlotte GainsbourgStellan SkarsgårdStacy MartinA self-diagnosed nymphomaniac recounts her erotic experiences to the man who saved her after a beating.Nymphomaniac (2013)
[Director's Cut]
"When we are, death has not come. When death has come, we are not."
22/23.01.2019.
"Nymphomaniac" is the final part of Lars von Trier's "Trilogy of Depression", after the "Antichrist" (2009), which was to me inexplicably dull and unjustified morbid, and "Melancholy" (2011), which I have not yet come to see. Originally, "Nymphomaniac" was conceived as a single film but, due to its inhumane length, in the theatrical release, it was divided into two two-hour films. I am watching the director's cut, which lasts five and a half hours.
The first film begins with a scene in which an older man encounters a beaten woman lying on the street. After she refuses an ambulance and the police, he takes her to his apartment and places her in bed. Then he sits down next to her and she tells him her whole life, the life of a nymphomaniac. Occasionally he interrupts her with interesting comments on various topics, such as philosophy, nature, music, literature, mathematics and even fishing, but all these digressions are directly or metaphorically related to the main subject of the film and represent life philosophies that will lead you to thinking and self-analysis, especially if in some of them you recognize yourself.
The film is full of explicit pornography, but this time it is not there just to shock and cause controversy, but it greatly enhances the artistic power of film and contributes to the credibility and the dramatic nature of the story. The sex scenes are not simulated, they are genuine pornography, but they were shot by porn actors and subsequently edited together with the bodies of the main actors. The film is fantastically shot and directed, and drama and pornographic scenes alternate in perfect harmony. The atmosphere is hypnotically dark and depressing, additionally empowered with an interesting selection of music, which ranges from industrial metal band Rammstein, through rock classics, to Bach's organ compositions. Although the movie is very slow and long, my attention has not been weakened for a moment.
In all three films of the "Trilogy of Depression", Charlotte Gainsbourg plays the main role, but as the first part of the "Nymphomaniac" takes us through her childhood and girlhood, in the main role we see Stacy Martin, who, although not particularly beautiful, is extremely cute and sexual, and in every way a sight for sore eyes in comparison with Charlotte. Charlotte's rescuer is played by Stellan Skarsgård, who appears in a total of seven von Trier's films. There is also Christian Slater in the role of Nymphomaniac's father, as well as Uma Thurman, who gave perhaps the best performance in her career. Stacy, Charlotte, and Stellan topped their roles, but in her relatively short scene, Uma Thurman completely overshadowed them. Her scene is totally over the top, but still somehow realistic and believable. This somewhat relates to the film in its entirety, but Uma's scene is one of the most powerful I've ever seen. Ruthlessly awkward, strongly emotional and definitely unforgettable. Uma deserved an Oscar big as the Statue of Liberty.
There's still three hours of the second movie left for me to make a final judgment, but for now, this is a pure ten.
Seligman: "Well, I divide humanity into two groups: the people who cut the nails on the left hand first, and the people who cut the nails of the right hand first. My theory is that the people who cut the nails of the left hand first they're more light-hearted. They have a tendency to enjoy life more, because they go straight for the easiest task, and save the difficulties for later. So, what do you do?"
Joe: "Always the left hand first. I don't think there's a choice. Go for the pleasure first, always. And then when you've done the left hand, only the right hand remains. That's the easiest one left."
Seligman: "I never thought of it like that. Well, you're never too old. Never too old to learn."
10/10 - DirectorMark SobelStarsJason LondonSaul RubinekGarry ChalkA bashful woman gets possessed by an incorporeal alien that feeds on sexual energy. A series of killings starts. Her boyfriend, his scientist friend and a skeptical cop try find a way to stop the alien without killing her in the process.Naked Alyssa Milano
25.01.2019.
An innocent girl, who saves herself for marriage, overnight transforms into a sexual beast that attacks whoever she encounters. Her boyfriend finds organic matter of unknown origin next to her bed and, after examination, he assumes that his girlfriend is possessed by some alien organism. When the guys from their surroundings begin to disappear, the police suspect a jealous boyfriend, and it's up to him and his biology professor to solve this mystery before it's too late. In the end, of course, love conquers all, even the alien on the killing spree.
This SF horror drama, despite poor production, is very watchable and interesting, and even a pathetic end does not spoil the general impression. The story is nicely packed in 45 minutes, holding the attention and has a good atmosphere. But the main advantage of this episode is definitely beautiful Alyssa Milano, whose transformation from an innocent girl into an evil succubus shows remarkable acting ability. But, let's be real, there was no need to write all this in order to make you watch "Caught in the Act". The headline was more than enough.
7/10 - DirectorLars von TrierStarsCharlotte GainsbourgStellan SkarsgårdWillem DafoeThe continuation of Joe's sexually dictated life delves into the darker aspects of her adulthood, obsessions and what led to her being in Seligman's care."The human qualities can be expressed in one word: hypocrisy."
26.01.2019.
In the second film, Charlotte Gainsbourg takes on the lead role from Stacy Martin. These two actresses, both in appearance and in spirit, are so different that it was impossible for me to see them as the same person, which completely breaks down the continuity of the story. I literally had the impression that I was watching another film, about another woman, on a similar topic. And in addition, the protagonist of the first film, despite everything, was quite likable, while I felt repulsive and disgusted towards a disturbed masochist from the second part. Trier returns to his recognizable style of shooting scenes with the sole purpose of upsetting your stomach. No one will convince me that an explicit and extremely detailed view of a woman who performs an abortion on herself in any way contributes to a better understanding of the story or a stronger dramatic effect. It's simply there to shock you, upset you and maybe even make some of you give up on further watching. Controversy for controversy sake, which, in my opinion, is a feature of the egomaniac who must at all costs be at the center of attention. The story becomes more morbid, crueler and much darker, and technically too stretched, less convincing and more boring. Seligman's digressions got weaker and the overall impression was that actors too share my experience of the film and that they are already bored, and now they are only getting to the end.
Although it is single five-hour film, subjectively I experienced it as two films, of which the first is a masterpiece of drama, while the second is a weaker sequel that vainly tries to mimic the greatness of the first one. And yet, when my impressions settled, all the flaws of the film can not diminish their strength. If I ignore the parts inserted just for the sake of shock and controversy, what remains is one of the most powerful dramas I've ever seen in my life, and to which I simply can not give anything less than the highest rating.
Seligman: "You shouldn't use that word. It's not what you call politically correct."
Joe: "Well, excuse me, but in my circles, it's always been a mark of honor to call a spade a spade. Each time a word becomes prohibited, you remove a stone from the democratic foundation. Society demonstrates its impotence in the face of a concrete problem by removing words from the language. The book burners have nothing on modern society."
Seligman: "I think society would claim that political correctness is a very precise expression of democratic concern for minorities."
Joe: "And I say that society is as cowardly as the people in it, who, in my opinion, are also too stupid for democracy."
Seligman: "I understand your point, but I totally disagree. I have no doubt in the human qualities."
Joe: "The human qualities can be expressed in one word: hypocrisy. We elevate those who say right but mean wrong and mock those who say wrong but mean right."
10/10 - DirectorJoseph L. ScanlanStarsMarlee MatlinRobert WisdenLarry DrakeImplants that should've allowed deaf Jennifer Winter to finally hear cause her to receive a binary message no one else can hear. Her husband thinks she's insane. Her friend on meds, Robert, thinks it's an alien distress signal."The faintest of whispers, when spoken in silence, can resonate across the universe"
26.01.2019.
The hearing implant had not regained her hearing, but it enabled her to receive a binary SOS message from aliens in trouble. Her husband and doctors think it is schizophrenia, which rather complicates the situation. This SF drama is one of the best-written and most beautifully completed episodes not only of this series, but of anthological SF series in general, and Marlee Matlin completely charmed me with her performance. A feel-good episode that I warmly recommend.
8/10 - CreatorChris CarterStarsDavid DuchovnyGillian AndersonMitch PileggiTwo F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts."What you don't see is actually scarier than what you do see" - Chris Carter
28.01.2019.
As a kid, I watched occasional episodes of this cult series now and then, and I could say I liked it, but without continuity, I could not get the right impression, nor did it matter to me then. As they decided to revive it, I decided to watch it properly.
"The X-Files" is an SF mystery-thriller based on unresolved FBI cases that in one way or another involve extraterrestrial life. Some episodes deviate from this template and deal with other supernatural and unexplained phenomena, but the series as a whole concentrates on the relationship of two agents, one of which believes in extraterrestrial intelligence, while the other is a skeptic, believing only in scientifically proven facts. Among them, of course, there is strong chemistry, but they persistently remain only partners, and over time friends, which further boosts the power of stories.
Gillian Anderson is quite antipathic to me personally, but I admit that I can not imagine any other actress in that role. On the other hand, the majority of the audience identifies actor David Duchovny with the character of Fox Mulder and for years I was convinced that in every other role he would always be Mulder to me. Until the series "Californication" appeared, in which the character of Hank Moody completely wiped out any identification with "The X-Files". This is one of my favorite series, and Hank Moody is definitely my favorite television character, so when I started to rewatch "The X-Files", I was surprised how easily he became Agent Mulder again. This level of credibility and commitment to such different roles made him one of my favorite actors.
From today's perspective, the series is quite outdated, but in its time it fascinated both with originality and special effects extremely imaginative and quality for the television budget. But what gave it the greatest strength to achieve the high tension and even horror effect, is the motto of its creator Chris Carter, which I used as the title for my review. There is no such technology, such budget, and such special effects that can be measured in the intimidation of the audience with the imagination of the viewer. A hint of horror will always achieve a stronger effect than explicitly shown alien or monster, which in most cases, however well-done, only weaken the credibility of the situation and turn terrifying into ridiculous, or miserable. I must also mention the fantastic music by Mark Snow. "The X-Files" theme is one of the best out there. It's spooky and mysterious and it echoes deep into space, like the music itself is trying to reach distant worlds.
So far, I saw the first season and I'm not particularly thrilled, but, if I remember correctly, the series keeps getting better. For now, I'm rating it
7/10 - DirectorAdam NimoyStarsCynthia PrestonBarbara TysonNathaniel DeVeauxLegendary lawyer Thurman Cutler is hired to defend Adam, a humanoid robot with many human qualities including speech, rational mind and empathy, who's been accused of murdering his creator. Cutler suspects there's more to the story.What makes us human?
28.01.2019.
Self-conscious android kills its creator, but does not remember it. The prosecution is trying to force its destruction, while the daughter of the murdered scientist sees it as a brother and hires a top lawyer to save it. This SF courtroom drama deals with the question of whether artificial intelligence can be considered a personality and have equal rights to people of flesh and blood. The story is very well told, the acting is on an enviable level in relation to most of the series of this type, and the episode finale, although already seen cliché, is quite effective. One of the best episodes of the first season.
8/10 - DirectorGeorge MillerStarsMel GibsonBruce SpenceMichael PrestonIn the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline-rich community to get rid of a horde of bandits."I'm just here for the gasoline"
29.01.2019.
The sequel to the legendary film from 1979 became even more legendary than the original and definitely launched Gibson among the stars. "The Road Warrior" is probably the most famous post-apocalyptic action movie of the twentieth century. The movie continues the story where the original left off, directly and in the same style, but it is more brutal and entertaining than its predecessor, and despite the budget of only two million dollars, filmed much better. Mel Gibson has only 16 lines in the entire film, but nobody ever sat down to watch "Mad Max" for the sake of quality dialogue. The movie is visually beautifully shot, and the adrenaline roller coaster will keep you pinned to the screen, despite the simplicity and linearity of the story. The only twist at the end is obvious since half of the film, but is such that, when your predictions come true, you will not be disappointed but satisfied. I should also mention Emil Minty, an eight-year-old boy whose performance of The Feral Kid gave a special charm to the movie atmosphere. In general, I don't watch action movies, and even if I see some I never rewatch them, but this one never gets old and boring. If you never saw this movie, it is time for you to make it up, and if you did, it won't hurt you to refresh your memory and spend an unforgettable hour and a half with Mel Gibson from the time before he went loony.
8/10 - DirectorWilliam VaughanStarsClive BarkerLinda BlairRick BakerCyrus annoys all his companions with his new friend Toasty the toaster, so they decide to get rid of it.Great atmosphere
29.01.2019.
When I like some author I have no peace until I read all of his work and see all adaptations. Looking for adaptations of the eeriest horror author Clive Barker, I ran into this short animated film. However, this time Barker is not the author, but he gives his voice to one of the teddy bears. But if he agreed to participate in this project it is probably worth watching. And it is. The atmosphere of this film is fantastic, and regarding the overall impression... WTF I just watched?!
7/10 - DirectorTibor TakácsStarsDwight SchultzAlberta WatsonTom McBeathPhysicist and professional debunker Leviticus Mitchell agrees to help professional psychic Lynda Tillman investigate the abandoned mansion where her son and his girlfriend have mysteriously disappeared.SF approach to haunted house theme
29.01.2019.
The son of divorced parents, whose mother forbids him seeing a troubled girl, uses an abandoned house to still see her. But one night after going to the house they both disappear without a trace. Police believe them to be runaways, but the mother does not give up on the conviction that her son is dead and takes matters into her own hands.
The episode is totally unoriginal, but based on previous experience I didn't expect it anyway, so I won't take lack of originality against it. This is a classic story about a haunted house, only instead of ghosts it uses a quasi-scientific outcome and this combination of horror and SF is quite interesting and additionally empowered by solid acting and effects unexpectedly good for this type of series. If you're not a picky nagger, it's quite enjoyable.
8/10 - DirectorWilliam FruetStarsPerry KingMimi KuzykJohn NovakSenator Richard Adams finishes a speech and gets into his car. En route to his next appointment he gets into an accident. When he wakes up, the doctor shows him his lab results that suggest something very strange: a four-lobed brain! Over time he realizes he's dying - until he finds a strange medicine, poisonous to normal people, that restores his health! What is Richard Adams, really, and who are the people trying to find him?"In other living creatures, the ignorance of themselves is nature, but in men, it is a vice." - Boethius (Roman philosopher)
01.02.2019.
So far, one of the most interesting premises, developed in a story that begins confusing and gradually unfolds, revealing little by little, until it slaps us with the unexpectedly sinister twist and leaves us with a feeling of hopelessness. I suppose the whole story is an allegory, in which aliens represent the leaders of the oil industry that are willing to do anything, including the destruction of the planet for future generations, in order to profit in their lifetime. However, at times the episode is a bit over the top and unconvincing, mostly because they once again chose explicitness instead of leaving some things for viewer's imagination. For that reason, it did not pull me in its atmosphere enough to leave a particularly strong impression.
7/10 - DirectorNeill FearnleyStarsGordon ClappLochlyn MunroDon S. DavisRandall Strong tries desperately to convince a skeptical high level committee that various alien forces are trying to take over the human race. In desperation, he becomes unhinged.Pathetic
02.02.2019.
I hope that the reason for this episode is the lack of money for a more serious production, and not someone's idiotic idea to round off the season. The episode consists of a series of flashbacks on almost all of the episodes that precede it, by which a panicked war veteran tries to convince a military committee that the Earth is threatened by an alien invasion, and that the same is already underway. Not badly filmed, but essentially redundant and meaningless. They should have finished the season with the previous episode.
4/10 - StarsGary BakewellLaura FraserHywel BennettA man in London encounters an injured young woman, and instantly exists only to those in London Below. As he helps the woman escape from assassins, he must try to find his way back to London Above."You're all very stupid people and you do not know anything"
03.02.2019.
Books are usually better than their screenings. This is somehow logical, because the adaptation changes the source material to accommodate it to another and completely different medium, whose explicitness could never be compared with the infinite possibilities of crossing the imagination of the author with the imagination of the reader. But it seems that even when things are going in the opposite direction, the books still win.
"Neverwhere" is a British mini-series that Neil Gaiman wrote directly for TV, and then subsequently turned its scenario into a novel, which changed from release to release until it became one of my favorite books, which series on which it is based exceeds in every respect. Although it's BBC, the series is low-budget or at least looks cheap. Also, there are only six half-hour episodes, and the potential here is quite enough for at least ten times more, which would allow a more detailed story and better character development. But that does not mean it's bad. On the contrary, I liked it, because it very convincingly fits quite original fantasy world into our reality. The main problem is that the actors can not play, the director cannot direct, and studio and filming locations cannot look as good as I can imagine when I read a book.
Any attempt to give you a brief idea about its plot finished as a spoiler, so I'm giving up on that intention. The mere fact that it's written by Neil Gaiman should be reason enough for you to take a look.
9/10 for author's imagination
5/10 for the technical realization - DirectorGreg SpenceStarsNaomi WattsJamie Renée SmithKaren BlackA nurse returns to her hometown in Nebraska, only to find that the town's children have fallen under a mysterious mass illness connected to its sinister past.No, it's not porn
04.02.2019.
Nine for the erection I get every time Naomi appears on the screen, and all other aspects of the film do not exceed five. Sexy leading actress and a sorry excuse for the story may pass in porn, but I expect a little more from the alleged adaptation of King. Average rating... skip this nonsense, and if you are really tempted to see Naomi, you can always google her or see her in some better movie. You are more likely to spend the night with Naomi if you drop in at her door unannounced, than to get any benefit and fun from this crap.
4/10 - StarsAlfred HitchcockHarry TylerLillian O'MalleySeries of unrelated short stories covering elements of crime, horror, drama, and comedy about people of different backgrounds committing murders, suicides, thefts, and other sorts of crime caused by certain motivations, perceived or not.Quick entertainment
05.02.2019.
The series consists of 268 twenty-five-minute episodes, divided into seven seasons, that were aired from 1955 to 1962. Each episode is a separate short film and not in any way related, except for the genre. Some of the episodes were directed by Hitchcock himself, others signed by many other writers and directors, but they are all mysterious crime dramas in the style of Hitchcock. Their level varies greatly, from boring and naively predictable, to really quality thrillers, whereby the good ones must really be acknowledged, because it is very difficult to develop a quality story in this genre in just 25 minutes. In my opinion, this is not a series for binge-watching, but I advise you to download around ten episodes at the time and use them on occasions when you really want to watch something but you are short with time. I dragged on the first two seasons for about two years.
7/10 - DirectorRobert PorterSimon J. SmithGary TrousdaleStarsMike MyersEddie MurphyCameron DiazThis is a three episode compilation. "The Pig who cried Werewolf" and "The Ghost of Lord Farquad" are from the Shrek universe and "The Night of The Living Carrots" is from the Monsters vs Aliens universe.Don't waste your time
05.02.2019.
A thirty-minute omnibus of three stories, one of which is not even from the Shrek universe. Decent animation, but very boring. The first two stories might be interesting to preschool children, but the cartoon contains some jokes that are not really for young children. The third story is "The Ghost of Lord Farquad", which I have already written about. Only here appear Shrek and Donkey and only this one has some interesting moments, because of references to the cult films "Star Wars", "The Blues Brothers" and "The Sixth Sense". All in all, a total waste of time.
4/10 - DirectorMartin CampbellStarsRyan ReynoldsBlake LivelyPeter SarsgaardReckless test pilot Hal Jordan is granted an alien ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers that inducts him into an intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps.$ 200 million wasted
08.02.2019.
I wasn't bored, but I wasn't entertained either. It doesn't stand out in any way. It has an interesting premise, strong cast, huge budget, and it is visually well-done, but it hasn't left any impression on me. As if I didn't watch it at all.
5,5/10 - DirectorGoran MarkovicStarsRade MarkovicBogdan DiklicDragan NikolicDuring the excavation of ancient Roman ruins, an old archaeology professor accidentally opens the gate between our world and the world of the dead."Sve je isto u mom kraju, samo mene više nema"
10.02.2019.
I didn't like this movie at all and, to me, it was quite a boring experience. But since it is generally accepted as a masterpiece of domestic cinema, I suppose it is more to me than to film, so I'm probably not competent to analyze it. Also, I have no desire to waste time writing about something that is completely uninteresting to me.
4,5/10 - DirectorDominique Othenin-GirardStarsDonald PleasenceDanielle HarrisEllie CornellOne year after the events of Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), the Shape returns to Haddonfield once again in an attempt to kill his now-mute niece.Franchise on life support
13.02.2019.
"The Revenge of Michael Myers" is a direct sequel to "The Return of Michael Myers" and it doesn't bring anything especially new. It's dumb and dull and the author's lack of inspiration is more than obvious. This is yet another franchise kept alive on life support despite a complete lack of originality and purpose. To be honest, it would probably be best if the first "Halloween" has never grown into a franchise. The only thing I really liked was the excellent opening credits, which builds a tense atmosphere even before the movie started, so that when the movie finally begins you are already at the edge of your seat. Unfortunately, that tension dies up after just a few minutes and only my OCD made me watch the movie to the end. As far as acting is concerned, the very decent role played by Ellie Cornell in the previous film is now reduced to the classic slasher-horror blonde "whose only purpose in the film is to run around half-naked before being slaughtered." Loomis (Donald Pleasence) is the only character to maintain quality through all the parts, and the highlight of the film is again little Danielle Harris. Watchable, but a waste of time.
4/10 - DirectorAdam GrossmanStarsMichael GrossAlexis ArquetteHilary SwankA man and his daughter return to his hometown only to be terrorized by demons who had sacrificed the man's sister in the past."If a gardener with a big mouth is alone in the field being tortured and no-one has to hear him scream, does it still hurt?"
13.02.2019.
Extremely low ratings on film sites not only do not deter me from watching the movie, but on the contrary, they make me more curious. And quite often, watching these films turns out to be a good choice. This one is no exception. "Sometimes They Come Back... Again" (1996) is far from a masterpiece of cinema, and it's not even close to the top of the genre, but it is quite a decent low-budget horror and it is better than its predecessor. The story is interesting (understandably, since it's an adaptation of Stephen King), it has a nice atmosphere, it doesn't exaggerate with special effects (which is a common flaw of the genre), it holds attention from the beginning to the end and, although acting isn't particularly great, characters are quite believable. Alexis Arquette, sister of Patricia Arquette, while (s)he was still Patricia Arquette's brother, is rather creepy as the main villain and without her/him the movie would have lost much in effect.
6/10 - DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsMichael PittLouis GarrelEva GreenA young American studying in Paris in 1968 strikes up a friendship with a French brother and sister. Set against the background of the '68 Paris student riots.How I fell in love with Eva Green
Bernardo Bertolucci has always been one of my favorite directors, but with this film, he bought me for all time. "The Dreamers" is a film that I saw many times and I've never found the strength nor found the right words to describe and analyze it. This is an example of movie magic, and magic cannot be explained. Or maybe I do not want to try, fearing that by analyzing I could spoil my love for this movie. A strong story, perfect atmosphere, great music and a very good feeling for details. "The Dreamers" is full of references to many famous movies and, as my movie experience grows with years, every time I watch it the experience is getting stronger. Eva Green is fantastic and it's hard to believe that this is her first movie role. I'd be lying if I said that her nudity and sex scenes had no influence, but mostly I was fascinated by her overall appearance and a powerful presence on the screen, and this fascination holds me for fifteen years. The first cadre of the scene where she mimics Venus de Milo is one of the most beautiful erotic photographs I have ever seen.
10/10 - DirectorFarhad MannStarsPatrick BerginMatt FrewerAustin O'BrienThey thought they had destroyed him, but the simple gardener-turned-superkiller has found a way to reboot himself in Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace.Really bad, but not that terrible
18.02.2019.
"Job's War" is a direct sequel to "Lawnmower Man" from 1992, but it doesn't fully comply with it. It is a fact that this film does not have much to do with its predecessor, and absolutely nothing with King. It is also a fact that in every aspect, with no exceptions, it is very badly made. Nevertheless, it's not that much rubbish to earn two out of ten on the IMDb and the reputation of one of the worst movies of all time. The story is badly told, but it's quite interesting. The fact that all the actors are replaced by others is irritating, and the acting is mediocre at best, but it's not so bad either. All in all, it's quite watchable trash. Although I must admit that I was much more amused by reading the reviews on the IMDb than by the movie itself.
4/10 - DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJamie FoxxChristoph WaltzLeonardo DiCaprioWith the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.Auf Wiedersehen
19.02.2019.
My day usually looks like this - I get up about half-past seven, work all day, get back home completely beaten, eat something and then watch a ninety-minute movie, and I fall asleep at the half. Today I woke up at four AM, worked all day, got back home more beaten than usual, are something, played three hours log movie, and I saw it through without blinking. Enough said. I wonder if Tarantino knows how to make a movie that is not fantastic. So far, I didn't rate any below nine out of ten. I will not analyze this one because it is perfect in every aspect. I just want to mention the music. The music is, in my opinion, totally inappropriate for the genre, place and time in which the story is set, and often for what is happening on the screen, and it very distinctly stands out from the film. On the other hand, music is excellent and fiercely enhances the effect of the film. The music is in a perfectly harmonious discord. Madness.
10/10 - DirectorSlobodan SkerlicStarsLazar RistovskiNikola DjurickoNebojsa GlogovacOvercome by an irrational rage, a 17 year-old hatchet man kidnaps his boss who had managed to cover up his true indentity and become part of the estabishment.The Kid takes this one time hero of his to a hideout in a huge,deserted steel mill where the two experience a kind of enlightenment after some twenty hours of infernal games and agony. Finally, the police arrive ...Pointless
23.02.2019.
For days I have not been able to watch movies, and now, when I've finally found the time, I've fucked up in the selection. I can not say that it is poorly done, but except for a few relatively good jokes and action scenes above average for this area, the film does not have a much to offer. It's meaningless and redundant. I watched it primarily because I heard that it could be compared with "The Wounds" and even with "Pretty Village, Pretty Flame", and if you approach it with such expectations you will be extremely disappointed. To compare this empty action with the aforementioned masterpieces of domestic cinema is blasphemy of epic proportions.
4/10 - DirectorRyûhei KitamuraStarsVinnie JonesBradley CooperLeslie BibbA photographer's obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer who stalks late night commuters, ultimately butchering them in the most gruesome ways."Welcome"
26.02.2019.
A collection of horror stories "Books of Blood" was my first encounter with the genius writer Clive Barker, the book that pulled me into this genre and made Barker one of my favorite writers. "The Midnight Meat Train" is the screening of the story of the same name from the first volume of this collection. I held these books in my hands last time many years ago, so I can not bring them to life in detail, but I would say that the film very faithfully adapted the source material, not only with the story, but also with the general atmosphere. The camera and directing have captured the spirit of Barker's prose very nicely, and Bradley Cooper and Vinnie Jones are excellent in lead roles. In particular stand out scenes of murders and mutilations, which, although over-the-top, leave a strong and quite convincing impression, and some of them turned upside down even my stomach, the stomach of a slasher lover. I would say that all aspects of this film are in place, and yet something is amiss. For quite some time I was wondering what was the reason why this movie did not buy me completely and I did not come to any conclusion. Everything is there, and again, it's not it, and I was somewhat disappointed all the way to the end. Finale pretty much saved the day and it stands shoulder to shoulder with the book, but the overall impression is still pale.
7/10 - DirectorJoe JohnstonStarsChris EvansHugo WeavingSamuel L. JacksonSteve Rogers, a rejected military soldier, transforms into Captain America after taking a dose of a "Super-Soldier serum". But being Captain America comes at a price as he attempts to take down a warmonger and a terrorist organization."The moment you think you know what's going on in a woman's head is the moment your goose is well and truly cooked"
28.02.2019.
A high-budget action movie that seeks to blur the lack of essential qualities by a visual spectacle. Somewhat entertaining, but in the long run totally unimpressive. Although this was my third viewing, I had the impression that I was watching the movie for the first time. There was nothing left in my memory from the previous two watching.
6/10 - DirectorPanos CosmatosStarsNicolas CageAndrea RiseboroughLinus RoacheThe enchanted lives of a couple in a secluded forest are brutally shattered by a nightmarish hippie cult and their demon-biker henchmen, propelling a man into a spiraling, surreal rampage of vengeance."When I die, bury me deep, lay two speakers at my feet, put some headphones on my head and rock and roll me when I'm dead."
01.03.2019.
As a great fan of Nicolas Cage, I could not resist seeing this achievement, although I knew that he's only shooting nonsense lately. But this nonsense has overcome all that precede it. As if David Lynch on hallucinogenic drugs has tried to shoot slasher horror. The originality, imagination, interesting cinematographic solutions and good acting are wasted on the film dull and boring that it's barely watchable. These two hours of life I can't ever get back, and therefore I do not want to spend a minute more on writing a more detailed review.
2/10 - DirectorTom HollandStarsRobert John BurkeJoe MantegnaLucinda JenneyAn obese attorney is cursed by a gypsy to rapidly and uncontrollably lose weight."Like it? You kiddin' me? I fuckin' love it!"
02.03.2019.
A fat lawyer kills a gypsy in a car accident. He's guilty, but he has good connections and goes unpunished. Or at least he thought so until her father had cursed him. Now his life is falling apart as he tries to find a way to take off the curse.
The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's story from 1984 and the original version faithfully follows it, but due to poor audience reaction at test screenings, it is subsequently changed. On the technical side, film has no major flaws, but nothing especially stands out either, but King is not considered the king of horror for nothing (although this is more of a dark fantasy drama, with just a little bit of elements of B horrors from the eighties), so the story itself raises this movie above average. This is one of the better adaptations of King, so I recommend it not only to his fans. If you do not have too high expectations you will have a good time. And King's fans will find additional pleasure in discovering references to other his stories and films, as well as in his cameo appearance.
7/10 - DirectorDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanVirginia MadsenFrancesca AnnisA Duke's son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father's evil nemesis to free their desert world from the emperor's rule.The sleeper has awakened
04.03.2019.
David Lynch is ashamed of his own adaptation of the famous novel by Frank Herbert, and unfortunately, I have to support him in that. I watched "Dune" as a kid back in the eighties and I liked it, and I even defended it recently in some internet discussion, but now, after re-watching it three decades later, I realize that it was an ardor of nostalgia rather than arguments based on the quality of the film. Considering genre and theme, the adaptation of Herbert's novel is not something we would expect from Lynch, but Lynch has left a very strong imprint of his own style, so the film does not deviate much from his canon. The film has its qualities, among which outstanding sound and music are highlighted, as well as some visual effects that are fantastic for their time. It features some sound names such as Brad Dourif, José Ferrer, Linda Hunt, Kyle MacLachlan, Virginia Madsen, Patrick Stewart, Sting, Dean Stockwell, and Max von Sydow. On the other hand, the film has serious shortcomings. As much as the scenes with the worms are fascinating, there are some visual effects that are so tragicomic that I was embarrassed. Also, in my opinion, the style of David Lynch does not go along with this story. But the biggest drawback of the film is that it's too hastened. Although the scenario is quite faithful to the source material in the sense that it does not deviate from it, the novel by Frank Herbert is simply too big for a two hours movie. Lynch did a good job and made the movie watchable and understandable to those who have not read "Dune", but nevertheless, I had the pervasive feeling that I was watching a gigantic trailer and not a movie, so the overall impression is quite weak.
6/10
"A person needs new experiences. They jar something deep inside, allowing him to grow. Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken." - DirectorStan WinstonStarsMichael JacksonPat DadeAmy SmallmanThe mayor of a nameless town gathers a mob to confront a hermit living in a "haunted house," but when the mob arrives, the man has a few tricks up his sleeve to convince them that he's not that bad."You're weird. You're strange. I don't like you."
04.03.2019.
This forty-minute film by Michael Jackson holds the Guinness World Record as the longest music video. The film includes three songs: "2 Bad", "Is It Scary" and "Ghosts". Songs are written and performed by Jackson, the script is written by horror legends Stephen King and Mick Garris, and director is Stan Winston. It was originally conceived as a promotional film for "Addams Family Values" (1993). That was dropped, but Jackson finished it a few years later. If you like Michael Jackson you will surely like this. The story is nicely done, music and dance numbers are great, and the effects are on the level of high-budget films of the time.
7,5/10 - DirectorMark Philip LichtensteinStarsPippa Bennett-WarnerRichard David-CaineJoseph ElliottWhen a rich patron visits the studio of the depraved artist Pickman, he is horrified to discover the sinister source of her inspiration. Adapted from the H. P. Lovecraft story of the same title.I have no idea what I just saw
05.03.2019.
I suppose it is necessary to read the short story by Lovecraft first to be able to understand this short adaptation. But if that's the case it is not a good movie. A film should be able to stand alone, separately from the source material. Although just ten minutes long, it somehow succeeded to bore me. But, that's just me, maybe you'll like it.
3/10
P.S. You can watch the whole thing on IMDb page. - DirectorMark PaviaStarsMiguel FerrerJulie EntwisleDan MonahanA reporter is on the trail of a vampiric murderer who travels by plane."Never believe what you publish, never publish what you believe"
07.03.2019.
"The Night Flier" is one of the better adaptations of Stephen King I encountered so far. Although, If I didn't know it was King and I had to guess, I would assume it was Clive Barker. Both the story and its technical realization are totally average and the film leaves a very average impression, so the realistic rating would be six. However, when taking into account the budget of only a million dollars, one must acknowledge the quality of special effects that can compete with much more expensive films of the time and are very effective. The film stars Miguel Ferrer, a legend of supporting roles, who here proves that he is more than capable to carry the entire film on his shoulders. He always reminded me of Bogart and I am sorry that I did not have the opportunity to see him in some more demanding roles, because I think his skills deserve much more than background roles for which he is known. And finally, I want to mention the end of the movie that, although somewhat predictable, is very powerful and striking, and for which I simply have to ignore the impression of the six I had during the entire film and raise my rating to
7/10 - DirectorPhilip SavilleStarsLouis JourdanFrank FinlaySusan PenhaligonThe vampire count leaves his Transylvanian home to wreak havoc across the world.Sterile English drama
08.03.2019.
Television movie "Count Dracula" in the BBC production is considered to be the most faithful adaptation of Stoker's novel. Although faithful to the source material and technically well done, I was barely able to push myself to see it through. The beauty of Judi Bowker and the different but great performance of Louis Jourdan in the title role are not enough to compensate for the bad directing, the pace that has tested the limits of my patience, a sterile atmosphere and a complete lack of any kind of emotion, drama or horror. Flatness and boredom were occasionally interrupted only by completely unnecessary visual effects, especially Dracula's face in the negative, annoying music and some incredibly stupid over-the-top scenes, among which the scene of Renfield's death is particularly highlighted. Subjectively, I want to rate it two out of ten, but I can not ignore the existence of its objective qualities.
5/10 - DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordKatharine RossIn 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America."You just keep thinkin', Butch. That's what you're good at."
10.03.2019.
You can find this biographical Western on many lists of the best movies of all time and it holds the 219th place on IMDb Top 250 list. The film tells the story of two legendary robbers and gunmen who were harassing the Wild West at the beginning of the last century. The sister of the real Butch Cassidy attended the shooting and was thrilled by how scenario and Paul Newman faithfully portray her brother. Technically, the film has no obvious shortcomings, Paul Newman and Robert Redford are excellent, and the rest of the cast are on the level too. The music is unusual for this genre, but very good and it won an Oscar. The film is an adventure crime drama, but it has a strong comic note, masterfully measured to be extremely fun but it does not escape into comedy. The strongest trump is certainly well-written dialogues that, although humorous and witty, serve not only as "comic relief," but primarily for the characterization. In every respect, this is a great film, but still, it did not leave such a powerful impression that I would rank it at the very top of world cinema.
8/10 - DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsEllen BurstynJared LetoJennifer ConnellyThe drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep.."In the end it's all nice"
13.03.2019.
When I first saw "Requiem for a Dream" I watched it with a company, so I've probably seen it in its entirety, but, since I was extremely bored, ask God where my thoughts were. A couple of years later I reprised it and it was so boring that I gave up before the end. When one of the movie groups on Facebook became like second home to me, I noticed that this film is quite popular among its members and that many even rank it among the favorite films, so I decided to give it one more chance. It bored me to the extent that I was not able to analyze it, and I only assessed my subjective impression by rating it three out of ten. This caused general bashing after yours truly. For this reason, for the first time in my life, I did not just reprise, but for the fourth time I watched a film that I did not like. This time I was mentally prepared to be fully focused from start to finish and be as objective as possible.
I must admit that the movie is visually really masterfully filmed. It contains a lot of unforgettable scenes that are, each for itself, striking artwork of photography. The camera work, the use of colors, editing and music perfectly conjures up the psychic and emotional states of the characters and effectively insert the viewer into it. The acting is flawless, and particularly strong impression leaves Ellen Burstyn, who deservedly picked up a bunch of awards and nominations. Still, despite all this, I simply do not like "Requiem". I don't enjoy it, it's boring to me, and despite all efforts, I just couldn't force myself to watch it whole at once. I have often paused, checking how much is left to the end, and dragged it through the entire day. Although I can not disprove its artistic value or essential power, I simply can not stand this film and I'm through with it once and for all.
8/10 (subjectively, it's still 3/10) - DirectorJim DrakeStarsSteve GuttenbergBubba SmithMichael WinslowThe misfit Police Academy (1984) graduates now are assigned to train a group of civilian volunteers to fight crime once again plaguing the streets."Don't you ever touch my balls without asking"
15.03.2019.
It's really not worth wasting the words on this movie. The franchise continues in the same manner, with less and less originality, less and less humor and less and less charm. As much as the idea was initially juicy, after some time, no matter how hard you squeeze, there's nothing more to be squeezed out. They just embarrass themselves and defile the memory of the good fun from the start of "Police Academy".
4/10 - DirectorJoe ChappelleStarsDonald PleasencePaul RuddMarianne HaganSix years after Michael Myers last terrorized Haddonfield, he returns there in pursuit of his niece, Jamie Lloyd, who has escaped with her newborn child, for which Michael and a mysterious cult have sinister plans.So far, the most boring part of the most boring horror franchise
17.03.2019.
Even when they are born from an exceptional movie, franchises rarely reach the sixth part, and when they do, it usually does not work. Then what to expect from the sixth part of the franchise in which even the earlier films were nothing special. Moreover, it is a mystery to me how a mediocre horror such as "Halloween" ever grew into a franchise, let alone how this franchise came so far. Although filmed quite decently, the movie is totally meaningless, dull and boring, and the only good thing in it is a legendary music theme, which is essentially the only good thing in the whole franchise.
4/10 - DirectorRichard BenjaminStarsDan AykroydKim BasingerJon LovitzA creature from another planet tries to seduce a shy Earth physicist to gain control over his researches. The result of this important mission much exceeded her expectations."Earthmen will fall to their knees, betray their country and give away valuable real estate for a desirable woman."
19.03.2019.
Dan Aykroyd, an astronomer in search of extraterrestrial life, a widower and single father of a teenage girl, accidentally manages to send a signal to a distant galaxy. Kim Basinger is an alien sent to Earth to investigate this case. This leads to one of the silliest, most charming and funny film romances I have ever encountered. There are also Juliette Lewis in her film debut, Alyson Hannigan (Willow from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", Lily from "How I Met Your Mother") as the daughter, Jon Lovitz, Seth Green, and they are all incredibly entertaining. The story itself is pretty sloppy, technically film does not have much to offer, but it's full of hilarious dialogues and excellent embarrassment transfers. Although the objective quality of this film does not exceed five or possibly six, I laughed out loud and at the end it almost made me cry. However, I'm not sure how objective I am, because I saw this movie at the cinema thirty years ago as a nine-year-old, so probably nostalgia somewhat boosted the emotional effect that the film had left on me. Guilty pleasure or one of the best romantic comedies of the '80s, it's up to you to decide, and from the bottom of my heart I'm rating it
8/10 - DirectorJean-Marie PoiréStarsChristian ClavierJean RenoMuriel RobinKnight Godefroy has to return to our time from 1023 to get back the sacred jewels that Jacquouille has taken to the 20th century.Recycling
21.03.2019.
"The Visitors II" is a direct sequel to the first film and it continues the story in the same manner, but it doesn't bring anything new and fresh and just recycles the original. Jean Reno and Christian Clavier are expectedly good, and in all other aspects, the movie is decent but lame. I was bored.
5/10 - DirectorBob FosseStarsLiza MinnelliMichael YorkHelmut GriemA female girlie club entertainer in Weimar Republic era Berlin romances two men while the Nazi Party rises to power around them."Life is a cabaret ol' chum, so come to the Cabaret"
26.03.2019.
And once again I am in the situation that I did not particularly like the film that is considered one of the best of all time. Although I do not lay much on the Oscars, this time the Oscars "Cabaret" won, as well as those it lost, perfectly reflect my own impression of this film. Liza Minnelli was perfect in the leading role, Joel Grey is the carrier of the most remarkable supporting role, directing and cinematography are excellent, and the music is legendary. However, the film lost the race for the best scenario and the best film.
8/10 - DirectorEthan MillerStarsConnor BehmAndrew HunsickerDean JonesIn the uncharted regions of the Antarctic, dark secrets slumber. An ancient horror lies hidden in the bowels of an alien city, and two unlucky explorers race unwittingly towards it.Faithful waste of time
28.03.2019.
Why the hell, when I'm interested in some author, I have to see absolutely everything I can find... In my obsessive search for Lovecraft adaptations, I ran into this short animated film. The animation is good, the story is faithful to the source material, but the movie observed separately is lousy and redundant. It can be interesting only to true fans of H.P. Lovecraft.
5/10 - CreatorDarren StarStarsJason PriestleyShannen DohertyLuke PerryA group of friends living in Beverly Hills, California make their way through life from their school days into adulthood.Guilty pleasure
29.03.2019.
Several years ago, in 2016 I think, I was grabbed by some nostalgia and I started to rewatch "Beverly Hills, 90210". Of course, after three seasons it began to bore me and I moved on to something smarter. Since this month I was in total business and private chaos and I had neither the time nor the concentration to devote more seriously to films, I returned to it again. After the fourth season, I must admit it feels good. When you work from morning to night, seven days a week, this is the right choice to relax before going to bed. I think I'll definitely see it through all ten seasons. Maybe it has no value in an artistic and cinematographic sense, nor in terms of philosophical depth, but it has emotional and nostalgic value for us who grew up in the '90s and it is great for letting the brain out to pasture. And to be honest, it is very well made. Perhaps the stories are Utopian and with fairytale happy-endings, but they also make sense and point. The acting is quite solid and technically there are hardly any flaws. In this genre, only "Heartbreak High" beats it.
8/10 - DirectorRupert WainwrightStarsPatricia ArquetteGabriel ByrneJonathan PryceWhen a young woman becomes afflicted by stigmata, a priest is sent to investigate her case, which may have severe ramifications for his faith and for the Catholic Church itself."The kingdom of God is within you and all around you. It is not within buildings of wood or stone. Split a piece of wood and you will find me. Look beneath a stone and I am there."
31.03.2019.
"Stigmata" deals with religious themes of stigmata and the "Gospel of Thomas," the oldest known gospel, which is considered to be the closest to the teachings of the historical Jesus. It is not included in the "New Testament", and the church considers it to be heretical. Although the film makes some historical and factual mistakes, it is not a documentary but fiction, so we can regard them as artistic freedoms, which, even if they do not contribute to the quality of the film, certainly do not diminish its strength. Patricia Arquette excellently portrays the role of a young atheist whose life is headed upside down by the inexplicable appearance of wounds similar to crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, and Gabriel Byrne plays a priest sent from the Vatican to investigate her case. The chemistry between them is good and is the backbone of the film, and the powerful explicit scenes of stigmata appearance spice it up with horror atmosphere, although I would describe this movie as a drama rather than a horror.
7,5/10 - DirectorAlex GarlandStarsNatalie PortmanJennifer Jason LeighTessa ThompsonA biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.Beautiful pretentious crap
03 April 2019
If you've watched the movie "Ex Machina", you may notice that "Annihilation" is the work of the same author. Although thematically they have nothing in common, the style of Alex Garland is quite recognizable. The movie has quite an original premise, or at least I've never encountered anything like this, and it is visually beautiful, therefore in the theater, it is probably breathtaking and diverts attention from the fact that it has nothing else to offer. Characterization, which in the previous film was Garland's main asset, here is almost non-existent, so the characters are unimpressive and do not provoke sympathy. "Annihilation" is an SF drama-adventure with a touch of horror, but it is neither particularly dramatic, nor exciting, nor scary, yet it is full of holes and illogicality. I can not say I was bored, but with characters whose fate I did not care about and a story that did not keep me at the edge of my seat or woke up any emotions, it left me quite indifferent. There is a possibility that I did not understand the film, but it somehow seems to me that the problem is that the author himself did not have a concrete idea of what he wanted to achieve with this film, so he just let his imagination run wild without any particular goal, blurring the lack of essence, and even a common sense, by excellent cinematography.
6,5/10 - DirectorBaran bo OdarStarsTom SchillingElyas M'BarekWotan Wilke MöhringBenjamin, a young German computer whiz, is invited to join a subversive hacker group that wants to be noticed on the world's stage."First: no system is safe. Second: Aim for the impossible. Third: Have fun in cyberspace and meat space."
06.04.2019.
"Who Am I" is a German cyber-crime mindfuck thriller whose story I can not go into too much because of the risk of spoilers. The film is technically competent, the acting is good, the tempo and music will drive you and keep your attention without a problem. The story itself seems to be a classic seven, but multiple plot-twists at the very end have thrilled me. Through film permeate almost unnoticeable homages to a cult 'Fight Club', that will, if you notice them, lead you to assume the outcome of this story. You will guess wrong. Only before the very end I finally understood some seemingly insignificant details and solved the puzzle... again wrong. Now, after the second viewing, I'm not so enthusiastic as I was the first time, which is expected for mindfuck based on the unexpected twists and turns, but far from that I was bored and I enjoyed it from start to finish. The most sincere recommendation.
8/10 - DirectorJean-Marie PoiréStarsJean RenoChristina ApplegateChristian ClavierA French count is in England to marry the princess. She's killed. A wizard helps him time travel back before the murder - but ends up in Chicago, April 2000. A descendant helps him. Can he return to the 1100s?Beautiful women in an unneeded remake
07.04.2019.
Although the script is quite different from that of the first film, this is still only a remake of "Les visiteurs" for the US market. The film completely ignores the previous two and brings essentially the same story, with the same actors in the main roles, who this time speak English instead of French. Many gags and jokes are copied from the first movie, but do not have the power and soul they had in the French version. I can not say that the movie is bad, but it is unnecessary and redundant to anyone who watched and loved the original. The only advantage it has over "Les visiteurs" from 1993 are the actresses - disarming beauty of Christina Applegate, irresistible sex appeal of Tara Reid, who I loved in "Sharknado" franchise, and horny malice of Bridget Wilson-Sampras, who unfortunately did not get the opportunity to appear in full brilliance, as she did in "Love Stinks".
6/10 - StarsRebecca De MornaySteven WeberWil HorneffA recovering alcoholic must wrestle with demons within and without when he and his family move into a haunted hotel as caretakers.Are you going to hurt me, daddy?
11.04.2019.
While Kubrick's "The Shining" is just based on the famous King's novel, the 1997 adaptation is much more faithful to the source material, as King himself adapted the story for television. Kubrick's version is an objectively better film, but essentially these two movies are not quite comparable, because their approach to the story, techniques and intentions are pretty much different. While Kubrick's film is more a psychological horror drama, mini-series directed by Mick Garris is a typical supernatural horror with an atmosphere distinctive of these two legends of the genre.
Although no one can feign madness as Jack Nicholson (if he fakes it at all), and the fear of Shelley Duvall creeps chills to the bone, the cast is okay for such a TV movie, and it is composed of recognizable and dear faces who gave quite decent performances. Rebecca De Mornay is a sight for sore eyes, Steven Weber is not nearly as intimidating as Nicholson, but his madness is convincing enough, and although it took me some time to get used to the unusual appearance of little Courtland Mead, his performance in some scenes is really striking.
The mini-series consists of three parts for a total of four and a half hours. The first part is a bit slow, which is typical for King, who likes to introduce us to the characters and their backgrounds, and to wait for us to develop a closeness to them, before he leisurely leads us into the main story. In the second part, tension gradually increases and what seemed to be a family drama slowly transforms into supernatural horror, with jump-scares and... visual effects. And I think that is exactly where the biggest drawback of this film lies. What had the potential to be a great psychological horror drama, by decently done (except for the scenes with topiaries, which are an unforgivable failure) but totally unnecessary effects, has been transformed into something similar to the B horrors of the eighties, and for that genre, which is more often ridiculous than terrifying, over four hours is definitely too much, the tension is lost and the whole thing becomes quite unconvincing and even boring. The third part is probably the best done, both visually and story-wise, but it is spoiled by inappropriate and somewhat pathetic ending, that is better suited to melodrama than horror. Not to be perceived as a nag, I just want to praise really extraordinary sound and music.
Although I preferred this version of the story itself over Kubrick's, the movie is terribly over-stretched and the atmosphere is, although I admit that it kept me on the edge of the chair on several occasions, too frivolous to leave an impression that could compete with the Kubrick's masterpiece.
7/10 - DirectorSteve MinerStarsJamie Lee CurtisJosh HartnettAdam ArkinLaurie Strode, now the dean of a Northern California private school with an assumed name, must battle the Shape one last time, as the life of her own son hangs in the balance.By far the best in the original franchise
12.04.2019.
When I sat down to watch "H2O" I was expecting "same crap, different package," because that's what I got from the previous six. But the film did not meet my expectations - the packaging is much better than before. Much more expensive production, much better story and atmosphere, more famous actors, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who in her forties looks and acts better than in her girlhood.
The authors wisely decided to ignore the previous sequels and refer directly to the original story. In the film, I did not notice stupid illogicalities typical of this genre, which pleasantly surprised me. The movie lasts less than an hour and a half, there is no idling and humdrum, and in the second part, it was actively holding me on the edge of the chair, which none of its prequels managed to accomplish.
I especially liked that the film is full of references to Hitchcock's "Psycho." Jamie Lee Curtis plays the director of a private high school, and her secretary is Janet Leigh, her mother, famous for playing Marion in "Psycho." In the scene when Janet leaves the school, she stands in front of a car from "Psycho", and the background music is also from this classic. The registration plate is the same as in "Psycho" and represents the initials of Norman Bates. In one scene, friend says to Jamie's son: "Twenty years from now, you'll still be living with her, probably running some weird motel, out in the middle of nowhere." Sounds familiar?
The simple and effective story, well-balanced pace and duration, great atmosphere and, of course, the legendary tune that makes us shiver for decades. Recommendation.
7/10 - DirectorChris ThomsonStarsTimothy BusfieldBrenda BakkeAidan DevineAliens arrive, parking in a geostationary orbit over Nevada. Using powers unknown to us, they declare war, and use unmanned trucks as weapons."Just hang on, folks. I repeat, just hang on."
14.04.2019.
"Maximum Overdrive" is considered a bad movie and one of the worst adaptations of Stephen King (which I firmly disagree with), although it was adapted by King himself. Chris Thomson and Brian Taggert were not satisfied with how badly this film was made, so they decided to show that it could be done much worse, adapting the same story a decade later, in the form of the movie "Trucks". Objectively, the film is in every respect cheap trash, and in addition, it lacks the AC/DC soundtrack, which has largely pulled out "Maximum Overdrive", but there are a few really memorable scenes for which I strongly recommend you to see this flick. The scene in which a small plastic remote control truck is killing a postman is at the same time one of the most idiotic and one of the most unforgettably hilarious scenes of death in the history of cinema, and the scene in which protective suit kills its owner with an axe does not fall far behind.
4/10 - DirectorGeorge MillerGeorge OgilvieStarsMel GibsonTina TurnerBruce SpenceAfter being exiled from the most advanced town in post apocalyptic Australia, a drifter travels with a group of abandoned children to rebel against the town's queen."You can shovel crap, can't you?"
16.04.2019.
The scenario for "Beyond Thunderdome" was originally a post-apocalyptic adaptation of "Lord of the Flies," subsequently modified and converted into the third part of the "Mad Max" franchise. The budget jumped from two to ten million dollars, and Gibson is no longer the only big name, because he's now sharing a movie with fantastic Tina Turner. In addition to the role of the main "villain", Tina is also credited with the song "We Don't Need Another Hero", which entered the legend and to this day has remained one of her greatest hits and one of the biggest hits of film music in general. The word "villain" I put in quotes because this time the story is far more complex than in the previous films and deviates from the black-and-white pattern of the good against evil, representing us a post-apocalyptic future in the shades of gray. The characters are numerous, diverse and quite realistic, so who's the good guy and who's the bad depends on from whose perspective we chose to look at the story. For me, this is one of the strongest trumps of the movie, and with the visual spectacle and good music, it earned the movie a strong eight.
8/10 - DirectorBryan SingerStarsIan McKellenBrad RenfroJoshua JacksonA boy blackmails his neighbor after suspecting him to be a Nazi war criminal."Oh, my dear boy, don't you see? We are fucking each other."
17.04.2019.
In the mid-eighties, a high-school student, obsessed with Nazi crimes during WWII, accidentally stumbles upon an old SS officer, hiding under a false identity right in his own neighborhood. He gathers proofs of the old man's past and blackmails him into vivid storytelling about his firsthand experiences, details they don't teach you in school and that you can not find in history books. But this relationship turns out to be much harder to handle than he expected.
Although considered a "king of horror", classic horror is not King's stronger suit. Besides his masterpiece, an epic adventure "The Dark Tower", his best work lies in dark drama that only tends to horror. It is interesting that in the sea of bad adaptations of King, three very good ones come from the same book. The story "Apt Pupil" was published in the short stories collection, which includes "The Body", adapted into the movie "Stand by Me", and "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption", after which was made probably the best adaptation of this author and one of the best movies of all time, "The Shawshank Redemption" from 1994. And all three are drama, not horror.
Ian McKellen nailed the aged Nazi officer. His performance is flawless and it will make you disgust and sympathize with his character at the same time. The fourteen-year-old rising star, Brad Renfro, has very well presented the role of a young sociopath and it is a great pity that he allowed the drugs to ruin his promising career and soon afterwards his life. He was OD'd at twenty-five, not giving himself a chance to really shine. The story is a dark drama with a touch of thriller and is based mainly on the characterization of these two characters and the development of their relationship. Brian Singer's directing is great, which is no surprise when we know his previous film is cult "The Usual Suspects". After two such films, his switch to the "X-Men" franchise is, although financially understandable, a great disappointment for me. The movie has a slightly slower pace, but has a good atmosphere and keeps the attention from beginning to end, and the ending, although completely different from King's, is in my opinion much more suited to the genre and the story itself, and has contributed significantly to the power of the overall impression.
8/10 - DirectorRoger AllersRob MinkoffStarsMatthew BroderickJeremy IronsJames Earl JonesLion prince Simba and his father are targeted by his bitter uncle, who wants to ascend the throne himself."What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"
20.04.2019.
"The Lion King" is one of the best known and most respected Disney movies. On IMDb it's in top 50, Metascore 83, 93% on Rotten Tomatoes... I don't know... it seems a bit too much to me. The film is very good and I do not have any specific objections, but it did not delight me. To animated characters voices are lent by the pretty powerful cast, which includes Rowan Atkinson, Jeremy Irons, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Cheech Marin, and others, and several songs from the movie were deservedly nominated for an Oscar, from which one won it. Still, from today's perspective, I would rate it seven, but when it came out, and I was a kid, I was thrilled, and for 1994, it has an enviable animation, so I will give it a compromise eight.
8/10 - DirectorRick RosenthalStarsJamie Lee CurtisBusta RhymesBrad LoreeThree years after he last terrorized his sister, Michael Myers confronts her again, before traveling to Haddonfield to deal with the cast and crew of a reality show which is being broadcast from his old home.The second best
I honestly don't understand such hate towards this movie. The scenario is original (compared to the previous sequels), and satisfactorily consistent with the timeline and heritage of the franchise. I liked the combination of the classic "Halloween" story with elements of teenage romantic movies, reality TV, the "Blair Witch" style and sporadic comic reliefs. The acting is not nearly as bad as you might think after reading internet reviews, and the atmosphere is more tense than in the prequels. "H2O" retains the position of the best film in the franchise, but this one is the most exciting and entertaining.
7/10 - DirectorRob ZombieStarsScout Taylor-ComptonMalcolm McDowellTyler ManeAfter being committed for 15 years, Michael Myers, now a grown man and still very dangerous, escapes from the mental institution and immediately returns to Haddonfield to find his baby sister, Laurie.Next time I see that Myers pussy, he's dead!
The remake of the cult horror film from 1978 is a true refreshment from the original franchise. Thirty years after the original film, screenwriter and director Rob Zombie, better known as the frontman of the metal band White Zombie, turned barely mediocre slasher into quite good psychological horror thriller.
While the original film is a two-dimensional slasher in which Michael Myers is an inexplicable and indestructible embodiment of evil, the remake brings us a background story that gives this character a face and a psychological profile. The old "Halloween" begins with Michael's murder of his sister, for no apparent reason, and hospitalization in a mental institution, and then immediately jumps fifteen years into the future, where Michael escapes from an asylum and begins his frantic manhunt. Zombie adds a lengthy introduction and shows us Michael's childhood, dysfunctional family, problems at school and early signs of mental disorder, from which somewhat logically follows the rest of the story. In the original franchise, the main characters are Michael's victims and Dr. Samuel Loomis, while Michael is a faceless, mysterious and brutal evil that lurks from the shadows, incomprehensible, inhuman. Rob's vision does not bind us to teenagers "condemned to death", but instead moves spotlight on Michael himself, who takes on the lead role, so we follow his transformation from a seemingly cute child to a relentless killing machine, while his victims are now somewhat depersonalized and essentially irrelevant.
In the first part of the film, young Michael is played by twelve-year-old Daeg Faerch, who quite skillfully balances between the sweet 10-year-old trying to get through an unhappy childhood and soulless psychopath on whose face is reflected the abyss of evil. In the second part, the film returns to the original story and becomes a classic slasher, essentially no better or worse than the original, but somewhat better shot. If you do not like the original, like I don't, here is your chance to look at the story from a different angle that may suit you better.
7/10 - DirectorEthan WileyStarsStacy GalinaAlexis ArquetteEva MendesSix college students on a road trip take a wrong turn and end up trapped in a strangely deserted rural town inhabited by a murdeous cult of children.Eva Mendes's movie debut
03.05.2019.
Lazily written and cheaply recorded, pathetic collection of clichés. There are a couple of interesting scenes and Eva Mendes (for those who like her).
4/10 - DirectorChristopher McQuarrieStarsTom CruiseHenry CavillVing RhamesEthan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong."I've got to hand it to you, Ethan. Normally, when people refer to you as your own worst enemy, it's just a figure of speech."
11.05.2019.
"Fallout" is the sixth and so far the latest film in "Mission Impossible" franchise. The franchise that began with shallow action movies, from the fourth installment turns into a spy action thriller and it is getting better and better, surpassing many of the cult Bond movies. The story is complex, and from the very beginning strings excellent plot twists which, with the superbly-directed non-stop breath-taking action, won't let your focus slip for a moment. I've never had a high opinion of Tom Cruise's acting abilities, but for these twenty years he has become the trademark face of the franchise and, at this point, hardly anyone could replace him. In particular, he must be acknowledged for shooting all of his stunts personally, however difficult and dangerous they were. The rest of the cast is awesome. Henry Cavill plays the role of a cold-blooded assassin. Ving Rhames brings the soul into the franchise and, in tandem with the charismatic Simon Pegg, even some extent of comic relief. The trio of "Bond girls" - Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Michelle Monaghan - by their very appearance makes you forget about the quality of the acting, though, if you were able to pay attention to it, you would certainly not be disappointed. And in the end, in slightly lesser roles, big names such as Alec Baldwin and Angela Bassett. In every respect, it is well-made and superbly produced movie but, for me subjectively, it didn't surpass its predecessor, "Rogue Nation".
8/10
P.S. Did the helicopter chase irresistibly remind you of the legendary attack on the Death Star in "Star Wars"? - DirectorMichael John WarrenStarsBrian d'Arcy JamesSutton FosterChristopher SieberMake room for ogre-sized family fun as the greatest fairy tale never told comes to life in a whole new way in this breathtaking Broadway musical adaptation of the hit movie Shrek!Shrek live!
14.05.2019.
Already cult animated film by DreamWorks company and, in my opinion, one of the best cartoons of all time, "Shrek", has been adapted into a Broadway musical. I do not need to comment on the story itself, because it is almost the same as in the original, with the addition of pretty good music and dance numbers. While the cartoon from 2001 was designed as a witty and amusing parody of the Disney Princesses, the musical version also parodies some famous musicals. The acting is good, some of the performers really have great voices, and the atmosphere of the entire show is casual and cheerful. Even if you are not a fan of musicals, if you liked the cartoon you'll probably enjoy this adaptation too. It made my day.
8/10 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsJessica HarperStefania CasiniFlavio BucciAn American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.Art-horror
21.05.2019.
"Suspiria" by Dario Argento, from 1977, was a completely new experience for me. I watched some horror movies that pretend to be art-films before, but those which I had the misfortune to encounter, with artistic approach only canceled potential for horror effect, if they had it at all, so that the result is a film that is neither artistically fascinating nor scary. As opposed to them, Argento managed to make a film that features excellent camera and directing, effective use of colors, in which each frame is an art photography, and which, at the same time, with great contribution of excellent sound effects and perfectly appropriate music, builds an eerie atmosphere, successfully maintains tension and, at times, it is really bloodcurdling. For the full experience, I suggest you watch it in complete darkness and with good surround sound system or headphones. The acting is also good and, in my opinion, the only flaw of the film is the story itself, which is not bad, but it is not even close to the level of all the other aspects of the movie.
Cinematography: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Plot: 6/10
8,5/10 - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsWillem DafoeHarvey KeitelBarbara HersheyThe life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the struggles all humans do, and his final temptation on the cross.It is accomplished!
26.05.2019.
"The dual substance of Christ - the yearning, so human, so superhuman, of man to attain God... has always been a deep inscrutable mystery to me. My principle anguish and source for all my joys and sorrows from my youth onward has been the incessant, merciless battle between the spirit and the flesh... and my soul is the arena where these two armies have clashed and met." - Nikos Kazantzakis, from the book "The Last Temptation of Christ"
This controversial drama by Martin Scorsese is based on the novel of the same name by Nikos Kazantzakis, and brings us a portrait of Jesus Christ with all the virtues and flaws, fears and temptations of a realistic human being. Personally, I believe that Jesus was not a historical figure, but that he was the creation of the Church authorities, who composed his teachings from the teachings of several preachers from several periods, because they needed the Messiah to pass off their teachings and doctrine. But even if he has walked the land, the way he is portrayed in this movie seems to me more plausible than any other display of the Savior that I encountered so far. The film has an unusual and controversial approach to the presentation of Jesus' life (so much that in France Catholic fundamentalists burned several cinemas during its screenings, which resulted even in one fatal outcome) but if you watch it with an open heart and mind, without prejudice, I believe that you will realize that such an approach is not a blasphemy, but to a conscious, intelligent viewer can be much more susceptive and effective in conveying Jesus' teaching than the classic approach. The author of the book wrote in the prologue: "This book is not a biography; it is the confession of every man who struggles. In publishing it I have fulfilled my duty, the duty of a person who has struggled much, was much embittered in his life, and had many hopes. I am certain that every free man who reads this book, so filled as it is with love, will more than ever before, better than ever before, love Christ."
"Harmony between Earth and the heart, that is the world of God."
I do not think there's a need to spend words on Scorsese's directing. With a budget of seven million dollars, which is a fairly low budget for this kind of film, Scorsese has done a miracle and earned an Oscar nomination. At first, Willem Dafoe did not appeal to me as Jesus, but bit less than three hours later I can no longer imagine anyone else in that role, and Harvey Keitel perfectly presented the counterweight role of Judas. Although already forty years old, Barbara Hershey is captivating in the role of Mary Magdalene, and I have no objections to performances of the rest of the cast either. The music of Peter Gabriel significantly contributes to the atmosphere, and the end of the film is one of the most memorable in my cinephile "career." I warmly recommend it to both believers and nonbelievers, because of the messages that the film conveys and which will, at least subconsciously, affect your view of the world, and as an unforgettable movie experience.
"Thank you, Lord, for bringing me where I didn't want to go." - Jesus
10/10 - DirectorRandal KleiserStarsJohn TravoltaOlivia Newton-JohnStockard ChanningGood girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?You're the One That I Want
31.05.2019.
The story of this romantic musical is quite a cliché, but charismatic actors and legendary soundtrack make it an evergreen classic. I do not want to analyze it so I would not risk lowering my rating. I love it too much.
9/10 - DirectorBradley RaymondStarsNathan LaneErnie SabellaJulie KavnerTimon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog retell the story of The Lion King (1994) from their own perspective."I love the smell of Pumbaa in the morning"
01.05.2019.
"The Lion King 1½" tells the story from the original film from the perspective of Timon and Pumbaa. It is not even close to "The Lion King" from 1994, but the idea is interesting, humor at a decent level and there are a couple of really infectious songs. Worth a look.
6/10 - DirectorJohn McNaughtonStarsMichael RookerTracy ArnoldTom TowlesArriving in Chicago, Henry moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis and starts schooling him in the ways of the serial killer.What a waste of time
05.06.2019.
Another in the series of films I've found on the lists of the most controversial films of all time and another in a series of disappointments. Among the few more films, "Henry" caused the introduction of the NC-17, a rating for a non-pornographic adults-only film. People describe this film as unforgettably traumatic, but I do not even slightly remember it, although I saw it only a few years ago. "Chilling", "a movie to keep you up at night", "one of the scariest movies ever made", "haunting", "really horrifying", "I'm still shaking", are some of the statements that made me watch it again, although the first time I rated it 5/10.
After re-watching, I'm reading reviews and I'm wondering who's crazy here. Is it possible that I am totally inured to everything or is this movie, in fact, overrated nonsense? If it was made a few decades earlier, maybe I could understand such reactions, but for mid-eighties, this is totally lame. From the title, I expected a film dealing with the psychological profile of a serial killer, but there is not even a basic characterization of the protagonist here. It fails as a drama, because it does not convey any emotion, and as a thriller, because there is no plot, and as a horror, because there is no tense atmosphere or even bloody scenes. There was nothing to hold my attention. Slow, empty and boring. My rating definitely goes down.
3/10 - DirectorRicardo CurtisSteve MartinoMichael ThurmeierStarsBlake AndersonSteve ApostolinaTyree BrownWhen Sid takes a job as an egg nanny, he's unaware an old enemy has plans of his own. The shenanigans lead to the first egg hunt and creation of popular Easter traditions.Origins of the Easter eggs tradition
06.06.2019.
This twenty-minute "Ice Age" movie is just using the opportunity of holidays to get a few more dollars based on its former glory. Although the idea is not bad, the cartoon is totally uninteresting. However, with a good screenwriter, the story has the potential to develop into a quality full-length film.
4/10 - DirectorDavid LoweryStarsCasey AffleckRooney MaraMcColm Cephas Jr.In this singular exploration of legacy, love, loss, and the enormity of existence, a recently deceased, white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to try to reconnect with his bereft wife.It's "sheet", not "shit", you impatient illiterates!
10.06.2019.
I am reading reviews written by people who have bashed this film and generously rated it one and two out of ten, and I am shocked that all of them have failed to point out some of the biggest drawbacks of this pretentious garbage. First, if the ghost is shown as a white sheet, where are the chains?! Every ghost with any self-respect should rattle chains all night long. Secondly, it is widely known that ghosts rattle chains in the attic and, in this case, I'm not sure whether the house has an attic at all. Thirdly, this is an art film, and a good art film must necessarily be filmed in black and white.
Impatient superficial audience of the 21st century, your arguments against this film are valid about as much as those mentioned above.
This is a story about the ghost, where, instead of special effects and CG, we have an actor covered with a white sheet. But do not let that deter you from this unique cinematic experience. This is a film that shows that idea and talent are more important than budget, that emotions and atmosphere are more powerful than a story, that good directing and acting can hold your attention more firmly than dialogue and action, that with a little one can say and accomplish much. One of the slowest movies I have ever seen, almost without plot and dialogues, and yet, it was not boring for a moment. On the contrary, I do not remember when a movie left me with such a strong impression.
9/10 - DirectorGeorge CukorStarsGreta GarboRobert TaylorLionel BarrymoreA Parisian courtesan must choose between the young man who loves her and the callous baron who wants her, even as her own health begins to fail.It didn't age well
I do not know if "Moulin Rouge" from 2001 is a remake of this film, or are both adaptations of the same novel by Alexandre Dumas (son), but although somewhat differently developed, the stories that these films bring are essentially identical. Although I do not like musicals and I really like black and white classics from the first half of the last century, to me, "Moulin Rouge" is better in every way. For the role of Marguerite Gautier, Greta Garbo was nominated for the Oscar, but she did not leave a good impression on me, and the chemistry (if there is any at all) between her and Robert Taylor can not be compared with that of Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor six decades later. On the technical side, I have nothing to complain about, apart from the certain extent of over-acting, but while I saw "Moulin Rouge" countless times and every time I was emotionally destroyed, "Camille" was quite boring and I do not intend to ever reprise it.
6/10 - DirectorDaniel Zelik BerkStarsClayton RohnerFaith FordMax PerlichOn a arctic circle radio shack, an ancient evil lurks, ready to strike at a psychologist, an army man and their collective forces.This has nothing to do with King
This film has nothing to do with the franchise to which it belongs, nor with Stephen King. It is placed in the scenery obviously inspired by Carpenter's "The Thing", not to say that it is a total rip-off. The movie is so unoriginal, unimaginative and boring, that I barely forced myself to see it through. The only bright spot is Faith Ford in the lead female role.
2/10 - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleTom HardyAnne HathawayEight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.Excellent finale
17 June 2019
Nolan's Trilogy is essentially one movie, and for the third part, everything that I said for the first two is valid. I must admit that at first it felt a little stretched, even on the edge of boring, but the final third perfectly combined the deep and powerful drama of the first film with a tense action thriller that characterizes the second, and it excellently rounded the story. After seeing all three movies, the first one left the strongest impression on me, while this one is the weakest, but these are just nuances.
8/10 - DirectorAlan MyersonStarsBubba SmithDavid GrafMichael WinslowThe Police Academy's commandant will be honored at a police convention in Miami Beach. At the airport he picks a wrong bag with stolen diamonds. The "owners" want them back.Embarrassing
19.06.2019.
Unimaginative and shabby. This franchise is totally worn out.
4/10 - DirectorJordan PeeleStarsLupita Nyong'oWinston DukeElisabeth MossAdelaide Wilson and her family are attacked by mysterious figures dressed in red. Upon closer inspection, the Wilsons realize that the intruders are exact lookalikes of them."I have the highest kill count in the family"
And that's about the only "joke" in the movie that made me smile for a moment. "Us" definitely did not aim at a horror comedy, and for a serious horror it is too frivolous. Technically well-done, it has some very nice cadres, good atmosphere, and the performances of the leading four, and especially Lupita, are on a high level. I won't go into the story itself, because even a brief summary would be a spoiler. The idea is original and very interesting, but it seems that they have not thought it through to the end. The film starts slowly and gradually introduces the characters and the plot, and builds up the atmosphere. Everything indicates excellent horror. But when the mystery begins to unfold, it does it quite amateurish. There are holes and illogicalities, and some moments are plain stupid. The final twist is good, but although it is not predictable from the start, you will anticipate it just enough before it happens to spoil the surprise effect. Although the premise is so bloodcurdling that it itself should send shivers down your spine, the movie simply isn't scary. To me, it felt like six out of ten, but I have to raise it, at least slightly, above the stupid slashers of the eighties.
7/10 - DirectorRadivoje AndricStarsSrdjan 'Zika' TodorovicDubravka MijatovicGoran Radakovic1993 Serbia is a place torn by hyperinflation and economic disaster. Milan, an avid fan of FC Partizan, lives with his painter friend and makes money by selling his paintings to the "new elite". He meets a nice girl who works a phone-sex hotline and the two eventually fall in love. Another friend of his is a treasury guard in a bank governed by a shady lady known as "Serbian mother", notorious for cheating the thousands of creditors. The couple plans to rob the bank and run away to a remote sunny island with palms.The first and the best
24 June 2019
"Three Palms for Two Punks and a Babe" is a directorial debut of Radivoje Andric and, given the budget and the circumstances in which it was filmed, it turned out quite good. It may not be a masterpiece of a domestic cinema, but it's certainly better than the next two that he made. This romantic crime-comedy will touch the heart of anyone old enough to remember life in Serbia in the early nineties. Unfortunately, for the full experience, it is necessary that you are from Balkan, but it is a characteristic of most local films, so it can not be considered a flaw. If nothing else, watch it as a curiosity, a domestic film from the '90s, in which there is neither Bjelogrlic nor Kojo.
7/10 - DirectorCatherine BreillatStarsCharlotte AlexandraHiram KellerRita MaidenReluctantly, a sulky adolescent returns to her parents' house for yet another boring summer vacation, dabbling in desire and the art of desirability, eventually mixing reality with vision, caged fantasies with the fierce female sexuality."A surreal voyage into adolescent sexuality"
25.06.2019.
"A Real Young Girl" is the directing debut of French writer, screenwriter and director Catherine Breillat, known for her controversial erotic films that border with pornography, in which she signs the source novel and the script and directing. The film is extremely slow, but it is necessary for building the desired atmosphere. In the beginning, you will probably be bored, but I think the author does it deliberately, so that we can identify with how the protagonist of the story feels, a teenage girl who returns from the boarding school to a parental home for a summer break. Charlotte Alexandra plays a girl in the age when hormones drive her nuts and she has no idea what to do with herself. We've all been through this stage of growing up, but this movie stretches it to extremes. Teenagers often have strange fantasies, and a healthy dose of perversion is nothing new, but this movie is sick dirty. I have the impression that many scenes have been inserted only to disgust and shock the audience without, in any way, contributing to the story or the artistic value of the film. Or the author simply used this to work out her own morbid perversions that she could not achieve in reality. On the one hand, I was impressed by the performance and appearance of the young Charlotte, as well as the excellent characterization of her character, while on the other hand, the story is quite boring and at times repulsive. A movie like this could have been made only in the seventies.
6/10 - DirectorMark NeveldineBrian TaylorStarsNicolas CageCiarán HindsIdris ElbaJohnny Blaze, tortured by the Ghost Rider's curse, gets a chance of redemption through protecting the Devil's son, whose father is pursuing him.It's not good, but it's not that bad either
Both "Ghost Rider" movies are grossly underrated, but while the first one is one of Marvel's best achievements, the second one is mediocre at best. Virtually every aspect of this film is weaker than in the first one - half the budget, bad story, lack of characterization, sloppy action - but the effects definitely took the victory. The effects and animation are so poor that it's fun to laugh at them. However, I think a good deal has been deliberately done in such a way, so that the "Spirit of Vengeance" would be more similar to a comic book than to a Hollywood blockbuster. But whatever their intention was, if it wasn't so funny it would be pathetic. The film attempts to substantially copy the first one and be a credible sequel, and at the same time to completely change the visual and directional style, and in this gap, it tripped and fell. Still, it is far from being a disaster as it is represented. If you do not take it too seriously, you'll have fun.
5/10 - DirectorKari SkoglandStarsNatalie RamseyGary BullockAlix KoromzayAs a teenage girl comes to Gatlin to find her biological mother, the town's infamous cult plots a comeback as their leader, Isaac, awakens from a coma.Not nearly as bad as you might think
07.07.2019.
The sixth part of the "Children of the Corn" franchise has very bad ratings and criticism and, under the influence of negative reviews and not very impressive beginning, I almost gave up on it. I didn't and I don't regret it. The film is low-budget and quite sloppy made, but it has its qualities, which, I dare to say, rise it above all previous sequels and, together with the original movie from 1984, make it the only installment in the franchise worthy of watching.
Unlike the previous parts, which rely on visual intimidation, almost completely neglecting the story, "Isaac's Return" is based on a fairly good idea and a decent script, with an interesting story and nice twist. The acting is on the level for this type of flick and the directing is good, with some interesting solutions. It has many flaws and drawbacks and it is not nearly intense and frightening as one horror and one adaptation of King should be, but it's quite decent entertainment for one viewing.
5/10 - DirectorSam PeckinpahStarsDustin HoffmanSusan GeorgePeter VaughanA young American and his English wife come to rural England and face increasingly vicious local harassment."Why don't you grow up?"
08.07.2019.
A young American scientist with a very attractive wife comes in rural England, hoping that the quiet environment will help him to write his book and smooth relations in the shaky marriage. But soon he discovers that the locals are not very friendly to newcomers and is forced to deal with an extremely violent environment.
The film starts slowly and in the first part deals with the characterization of the young couple and their unstable relationship, while building the uneasy atmosphere of their surroundings. In the second part, this discomfort culminates with open conflict between them and the locals, which somewhat resembles clashes in western movies. In order to survive, a young city nerd must overcome his cowardice and find a way to defeat significantly more numerous enemies.
If we watch this movie as a thriller or even horror, the emphasis will be put on a brutal finish, while the first part will look like an overly stretched and boring introduction. But I think that such an approach is wrong. I see this film as a psychological drama, the essence of which is the characterization of the protagonist and his transformation from an insecure city child, which is pushing problems under the carpet in the fear of confronting them, to a man, whose extreme situation in which he finds himself, forced to grow up, confronts with reality and assumes responsibility and control over his life. His relationship with his wife is merely "randomly" chosen tool for portraying his personality, while the violent ending is just one of the countless possible situations that would make this person transform. Essentially, this is the same story as one in which the nerd is bullied at school until he snaps and shows his teeth, only displayed in a much more brutal way.
From today's perspective, the film is not particularly explicit or controversial, but in the early seventies, due to fairly convincing scenes of rape and violence, and especially because of the implication that the victim herself caused rape and somewhat enjoyed it, Sam Peckinpah struggled to pass the censorship, and the original uncut version was released on DVD only in 2002.
In the beginning, I wasn't particularly impressed by Susan George, but in the rape scene she is so convincing that you could almost physically feel her breaking, and after that scene she is quite impressive until the end. Dustin Hoffman has pretty well put forward the transformation of the main character, though I think he could have done it better. And as directing is concerned, if you watched "The Wild Bunch", I think Sam Peckinpah does not require further comments.
8/10 - DirectorHarold RamisStarsBill MurrayAndie MacDowellChris ElliottA narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day.More than just a comedy
10.07.2019.
The cult film by Harold Ramis tells the story about a TV reporter who relives the same day over and over again for years, until true love breaks this endless loop. At first glance, this is just another romantic comedy, that will relax, endear you and make you laugh, but with every new watching, more and more I realize the multilayeredness and depth of its story. "Groundhog Day" is a philosophical study of human nature and life, subtly packaged in the form of excellent comedy, with a rarely well-written script, which has picked up a bunch of awards and nominations. It's a shame that it's not even nominated for an Oscar. I rarely watch movies more than once or twice, but this one I have seen at least ten times and I will re-watch it at least as many times.
9/10 - DirectorPeter BogdanovichStarsTimothy BottomsJeff BridgesCybill ShepherdIn 1951, a group of high schoolers come of age in a bleak, isolated, atrophied North Texas town that is slowly dying, both culturally and economically.Cybill Shepherd (naked) debut
11/12.07.2019.
At the beginning of the fifties, a group of teenagers, in a small dreary dying town in Texas, graduates from high school and is forced to face a gloomy reality. The film does not have any particular plot, but rather tries to present the grayness of everyday life of people in a hopeless environment. This atmosphere is largely contributed by the black and white technique and the absence of a music background. Music in the film only occurs when the characters listen to it on the radio, jukebox and the like. In the seventies, it caused controversy because of, for its time, explicit nudity and teenage sex as one of the main motives, but the movie is so depressing that even a sex desire is cut off at the root.
The film won two Oscars, out of eight nominations, as well as many other awards, and is considered one of the best American achievements of the seventies, but, although intellectually I realize its greatness, it did not leave a particularly strong impression on me. Although I had already seen it a few years ago, I had the impression that I was watching it for the first time, and I believe that in a few more years I would not remember anything again.
7/10 - DirectorJean-Marie PoiréStarsChristian ClavierJean RenoFranck DuboscKnight Godefroy de Montmirail and squire Jacquouille are stranded in 1793. Using trickery to break free from their shackles, both perilously partake in the Montmirail family's run away in the quest for an exiting time-shift.Not funny at all
Eighteen years after "The Visitors II" left us with the cliffhanger, the third film comes as a total disappointment. The story is a direct continuation of "The Corridors of Time" and it's well conceived and written, but the film is not at all funny, and it seems to me that it's not even trying to be. By itself, it might be able to pass with a six, but after the previous two, this is totally lame and it would be better for the franchise if they didn't make it at all.
4/10 - DirectorRob ZombieStarsScout Taylor-ComptonTyler ManeMalcolm McDowellLaurie Strode struggles to come to terms with her brother Michael's deadly return to Haddonfield, Illinois; meanwhile, Michael prepares for another reunion with his sister.After "Halloween" (2007), Rob Zombie stated he would never do a sequel. He should have kept the promise.
15.07.2019.
The movie is audio-visually very well done. There are some really nice camerawork and interesting solutions. The acting is realistic and believable, without silly over-acting typical of slashers. But as much as it is technically good, it is so inexpressibly boring. After only fifteen minutes I was already bored, and for the next hour I struggled not to give up. Although he did a good job as the director, Zombie wrote a disastrously bad scenario. Without a good plot that will keep you in anticipation of the outcome and without characters for whose fate you care, there's simply no tension, which makes scenes that should be terrifying just plain stupid and banal. Half an hour before the end, I completely lost interest and went to bed. Unfortunately, I hate to leave things halfway done, and I had to finish it the very next day. The ending buried even what little positive impressions I had from the previous evening. It's so incredibly stupid that it hurts. The only positive impression after watching this movie remains the following dialogue:- Did you just mention "journalists", "cool" and "positive" all in the same sentence without throwing up?
- Yes, why? Is that a problem?
- It's just quite an oxymoron, my dear.
4/10 - DirectorIngmar BergmanStarsBibi AnderssonLiv UllmannMargaretha KrookA nurse is put in charge of a mute actress and finds that their personae are melding together.Monodrama
17.07.2019.
The famous "Persona" by Ingmar Bergman illustrates the relationship between the silent actress and her talkative caretaker, and in the end, it turns out that they are two "personalities" of the same person. Some believe that this is a film about multiple personalities, but I think that they are simply ego and alter ego, or a mask that Elizabeth shows to the outside world and her suppressed true being hiding under that mask and trying to break through to the surface.
The whole film comes down to the endless monologues of Alma ("alma" in Spanish means "soul"), who opens completely and finally breaks before her "interlocutor". I say "interlocutor" because, although Liv Ullmann does not speak a word during the whole film, she actively participates in these "conversations" with her facial expression. Both actresses were fantastic in their roles, and Sven Nykvist made a great effort that we do not miss a single detail of their performance. The acting and perfect black-and-white cinematography are for ten out of ten. The rest of it...
Although one part of Alma's monologues is essential to the understanding of the story, a good part of it is confusing and, at least apparently, meaningless and unnecessary. Perhaps every last word makes sense and is of key importance in Bergman's head, but if that's the case he was not able to or he did not want to share with us in an understandable way. There are also very irritating flashy piles of pictures of all sorts of things unrelated to the plot of the film, which appear at the beginning and middle of the film, just perfect for causing seizures. These flashes also may have some sort of sense in Bergman's head, but I experienced them as a very unpleasant and unprovoked throwing out of the track. Although it lasts less than 90 minutes, the film gives the impression that it lasts for an entire eternity. No, I was not bored for a moment, but I think it is unduly burdensome.
I think that the extremely high reputation of "Persona" is more consequence of the extremely strong reputation of Bergman than the quality of the film itself, and that a large part of the audience praise it by inertia, or because they are embarrassed to admit that they actually do not like something that is generally recognized as a masterpiece, or simply do not understand it at all. I have no problem saying things as I see them, and therefore
7/10 - StarsTim DalyColm FeoreDebrah FarentinoA dangerous blizzard hits an isolated town and brings along a mysterious stranger intent on terrorizing people for his own desires.Why is this happening to us?
"Storm of the Century" is a mini-series of three episodes in a total duration of just over four hours. The script was written by Stephen King, but this time it is not an adaptation of his novel, but the story written directly for television. It's a pity, because, as a fan of Stephen King and his writing style, all the time while watching I was imagining how it would look like in written word, and I believe it would be one of his better novels. On the other hand, the film is nothing special. For starters, more than four hours is really too much for this story. If they rearrange it into a two-hour movie, it would be much stronger. This way, it is just unnecessarily diluted.
The story, as usual, takes place in Maine, on a small island with a few hundred people, the same one where Dolores Claiborne lives. During the unprecedented snowstorm, which has cut off this community from the world, a mysterious and terrifying stranger appears on the island and begins to terrorize them. After three hours of building the atmosphere, when the tension of the viewer already balances on the edge of boredom, the stranger sets a terrible ultimatum and the film finally comes to culmination and unexpected denouement. Now that my impressions settled a little, I'm ambiguous whether the stranger is really the bad guy in this story or the villagers themselves only got what they deserved. Whether his ultimatum was real or just a bluff that played on the card of their false morality and essential disunity. Why the only guy who wasn't sinful ended up screwed the worst, or maybe he, in fact, suffered the least... But I do not want to go deeper into that, because I don't want to spoil the story for those who may decide to see it for themselves. But if you saw the movie, I would like to discuss this more specifically with someone.
The acting and directing are good, the atmosphere is dramatic and tense enough, the effects are decent for the television series of the nineties, but it is too stretched and too tiring to watch all at once. There are no major flaws, but no prominent qualities either. The only thing that raises this series above the average is the story itself and the message it conveys, and in particular the fact that there is no happy ending, which gives it an additional effect.
Finally, I would like to point out that the real fans of Stephen King, as a special treat, will have the opportunity to hunt for references to many other King's stories and films. What I managed to catch include: "The Last Stand," "The Shining," "It," and "Dolores Claiborne", as well as many faces that I know from other King's adaptations.
7/10 - CreatorJon BokenkampStarsJames SpaderMegan BooneDiego KlattenhoffA new FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen, has her entire life uprooted when a mysterious criminal, Raymond Reddington, who has eluded capture for decades, turns himself in and insists on speaking only to her.The Concierge of Crime
Raymond Reddington, number one on the FBI's Most Wanted List, which has been successfully avoided arrest for decades, suddenly appears at the FBI headquarters, surrenders and insists on talking exclusively with newcomer Detective Elizabeth Keen. The series has 6 seasons and 133 episodes so far, in which Reddington, in exchange for immunity, helps a secret branch of the FBI to catch the dangerous and powerful criminals that they did not even know existed. Each episode is a quality forty-minute thriller with own plot, while the characters of Reddington and Elizabeth gradually build through all episodes and deepen the mystery of why he surrendered and why he chose her specifically.
Although he was not the first choice for the role and fell in the series just a couple of days before the shooting started, James Spader is even better here than in "Boston Legal" and I do not think that anybody could play the role of Reddington better. Megan Boone was initially annoying to me, but in time the man became accustomed to everything, so after six seasons I even became fond of her. The whole cast is good and their characterization is excellent. The script combines crime thriller with drama and occasional comic-relief moments. Technical quality is great and the show has a perfectly balanced pace so that it never loses the grip of your attention. I can not wait for the start of the seventh season scheduled for October this year.
8/10