The Last of Us

One of the best takes on zombies, and pretty impressive considering the source material is a game, which usually doesn't produce good adaptations, think of Max Payne and others. But the creators managed to hit the atmosphere perfectly, develop the characters brilliantly, use flashbacks and current events to cleverly build the story, and the casting deserves an A+ with the central duo. For fans of the game, there are supposedly a plethora of references, and for the uninitiated, it's a terrific piece of filmmaking that has the vast majority of the attributes that make for a full-blown spectacle. The first season was rather intimate, a warm-up, I expect the second season to be suitably epic. (02/08/2023)

As an absolute layman who never played the famous game, I am very satisfied. The apocalypse is dosed gradually through an authentic 20-minute opening with a bare minimum of annoyingly shocking or scary moments, and rather relies on raw authenticity and stellar first person shots, which especially from the car look absolutely excellent. The whole is more in the spirit of minimalism and tension, rather than spectacular scenes like in World War Z. Once the plot moves to the present, it's a little less cohesive and loses a bit of pace, plus the destroyed city doesn’t look that cool because there's no budget to have it look cool. But the main characters are fine and the storyline is interesting at the very least. (12/07/2023)

A dystopian journey through a desolate world without rules, where every second is about survival. An uncompromising survival with great atmosphere, tension and last but not least, the way the creators play with the visuals in detail. The content of the whole doesn't move almost at all, but I understand that this post-apocalyptic beauty ride might be the main asset of the game, so they wanted to give it to the movie viewer in a good amount (13/07/2023)

A unique bromance in a world of ruin and suffering. Fragile, touching and unapologetic. In the first minutes it doesn't look like that at all, but gradually the two partners win you over bit by bit – unless are a bigot looking for something that isn't there. Everything important about a meaningful relationship of any gender is simply here. (13/07/2023)

An episode focused on the slow building of a fragile and specific relationship between the two main characters. It has the right sympathies and good chemistry, but, nothing fundamental in the development of the series happens. (22/07/2023)

A perfect build-up from a intimate beginning to an infernal finale. The character of the main female villain is interesting, and the final carnage is also worth watching. For those unfamiliar with the game there will be a little surprise, but you will need to complete your education and do a little research on the internet. (22/07/2023)

A solitary journey across a wild and unpredictable landscape, interspersed in the second half with a strange communist village full of weird rules, and a sequence of events that brings the two main characters to a potential crossroads. Minimalistic, sparing in acting, yet very intense. (24/07/2023)

Although disappointing for die-hard fans of the game, this episode has solid filmmaking qualities. The set of the old shopping centre is impressive, the atmosphere is gloomy and there is one big creeping problem. Brilliantly built-up and those lesbian moments don’t matter at all. (24/07/2023)

Uncompromising survival in a harsh snowy landscape and a properly atmospheric town, where shot after shot slowly reveal a very unpleasant secret. A superbly crafted villain and a traditionally good central duo in a properly suspenseful episode that, while it has a bit of a tendency to copy some of the previous ones, is so unsparing with a dose of uncompromising violence that you can't help but admire it. (02/08/2023)

An unnecessarily action-packed Terminator-like finale that doesn't quite fit the previous plot developments, but so be it. The motivation is understandable and the final moments are superb. If the game went in a similar vein, I understand the hype around it. I can’t wat for season 2. (02/08/2023)