New Reviews - TOP Users

Since we have a new action flick from Timo Tjahjanto coming out on Friday, I figured I'd make this movie week purely Asian, so expect a load of unknown picks! The first features my favourite Andy On, the Chinese martial arts devil (currently one of the biggest stars in the martial arts world for me in terms of form), sadly there’s no sign of the others – Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais are doing what? While they are doing shit, Andy is going one action packed blast after another and Fury 12 Hours is a nice surprise. The protagonist is a retired Chinese soldier who works as a shop assistant, when the town and local community are attacked by an infamous terrorist organisation with the clear target of a girl currently in the shop, Andy will have to defend both his shop and all the people there with him and kick everyone's ass!!! The bad guys are great, the whole organization is well put together, their tactics and synchronization was impressive, you could really see everyone’s a pro, and the "bosses" were great too, especially the thundering asshole with the knight's helmet, he was a good freak. It's more or less like a home invasion and race against time film, where the terrorists send waves of bad guys at Andy and he can't stop surprising them. The fight choreography is great, Andy is still in incredible form and pulls off some nice stunts. There’s also good cinematography, decent visuals, blood, there's nothing missing. The finale in the warehouse, where Andy sets up traps for his enemies, is downright evocative of The Equalizer, and maybe even slightly rips it off, but it doesn’t matter. Decent action flick. 8/10.

A beautiful story about the bond between a man and a dog, proving that friendship can form anywhere—even in the middle of an adventure racing championship in the Dominican Republic.

My first encounter with Harlan Coben felt like something Hallmark would’ve adapted 15 years ago, but as the story unfolded, I really got into it. The plot is packed with nerve-wracking tension and surprises that hit multiple times per episode. The English setting, along with Michelle Keegan as a former Marine and Adeel Akhtar as the investigator, kept me hooked until the end—and it was worth it. Sure, it’s a bit overly emotional at times, but I can see why it’s one of the most-watched shows on Netflix.

A classic, utterly unbelievable, and almost absurd British dramedy. I love these “based on a true story” films they do so well—you never quite believe it, but they’re always such a joy to watch. And Mark Rylance? Absolute legend, as usual.

A fun, refreshingly different horror with a delightfully B-movie vibe. Stranger Things set the tone for YA horror, and Salem’s Lot follows suit nicely. Plus, it's great to finally see vampires that are actually scary again, the way they should be.

An Italian comedy from the times of Seneca. Emperor Nero makes foolish decisions, while his mother Agrippina rules the empire. Overall, it could have been an interesting spectacle for viewers curious about Technicolor and CinemaScope, but in competition with many other films from the era of the early emperors, Nero's Weekend barely holds its ground.

A skillfully filmed schizo with an excellent performance by Jim Carrey. Most people will remember him for The Mask, but it's in Man on the Moon that he kicks it up a gear and his Tony Clifton is a great caricature. Socially still quite topical, thematically novel, it's just that after an hour the whole farce gets quite tiresome and stereotypical. The dynamics of the film do not reflect the fact that it was directed by a gentleman in his twilight years.

An enjoyable and intimate atmospheric little horror film, where Benjamin Barfoot shows that he is not a loser and that he can definitely still surprise. It's nothing original, it's a bit of a mash-up of Come Play and The Babadook, but I can't remember the last time when an atmospheric and chilling affair like this worked. The film makes do with few characters and minimal space, more or less just a mansion and a forest in the middle of nowhere, home to some shapeshifter creature that can take on the form of a dog or a recently deceased father, and I'll admit that when it's on set it's decently creepy and I wasn't comfortable. I also liked the decent performances, especially Julia Brown, who in one scene becomes so over-the-top that I immediately thought of Toni Collette in Hereditary. Surprisingly good, it held my attention, so I'll gladly round up. 7/10.

One of the most optimistic and light-hearted films by Woody Allen. Mighty Aphrodite does not lack solid dynamics and relatively short running time. We may be seeing a variation of the same thing, but Mira Sorvino's charming prostitute brings a nice twist. In contrast, the antic elements are downright annoying and unnecessary. Woody Allen has slightly better pieces in his filmography.

A decent Indian thriller on a serious note without the dancing and humour, which would not have been appropriate given the subject matter. Too bad there are no explicit scenes, but it's about children, so I can't blame them. That said, I was expecting the atmosphere to be darker and the pace a bit more exciting so I could be happy, but it didn't offend. Fans of crime dramas can add a star. 6/10.

It's a decent job for a debutant. Fine A-list actors, top craftsmanship and surprisingly enough action, that is also unexpectedly brutal with no shortage of severed limbs. For someone who was expecting PG-13, I'm definitely surprised. Of course, the plot didn't draw me in much, and aside from the action, it's a bit boring, but when they start cutting, it's something to watch. The finale, filmed in fog, is intriguing. Not much missing for a fourth star, but I'm not quite feeling it this time, it lacks a bit more drive and more interesting characters, but otherwise fine. 65%.

Alexandre Aja’s weakest film so far. The trailers made it look like this year’s dark horse, but I was bored as hell. I didn't like the concept of the story and the rules of the game at all, the horror attractions are very few and lack both gore and atmosphere or jump-scares, in fact it's very bland and, apart from nice visuals and decent acting performances, there's nothing worth mentioning. It couldn't keep my attention unfortunately. Aja this is not the work of someone with several years of experience. 4/10.

The television drama Bardot notes that it is inspired fiction. It is not a true biography; it takes only the thread of personal relationships from the star’s early puberty to the early '60s. We follow a tabloid biography filled with endless new affairs and escapes from paparazzi. And just incidentally, we visit the filming of a few films. But as often happens, it is crowded with famous names, and if the viewer were not familiar with Brigitte Bardot's career, they might think it all happened quite differently. But she worked hard, filming countless French movies, television, and international co-productions. Here, it seems that there were occasionally some iconic films, but in between, it's a vast emptiness. The series rides the trend of simplification, primarily to avoid overwhelming the viewer with anything too demanding. Six episodes should cover much more than just those bedroom moments and domestic humor. The production design is average, and while there are occasionally interesting new faces in the cast, that’s about it.

Tarantino level! A formalistic treat, a card game played with the viewer, brilliantly composed so that it builds curiosity and then surprises us at the right moment, just as it starts to gain momentum. The power of the edited composition to manipulate the viewer’s subjective perception. A sexually decadent game between ambiguous characters with a tense bloody standoff that (again) surprises with unexpected moments. At the same time, a psychologically attractive profile of a warped mind and a cleverly constructed reflection of MeToo. And a great performance by Willy Fitzgerald! [Sitges FF]

A high-octane night-time pursuit with an unconventional, harmless young protagonist in constant danger from a bunch of gangsters, kicked off with a great idea and propelled by a cascade of unexpected and superbly written twists. Tastefully and cleverly set amidst a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Brussels at night and wild places reeking of crime. Romain Duris is excellent as the surprisingly cast boss of the bad guys. [Sitges FF]

A stimulating sci-fi movie in the style of Alex Garland. Though with a more austere, more technical visual aspect (the Swiss spirit), but with emotions appropriate for the powerful subject – a brilliant scientist at a CERN-like institute in Zurich raises a young boy and models his personality in the environment of advanced virtual reality, while at home he desperately fights for the life of his newborn biological son with a congenital birth defect… An emotionally deeply felt drama with an experiential, almost surreal climax that constantly raises interesting questions in the viewer, even after the film has ended. [Sitges FF]

Brisk, entertaining silliness, the nourishing exotic African setting of Dakar, the voice of Willem Dafoe on the telephone and a pair of absolutely incompatible, well cast and acted “heroes”. [Sitges FF]

An okay series with Lara Croft, but nothing that really grabbed me or sparked any strong emotions. To be fair, I’m not a huge expert on Lara Croft or the Tomb Raider games. I played a few of the older ones when I was younger, and they were fun, but nothing I felt the need to finish. Same goes for the newer trilogy—I played a bit at a friend’s place, enjoyed it, but didn’t feel hooked. And the live-action films? They were decent, though the main thing I remember is how sexy Angelina Jolie was as Lara. So, I’m coming at this as someone who knows the basics: Lara’s adventures are about parkour, puzzles, tombs, temples, ancient treasures, a bow, and her iconic dual pistols. And yeah, all that’s here. But whether it was the slow pacing or the simple story, I just kind of coasted through it. Something tells me in a year or two, I won’t have much to say about this series, or even remember this version of Lara all that well. The other issue is that the series feels like a continuation of something—maybe a game or a movie (which I barely remember either). It left me feeling a bit out of the loop. The struggles Lara faced didn’t really resonate with me. The story itself was solid, with plenty of myths, treasures, chase scenes, and a decent villain—plus that fun bit of "pseudo-history" in the style of Indiana Jones. But at no point did I actually fear for Lara’s safety, especially when she’s wielding a knife that defies physics and can stab into stone. The animation didn’t fully win me over either. It’s a mix of Japanese anime and traditional American style, like Kim Possible, but with a modern twist. While it’s not bad to look at, there’s room for improvement. Some scenes, like Lara sliding down a cliff, felt off, and the fight scenes weren’t always fluid, with some odd cuts here and there. Overall, I’d give the visuals—and the series—a 6/10. It’s decent, but definitely not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Lara Croft.

Pedro Almodóvar is the Spanish Woody Allen. The core is always the same, just different variations. And so it is with Talk to Her, a sensitive, melancholic tale of oddballs that plays out an unconventional love story and bromance at the same time. The film doesn't stray from the director's artistic standard while bringing nothing particularly new to the table. A must in terms of adding substance, but it’s nothing special.

A sweet and intriguing short that explores the question: "Can a robot understand the meaning of family?" I really liked the animation style and character design. The creators leaned heavily on "show, not tell," and the story was simple but effective. The world they built, along with its challenges, was compelling, and even after just a few minutes, I found myself wanting to know more—especially about the young robot girl. Will she keep her promise and make it back to the beach? This definitely deserves a continuation, maybe even a full series. 7.5/10