POMO

Jungle has some narrative limitations both in terms of giving the characters depth and in depicting the brutality of survival. Because of that we don’t feel – with the exception of a few scenes – extremely vulnerable together with the characters and as viewers we are rather in “adventure mode”, which is relatively entertaining and brings forth some interesting things (the wild river, the Indian woman, fire ants), especially in the second half. For me, however, the most powerful scene remains the dividing of the party into two groups, from which one feels... Which isn’t the best calling card for a wilderness survival drama.

The best thing about Underwater is Kristen Stewart, and that’s not an exaggeration. The unusual image suited her speech very well. And the pop song in the closing credits is confirmation that the main intention was to draw in her fans. Atmospherically, the film works quite well and the way it dynamically draws the viewer into the plot is outstanding, but it gradually runs out of gas and shuffling around on the place is supposed to unleash the mediocre monsters. The motif of the environmental threat of drilling into the ocean floor isn’t exactly innovative and there is nothing here to make it anything special, so it just remains a worn-out cliché.

Knives Out offers cool stylization and a great ensemble cast, but the final unravelling of the mystery didn’t do much for me. On the one hand, its elements were predictable based on earlier events and, on the other hand, an important character was suspiciously sidelined. Even so, I very much enjoyed the time spent in that company and with such skilful filmmaking. I found it more entertaining than Branagh’s new (overly digitalised) Poirot.

The pairing of a maniacal sociopath with a naturally likable girl who longs to make a great YouTube video offers a solid, bizarre situation and constant suspense arising from concern for her wellbeing. In places, the screenplay seems to have been made up on the fly, which is forgivable thanks to the original concept (getting such a horror series on Netflix for a few bucks is simply a success and a sign of ingenuity). However, that cannot be said for the silly and lazy ending, which goes against the carefully managed plausibility and believability that came before it.

Based on fictional examples and easy to understand for all viewers, The Laundromat is a colourful and entertaining excursion through corporate structures in tax havens. And exactly what the “Panama Papers” were, with lots of explanatory monologues addressed to the camera, linking the individual “stories” together. The film has no higher purpose than to explain and entertain, so viewers who are aware of the issue are left only with the pleasure of the wonderful cast’s acting, albeit in the form of slightly overdone caricature.

This is an interestingly grasped and successfully made profile of a madman capable of hiding his true personality almost even from himself. The film does not show a single Bundy murder and only depicts his deceptively “normal” position. If it weren’t for two hints of his dark nature, it would appear that he perhaps wants to deny the accusations against him. Efron turns in an entertaining performance with his portrayal of Bundy’s wily adroitness as a law student in the courtroom. And it is emotional with the story of his girlfriend, torn by the inner conflict between being in love and doubts/fears that she might be wrong in believing in his innocence. Her situation is the film’s dramatic engine.

This likably well-crafted survival flick was made with a budget of only $6,000. All it needs is believable acting, dialogue that reveals the nature of the characters and seemingly ordinary locations in which, however, there is a danger of conflict with zombies. The whole thing is basically “only” about the friendship of the two guys. I like how Gardner intentionally doesn’t show us events that would be thrilling attractions in another film, how he keeps them hidden behind the door. In his later After Midnight, he takes this concept to a much more sophisticated level, with a great point no less. The Battery is just a playful diversion.

A Seagal-esque revenge flick in the guise of modern trends with a female avenger, a mother who over the course of five years in Asia developed into a dauntless assassin for a ruthless drug gang. We never fully learn how she tracked them down or how she could have such luck that everything turned out okay. In short, it’s like the old days back in the ’90s when the “cool” parameter was enough and no logic was required. The only logical thing here is the involvement of director Pierre Morel, but with a screenplay like this, it’s still an exercise in futility.

This B-movie works thanks to nostalgia for John Rambo and Sly. And also thanks to the sufficient work with emotions (however basic they may be). Last Blood takes its time and gives plenty of space to all of its few characters in the simple story. Because of that, the climax is surprising and seems unpleasantly rushed, while lacking the energy accumulated in the build-up and coming up short with the catharsis that the film was aiming for and which should have been substantially more powerful.

The Lighthouse is about nerdy form, great actors and the director’s fearlessness in experimentation and ambition to do something that had never been seen before. The sound track is astonishingly engaging and almost even scary with the deep droning of the lighthouse. The cool black-and-white 4:3 composition is reminiscent of horror movies from the early 20th century. The depressing confining atmosphere of the remote, foggy and windy exterior and the damp and stinking interior. And the conflict between two men that doesn’t take all of these circumstances into account. Their drunken talk isn’t very stimulating, but it serves well to characterise the men and the place at the time.