Mercy prevails over wrath

Season 8 of The Walking Dead. It started out miserably, once again I almost gave up hope and contemplated of not following the series any longer. Thankfully, it got better towards the end and I'm somewhat interested what happens to Rick and Negan and Michonne and all the others in the following season.

A sideshow attraction

Jeffrey Dahmer (1960-1994) was one of the most notorious serial killers with at least 17 deaths to his name. My Friend Dahmer focuses on the early years when he was in high school and began to develop a taste for men, booze and murder. Before shit hit the fan.

There's nothing wrong with little quiet

The guy is called Baby and he's a getaway driver. He's suffering from tinnitus, so to cover a ringing sound he listens to music all the time. And this makes the movie a heist musical and can't say it works. Not that the music is bad though. The ludicrous story is shit and all the characters are annoying; the fucking babyface driver, the mob boss fucking Kevin Spacey, the macho dickheads played by Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx. Rubbish.

Holding the end of your own leash

The Watergate scandal has been scrutinized and filmed to hell and back. The Secret Man takes a look from FBI's debuty associate director Mark Felt's standpoint as he has 48 hours to wrap out the Watergate investigation. The man knows everything and ain't afraid to wage political war. Liam Neeson is excellent as the whistleblower or deep throat or whatever he was called, as are everyone else, amazingly strong cast of not-so-often-seen but strict acting professionals (Tony Goldwyn, Diane Lane, Josh Lucas) and the movie looks solid. Too bad the shit gnaws the old bone.

Decimating the eco-system

It is painful to watch documentaries of global warming because you know it's there and no one seems to be doing anything about it. This one is one of the better ones on the field, at least it seems it got a little more weight getting Leonardo DiCaprio to host it and he manages to interview pretty powerful and wise people; from world known scientists (Piers Sellers) to enterpreneurs (Elon Musk) and politicians (Barack Obama) and holy men (Pope Francis). The people who would truly make a difference - the people at the other side of the fence - are absent because they know the truth and choose to lie. I'm not the worst doomsday prophet because I feel there still is a glimmer of hope, but the people who don't believe in global warming are idiots.

Screw on your fists and fight for a fortune

An Iranian movie of a common people Emad and Rana moving to a new apartment previously occupied by a prostitute. It's great film making, there's not too much in there, in the story, but all the drama and tension are built in stupefying manner.

Doomsday protocol

Kingsmen face an extremely ruthless kingpin who holds global monopole of drug trafficking. Once again, it's action at an another level. It's a bit too violent for a comedy, but it's still rather funny though. But can't beat the predecessor, no way, it's too long, the characters and cameos are overdone, the story is ludicrous and overblown rubbish. Lots of money wasted, however it's still entertaining.

Cure evil with evil

A wealthy businessman Aristide Leonides is murdered in his own mansion and the people living under the same roof (family & hired hands) are all under suspicion. Everyone could have done it, they all had means and opportunities. They could have been motivated either by anger, jeolousy, love or creed. Young investigator has couple of days to find and arrest the murderer before Scotland Yard burst through the door. Trademark Agatha Christie, and I have always liked a proper mystery, but this one is a bit too slow and boring in its development.

The falling snow sets the killer off

An embarrassing rendition of Jo Nesbø's novel Snømannen (2007). I didn't even mind that people spoke English in Norway, but can't quite fathom why everything looks cheap and almost unfinished. The script is adrift most of the time, it comes and goes how it pleases and distrupts the core of the story that, in fact, is a good one. Lots of it in it - a sinister serial killer story - is great, but it's a fucking mess.

We gave peace a chance, now it's time for war

Ash and his sidekicks continue on saving the world, they have to find the book of the dead Necronomicon and banish it back to hell. The series is a perfect horror comedy, Bruce Campbell excels as the vulgar anti-hero demon slayer and its allround campiness and grooviness is mesmerizingly brilliant.

Be here now

Okay, yeah, it's a lovely film. Lasse Hallström's movie of a dog who looks to discover his purpose in life. Great heartwarming sappy shit.

All flavors guaranteed

It's been done to death, the evil nanny movies, they should have left it at The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992). There's nothing new here, if you don't count dozens of silly mistakes new.

You useless fucking junkie Hamstead cunt

Even if he seems like an ordinary man, he's an intellect. I reckon I haven't heard him saying anything that isn't spot on truth. Everything he says about children, animals, famine, religion, food allergies, people, Bruce Jenner, holocaust and so on, it's actually true, it's vulgar and fucking funny, but still. No topic is bulletproof in his stand-up.

Loves having company

A young woman and her somewhat older author husband with a writer's block live in a mansion under renovation where they haphazardly invite couple of strangers. Turns out the visitors are utter bastards - altho the author doesn't see it - and they are truly invading the householders' privacy. And things crazier and creepier and more surreal by the minute, ending up in full-blown chaos. Darren Aronofsky's world is stuff of nightmares. I read this has tons of biblical references, but I don't read the bible, never have and never will, so those escaped me and probably that's why I liked the movie so much.

Strenght through unity

V is a masked avenger seeking justice for what killed almost 100.000 British citizens. I've seen the movie before but rewatched it after wondering why it still gets such a good rating (currently 8,2) on IMDB. After 13 years, technical development of moving pictures and hundreds of superheroes later, V for Vendetta is still a powerful presence of its own and its message still stands.

Eye of higher spirit

Pakistan-born stand-up comedian and uber driver in Chicago falls in love with an ordinary American girl. Cultural differences ignite, but eyes open through horrible tragedy. The Big Sick is a love story with few good jokes thrown in and serious drama lurking within. Makes it better when I read afterwards that it's true story between comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon.

Flesh moves like liquid

A group of scientists go to investigate a shroudlike phenomenon called 'The Shimmer' that came out of nowhere and is spreading like cancer and eats people for breakfast. Albeit too many plotholes to mention, the movie is an intriguing scifi mystery and enough thought-provoking, either if you understand the story or you don't.

While you're asleep

I have seen the remake (Quarantine) and most of the sequels of [Rec], but due to a reason or another I hadn't seen the original piece before even if I've owned the physical copy for years. Naturally it surpasses all the successors and copycats, easily. Intense, hysterical and truly scary horror. One of the few who can pull off the shaky-cam technique.

The life complete

Jouni Viirtala aka Big Jay V is a fifty year old bachelor living with his parents. He has a regular job and as Big Jay V he is a frontman of several bands playing the songs of Elvis Presley. Someone thought it was a great idea to make a documentary of him. Luckily it was short.

They cry for their mothers

This movie is packed full of great actors, but Ben Mendelsohn and James Gandolfini as lowlife scumbags definitely stand out. Based on a George V. Higgins novel (Cogan's Trade), Killing Them Softly is a hidden gem, underrated for some reason, but it's hard-hitting unsentimental neo-noir at its best.

Fucking market is a bloodbath

Bernie Madoff was one of the most honorable and succesful traders of our time until he got caught of little stealing ($65 billion). He made money of trades he made up. Every statement, shares and options were all fake. He lead a group of yuppie imbeciles (brother and two sons included) on his coat-tails and they all lived a very privileged lifestyle. And shit hit the fan, unstoppably. Robert De Niro as Bernie, and he's - simply put - brilliant.

Prison within a prison

Ok, this is far from a perfect prison movie and the lead actor Vince Vaughn, known better for his comedies, ain't possibly cut for the role as an inmate. But once you get past his talent, perhaps even notice that his stiffness is actually quite good for the character, you begin to enjoy the movie. It, after all, is a very brutal - borderline sadistic - prison thing. Perhaps too imaginative though, the story would hardly come to be in real life, but that's what the movies are for.

He who is not satisfied with a little, is satisfied with nothing

Can you orchestrate a normal person to commit murder? Can social pressure influence one's moral compass? Once again, Derren Brown's psychological mind game left me speechless for a minute or two, until I began to wonder what if it all was orchestrated and acted just to make a good show.

Leave it to loose cannon

A perfectly harmless easy-going drama of a father looking for his daughter with his former son-in-law. During the search they go through various places in L.A., meet new colourful people and at the same time get to know each other. It's a mellow bonding trip amplified by bar fights and little funny crazy stuff, but unfortunately that's all done better somewhere else before numerous times.

Dead men tell no tales

Jack Sparrow, pirates, redcoats (British Empire) and an army of the undead are after a trident of Poseidon that bestows total control over the seas. The umpteenth sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean and it's as entertaining and insignificant as the rest of them.

Tasty, tasty, beautiful fear

I remember shit of the first It, mini series or a TV movie, nor do I remember shit of the novel It by Stephen King - for fuck's sake, I don't even remember have I read it. Basically the newcomer is just a collection of scary bits and - with identical thematics - trying to cash in on the success of Stranger Things.

Good efficient butchery

There's a serial killer roaming about the streets of New York City killing young women. Back then in the early 80s there was approximately 10 murders committed each day in N.Y., so nothing special there. But this maniac who likes to slash young girls carries a duck-sounding voice. Lucio Fulci's perfect real-deal 80s video nasty that is no stranger to gore, sleazy sadism and erotica.

Beyond the black horizon

Chose it on a whim from Netflix and what a pleasant surprise. Old friends have a get-together party, but things take a bit macabre turn because some of them now belong to a death cult. Absolutely thrilling fucking movie, good fun.

Rationale and rhyme and reason

I watched this to know what to hate, but I still can't believe I wasted two glasses of cheap wine and precious time over this.

Death always wins

I haven't read Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, but I have been said it's one of his finest pieces. The movie, The Dark Tower, directed by Nikolaj Arcel, is unbelievable nonsense. Entertaining in a weird way, but ridiculous as fuck. The story itself spans seven books, the movie lasts 90 minutes, go figure.

An instrument of the Almighty

An SS-officer is ordered to both protect and spy Wilhelm II, a retired German Emperor, in the recently occupied Belgium. Reminiscing his past as one of the key figures in the First World War, The Kaiser is an interesting character and Christopher Plummer makes a most out of it, however Jai Courtney perform practically nothing at all as the cocky young officer in the bit lusterless story.

Survive the night

You know you've just watched a very good movie when you get the chills as the end credits start rolling. Without a doubt one of the most memorable movies of recent years. Full display of racial segregation and ridiculous justice system at work in the 60s America.

A hell of an adventure

Barry Seal smuggled everything (Cuban cigars, drugs, guns, information) between Central America and The Unites States of America. Cold war was good business for an excellent pilot, but to be constantly on the good side of your own family, Medellin Cartel, CIA, FBI, DEA, ATF, State Police, White House and Nicaraguan Contras was a life-threatening venture. Tom Cruise is visibly enjoying playing the crazy gringo who always delivered.

Rebellions are built on hope

Nowhere near an ultra fan and I'm desperately lost of what's the chronological tracking order of the Star Wars franchise. But it's still pretty funky stuff.

Privilege to worship

Four Brits make a hiking trip on so called King's Trail between Sweden and Norway. They get lost in the woods where something is not alright. Not only is there some kind of ghastly pagan entity lurking in the shadows, the lads have some personal issues to deal with as well. They'd be better off getting out of the fucking forest as fast as humanly possible. A very good old fashioned horror movie.

Coffin on wheels

I'm always watching biographical documentaries with mixed feelings, on one hand there's a curious peek into past and on the other they usually end up in tragedy. Ronnie Peterson was a Swedish racing driver who lost his life when his F1 Lotus car went into barriers and caught fire at Monza Italian Grand Prix in 1978. Here they had found shitloads of footage of Ronnie's career and life, interviewed his co-rivals (Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, Jackie Stewart, John Watson, Mario Andretti) and put together a very thorough and interesting film.

Ten thousand watts a day

I had been wanting to rewatch this for a thousand times, prob'ly couple of decades since I saw it last. And as I was watching this bona fide classic I kept thinking of movies of the last ten years that will stand the test of time, that in, say, year 2050, people will remember and choose to watch 'em still. Couldn't think of any. But people will see and want to see One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest for all eternity.

It's the flames that make Hell unbearable

Reverend is a powerful and frightening figure among god-fearing western folks and particularly his own family is freaked out of his presence. Divided into four different chapters and it works splendidly, actors do their part and especially Guy Pearce spews Christian nonsense like there was no tomorrow.

Hillbilly heist

A heist movie set around Nascar race weekend. There's the intricate plan that, of course, wouldn't work in real life, the story is too clever for it's own good. Decent enough entertainment though despite lack of excitement.

The hunger for peace is in the hearts of all

I reckon the last time out with an ape movie I said digitally enhanced monkey winning an academy award is just one click away. War for the Planer of the Apes further confirms it. I mean, it's so well done. Nothing too much new to the concept, humans and apes once again trying to co-exist on the planet, but they have difficulties doing it, so they fight it out.

A commune by unwashed idiots

Elle (Isabelle Huppert) is tormented by a stalker rapist, but she is a tough nut to crack because she, after all, has endured the company of serial killer dad, shallow mother and her young hubby, jealous lover, batshit crazy daughter-in-law, religious nutters for neighbours and young assertive co-workers at a game development company. The director Paul Verhoeven knows his love and hate and sex and death.

All oppression creates a state of war

Terry Monroe (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bob Bolaño (Michael Peña) are cops corrupted as fuck and in a fast-paced confusing story they're after a bagful of money. Whoever wrote this shit must have thought there was the funniest and most clever buddy comedy script in years in the making. It's annoyingly pretentious and make everyone look like retards.

Lowdown popcorn

It's almost damned good. After all the great words however, the season three wasn't as mind-blowing as expected. Still the same quality thing, Saul Goodman and his people, they are a fun bunch to follow.

We shall never surrender

Another movie for me for a short period of time about the WWII Dunkerque evacuation (aka Operation Dynamo) when the British tried to rescue their soldiers from France where the nazis were hunting them down like animals. The storyline itself ain't there to tell an epic tale nor it's abound with monumental dialogue, but the film looks absolutely spot on, it's tremendous piece of visual story telling.

Skipping the sins

A father and son bonding weekened is on the verge of turning mildly interesting because there are toolbox thieves on the loose. A surprisingly strong cast (or what would have been a strong cast 10 years ago) of Clive Owen, Maria Bello, Robert Forster, Tim Blake Nelson and Matthew Modine in a hopelessly average movie. Desperate times I guess.

Authenticity, optimism and a dog

In between hiding in bomb shelters in London during WWII people try to keep up with their regular jobs. Like a group of film makers working on a movie of what happened to twin sisters in Dunkerque. Quite a typical British drama, nothing is wrong as such, great actors, everything, but at the same time it's just so ordinarily bleak.

Conscience gets expensive

They keep on saying the season 3 is a scorcher, so I got to get this one away first. Not bad, a tad disappointing compared to the first season, too much - albeit funny - law firm shenanigans and dispute between two lawyer brothers. Thankfully Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) is a wonderful character, altho' his sidekick - in the loosely intertwining sidestory - Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) dazzles ever more.

You can't unfuck what's been fucked

On the brink of bringing down the Berlin Wall the secret agents of the world fight each other to fish out a list that uncovers the secret agents of the world. Pretty good as an action movie, nice fight scenes after another, lame Charlize Theron as the lead star and a overall bore otherwise as well.

No easy choices in war

Season 7 of the Game of Thrones. I reckon all is said more profoundly before of pro'bly the most anticipated and scrutinized TV show in history. I liked this season better than most of its predecessors, particularly because it no longer felt like The Bold and The Beautiful of fantasy fiction. To remind myself where we are at when the season 8 is due; families gather up to fight against the armiest of the dead of the north. Should be exciting fun.

Taking the heat off

Now retired Jorma Sairanen was a producer in several Finnish media companies. He lets us know that he knew everyone and how an important figure he was in the development of Finnish television. And reading between the lines it seems that Jorma Sairanen was (and still is) jealous that no one has ever heard of him.