Emptiness starts tomorrow

The first time I watched it, the plot twist bothered me so much that I had to watch David Mackenzie's Relay again. And now that the story and all its twists were clear, it's a bit like watching a different movie. Extremely enjoyable. 

Man should live and let live

Mario Bava's Bay of Blood has a lot of the best aspects of the slasher horror genre. It's actually quite creepy, ominous, and genuinely scary in its atmosphere. However, the story, which is simple in itself, is somehow told in a rather annoyingly confusing way. 

Creepy is kinda hot

The seventh Scream movie. These should have ended after the first and second ones. No one remembers anything about those sequels other than that they recycled the same idea as the originals. If we remembered even more, we could say that this is the worst in the series. For it is absolutely horrible, the only difference is that there is even more brutal and completely pointless gore here and that the number of narrative errors is so large that it is a blatant underestimation of the audience's intelligence. Only Neve Campbell's performance is a joy to watch.

Actions have consequences

The Housemaid is an erotic thriller directed by Paul Feig, based on the book by Freida McFadden. The story and its own little twists unfold slowly and in a pleasantly brutal way. Maybe it's a little too over the top to be truly scary, but the suspense still tingles around every corner. Psychological and atmospheric thrills in the same vein as in the acclaimed Gone Girl (2014), Fatal Attraction (1987), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) and What Lies Beneath (1992). 

Far from any road

This has a nice film noir B movie feel and a strong enough cast, but it quickly becomes clear that it's more or less a waste of time. There is a robbery in the film, but it is suspected that money is missing from the loot. The fraud is investigated with threats, violence and death. Bring Him to Me is a shoddy thriller that is quickly forgotten. 

In the mood for killing

Not Alfred Hitchcock's best. At times, an annoyingly self-sufficient film in which witty words are used to cover up a rather weak story. And the chemistry between Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren doesn't seem to work very well either. But in any case, it's memorable enough, if only because the main characters are both rather unlikeable and malignant.

Unleash the bloodhounds

A remake of the 1974 pioneering slasher film Black Christmas. The only good thing about this is that it's some kind of horror movie because even at their worst they're kind of entertaining. It's complete crap otherwise.

Catch a star

A 17-year-old intentionally drives a car into a house, survives but kills two of her friends. We follow the life of this inconsiderate narcissistic young woman before and after the incident. As well as the trial. At the same time, we witness the irresponsibility of a few parents and the obsessive attention-seeking of today's youth on social media.

Addicted to the unseen

A haunted Irish inn. Horror writer Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) encounters a bit of a scare when he comes to scatter his parents' ashes on the land they desired. Damian McCarthy's Hokum is a really great horror film, flirting nicely with Irish folklore, although the seemingly endless jump scares eventually start to get boring and become a bit of a drag on the narrative.

Good luck surviving the night

A very well-made, professionally performed and convincing naval war film in every way. A film that absolutely deserves all the praise. But once you've watched it, you somehow feel like you don't necessarily want to go back to it again. As a cinematic experience, despite all the excellence, it leaves you feeling a bit flat. 

Just don't step in any puddles

These kind of thoroughly entertaining, self-indulgent horror films are somewhat a rare breed these days. But luckily, Sam Raimi is a master of grotesque fun. He created this genre back in 1981 with The Evil Dead. His signature style is both disturbing and insanely hilarious. In this film, two workmates are stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash, and their cooperation and survival skills are put to the test. Big time. 

Spinning wheels of future

The restaurant kitchen in Time Square is filled with almost chaos as customers are served piles of food, friendship and love worries are dealt with, and $800 is missing from the cash register. A well-shot and excellently acted film about the hectic and drama-filled world of the kitchen, but it leaves viewers a little distant from the story and not terribly interested in the twists and turns of events.

Gonna rid the streets of whores

A female journalist has to go through a lot while investigating a serial killer and his victims in Mashad, Iran. Only women have been targeted in these horrific murders, and no one seems to be interested. The authorities perhaps least of all. The female journalist's credibility and professionalism are mostly laughed at. Fortunately, Arezoo Rahimi (Zar Amir Ebrahami) believes in investigative journalism to the fullest, and she is not mentally crushed, although she has to be on her toes with the cold-blooded killer. If the case goes to court, you can expect anything from a farce to an execution from the trial. Holy Spider is an exciting and at times disturbing film from Ali Abbasi. Based on a true story.

Gotta burn the rest of 'em

John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) is one of the greatest horror films of all time. Perhaps only Ridley Scott's Alien films have managed to create the same kind of magical claustrophobic horror as this one. A group of scientists in Antarctica encounter an organism from outer space that snatches human souls like candy from a store shelf!

Ants in the red mist

A realistically made film about young people partying. But unfortunately that's where it ends. Once you strip away the drunken antics and wallowing in self-pity, there's not much left of the film.

It's not tragic to die doing what you love

This hasn't stood the test of time very well. Point of Break, by Kathryn Bigelow, is a movie about cops and bank robbers and somehow the antics of both are very amateurish. The robberies themselves are the most exciting part of this, but they are mostly only mentioned in passing sentences and the focus is on the characters' mutual competition, banter and interaction. 

Hopes to burn

In this thriller, none of the characters were particularly smart. That's why it was a little uncomfortable to watch. But otherwise, it's quite easy on the eyes and has a lot of excitement. Visually, it really looks great with the winter forest and lake scenery. But even that doesn't save the terrible script. 

Nothing wrong with peace and respite

This was pretty damn awesome in its own way. A wildly brutal but confusingly entertaining survival film about people who can't get along with each other and, on top of that, unpredictable zombies are a constant nuisance. The Bone Temple is the second part of the 28 Years Later trilogy and this chapter of the story is, in places, even magically beautiful to watch. And damn, Ralph Fiennes is on fire, one of the strongest acting performances of the year for sure. Directed by Nia DaCosta.

Climbing the mountain of conflict

Hilariously funny. A truly insanely witty fireworks display of humor. Armando Iannucci's In the Loop (2009) is a titillatingly funny political satire whose content is very relevant to modern times. You can immediately see that the actors are clearly enjoying what they're doing and a lot of it is based on improvisation. A bit like a standalone full-length episode from the director's series The Thick of It (2005-2015).

Pimps run free and good men die like dogs

Better and more fun than the reviews suggest. Fictional but apparently based at least in part on the screenwriters' and filmmakers' own experiences. A peek behind the scenes and how capricious and stressed out Hollywood stars and background people behave at their worst. By overdoing the narrative a bit, the film could have been even more shameless and ruthless, but it's still good. 

It's quite a bomber

A black comedy mocking the Nazis. And just like Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator (1940), Ernst Lubitsch's To Be or Not to Be (1942) was completed while Adolf Hitler was still in power. Very sharp, intelligent and fearless satire. A masterpiece of sorts.

Vow of morbid curiosity

Frank is a man of awkward situations. He behaves very childishly and strangely for his age. You can laugh at his clumsy nature with shame. But even then, when he oversteps his bounds, his behavior does not deserve sympathy, so in that sense the fun of the film undoubtedly suffers.

Truth is for suckers

One of the most crazy and imaginative but also most entertaining and funniest films. Unemployed puppeteer Craic Schwartz finds a new job as a file clerk on the 7 1/2nd floor of a Manhattan office building. On this strange half-floor, he falls in love with his colleague Maxine and discovers a portal behind the file desk that takes him inside the head of actor John Malkovich. A wonderfully ingenious and original comedy!

Go fuck a duck

A really lighthearted Michael Cimino thriller about bank robbers and other outlaws. The chemistry between the lead actors (Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis) works brilliantly and the film is sure to feature dozens of improvisational moments. A couple of hours of great entertainment.

You fight with rage

Better than anticipated. This is different from the original Predator (1987), after all. And that's why it's probably a shock to the most dedicated fans that there's even humor in the film. And there's nothing scary about this, the creatures are even sympathetic in places. Still, it's quite nice to watch and artificial intelligence has created an almost natural-looking world.

Winding acid rain

It's sometimes damn annoying when a really big twist is revealed in a movie, especially when it really throws you off the rails and you start to rethink the details of the film. That's what happened with this one. The movie is exciting and entertaining, but then there's a groundbreaking plot twist and you feel too tired to go through the plot-revealing details. These are the movies that you inevitably want to watch again at some point.

No predecessors and no successors

Former cop and recovering alcoholic Matthew Scudder (Jeff Bridges) becomes involved in the affairs of a local drug ring. An interesting 80's noir, quite outdated for its time, but entertaining and straightforward suspense that has, for example, had an influence on Quentin Tarantino's film narrative.

Firewood from rotten bones

A very ordinary, even bad, thriller, but it would be much worse without Mel Gibson. These show how a hardened professional, with his mere presence, takes responsibility for the success of the film and therefore makes a great impression. In terms of story, RJ Collins' Hunting Season is exactly the same crap that's being churned out from Hollywood's thriller surplus.

The wrong train can lead you to the right station

In Mumbai, a wife sends her husband lunch, but the sender keeps delivering it to a completely different man! From these and the messages that followed, a unique friendship emerges that even deepens into romance. The film is very touching, partly funny and heartwarming, but also sad.

Nobody gets left behind

War is brutal, people die, blood is spilled, bullets rain down, it's loud, blindingly chaotic. With this film, Ridley Scott has brought warfare to the big screen in a magnificent way. In 1993, US soldiers ventured into Somalia and tried to overthrow the then-ruling warlord, but instead of streamlined and modern warfare, the campaign turned out to be a mixed bag of gunfire in an urban jungle. Scott avoids the clichés of war movies and from the first minute just sets the wheels in motion and all hell breaks loose. This is why Black Hawk Down (2001) is one of the best and most brutal war films.

Care about your obsessions

Rebecca Miller's documentary takes a very respectful approach to one of the most significant film directors of our time. And for good reason. Martin Scorsese's life's work in the world of cinema is second to none, and after such a thorough documentary, one would just like to revisit his epic films such Taxi Driver, Casino, GoodFellas, The Departed, Mean Streets, The Irishman, Shutter Island and Raging Bull. 

Must be those blue pills

Playing an alcoholic country musician comes naturally to Jeff Bridges as he's also made a career in the music world himself. His performance alone brings such iron-clad professionalism that it's easy for the film to lean on it and flow with it. The story itself is nothing extremely tragic or nuanced, just a skillfully executed portrayal of an aging musician who has seen his best days.

Those who sleep amongst the stars

Brave survival stories are great. Tragic stories can make for very exciting films. Unfortunately, the only tragedy in this film is its execution. All in all, quite a mess. And there's no sense of realism here, sometimes it felt like the scenes taking place in the ocean were filmed in a bathtub. And I guess they were.

A place of conniving witches

Bambi is a heartbroken mutant deer who kills people. That alone is the point of this movie. Sure, you watch these kinds of horror movies, but they're always just as bad.

Where the dead men go

Through his actions, the commander of Oscarsborg Fortress, Birger Kristian Eriksen, saved enough time for the Oslo royal family and government to escape the Nazi German invasion in World War II. He made the bold decision to fire on the approaching ship without knowing its purpose. For the ship floating in the fog was at first a mystery to everyone. It eventually turned out to be the German warship Blücher, which could have caused massive destruction if it had been launched off the coast of Oslo! The Battle of Oslo, by Daniel Fahre, is a good war movie, but an even better history lesson.

It's just meat

Complete horror. Definitely one of the most memorable and nightmarish films in a few years! Two teenage siblings are orphaned and a very strange woman is chosen to be their guardian. Bring Her Back is a painfully gripping film with a constant atmosphere of discomfort. Sickening and unsettling but such a great movie. Directed by Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou.

Because people let it happen

Someone wrote exceptionally well that Rami Malek doesn't always match his words to his face. There's too much exaggeration in his acting. As if he's trying too hard. For no reason at all. At best, it's brilliant, but perhaps the weakest link in this particular film. Thankfully Russell Crowe is on fire! Richard Grant and Michael Shannon make good appearances in supporting roles. The Nuremberg Trials are the world's most famous international military trial. Presumably, it is told in this film in a concise manner. The narrative is extremely well paced.

Sempiternal angels

Somehow it feels like this could be - right down to the actors - a completely artificially generated entertainment. Everything seems so damn unnatural and absurd. Focusing on the crappy story is a whole other issue.

Everything in red means trouble

Oh hell, the train is on the run and it's full of toxic chemicals! There are dozens of small towns along the track and one of them could be decimated if this steel giant derails! Or it could crash into another train! This matter needs to be taken seriously and the solution may only be found by hardened railway professionals. Tony Scott conjured up an incredibly spine-chilling thriller on this subject too.

Somewhere out there

A couple's son dies in a car accident and the grief-stricken parents deal with this horrific event very differently. Strong performances from Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart, but unfortunately otherwise a rather disposable drama.

Cloaked in pus

Louis Theroux follows and interviews ultra-masculine social media influencers. The scariest thing about it is their influence on young people. Because their world is distorted and wrong in every way. It's sickening to watch.

White Lotus, Yam-yam and Shanghai Sally

The 9th and final season of Seinfeld. Once again, thank you and goodbye. We'll see you soon. 

Stars exploding

One of the finest Stephen King adaptations. A very strong and emotional story without being overly colored with supernatural elements. The life of one man, Chuck, and at the same time all of humanity, told in three episodes. All good, but especially the first part, in its beauty of hopelessness, is cinema magic at its best. Actually, the film gives viewers very simple and heartwarming life advice, but a lot to think about.

The arrow of cosmic seeds

At least when it comes to the characters, it's a bit like a madhouse. Although the film has macabre humor and Nordic irony, it has a rather serious and dark undertone. Here, we simultaneously laugh at life, celebrate it, and explore the impact of tragedy on the human psyche. Anders Thomas Jensen (Riders of Justice, Adam's Apples) is the next figure in the line of notable Danish filmmakers.

Two shades of mythical coldness

I read David Howarth's book Die Alone (1955) and noticed that it has been made into two films. Arne Skouen's Nine Lives (1957) and this Harald Zwart's The 12th Man (2017). An incredibly amazing survival story about a Norwegian soldier who, instead of carrying out a planned sabotage mission, flees the Nazis in perhaps the most barren and unforgiving terrain in the world. It also tells of people's selfless desire to help, even at the risk of the helpers risking their own lives and the lives of their families. The film is also excellent.

Born in a balloon

While vacationing in England, a Canadian man is suddenly embroiled in international espionage and is suspected of murdering a young woman! And the whole of Britain is after him. The trip to London has suddenly become a nightmare! 9 Steps, from 1935, is a wonderfully crafted suspense film by Alfred Hitchcock.