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.

A headache to eternity

Although it took several years before the notorious terrorist leader Osama bin Laden was captured, this documentary is a great testament to the intense intelligence work that went into finding and killing him. Slow but very determined research work by CIA analysts. And finally, a precision-executed operation by special forces.

Going to buried in the frozen ground

Such a wicked fun to watch. A very genre-conscious and action-packed war film. While the previous movie Sisu (2022) focused on killing Nazis, now the fucking Russians get their share in Sisu: Road to Revenge. A lonely and very quiet, but honest and stubborn Finnish warrior, he cares little about the superior enemy and simply crushes them one by one to get his way. Nothing more than straightforward action, but works amazingly well.

Unfinished bloodshed

This isn't the first Korean film to combine naive humor with a serious suspense story. And let's be honest, it hasn't worked before. The film is about chasing a serial killer and the story is also dulled by overly long fight scenes. A well-made thriller otherwise.

Cursed with wickedness

Frankly, it's pretty shitty. A fantasy adventure film about the coexistence of humans and troll-like creatures on a remote island. There is hardly any background to the story or characters, and therefore the film does not engage the viewer at any point.

Throw caution to the thoughtless wind

Danish Christian's son has joined ISIS in Syria and to get her back he is pretending to be a heretic. Even participating in their atrocities. But how do you wean a boy from fundamentalist brainwashing in a violent kingdom of infidels? This is a pretty good attempt to portray an exceptionally cruel group and ideology, but overall it falls a bit flat, and it's not particularly thrilling. 

Life is filled with its little miseries

Withstood the test of time exceptionally well. Although they have had their share of hits with Airplane, The Naked Gun and Police Squad!, Top Secret (1984) is one of Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker and David Zucker's most enjoyable films. An American rock and roll icon travels to perform behind the Iron Curtain and suddenly finds himself part of a counter-revolution. The ageless and utterly hilarious jokes and Val Kilmer's brilliant performance make this a cult classic.

It's hell to pay when the fiddler stops

Movies are too long these days, you could skip half an hour of each without anyone noticing and then you get this short 18-minute short film that you could easily watch for two hours! The Singers is an incredibly captivating and beautiful story about a group of men in a suburban bar wondering who sings the best. The men's interaction brings sunlight and magic to the dark drinking den.

Shit always hits you

Tony Scott's directing style was something else. A real tour de force. Electric and punchy. With his trademark quick cuts, he never lost his rhythm. Magical energy and uniquely recognizable work. It's a shame that he left us prematurely. Fortunately, he bequeathed to us, among other things, True Romance (1993), Top Gun (1986), Enemy of the State (1998) and Man on Fire (2004). The Taking of Pelam 123 (2009) is a streamlined action film that is like taming chaos from start to finish. It hardly stops to breathe. And this, like his other films, is funny, not comedic, but ingeniously inventive with a nice witty undertone.

Two candles in the dark

The ocean floor is as unforgiving, desolate, lifeless and unexplored as space. And in good stories, extraterrestrial boogeymen can also venture there. One can only hope that these superior beings are kind. The Abyss is a 1989 science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron. It is starred by Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Todd Graff, Kimberly Scott and John Bedford Lloyd. It's one of the best claustrophobic survival movies of all time. At times, it's breathtakingly beautiful to watch.

Sit by the king or perish

There are pros and cons when an actor makes a film that polishes the public image of the country's president and covers up the stains from his past. In a way, he sells his soul and all his artistic integrity. At the same time, he surrounds himself with people he hates. His private life also suffers. But on the other hand, being in the dictator's favor, he gets certain concessions from the state leadership's office, for example, friends are released from prison and removed from their blacklist. Being in the inner circle of power can be fun for a while, but it can also lead to death. Eagles of the Republic is the final film of Tarik Saleh's Cairo trilogy (following The Nile Hilton Incident and Boy from Heaven). 

The epidemic of laziness

I don't think a movie plot can get any simpler than this: Walk or get shot. But in its simplicity, how deliciously enjoyable. Stephen King's book was already shocking, and now this Francis Lawrence film is unforgivably brutal and definitely not for the faint of heart. It's great that things like this are still being done.

Just saw the arms apart

A couple moves to the peace of the countryside, but they encounter nightmarish unnatural forces. Makes a pretty fun and creepy body horror movie. This isn't about reinventing the genre, but Michael Shanks' Together is sufficiently grotesque, scary, and disturbing. 

Ruining the good memories

A great-looking thing. Almost like watching an Edward Hopper painting transformed into a film. This first English-language movie by Pedro Almodóvar is absolutely fantastic eye candy. There's nothing wrong with the story itself, somehow some kind of twist was expected, but apparently, on purpose, no greater tragic turmoil has been sought here.

In the harsh face of stardom

This was tamer and kinder than I remembered. The rock escapism of this fictional band called Stillwater is delightfully smoothed over what contemporaries were certainly doing at the time. In the film, the band and its groupies are almost completely alienated from drugs and booze. But it's a nice snapshot of a rock band and a trusted journalist's journey across America. The purpose of the film is perhaps not to indulge in sensationalism but rather the joy of storytelling.