EvilPhoEniX

Alex Garland (Ex-Machina, Annihilation) tries his hand at folk Horror under the A24 banner and it's properly controversial and only for a fringe audience, but those who like his directorial style might find it to their liking. The story focuses on Jessie Buckley who, after the death of her husband, arrives in a remote village to come up with new ideas, but the magical surroundings and a naked man stalking her from afar give her more nightmares. Garland delivers quite an original mystery oddity full of metaphors, symbols, interesting dialogue, beautiful scenery and unconventional horror. Rory Kinnear is excellent, playing all the male characters in the film and being a proper weirdo and sleazeball (I can't remember a film where one actor played 20 different roles in one film), making Garland stand out again. The first hour is a lot of slow building but once Garland switches into horror mode he conjures up some interesting stunts (the hand ripped in half by a knife is impressive!). The atmosphere is cramped and at times uncomfortable and the final body horror sequence is downright glorious, one that even Cronenberg would not be ashamed of. I immediately thought of The Fly, Alien and the famous Zygote all rolled into one. Garland built the film on the mythology surrounding the Green Man and it's quite similar to the recent Gaia from Africa. Story 4/5. Action 2/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 3/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 2/5, Actors 4/5. 7/10.

Funny action buddy comedy and my guilty pleasure. I love these genre films, and Patrick Hughes (The Hitman's Bodyguard) is a great fit for me. Of course, this movie doesn't have an appealing plot, it's silly and not everything makes sense, but it's a popcorn flick with all the trimmings and I had fun and even laughed out loud, so it’s only for people who seek out similar genre flicks, the rest can skip it. Woody Harrelson impressed me very much in the role of an infamous killer with emotions, a past and a character – these roles are tailor made for him so, as usual, he enjoys ot very much. Kevin Hart is just Kevin Hart, his humour either suits you or doesn't, for most people he is annoying and insufferable, I respect him as a comedian and his style suits me, so the two complement each other decently. There are a lot of cool lines and funny situations that I liked, but I was also pleased with the action itself, though it’s hurt by the PG-13, because the action scene in the gym with the chainsaw, crossbow, axes could have been a proper carnage, but at least it was a fun and spectacular with decent choreography and decent fights (the fight with the Man from Miami was also top). The film has a fast pace, flows well and fulfilled its purpose of entertaining the viewer for me. Story 3/5. Action 4/5, Humour 5/5, Violence 1/5, Fun 5/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 3/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 3/5, Actors 4/5. 7.5/10

Incredibly awesome! On the one hand traditional there’s the Mr. Bean and the expected comedy ride full of absurdities and unreal coincidences, on the other hand I feel it’s more than just comic bullshit. I definitely have to praise the most high-tech house I've ever seen in a movie (maybe even in my life), heavy futuristic modernization of everything, where without a manual you can't even move in it (exploring the whole house was incredibly fun and fascinating for me). Then there's the two-hour intense duel between man and animal (here with insects) which makes it the most entertaining animal attack ever. At times there’s an absurdly intense music that turns the film into a downright thriller with a few jump-scares, then of course there's the brutal survival, and also a home invasion with a touch of Irreversible fate. Fuck Yeah! I didn't expect that. The bee/bumblebee is a very intelligent and calculating creature! The scene in the bathroom, with the piano and the initial visit from the policeman, I felt like I died and came back to life. I loved that there are iconic Mr. Bean scenes, the ones that made him famous, as I grew up watching him, so a nice surprise. 8/10

A great film, I certainly didn't expect a flop. It was clear from the first trailer that this was going to be a powerful, emotional, charged and entertaining spectacle that might even go for the Oscars. Austin Butler as Elvis is great, Tom Hanks is unrecognizable but also excellent, the music is of course awesome (all the performances are great), the dialogues are good, and the story managed to surprise several times. There was also the traditional troubles that belong to rising stars like the looming jail time. However I'm a bit sorry that the film isn’t R-rated, and there was no room for drugs and a bit of that wild nightlife, but probably the makers just wanted to show it in the best light. I'd fault the longer running time, but otherwise solid. 8/10.

A solid old school paranoid psycho thriller with a touch of Hitchcock. I usually find genre films with a similar concept to be mediocre, but Watcher managed to win me over with something despite its slow pace. The attractive and well-acted Maika Monroe moves to Bucharest to visit her husband, but he spends most of the day at work, so the main character has to spend most of her time alone and Bucharest is not exactly an ideal place to spend your free time. The film also works well because of the setting, where the main character tries to fit in in an unfamiliar city where she knows no one, most of the people are sketchy, there is a serial killer who hangs out in the city and cuts women's heads off, and she is stalked by her next door neighbour. Apparently Romania is a country without curtains, and thanks to the big windows overlooking all the neighbours, it manages to evoke the right uncomfortable feelings. An honest, authentic, realistic and chilling slow burn with excellent craftsmanship, a great female lead, a good bad guy, an intense final half hour (the metro is atmospheric awesome), and an awesome finale! You can say that the film could have brought some more fundamental twist, but I'm still surprisingly satisfied with the quality this time. Story 3/5. Action 2/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 2/5, Fun 4/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotion 3/5, Actors 4/5. 7/10

Surgery is the new sex! Horror maestro David Cronenberg returns to the genre that made him famous (body horror) after a few years and creates an interestingly twisted world with a strong philosophical overlay, thoughtful dialogue, decent casting, a novel point and idea, and there are a few enjoyable disgusting bit. Again, people ran out of theaters in America, but this is again overhyped and definitely had more potential given the premise, but I liked it relatively. It's very strange though, with a touch of arthouse, a slower pace, and not many outright horror scenes, but the world itself managed to keep me glued to my seat and wondering what would come of it. Viggo Mortensen is very good, Léa Seydoux shows up naked so all is well, and Kristen Stewart has a smaller and very weird role. You can see Cronenberg's signature, some of the futuristic ideas deserve a chapter to themselves, and the whole organ swapping idea is impressive (the dissection of a small child is the most interesting, but the drill in the head and the hybrid with the ears are also cool). The guts and dissection are quite enjoyable, but there can't be much talk of atmosphere or proper gore. A strange film, hard to rate, there are things I enjoyed a lot, but the pacing could have been better and the horror side could have been given more space. For a fringe audience only. We are making art out of anarchy. Story 4/5. Action 2/5, Humor 1/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 3/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 3/5, Atmosphere 3/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 2/5, Actors 4/5. 6/10.

Psychological slow burn horror drama is not one of my favourite subgenres, and I hesitated to rate it here too, but I came to the conclusion that this is a noteworthy affair that, despite its slower pace, manages to cause discomfort and chills. The story focuses on a Danish family who receive an invitation to visit from their Dutch friends, whom they met while on vacation. As usual, things don't go as planned. It's interestingly contrived, the Dutch are definitely weird, but at the same time they don't evoke the typical traits of psychopaths that the viewer would expect in a film of this ilk, which I found quite unusual. The Danish protagonist, was unlikeable in his behaviour (the acting is also not great), but the film managed to hold my attention even though nothing much special happens throughout it. It flows at a slow pace, but the atmosphere thickens and the psychological pressure builds up. The final act is decently heart-pounding and unpleasant (weaker characters may find the film hard to take), and the film's attempt to shock definitely succeeds, though again not to an excessive degree, as it sticks to realistic boundaries, managing to be all the more chilling. It won't be for everyone, some will be bored, others will be depressed. I have given a warning. Story 3/5. Action 2/5, Humor 1/5, Violence 1/5, Fun 3/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 3/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 4/5, Actors 3/5. 7/10.

Alex de la Iglesia and his Spanish slasher is a mediocre one-off that had more potential. The director probably won't go beyond his 2010 highlight The Last Circus (The Bar was also solid), but the rest of his output falls more into the average range, and his new release, though attractive for its setting, lacks substance for my taste in terms of horror. A group of Spanish tourists in Venice (the setting is probably the biggest attraction) are terrorized by locals who don't like tourists much, and the bad guys have nice creepy masks (the joker is the best). In terms of acting, the film doesn't really engage, the viewer doesn't form a relationship with the characters, the plot is too straightforward; I definitely expected a bit more ambitious genre film from a director who already has experience. The atmosphere doesn't really work and the gore isn't worth much either, the murders aren't that few but they aren't very audience-appealing. The finale definitely deserved more of a twist. As a one-off, however, it's okay, and as a slasher film it impresses thanks to the unusual setting and costumes. Story 3/5. Action 2/5, Humour 2/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 3/5 Music 2/5, Visuals 3/5, Atmosphere 3/5, Suspense 2/5, Emotion 3/5, Actors 2/5. 5.5/10

Spiderhead had the potential to be a big hit, but unfortunately remained a mediocre film, which is a wonder considering who is behind it. When Joseph Kosinski, who blew everyone away with Maverick, the writer of both Deadpool movies, Hemsworth and Teller, plus an original premise come together on set, it's almost hard to believe that the final product is a bit of an easy skip. The film takes place in probably the least realistic prison (there are some nice interiors), where there are no rules at work, nothing is explained properly, there's just a scientist testing drugs on prisoners, which in itself sounds fine because drugs are fun, but what might have been the most fun thing about the film is kind of boring in places. I was quite bothered by the lack of test subjects (there are about three people being tested?), the lack of any significant intensity. I was expecting some sort of trippy prison massacre, but I would have taken an uncomfortable stuffiness in the air. None of that happens, there is only one suspenseful scene (everyone probably can guess which one it is), and the finale is very much off the mark. On the other hand, I liked the music, it is is excellent, the actors do their thing and there are a few minor twists and turns, so it managed to serve as a one-off, but expectations were much different. Untapped potential, but it wasn't a waste of time for me. Story 3/5. Action 2/5, Humour 2/5, Violence 1/5, Fun 3/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 3/5, Suspense 2/5, Emotion 3/5, Actors 3/5. 5.5/10

The conclusion of the dinosaur trilogy will be a commercial success. Disappointment prevails among the critics, but I am satisfied. For my money, it's certainly more entertaining and engaging than the sequel, which as is usual with sequels that are just filler for the finale. The first hour impresses in the form of news, where the dinosaurs get to our civilization and their way of living with us, this entertained me a lot. The plot then moves to Malta, where the film incidentally climaxes with a half hour action dinosaur romp, quite possibly the best dinosaur action sequence ever, though it is all too similar to Bond or MI, but a motherfucking ride nonetheless. The finale is about 40 minutes long and it's properly spectacular, there's a horror atmosphere conjured up in places (the mutant locusts are great), there are plenty of genetically modified dinosaurs which I welcomed, the central little girl isn't annoying, the nostalgia and emotion works, and, most importantly, it reminded me of my favourite PS1 game “Dino Crisis 2” in the locations, the action and the detail, which I ran through about 15 times as a kid and I take it as a tribute. A few things could have been done better, but what the hell, it's the only dinosaur franchise that's quality and there's definitely no competition anytime soon. I enjoyed it. Story 3/5. Action 5/5, Humor 3/5, Violence 0/5, Fun 5/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotion 4/5, Actors 3/5. 8/10.