EvilPhoEniX

A decent comedy, but rather tame for the French in terms of humour. The protagonist is your typical slacker who decides to set up a daycare to impress his angry ex-girlfriend. The funny thing is that they still live together and there's also a new boyfriend who never takes his suit off. There are a few good jokes, but it's more of a feel-good, there are no fits of laughter. I was expecting a little more. 65%

Rob Zombie concludes his famous trilogy, but it's as if someone has taken his foot off the gas. I found it funny how Zombie was doing countdowns to trailers that ultimately sucked. I was very annoyed by the opening 20 minutes, but after that it's a pretty decent exploitation affair, with Sheri Moon Zombie leading the way. There are a few gore scenes, even though I was hoping for much more in that regard (the finale in particular is very poor for how action-packed it is in terms of gore). It's as if filmmakers nowadays don't like to overstep their boundaries. It has a dirty look and atmosphere, but otherwise the film doesn't have much to impress. The Devil's Rejects was maybe two levels above. 60%.

Joe Begos hasn't disappointed me so far and after Almost Human and The Mind's Eye he serves up, Bliss, his most brutal work, which many viewers won't accept, but I liked it. The story revolves around a painter who likes to do drugs (big time!) while painting, but once her friend gets her sick, she gets a bigger taste for blood and literally makes Los Angeles her buffet. A hallucinogenic, dreamy, erotic vampire movie full of drugs, nudity, flashing lights and hectoliters of blood. Intense as fuck horror that must be uncomfortable for normal individuals to watch, but I enjoyed the film. The highlight then is a half-naked Dora in a thong dancing covered in blood in front of her painting. For a fringe audience only. 75%

The director of Cube, along with Netflix and Stephen King, made a mindfuck that I didn't buy at all. It starts of weell. Tall grass, lost people and a chance to develop an interesting mythology with unknown rules, but the creators start to weave in complex time loops in which the viewer gets even more lost than the people in the grass themselves. The film tries to look smart, but it's more of a plot potluck without any sense, and I really hate it when a character dies and is soon there again, over and over. There are no jump-scares or gore either, so a really uninteresting and very boring affair for me at least. 40%

Netflix together with France put together a praised horror series, but unfortunately I didn't really like it. A writer returns to her hometown to face the woman who has haunted her for 15 years. She also soon discovers that the book she wrote is not fiction but reality. The plot is fine and so is Mireille Herbstmeyer, who plays the repulsive grandmother perfectly, but unfortunately doesn't get as much space as she deserves. The series has decent craftsmanship, it keeps a decent atmosphere and the creepy scenes take the best from James Wan (the birth or the claymation with the priest are very good), but it also has some weak points. The characters are very unlikeable and you don't get to relate to any of them (the girls are ugly, boys are not funny), there is no violence at all and from the middle of the series the pace slows down so much that by episode 6 I fell asleep three times and had to do a lot of coaxing to get through the rest. Fans of ghost stories and exorcisms will come into their own because there is nothing better available within the genre at the moment and I'm not afraid to admit that, but it's a great shame that the series is better in its details than as a whole. A film would have been better. 60%.

This year's series ride continues, and Carnival Row is another new favourite. The series is set in Victorian times with a detective, fantasy and horror elements and is filmed entirely in Prague. It deals with the rather topical subject of immigration, where mythical creatures (fairies, fauns) are considered migrants and inferior society, and I have to say that this interestingly imagined world caught my eye immediately. Orlando Bloom as the detective is perfect and I enjoyed Cara Delevingne as a fairy, but Jared Harris (Chernobyl), as the Chancellor of Parliament, and David Gyasi, a Faun who comes to town as the only one with great wealth, are also impressive. Apart from the superb production design and the brilliantly imagined world, the horror elements impress, especially the central monster called the Night Butcher (a creature made up of dead body parts) is one of the best ever, and there are werewolves too! Of course there is also raw gore, perfect dialogues (a joy to listen to), beautiful costumes and in the last two episodes there is such a load of twists and turns that your brain will boil. Watched with bated breath and even though the series is not exactly action packed, it is attractive and smart enough to keep my attention. There are already 4 seasons announced, so big plans. Recommended. 90%

A solid farewell to Rambo, and even though the critics are grumbling I'm almost excited. Sylvester Stallone still has it, and he's as respected as an angry bull. Story-wise the film brings nothing new and follows the revenge template, but thankfully it takes place in the unpleasant setting of Mexico, which I simply enjoy, and the ubiquitous filth is portrayed quite solidly. The biggest asset though is of course the final half hour, which takes the best of Home Alone and Saw and is literally a parade of gore scenes that will have you drooling and sweating. In the finale, Rambo: Last Blood becomes an exploitation horror film, and there hasn't been a bigger carnage since Evil Dead. I felt physically uncomfortable as I haven't in a long time when he breaks that collarbone. Those who want to find faults will find them, and those who want a great 90 minutes will enjoy the film. 85%!

Yuri Bykov serves up a decent dramatic thriller and the Russians score plus points. The story is about factory workers who have not been paid for three months and decide to kidnap and rob their boss, but the boss of the factory is an influential man who has dangerous people working for him and this complicates the whole situation. The film more or less takes place in one factory with several characters whose relationships will constantly change, secrets will float to the surface and there will be one perfectly realistic shootout. Apart from the acting performances, I also praise the smart dialogue. 75%.

South Korea aspires for the film of the year with the most original idea of recent years. Bong Joon Ho, director of The Host, Okja and Snowpiercer, has another notch to his name that has rocked festivals and, in turn, the world. The story revolves around a poor but cunning family of four who will gradually infiltrate a rich family. The infiltration itself is very entertaining and intelligently presented and once the cards are dealt, the social drama crossed with comedy gives way to a thriller with a dense onslaught of unexpected twists and turns, a huge dose of suspense and a beautifully paced finale, where even the dead bodies are not in short supply. The director plays beautifully with genres so that they don't interfere with each other and add to that perfect acting performances, polished visuals and enough entertainment to keep the viewer's attention. Recommended. 90%

A passable French comedy about a reunion of elementary school friends, where the joke is that the biggest nerd will inadvertently impersonate the biggest bully in the class, whom no one has seen in 20 years. This makes for a number of comical situations and makes the film enjoyable to watch. Even the unexpected final twist is amusing. I was expecting more gags, but still I was satisfied. 65%.