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paulclaassen
Having done a script writing course, I write scripts whenever time allows it.
My twin brother, Philip Cristian Claassen, is an accomplished actor and writer.
My film reviews are based on ENTERTAINMENT VALUE (for me) and not necessarily on how well or bad a film is made. Even badly made films can be thoroughly entertaining, while well-made films are not guaranteed to be entertaining...
I'm not a critic; I'm a film enthusiast.
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Reviews
Doughboys (1930)
Not as good as his silent films.
'Doughboys' is Buster Keaton's second talkie film, and his first drama. Essentially a comedy, the film also contains elements of drama during the war sequences.
Buster Keaton stars as Elmer Stuyvesant Jr., who accidentally enlists in the army. He is surprised to see Mary (Sally Eilers) - a girl he is smitten with - in the army as well. But Elmer discovers his drill sergeant, Sergeant Brophy (Edward Brophy) also has his eyes on Mary, and it sort of becomes a contest for her hand.
An unlikely soldier at first, Elmer becomes a war hero thanks to his bravery. I must be honest, I didn't particularly like the story all that much; neither did I really like the dialogue. I suppose we have to keep in mind talkies were still fairly new in 1930. It was interesting hearing Buster Keaton's voice after so many silent movies (yup, I've seen ALL of his silent films and shorts!).
Gone are the famous Buster Keaton stunts and his poker face, which I so loved in his previous films (when he still had creative freedom before signing with MGM). I also didn't find the film all that funny. Some of the humour felt forced and there were few laugh-out-loud moments as with his previous films. Having said that, the dance scene with Buster was really funny, and a sight to behold! It was also interesting seeing men in drag in 1930!!
Despite the film not holding up to his earlier films, it was nevertheless still entertaining.
Sewu Dino (2023)
A Tale of possession, with a twist.
Sri is a young girl who responds to a job advert from the Atmojo family, who owns a series of restaurants. By accident (literally) she gets to meet the head of the family, Karsa Atmojo. After a short and weird interview, Sri gets the job, but she soon regrets it. Karsa performs a ritual to bound Sri to her until she has completed her task.
Sri, Erna and Dini (who has been working for the family for a while) are taken to a secluded hut in a forest, where they are to care for Karso's granddaughter, Dela. Dela is a victim of black magic, and is locked in a room in a possessed state. Every day before sunset, the girls have to follow a ritual which includes bathing Dela in water that has been infused with seven flowers. This is said to calm the demon which possesses her. If the ritual is not performed every day for a thousand days, Dela will be lost forever. Sri, Erna and Dini only has to do the last four days.
The make-up effects are creepy and I enjoyed the setting in the woods, which gave it an 'Evil Dead' kind of feeling. The film follows the characters during these last four days. Sri is plagued by nightmares, but it is revealed her nightmares in fact take her to the alternate universe where Dela is kept prisoner, and Sri must try to bring her back.
All is not what it seems, though, and there are surprises and twists until the finale. This was an interesting take on a familiar genre.
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Very good, but I prefer the remake, 'A Perfect Plan'.
Watching 'Dial M For Murder' I thought the premise seemed awfully familiar. Then I realized it was remade in 1998 as 'A Perfect Murder', starring Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Margot, a wealthy socialite, is married to Tony. She is having an affair with writer Mark Halliday. Unbeknownst to her, Tony knows about her affair. Tony was a big tennis star once, and now that he doesn't play anymore, he realizes how dependent he is on Margot to satisfy his expensive taste. He decides to have her killed so he can inherit her fortunate.
Tony contacts an old school mate of his, Charles Swan, who goes by various names due to his criminal nature. With enough information on Charles, Tony blackmails him into killing Margot, and Charles realizes he has no option. Tony plans the murder and Charles' escape plan to perfection. However, on the night of the attack things does not go according to plan. And then the investigation starts...
There are a few twists along the way. The story did get a bit over-complicated towards the end, so I can perfectly well understand why it was changed for the remake. I must be honest, I much prefer 'A Perfect Murder', which I found more intriguing, and more suspenseful. 'Dial M for Murder' is also a lot more dialogue-heavy. Back in 1954 - with no other movie to compare it with - 'Dial M for Murder' must have captivated the audiences.
Summoning Sylvia (2023)
Over the top? A bit, but I liked this different approach to a gay (or haunting) movie.
'Summoning Sylvia' is a very short movie (74 minutes) with a simple premise, so this is going to be a short review.
What's the movie about? About summoning Sylvia, off course! Larry is about to get married to Jamie, so his friends Nico, Reggie and Kevin throw him a bachelor party for the weekend at a haunted house. Story goes, years ago Sylvia killed her son Phillip and buried him on the grounds. Philip now haunts the property.
Further to the story, it is believed Sylvia killed her son because he was gay. I'm not going to ruin anything for you, so let's just say the film dishes up a few twists towards the end.
But let's not jump to the end yet. Nico decides to do a séance, joking that he would like to ask Sylvia what really happened. It's all fun and games for the friends until Jamie's brother Harrison uninvitedly shows up. Well, not entirely uninvited since Larry told Philip in a moment of panic it was ok for Harrison to join them. Oh, did I mention all the guys except Harrison is gay? This puts the guys in a bit of an awkward situation, resulting in funny moments.
But when Sylvia shows up, it's a different ball game altogether... I don't think I've ever seen a gay movie about a haunting. Uhm, or should that be a film about a haunting with gay characters? Well, however you look at it, this turned out to be very entertaining. I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the setting in the haunted house, and I enjoyed the 'over the top' moments. This was a very different kind of gay movie and I liked it.
Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma (1975)
This movie can't be justified; it is disgusting.
'Salo, or The 120 Days of Sodom' has a sense of style and elegance with men in suits and women in beautiful evening wear, but under this façade of glamour lies a vile and disgusting movie I can't recommend to anyone.
There honestly is no story here. It's about sex, humiliation, and being as disgusting as possible. It is supposedly about Nazi fascists who capture young people, and then abuse them for their own sexual pleasure.
Women tell sexual stories to entice and excite the men, who then randomly chooses youngsters to have their way with them in the most inappropriate manner. People are being treated like animals, and the men in power have no sense of dignity, almost as if they are dominating animals themselves who has sex any time with any one.
From drinking urine and eating excrement to the most offensive dialogue you will ever hear, 'Salo, or The 120 Days of Sodom' is the most vile and sick movie I have ever seen. There is plenty of nudity here, with both male and female frontal nudity, men with erections and beautiful bodies, but even this could not compensate for the fact this is a most unpleasant movie.
If this is supposed to be an art movie, it is vulgar and distasteful to the extreme. Not even to mention the torture during the film's final moments...
The First Omen (2024)
All in the name of God...
What do you do when there is no belief anymore? You create something for people to fear.
I wonder what my thoughts on 'The First Omen' would have been had I not seen 'Immaculate' first. These films are so similar, it is impossible not to compare them. It is almost as if it is two versions of the same story, but with an alternate ending.
'The First Omen' serves as a prequel to 'The Omen' from 1976. Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) arrives at an Orphanage to do 'the work of God'. Her roommate Luz (Maria Caballero) decides to take her out for a night on the town to see 'what she is about to miss out on' by becoming a nun.
Margaret befriends an orphan girl named Carlita, who is always locked up in 'the bad room' for misbehaving. Margaret senses something different about Carlita, and is later warned by Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson) that evil things happen around her. Margaret soon starts having strange visions and decides to investigate Carlita. Her visions intensifies until she is unable to tell what is real and what is not.
Although there are plenty of jump scares, the film isn't really scary. Mysterious, yes, and the film only really gets interesting after the halfway mark. 'The First Omen' indeed feels very similar to 'Immaculate', but 'The First Omen' is definitely a more stylish film, and more of a psychological horror. In both films, the lead actresses (Nell Tiger Free in 'The First Omen', and Sydney Sweeney in 'Immaculate') deliver fantastic performances in a very demanding role with big character development.
Towards the end, both films have gory scenes, but 'Immaculate' is by far gorier with more disturbing scenes. I must also add, I found the unfolding of events more believable in 'Immaculate'. There were a few reveals in 'The First Omen' that had me trying to make sense of how these events would be possible. Your point of view on these two films would determine which one you like best. 'The First Omen' is definitely more character-driven.
'The First Omen' is definitely one of the better entries in the Omen franchise. It boasts an excellent score, great performances, good editing, and a foreboding atmosphere.
The Carrier (1988)
Everybody's melting!
Judging by the fact almost no-one involved in this film had previous experience, and pursued an acting/directing career, I can only assume 'The Carrier' was a home movie project. This awful film also looks and feels like one.
From the silly premise to the bad execution, 'The Carrier' is a (bad) B-movie on every level. The main character is Jake (note that I don't refer to him as the protagonist) who lives on a farm outside of town. Story goes he started a fire which caused the death of his parents, and is accused by the townsfolk for murdering his parents.
One night while at home he is attacked by a 'black thing'. Yes, in the movie it is actually referred to as the 'black thing', as if the writers themselves didn't know what it was supposed to be and had no explanation for the stupid events that were to follow. So, after the attack, everything Jake touches becomes 'infected', and those who touch these objects start to melt.
The film doesn't make it very clear that Jake touched the objects that cause people to melt. These events seemed random and (for me) didn't always link to Jake, almost as if whatever caused objects to become infected was airborne.
The townsfolk first use chicks (and I'm talking about baby chickens here and not the slang word for women!) to test for infection, and then cats! I mean, seriously, could this film be any more stupid or demented??!! I'm not even going into the details as to what happens next, or the conclusion. This is just a really dumb movie and most of the time I had no friggin' idea what was going on.
Nothing is explained. What was the 'black thing', where did it come from and why did it just disappear again? Why was Jake immune to the 'disease'? I didn't care about ANY of the characters. Ugh, this was just plain horrible!
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
Unusual presentation, but entertaining nevertheless.
No, this is not a vampire movie. 'The Town that dreaded sundown' is based on the Texarcana Moonlight Murders that occurred in 1946.
The war is finally over, when a serial killer terrorizes Texarcana. When two young lovers are viciously attacked at Lover's Lane by a man wearing a hood, Deputy Norman Ramsey (Andrew Prine) investigates. When there are more attacks, and people start getting killed, Captain Morales (Ben Johnson) - the most famous Texas ranger - is sent to Texarcana to investigate.
The film has a very unusual narration. It is based on actual events, but there's quite a bit of humour - and I'm not talking mere funny moments or dialogue here and there; some scenes are pure comedy. And then some scenes are pure horror. At first I thought they presented the film in a lighthearted comedy horror, but the attack scenes were so brutal that they belonged in a full-on horror movie. The humour/comedic characters mostly came in the form of the detectives and police force, but due to the nature of the film I actually found it a bit annoying - as if it didn't belong in this movie.
Having said that, 'The Town that dreaded sundown' still remained an interesting whodunit murder mystery, but this is where I'm going to do spoilers, so stop reading if you don't want to know. The real-life killer was never found, so the film has a cliffhanger ending with no conclusion. It not only left me hanging, but it also left me with a feeling the movie was a waste of time...although it wasn't. I suppose one can't argue with fact...
Fehér isten (2014)
NOT for dog lovers!!
13-Year old Lili's parents are divorced. When her mother goes away for three months, Lili has to stay with her Dad, Daniel. She takes her dog Hagen along. However, from the moment she arrives, they don't get along and Daniel is not in favour of the dog. With tension growing between Daniel and Lili, Daniel lets Hagen loose in the streets after a heated argument.
Now, Hagen tries to find her way back to Lili, but this poor dog goes through a lot in the process. In the meantime Lili is also constantly searching for Hagen. In the process, both Hagen and Lili undergo big character development.
But this ain't no feel-good Disney movie, and is definitely not recommended for kids - or for dog lovers for that matter. As a big dog lover myself, I found the film very difficult to watch, and quite disturbing at times. I believe the animal welfare was present during filming to ensure dogs are treated humanely, but even though I realized the dogs were merely acting, the dog fight scenes were upsetting. In fact, the story surrounding Hagen in general was upsetting and found myself disliking the movie, and Hagen.
The final act turns to horror, with the dogs attacking all the 'bad people' in the film, as if they were out for revenge. I did not enjoy the turn of events for Hagen, and quite frankly 'White God' is a film I wish I'd rather not have watched.
Le règne animal (2023)
Remarkable!
A New disease is causing people to mutate into various animal species. Francois' wife Lana is hospitalized, and in the process of mutating. Francois and his son Emile move closer to a center where she is being treated. One day, a bus carrying infected patients veers off the road and dozens escape into the forest.
Now, Francois and Emile is on a mission to find Lana, but Emile also notices abnormalities as he starts mutating. Emile's transformation is so effectively done. I enjoyed the way the film treated these mutated people with respect, and didn't make them out to be freaks or monsters (although they are considered by some of the characters as such, and referred to as critters.)
Emile meets a young man, Fix, who is transforming into an eagle, and the friendship between them was beautiful. Fix's mutation is also so well done, and almost believable.
This fantasy adventure concentrates on characterization, and I enjoyed all the characters. I loved the bond between Francois and Emile. The performances are excellent. The make-up effects are excellent. I loved the script, the setting near the woods, the hauntingly beautiful score, and the great visuals. The film has depth and substance. In general, I had a really good time with 'The Animal Kingdom'. This truly is a remarkable film.
Tumbbad (2018)
The Price of greed.
"The World has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed." How true!
Hastar was the first-born of the Goddess of Prosperity, who created the Universe. (...and already I can hear Christians calling the film blasphemous...). Because of Hastar's greed, he was to be forgotten, but eons later Man built a shrine in his name.
The film starts with young brothers Vinayak and Sadashiv along with their mother looking after an old woman, who is chained in a room. Their mother is mistress to Sakar, who lives in a mansion, and the old woman is his ancestor. When Sakar dies, and Sadashiv dies shortly thereafter in an accident, the mother and Vinayak leaves the town of Tumbbad, vowing never to return.
However, with rumours of a treasure in Sakar's mansion, Vinayak returns years later. He finds the old woman - a hideous creature and hardly human - alive still, and she tells him the secret of the treasure. He sets out to find the treasure, and to find it he climbs down a well into the Goddess' womb, where the creepy Hastar still dwells. To distract Hastar while he steals the gold coins, Vinayak feeds it a dough doll.
Vinayak prepares his son to collect coins with him, but with greed comes a price to pay. 'Tumbbad' is an unusual horror film with excellent cinematography, good performances and creepy effects. I wouldn't call it scary and there are few to no jump scares, but it certainly would make a scary bedtime story!
Los cronocrímenes (2007)
Deja Vu?
I never expected 'Timecrimes' to turn out this good. The film became more involved - and complicated for the character - as it developed, and it was wonderful!
Seeing a naked woman in the woods through his binoculars, Hector decides to investigate. He finds the woman unconscious, but is suddenly attacked by a man whose face is bandaged. Fleeing, he enters a nearby building. Trying to call for help on a walkie talkie, a voice on the other end, El Joven, warns Hector of the bandaged man approaching. El Joven guides Hector to a house, and then hides him in a machine.
When Hector gets out of the machine, El Joven explains that he travelled back in time an hour. Now, Hector is able to see himself - back in time - like a mirror image. The only way to rectify the situation, is for Hector's mirror image to catch up with him to the time before he got into the machine. However, Hector soon finds himself if a loop. And just when you think you know what's coming, the film surprises us once again. (The film reminded me of 'Triangle' from 2009.)
As events unfolded, I was wondering how the film could have a satisfying ending. Does it? Well, let's just say that would depend on how you view it... (For me it did.)
Cabiria (1914)
Too many characters and subplots.
Cabiria is the daughter of wealthy Batto. When their home is destroyed by a volcanic eruption, Cabiria is kidnapped by pirates shortly thereafter and is sold to a High Priest at a marketplace in Carthage. She is then taken to a temple to be sacrificed to the god Moloch - along with a hundred other children. (With young children being sacrificed in the burning fires inside a huge statue, this 1914 film showed no mercy!)
Cabiria's nurse, Croessa, approaches a Roman spy Fulvius Axilla and his muscled slave Maciste and begs them to save Cabiria. (Maciste is portrayed by Bartolomeo Pagano, a hunk of a man who never wears a shirt in the entire movie - and I was definitely not complaining!).
Fulvius and Maciste go on a mission to save Cabiria, but there are many obstacles for our heroes, and with the outbreak of the Punic Wars, their mission is delayed. The film spans several years. If this film was made today, it would have been criticized for the characters not ageing one bit in over a decade - except for Cabiria. Oh, and speaking of Cabiria, for a film supposedly revolving around this character, she really doesn't feature much in the film...
I usually find it very easy to follow silent films, but I must be honest there were moments when I found it difficult to follow some of the characters. I think the problem here was too many characters, and too much information for a silent film. It was easy to follow the adventures of Fulvius and Maciste, but eventually there were just too many characters, too many subplots, and too much time spent on war strategies.
The Elephant Man (1980)
Who is the real monster?
As unbelievable as it may sound, 'The Elephant Man' is not fiction. It is a factual story based on the life of Joseph Merrick. It is believed his mother was attacked by an elephant, and she constantly had nightmares of an elephant. From the age of five, Joseph developed abnormally, and literally turned into a freak, or hideous being.
John Hurt stars as Joseph and delivers an incredible performance. To effectively bring the story to the screen, the most important aspect of the film was the make-up, which is fantastic.
The film tells the story from the time Joseph was exhibited as a freak show at a traveling circus. At the time he was 'owned' by Bytes, who treated him like an animal. When surgeon Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) saw Joseph, he made it his mission to help him and to offer him a 'normal' life. He admitted him to the hospital where he worked so he could take care of him.
Although this is an exceptionally well made film, it wasn't always a pleasure watching it. I sympathized with Joseph. No human being should ever be treated the way he was, or look the way he did. With the cruelty of men who benefit from another's misery, who is the real monster?
Sous la Seine (2024)
I liked this one!
We just can't seem to get enough of shark movies, do we? There have been some really bad shark movies lately, and a few good ones. 'Under Paris' is one of the better ones. It is not trying to be like any other shark movie, and also doesn't have the usual clichés.
Three years ago Sophia's crew died in a shark attack while they were searching for a shark they tagged, and named it Lilith. Now working in an aquarium, Sophia still blames herself. She is approached by Mika from SOS - an ocean conservation group, who claims they managed to track Lilith. Lost and trying to survive, the shark adapted and made its way to the freshwater Seine.
With a big upcoming triathlon, time is of the essence and the Mayor insists the event will proceed, stating too much (money) is at stake, as well as her reputation. It is now up to Sophia and the River Police - lead by Adil - to take care of the shark, but Mika has other plans. The situation is aggravated when they discover Lilith is giving birth.
The final act is action all the way with a good climax. The shark effects were also well done. Oh, and you gotta love that cliffhanger ending, which leaves so much room for a sequel! The film also sends out a powerful message of conservation.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
Amazing for its time.
'Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans' is a film about infidelity. A Married man living on a farm with his wife and young child is having an affair with a woman from the city. His wife is clearly aware of the affair, and sits home sadly thinking about the good times while her husband is with his mistress.
One night when The Man is with his mistress, she suggests he sell the farm and move to the city, and that they should kill his wife. Upset at first, The Man then considers it. The plan is to drown her, and one fine day The Man invites his Wife to go on an outing on the lake.
To avoid spoilers, I won't go into much detail further. There are interesting developments, with well crafted suspense. While the second act is mostly humorous, the film quickly shifts gear for the final act. 'Sunrise' boasts amazing production value for a film made almost a century ago. The storm scenes were also very well done (although not quite as impressive as Buster Keaton's 'Steamboat Bill Jr.' released the following year).
'Sunrise' is often listed among the best films of the silent era, and its easy to see why. Those not wanting to watch silent films are losing out on some amazing films! I love silent films!
Atlas (2024)
Atlas and Smith.
With rapid evolving technology there's been a lot of talk about A. I. lately, and we see it quite a bit in movies, as well. 'Atlas' is yet another film exploring the A. I. gone wrong premise.
Artificial Intelligence (or A. I.) is designed to help humanity. Robots have been used for years in the manufacture industry and on assembly lines. Giving robots a human appearance and making them able to 'think' is simply the next step. The best early example of this was the computer HAL in '2001: A Space Odyssey'.
'Atlas' takes it a step further, with Harlan becoming the world's first AI terrorist. After wreaking havoc, Harlan left Earth 28 years ago with a message that he will return to finish what he started. Analyst Atlas Shepherd (Jennifer Lopez) was just a child back then, and during the course of the film her involvement with Harlan is explained, and the reason why she blames herself for the death of over a million people. She therefore has a personal vendetta against Harlan.
When Harlan's location is discovered in the Andromeda Galaxy, Atlas insists on going with on a mission to capture him. Unfortunately things does not go according to plan, and when they get shot down, she's on a new mission: survival - her own and that of humanity.
We learn a lot from Atlas' back story through her interaction with a robot named Smith, with whom she reluctantly synced. I rather enjoyed this set-up between her and Smith.
There's plenty of action and adventure as they go on a mission to capture Harlan. A Secondary antagonist, Casca, is on their trail as well, on his own mission to destroy them. This visual effects laden fantasy adventure is entertaining with some thrilling sequences. The visual effects are really good. And who would have thought a goddamn robot could create an emotional moment!!!
I actually really enjoyed this movie, which was not well received by critics.
Tenki no ko (2019)
Weather is a mystery.
'Weathering with you' is set in Tokyo in a time when it evidently is normal for some (Weather Maidens) to be able to control the weather. One of the characters actually mentions a Weather Maiden dating back 800 years.
When Hina's mother was very ill, she prayed for good weather. Following a ray of sunlight (literally), Hina was able to control the weather from the moment she went through a torii gate. The film also follows a young boy named Hodaka, who ran away from home and is trying to make a living in Tokyo. Desperate for work, he contacts Keisuke, a man who saved his life on a ferry.
Keisuke - together with his niece - has a small editorial company, and he offers Hodaka work investigating strange phenomena. Hodaka becomes acquainted with Hina, who lives on her own with her younger brother Nagi. She is a sunshine girl, and demonstrates her abilities to Hodaka. They decide to start a business where clients can request good weather for events. Only, with power comes a price to pay. The more Hina uses her powers, the more transparent she becomes. After months of heavy rain, Tokyo is starting to sink, and Hina realizes she might have to sacrifice herself in order for the weather to return to normal.
I must be honest, I didn't find the first half of the film all that interesting. A lot of time was spent on trivial moments between the main characters. I guess this was to establish a romance between Hodaka and Hina, and to make us understand the characters better in order to root for them.
The film vastly improved during the action-packed final act, when it became a rollercoaster ride. The animation is beautiful. In general, this is another good offering from Japan.
The Pianist (2002)
Food is more important than time.
There's no denying 'The Pianist' is an incredibly well made film, but let me be frank; this is a very morbid film. There really never is an uplifting or happy moment in its two and a half hour run. The film's most inspiring moment came in the form of Captain Wilm Hosenfeld, a German captain who helped Jews during the Holocaust.
Based on Wladyslaw Szpilman's book, one can assume the events depicted in the film to be accurate. Adrien Brody delivers an incredible, emotional performance as Wladyslaw. The film starts in 1939 with Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland. Soon after, Jews were relocated to a designated Jewish district. Hunger and death became a daily occurrence, and there were moments when Nazis would randomly select Jews to execute. (I can't help but wonder what became of these soldiers after the war. Did they simply return to their normal existence?)
Whenever I watch a war movie depicting the horrors of war, I can't help but question the existence of a God - especially considering the fact more than 6 million Jews were killed. But let's not open this platform to a religious debate; this review is about 'The Pianist'.
Wladyslaw, the titular pianist, constantly found himself on the run, cold and hungry with every day being a quest for survival. The hate against Jews is starting to evoke the same feeling (for me) as racism in films, because it technically is the same thing. I hate discrimination. Therefore, 'The Pianist' is not an easy or pleasant film to watch. It certainly does not serve as escapism. It is a depressing film down to the core.
But don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing the film. I'm merely expressing my feelings towards the film in the light of entertainment value. I also understand this is based on fact, and it must have been an incredibly difficult time not only for our protagonist, but all who were affected by the war (Jews in particular).
No Exit (2022)
A Nice surprise with interesting twists.
Recovering drug addict Darby (Havana Rose Liu) is in rehab when she receives a call her mother has been rushed to hospital for an emergency operation. Even though her sister thinks its best for Darby not to visit her mother, Darby is desperate to see her. This made me root for her. Despite obvious family challenges in the past her mother was still a driving force that compelled her to escape from rehab, steal a car, and made a journey to see her.
Unfortunately for Darby she gets caught in a blizzard and has to seek shelter at a Visitors Centre until the weather clears up. However, when she accidentally stumbles upon a gagged kid in the back of a van, the night is about to turn into a nightmare! With only a handful of people at the Centre, the guessing game starts as to who the kidnapper is.
'No Exit' has plenty of twists and surprises in store for its audience, and I found the developing events captivating. I was glued to the screen and on the edge of my seat for the entire duration of the movie. Havana Rose Liu carried the film with ease as Darby with the character's survival skills put to the test.
Suzume no Tojimari (2022)
Highly imaginative with stunning animation.
'Suzume' is a fantasy action adventure with stunningly beautiful animation. In an age of CGI effects and computer animation, parts of 'Suzume' was still hand-drawn. I have so much respect for the Japanese. The complex events of 'Suzume' looks incredible on screen.
The story revolves around a young girl named Suzume. She has a tragic back story, and so does her aunt who took her in since she was just a child. As a result we root for both characters. One day on her way to school, Suzume meets a mysterious young man named Souta, who asks her if there are any ruins in the area. He is looking for a door.
We soon discover the door he refers to, is no ordinary door, and Souta is no ordinary young man. He is a 'Closer' (not closer as in nearer, but closer as in 'closing things'. In this case, closing doors). Intrigued by his strange request, she follows him to ruins of a resort, where she discovers an unusual door. Fascinated by what she sees when she opens the door, Suzume accidentally removes a keystone in the form of a cat, which turns into a real cat.
Now, she and Souta goes on a mission to find the cat, but not before Souta is cursed into a chair. Yup, a three-legged chair! So, for most of the movie, we follow Suzume and a chair on a weird and wonderful adventure. Gates are opening across Japan, releasing a giant worm which threatens to destroy the city. Only Souta and Suzume can see the chaos and mayhem, and they are desperately trying to stop the worm.
We meet many interesting characters along the way, and also learn so much about each character. This is a very imaginative film young and old can enjoy. Even if the premise sounds a bit complex, the events are well explained and the story is easy enough to follow. I really enjoyed this.
Nefarious (2023)
Prone to controversy.
If you intend watching 'Nefarious' at movie night, choose your audience wisely. The subject matter is prone to controversy and guaranteed to divide your audience, if to be analyzed.
I generally don't like movies with too much dialogue, so who would have thought a film set in a single room with only two characters having a conversation would be this captivating? I was glued to the screen from beginning to end!
After Dr Alan Fischer's suicide, Dr James Martin is sent at short notice to do a psychiatric evaluation of mass murderer Brady, who is to be executed. Dr James must determine whether he is insane, or fit to be executed. On arrival, Brady claims to be a demon. Needless to say, James does not believe him and starts the evaluation process. As we soon discover, Brady is possessed by a demon and James has the opportunity to talk to both victim and host.
'Nefarious' is a dialogue-heavy movie, but it was always interesting and is well written. Sean Patrick Flanery's performance of Brady and Nefarious is fantastic, and he absolutely sold the character(s) to me. Jordan Belfi was just as good as James, who - as we discover - is not quite as innocent as he appears to be.
There are plenty of surprises in store. The film also challenges the viewer's beliefs, and there's the age-old argument whether you believe in heaven and hell, and whether they are actual places or a state of mind. Either way, by the end of the movie you will have plenty of food for thought. This was indeed a nice surprise and I enjoyed it. If Christian horror is not your thing, or you are offended by potential blasphemous dialogue, I won't recommend 'Nefarious'.
Julie Darling (1982)
The Evil that young girls do.
Categorized as horror, 'Julie Darling' is more of a psychological horror, and the evil that men do - or as it turns out in this case, the evil that a teenage girl does.
Julie hates her mother (who is always complaining about everything), and she adores her father...well, maybe too much. She's in love with him. When Julie's mother is accidentally killed by a delivery boy, Weston - which Julie could have prevented - Julie seems almost overjoyed at the fact she will now be alone with her father, Harold.
It turns out Harold has been having an affair with the beautiful Susan. When he invites Susan and her son Dennis along to his country house, Julie is upset and jealous. She was hoping to spend the time alone with her father (I would too!!).
Julie's evil intentions intensifies as she puts a plan into motion to get rid of Susan. People are always so eager to believe 'innocent' children, but this movie should serve as a wake-up call. The film has a well set-up plot, which kept me engaged throughout.
Civil War (2024)
Relevant!
In the light of the current wars in Ukraine and Gaza, 'Civil War' is a relevant film in this time. Although it has nothing to do with these wars and is purely fictional, it is relatable.
Kirsten Dunst stars as journalistic photographer Lee. Her job made her a tough and strong person used to seeing violence, chaos and mayhem. Lee and her journalist colleague Joel (Wagner Moura) are to travel 857 miles to DC to interview the President of the United States, who hasn't done interviews in 14 months. With armed forces moving in on Washington DC - and the President - time is of the essence.
Accompanying them on the journey - although not entirely by choice - are ageing journalist Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and amateur journalistic photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny). Along the way they encounter and photograph many disturbing events, and in the process also find themselves in life-threatening situations.
Since the film revolves around imagery, the photography and cinematography was important and they succeeded brilliantly in that regard. This film looks really good on screen. There's one sequence in particular that looks almost magical.
Although essentially a (civil) war movie, 'Civl War' concentrates more on characters than the actual war, and I really liked it. There's plenty of room for character development and I enjoyed and rooted for every character - even the ones in smaller roles.
'Civil War' is a thought-provoking film and the political instability in my country made me believe the events depicted in the film could very well happen here at any time. This is a very well made and realistic movie.
Return of the Living Dead: Part II (1988)
More stupid than funny.
'Return of the Living Dead' was a bad movie, but it was a good bad movie that turned out to be entertaining and understandably became a cult classic. Unfortunately I can't say the same for 'Return of the Living Dead 2'. This was just a bad movie.
The humour in 'Return of the Living Dead 2' is more stupid than funny and the film suffers badly from intentional over-acting. Uhm, come to think of it; maybe it wasn't over-acting...maybe the acting was just plain bad. James Karen and Suzanne Snyder, especially, were annoyingly bad. I swear, Suzanne Snyder will never go down in film history as a scream queen! Ugh, enough already! Dana Ashbrook was by far the film's biggest asset - as TV repair guy Tom Essex, who also becomes the film's protagonist. Ok, young Jesse Wilson (Michael Kenworthy) also served as a protagonist.
So, what's it about? When an army container filled with experimental substance falls off a truck and lands in a river, three kids find it. Out of pure curiosity, one of them manages to open the container, releasing a gas that covers a nearby cemetery like a mist - bringing the dead to life. As it turns out, those who inhale the gas also eventually becomes living dead.
This is an incredibly noisy film with all the irritating screaming from the cast - so much so that I had to turn the volume down a few notches. This together with the over-acting and silly humour made the film almost unbearable. I honestly couldn't wait for the film to end.
Action sequences and good practical effects were added during the final act, which made it a bit more tolerable. Even so, the film in general was more annoying than entertaining.