Enter the Wild

2018 / 96m - USA
Drama, Horror
2.0*/5.0*
Enter the Wild poster

Don't be fooled, while sometimes framed as a horror film, Enter the Wild is a straight up drama with thriller elements. A couple of friends enter the wild, but exiting turns out to be a lot harder than expected. It's all a bit uneventful and predictable though, this one could've done with some trimming.

Cold Bloom

Sakura Namiki no Mankai no Shita Ni
2013 / 120m - Japan
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Cold Bloom poster

Strong but sullen drama about a woman who loses her husband in a work accident. It's a film about forgiveness and dealing with the cards that were dealt to you. Well acted, properly paced and lacking any false sentiment, it's very solid film, though one without any standout elements.

3.0*/5.0*
The Beginning and End of the Universe poster

Two-part documentary about the beginning and end of our universe. What's in a name. It's a bit dry at times and feels a little like going back to school, but it offers a nice demonstration of how science propels itself forward and how connections between forces in nature help us to figure out our world.

Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future

Ivan Vasilevich Menyaet Professiyu
1973 / 93m - Soviet Union
Comedy, Sci-fi, Adventure
1.5*/5.0*
Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future poster

Russian farce about a scientist who brings back a Tsar with his time travel device. There are a few fun and creative gags, but simple slapstick dominates most of the film. A true classic in its home country, but I'm afraid the comedy doesn't really travel well and the film feels quite outdated.

Somewhere Beyond the Mist

Lan Tian Bai Yun
2017 / 86m - Hong Kong
Drama, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
Somewhere Beyond the Mist poster

Stark and cold-hearted thriller dash drama about a young girl who killed both of her parents. She isn't shy about her actions when the police comes by to pick her up and much of the time is spent recounting the events leading up to the murder. Not a very pleasant watch, but definitely a good one.

2.0*/5.0*
Hurricane Bianca: From Russia with Hate poster

Little more than a vehicle for Haylock to showcase his Bianca del Rio character. Some familiarity with the actors/queens definitely helps and there are a few funny sketches, but it's all pretty lo-fi and a little more effort would've been appreciated. Not terrible, but it's quite mediocre as a film.

Johnny English

2003 / 87m - UK
Comedy, Action, Adventure
1.5*/5.0*
Johnny English poster

Simple and lazy Bond spoof. Atkinson has little material to work with, Malkovich is a complete miscast and Imbruglia is completely blank. There are a few amusing scenes, but they're hidden in a wasteland or boring and futile comedy. It's remarkable this film managed to spawn sequels.

Left Bank

Linkeroever
2008 / 102m - Belgium
Horror, Mystery
Left Bank poster

Dark and dreary Belgian horror film, with a strong taste for the occult. A moody and creepy horror film with lots of visual prowess, good acting from the central characters and a proper soundtrack. Pieter van Hees proves himself a talented horror director, it's a shame he abandoned the genre.

Christopher Robin

2018 / 104m - USA
Drama, Fantasy, Adventure
3.5*/5.0*
Christopher Robin poster

Extremely charming but surprisingly weighty film. The CG is simple but top notch and Ewan McGregor is on point, but it's really the voice work of Jim Cummings that stands out the most. It all adds up to a warm, comfortable and endearing little film that is sure to put a smile on your face.

Along Came the Devil

2018 / 89m - USA
Drama, Horror, Thriller
1.5*/5.0*
Along Came the Devil poster

Tame and by the numbers exorcism film. The horror is cheesy and falls flat, the drama passable as a catalist, but it can't really stand on its own. Also not sure how this is based on true events with an ending like that, but much like the director, I'm not going to bother too much with this one.

Ernest & Celestine

Ernest et CĂ©lestine
2012 / 80m - Belgium
Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure - Animation
3.5*/5.0*
Ernest & Celestine poster

Very sweet and endearing animation about a mouse hooking up with a bear. The message is a bit too on the nose, but the art style is beautiful, the animation gentle and the voice acting just perfect. It's easy to see why this was well-received, even so I did miss something that made it exceptional.

Vampire Clay

Chi o Su Nendo
2017 / 80m - Japan
Horror
3.5*/5.0*
Vampire Clay poster

Intriguing Japanese horror flick. It's not all that gory or scary, but I would call it disturbing. If your killer is made of clay you can only do so much of course, but Umezawa has some very creative ideas and there is some weird and sick imagery that is sure to make an impression. Pretty cool film.

Extinction

2018 / 95m - USA
Sci-fi, Action
3.0*/5.0*
Extinction poster

Decent sci-fi flick, though one that's bogged down by an incredible pointless twist. For about 2/3th of its running, it's a fun and amusing alien invasion film, but then the tables turn and what follows is stupid. Young also lacks the hand of a true director, but with a little squinting it's still an okay film.

Action Point

2018 / 85m - USA
Comedy
3.0*/5.0*
Action Point poster

Johnny Knoxville running an amusement part/danger trap, that's the whole appeal of this film. There's a retro summery party vibe, a little bit of drama to keep it going and some painful stunts that are somewhat reminiscent of Jackass. It's a fun, short film, just don't expect anything more.

In Between

Xin Tong Ju Shi Dai
1994 / 105m - Taiwan
Comedy, Drama, Romance
2.5*/5.0*
In Between poster

Three stories about modern relationships, that is, what was considered modern in 90s Hong Kong. Each short has its purpose and the quality between them is pretty consistent. Sadly it doesn't offer any of the creative freedoms you'd expect from an anthology. The result is a bit mediocre.

The Most Unknown

2018 / 92m - USA
Documentary
3.5*/5.0*
The Most Unknown poster

Science doc with actual science people. It's aspirations are clearly inspirational, but overall it paints a very nice picture of what make science (and its people) tick. The setup is interesting, the stories are intruiging and the presentation is appealing. One of the better science docs around.

Mr. Boo 2: The Private Eyes

Ban Jin Ba Liang
1976 / 94m - Hong Kong
Comedy
3.0*/5.0*
Mr. Boo 2: The Private Eyes poster

A Michael Hui film, with writing, directing and acting credits to his name. It pays off, because The Private Eyes is a sort of Jackie Chan film avant la lettre. The stunts are not as spectacular, but the comedy is much better. Very amusing and entertaining, if you like Hong Kong cinema that is.

Tag

2018 / 100m - USA
Comedy
3.0*/5.0*
Tag poster

Based on a true story, but adapted as a typical American comedy. The jokes themselves aren't all that funny and the characters are a bit too typical, but Buress does well and the light-hearted atmosphere combined with the fun premise goes a long way in redeeming this film. Decent.