Perdida

2018 / 103m - Argentina
Drama, Mystery, Crime
2.5*/5.0*
Perdida poster

Perdida starts off quite well, but devolves into a standard police/investigation thriller real fast. Director Montiel spends too much time on plot and seems to forget that presentation matters. There are some predictable twists at the end and even though I've seen a lot worse, it's just not all that memorable.

Garbage

2018 / 105m - India
Drama, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
Garbage poster

No doubt one of India's best kept secrets, Qaushiq Mukherjee is at it again. Garbage is a rough and dark thriller touching upon some very timely issues. Mukherjee shows an entirely different side of Indian cinema and continues to broaden his oeuvre. Not his best film, but definitely worth a gamble.

From Dark

2007 / 60m - Japan
Horror
2.5*/5.0*
From Dark poster

Obscure indie work. The film is pretty bare bones, the black and white photography doesn't really elevate it and the plot is secondary. Even so director Ohkado manages to build up some tension left and right. And it's only 60 minutes long, so even though the pacing is glacial, it doesn't get too stale of boring. Mediocre.

The Night Comes for Us

2018 / 121m - Indonesia
Action, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
The Night Comes for Us poster

Brutal and relentless action film. It's obvious that Tjahjanto has his roots in the horror genre, the kills in particular are extraordinarily gruesome, but also very creative. Even so, the editing and soundtrack leave a little to be desired, which means that the film's potential is never fully exploited. Still a pretty cool flick.

Sweetheart Chocolate

Tian Xin Qiao Ke Li
2012 / 106m - China
Drama
2.5*/5.0*
Sweetheart Chocolate poster

A noble attempt, but this Chinese-Japanese co-production never really finds its rhythm. Maybe it's because the romance is rather overstated and cheesy, maybe Shinohara just wasn't the right man for this particular blend of China and Japan. There are some hopeful moments, but overall it's just not that great.

Extraction

2015 / 82m - USA
Action, Thriller, Crime
2.0*/5.0*
Extraction poster

A pretty dull and lifeless action flick. The acting is substandard, the action looks stiff and the plot is completely negligible. The only thing that is strangely interesting is the use of color and lighting, but that alone doesn't save this film. Miller is a pretty mediocre director, this film is simply more proof of that.

The House That Jack Built

2018 / 155m - Denmark
Horror, Thriller
The House That Jack Built poster

The latest Lars von Trier is twisted, dark, sometimes shocking but also quite funny. It's a long journey into the mind of a crazy serial killer. Some of the imagery is pretty sick and if you're squeamish this probably isn't the film for you, but it's a unique film with some very impressive moments and some memorable scenes.

Tonight She Comes

2016 / 84m - USA
Comedy, Horror
1.0*/5.0*
Tonight She Comes poster

Tonight She Comes presents itself with a lot bravado, but behind that sliver of a façade hides a painfully amateurish film. I'm still not quite sure whether I just watched a bad horror or a bad comedy. The filth and gore at the end do ease the pain a little, but do little to elevate the movie. It's better to just skip this one.

Green Tea

Lu Cha
2003 / 83m - China
Romance
Green Tea poster

Mysterious and sultry romance that puts Doyle's camera on Wen Jiang and Zhao Wei. Zhang keeps his film playful and youthful, the soundtrack is amusing and the acting on point. Needless to say, but Doyle also delivers. One of the films that signalled a new era for Chinese cinema, it still holds up today.