Allied

2016 / 124m - UK
Romance, Thriller, War
2.5*/5.0*
Allied poster

A romantic espionage thriller set during WWII. While Zemeckis tries his best to turn it into a classy affair, he isn't quite the man for the job. While there's very little wrong with this film, it still ends up rather plain and forgettable. It's all so predicable and safe that you start to wonder why they even bothered with this one.

Wild Tales

Relatos Salvajes
2014 / 122m - Argentina
Comedy, Drama, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
Wild Tales poster

Anthology project helmed by Damián Szifron. Revenge, deceit and anger take central stage here, but Szifron delivers it with a wry, dark smirk. The film loses a little steam during the last two shorts, but the overall quality is high and there is some devilish fun to be had along the way. Surprisingly accomplished.

Follow Me

2017 / 80m - United Arab Emirates
Documentary
2.5*/5.0*
Follow Me poster

Asri Bendacha submerges himself into the world of Instagram stars and influencers. His approach is a bit predictable and he doesn't really venture deep enough, but there are some interesting bits and it does allow a peek into a world most adults don't understand at all. Great topic, but it deserves a better doc.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

2018 / 133m - USA
Comedy, Musical, Western
3.0*/5.0*
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs poster

A 6-part anthology western helmed by the Coen brothers. It starts off pretty well, with some edgier bits and some trademark Coen weirdness, but the latter stories are a tad more dramatic and fail to be as engaging. The film can't maintain pace and quality, which is a shame because the first half was very promising.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

2018 / 118m - USA
Sci-fi, Action, Adventure
1.5*/5.0*
Ant-Man and the Wasp poster

One of Marvel's less serious film series. The idea is nice, but the execution falls flat. The comedy is pretty lame, the actors don't quite fit their characters and the action is tame. There is little chemistry between Lilly and Rudd and the bad guy(s) aren't very menacing. The result is another Marvel misfire.

Kodachrome

2017 / 105m - Canada
Drama
2.5*/5.0*
Kodachrome poster

Basic road movie that combines melodrama with some lighter moments. The characters are pretty plain and grey, the events aren't all that impressive and even though the actors do a decent job, they fail to add much extra. It's just bog standard drama material, not too horrible to sit through but very forgettable.

Requiem from the Darkness: Kowai

Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari: Kowai
2005 / 111m - Japan
Horror
2.0*/5.0*
Requiem from the Darkness: Kowai poster

Live action adaption of one of the Requiem from the Darkness stories. The anime series gathered quite a following, Tsutsumi's adaptation didn't. Not too surprising really, since it's a very functional and bland film that is way too occupied with its plot. The cast is solid, but the rest looks and feels like mediocre TV material.

Batman Ninja

Ninja Battoman
2018 / 85m - Japan
Action - Animation
Batman Ninja poster

Not the first time Batman gets an anime treatment, but this time it's in the form of a full-length feature film. The good news is that the creators were given a lot of creative freedom, so expect a beautifully animated, crazy and action-packed anime that works extremely well as a stand-alone film. Impressive.

Vacation

2015 / 99m - USA
Comedy, Adventure
3.0*/5.0*
Vacation poster

Starts off as a pretty basic comedy, but it gets just a little weirder than normal in places and that's when Vacation is allowed to shine. Ed Helms does a fine job and the supporting cast chips in where needed. Not the greatest or most original comedy in the world, but there are more jokes that land than there are misses.

Ali G Indahouse

2002 / 85m - UK
Comedy
1.5*/5.0*
Ali G Indahouse poster

Never seen the TV series, but this film version is pretty damn cheap. The film looks clumsy, the comic timing is off and the delivery of the jokes is plain. The jokes themselves are even worse. There are a few redeeming moments, but overall it's a rather boring, predictable and plain affair that doesn't do justice to Cohen.

The Greasy Strangler

2016 / 93m - USA
Comedy, Horror
The Greasy Strangler poster

Jim Hosking, what a man. The Greasy Strangler is a bit cruder compared to An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn, but all the ingredients are already here. Crazy characters, unique comic timing, a very strange sense of humor and a soundtrack that's just mental. It's an extremely gross and alienating film, but boy is it funny.

X-Men: Apocalypse

2016 / 144m - USA
Sci-fi, Action, Adventure
1.0*/5.0*
X-Men: Apocalypse poster

Just another Marvel movie. As a casual watcher I've lost all track of timelines, characters and alternate universes. The plot is so simple that it doesn't even matter though. Apocalypse is another shitty CG fest where good trumps bad but takes a very long time to do so. Bryan Singer doesn't add anything either.

Tokyo Decadence

Topazu
1992 / 112m - Japan
Drama
2.0*/5.0*
Tokyo Decadence poster

En elevated pinku. It's a blueprint for the films of Takashi Ishii, though he would do it a lot better. Tokyo Decadence lacks punch and even though it looks better than your average pinku, it doesn't feel as classy as it could've been. There are a couple of decent scenes, mostly in the second half, but overall it's not that great.

The Meaning of Life

1983 / 107m - UK
Comedy, Musical
3.0*/5.0*
The Meaning of Life poster

Amusing Monty Python film. Like most of Monty Python's work there's not much coherence, the film really is little more than a collection of sketches. Some of them are pretty great, others drag a little. It's a shame the quality isn't a bit more consistent, because there really are some memorable moments.

The Cube

1969 / 53m - USA
Comedy, Drama, Music - Animation
2.5*/5.0*
The Cube poster

An exercise in allegories and symbolism. A man is locked up in a white room and isn't allowed to go out. A lot of weirdness ensues, as people come and go and strange things happen in the room. Set up like a sketch show, it's a bit of a hit and miss affair. Could've used a lick of paint, but overall it's pretty amusing.