Rabid

2019 / 107m - Canada
Sci-fi, Horror
3.5*/5.0*
Rabid poster

The Soska Sisters take on Cronenberg's classic and actually manage to improve it. The effects are graphic and gruesome, the acting is solid and the film doesn't feel like a slavish remake. Some solid kills, a few impressively realized nightmares and a few nice body horror nods. This is how remakes should be done.

Natsumi's Firefly

Natsumi no Hotaru
2016 / 108m - Japan
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Natsumi's Firefly poster

A very solid but slightly unremarkable Hiroki. I liked the first half best, as the drama is very light and the narrative is almost fleeting. The second half is a little too heavy-handed in comparison, but Hiroki's base quality is definitely there. A few beautiful scenes, good acting and a complete lack of forced sentiment make this an easy recommend for fans of Japanese drama.

A Night in Nude

Nûdo no Yoru
1993 / 110m - Japan
Thriller, Crime
3.5*/5.0*
A Night in Nude poster

A dark and stylish thriller that is surprisingly low on erotic elements, despite its title and the director's reputation. Takenaka is an excellent lead, the dark and neon-lit interiors add to the atmosphere and the story is a little strange, but entertaining. This early Ishii is worth seeking out, unless you prefer his sleazier output.

The Spy Who Fell to Earth

2019 / 94m - UK
Mystery, Documentary
2.0*/5.0*
The Spy Who Fell to Earth poster

What could have been a pretty fun documentary, is ruined by a couple of over-excited interviewees who try to blow up a story that I'm sure would have entertained on its own. And since the documentary offers little beyond interviews, it gets a little tiring beyond the halfway mark. Not terrible, but this could have been better.

Kurosawa's Way

Kurosawa, La Voie
2011 / 52m - France
Documentary
1.5*/5.0*
Kurosawa's Way poster

A pretty basic documentary that seeks out a couple of high-profile directors and lets them talk about their experience with Kurosawa's films. I'm sure this doc works a lot better for people who appreciate Kurosawa's work, as that makes it a lot easier to relate to the stories of the interviewed. Apart from the expected praise, there's very little here.

47 Meters Down

2017 / 89m - UK
Horror, Thriller
3.0*/5.0*
47 Meters Down poster

Not so much a shark flick as it is a film about people stuck and working against the clock to save their lives. There's some mediocre drama and poor acting to wade through, luckily Roberts nails the thriller elements. Some pretty tense scenes and thrilling moments make this film worth a watch, but a masterpiece this is not.

Bliss

2019 / 80m - USA
Horror
2.5*/5.0*
Bliss poster

Horror flick about an artist going absolutely mental while working on her magnum opus. It's not a very original premise, then again you could say that about most horror films. The editing and color work is pretty insane, but irritating characters and a terrible soundtrack get in the way of the fun. Not terrible, but not as impressive and overwhelming as intended.

Sleepaway Camp V: The Return

2008 / 86m - USA
Horror
1.0*/5.0*
Sleepaway Camp V: The Return poster

Robert Hiltzik returns from God knows where to make the 5th (and for now final) entry in the cult series he started almost 30 years earlier. Unpleasant characters, lame kills, terrible actors and a twist that boggles the mind. It's all very poor and amateurish, unless you really have a thing for 'bad' films, it's impossible to recommend this film to anyone.

Contamination

1980 / 95m - Italy
Sci-fi, Horror
2.0*/5.0*
Contamination poster

A cheesy but slightly entertaining mix of sci-fi and horror that borrowed royally from Alien (the part with the eggs that is, not the xenomorphs). The acting is a little doubty and the effects aren't that great, but a decent score and an abundance of genre elements make this worth a watch, especially if you love 80s genre films.

0.5*/5.0*
Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor poster

While this could have been a slick exercise in creative editing, it's nothing more than the cheapest way patch an unfinished film. The new material is atrocious, the editing is sloppy, the film makes no sense whatsoever and in the end it's just a best-off from the first three parts. Which, truth be told, weren't that great to begin with. Avoid unless you're a true completist.

Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System Case.3 - On the Other Side of Love and Hate

Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System Case.3 - Onshuu no Kanata ni
2019 / 68m - Japan
Action - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System Case.3 - On the Other Side of Love and Hate poster

A decent finish to this 3-part film series. It's probably the least sci-fi and the least conceptual of the three, but with a bit more time spent on character development and action sequences, this was by far the most entertaining entry. Think Spriggan, but without all the fantastical bits. I still feel a better director could've done much more with this material though.

The Laundromat

2019 / 95m - USA
Comedy
3.5*/5.0*
The Laundromat poster

Fun and quirky take on the Panama Papers scandal. In the same vein as McKay's The Big Short, Soderbergh tackles a pretty complex and dry subject in an accessible and amusing way. With a star-studded cast and plenty of flair, he turns what could've been a dull and lifeless affair into an extremely watchable film.

2.5*/5.0*
Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System Case.2 - First Guardian poster

Very much in line with the first film, though it seems to be borrowing more from Patlabor 2 than Ghost in the Shell this time around. The animation and art style are nice, but once again the film focuses too much on plot, making it slower than need be. It's okay in bursts of 60 minutes, but it still feels like a waste of potential to me.

Midnight Express

1978 / 121m - UK
Thriller
1.0*/5.0*
Midnight Express poster

Famed prison classic, based on a real-life event. While the Turkish setting gives the film a flavor of its own, Parker's direction is so dull and uninspired that it kills the film. Mediocre performances, an extended running time and murky visuals make this film an ordeal to sit through. Not really worthy of its status.

Killing

Zan
2018 / 80m - Japan
Drama, Action
Killing poster

Starts off a little restrained, especially for a Tsukamoto film, but once it gets going it becomes an unstoppable force. Well acted, beautifully scored and largely defined by Tsukamoto's trademark camera work, Killing is a film that may be short and light on plot, but leaves a big impression nonetheless. Great stuff.

1.0*/5.0*
Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland poster

Third time's the charm, but this series just gets cheaper and cheaper. A carbon copy of the second film, made by the same director. The kills are completely lazy, the comedy doesn't work at all and although the film is short it's still a drag to sit through. Only for people who are serious about finishing the series.