onderhond Top 825

"A film that slows you down for the course of its running time and leaves you with something to think about while looking at impressive imagery and striking you with an impressive soundtrack"

"It's not a wildly original film but it introduces enough elements to differentiate itself from other Japanese dramas while keeping the usual traits firmly in place."

"That said, The Torment is one of the most tense and gripping horrors I've seen in quite a while. A true genre film that gets all the details right and creates a perfect sense of distress."

"I never liked von Trier's Dogme obsession, as it largely contradicts my own views on cinema. Luckily the man suffers from a rather short attention span."

"If you don't mind a mindless (stylized) action flick once in a while you could do much worse, the action scenes are pretty kick-ass and the styling is slick and sexy."

"An interest in the cycling sport comes in handy. You'll notice many familiar situations and even recognize some funny little parallels with the real world."

"The elaborate plot, the quirky characters, the explicit cinematography and atmospheric soundtrack all build up to a beautiful finale that anchors the film as a future classic."

"If you're up for an entertaining, funny and fast zombie flick than Zombieland should be first pick. Even though it's not wildly original it hits all the right notes."

"Take a bunch of wonky hitmen, add the necessary explosive firepower, pepper it with an over-the-top approach, and you have a film that still stand proud today."

"The animation is superb, the characters are charming, it's fun to explore the fantasy realm and the pacing is nigh perfect. Good, old-fashioned Ghibli quality in other words."

"Samaritan Girl is the perfect combination of sweet and sour. A beautiful drama with some raw edges that thrives on a sublime score and killer central performances."

"Matsuo is growing as a director. Welcome To The Quiet Room is in improvement on his previous films in every respect."

"This isn't a great film by a great director. It didn't kickstart Matsuura's career, nor did it kickstart Kagami's."

"A pleasantly executed film featuring a strong lead and some good solid drama, splendid scenery and just breaths the couleur locale."

"Yibai Zhang's talent is beyond questioning. The stronger bits of his latest effort are stunning, dressed up in lush visuals and backed up by a strong soundtrack."

"It's obscurity stands in the way of easy availability and while it's definitely a good film, it lacks a little uniqueness to call it a true masterpiece."

"Thanks to its slightly magical touches and its strong shifts between feel-good and drama, Yellow Elephant rises above the majority of other Japanese dramas out there."

"I'm actively seeking out Yoshida's final film, if it proves to be as good as Funuke and Permanent Nobara he's making my select list of directors to watch."

"The animation is splendid, the characters are extremely lovable, Kiki's growth feels earned and realistic and there isn't a single moment where the quality even dips just a smidgen."

"Solondz' unique talent is making extreme tragedy fun, pushing things into uncomfortable territory, and there is no better film than Happiness to illustrate this very particular skill."

"The lush visuals, great score and superb cast all add to this epic journey, which truly shines whenever people dig out their swords and start to hack, slash and twirl."

"It's a beautiful film, sometimes alienating, sometimes weird and impenetrable, but always humane and warm, embracing its characters rather than discarding them as outcasts."

"Satan is fiendishly amusing, darkly funny and pleasantly sadistic. Chapiron has the technical chops, makes the film his own and delivers a neat package that has kept its appeal throughout the years."

"A high-energy, tense and brash action/crime flick that has a few neat surprises up its sleeve, but is mostly geared at offering the best genre experience possible."