The Beckoning

0851
The Beckoning review

"That said, there is still plenty to enjoy. The film is blessed with a creepy atmosphere, luscious visuals and some pretty interesting twists."

Begotten

0852
Begotten review

"A dark mood piece, experimental cinema infused with a strong dash of genre, not quite devoid of a plot, but a downright struggle for anyone who wants to have things spelled out."

Snakes and Earrings

0853
Snakes and Earrings review

"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."

A Lake

0854
A Lake review

"Grandrieux is an acquired taste."

Smokin' Aces

0855
Smokin' Aces review

"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."

Yellow Elephant

0856
Yellow Elephant review

"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."

True Legend

0857
True Legend review

"The 3-way story split might be a bit of a gamble, but looking back I actually enjoyed the extra depth it brought to the film."

Ex

0858
Ex review

"Ex is a film that shows the good and the bad. The main characters are not all that lovable, nor are they horrible people."

Happiness

0859
Happiness review

"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 Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael

0860
The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael review

"Slightly elevated cinematography, a more contemporary soundtrack, an unflinching camera and very strong performances from the central cast turn this social drama into a rare success for me."

Intruders

0861
Intruders review

"Intruders is a very stylish affair. The film takes its time to explore its setting, slowly working up to an impressive finale."

The Lovers of the Arctic Circle

0862
The Lovers of the Arctic Circle review

"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."

Kiki's Delivery Service

0863
Kiki's Delivery Service review

"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."

Permanent Nobara

0864
Permanent Nobara review

"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."

Ace Attorney

0865
Ace Attorney review

"Ace Attorney is a Miike blockbuster. The weirdness is kept to a minimum, but the entertainment value is high and the film definitely has its moments of brilliance."

House of Voices

0866
House of Voices review

"It's extremely atmospheric, the build-up is impeccable, performances are great and the finale is exactly what I wanted from this film. A horror film that has the full package."

The Living and the Dead

0867
The Living and the Dead review

"Leo Bill's outstanding performance, the feverish middle part with its manic editing and sped-up soundtrack, and the barren, grim atmosphere all add up to the unique and dark experience"

Scrap Heaven

0868
Scrap Heaven review

"With a splendid cast, stylish cinematography, a cool score, and some interesting thematic strands he delivers a memorable and accomplished film."

Welcome to the Quiet Room

0869
Welcome to the Quiet Room review

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

Mutants

0870
Mutants review

"Those expecting lots of action, bucket loads of gore and continuous high tension will feel a little underwhelmed."

American Beauty

0871
American Beauty review

"Dark, dry wit, a can of excellent performances, deliberate styling choices and a series of iconic scenes make this a film that is armed to withstand the test of time."

Grotesque

0872
Grotesque review

"Grotesque is for all those people who need a lesson in what torture porn flicks really are."

Island Etude

0873
Island Etude review

"Island Etude is a nice little film bearing little to no weak points, but never really excelling either."

Code 46

0874
Code 46 review

"Code 46 serves a vivid vision of the future, a world that looks and feels plausible, even when reality should've caught up with it by now. A sign of clever, relevant sci-fi if there ever was one."

My Father, the Bride

0875
My Father, the Bride review

"A bright and endearing Japanese comedy, mixing island appeal with dry, quirky comedy and queer themes, but doing it in such a way that it feels fresh and exciting."