EvilPhoEniX

For the first time without his brother, Timo Tjahjanto delivers another action gem that will definitely put a smile on your face, and as it works perfectly as a replacement for the cancelled The Raid 3. It's worth noting that Timo made his name with the horror film Macabre (still one of the most brutal exploitation films ever) so the primary fiddle is played by gore and violence, which is abundant here, and I really like his approach to the genre because he is one of the few to push the boundaries, show things that are taboo and shy away from absolutely nothing. That fascinates me because Americans can be quietly envious. Acting wise the film is top notch, it brings together a familiar cast, but it took me a little to get used to Iko Uwais being a villain, but thankfully Joe Taslim has charisma to spare, but surprisingly Julie Estelle shines the most, she immediately needs her own solo outing. The action hardly takes its foot off the gas it's one ultra brutal carnage where everyone is slashing with whatever is at hand, limbs are broken in all sorts of ways and multiple fighting styles are used. Tjahjanto revels in lethal destruction and I go crazy right along with him. The biggest highlight is definitely Julie Estelle versus two lesbians, and I don't think there has been a better female fight, and of course the finale, which takes the best of The Raid 2, and Joe Taslim versus Uwais as a battle of brothers was quite emotional, and of course the choreography can't be faulted. Not just to praise, there are of course some issues. I found the visuals rather average, at times I felt the characters were surviving the impossible and I was a little disappointed that there was no new action discovery. But these are irrelevant little things that didn't spoil the experience for me. Anyone who likes confident action, uncompromising and brutal films will be satisfied. Those who slept through Steven Seagal, Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme will probably grumble. An action fan can't go below 3* here. I'm looking forward to May the Devil Take You and hope that in the years to come the Mo Brothers will continue to satisfy me, because there aren't that many smart filmmakers out there right now. 90%

David Gordon Green, director of the great comedies Pineapple Express and Your Highness, pays homage to and follows up the classic Halloween from 1978, and I don't think John Carpenter can be offended. While I should point out that the original Halloween is not one of my favourite films and more or less only became a cult thing because it was the first at the time and therefore shocking to people, due to the lack of blood and the few murders it doesn’t stand out with me as a slasher, but I'm exceedingly pleased with the 2018 version. Michael Myers rages more than ever and his work is definitely enjoyable to watch. Quite a few victims fall, blood is not spared and there are some very nice explicit scenes, but again, it's nothing the average viewer won't digest. The nostalgia is nicely buzzed by the original soundtrack and I really liked the new one, they complement each other perfectly. The atmosphere is great, especially the finale in the building is built up so that I couldn't breathe at times and the silence in the hall with the cinema packed was unbelievable. The acting is also very decent, led by Jamie Lee Curtis, who is quite physically fit for her old age and is quite good with guns. The role of the young black man is also great, as he lightens the dark atmosphere with humour for a few minutes. The downside for me was the slower pacing (before Michael escapes from the asylum it's a bit uninspiring), and also the absence of boobs, which were abundant in the original. All in all, I'm satisfied and definitely the best Halloween (sorry Rob Zombie and Carpenter) and of course another golden hit this year next to Hereditary and A Quiet Place. 80%

Dennis Iliadis, the director of The Last House on Left did a little home invasion/slasher and made it under the pseudonym Quinn Lasher, why I really have no idea. It's a fairly brisk genre flick that may not bring anything new to the table, but it certainly won't offend fans of the genre. A mother and her two daughters go to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, where a psychopath in a mask who definitely has no mercy for anyone is lurking. The film paces nicely, has a nice atmosphere, the suspense works and there are three solid gore scenes, so I'm not disappointed, just wish that the ambition had been higher. 60%

The surprise of the year and one of the best crime-media-social thrillers ever. The entire film takes place on a PC desktop, and sometimes with the help of a camera or mobile phone, which adds greatly to the authenticity and believability. It tells the story of a little girl who mysteriously disappears and her father tries to find out what happened to her. He learns information that he had absolutely no idea about his daughter and at times the film is really emotionally devastating. Praise must also go to the screenwriter who prepared a nice dose of brutal twists (all unexpected and shocking at the same time). But the biggest applause goes to the final denouement in the style of Saw, which left me almost breathless and I can't remember the last time I saw such an incredibly sophisticated, over-the-top, authentic thriller. Very gppd, incredibly gripping, engaging and uncompromisingly playing with the viewer. John Cho was very good. Bravo! 90%

The story revolves around the adorable teen Maria, who has a hard time at school, is bullied by the local hockey player, has no friends and no confidence, but everything changes when she discovers her evil twin sister in the mirror, who is very sexy and has no problem hurting those around her. The idea is definitely great, and the transformation of innocent Maria into a ruthless, sassy bitch is handled to perfection. I was quite impressed that Maria shows up completely naked in the film, which is not exactly common in teen movies and I appreciate the bravery. What's disappointing is that the film isn't scary, it's only suspenseful in places, and the violence was relatively sparse as well, but I suppose this film is primarily for a female audience who can easily add an extra 10-15%. I wasn't bored, but I'm not exactly the target audience. 60%

Literally the thriller edition of Home Alone. The parents go away and leave their son in the country with his grandfather, whose young neighbor is a psychopath. Story-wise, the film certainly offers nothing new and only benefits from an idea stolen from a famous hit, but why not. Even though you can see the budget was lower, still some effort went into it and that is appreciated. The young boy is quite smart and gives the bad guy quite a good time, so those who like these suspenseful cat and mouse style thrillers shouldn't be downright offended. Still, it certainly could have been done better and grittier. Only average. 60%.

A very bizarre oddity that is both funny and entertaining in places, but a little too far-fetched for my taste. I certainly can't deny the creativity, colours and details that they work with very nicely and Lakeith Stanfield is a great likeable character, but there was still something missing for a higher rating. That said, Sorry To Bother You is definitely an original film. 60%.

Gareth Evans, director of The Raid , serves up uncompromising period horror on an isolated island with a religious cult. Dan Stevens (The Guest) travels to an island to free his kidnapped sister, but the local religious fanatics are up to no good and there's plenty of danger ahead. The only downside is the running time of 2 hours and 10 minutes, with the first hour being considerably slower, but the second is so full of gripping scenes that Apostle becomes a definite genre gem and a tribute to the original The Wicker Man. Bleak atmosphere, with solid gore, it's incredibly raw with an excellent villain, where besides Michael Sheen I think his buddy Mark Lewis Jones shone more (I had respect for the guy), and the music is also great. The scariest scene in my opinion is the grandma who appears in a tunnel full of sh*t. I loved the nice dose of mystery and mystique at the end. Evans showed that not only action is one of his triumphs, but he has no problem making an atmospheric historical horror film. If it wasn't for the weaker first half, it would be a clear five stars. 85%

An unexpectedly solid paranoid/mysterious sci-fi horror film. The story centers on a British family who celebrate Christmas with a family dinner, but are soon trapped in their own home by an unknown force, with the only information provided by the TV in the room "Await further instructions". Whether it is an alien invasion or a terrorist attack, neither the viewer nor the main characters know and that is the best part. The atmosphere thickens, the family becomes paranoid and it was surprising how quickly they turned on each other. Unexpectedly gritty and atmospheric in places, with a pleasingly Carpenter-like 1980s style conclusion. For my part, I'm satisfied. These little cheaper efforts of original horror can surprise sometimes. 70%

Germany serves up a European version of The Revenant from the Ötztal Alps 5300 years back, in the Neolithic era, telling the story of a man whose mummy is one of the oldest and most famous in the world. It is a period historical revenge survival drama where the main character goes on a hunt and in the meantime his entire tribe including his family is brutally murdered, burned and the women raped (a very gritty and powerful scene by the way). He has lost almost everything and the only option is to seek out the culprits and execute them in cruel retribution. The beautiful cold scenery, the unusual depiction of prehistoric times, the original Germanic dialect which the viewer does not understand and no subtitles are available and probably never will be, but they are not needed for the story, as the makers point out at the beginning of the film. The film does have a slower pace, but if you put yourself in the mindset of the time, you are in for a very unusual experience with a rough beginning and ending. 70%