Goldbeater

Both versions of this film are equally dumb as far as the story is concerned; both take the legend of Michael Myers in directions no one wished for. But if I need to compare them, the producer’s cut (i.e. the original version) is definitely better and more watchable in all respects. At least, it caters to the filmic basics by offering scene continuity, a plot framework, proper editing, a quality musical accompaniment and, mostly, a decent preservation of the scenes with the late Donald Pleasence. The cinema version (reshot and recut) doesn’t have any of this. All it has is more murders, the rest failing terribly due to the stubbornness of the director and the producers. If your film is completed and your main actor dies, you can’t venture into tragic reshoots while giving up on any kind of meaningful ending! The only possible result is a pure insult to the viewer – which the cinema version truly is. Dr. Loomis would have deserved a more befitting departure, for example in H20.

At the end of the ’60s, Paul Bartel shot this short precursor to Truman Show. In a time when the concepts of constant camera surveillance and exposure to someone else’s everyday troubles were still inexistent in the viewer’s mind, this piece was certainly groundbreaking. Unfortunately, from today’s point of view, it’s a half-buried short which isn’t very exciting in the social media era.

After a demanding shift, the nurse likes to indulge in some naughty activities. But who are her partners and why is it so obvious to all that they fake it? At the end, everything falls into place. Paul Bartel didn’t seem to have a lot of consideration for hospital staff members; therefore he made this little prank. Later on, he returns to a similar theme in a recycled form for his subsequent film Eating Raoul, where the morally compromised nurse is played by the great Mary Woronov.

A notoriously tragic step in the wrong direction which could have resulted in ‘just’ a bearable silly B flick if only its creators didn’t try to patch it onto the Halloween series. Overall, Halloween III: Season of the Witch is decently structured and benefits from an outstanding musical track by John Carpenter as well as some memorable scenes (including that obnoxiously repetitive Silver Shamrock ad). But as the incongruous link in an otherwise cohesive series, the film inevitably makes every viewer disappointed and angry.

There is an absence of logic or character motivation, and so this is a seriously flawed B-movie from the pen of John Carpenter. It could have at least tried to make up for its shortcomings with a dazzling dose of action and suspense. However, Black Moon Rising really lacks these things from today's perspective. The tired-looking Tommy Lee Jones (allegedly struggling with alcoholism during the filming) does not bring much to the table this time either. However, it is interesting to see where the makers of Furious 7 stole the scene of cars jumping between skyscrapers, which many raved about as an original idea.

An entertaining modern film-noir that’s subversively playing with the viewers and their attempts to decipher possibly undecipherable hidden messages. Talented David Robert Mitchell recounts an odyssey full of pop culture references leading to a dead end, while, at the same time, quoting Alfred Hitchcock heavily in many scenes and populating the enigmatic Los Angeles settings with hordes of weird characters. Andrew Garfield very skilfully handles the tricky storyline and delivers. Personally, I would have happily watched another hour of Mitchell’s frisky tale. [Sitges 2018]

The Aniara is a spaceship carrying thousands of colonisers on their way to Mars. However, due to an accident, it loses fuel and is veered off course, inevitably aiming towards the depths of space. There’s a tiny chance of coming back, but the journey duration stretches from a couple of days to several years. Passengers cure their boredom and depression in a special room called the ‘Mima’, where, thanks to a unique technology with artificial intelligence, they can revive their earthly memories and enter a state of euphoric trance. But as the overloaded ‘Mima’ goes on strike, the society on the ship begins to disintegrate and change. Unfortunately, the instant Swedish existentialist depression with many strong moments lacks build-up due to some big plot jumps in the second half. And some questions remain unanswered till the end. On the whole, however, this is a very strong flick without a happy ending. This is what Passengers would look like if they had balls in Hollywood. [Sitges 2018]

El Angel is the story of a young guy with an angelic face for whom other people’s property, money, feelings and later on even lives meant nothing. So he took them to his heart’s content. And, in ’70s Argentina, he got away with it for quite a while. The casting is on point, the direction is stylish – even if at times, it blatantly imitates early Scorsese – and the appropriate black humour works. El Angel offers us a confidently filmed biographical flick which is entertaining and has a pleasant vintage atmosphere (especially thanks to a well-chosen soundtrack). In the end, all my expectations about this film have been fulfilled. [Sitges 2018]

Previously unfamiliar with the cultural and historic events depicted in the film, I was quite surprised to see the madness and the resulting behaviour that can be committed by people who go overboard with strong opinions and try to break the conventions at any cost. In this respect, Lords of Chaos transcends the boundaries of purely biographical music films and stands as a mirror for a generation that, in ’90s Norway, was at the genesis of a musical genre, set fire to medieval churches, stabbed opponents in the back and loathed everything and everyone – especially posers. Great performance by Rory Culkin. [Sitges 2018]

A realistic and chilling demonstration of what a plot and invasion against a nation might look like (I don’t want to reveal why and with whom). There’s good suspense, solid effects and a decent plotline concerning a broken family. I was just slightly confused by the fact that, when the characters should unite the most, they go on pulling off age-old grievances and family trauma, picking fights at each other and sabotaging a much-needed cooperation. Is this to convey that Swedish people can’t have each other’s backs in times of crisis? Possibly. In any case, The Unthinkable is a solidly chilling and imaginative adventure without obvious heroes and villains, yet with a clear political message. [Sitges 2018]