EvilPhoEniX

Olivier Marchal, the experienced French director responsible for Department 36, Mr 73 and A Gang Story, is trying again this year and for me he succeeded. A superb, gritty and dark gangster film where the main character and a group of friends commit tax fraud, earning a pretty penny, but the local gangster doesn't like that and asks for his cut. The road to glory is fast, but the fall down is even faster and here everything is driven into such trouble that it makes you uncomfortable. Brilliantly acted, suspenseful, gritty and uncompromising, and based on a chilling true story. A great gangster movie, and a delight to see Gérard Depardieu in a supporting role. 80%

I miss high school, so I have a soft spot for this kind of teen crap, and this movie also has a nice original plot where the main character starts a new school as an outsider, but thanks to a new app on his cell phone he has the ability to wish for anything, which is a lot of fun in places, and the gradual path to glory to the most popular dude in the whole school was very enjoyable and the dethroning of the previous "king" was gratifying. Cute, entertaining, funny with fine characters (dancing like Bruno Mars or playing hockey like Wayne Gretzky are among the best scenes of the film). I had great fun. 80%

I expected a little better. For those unfamiliar with Narcos, the film is a decent choice, but for fans of the series, nothing really new. Javier Bardem is surprisingly solid as Escobar, and Penelope Cruz is alluring as the journalist, but there's a lack of charisma and creativity. An unused DEA agent, a lack of action, and only the dog or motorcycle scene impress with their brutality. I wasn't bored, but the film didn't bring anything new to the table. So Escobar has to make do with three stars. 60%

An unexpected surprise from Netflix! Two friends go hunting in the Scottish woods, but nothing goes according to plan, and something terrible happens with even more fatal consequences. I really didn't envy the main characters in this situation, and it made me quite uncomfortable to imagine it happening to me. A rough forest, a harsh setting, uncompromising hicks, a thick atmosphere, an oppressive tension, a lot of realism and a shocking finale. For me total satisfaction, these redneck forest thrillers were rampant in the 80s and now they're more of an afterthought, so I applaud, good job by Netflix. 80%.

A decent film set in a psychiatric sanatorium where the Nazis sent patients to their deaths. Although they don't show any distressing and violent scenes, the film retains its disturbing quality, even though the main character is a 13-year-old boy. A good film, but the Danish The Day Will Come suited me a little better. 70%

French star Christian Clavier delivers another outstanding performance in an interesting role set in an apartment where he wishes only one thing: to relax and play a record he discovered on the market, but due to constant complications, unexpected surprises and troubles, he just can't get to it. I laughed out loud a few times, but otherwise I think more could have been got out of it, but still decent. 65%.

Awesome stuff, and even though according to critics the the sequel lags behind the first one I enjoyed it more. This year definitely belongs to Josh Brolin, the guy is shining, I can't remember when an actor has impressed and pleased me four times in one year – two lead roles (Only the Brave, Sicario 2: Soldado) and two villain roles (Deadpool 2, Avengers: Infinity War) hats off. While the first film had a stronger combo (Denis Villeneuve, Taylor Sheridan, Roger Deakins), here only screenwriter Sheridan survived, but director Stefano Sollima and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski also did a solid job, and this is still a film that has no competition in theaters. The Mexican cartels, the smuggling of people from Mexico to the U.S., the uncompromising and intense action, the disgustingly realistic setting and atmosphere, the diabolical Benicio Del Toro and the serious Brolin make this film an incredible experience and I was literally gasping for breath in the cinema, plus the shocking final twist that opens up questions and sets the stage for the third installment – I can't complain about anything. The first one had a slower pace and not enough action to make me happy to watch it again, but I do want to see this one again. I recommend it. There hasn't been and won't be a bigger manly ride in theaters.

Nobody expected this comedy to be a success, but the first positive reactions made an impression and it's actually a very nice teen flick, where instead of boys, girls want to have their first fling and their parents will definitely not be happy about it. The best thing is John Cena, who is on a very slow but direct climb to stardom and I wouldn't be surprised if he's competition for The Rock in a few years. There are quite a few funny situations, especially in the second half – the first one lags a bit. But I'll give 4 stars with pleasure. 75%.

Melissa McCarthy is one of the few actresses I like for her acting and not for her looks. Her humor suits me and I had a few good laughs here. The film has a pretty original premise too, it's set in a school, something I never get tired of, so a fine flick for a better 3. 65%.

I didn't want to see the film at all, but it was a pleasant surprise in the end, worthy of recommendation. Steven Soderbergh is no amateur (Ocean’s Eleven, Contagion, Side Effects, Logan lucky) and he decided to make his first horror film on an Iphone in just 10 days, and the result is surprisingly very good. The protagonist, Claire Foy, finds herself involuntarily committed to a mental institution where she sees the man who haunted her in her everyday life. It has a very strange format and clearly the film comes across as cheap, but the camera doesn't shake and it's shot cleanly. The film has excellent performances, both the main character and the central psychopath. The scriptwriting is also top notch and the final half hour is decently psychedelic. I was very happy with and I can never have enough mental-hospital movies… there are not many of them! 70%