Blonde (2022)

O privire artistica abstracta la viata si esenta lui Marilyn Monroe prin prisma unor evenimente ale vietii sale, reale si imaginate.

'Blonde' ar fi in mod normal categorizat ca film biografic, dar amestecul de fictiune si fapte si stilul fluid, de vis/cosmar si abstract il transpune in o categorie cu totul aparte - drama semi-biografica abstracta? Ana de Armas ne ofera o Marilyn (Norma Jean mai exact) cu totul vulnerabila si o victima a mediului in care a crescut si in care a crezut ca vrea sa traiasca, posibil foarte aproape de esenta persoanei reale, ce a fost probabil mult mai mult decat o blondulita prostuta cum a fost vanduta de casele de productie ce au tinut-o sub picior. Filmul e lung, pe alocuri aminteste de un film de David Lynch, pe altele de drama feminina perpetua, dar merita trait.

Regia:  Andrew Dominik    

Cu: Ana de Armas, Sara Paxton, Evan Williams, Xavier Samuel, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Fisher, Julianne Nicholson, Tygh Runyan

Rating: 9/10

Also available in English

Blonde (2022)

An abstract artistic look at the life and essence of Marilyn Monroe through the prism of some events of her life, real and imagined.

'Blonde' would normally be categorized as a biographical film, but the mix of fiction and fact and the fluid, dream/nightmare-like and abstract style puts it in a completely different category - abstract semi-biographical drama? Ana de Armas offers us a completely vulnerable Marilyn (Norma Jean more precisely) and a victim of the environment in which she grew up and in which she thought she wanted to live, possibly very close to the essence of the real person, which was probably much more than the silly blonde she was sold as by the production companies that kept her under their control. The film is long, in some places it reminds one of a David Lynch film, in others it just reiterates the reality of the perpetual female drama, but it is very much worth experiencing.

Director:  Andrew Dominik    

With: Ana de Armas, Sara Paxton, Evan Williams, Xavier Samuel, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Fisher, Julianne Nicholson, Tygh Runyan, Toby Huss

Rating: 9/10

Insidious (2010)

Fiul unei familii ramane blocat in lumea spiritelor in vis, si un medium familiar tatalui vine in ajutor.

'Insidious' e un film de groaza din miscarea noua horror, in care investitiile mari sunt in sfarsit riscate pe un gen luat in ras pentru prea mult timp. Jucat bine, cu efecte stangace dar eficiente si perfect sincronizate, Insidious a dat nastere unei francize apreciate si (impreuna cu The Conjuring) unui val de filme horror de un nivel mai inalt, care nu mai sunt nevoite sa copie originaluri asiatice (ca The Ring, The Grudge, Pulse si multe altele). 

Regia:  James Wan     

Cu: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson

Rating: 9/10

Also available in English

Insidious (2010)

The son of a desperate family gets stuck in the spirit world in his dreama, and a psychic who's familiar to the father comes to help.

'Insidious' is a horror film from the new horror movement, where big investments are finally risked on a genre mocked for far too long. With good acting, with clumsy but efficient and perfectly timed horror effects, Insidious gave birth to an acclaimed franchise and (along with The Conjuring) to a wave of higher level horror films that no longer have to copy Asian originals (like The Ring , The Grudge, Pulse and many others).

Director:  James Wan     

With: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson

Rating: 9/10

Fargo (2014– ): Season 2

Un cuplu naiv cauzeaza un razboi intre familii mafiote dupa un accident de masina in urma caruia fiul uneia din familii isi pierde viata.

Sezonul 2 din 'Fargo' urmeaza reteta primului, si prezinta ca adevarata povestea imbarligata a unui razboi mafiot in anii '70. Ceva mai dur si fara mila decat precedentul, sezonul 2 merita atentie pentru personajele interesante (politistul principal fiind unul, ca de obicei), lipsa de predictibil (in sensul unei predictibilitati mai putin vage decat "toata lumea va muri") si legaturii cu personajele din primul (daca nu dai atentie numelor, legatura nu va fi evidenta de la inceput).

Regia:  Randall Einhorn, Adam Arkin si altii

Productie:  FX   

Creator:  Noah Hawley   

Durata:  al doilea sezon din 4, a cate 10 episoade (53 minute fiecare)   

Cu: Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, Ted Danson,  Cristin Milioti, Jeffrey Donovan, Bokeem Woodbine, Brad Garrett, Kieran Culkin, Nick Offerman, Michael Hogan, Zahn McClarnon, Angus Sampson, Adam Arkin

Rating: 8/10

Also available in English

Fargo (2014– ): Season 2 (2015)

A naive couple causes a war between 2 mafia families after a car accident in which the son of one of the families loses his life.

Season 2 of 'Fargo' follows the same recipe as the first, and presents as true he story of a mafia war in the 70s. Somewhat harsher and more merciless than the previous one, season 2 deserves attention for the interesting characters (the main police guy being one, as usual), the lack of predictability (in the sense of a predictability that's less vague than "everyone will die") and the connection with the characters from the first (if you don't pay attention to the names, the connection won't be obvious from the beginning).

Director:  Randall Einhorn, Adam Arkin and others

Production:  FX   

Creator:  Noah Hawley   

Duration:  the second season of 4, with 10 episodes (53 minutes each)   

With: Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons, Jean Smart, Ted Danson, Cristin Milioti, Jeffrey Donovan, Bokeem Woodbine, Brad Garrett, Kieran Culkin, Nick Offerman, Michael Hogan, Zahn McClarnon, Angus Sampson, Adam Arkin

Rating: 8/10

Smile (2022)

Rose e un medic psihiatru ce devine martora sinuciderii unei paciente noi, dupa care incepe sa aiba aceleasi viziuni macabre ca victima.

'Smile' e un film horror supranatural, bazat pe ideea populara ca un blestem este transmisibil unui martor (ca si in It Follows, The Ring, Grudge). Ideea este de ajuns de interesanta si sinistra, fara a fi exploatata indeajuns intr-un stil mai de "elevated horror", dar stilul clasic si garantat de "jump scares" si alte clisee este de ajuns de satisfacator. Eroina principala este foarte credibila si bine aleasa in starea de "permanent in mijlocul unei caderi nervoase serioase".

Regia:  Parker Finn      

Cu: Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert

Rating: 8/10

Also available in English

Smile (2022)

Rose is a psychiatrist who witnesses the suicide of a new patient, after which she begins to have the same macabre visions as the victim.

'Smile' is a supernatural horror film, based on the popular idea that a curse is transmissible to a witness (same as in It Follows, The Ring, The Grudge). The idea is quite interesting and sinister, without being sufficiently exploited in a more "elevated horror" kind of style, but the classic and tried recipe of "jump scares" and other clichés is satisfactory enough in this case. The main heroine is very believable and well chosen in her state of "permanently in the middle of a serious nervous breakdown".

Director:  Parker Finn      

With: Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert, Kal Penn

Rating: 8/10

Candyman (2021)

Un artist plastic descopera adevarul din spatele legendei lui Candyman.

Recentul 'Candyman' e o continuare si nu un remake al primului film, neindraznind sa incerce sa schimbe un film cult atat de iubit de fanii horror. Are idei interesante si originale si chiar schimba oarecum legenda, desi o frantura din noul mit a fost intrezarit la finalul primului film, cand eroina preia stafeta rolului morbid. Cu o viziune modernizata, o victimizare un pic mai nedreapta decat in cazul original, noul Candyman isi duce rolul in spate decent si merita vizionat.

Regia:  Nia DaCosta  

Cu: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo

Rating: 8/10

Also available in English

Candyman (2021)

An  artist discovers the truth behind the legend of Candyman.

The recent 'Candyman' is a sequel and not a remake of the first film, not daring to try to change a cult film so loved by horror fans. It has some interesting and original ideas and even somewhat changes the legend, although a glimpse of the new myth was suggested at the end of the first film, when the heroine takes over the morbid role. With a modernized vision, a victimization that's a little more unfair than in the original case, the new Candyman does its job decently and is worth watching.

Director:  Nia DaCosta  

With: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo

Rating: 8/10

Doubles vies (2018)

Seful unei edituri si unul din autorii sai traiesc episoade diferite ale crizei varstei mijlocii si alte drame uzuale.

'Doubles Vies' e o drama-comedie frantuzeasca, cu semnatura lui Olivier Assayas. Plina de dialog fara pauza, filmul arata abil ca cele mai triviale si scandaloase probleme apartin intregii naturi umane, oricat de snoaba, intelectuala, bigota si aroganta (chiar si pentru motivele potrivite) ar fi.

Regia:  Olivier Assayas       

Cu: Guillaume Canet, Juliette Binoche, Vincent Macaigne, Christa Théret

Rating: 8/10

Also available in English

Doubles vies (2018)

The head of a publishing house and one of its authors experience different episodes of midlife crisis and other usual dramas.

'Doubles Vies' is a French drama-comedy, with the signature of Olivier Assayas. Full of non-stop dialogue, the film skilfully shows that the most trivial and scandalous problems belong to all human nature, no matter how snobbish, intellectual, bigoted and arrogant (even for the right reasons) it is.

Director:  Olivier Assayas       

With: Guillaume Canet, Juliette Binoche, Vincent Macaigne, Christa Théret

Rating: 8/10

The Midnight Club (2022– )

Un grup de tineri ce sufera de boli terminale mentin un pact ca vor contacta pe ceilalti daca vor muri, pact ce este baza clubului de povestitori din care fac parte.

'The Midnight Club' e un serial dramatic horror creat de Mike Flanagan pentru Netflix, una din multele colaborari ale acestuia. Aproape fiecare episod are in centru o poveste scurta "inventata" de membrii clubului, povestiri macabre, SF sau cu talc, dar aproape mereu supranaturale. Filmul are multa drama adolescentina si nu numai, personaje interesante, detaliat construite, si o evolutie naturala a asteptarilor vizionatorului ce nu este satisfacuta pe masura, dar fara a esua in a duce mesajul dorit la destinatie.

Regia:  Mike Flanagan si altii   

Productie:  Netflix   

Creator:  Mike Flanagan, Leah Fong   

Durata:  1 sezon de 10 episoade (1 ora fiecare)   

Cu: Iman Benson, Igby Rigney, Ruth Codd, Annarah Cymone, Samantha Sloyan, Zach Gilford, Heather Langenkamp, Katie Parker

Rating: 8/10

Also available in English

The Midnight Club (2022– )

A group of young people suffering from terminal illnesses maintain a pact that they will contact the others if they die, a pact that is the basis of the storytelling club they belong to.

'The Midnight Club' is a dramatic horror series created by Mike Flanagan for Netflix, one of their many collaborations. Almost every episode has at its center a short story "made up" by the club members, which are macabre, sci-fi or just meaningful stories, but almost always supernatural. The film has a lot of teenage drama and more, interesting characters, built really well in quite a lot of detail, and a natural evolution of the viewer's expectations that are not fully satisfied, however it doesn't fail to deliver the desired message to its destination.

Director:  Mike Flanagan and others   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Mike Flanagan, Leah Fong   

Duration:  1 season of 10 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Iman Benson, Igby Rigney, Ruth Codd, Annarah Cymone, Samantha Sloyan, Zach Gilford, Heather Langenkamp, Katie Parker

Rating: 8/10

Killing Eve (2018–2022)

Viata lui Eve, un agent de securitate la MI5, se schimba pentru intotdeauna cand descopera activitatea asasinei Villanelle.

'Killing Eve' e un serial tip thriller, investigativ dar si plin de umor si cinicism. Are un stil original, neobisnuit pentru gen, ce merge perfect in contextul atipic al vietii de spion/asasin, cel putin pe ecran. Asemanarea in stil cu Fleabag din cand in cand, mai ales in dialog, nu este intamplatoare avand in vedere ca serialul de fata a fost creat de aceeasi minte si anume Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Regia:  Damon Thomas si altii   

Productie:  BBC America  

Creator:  Phoebe Waller-Bridge   

Durata:  4 sezoane a cate 8 episoade (42 minute fiecare)   

Cu: Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh, Fiona Shaw, Kim Bodnia, Harriet Walter, Gemma Whelan

Rating: 9/10

Also available in English

Killing Eve (2018–2022)

Eve's life, a security agent at MI5, changes forever when she uncovers the activities of the assassin Villanelle.

'Killing Eve' is a thriller type series, with an investigative theme but also full of humor and cynicism. It has an original style, unusual for the genre, which goes perfectly in the atypical context of the life of a spy/assassin, at least on-screen. The similarity in style with Fleabag that comes to one's mind from time to time, especially due to the dialogue, is not accidental considering that the current series was created by the same mind, namely Phoebe Waller-Bridge's.

Director:  Damon Thomas and others   

Production:  BBC America  

Creator:  Phoebe Waller-Bridge   

Duration:  4 seasons of 8 episodes (42 minutes each)

With: Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh, Fiona Shaw, Kim Bodnia, Harriet Walter, Gemma Whelan

Rating: 9/10

Teen Wolf (2011–2017)

Viata adolescentilor Scott si Stiles se schimba pentru totdeauna cand Scott este muscat de un varcolac.

'Teen Wolf' este raspunsul neasteptat al fanilor supranaturalului. Posibil evitat, pe nedrept, din cauza premisei cu varcolaci, serialul ofera mult mai mult, cu personaje usor de placut, si cu o mitologie a supranaturalului bogata, variata si multiculturala. Ofera mai putin umor decat Buffy sau Supernatural, dar echilibreaza oferta prin originalitate.

Regia:  Russell Mulcahy si altii

Productie:  MTV   

Creator:  Jeff Davis   

Durata:  6 sezoane a cate 12/20/24 episoade (42 minute fiecare)   

Cu: Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, Dylan O'Brien, Linden Ashby, JR Bourne, Shelley Hennig, Tyler Hoechlin, Crystal Reed, Melissa Ponzio, Ian Bohen, Daniel Sharman, Seth Gilliam

Rating: 8/10

Also available in English

Teen Wolf (2011–2017)

The lives of teenagers Scott and Stiles change forever when Scott is bitten by a werewolf.

'Teen Wolf' is the unexpected answer to supernatural fans' desperate search for watching material. Possibly avoided, unfairly, because of the werewolves premise, this series offers much more, with its easy-to-like characters, and a rich, varied and multicultural supernatural lore. It offers less humor than Buffy or Supernatural, but it balances  out the offer through much originality.

Director:  Russell Mulcahy and others

Production:  MTV   

Creator:  Jeff Davis   

Duration:  6 seasons of 12/20/24 episodes (42 minutes each)   

With: Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, Dylan O'Brien, Linden Ashby, JR Bourne, Shelley Hennig, Tyler Hoechlin, Crystal Reed, Melissa Ponzio, Ian Bohen, Daniel Sharman, Seth Gilliam

Rating: 8/10

The King's Man (2021)

La inceputul secolului XX, agentia Kingsman isi incepe istoria prin prima sa misiune.

'The King's Man' e un film de actiune, un prequel la cele doua filme precedente, ce arata istoria nasterii agentiei secrete. Fara a fi necesar, filmul nu se ridica la asteptari, iar rezultatul este foarte de uitat, in ciuda numelor mari asociate cu productia.

Regia:  Matthew Vaughn   

Cu: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Harris Dickinson

Rating: 7/10

Also available in English

The King's Man (2021)

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Kingsman agency begins its history with its first mission.

"The King's Man" is an action film, a prequel to the two previous films in the franchise, which shows the beginings of the history of the secret agency. Needless to say, the film does not live up to expectations, and the result is very forgettable, despite the big names associated with the production.

Director:  Matthew Vaughn   

With: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Harris Dickinson

Rating: 7/10