Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

O tanara incearca sa se reintegreze in normal dupa ce scapa de un cult periculos.

'Martha Marcy May Marlene' este un film psihologic dramatic. Elizabeth Olsen este magnetica si duce un rol greu in spate cu brio. Nu e o vizionare usoara, dar este intensa si greu de ignorat.

Regia:  Sean Durkin    

Cu: Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes, Christopher Abbott, Hugh Dancy, Julia Garner

Rating: 8.4/10

Also available in English

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

A young woman tries to reintegrate into normality after escaping from a dangerous cult.

'Martha Marcy May Marlene' is a psychological drama film. Elizabeth Olsen is magnetic and carries a difficult role easily and brilliantly. It is not an easy viewing, but it is intense and hard to ignore.

Director:  Sean Durkin    

With: Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes, Christopher Abbott, Hugh Dancy, Julia Garner

Rating: 8.4/10

Devil in Ohio (2022)

Un psihiatru trateaza o tanara ce a scapat de un cult.

'Devil in Ohio' este o miniserie dramatica, piperata de un pic de thriller. Scenariu slabut, prea spalacit pentru 8 episoade.

Regia:  Steven A. Adelson si altii   

Productie:  Netflix  

Creator:  Daria Polatin   

Durata:  o miniserie de 8episoade (6 ore in total)   

Cu: Emily Deschanel, Sam Jaeger, Gerardo Celasco, Madeleine Arthur

Rating: 6/10

Also available in English

Devil in Ohio (2022)

A psychiatrist treats a young woman who escaped from a cult.

"Devil in Ohio" is a dramatic miniseries, peppered with a bit of thriller. It has a weak script, too washed up for 8 long episodes.

Director:  Steven A. Adelson and others  

Production:  Netflix  

Creator:  Daria Polatin   

Duration:  one miniseries of 8 episodes (6 hours in total)   

With: Emily Deschanel, Sam Jaeger, Gerardo Celasco, Madeleine Arthur

Rating: 6/10

Madres paralelas /Parallel mothers (2021)

Two mothers in different stages of life give birth on the same day and create an unconventional bond.

'Madres paralelas' is a dramatic film by Almodóvar. It's full of human interactions and rich dialogue and some unconventional elements like all of his films, but it remains mostly uninspired and too much like Hallmark movies or the like.

Director: Pedro Almodóvar    

With: Penélope Cruz, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón

Rating: 7/10

Madres paralelas /Parallel mothers (2021)

Doua mama in etape diferite ale vietii nasc in aceeasi zi si creeaza o legatura neconventionala.

'Madres paralelas' este un film dramatic marca Almodóvar. Plin de interactii umane si dialog bogat si cateva elemente neconventionale, dar in mare este neinspirat si aidoma stirilor de senzatie sau filmelor Hallmark.

Regia: Pedro Almodóvar    

Cu: Penélope Cruz, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón

Rating: 7/10

Also available in English

Shiva Baby (2020)

O tanara participa cu parintii sai la adunarea dupa o inmormantare, unde se intalneste cu tipul care o plateste pentru servicii intime si fosta iubita.

'Shiva Baby' e o tragi-comedie psihologica. Se axeaza pe Danielle si panica palpabila si multele sale sentimente contradictorii ce o invaluie intr-o situatie cu coincidente imposibile, in care controlul de care avea mare nevoie este dat peste cap. Foarte bine jucat.

Regia:  Emma Seligman    

Cu: Rachel Sennott, Danny Deferrari, Fred Melamed, Polly Draper, Dianna Agron, Molly Gordon

Rating: 8/10

Also available in English

Shiva Baby (2020)

A young woman attends a gathering with her parents after a funeral, where she meets the guy who pays her for intimate services and her ex-girlfriend.

'Shiva Baby' is a psychological drag-comedy. It focuses on Danielle and her palpable panic and her many contradictory feelings that envelop her in a situation with impossible coincidences, in which the control she desperately needed is turned upside down. Very well played.

Director:  Emma Seligman    

With: Rachel Sennott, Danny Deferrari, Fred Melamed, Polly Draper, Dianna Agron, Molly Gordon

Rating: 8/10

Cold In July (2014)

A family man accidentally kills a thief caught in the act, and the event takes him down unexpected paths.

'Cold In July' is a thriller that does not follow the expected steps of the genre. It starts almost mundane and predictable, but things change in an extremel way long before the halfway point of the film. Well made and well carried by a trio of interestingly chosen actors, with Sam Shepard in one of the last captivating roles before leaving this world too early.

Director:  Jim Mickle   

With: Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard, Don Johnson, Vinessa Shaw

Rating: 8.4/10

Cold In July (2014)

Un tata de familie ucide accidental un hot prins in flagrant, si evenimentul il duce pe cai neasteptate.

'Cold In July' este un thriller ce nu urmeaza pasii asteptati ai genului. Incepe aproape banal si predictibil, dar lucrurile se schimba extrem cu mult inainte de jumatatea filmului. Bine facut si dus in spate de un trio de actori interesant alesi, cu Sam Shepard intr-unul din ultimele roluri mai captivante inainte de a ne parasi.

Regia:  Jim Mickle   

Cu: Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard, Don Johnson, Vinessa Shaw

Rating: 8.4/10

Also available in English

The Skeptic (2009)

Un sceptic ce nu crede in supranatural mosteneste o casa cu fantome.

'The Skeptic' e un film de groaza usor, cu idei clasice. Are un cast interesant ales, o poveste centrala ce are tractiune, dar nu se ridica mult deasupra unui nivel mediocru.

Regia:  Tennyson Bardwell  

Cu: Tim Daly, Tom Arnold, Zoe Saldana, Edward Herrmann

Rating: 7/10

Also available in English

The Skeptic (2009)

A skeptic who does not believe in the supernatural inherits a haunted house.

'The Skeptic' is a light horror film with classic ideas. It has an interesting cast, a central story that has traction, but does not rise much above a mediocre level.

Director:  Tennyson Bardwell  

With: Tim Daly, Tom Arnold, Zoe Saldana, Edward Herrmann

Rating: 7/10

Living with Yourself (2019)

Un barbat gaseste o solutie la problemele vietii sale legate de depresie si oboseala dar solutia nu e ce credea.

'Living with Yourself' e un serial tragi-comedic cu tonuri filozofice. Are idei interesante, episoade scurte si un cast carismatic.

Regia: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris   

Productie:  Netflix   

Creator:  Timothy Greenberg   

Durata: 1 sezon de 8 episoade (26-30 minute fiecare)  

Cu: Paul Rudd, Aisling Bea, Ali Akbar Sepahi, Desmin Borges

Rating: 7/10

Also available in English

Living with Yourself (2019)

A man finds a solution to his life's problems like depression and fatigue, but the solution is not what he thought.

'Living with Yourself' is a dramatic comedy series with philosophical tones. It has interesting ideas, short episodes and a charismatic cast.

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Timothy Greenberg   

Duration: 1 season of 8 episodes (26-30 minutes each)  

With: Paul Rudd, Aisling Bea, Ali Akbar Sepahi, Desmin Borges

Rating: 7/10

Wrong Turn (2021)

Un grup de hikers se confrunta cu Fundatia, un grup ce traieste izolat in munti de sute de ani.

'Wrong Turn' e un film horror ce adopta o turnura mai realista si aproape de casa a "muntenilor" din filmele precedente, poate chiar cu un efect mai eficient in inducerea de oroare. Bine facut. 

Regia:  Mike P. Nelson   

Cu: Charlotte Vega, Adain Bradley, Bill Sage, Emma Dumont, Daisy Head, Matthew Modine

Rating: 7.4/10

Also available in English

Wrong Turn (2021)

A group of hikers confronts the Foundation, a group that has lived isolated in the mountains for hundreds of years.

'Wrong Turn' is a horror film that adopts a more realistic and close to home version of the "mountain people" from the previous films, perhaps even with a more effective goal of inducing horror. Well made.

Director:  Mike P. Nelson   

With: Charlotte Vega, Adain Bradley, Bill Sage, Emma Dumont, Daisy Head, Matthew Modine

Rating: 7.4/10

Villains (2019)

Un cuplu patrunde intr-o casa izolata pentru un jaf impromptu, dar ce gasesc le schimba complet actiunile ce urmeaza.

'Villains' e ce se cheama dark comedy, cu aere dramatice. Are un umor subtil si negru, personaje pestrite si memorabile si un grup de actori ce sunt bine alesi. Personajele sunt bine echilibrate, termenul villain fiind ales cu dublu inteles, reprezentand exact ce te astepti dar si faptul ca primele impresii inseala. Nu e un film perfect, dar e perfect potrivit pentru a fi delectat de fanii genului sau ai distributiei.

Regia:  Dan Berk, Robert Olsen   

Cu: Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, Blake Baumgartner, Jeffrey Donovan, Kyra Sedgwick

Rating: 7.4/10

Also available in English

Villains (2019)

A couple breaks into an isolated house for an impromptu robbery, but what they find completely changes their next actions.

'Villains' is what they calle a dark comedy, with dramatic undertones. It has a subtle and dark humor, diverse and memorable characters and a group of well-chosen actors. The characters are well balanced, the term villain being chosen with a double meaning, representing exactly what you expect but also the fact that first impressions are deceiving. It's not a perfect movie, but it's perfectly suited to be enjoyed by fans of the genre or of the cast.

Directors:  Dan Berk, Robert Olsen   

With: Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, Blake Baumgartner, Jeffrey Donovan, Kyra Sedgwick

Rating: 7.4/10

Of Human Bondage (1934)

Un student la medicina este atras irational de o femeie superficiala ce are un efect distructiv.

'Of Human Bondage' este una din cateva ecranizari ale unui roman de la inceputul secolului trecut. Rece, superficial si grabit, filmul nu reuseste sa evoce ce pare sa incerce sa sugereze. Cea mai buna calitate a filmului este ca e reusit sa dea un start de succes carierei lui Bette Davis.

Regia:  John Cromwell   

Cu: Bette Davis, Leslie Howard, Frances Dee, Kay Johnson

Rating: 7/10

Also available in English

Of Human Bondage (1934)

A medical student is irrationally attracted to a superficial woman and that has a destructive effect.

'Of Human Bondage' is one of several screen adaptations of a novel from the beginning of the last century. Cold, superficial and rushed, the film fails to evoke what it seems to be trying to suggest. The best quality of the film is that it managed to give a successful start to the career of Bette Davis.

Director:  John Cromwell   

With: Bette Davis, Leslie Howard, Frances Dee, Kay Johnson

Rating: 7/10