Perfect Days (2023)

Hirayama enjoys his simple life, even if he spends his days cleaning public toilets.

'Perfect Days' is an unexpected film from Wim Wenders, who came up with the story of a happy case of retirement into simplicity of a character who has known capitalist success and monetary ambitions. The story takes place exclusively in a modern Japan and is full of color and understanding. Recommended only to those who understand and enjoy the appeal of simple pleasures.

Director:  Wim Wenders     

With: Koji Yakusho, Tokio Emoto, Arisa Nakano

Rating: 8.5/10

Godzilla Minus One / Gojira -1.0 (2023)

In post-war Japan, Godzilla is a new threat awakened by the violence of the war.

'Gojira -1.0' is a dramatic film and a fantastic blockbuster in the same package. It offers a deep message and a group of multidimensional characters with a story that captivates in parallel with the threat of the monster, which normally uses up the potential for intrigue.

Director:  Takashi Yamazaki    

With: Minami Hamabe, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Munetaka Aoki

Rating: 8/10

Mayfair Witches (2023-)

A young neurosurgeon with extrasensory powers learns that she is part of a known family of witches, but the news brings unexpected responsibilities.

'Mayfair Witches' is a series adapted from Anne Rice's successful books. It follows the action and portrayals in the book quite close to the source and adds a bit of modern flair and the technological advantage of recent years which has been a huge benefit for the horror genre. Alexandra Daddario is a suitable choice, although sometimes she falls into the trap of overacting, the Latin scenes being an example, but overall, the adaptation is a success and contains enough temptation for a next season.

Director:  Haifaa Al-Mansour and others   

Production:  AMC   

Duration:  1 season of 8 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Alexandra Daddario, Tongayi Chirisa, Jack Huston, Harry Hamlin, Annabeth Gish, Beth Grant

Rating: 8/10

Anatomie d'une chute / Anatomy of a fall (2023)

A writer must reveal hidden truths in the trial that follows the death of her husband through a fall.

"Anatomy of a Fall" is a dramatic film that does not waste dialogue. Every discussion and exchange of lines has meaning and participates to the impressive amount of intention, implication and emotional baggage generated by the film. Impressive but not pleasant.

Director: Justine Triet   

With: Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Antoine Reinartz

Rating: 8/10

Saw X (2023)

John Kramer is deceived by a group that promises him a miraculous cure and decides to punish them.

'Saw X' is the latest addition to the long-running franchise. A probably exciting event for the fans, but unfortunately the screenwriters decided to make quick money and ignore the need for consistency and credibility of the character.

Director:  Kevin Greutert   

With: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand

Rating: 6/10

The Nun II (2023)

The nun Irene is sent to investigate a series of religious crimes that seem to be committed by the previously defeated demon.

'The Nun II' is the continuation of the story of the ghost nun from the films from The Conjuring franchise. It keeps the original distribution (with small changes) and somehow manages to obtain a more consistent and whole result, with as many horror-type actions as it can fit and many layers that manage to keep attention away from any possible flaws. Not flawless but attention grabing with what the audience likes.

Director:  Michael Chaves   

With: Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell

Rating: 7.5/10

BlackBerry (2023)

The history of the first smartphone.

'BlackBerry' is a satirical history of the events surrounding the creation of the first smartphone. Well acted, with an alert script and intelligent dialogue.

Director:  Matt Johnson    

With: Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Kelly Van der Burg, Martin Donovan, Saul Rubinek, Cary Elwes

Rating: 8/10

Baghead (2023)

A young woman inherits her estranged father's pub, in which is imprisoned a being that can bring back the deceased temporarily.

"Baghead" is a horror film that uses the traditional elements of the genre (nightmarish screams, sudden noises, etc.) but brings to life a popular idea ("the wronged witch") with an original reimagining. It has enough flaws (dubious choices of the main character, the unfounded and superficially treated vilification of the extra male character), but it deserves attention for its breath of fresh air and the clever ending.

Director: Alberto Corredor    

With:  Freya Allan, Jeremy Irvine, Ruby Barker, Peter Mullan

Rating: 7.6-ish/10

Saltburn (2023)

An Oxford student is drawn to the fascinating world of modern aristocrats through the lens of his colleague's family.

'Saltburn' is a slightly satirized drama about the highly favored human desire for more: more money, more appeal, more popularity. It seems inspired by the story of Tom Ripley, but with more comedy/satire, less depth and more scandalous content. The film has many intelligent moments, generally enriched by the secondary characters, but the rule seems to be script laziness which tries to overcompensate with shock scenes.

Director:  Emerald Fennell   

With: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant

Rating: 7/10

Nimona (2023)

A knight unjustly accused of a crime, aligns himself with a teenage girl who has many hidden tricks and a strange desire to be a villain.

'Nimona' is a modern animated film, belonging to the fantasy genre. It has interesting elements of futurism mixed with medieval specifics and tries quite effectively to teach lessons about tolerance and the differences between people.

Director:  Nick Bruno, Troy Quane    

With: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Frances Conroy

Rating: 8/10

Leave the World Behind (2023)

A family rents a dream house, but the moment coincides with a cyberattack that changes the rules.

"Leave the World Behind" is a thriller that tries to make a clever point about the world's addiction to technology, but remains intriguing only through the interesting interaction between 6 very different people.

Director:  Sam Esmail    

With: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la

Rating: 7/10

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)

A village of farmers on a pacifist moon is forced to take extreme defensive measures after an unjust attack by the ruling force.

'Rebel Moon - Part One' is the first part of a futuristic fantasy series, created by Zack Snyder, which is a welcome change in a genre oversaturated with Star Wars and all of its spin-offs. It's not extraordinary, but it has a very well-chosen cast and some well-coordinated martial-style fight sequences and not just confrontations with futuristic guns and "pew-pew" at every turn.

Director:  Zack Snyder      

With: Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Bae Doona, Charlie Hunnam, Anthony Hopkins, Staz Nair, Cary Elwes

Rating: 6.5/10

A Murder at the End of the World (2023)

An eccentric technological genius and his wife invite a group of people - exceptional in their field - to an isolated hotel in Iceland, where a murder takes place on the first night.

'A Murder at the End of the World' is a dramatic miniseries that follows a more unorthodox and very modern forensic investigation. With a group of actors that are well known but not too mainstream, and rarely seen on the screen, the series is ambitious from the first moment and follows a line of slow but determined development and is imbued with memory scenes that highlight the emotional weight of the facts the main character has to bear. With some imperfections in the script, especially related to the moments when some characters call others geniuses with no real proof, the geographical situation, and the subtle and skillfully quiet cinematography create an experience worth savoring, even with the week-long wait for each new episode.

Director:  Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling    

Production:  Hulu  

Creator:  Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling   

Duration:  miniseries of 7 episodes (~1 hour each)  

With: Emma Corrin, Brit Marling, Harris Dickinson, Raúl Esparza, Clive Owen, Joan Chen, Edoardo Ballerini, Alice Braga

Rating: 9/10

Cobweb (2023)

An 8-year-old boy is curious about the knocks in the wall of his room.

'Cobweb' is a horror film that chooses some unexpected paths. Elements of the story are predictable but the final explanation is a surprise that can be received in various ways, depending on everyone's personality and their love for an unusual use of imagination. The technical methods used are modern and it is very refreshing and encouraging that the modern horror era takes the genre seriously in terms of budget, acting talent and direction. The current film is no exception.

Director:  Samuel Bodin     

With: Lizzy Caplan, Antony Starr, Cleopatra Coleman, Woody Norman

Rating: 8/10

Bodies (2023)

Four London detectives from 4 different periods find the same body, in the same place.

'Bodies' is a miniseries with an interesting concept. The plot and the explanation of the mystery are copied from the Doctor Who manual, but without the original's ability to make nonsense make sense and have appeal. However, the 4 perspectives of the same case offer an interesting opportunity to create relevant and believable characters that interact with what surrounds them in an interesting way and that is worth watching.

Director:  Marco Kreuzpaintner,    Haolu Wang

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Paul Tomalin   

Duration:  miniseries of 8 episodes (~55 minutes each)  

With: Amaka Okafor, Kyle Soller, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Shira Haas, Stephen Graham, Greta Scacchi, Synnove Karlsen, George Parker, Michael Jibson

Rating: 7/10

Haunted Mansion (2023)

A single mother and her son move into a haunted house and gather a team of specialists to help with some exorcisms.

'Haunted Mansion' is a horror comedy based on a Disneyland attraction, the second of its kind. Superficial, with a few nice tear-jerking moments and a few jokes, and some special effects worthy of an amusement park, Haunted Mansion does not manage to be much "for children" (kind of too scary) but certainly not for adults.

Director:  Justin Simien     

With: LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto

Rating: 5.6/10

The Fall Of The House Of Usher (2023)

Roderick Usher talks to Auggie Dupin in his mother's house, telling him how he is guilty of the death of each of his children.

'The Fall Of The House Of Usher' is Mike Flanagan's latest (and last) miniseries adaptation in collaboration with Netflix. Based on the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, the series majestically combines several of his stories into a modern homage to the original Gothic style. Reimagined in a very original way, TFOTHOU will easily satisfy the need for the gothic in the life of the viewer and will turn the direction of their thoughts towards analysis and search for real "wealth". Visually it is grandiose, the deaths and their associated parallel stories are never rushed or treated superficially, and without ever forgetting the main narrative thread, the audience is treated satisfactorily with parallel development and an appropriate ending even when it is expected.

Director:  Michael Fimognari, Mike Flanagan   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Mike Flanagan     

Duration:  1 season of 8 episodes (~1 hour each)   

With: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Henry Thomas, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan, T'Nia Miller, Zach Gilford, Willa Fitzgerald, Michael Trucco, Katie Parker, Ruth Codd, Mark Hamill, Kate Siegel, Carl Lumbly

Rating: 8.6/10

Totally Killer (2023)

After the serial "Sweet 16" Killer murders her mother, Jamie goes back in time 35 years earlier to stop him before he starts.

'Totally Killer' is a horror comedy that uses the tropes of Back To The Future to deliver a piece of genuine and relaxed entertainment.

Director:  Nahnatchka Khan    

With: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Charlie Gillespie, Lochlyn Munro, Julie Bowen

Rating: 7/10

No One Will Save You (2023)

A young woman who leads an isolated life is attacked by extraterrestrial beings in her parental home.

'No One Will Save You' is a horror movie with aliens. That's usually not the most promising combination, but if the viewer does not allow themselves to be led by prejudices, and ignores the undesirable presences, the film presents many satisfactory elements, and demonstrates qualities that are difficult to obtain normally: first of all, the extensiveness of the main actress is an asset to applaud on, because the film is almost completely devoid of dialogue, then there's the feeling of solidarity with a so-called "final girl" that cannot be ignored, and the ending can be interpreted in several intriguing ways.

Director:  Brian Duffield       

With: Kaitlyn Dever, Elizabeth Kaluev, Zack Duhame, Lauren L. Murray

Rating: 7.5/10

Justified: City Primeval (2023)

15 years later, Raylan's vacation with his teenage daughter is interrupted by local events that require his attention.

'Justified: City Primeval' is an event season that resumes the story of Raylan Givens, 15 years later than we last saw him in the last season of Justified, and introduces a more modern, complex and rapidly developing context. And so Boyd Holbrook enters the scene in an intriguing and nuanced role, not qite as nuanced as everyone's favorite antagonist (Boyd Crowder), but a close attempt. However, the rest of the context loses a bit of its weight, plausibility and authenticity. Just enough. A shame, but still worth watching.

Director:  Michael Dinner and others   

Production:  FX   

Creator:  Dave Andron, Michael Dinner   

Duration:  1 special season of 8 episodes (48 minutes each)   

With: Timothy Olyphant, Boyd Holbrook, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Marin Ireland, Vivian Olyphant, Terry Kinney

Rating: 7/10