The Gray Man (2022)

A valuable CIA operative becomes the target of a psychopathic colleague after he comes accross traces of an inside conspiracy.

'The Gray Man' is an action film with a reasonable budget, which allows it to focus on special effects and exaggerated situations and not on a credible, sense-making story. And it's ok, because it's fun

Director:  Anthony Russo, Joe Russo     

With: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton

Rating: 6/10

Knock Knock (2015)

A family man is assaulted by two young women during the weekend when he stays at home to work, away from his family.

"Knock Knock" is a home invasion type thriller with a special flavor, without any substance, but special. It's apparently a remake of a movie called Death Game (1977). Eli Roth makes his own wife available for it and she is accompanied by dear Ana de Armas, otherwise the film is quite empty and pointless. Keanu is adorable but this is certainly far from a role for him.

Director:  Eli Roth    

With: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns

Rating: 5/10

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

No Time to Die (2021)

James Bond is officially retired but finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy around a weapon that attacks target DNA after he decides to help a friend who works for the CIA.

'No Time To Die' is the most recent film from the Bond series, the last with Daniel Craig in the role that made him famous. The plot is quite interesting but all the events that follow are like an endless display of suspenseful scenes and chases that at some point all blur into each other. The film is however quite well done, with impressive effects and an attractive cast, and the ending was unexpected.

Director:  Cary Joji Fukunaga      

With: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux

Rating: 8/10

Knives Out (2019)

Decesul capului unei familii bogate declanseaza o investigatie misterioasa si conflicte neasteptate.

Un film de investigatii de crima in stilul clasic al lui Agatha Christie sau Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Cu o distributie de milioane, fiecare detaliu este gandit cu multa atentie si intentie, fiecare personaj este caracterizat in linii mari si mici, de la gesturi si replici pana la stilul si preferintele vestimentare cu amprente vizuale puternice, amintind in unele locuri de stilul lui Wes Anderson. Fiecare actor isi duce rolul in spate intr-un mod excelent, dand personalitate si adancime personajului, dar Daniel Craig (detectivul Benoit Blanc) si Ana de Armas (ingrijitoarea personala Marta) sunt de exceptie, furand scena abil de cate ori isi fac aparitia. 

Ritmul este destul de alert, misterul este constant chiar si cand ti se dezvaluie parti din adevarul final la mijlocul peliculei, multe elemente surpriza tinand creierul privitorului in continua intrebare, incercand sa invarta teorii si posibilitati, dar fara a deveni suparator sau frustrant. Un deliciu pentru fanii genului.

Regia:  Rian Johnson    

Cu: Daniel Craig, Toni Collette, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis,  Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, LaKeith Stanfield, Christopher Plummer, Riki Lindhome, Frank Oz, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell

Rating: 10/10

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