Damsel (2024)

A noble young woman agrees to become a princess to save her people from starvation, but the trade is not exactly what it initially appeared to be.

'Damsel' is a fantasy film with teeth. It is far from being a masterpiece that offers a deep and multi-faceted meaning, the plot and its development are predictable and the message a bit too on-the-nose, and yet it is a source of genuine entertainment precisely for the cheap satisfaction and in addition, hearing Shohreh Aghdashloo's voice from the dragon's mouth is a real delight.

Director:  Juan Carlos Fresnadillo     

With: Millie Bobby Brown, Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett, Brooke Carter, Joely Richardson, Shohreh Aghdashloo

Rating: 7/10

Red Sparrow (2018)

A ballerina who sees her career destroyed, is forced by circumstances to learn the art of seduction and espionage.

'Red Sparrow' is an action thriller that seems a copycat given some current releases (Atomic Blonde, Anna, anything with Mila Jovovich). The film works well on its own, even with the mentioned comparisons (no one complains when Jason Bourne 13 or Mission Impossible 2000 is coming around the corner ...), and Jennifer Lawrence proves once again that she can alternate dramatic roles with more commercial ones.

Director:  Francis Lawrence      

With: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Ciarán Hinds, Mary-Louise Parker, Joely Richardson, Jeremy Irons, Bill Camp

Rating: 8/10

The Sandman (2022-)

Dream, the being who controls the world of dreams, escapes after being kidnapped for almost a century and brings order to his world.

'Sandman' is a fantasy series based on a series of well-loved comics by Neil Gaiman. It exceeds all expectations regarding the staging of such a well-developed and imaginative world and characters, with an incredible dream/nightmare atmosphere. The team of actors is unexpectedly well chosen in terms of appearance but also voice, gestures and everything that means the personification of beings that exist only two-dimensionally. The main story itself isn't all that special, but it's just an excuse to bring to life an amazing fantasy world. In addition, the 2 filler episodes (as all series have) from somewhere in the middle, raise the overall quality by a lot.

Director:  Jamie Childs and others

Production:  Netflix   

Creator: Neil Gaiman, David S. Goyer, Allan Heinberg   

Duration:  1 season of 10 episodes (45 minutes each)   

With: Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Mason Alexander Park, David Thewlis, Jenna Coleman, Joely Richardson

Rating: 9/10

Maggie (2015)

Un tata petrece ultimele saptamani cu fiica sa, dupa ce aceasta este infectata cu o boala fatala ce transforma victimele in zombie.

O drama neobisnuita cu Arnold Schwarzenegger. Pune intrebari interesante in ceea ce priveste legatura emotionala cu o victima ce este intrerupta de o transformare atipica. Filmul de fata arata opusul ideii din The Mist (nu spun mai multe pe motive de spoilers...) si ideea de fata (si anume ca nu ai privi acea persoana diferit) se simte ca ar fi reactia cea mai naturala. Altfel, filmul nu e prea special, partea horror e undeva ascunsa in fundal, si ritmul este cam incet. Arnold isi duce rolul in spate modest si fara prea nimic de comentat.

Regia:  Henry Hobson     

Cu: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, Joely Richardson

Rating: 7/10

Also read in English

Vampire Academy (2014)

Dhampir, Moroi si Strigoi sunt trei versiuni diferite de vampiri. Rose si Lissa apartin primelor doua si arata o legatura prieteneasca ce depasteste masurile normalului. 

Un film horror cu vampiri adolescenti. Mitul vampirilor este dezvoltat ceva mai mult cu o tripla versiune a fiintelor ce au fascinat de secole intr-un mod destul de interesant. Pacat ca viteza productiei si lipsa de interes real a producatorilor fac risipa din dialogul ce nu e rau si povestea diluata pentru un public subapreciat.

Regia:  Mark Waters     

Cu: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky, Gabriel Byrne, Olga Kurylenko, Claire Foy, Joely Richardson, Sarah Hyland

Rating: 6/10

Also read in English

Color Out of Space (2019)

Viata unei familii ce traieste la o ferma izolata trece prin schimbari apocaliptice dupa aterizarea unui meteorit intrigant.

Un film SF netraditional, cu elemente comune cu un alt clasic ca The Thing, Colour Out Of Space se bazeaza pe o povestire scrisa de H.P. Lovecraft. Foloseste efecte vizuale foarte bogate si impresionante ce adancesc efectul artistic asupra privitorului, cu o simbolistica interesanta asociata culorii preponderente si anume movul, obtinut din rosu si albastru in anumite circumstante, cele doua culori fiind asociate in general cu binele si raul, movul sugerand lipsa de substrat malefic sau chiar opus, concepte necunoscute fortei extraterestre din film. Lipsit de logica in anumite momente, filmul este totusi impresionant, jocul actorilor este de prima mana (Nicolas Cage aminteste de rolul sau din Vampire's Kiss) si este placut de vizionat.

Regia:  Richard Stanley     

Cu: Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur, Elliot Knight

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Praise the lord, exact asta asteptam! Dupa ce primul teaser trailer de acum ceva luni bune m-a facut sa ma delectez cu intreaga trilogie tiparita, amanata pe nedrept pana la acel moment, acum unul din regizorii mei preferati reuseste sa aduca la viata aproape fara cusur volumul meu preferat dintre cele 3. Distributia a fost perfect aleasa. Noomi Rapace - cea ce a adus-o la viata pe Lisbeth in ecranizarea suedeza- desi ar fi fost ideala in rol, a refuzat si a fost inlocuita cu succes zic eu de mult mai delicata Rooney Mara (o sa mai auzim de fata asta), iar Daniel Craig se confunda complet cu portretul imaginat in cuvinte scrise al lui Mikael Bloomkvist. Scenariului i se aplica mici modificari pe ici pe colo fata de original, dar sa-i spunem doar licenta poetica, caci David Fincher este unul dintre cei ce si-o permit. Intriga este construita in acelasi ritm ca in carte, revelatiile vin la fel de pline de suspans, atmosfera este intretinuta aproape pe nesimtite de mici subterfugii vizuale si auditive foarte subtile, iar spectatorul nu este deloc scutit de intensitatea nici unei trairi, incomode (da sunt multe momente din astea) sau nu, deoarece totul este replicat ca in carte si oferit catre vizionare.

Stieg Larsson se rasuceste in mormant acum, dar de satisfactie.

Regie: David Fincher
Scenariu: Steven Zaillian (adaptare), Stieg Larsson (roman)
Cu: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Robin Wright, Joely Richardson, Goran Visnjic, Geraldine James