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 Harder They Fall (2021)

A famous gunman uses his gang to take revenge on the man who killed his parents, right after hearing news that the man is about to be released from prison.

'The Harder They Fall' is a western that's full of action and melodic choreography and originality, which does not necessarily come from the script but from the way the script was written and enacted. The music has become an undeclared witness to the events and very effectively maintains the harmony and choreographic balance of the meticulously arranged scenes. The story itself has a few plot holes, but this fact somehow fades when it is balanced with the general artistic and stylistic effect.

Director:  Jeymes Samuel      

With: Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, RJ Cyler, Edi Gathegi, Damon Wayans Jr., Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, Idris Elba

Rating: 8/10

The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)

O noua conspiratie descoperita de Lisbeth Salander, de aceasta data implicand un om de stiinta si fiul acestuia si creatia sa ce pune in pericol siguranta pacii mondiale.

Ecranizarea celui de-al patrulea roman din seria lui Lisbeth Salander, primul care nu este scris de autorul original Stieg Larsson. Preluat de David Lagercrantz  dupa moartea acestuia, zvonurile semi-oficiale macar spun ca se bazeaza pe notitele acestuia si planurile pe care nu a ajuns sa le solidifice. Prima ecranizare americana dupa The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo al lui David Fincher, filmul de fata sare doua romane si devine o poveste independenta ce nu necesita neaparat cunostiinte din actiunile precedente. Fapt dezamagitor pentru fanii cartilor dar si pentru fanii versiunii lui David Fincher, chipurile prea scumpa in mod nenecesar. Eh chestiunea banilor mai putini se simte, deoarece filmul de fata e slabut, nu acorda importanta logicii si verosimilitatii si nu acorda timp privitorului sa ii pese. Pentru actiune simpla si fara stil, The Girl In The Spider's Web e suficient.

Regia:  Fede Alvarez   

Cu:  Claire Foy, Beau Gadsdon, Sverrir Gudnason, LaKeith Stanfield, Sylvia Hoeks, Stephen Merchant, Claes Bang, Cameron Britton

Rating: 6/10

Also read in English

Death Note (2017)

Un adolescent solitar gaseste un caiet ce ucide persoanele ale caror nume sunt scrise in el si incepe o cruciada impotriva criminalilor ce scapa nepedepsiti.

Un remake al unei populare serii manga si film cu acelasi nume. Acuzat de whitewashing, Death Note pare a avea o soarta nedreapta deoarece nu face altceva decat sa schimbe locatia din Japonia si sa adapteze contextul. Cu o idee originala reusita insotita de o grafica memorabila (designul lui Ryuk este foarte creativ), un tel nobil si o dezvoltare a actiunii decent de isteata, Death Note functioneaza si ca remake si de sine statator, dar si mai eficient in a inspira audienta sa incerce originalul japonez.

Regia:  Adam Wingard    

Cu: Nat Wolff, LaKeith Stanfield, Margaret Qualley, Shea Whigham, Willem Dafoe

Rating: 7/10

Also read in English