Abigail (2024)

A group of criminals who do not know each other are hired to kidnap the daughter of a tycoon without knowing important sinister secrets.

"Abigail" is a heist, action and horror movie. Its twist has already been revealed from the trailer or other media sources, but the film manages to still be satisfying and well made, with a good measure of action combined with cheap but effective plot points, resulting in a film that maintains one's attention and satisfies the need for good entertainment.

Director:  Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett   

With: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Durand, Matthew Goode

Rating: 8/10

A Discovery of Witches (2018– )

Diana este doctor in istorie de succes, dar are radacini supranaturale, si viata ei se schimba cand devine evident ca este singura persoana ce poate accesa un anume volum de istorie de interes pentru lumea supranaturala.

Un serial romantic despre o realitate moderna amestecata cu istorii supranaturale, ce intriga in mod original in perioada de inceput, pentru ca apoi sa continuie intr-un mod ce aminteste de un Twilight de nivel superior. Cu cliseele romantice de rigoare, A Discovery of Witches este interesant de ajuns pentru a nu suferi din cauza renumelui negativ al unor povesti similare in acelasi gen. Actorii isi duc rolul in spate cu multa abilitate, fara a da in ridicol, si intriga este interesanta si serioasa.

Regia:  Farren Blackburn si altii   

Productie:  Sky   

Creator:  Deborah Harkness   

Durata:  2 sezoane a cate 10 episoade (42 minute fiecare)   cu un al 3-lea in productie

Cu: Matthew Goode, Teresa Palmer, Valarie Pettiford, Alex Kingston, Lindsay Duncan, Owen Teale, Sophia Myles

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English

Watchmen (2009)

An unofficial murder investigation and its follow up after the death of a well known superhero in the year of 1985.

No idea why I've been hearing dissatisfied  rumours about this because the movie is simply brilliant. After the first 5 minutes I found myself praying that it would continue in the same note, line, rhythm and subtlety (yes ... you read that right :P) and that's because the first most important scene is mindblowing, with a genius's touch. A lot of action, mechanical fights, zoom ins, slow motion, tough attitudes, and all with an adorable and ironic musical background of Nat King Cole's "unforgettable" Unforgettable. So my expectations were again exceeded. Even the moments that should by definition be ridiculous somehow end up being meaningful and important and everything comes together beautifully, coordinated, without any boring moment. Nothing you'd expect from a superhero movie can be found here except the costumes. The music is great and it contains surprising 70s oldies titles (Jimmy Hendrix, Leonard Cohen and then some ...), almost every time chosen in a tone that's opposite to the scene in progress. Blunt lines, sometimes funny, sometimes only ironic. Imperfect people, with human lives, insecurities, mixed feelings, who become invincible when they hide behind their everyday masks (only one exception - of course - but we'll allow it) and a perfect villain - cold and calculated and difficult to spot - built on the premise that the line between good and evil is very thin, which is quite rare in this genre of films when everything is usually either black or white ... And the director does not try to hide the more ugly and difficult to digest realities for the sake of the more sensitive and easily offended public which seems so common/normal these days. Ah and I loved the line "Hitler was a vegetarian too". I didn't know that : P.

Directed by: Zack Snyder
With: Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Carla Gugino, Matthew Goode, Billy Crudup, Jeffrey Dean Morgan

This is a translation of an old post, see it here