Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

A child witness to a crime becomes the protégé of a specialist in survival and containment of forest fires.

"Those Who Wish Me Dead" is a thriller of a classic formula: the bad guys are very bad and obvious, even if slightly interesting, and the good guys are spotless and aren't aware of it. Despite the overused stereotypes, the film also has original ideas, an unusual context rooted in real life facts and warms the heart exactly as much as it should.

Director:  Taylor Sheridan   

With: Angelina Jolie, Nicholas Hoult, Finn Little, Jon Bernthal, Aidan Gillen, Jake Weber, Tyler Perry

Rating: 8/10

Renfield (2023)

Renfield begins to feel the possibility of a life free from Dracula.

'Renfield' is a horror comedy, based on the codependent relationship between servant and master. With some successful moments of humor every now and then, fighting worthy of superhero movies, Renfield is not exactly the promised movie, but it is entertaining.

Director:  Chris McKay    

With: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz

Rating: 7/10

The Menu (2022)

A couple travels to an island where a club of exclusive gourmands experience a prestigious dinner.

'The Menu' is a thriller that reminds one of the predominant obsession of the Hannibal series for the aesthetics of cooking, with strict and consistent rules about what is blame, what is guilty, what is wrong, and what are the appropriate actions for each type of failure, sometimes seeming similar to the Bushido code, where honor is the essence of a person. Interesting, unusual and unexpected, the film is beautifully supported by the main protagonists and their supporting actors group.

Director:  Mark Mylod       

With: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau

Rating: 9/10

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)

Jean Grey merges with a powerful astral force and becomes a danger to those around her, causing a conflict between the mutants that try to protect her and those who want her gone.

Dark Phoenix is ​​a continuation of the series started with First Class and tries to tell the story of Jean Grey's duality again, after the failed attempt (according to some) in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). The current film is instead even weaker, full of bland and ridiculous dialogue, and dubious character actions and decisions.

Director:  Simon kinberg   

With: James McAvoy, Sophie Turner, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Tye Sheridan, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters

Rating: 6/10

The Favourite (2018)

Prietenia si influenta lui Lady Sarah asupra reginei Anne este amenintata cand o noua servitoare, fosta nobila, este introdusa la curte.

Unul dintre cele mai bune filme istorice, mai ales cand este considerata maiestria neobisnuita a lui Yorgos Lanthimos. Subiectul real nu i-a permis sa exploreze unghiuri fanteziste cum pare sa ii placa de obicei, dar stilul sau se lasa simtit in multe aspecte ale cinematografiei, de la ridicolul scenelor ostentative ale vietii de la curte, exagerarea aerelor nobiliare sau figurile mofturoase ale damelor in conflict. Cele trei actrite sunt minunate, cu Olivia Colman si Rachel Weisz mai mult decat fascinante, lucru ce a generat o situatie neobisnuita in sezonul premiilor de cinema, ocazie care a vazut-o pe Olivia nominalizata ca actrita principala, iar pe Emma Stone si Rachel Wesz ca actrite secundare, desi importanta pentru naratiune si timpul pe ecran este aproape egal.

Regia:  Yorgos Lanthimos    

Cu: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult

Rating: 10/10

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Dark Places (2015)

Libby Day, supraviețuitoarea masacrului familiei sale, începe să investigheze ce s-a întâmplat cu adevărat în aceea zi.

Vândut ca urmare a lui Gone Girl, și bazat pe romanul cu același nume dintr-o trilogie (ce mai conține și Sharp Objects), nu are de fapt nici o legatura cu acesta. Singura legătură ar putea fi făcută când personajului principal i se spune că "alte crime au loc".
Cu o intrigă interesantă și cu o alegere potrivită în Charlize Theron, filmul urmează cartea îndeaproape, moștenind atât imperfecțiunile cât și ideile neobișnuite. Poate un pic grăbit ca film, misterul este mai "misterios" ca roman, dar probabil mult mai ușor de savurat vizual fără să fi avut experiența cărții.

Regia/scenariu: Gilles Paquet-Brenner

Dupa un roman de: Gillian Flynn

Cu: Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Christina Hendricks, Corey Stoll, Tye Sheridan, Chloë Grace Moretz

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English