The Northman (2022)

A Viking prince vows revenge for his father's death.

'The Northman' is an action film.. that's quite artistic. Stylized to the point of satiety, it manages to hold the viewer's attention, without forcing them to choose a side justice belongs to, merely just suggesting favorites. Well made, with a cast of surprising names, The Northman is a welcome choice.

Director:  Robert Eggers   

With: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe

Rating: 8/10

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Hercule Poirot is forced by circumstances to solve the mystery of a murder committed on the train he is traveling on.

'Murder on the Orient Express' is a new and modern adaptation of Agatha Christie's famous novel. Apart from the modern air (here we mean the observable technology proved by the perfect picture and the color and cinematography in general), the current adaptation does not bring much more than the old ones, except that once again, an impressive and different team of well established artists have gathered to bring the movie to life.

Director:  Kenneth Branagh  

With: Kenneth Branagh, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Johnny Depp, Lucy Boynton

Rating: 7.5/10

Nightmare Alley (2021)

An individual who's good at reading people, uses his talents to improve his lot in life.

'Nightmare Alley' is a film noir that benefits from modern tools (and colour!). With an impressive cast, the film manages to keep its mystery and arouse the audience's curiosity, despite a slight *or not so slight) frustration related to the choices the main character makes all along, which suggests his miserable end through many foreboding elements sprinkled from early on.

Director:  Guillermo del Toro      

With: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, David Strathairn, Mary Steenburgen, Holt McCallany, Paul Anderson, Clifton Collins Jr.

Rating: 8/10

Out of the Furnace (2013)

After the disappearance of his brother, Russell Baze decides to take things in his own hands.

'Out Of The Furnace' is a drama with some thriller bits mixed in. It contains some strong performances from the main actors and then some, but it will be tricky for the audience to keep emotionally involved in a story that would not have happened without the unfortunate and completely avoidable decisions of some of the characters. But the acting of the actors alone could be reason enough to see it to the end.

Director:  Scott Cooper     

With: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson, Sam Shepard, Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker, Boyd Holbrook

Rating: 7/10

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Spider-Man seeks the help of Doctor Strange after his identity is revealed.

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' is the latest in a long line of films with the much-loved hero. It is quite original, fun, nostalgic and interesting due to the presence of Doctor Strange and many of the characters of the past iterations.

Director:  Jon Watts       

With: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jamie Foxx, Jon Favreau, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Marisa Tomei, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire

Rating: 8/10

Odd Thomas (2013)

Odd Thomas is a young man with premonition and other supernatural abilities who helps the police in murder cases or predicts other bad events.

'Odd Thomas' is a dark adventure movie that looks and feels like a Young Adult novel based film, but is actually an adaptation of a Dean Koontz novel. The film stars the late and beloved Anton Yelchin in the lead role, which makes the film tolerable, but in general, the picture is a disoriented mixture of a multitude of ​​chain reaction events, which overloads the viewer without allowing him get attached to the characters or the idea of ​​their failure.

Director:  Stephen Sommers      

With: Anton Yelchin, Ashley Sommers, Leonor Varela, Matthew Page, Willem Dafoe

Rating: 6/10

The Lighthouse (2019)

Doi paznici de far in New England in timpul anilor 1890 isi tin companie incercand din greu sa isi retina un oarecare echilibru mental.

Un film drama horror cutremurator. Avand la baza diferite fapte reale din diverse evenimente ale trecutului, The Lighthouse e practic e o reproducere artistica a actului de a deveni nebun in izolare si conditii grele. Povestea e bine scrisa si intretinuta eficient de raportul celor doi actori ce impresioneaza iar cu partituri foarte grele. Vizual, desi alb negru pe un raport de aspect de 1.19 : 1, este violent si foarte descriptiv emotional, sentimentele tumultoase fiind la ordinea zilei.

Regia:  Robert Eggers    

Cu: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman, Logan Hawkes

Rating: 8/10

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

Aquaman (2018)

Aquaman - deja consacrat ca eroul binecunoscut - este introdus mai indeaproape lumii subacvatice Atlantis ce reprezinta jumatate din natura sa ca solutie pentru a evita un razboi devastator.

Actiunea urmeaza pe cea din Justice League. Este un film plin de efecte speciale cum este de asteptat, dar unele de foarte buna calitate. Scenele subacvatice sunt adesea fascinante cu vocile personajelor insotite de un ecou credibil si parul mereu "batut" de curentii de apa. In rest, nu este plictisitor, placut vizual, dar cu un dialog slabut si umplut cu clisee si sentimentalisme. Nicole Kidman este total nu in elementul ei.

Regia: James Wan

Cu: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English

Daybreakers (2009)

A doua asteptare de data asta cu un grad extrem de nemultumire si dezamagire plictisita a fost Daybreakers, care promitea multe, si mai ales prin distributie. Dar sa zic ca i-a lipsit sufletul ar fi prea putin. Nici nu am ce declara mult. E prost. Prost gandit (nu la ideea de scenariu ma refer caci sigur se putea stoarce un Blade wannabe din el), prost scris, actiune inceata si cu efect soporific, efecte speciale care lasa de dorit, momente sangeroase prost coregrafiate si fara nici un rost sau logica, ce mai, singurul atu e prezenta unui Ethan Hawke care pare sa fi revenit la viata. De evitat cu cele mai calduroase incurajari.

Regia: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Scenariul: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig

Cu: Ethan Hawke, Willem Defoe, Sam Neill