The Pale Blue Eye (2022)

A renowned detective is tasked with solving the mystery of the death of an army cadet, on which occasion he interacts with a young Edgar Allan Poe.

'The Pale Blue Eye' is a period thriller that borrows its style from Poe's writings. The mystery to be solved remains mysterious and keeps the viewer curious for a good part of the film, but the interesting interaction of the characters and the first-hand performances distract from the imperfections that appear in the last third of the film.

Regia:  Scott Cooper      

Cu: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Simon McBurney, Timothy Spall, Gillian Anderson, Toby Jones, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Robert Duvall

Rating: 7/10

The Batman (2022)

Batman is investigating the murders committed by the Riddler, a serial killer who seems to be targetting only central figures involved in a conspiracy that suggests deep layers of corruption in the legal system.

'The Batman' is the latest coming to life of the adventures of the beloved hero, a first installment for a new reboot meant as a trilogy. The new film manages to reach the fan-desired level of a dark atmosphere through a well-put together noir style, with well-developed characters with a reasonable amount of damage which indirectly but satisfactorily explains their way of thinking and acting. Robert Pattinson's emo Batman fits perfectly with Matt Reeves' wonderfully crafted Gotham world, delicately combined with the grunge melancholy of the' 90s.

Director:  Matt Reeves      

With: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, John Turturro, Paul Dano, Andy Serkis, Peter Sarsgaard

Rating: 10/10

Salinui chueok / Memories Of Murder (2003)

Two mediocre detectives are struggling to investigate a series of murders in a provincial town in Korea in the 1980s.

'Memories Of Murder' is an investigative thriller by the beloved Bong Joon Ho, the author of Parasite. The film is well done, the case, the context, the semi-rural environment are credibly portrayed, and the Korean society seems genuinely represented (mainly through the somewhat mocking dialogue, also seen in the Squid Game TV series). And yet what seems to hurt - the story more than anything else - is the annoyingly obvious mixture of human mediocrity with something as macabre and dark as a series of unsolved, unless just by accident, crimes.

Director:  Bong Joon Ho    

With: Kang-ho Song, Kim Sang-kyung, Roe-ha Kim, Jae-ho Song

Rating: 7/10

Street Kings (2008)

The life of a jaded policeman who often takes justice into his own hands is turned upside down after he is involved in the death of a colleague in dubious circumstances.

A crime action film that did not receive much praise at the time. With anti-heroes that are more believable than your usual characters in the many run-of-the-mill films of this genre, Street Kings is better done than advertised. Keanu Reeves manages to impress in his portraying of a less scrupulous character than we are used to. Plot holes have been seen many times before, but the film has a fresh and original air despite its shortcomings and offers a healthy portion of entertainment. 

Director:  David Ayer  

With: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans, Jay Mohr,  Cedric the Entertainer, Terry Crews, Naomie Harris, John Corbett, Amaury Nolasco

Rating: 8/10

The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)

A new conspiracy discovered by Lisbeth Salander, this time involving a scientist and his son and his creation that endangers the security of world peace.

An adaptation of the fourth novel in the series starring Lisbeth Salander, the first that isn't written by the original author. Taken over by David Lagercrantz after Stieg Larsson's death, the semi-official rumors say that at least the novel is based on his notes and the plans that he did not get a chance to see fulfilled. The first American adaptation after David Fincher's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, this film skips two novels and becomes an independent story that does not necessarily require knowledge from previous actions. That's disappointing for the fans of the books but also for the fans of David Fincher's version, which apparently was too unnecessarily expensive. Eh the question of less money is quite significant, because the current film is weak, does not give enough importance to logic and plausibility and does not allow enough time to the viewer to care about the characters. For simple but style lacking action, The Girl In The Spider's Web is sufficient.

Director:  Fede Alvarez   

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

Rating: 6/10

Nomis / Night Hunter (2018)

A team of investigators and a former judge now an unauthorized judge are facing a case of kidnappings and serial murders connected by a suspect with mental problems..

A sloppy tired thriller, written in a rush, aiming for only profits and with no respect for its audience's intelligence. The producers use a team of talented actors, but in such a bland way that they don't shine with anything. Logic is not a priority at all and the clichés keep on coming. A waste of time and even worse: a waste of good talent.

Director:  David Raymond      

With: Henry Cavill, Ben Kingsley, Alexandra Daddario, Stanley Tucci, Brendan Fletcher, Minka Kelly, Nathan Fillion

Rating: 6/10

Dark Places (2015)

Libby Day, a survivor of her family's massacre, begins to investigate what really happened that day.

Advertised as a follow up for Gone Girl, and based on the novel with the same name from a trilogy (which also contains Sharp Objects), it  actually has nothing to do with it. The only connection could be made when the main character is told that "other crimes do take place".

With an interesting plot and a good choice in Charlize Theron, the film follows the book closely, inheriting both the imperfections and its unusual ideas. Perhaps a bit rushed as a movie, the mystery is more "mysterious" as a novel, but probably much easier to enjoy visually without having had the experience of the book.

Directed by: Gilles Paquet-Brenner

Based on a novel by: Gillian Flynn

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

Jack Reacher (2012)

Film in perfect acord cu standardul Tom Cruise al ultimilor ani. Curat, benign, rapid, vindicativ, deznodamant eliberator. Nu se coboara sub asteptari dar nici nu genereaza asteptari teribile sau ecouri ale izbandelor de altadata. Perfect pentru o seara relaxanta in asteptarea unui nou Jack Ryan (contestabil), James Bond sau Jason Bourne (as fi putut spune sau Ethan Hunt, dar conform regulei mai sus mentionate, misiunile imposibile recente se complac din pacate standardului descris).

Regia: Christopher McQuarrie
Scenariu: Christopher McQuarrie, Lee Child (carte)
Cu: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Werner Herzog (huh?!), Richard Jenkins, Robert Duvall (sa spunem...)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Sunt fana filme de spionaj, ca sa nu mai spun fana a unui casting ce cuprinde numele lui Gary Oldman, si eu pot spune cu mana pe inima ca mi-a placut acest film. Subiectiv vorbind. Dar obiectiva incercand sa fiu, imi dau seama ce anume ar putea sa nu prea functioneze cum a fost planuit in chimia regie-scenariu-desfasurare-privitor. Povestea este destul de imbarligata si complexa inca din originile sale romanesti. Astfel planurile (a)temporale suprapuse, dese, si mai ales destul de scurte incat sa ia prin suprindere tranzitia, cand aceasta este inca observabila, incalcesc si mai tare firul naratiunii si fac foarte grea urmarirea ei constienta si mereu pe faza. Fiecare din secventele suprapuse constituie impresii de genuri foarte diferite, unele sunt amintiri cu impact emotional puternic, altele sunt detalii tehnice important de retinut pentru legarea povestii. Astfel a trebuit sa depun un efort constient pentru retinerea multimii de detalii cu care privitorul este bombardat, fara desfasurare liniara, fara legaturi evidente, cel putin pana la deznodamant. Finalul este dur si rational, emotional si rece in acelasi timp, dar cu siguranta isi face amprenta simtita. Astfel, acesta impreuna cu distributia impresionanta ce mai cuprinde nume ca John Hurt, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch sau Ciarán Hinds, reprezinta elemente care cantaresc greu in critica ecranizarii.

Regie: Tomas Alfredson
Scenariu: Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan, John le Carré (roman)
Cu: Gary Oldman, John Hurt, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds, Toby Jones

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

State Of Play (2009)

Investigatie jurnalistica in traditia lui All the President's Men si The Pelican Brief creata dupa modelul unui serial britanic. Cu munca de detaliu si intrigi

incurcate dar maiestreste imbinate, filmul este stralucit pana spre final, cand spulbera tot farmecul castigat pana la acel punct ca pe un castel de carti de joc printr-un twist nu doar surprinzator dar neplacut si anost si care anuleaza toata constructia alambicata a teoriilor la a care am fost partasi. Elementul subiectiv adaugat pionului investigator (lucru nu intru totul nemaintalnit pana acum, desi niciodata la asa mare intensitate) aducea ceva nou si cu placere si curiozitate primit, cu o vaga asteptare a simtului vindicativ pentru privitor, dar totodata a fost si sursa dezamagirii finale, si a catorva plot holes ce probabil mult mai frumos puteau fi umplute. Totusi in mare, macar pentru prima parte a sa, merita vazut. Si oricum niciodata nu imi refuz un film cu Russell Crowe. Si thumbs up pentru Helen Mirren. Iar!

Regia: Kevin Macdonald
Scenariul: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray(adaptare), Paul Abbott (seria tv)
Cu: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels