Slasher Season I - "The Executioner" (2016)

Sarah Bennett se intoarce in oraselul natal, unde parintii i-au fost ucisi brutal de The Executioner, dar momentul coincide cu o serie de crime noi de tip copycat dupa acelasi criminal.

Slasher e un serial de tip antologie ce ofera fanilor exact ce titlul promite: povesti cu multe personaje ce dureaza un sezon, in timpul caruia au loc crime spectaculoase, in adevarata traditie slasher. Similar lui American Horror Story, actorii sunt reciclati pentru fiecare sezon nou, si fiecare sezon poate fi urmarit independent de celelalte, in orice ordine.

Primul sezon incepe foarte puternic cu amintiri din anii '80 si intoarcerea personajului principal. Apoi, rand pe rand, in fiecare episod moare cate un personaj vinovat de unul din cele 7 pacate. Crimele sunt teatrale, bine gandite, dar povestea ce le leaga aduce adesea cu o telenovela cusuta cu ata alba, iar finalul slabut si inconsistent reduce mult impresia generala a intregului sezon.

Regia:  Craig David Wallace   

Productie:  Shudder   

Creator:  Aaron Martin   

Durata:  Sezonul I din 4, fiecare a cate 8 episoade (1 ora fiecare)   

Cu: Katie McGrath, Brandon Jay McLaren, Steve Byers, Dean McDermott, Christopher Jacot, Mayko Nguyen, Rob Stewart, Wendy Crewson, Jefferson Brown, Mark Ghanimé

Rating: 6/10

Also available in English

Slasher Season I - "The Executioner" (2016)

Sarah Bennett returns to her hometown, where her parents were brutally killed by The Executioner, but the moment coincides with a series of new copycat killings using the same murderer's MO.

Slasher is an anthology series that offers fans exactly what the title promises: stories with many characters that last a season, during which spectacular murders take place, in a true slasher tradition. Similar to American Horror Story, the actors are recycled for each new season, and each season can be watched independently of the others, in any order. 

The first season begins very strongly with memories from the '80s and the return of the main character. Then, one by one, in each episode, a character guilty of one of the 7 sins dies. The murders are theatrical, well thought out, but the story that connects them often resembles a soap opera with implausible causality and explanations (which can be forgiven up to a point), and the weak and inconsistent ending greatly reduces the overall impression of the entire season unfortunately.

Director:  Craig David Wallace   

Production:  Shudder, Chiller   

Creator:  Aaron Martin   

Duration:  Season I of 4, each lasting 8 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Katie McGrath, Brandon Jay McLaren, Steve Byers, Dean McDermott, Christopher Jacot, Mayko Nguyen, Rob Stewart, Wendy Crewson, Jefferson Brown, Mark Ghanimé

Rating: 6/10

CHIPS (2017)

Un ofiter incepator si un agent FBI sub acoperire trebuie sa invete sa lucreze impreuna pentru a demasca o retea de coruptie in cadrul politiei rutiere din California.

Un film actiune/comedie ce readuce gloria unui serial popular din anii 80 pe marele ecran. Dax Shepard regizeaza si joaca in film si o face destul de bine. Filmul e distractiv, desi un pic cam amestecat si incongruent pe alocuri dar cateva scene bune sunt bine gandite, coregrafiate si regizorul pare sa stie ce atrage ochiul publicului pentru a maximiza efectul umoristic. 

Iar Michael Peña e mereu binevenit in lumea comediei.

Regia:  Dax Shepard       

Cu: Michael Peña, Dax Shepard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rosa Salazar, Kristen Bell

Rating: 7/10

Also available in English

CHIPS (2017)

A rookie officer and an undercover FBI agent must learn to work together in porder to expose a corruption network within the California Highway Patrol.

An action / comedy film that brings back the glory of a popular series from the 80's to the big screen. Dax Shepard directs and starts in the film and does so quite well. The film is fun, although a bit mixed and incongruous in places but quite a few good scenes are well thought out, choreographed and the director seems to know what attracts the viewer's eye to maximize the humorous effect.

And Michael Peña is always welcome in the world of comedy.

Director:  Dax Shepard       

With: Michael Peña, Dax Shepard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rosa Salazar, Kristen Bell

Rating: 7/10

We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018)

Stabilitatea unei familii instarite de doar trei membri este amenintata de sosirea unui var indepartat ce a pus ochii pe averea familiei.

O adaptare dupa un roman popular al lui Shirley Jackson. Filmul are multe calitati, dar se pare ca la capitolul redarii cartii cu fidelitate pierde puncte. Filmul e categorisit drept film de groaza si drama si nu e complet gresit. Doar ca elementul de groaza nu provine de la sursa aleasa de autoare (incertitudinea fata de caracterul copilelor) ci de tratamentul dur cu care sunt tratate personajele de toti cei din jur care sufera de invidie, deoarece producatorii filmului au ales sa transforme personajele principale in victime pentru a gasi o explicatie usor de digerat pentru actiunile lor indoielnice: pacat! Dialogul este foarte bogat si viu, Taissa Farmiga si Alexandra Daddario sunt minunate in rolurile principale, Crispin Glover e genial in roul unchiului putin lipsit de acasa.

Regia:  Stacie Passon    

Cu: Taissa Farmiga, Alexandra Daddario, Crispin Glover, Sebastian Stan

Rating: 7/10

Also available in English

We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018)

The stability of a wealthy family of only three members is threatened by the arrival of a distant cousin who has set his eyes on the family fortune.

An adaptation of a popular novel by Shirley Jackson. The film has many qualities, but it seems that in terms of adapting the book faithfully it does lose points. The film is labbeled a horror and a drama and that's not completely wrong. It's just that the element of horror does not come from the source designed by the author (the reader's doubts about the children's true nature) but from the harsh treatment the characters suffer from everyone around them, because the filmmakers chose to victimise the main characters in order to find an easily digestible explanation for their dubious actions: what a shame! 

The dialogue is very rich and lively, Taissa Farmiga and Alexandra Daddario are wonderful in the main roles, Crispin Glover is brilliant in the role of their slightly not-all-there uncle.

Director:  Stacie Passon    

With: Taissa Farmiga, Alexandra Daddario, Crispin Glover, Sebastian Stan

Rating: 7/10

The Dead Don't Die (2019)

Locuitorii din Centerville se trezesc in mijlocul unei epidemii zombie fara explicatie.

"The Dead Don't Die" e un film artistic, semnat de Jim Jarmusch, ce e mascat ca un horror-comedie cu zombi. Filmul e toate de mai sus, dar in principal e o satira ce comenteaza era curenta de consumerism digital. Mesajul nici nu incearca sa fie subtil, iar comedia are ca surse principale placiditatea unora dintre personaje in fata evenimentelor si dialogul ce trece de bariera filmului cu mici referiri la contextul real al productiei.

Bonus: filmul are o colectie intreaga de cameo-uri neasteptate (Iggy Pop, Selena Gomez, Tilda Swinton).

Regia:  Jim Jarmusch      

Cu: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tom Waits, Chloë Sevigny, Tom Waits, Caleb Landry Jones, RZA, Rosie Perez, Tilda Swinton, Danny Glover, Steve Buscemi, Carol Kane, Iggy Pop

Rating: 7/10

Also available in English