The Devil's Hour (2022– )

O femeie se trezeste in fiecare noapte la 3:33, cu amintiri ale unor evenimente ce nu au avut loc.

'The Devil's Hour' e un thriller psihologic cu elemente SF si poate chiar horror. Excelent facut, se intinde peste sase parti meticulos gandite, fara a depinde de calitatea deznodamantului pentru a-si valida valoarea, deznodamantul poate nefiind la fel de impresionant ca asteptarile, dar foarte aproape. Personajele sunt bine creionate, multidimensionale intr-un mod mai mult decat suficient, si cuprinde partituri impresionante din partea personajelor principale, mai ales actorul copil. O miniserie ce va da impresia de film, de neratat!

Regia:  Johnny Allan, Isabelle Sieb   

Productie:  Amazon Studios, Hartswood Films

Creator:  Tom Moran

Durata:  1 sezon in 6 parti (1 ora fiecare)   

Cu: Jessica Raine, Peter Capaldi, Nikesh Patel, Benjamin Chivers, Phil Dunsters

Rating: 9/10

Also available in English

The Devil's Hour (2022– )

A woman wakes up every night at 3:33, with memories of events that never happened.

'The Devil's Hour' is a psychological thriller with sci-fi and maybe even horror elements. Excellently done, it stretches over six meticulously thought out parts, without depending on the quality of the final episode to validate its overall value, with the ending maybe not being as impressive as the expectations make it, but it comes very close. The characters are well drawn, multidimensional in a more than sufficient way, and it includes impressive artistry from the main characters' actors, especially the child actor. A miniseries that will give you the impression of a movie, not to be missed!

Director:  Johnny Allan, Isabelle Sieb  

Production:  Amazon Studios, Hartswood Films

Creator:  Tom Moran

Duration:  1 season in 6 parts (1 hour each)   

With: Jessica Raine, Peter Capaldi, Nikesh Patel, Benjamin Chivers, Phil Dunsters

Rating: 9/10

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (2022– )

Guillermo del Toro prezinta fiecare episod dintr-o antologie pentru care a adunat povesti si talente care sa le aduca la viata.

'Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities' e un serial antologic unde fiecare episod e unic si de sine statator. Calitatea variaza dar efectul intregului este minunat.

E1: Lot 36: Elementele horror nu apar decat spre final, dar fascinatia ocultului si personajele tridimensionale mentin interesul in continuu.

Regia:  Guillermo Navarro 

Cu: Tim Blake Nelson, Sebastian Roché, Elpidia Carrillo, Demetrius Grosse

Rating: 9/10

E2: Graveyard Rats: Perioada istorica in care e fixata povestea devine o atractie in sine iar atentia pentru detaliu este de admirat. Comicul gotic este parte din farmec.

Regia:  Vincenzo Natali 

Cu: David Hewlett, Alexander Eling, Ish Morris, Cory Bertrand

Rating: 9/10

E3: The Autopsy: Un mister de elucidat, imbracat in suspans si curiozitate palpabile si un dialog intre personaje demn de un film noir si sinistru.

Regia:  David Prior 

Cu: F. Murray Abraham, Glynn Turman, Luke Roberts, Dan Beirne

Rating: 10/10

E4: The Outside: Aminteste de The Society ca stil si fundal, dar nu sare in evidenta decat poate prin curajul actritei principale de a intruchipa personajul.

Regia:  Ana Lily Amirpour 

Cu: Kate Micucci, Martin Starr, Dan Stevens, Kylee Evans

Rating: 6/10

E5: Pickman's Model: Un aer gotic interesant si arta amenintatoare. Imaginatia devine realitate iar socul finalului este ca realitatea a fost mereu inspaimantatoare dar am ales sa fim ignoranti.

Regia:  Keith Thomas 

Cu: Ben Barnes, Crispin Glover, Oriana Leman, Seamus Patterson

Rating: 8/10

E6: Dreams in the Witch House: Personaje si entitati din imaginatia lui HP Lovecraft prind viata in aceasta adaptare inflorita. O adaptare asemanatoare face parte din volumul 1 din Masters of Horror, dar versiunea curenta este net superioara, mai ales prin accesul la efecte moderne si un buget bogat.

Regia:  Catherine Hardwicke

Cu: Rupert Grint, Ismael Cruz Cordova, DJ Qualls, Nia Vardalos

Rating: 7/10

E7: The Viewing: Ecoul anilor '80 este prezent in fiece clipa, vixzual dar si auditiv. Pana si alegerea subiectului si a misterului din final. Bine facut, dar isi pierde audienta prin aroganta.

Regia:  Panos Cosmatos  

Cu: Peter Weller, Steve Agee, Eric André, Sofia Boutella

Rating: 6/10

E8: The Murmuring: O poveste dramatica ce atinge unde trebuie, cu o atmosfera de groaza gotica si fantome melodramatice.

Regia:  Jennifer Kent 

Cu: Essie Davis, Andrew Lincoln, Greg Ellwand, Daxton William Lund

Rating: 8/10

Regia:  Diversi   (vezi mai sus)

Productie:  Netflix   

Creator:  Guillermo del Toro   

Durata:  1 sezoane de 8 episoade (1 ora fiecare)  

Cu: Diversi (vezi mai sus)

Rating: 9/10

Also available in English

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (2022– )

Guillermo del Toro introduces each episode from an anthology series for which he gathered stories and talents to bring them to life.

"Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities" is an anthology series where each episode is unique and independent. The quality varies but the overall effect is wonderful.

E1: Lot 36: The horror elements only appear towards the end, but the fascination of the occult and the three-dimensional characters keep the interest going.

Director:  Guillermo Navarro 

With: Tim Blake Nelson, Sebastian Roché, Elpidia Carrillo, Demetrius Grosse

Rating: 9/10

E2: Graveyard Rats: The historical period in which the story is set becomes an attraction in itself and the attention to detail is admirable. The gothic humor is part of the charm.

Director:  Vincenzo Natali 

With: David Hewlett, Alexander Eling, Ish Morris, Cory Bertrand

Rating: 9/10

E3: The Autopsy: A mystery to be solved, draped in palpable suspense and curiosity and a dialogue between characters worthy of a sinister film noir.

Director:  David Prior 

With: F. Murray Abraham, Glynn Turman, Luke Roberts, Dan Beirne

Rating: 10/10

E4: The Outside: It reminds one of The Society in terms of style and background, but it mainly stands out due of the courage of the main actress to embody the character.

Director:  Ana Lily Amirpour 

With: Kate Micucci, Martin Starr, Dan Stevens, Kylee Evans

Rating: 6/10

E5: Pickman's Model: An interesting gothic air and menacing art. Imagination becomes reality and the shock of the ending is that reality was always frightening but we just choose to be ignorant.

Director:  Keith Thomas 

With: Ben Barnes, Crispin Glover, Oriana Leman, Seamus Patterson

Rating: 8/10

E6: Dreams in the Witch House: Characters and entities from the imagination of HP Lovecraft come to life in this embelished adaptation. A similar adaptation has been done in Volume 1 of Masters of Horror, but the newer version is clearly superior, especially through the access to modern effects and a rich budget.

Director:  Catherine Hardwicke

With: Rupert Grint, Ismael Cruz Cordova, DJ Qualls, Nia Vardalos

Rating: 7/10

E7: The Viewing: The echo of the 80s is present at every moment, visually but also, and especially in the audio. Even in the choice of the subject and the mystery revealed at the end. Well made, but it loses its audience due to arrogance, the main cause of the dragged-out story.

Director:  Panos Cosmatos  

With: Peter Weller, Steve Agee, Eric André, Sofia Boutella

Rating: 6/10

E8: The Murmuring: A dramatic story that hits all the right spots, with a nice gothic horror athmosphere and melodramatic ghosts.

Director:  Jennifer Kent 

With: Essie Davis, Andrew Lincoln, Greg Ellwand, Daxton William Lund

Rating: 8/10

Director:  Various   (see above)

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Guillermo del Toro   

Duration:  1 season of 8 episodes (1 hour each)  

With: Various   (see above)

Rating: 9/10

Knock Knock (2015)

Un barbat de familie este agresat de doua tinere in weekendul in care sta acasa departe de familie.

'Knock Knock' e un thriller de tip home invasion cu o aroma aparte, fara fond, dar aparte. E un remake se pare al unui film numit Death Game (1977). Eli Roth isi pune propria sotie la dispozitie si ea este insotita de draga de Ana de Armas, in rest filmul e destul de gol si fara rost. Keanu e adorabil dar asta sigur e departe de a fi un rol pentru el.

Regia:  Eli Roth    

Cu: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns

Rating: 5/10

Also available in English

Knock Knock (2015)

A family man is assaulted by two young women during the weekend when he stays at home to work, away from his family.

"Knock Knock" is a home invasion type thriller with a special flavor, without any substance, but special. It's apparently a remake of a movie called Death Game (1977). Eli Roth makes his own wife available for it and she is accompanied by dear Ana de Armas, otherwise the film is quite empty and pointless. Keanu is adorable but this is certainly far from a role for him.

Director:  Eli Roth    

With: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns

Rating: 5/10

Blonde (2022)

O privire artistica abstracta la viata si esenta lui Marilyn Monroe prin prisma unor evenimente ale vietii sale, reale si imaginate.

'Blonde' ar fi in mod normal categorizat ca film biografic, dar amestecul de fictiune si fapte si stilul fluid, de vis/cosmar si abstract il transpune in o categorie cu totul aparte - drama semi-biografica abstracta? Ana de Armas ne ofera o Marilyn (Norma Jean mai exact) cu totul vulnerabila si o victima a mediului in care a crescut si in care a crezut ca vrea sa traiasca, posibil foarte aproape de esenta persoanei reale, ce a fost probabil mult mai mult decat o blondulita prostuta cum a fost vanduta de casele de productie ce au tinut-o sub picior. Filmul e lung, pe alocuri aminteste de un film de David Lynch, pe altele de drama feminina perpetua, dar merita trait.

Regia:  Andrew Dominik    

Cu: Ana de Armas, Sara Paxton, Evan Williams, Xavier Samuel, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Fisher, Julianne Nicholson, Tygh Runyan

Rating: 9/10

Also available in English