EvilPhoEniX

A Czech parody of police crime dramas and it is unfortunately the classic Czech bottom of the barrel. There are a few jokes, and Hana Vagnerova is nice to look at, but it's unfortunately rather awkward to the point of being boorish.

Paco Plaza, the man behind the REC trilogy, has made a Spanish thriller with the popular Luis Tosar. The story focuses on a drug cartel boss who is released from prison and is handed over to the care of a nurse who will slowly take revenge on him (I was expecting bigger and more elaborate set-ups in this regard, though), and although the film builds to a slower pace, the conclusion is downright shocking and has a fine unexpected twist. It's not the smash I'm used to from the Spaniards, but I'm happy for every effort they make and the film definitely deserves attention.

A solid gangster film from France about a decent guy who gets involved in a local gang to pay off his girlfriend's debt by getting drugs from A to B on his motorbike, and of course things don't always go smoothly. Story-wise, the film brings nothing new to the genre, but its unconventional style, good pacing, plenty of suspense and likeable cast make it a more than serviceable one-off that will please motorcycle fans. 7/10.

Sweden and the typically harsh north. The story revolves around an intelligent young man who gets into a fight with the school bully and when he comes to school the next day, he is invisible to everyone. A very interesting take on the invisibility/spirit theme, with bullying and Sweden's unpleasant environment embedded. Didn't completely blow my mind, but definitely a must for fans of the North. 6/10.

A depressing and unpleasant from Slovenia! The protagonist is put in a very nasty situation, she has to decide between her newly born son and the man she loves sickly. Slovenia serves up a very dense psychological drama that isn't afraid of nudity and detailed childbirth, for which I give it a thumbs up, but the slower pace bothered me a bit. It's a bit artsy. Mothers will have a hard time with the film, so caution! 6/10.

Sam Mendes delivers a nerve-wracking wartime experience that will annoy action fans, as there are no big battles, and I take two points off for that as well, but otherwise it’s a flawless and excellent work in every way, and a lot of the credit goes to Roger Deakins, because the cinematographer is simply a genius. The film is shot in one take and so authentically that you feel like you are among the soldiers and experiencing the horrors of war with them. 1917 is basically a war road movie drama where you travel from A to B and even though nothing much actually happens, it has a gripping atmosphere, believable actors, awesome music and about three suspenseful, climactic scenes where I, a horror fan, wish Sam Mendes would make a horror movie next time. The intense finale ends up being highly emotional and had just about everyone with a heart in the theater rubbing their nose, so have tissues at hand. A nice experience, a must see at IMAX, and if Mendes had pushed the envelope a bt more and served up a proper war cry, this would be a clear contender for film of the year.

A Polish post-war horror film about eight children liberated from a concentration camp who find themselves living in an abandoned orphanage and not only have nothing to eat, but also have to fight against German shepherds. A promising concept and nicely filmed, but unfortunately I was hardly entertained at all. The dog attack is not badly filmed and there was a bit of blood, but I found it rather tepid, lacking in pace and atmosphere, and the brutality could definitely have been stepped up a notch. I expected more, the Poles can do better. But those who don't have anything to bite into can give it a try. 4/10.

Two miles underground, nine miners fight for their lives after a methane explosion and with one hour of oxygen. A decently filmed claustrophobic survival movie that manages to be both suspenseful and unexpectedly gritty (the hand sawing is one of the most intense scenes in the film). I didn't form much of a relationship with the characters and it takes half an hour for the fight for life to begin, but after that it's definitely something to watch. The film is highly praised abroad (78%), and for an indie production it's great. 6/10.

A big step backwards compared to the previous part. Jake Kasdan ruined the film by a bad decision, when he changed the characters, which significantly reduced the humour (Bethany in Jack Black’s body was perfect and it was a sin to change that), and the tasks are also significantly less interesting than last time. Apart from the ostriches and monkeys, there wasn't much of anything proper. The finale is quite nicely action-packed, but I suffered quite a bit in the cinema and was looking forward to going home. Three stars by grace, but only by a whisker. 5/10.

A sweet Christmas romance with the adorable Emilia Clarke and the likeable Henry Golding with well working chemistry between them. Too bad Paul Feig didn't lean more on the humour, but it's still fun to watch and the Christmas spirit oozes joy. What pulls the film to a slightly above-par level is the unexpected final twist, which is both very original and welcome in the rom-com genre. 6/10.