EvilPhoEniX

An ambitious little thriller that looks uninspiring at first, but from the second half onwards it's a decent ride full of twists and suspense. Children are disappearing in town and strange things start happening in the detective's family's house, and thankfully it's not ghosts. From the second half onwards the film throws up one surprise after another and it all fits in nicely and works. I expected almost nothing and got a decent inoffensive one-off. 7/10.

The Poles already are almost a guarantee decent craftsmanship and The Convoy is undoubtedly an interesting thriller. The story revolves around the escorting of a murderer who someone doesn't want to survive the transport. Decent atmosphere and an interesting conclusion, but there was something missing for 4 stars. 6/10.

Another excellent series this year, which will no doubt be in this year's top 3. Apple TV hits right on the mark for me, serving up an imaginative post-apocalyptic world 600 years in the future, where humanity has lost its ability to see due to an epidemic and had to adapt and learn how to survive in these conditions. There are a lot of complains that the blind people in the show do things they couldn't really do, which is debatable because unless you are blind yourself you are not entitled to judge, secondly it is a series from the future, not a documentary based on real events, and thirdly in 600 years humanity will have definitely evolved, so the other senses work very differently than they do now. So much for the haters and now for the rest of us who love cinema and like to be entertained. See is a spectacularly filmed production (visually there hasn't been anything better looking since Game of Thrones) with an excellent Jason Momoa, who rose perhaps two levels in acting during the series, but the other characters are great too: Commander Tamacti Jun is perfect, the Tyrannical Queen who gets fawned over by servants while praying, the Bow Lion or the Shadow, who has the ability to move around in silence, and of course the two newborn children who are the only ones with the gift of sight. Every episode features at least one riveting action with unorthodox choreography, and violence is not spared. The series gradually doses surprising twists and turns, with danger lurking at almost every turn (slave traders selling people on the black market or the city of worms where workers make silk maze). At times the series is so suspenseful and gripping that I found myself in bed, sweating, tearing my hair out and breathing with great difficulty. The finale is surprising with a beautiful final fight (you wouldn’t want to fight Momoa blindly) and a nice lure for a second season. A fun, addictive and engrossing series like I never dreamed of. 9/10.

A beautiful and incredible Japanese banger! The gripping story focuses on two brothers who are told from a young age that they will become the greatest generals of the Qin Kingdom, but they have to take part in 10,000 matches. Soon one of the brothers is taken to the Royal Court as the King's double. Meanwhile, the lone brother trains for a few years and sets out for the kingdom alone, facing some interesting opponents along the way. The film is based on a Japanese Manga, but thankfully it sticks to the ground and I liked that. There are some interesting characters, like an assassin, mountain men, and a half giant. There is plenty of action and it is absolutely riveting, spectacular and engaging. The film reminded me a lot of Rurouni Kenshin or Blade of the Immortal. Gorgeous visuals, interesting story, great pacing and awesome action. For me, a lot of satisfaction. 6.9 on IMDB. 8/10.

A crazy Brazilian satire that draws on the theme of The Hangover, but focuses on Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples, and also includes coke from Jerusalem and hash from Galilee. Very funny, full of references and harsh allusions. Bartholomew pretending to be the Messiah or the Roman Legion were great. 7/10.

An interesting and rather wacky idea about a strange main character who smuggles drugs from Thailand to Australia, but once caught refuses to confess, is kept in a room under constant surveillance and also won't take a shit at any cost. Hugo Weaving is solid as the detective and it flows along at a fairly decent pace with a surprising finale. Entertaining, but rather one-note. 6/10:

This much praised Brazilian festival film from Cannes didn't blow me away like the others, but it is definitely an unusual and interesting experience. The story focuses on a gated Brazilian community somewhere near the desert that is rejected by the system. Not only does the town get wiped off the maps, but they also run out of food, water, electricity and American tourists come to hunt. The film flows at a slower pace, but once it moves from social drama to an almost western-thriller with Tarantino-like gore, it's a solid spectacle that doesn't shy away from violence. Admirable for Brazil, but there were a few elements that distracted me (the acting and visuals aren't the film's strongest points, even though that may have been the intention). 6/10.

I regret that Ad Astra is one of the few films I missed in the cinema this year, because the trailer was deceiving. It is definitely not a boring sci-fi drama, but a pretty action-packed and intense space thriller, the kind we haven’t seen in a long time. Brad Pitt is excellent in his role and I was very impressed by the colonization on Mars and the Moon, where there are even pirates already (Mad Max in space) – I wouldn't be angry at all if the whole plot was set only there – but the search for the father was also quite entertaining and, moreover, I don't remember a cinematic portrayal of Neptune. The action scenes are awesome, the opening explosion on the Tower of Babel is thrilling as fuck, or the chase with the lunar vehicles, or the fight with the infected monkeys. In places the film is unexpectedly gritty and I liked that a lot. Despite my big fears, it was a lot of fun and a nice space experience. 8/10.

5th best movie may be an exaggeration, but the best movie about racing it is without a doubt. James Mangold emerges as a guarantee of great quality, serving up a nerve-wracking tale of the most challenging Le Mans race, with both Christian Bale and Matt Damon excelling. At first I struggled to fully immerse myself in the film, but once the car testing began and the actual half hour race itself, packed with complications and suspense, it was a blast. I probably don't need to see it again, but I enjoyed it. 8/10

The most expensive and biggest Bollywood film of the year featuring two of the biggest bodybuilders and dancers and it's unexpectedly pretty cool. In the action, the film comes closest to Fast and Furious, but the story is of course far more convoluted, often jumping around in time, and the film manages to shock with unexpected twists. I enjoyed the story a lot, it has a very fast pace, intense music, varied action (motorbikes, sports cars, plane, ground fighting), and I even enjoyed the two dance numbers (the first one has amazing choreography and I do similar footwork too). I believe that not everyone will like it (many people may be put off by the intense looks of the two main protagonists or the more exaggerated action), but you get used to it, you just have to accept the rules and also the different world. A testosterone-charged and passionate actioner with guts. 8/10