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Fall

Two girlfriends climb a huge radio tower to overcome trauma

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-11-2022
8

I forgot what movies can do to you

"These first 10 minutes were more exciting that the entire Starwars series we are watching," my wife remarked. And she was right. It may not be perfect or very realistic, but I can't remember a recent movie I shouted advice at, and which caused so much anxiety and sweaty hands.
8

Terrifier 2

Girl faces a a clown that slaughters people in the most brutal ways

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-11-2022
7.5

A bold slaughterfest with eighties vibe

There's plenty of shock value, with executions that are bloody and painful the watch. They also managed to set up an eighties vibe by the colors used, and perhaps even the acting style. But I also felt is was a bit long and pointless.
7.5

Don't Worry Darling

A woman is living a perfect live in an isolated town, but she slowly discoveres something is off. Set in the 50's

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
11-11-2022
7.5

An entertaining, mysterious puzzler with a dash of sciencefiction.

I love these "somethings-not-quite-right" movies, and this one certainly delivers. The energetic actors, color palette and lively fifties vibe add to the mix.
7.5

House that Jack Built, The

A serial killer collecting the bodies in a freezer, and also trying to build a house

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
11-11-2022
8

A shocker with depth

Jack's methods are not slick, but somewhat insecure and clumsy, which only adds to a the morbid sensation of watching going about his work and dragging around corpses. His constant dialogues with his conscience (?) and the peculiar use of stock footage elevates this movie from just being a shocker.
8

Contracted

After a onenightstand, a woman's body starts decaying rapidly

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-11-2022
7

A decent little shocker

Overall, the woman's decay is shocking enough and wasn't overdone. Her struggle with it, and the oddly apathetic reaction of the people around her, adds to feeling of isolation and helplessness. The story is a little straightforward though, hardly going anywhere.
7

Lost City, The

Author of classic adventure romans novels suddenly get involved in a real, treasure-finding adventure - with her cocktaildress still on

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-11-2022
6.5

Good fun, but not great

The combination of slapstick humor and classic Indy mystery and adventures still works for me. But the movie seems self aware of it's simple goals, making it a bit lazy. The jokes are a bit insecure and over the top, the adventure a bit anti climactic, the romance not really tangible.
6.5

Im Westen Nichts Neues

Follows a few young German boys into the first worldwar trench hell against France

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-11-2022
8

An impressive and heavy warflick that ought to have hit harder

A film that impressive in many ways: The raw depiction of war, the insanity of trench wars in particular and the cinematography. But somehow it didn't fully manage to transfer the deep sense of fear or dread like some other war movie have. Perhaps I didn't really bond with the characters.
8

Monstrous

Woman and her son want to leave the past behind in a new house near a pond... but something lurks

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
30-10-2022
7

Great reveal and vibe, but somehow didn't quite nail it

The reveal at the end, and some pondering on my part, made me realize this is actually a pretty clever movie. But the bubbly 50's colors and cartoonish acting of the mother, while creating a unique atmosphere, sort of diminished the scares - which were already a bit cliched.
7

Wolf Hound

Vaguely about germans capturing WWII alied aircraft to attack undetected, but mostly it's just a war action movie

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-10-2022
4

Made by an adept aerial cinematographer and a clown

This features some neat, razor sharp footage of authentic aircraft and even some impressive parachute scenes. But once everyone is back on the ground, it reveals it's true form: a ridiculous, old fashioned action movie with silly overacted characters, terrible lines and explosions everywhere.
4

Girl Next Door, The

The (sadly true) story of a girl under custody of an evil aunt, who tortures her to death in a basement, with many of the local kids joining in

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-10-2022
7.5

A painful story that needs to be told

This harrowing story is hard to watch, is made well and made me read into the backstory for sure. It feels inappropriate to even criticize it, but somehow it looses a few points because it really felt and experienced like a movie adaptation, creating some distance/shielding from the true horror.
7.5

Echoes

A woman goes back to her hometown when her identical twin sister is missing, and then a lot of twin things happen

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
23-10-2022
5

A good idea implemented rather plainly

To have a crime and mystery revolve around twin sisters, making you guessing who is who and who did what, is not a bad idea. But it is done rather unimaginatively, making me indifferent instead of intrigued, and is based on rather soapy themes like family feuds, relationships and horses.
5

Shin Godzilla

A bureaucratic Japanase governance is trying to stop a monster from walking over it's cities and reaching Tokyo

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-10-2022
7.5

A reboot done well, good stuff for the fans

Clearly made with much love and respect for the original, with no Americanism in sight. Effects strike a balance between the original feel of the movies and modern techniques, without drowning in CGI coldness. The bureaucratic struggle to get anything done in time was a nice framework.
7.5

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

After his mother dies, a boy has nothing left to loose, installs a bionic component and joins some some cyberpunks to get even

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-10-2022
8

Restored my faith in anime

Just when I thought anime was just not for me, along comes this gorgeously drawn, well acted, cool, brutal and absolutely kick ass anime. It's use of music is also quite fresh.
8

Yakamoz S-245

A group of marine scientists escapes global extinction due to a solarburst, and have to work together with the crew of a military sub to find a new home

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-10-2022
6

Loaded with problems, but there's something in there

This series was packed with a lot of problems: one dimensional characters, stalling forever, bizarre behavior and dialogues, and weird decisions throughout - to name but a few. But somehow, the fab color pallet, the music, some scenes and the interesting premise manage to keep it afloat.
6

Kairo (Pulse)

Ghosts appear, related to loneliness and the early internet - in ways I did not understand

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
04-10-2022
7.5

Great mystery with some impressive ghost discomfort

The creepy ghosts and their interaction with of darkness and shadows is impressive, perhaps a masterclass in fear and discomfort in film. I didn't mind the unexplained, open ended nature of the story either, but the characters doing seemingly random 'stuff' was a bit off-putting.
7.5

Hatching

A girl, under constant pressure of her pushy mother, finds an abonded crow egg and decides to brood it herself. Something odd comes out.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
25-09-2022
7.5

Absurd and dark fairytale

Not withstanding some pretty dark themes and scenery, it felt more than a modern, sinister fairy-tale than a true horror - which is quite fine! I think it could have been more intense here and there, acting was a occasionally a bit stiff, but overall a fine and pleasantly absurd tale.
7.5

Valhalla Rising

A mysterious, mute and invincible viking warrior is reluctantly asked to join other vikings in search of the promised land

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
25-09-2022
7.5

Somber viking tale

This somber, raw and quiet movie, only occasionally augmented by bearded vikings mumbling a few words, is quite a slow burner but is intense nonetheless. It worked for about 3 quarters in, after which I started longing for some action or plot development. Still, a nice change of pace.
7.5

Lodge, The

Two children wind up alone in an isolated lodge with the mysterious, former-cultmember new girlfriend of their father

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-09-2022
7.5

A very decent if not somewhat inplausible mystery/horror

When I thought about this movie afterwards, I started feeling the story was rather far fetched in places, but this didn't bother when I watched it. Instead, I rather enjoyed the ominous mood, the tasteful reli-creepiness and the cold scenery.
7.5

Innocents, The

Girl and autistic sister find new friends when they move to a new appartment, with whom they develop by paranormal abilities and games, but not all in a good way

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
11-09-2022
7.5

Intriguing childrens' horror

The semi-relaxed atmosphere, mysterious but never sensationalist, together with telling the story mostly form the perspective of the children, makes this a a slow but unique and satisfying watch. I was bit puzzled what drove the evil one, though.
7.5

Book of Boba Fett, The

Boba is now a mayor

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
10-09-2022
4

As if the plot wasn't bad enough

I just don't get it. You take the iconic Boba and turn him into a mayor, running the town as a good guy? Who asked for this? The series are also painfully slow, have awful action scenes, feel like an unfunny children show and made us glad it was over. Fail.
4

Project Gemini

Spaceship sets out to find a solution for a dying earth, but winds up in an uknown location in space. Where evil lurks.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-09-2022
3.5

Not a catastrophy, but pretty bad

A very vague, sleep-inducing, poorly written scifi with some abhorrent dialogue made worse by the poor voice overs I got with it. At the very end there are some relatively interesting, slightly rewarding plot points, and I give an extra point for some fancy CGI/space scenes.
3.5

Jurassic World: Dominion

People need to infiltrate a base from an evil corporation to save the world from a mutant locus plague.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-09-2022
4

Failed on many levels, mainly dinosaurs

It feels weird giving such a high-profile, high-effort movie such a low rating, but when I feel exhausted and glad it was over, I have no other choice. Too many uninteresting storylines, failed humor, no soul, no chemistry and worst of all: tiresome dinosaurs that are essentially fillers.
4

You Are Not My Mother

Girl is struggling with the mysterious behaviour of her mother, and discovers the dark secrets of her family

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-09-2022
7

slow but effective

It is pushing the limits of slow burning, and perhaps lacks some focus in the story. But I remained on board the entire time, because I certainly was curious, it is intriguingly uncanny and I really liked the acting of the lead.
7

Glorious

Broken man takes a stop during a car trip, but gets locked in the restroom with a god occupying one of the stalls

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-08-2022
7

Refreshingly mad

While it may have some trouble keeping the simple setup engaging the whole time, I did find that this is a wonderfully crazy and refreshing flick. It has a nice dash of horror and scifi elements, but is mostly suitable for those seeking something absurd and trippy.
7

Memoria

Woman occasionally hears a sound that noone else does, and sort of wanders about trying to figure it out

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
22-08-2022
8

Not suitable for jitterbugs, quite magical for the rest of us

This will put you to the test, as it consist entirely of static shots that take an eternity and in which very little appears to happen. It may be a bit arrogant and pretentious (and boring?) at times, but the setup also constitutes a serene, mysterious and hypnotic atmosphere that is very special.
8

Nope

When a horse ranch family finds a otherworldy presence is lurking in the skies above them, they set out to capture it on film and get rich

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-08-2022
7.5

somewhat odd and different but very tasty

The main thing going through my mind was how slightly odd and different this is. The characters, the story, the humor, the flow, it's all a bit odd, but in a refreshingly blunt way. It provides plenty to ponder on, and contains some of the most interesting and well done UFO scenes I know.
7.5

Cellar, The

Family buys old house with an evil attic. I mean cellar.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-08-2022
5

A museum of horror cliches

There were some ideas that could potentially make this horror stand on it's own feet, and a handful of moments I liked. But for the vast majority of time this is smothered and glued together by a plethora of horrormovie cliches, as if they were checking them on a mandatory list.
5

Mad God

stop-animation about a figure descending deeper and deeper into a bizarre, dark world

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-08-2022
8

A bad trip that comes highly recommended

Would this be better if I understood what was going on? Probably not - better to be engulfed by the mesmerizing, dark, beautiful, sinister and imaginative trip that this is. It can be hard though to keep focus with no story to focus on, and I thought better music would have lifted it more.
8

We Need to Talk About Kevin

A mother trying to cope with a son that hates her, and something horrific he is planning

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-08-2022
8

A bitter pill that is worth it

The helplessness, frustration and despair of the situation really gets to you. The way the movie gradually builds up to dreadful act of the kid, foreshadowed with flashbacks, his vague preparations and the look in his eyes is not pleasant, but most certainly very well done and well acted by all.
8

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan is forced to come into action when young princess Leia is abducted by the Empire

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-08-2022
6

A rather tired bulge of more Starwars

It's always nice to have another fix of Starwars, but frankly it is getting increasingly harder to get high from it. This series was low-energy and somehow has no impact on the saga. There are also some poorly choreographed action scenes that may have worked in the 70's, but look ridiculous today.
6

Caligula

Caligula kills the emperor to take his place, and descents into a life orgies, paranoia, delusions of grandeur and his demise

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
07-08-2022
7

Something embarrasing you keep looking at

The change of static scenery's and unapologetic overacting makes it feel theatric. The many explicit sex scenes mostly come across as clumsy and awkward, as does the jumpy, idiotic and embarrassing behavior of Caligula. Yes, embarrassing was my main sensation, but I have to admit I was intrigued too
7

Prey (2022)

A Commanche girl isn't taken seriously as a hunter, but it is up to her to take on a new kind of alien menace (Spoiler: a predator)

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
07-08-2022
7.5

I mostly agree with the ecstatic reception it got

The native American setting makes it fresh, performances and action are pretty neat, and they wisely kept it simple and pure. But I did think it it was a bit predictable, and the overall tension was good but not exhilarating as might have been. I was sitting upright, but not on the edge of my seat.
7.5

Manifest

A plane disappears and reappears, to find that the world has progressed five years and the passengers have not

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-08-2022
4.5

Afwul soap barely kept afloat by a vaguely interesting story

The mysterious event was enticing enough to drag me through the first season, but barely so. The problem is the incredibly soapy style of the actors, cinematography and pacing. Cheesy perfect persons constantly walking into the scene at the right moment to seamlessly join the conversation. Ugh.
4.5

Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe

They get mistaken for drilling talents and are sent into space, causing havoc across space and it's dimensions

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
01-08-2022
7

If you needed more of it, then this delivers

I for one missed these guys, and this movie simply delivers a generous portion of everything you love and hate about them, wrapped in a story that's reasonably fresh without ever drifting away from the essence.
7

Dark Cloud

Traumatized girl gets experimental therapy by being secluded in a house run by an artificial intelligence

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-07-2022
5

Too tedious and uneventful

The story is familiar, but one that always seems open for a new interpretation, and it's a story that can work just fine with limited budget like this movie. Unfortunate, this one failed. It is mostly tedious, slow and uneventful, and lacks the philosophical or technological wit to make it deep.
5

Sadness, The

Boy tries to find his grilfriend, as the town is overun by a virus that turns people into violent, sadistic, sex-hungry zombies

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-07-2022
7.5

A painful but highly amusing take on the zombie genre

The gore is quite shocking, but it is a welcome take on zombies (although technically I don't think they are dead?). It worked for me - I was amused, appalled and quite into it. The ending features slower, deeper contemplations instead of a bloody grand finale; courageous if not a bit anticlimactic.
7.5

Nekromantik

Couple has a fascination for collecting bodyparts, but when he brings an entire corps to have sex with, it puts their relationship to the test

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-07-2022
7

Unpleasant but enticing curiosity

It is made poorly and looks amateuristic, but the sight of someone licking the eye-socket of a decayed corpse still makes this have an impact way bigger than it's budget would have you believe. Vile and uncomfortable, but also unique, brave and an interesting niche product to have experienced. Once.
7

Incantation

A woman is cursed of doing some ritual wrong. And she also adopts this daugther - I am not sure how it was related

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-07-2022
5.5

Too messy

There are a couple of intense images, and the underlying vibe of strange and spooky rituals has potential. But the mockumentary approach was far-fetched and not doing it any favors, and the story and timeline are very confusing and jumpy. And honestly, I was kind of bored with it.
5.5

Eden Lake

Couple goes to a lake to have a romantic time, but a gang of youngsters turn it into hell

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-07-2022
7.5

Unpleasant weekend trip

Things really go south, and you really feel for the couple as it goes from spoiling to terrorizing and worse. Making the gang all kids makes it all very uncomfortable, as you want them to smash their heads against a rock but they sort of can't.
7.5

Men

A woman retreats to an English cottage to proces a violent and traumatic divorce, but the local strange men only bring more horror

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
03-07-2022
8

A well thought out and intriguing horror

The simple setup gradually unfolds a lot of depth, symbolism and metaphors without being pretentious. Uncanny without cheap tricks, with a spot-on atmosphere. The finale is spectacular too; no matter how bizarre it was, it somehow made sense.
8

Occupation Rainfall

On an alien invaded earth, humans and some alied aliens set out find a mysterious rainfall that can save humanity

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
03-07-2022
4.5

Tiresome scifi bonanza

There's actually some okay stuff here and there: some effects, some scenes, some concepts, some designs. But it's just so bloated and hysteric, like they wanted to include everything they could think of and barf it onto you in an endless stream. Very tiresome.
4.5

Dark and the Wicked, The

Brother and sister visit their parents as the father is on his deadbed, and their mother is overcome by a dark presence in the house

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-06-2022
7.5

Refinened horror that mixes several discomforts but remains subtle

A refined, slow and uncomfortable movie that blends the horror with the dread of disease, the feeling of being unable to leave and helplessness. I thought it was really good watching it, but did notice it fading from my memory pretty fast afterwards - usually caused by a lack of standout moments.
7.5

Dead Space: Downfall

Animation based on the video games, in which a spaceship salvages an alien relic from a planet, after which horrible things happen

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-06-2022
6.5

A quick fix of dead space terror but not much else

Fairly competent as a gung-ho heavy duty space zombie action animation, wisely not holding back in blood and guts, but ultimately lacking in depth, truly memorable moments or interesting characters.
6.5

Age of Tomorrow

An alien attack on earth, seen from the perspective the crew of a space mission and also from some firefighters on earth

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-06-2022
3

Make sure you are drunk first

I bet that if you got drunk, and watch this with some friends, who are also drunk, you could fall into a state of endless uncontrolled laughter. Other than that, we are in Sharknado territory quality wise, but without it intentionally trying to be silly (I think).
3

Ju-on: White Ghost

When a family moves into a haunted house, the man is cursed to do the unthinkable onto his family and then himself

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
19-06-2022
7

Simple but effective

It is told in a somewhat plain and unimaginative way, and for the most part feels like a collage of mini story's leading to a jump-scare. But the pieces do come together, and the movie did work. It has a uncanny atmosphere without being hysteric about it, and the scares came through alright.
7

Crimes of the Future

In a painless future, a couple performs live operations as an artform and are asked to operate a very special case. He also has strange new organs growing inside of him, by the way.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-06-2022
7

Appealing forbidden fruit, but did not fill me up

I dig this strange word, including the body horror and filth, simply as break from the mainstream. But I did not find it really engaging. Perhaps because we are simply thrown into the weirdness without a narrative, but more importantly the characters themselves seemed apathetic about it too.
7

Hallow, The

A couple movies to a secluded house in Ireland for forest research, but awaken the stuff from local folklore lurking in the woods

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-06-2022
7

A fine horror that manages to set itself apart

Although it does not offer anything radically new - but which horror does - the intimate atmosphere, the genuine characters and a tendency towards true tension over cheap jump scares (of which there are some), make it a worthwhile little horror. But geez, go easy on the cute baby sounds.
7

Deathgasm

Outcasted and bored metalheads play a song that summons evil

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-06-2022
6

Go harder

I liked the idea of making the foul subjects of metal come alive, but unfortunately this movie offers only some lukewarm gags and horrors. And despite all the effort, there still is something unmetal about it - like they didn't dare to venture into the actual macabre subjects of some of these bands.
6

Top Gun: Maverick

Maverick is called back to train a team destined to do the most dangerous mission ever

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-06-2022
8

The people don't work for me anymore, but the flying does

I had some trouble buying into the somewhat desperate portrayal of these pilots as beautiful, perfect, witty, slick, hip beings and the insubordinate way they go about their briefings and missions - even if this is Top Gun. But hell yes, the air footage and final combat makes up for it.
8

From Beyond

Men built a device that allows dangerous beings from other dimensions to come to ours. A sexy psychiarist becomes interested.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-06-2022
7

A fun horror oldie

It's easy to smirk at this somewhat clumsy and overacted movie with a simplistic and sometimes odd story line. But I kind of enjoyed this quirky horror fantasy, with some practical effects that still pack a punch. Not all; some.
7

Firestarter (2022)

Girl tries to control and live with her ability to set things on fire, but evil people make her loose her cool

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-06-2022
5

Left me cold (that punchline is probably taken)

One of those movies that, on the face of it, looks quite solid and adept, and makes you wonder why you're not enjoying it more. I think her parent's additional paranormal abilities get in the way of an already uninspired and even boring story that fails to ignite. (That's probably also taken.)
5

Soul (2022), The

Prosecutor dying of cancer takes on a murder case that reveals dark secrets and transplants of more than just cells

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-05-2022
5

Probably a brillant story but failed in presentation

I can appreciate the deep, well thought out story that stacks several layers of twists on each other, providing a real thinker of a crime story with perhaps a dash of horror. But it is presented so slowly en depressingly that I struggled to notice or care - and to stay awake too.
5

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Woman struggling to manage her store, marriage, tax audit and daughter, suddenly gets access to skills of her self in other parallel dimensions

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-05-2022
8

Completely bonkers yet keeping it real

Probably the craziest, most out-there, outrageous, over the top movie ever, that still - impressively - manages to keep it together, bring it with humor and have it resonate on an emotional level. It's too bizarre to really reach inside, but I am just so glad that stuff like this gets green-lighted.
8

Svart Krabba

In a fictive war, soldiers are send into the night on skates, to cross a lake for a world saving mission

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-05-2022
7

Decent little war movie that does things differently.

Overall it doesn't feel very plausible, and some of the combat feels slightly tame and lacking suspense. But it's different, varied and builts up to a unexpectedly large finale and plot twist. An amusing watch for sure.
7

wHole Truth, The

When their mother is hospitalized, a sister and brother stay with their grandparents, where a hole in the hole reveals an evil past

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
25-05-2022
7

Original and clever, but drops some balls

Down to the very title, the story and is pretty clever and there's a nice vibe which sets it apart from the norm. The horror is a bit lightweight though, and some of plot twists are brought simply by the characters explaining them to each other standing in circles.
7

Cycle

Astronaut (?) wakes up in a place and needs to find a way out before a fog runs over it.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-05-2022
4

Fascinating AND yawn inducing

This could have been a bomb, with it's absolutely unconventional and puzzling story, trippy scenery and remarkable animation that I took for real footage. Unfortunately, many scenes and conversations are way too long, vague and boring, and without a clue on what's going I had to fight to stay awake.
4

Choose or Die

Girl gets caught up in a mysterious vintage game that makes people make horrible choices

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-05-2022
6.5

Some entertainment, but not great

For a horror it doesn't really scare much, and overall execution is a little underwhelming. The way the game interacts with the real world seems inconsistent and not very well thought out. But well, there are some new ideas and it does provide some basic amusement value.
6.5

Battle Royal

A class of students are placed on an island, and the game is that only one survives

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-05-2022
5

A bloodfest turned into snoozefest

I was curious because it was listed somewhere as a real shocker, but the gore is not that bad - less so than many splatter horrors around. Furthermore I don't think I will ever get used to Japanese overacting and drama. The scholars are boring, annoying and their contemplations uninteresting.
5

Kickboxer: retaliation

Once again an underdog partipates in a fighting match to take on the evil champion

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-05-2022
4

You may skip this

I'll admit that I didn't see it in it's entirety, but I am pretty sure what this is: A dorky cardboard white hero doing bizarre over the top fighting, his pretty girlfriend looking worried in the sidelines, and some painfully awkward appearances of Van Damme and Lambert.
4

Windtalkers

Marines are reluctantly tasked with protecting native american soldiers and their ability to transfer indecipherable messages

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
10-05-2022
5.5

Did not age well

I think it made an impression as a war movie in the day, but I fear it has aged poorly. The acting and dialogues can be quite corny, the emotional scenes induce cringe, and the action is almost laugable with the hero shooting from the hip and all bad guys instantly drop dead.
5.5

High Life

Survivor on a spaceship tries to take care of a babygirl. Slowly we learn what preceded this situation, and what comes after.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
19-04-2022
6.5

ok as a slowburning, artistic scifi, but hardy delivers a payoff

The decor hardly reminded me of a spaceship, but I presume the creators thought this was irrelevant to the sophisticated story they wanted to tell. And while I was interested and enjoyed this 'alternative' scifi, it was also arrogantly slow and even the word pretentious came to mind.
6.5

X

Group rents an old barn to shoot an adult movie, but the old landlords hold sinister secrets

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
17-04-2022
7.5

"fucked up horror" seems like a good way to describe it yes

The 70s vibe is spot-on, the interaction between sexy and horrific scenes works surprisingly well and there are some intense moments. It is especially adept in making the elderly terrifying. So overall this is quite good - an interesting result of skilled filmmakers creating a slasher.
7.5

Northman, The

When his father is killed, a young viking grows up with nothing but revenge on his mind

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
17-04-2022
8

Great as a spectacle, but average in involvement

A big, brutal, sweaty and intense historic epic, that I was spectating and enjoying rather than feeling. Perhaps because all characters continuously speak in this these articulated, poetic, over-dramatic phrases, which kind of dehumanizes them. It worked in Lighthouse, here it alienates.
8

Ultrasound

Due to a flat tire man is forced to spend the night at strangers, but it marks the beginning of his entire reality falling apart

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
14-04-2022
7

Intriguing but executed a bit dull

It is hard to follow, but in a nice, mindfuck twisted way, and it is carried on a diligent synth ambient track as well. But something about it is a bit simplistic and uninspired, like the creators were more interested in the idea itself that the presentation of it.
7

Don't Look Up

Scientists discover a planet-killer meteorite heading for earth, but the real shocker is the difficulty of finding anyone interested

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
07-04-2022
7.5

Good satire with an undertone

It's basically an amusing political commentary that is is exaggerated and sensational on the one hand, but uncomfortably recognizable and realistic on the other.
7.5

Kill List

Ex military (?) but now homebound man accepts a hitjob, but it drags him into an occult nigtmare

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
30-03-2022
7

A mood different than others, but lacks involvement

There's a plain, non-sensationalist vibe in the atmosphere and acting, which I liked and which sets the movie apart. The builtup and climax are also shocking enough. But making the main character is such a nasty, hollow, emotionless man works against the movie and the impact it could have had.
7

Climax

Party with dancers goes haywire when all of them appear to be drugged by something causing really bad trips

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
22-03-2022
7.5

Masochism

All the dancing in the beginning was almost too much for me, but slowly the Gaspar Noé camerawork, shocks and nausea unfold, making this an intense and courageous 'experimental horror' indeed. I am beginning to think watching this kind of stuff could be a form of masochism.
7.5

Banquet, A

A mother tries to handle a daugther who, after a visit to the woods, no longer eats and feels she now has a higher purpose

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-03-2022
7

A modest horror with it's own style, but a bit thin on substance

This is a nice, modest mystery with a dash of horror but nothing hysteric. The atmosphere is moody and the central theme of eating and food is lain out well. However, it is dangerously close to being rather uneventful, and can feel kind of improvised as it tries to reach the end.
7

Irreversible

Told in reverse order, a guy is out for revenge when his girlfriend is brutally raped

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-03-2022
8

Very distrubing and very well done

Why do people make movies like this? Why do I watch it? Why do I rate it favorably? It's hard to understand, but somehow it made sense. The audacious cinematography, the sickening feeling it evokes, and the acting in very long (albeit unbearable) shots are just unique and a a class apart.
8

Requin, The

Couple with issues hires a luxery villa on poles in the sea to get away from things, until a storm rips it off and drift them onto open sea. With sharks.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-03-2022
4.5

Too many issues

It's usually nice to view these disasters from the comfort of a lazy chair, but this one has too many issues. Fake effects, cheap and obvious use of stock material, subpar acting, overall implausible events and a really skewed sense of distance, depth and location in the sea.
4.5

Immanence

Scientists go on a boat to sea to investigate possible extraterrestial phenomena.. or is it divine phenomena?

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-03-2022
5

The story was there, the rest was not

I usually dig science babble, but coming out of the mouths of these guys it sounded ridiculous. And while the story had potential, I am afraid the execution fell short in many other fields as well. Confusing and weird, in a bad way. Clearly not filmed on sea, disguised by pitch black surroundings.
5

House of 1000 Corpses

Two couples on a roadtrip take detour to find the infamous Dr. Satan, but wind up in a house where a terrible fate awaits

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-03-2022
6

Disturbing in an unpleasant and lazy way

Much of the unease comes from the nasty music and color-inverted imagery. It feels a bit like cheating. The rest still holds plenty of shock value, but somehow it felt like that was the sole purpose instead of telling a story. Like Rob went 'Oh look how shocking this is", "Just look at this scene!"
6

Matrix 4: Resurrections, The

Neo, living in the matrix again as a guy who made a matrix game, goes back into the matrix to save Trinity, who is in the matrix.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-02-2022
5

This time, the mindbender is the movie itself

I am not sure how a 4th sequel could have worked or what I wanted from it, but surely it wasn't this. I hate the lazy self aware 'meta' approach and the revisiting of classic moments. Nothing really works anymore, I cringed multiple times. An odd misfire, which makes you wonder how this came to be.
5

Arctic Void

Televisioncrew on a boat in the Arctic tries to keep their sanity (and stay alive) after all passengers dissappear in an instant

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-02-2022
7

Sweet little mystery

It could be said that the content is fairly minimal, but this didn't bother me at all. It is wonderfully mysterious, the slowness just adds to atmosphere and feeling of desolation, and they were really able to get the most out of the awe inspiring scenery and mystical abandoned town.
7

Orphan

After a miscarriage a family takes in an orphan, but they take in a lot more than they bargained for

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
20-02-2022
7

Adult enough to avoid horror pitfalls, but doesn't add much either

For the most part it stays away from cheap scares, and has enough confidence to slowly but surely built up the tension and story, and reach a fairly creative reveal. But it fails to get under your skin as it remains slightly tame and suffers from some implausibility.
7

Deep House, The

Couple tries to score youtube visitors with a movie about a submerged house. But when they dive into it, stuff happens.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-02-2022
6.5

Unable to cash in on the fantastic concept and visuals

This is an awesome idea and the underwater footage looks fantastic and bone chilling, and must have been tricky to film. It is almost incomprehensible that they still managed to make this NOT scary - but the banal horror story and robotic underwater conversations did the trick. A rewrite, please.
6.5

We Are the Flesh

In an apocalyptic ruin, siblings mingle with a man offering them perks, but also descending them into nightmarish sexual depravity

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-02-2022
7

A trip for some of us

Perhaps it is not fair to rate this without having had subtitles, but I doubt it would have made more sense with them. Being uncomfortable, strange and vile, it's hard to rate movies like this. But in the end,I think I appreciate the vision, the boldness and the tripyness about it.
7

Archive 18

Video repairman gets a myserious gig to restore some tapes, and the footage drags him into the supernatural and occult

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-02-2022
6.5

Not quite

It started of well, with a nice blend of horror and mystery, and I liked how the 'found' footage was alternated with 'real' footage. Unfortunately, it was let down by really unrealistic, strangely behaving and talking characters, a onedimensional lead actress and well, it's failure to become scary.
6.5

Unholy, The

Fallen journalist accidently stumbles across a woman performing holy miracles in a small town, but how benevolent is she?

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-02-2022
5.5

Fair story just not exectuted well

The story used as a framework is decent enough, but unfortunately didn't quite take off. Everything is a bit uninspired and doesn't seem to connect well (man dies under a burning cross, everyone just goes to the next scene). So we're left with some lackluster scare jumps and unscary horror.
5.5

Dark Song, A

Grieving woman isolates hersef with an expert to perform a dark ritual so she may see her diseased son one more time

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-02-2022
8.5

Elevated and unique horror

I love the concept of how they are real, fallible human beings meticulously trying to get this ritual to work over the course of weeks, getting more frustrated, breakable and delusional in the process. The supernatural elements are subtle and open to interpretation. Fantastic.
8.5

Dark City

Man wakes up in a city where the sun never seems to shine, is suspect of murder and he is hunted down by mysterious men

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-02-2022
7

A decent sci-fi-noire puzzler, but without real impact

The blend of film noir, sci-fi and mystery is my cup of tea, and I did enjoy it. But it also felt dated, it never was really scary or intense, and there was something almost childish and artificial about it. It somehow struck me as a clip they play to set the mood for a roller-coaster ride.
7

Room, The

Lisa is about to marry Johnny, but loves his friend Mark instead.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
30-01-2022
3

If you can reach the right state of mind, it could be mind blowing

I knew what I was getting into, and was ready for the abysmal to turn into laughter, fascination and/or admiration. But I started to realize you probably need some friends and beers to reach that state, but on my own I wondered why the hell I was doing this to myself.
3

Lake Mungo

Mockumentary about a a family grieving for their diseased daughter, and the strange occurences in their house afterwards

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
30-01-2022
7.5

Well rounded and chilling

It really knows how to play the 'something unexpected appeared on the footage' effect, resulting in plenty of chill inducing moments. It ties it together with a convincing and well acted documentary and even has a few plot-twist to keep it interesting.
7.5

Silent Sea, The

In a water-deprived future, a team flies to the moon to retrieve a mysterious sample from an abondened base that may hold the key to a sollution

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
24-01-2022
6

Some baseline enterntainment but full of problems

As a scifi fan I could get some enjoyment out of this, but it wasn't easy. We have another unlikely crew handling everything rather unprofessionally, the dialogue has oodles of 'naaaah' moments, the story felt broken and actress Doona sucks the life out of it with her apathetic and depressing style.
6

Night House, The

After her husband commits suicide, the widow starts to experience strange things in the secluded house he built

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
24-01-2022
8

A subtle but very satisfying horror

Wow, this really worked for me. The horror elements are subtle and tasteful, the evolving mystery is enticing and the element of grief is mixed in well. But mostly, I was quite stunned with the lead actress, who totally nails it and makes everything work beautifully.
8

El páramo

Fleeing war, a small family lives in a desolated farm. But there, a myserious entity lurks

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-01-2022
7.5

Moody and dark

This horror is carried almost exclusively on atmosphere, darkness, a deep sense of desolation and fear within. It is done wonderfully, it looks very moody and is acted well. At around 3 quarters through I felt a slight yearning for some twist or acceleration, but perhaps it is best without it.
7.5

Mother / Android

When all butler androids turn roque against mankind, a pregnant woman and friend embark on a journey to a safe place

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
14-01-2022
7

Good, misses some opportunities

A more than decent survival and motherhood story, but it could have been denser and nerve-wrecking in places. Also, there's a twist near the end that could have been huge, but it's almost like they didn't really follow up on it, and went with a rather swampy emotional ending instead.
7

Shawshank Redemption, The

A banker is send to prison unguilty, where he slowly makes new friends and uses his skills to be going places

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-01-2022
8

Yes it's good (But not that good)

Finally I saw this endlessly lauded movie. I agree that it is good and very gripping. I can't remember a recent movie that I was this much 'into'. But the best movie ever made? Perhaps I am just not that into prison movies, and the idea that only super smart will make it is hardly inspiring, is it?
8

Finch

Survivor of some world apocalyptic event builts a robot to take care of his dog when he dies

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-01-2022
6.5

A nice tale that had slightly more potential

It's a sympathetic tale of human friendship and it works for the most part, growing on me as it went on. However, I think the robot's progress in learning, behavior and humor could have been more subtle, interesting and refined, and making him sound like Borat was part of the problem.
6.5

Witcher season 2, The

The witcher is training the princess he protects, but her powers become more and more concerning

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-01-2022
6

It's now soap

I still like the Witcher atmosphere, and sure there are some memorable moments to be found. But mostly I found season 2 remarkably tedious and empty. The main culprit is the oddly soapy style of storytelling, with endless conversations between people doing bizarre strolls through hallways.
6

Tetsuo: The Iron Man

A bad trip about a man who is slowly turning into metal scrap

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-01-2022
6.5

A good bad trip, but too pointless to be a satisfying movie

What if those creepy black and white 'art student movies' you see in horror films were a full length experience? Maybe it would be something like this. I was quite intrigued at first; it is effectively unsettling. But after while I wondered where it all was going and I lost my curiosity.
6.5

Malignant

After the brutal death of her husband, a woman starts to experience equally brutal murders in other people's homes

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-01-2022
7

Uninspired horror saved by a pretty cool twist

For the first half I was just sad, fearing that James Wan has nothing more to offer than formulaic cliches and boring movie characters. And while this IS a big problem of this movie, I have to say the reveal/plot twist was great, put things on it's head and managed to redeem some of the movie.
7

Candyman

Artist gets fascinated by the urban legend of the lethal Candyman, who can be summoned in front of a mirror

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-01-2022
7.5

A classy horror

A higher tier horror, which proves painfully clear how many others are just brainless scarejump pulp. This is more more interesting, well done and well told throughout. I do feel though that some scenes could and should have been more hair-raising.
7.5

Encanto

All members of a family living a magic house receive special magic talent, except one

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-12-2021
6

Objectively great, subjectively exhausting

With whopping graphics, a tasty Colombian vibe, sparkling colors and scenery, and wholesome life lessons, objectively it is a marvel. But it is trying too hard - too much hysteric humor, constantly restless and hectic, and too much loud songs. The few simple dialogue scenes form oases of serenity.
6

Kill Team, The

A soldier situated in Afghanistan comes into conflict with himself and his squad when they appear do unprovoked assassinations.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-12-2021
6.5

Wish I felt it more, but adept

I am not sure how realistic this was, and found the sergeant a little too wacky to be credible. But overall the story kept my attention and did a reasonable at depicting the dilemma of loyalty versus morals - although I do think they could have hit harder.
6.5

Black Swan

Ballet dancer pushed over the edge to portray the black Swan

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-12-2021
7.5

Slightly overated but still good

A dark movie that offers some acting fireworks and I loved how the insanity and hallucinations slowly creep in. However, I cannot back up the the high appraisal it received entirely; for that I would have needed it to go deeper, further and darker.
7.5

Jungle Cruise

Woman charters a captain to take her into the jungle to find mysterious healing plant

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-12-2021
7

Fun adventure let down by the CGI fights

A lively adventure movie with a 'classic' atmosphere, and fun performances of the main characters and their constant quarrels. Like many other CGI-heavy movies, I found the combat scenes hard to follow, unpleasant and ultimately not very exciting. I wish they kept them more 'classic' as well.
7

Home Alone 3

This time the kid has to defend the house from a bunch of criminals who are after a microchip he unknowingly has

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-12-2021
6.5

Different enough to exist, familiair enough to please?

With none of the original cast available, and with the original story already been told twice, I commend them for doing a slightly different setup whilst still maintain the core features. Without Christmas it looses charm though. Should please the fans and youngsters, of which I am neither.
6.5

Them That Follow

A woman of a secluded religious community, that does snake handling to prove their faith, has a secret

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-12-2021
7

Slow, but something is growing

The movie has a very serene atmosphere in which the slow daily life in the woods is portrayed very well, so much so that in fact halfway I almost started to long for some action. But there's a constant under the skin buzz that keeps it mysterious and kept me watching, with memorable performances.
7

Benedetta

Nun in Monastry developes sexual feelings for another nun. And stigmata, too.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
25-12-2021
7.5

The mix works

Lesbians nuns would seem like a recipe for disaster, but I don't think it is. The mystery of her divinity and stigmata is interesting enough, the religious habits give it some weight, the supernatural elements give it some spice, and well - it can be sort of erotic. Interesting package deal.
7.5

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