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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

Beau is Afraid

A scarred man is literally and figuratively going on a bad trip to his mother

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-08-2023
8

A wonderfully bad trip

To think that someone made up this story, somehow decided it was finished, and concluded it was ready to make a movie out of it is even more baffling the the movie itself. But here it is, and I am glad it is. A wild ride, bizarre, disorienting but also skillfully made, intriguing and unique.
8

Rambo 4

Rambo and a few mercenaries confront evil troops in Burma in order to rescue a kidnapped family.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-12-2014
8

Brutally effective

The atrocities committed by the badguys make sure you don't care for a moment when they are blown to pieces by Rambo. An unusual mixture of the trademark Rambo one-man-army action combined with a dead serious and horrifying look of what that would actually look like. It hits you like a hammer.
8

Cure for Wellness, A

Businessman is sent to retrieve a colleague from a mysterious and remote mental institute

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
11-11-2017
8

Pretty mystery

Not the full-on horror movie the trailers would have you believe, but more a mystery with supernatural elements. I quite liked it. It has beautiful imagery and the unfolding mystery kept me interested all the way.
8

Witcher, The

Man with witch mutations roams the land for work (slaying monsters), but then destiny crosses his path

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-01-2020
8

Different and diverse

I needed about two episodes to get into it, but then I really was enjoying the very diverse adventures, the interesting and colorful characters, the exciting fantasy world, the sizzling hot nudity, and the way the characters started to cross each others paths. Or was I just mesmerized by Yennifer?
8

Avatar: The Way of Water

When the evil skypeople return to Pandora, JakeSully and his family seek shelter amongst the water tribe

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
30-12-2022
8

Too much of a good thing is still a good thing?

My predominant emotion was that it was too much. Too many magical animals, too much action, too much family values, too much Pandora, too much awe. Make no mistake though; This is still a huge achievement and a unrivaled spectacle that is a feast for the eyes and ears.
8

Camp X-Ray

Newbie MP soldier get stationed at Guantanamo, where she bonds with one of the detainees

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-03-2016
8

Honest little gem

A sober yet rewarding experience, with an awesome looking and playing Stewart and very good music backing it up. I sort of missed a beat in the transition of Lector turning into a genuine nice guy, but that's ok.
8

Zootropolis

Rabbit tries to make it as a police officer in the big city inhabited by all kinds of animals

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
19-06-2016
8

A matured quality animation

A wonderful tale that is brought to live with colorful charterers, a good sense of humor and a detective crime story that has an mature quality to it.
8

Contagion

A viral oubreak

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
24-02-2013
8

Succesfully dark

Has a realtime, stressed feeling throughout which makes it upsetting and eerie.
8

Raised by Wolves

Escaping a war torn earth, two androids fly to a distant planet in order to restart humanity. But they are not the only ones.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-04-2023
8

Even if it can't keep up the with the first eposide, it still is great

Although it looses a bit of momentum with every episode after to the majestic grand opening, this series had a lot going for it. Fantastic design that mixes medieval with ultra futuristic, a deep and interesting storyline and intense characters. And a splendid opening track to top it off!
8

Starship Troopers

Friends sign in to combat terror from space. Both their skills and friendship are put to the test.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-08-2015
8

A brutal space fight that requires the right mindset

It all depends on whether you can appreciate the deeper meaning of incredibly cheesy barbie people have soap opera relationship quarrels - followed by dismembering fights with aliens.
8

Arrival

Linguist is asked to crack the language of the aliens who landed and ask them: why are you here?

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
17-11-2016
8

Elegant, deep and sober scifi, just the way I like it.

My favorite movie themes combined: science fiction and deep mystery/mind benders that will have you pondering days after. Excellent and refreshing.
8

Boyhood

Movie portraying the ups and downs in the life of Mason and his family between his 5th and 18th year

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
20-01-2015
8

There are many good reasons why this movie is nominated for the Oscars

I was suprised by the excellent casting and makeup artists that convincingly managed to make the characters look older during the movie, until I realised (read somewhere) that it was filmed with the same cast over a 12 year period. Great acting and empathetic presentation of the targeted zeitgeist.
8

Karate Kid, The

After moving to California with his mother, a boy gets beaten up regularly.. until it the local handyman teaches him karate

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-06-2019
8

Still stands like a crane

It may be a bit slow by today's standards, but this masterfully serves to let us grow attached to the wonderful lead characters, get involved in the story and training and then, after all those years, still have goosebumps during the finale.
8

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

World War Z

Zombies

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-07-2013
8

Triple A mediocrity

For a movie about zombies investing the world, people seeking shelter in save havens with high walls, and a hero finding a cure just in time, this one is very good.
8

Quiet Place, A

Family tries to live in silence when the world has been overrun by creatures that attack at the slighest sound

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
17-04-2018
8

A solid and well made horror

While there is room for some nitpicking, overall this was a fresh, intense and very solid horror that features much better performances, atmosphere and style than most.
8

Still Alice

A woman is diagnosed with Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease and tries to deal with it together with her family

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
02-03-2015
8

Impressive

An eye-opener for everybody, including myself, who had not been directly confronted before with the devastating consequences of Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. There are many good reasons why Julianne Moore won an Oscar for her role in this impressive movie.
8

Kung Fu Panda 3

In order to repell a new threat to peace, Panda must resort to his Panda family to learn the power of chi

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
18-04-2016
8

A very mature and excellent episode

Some fatigue may kick in, as we can sort of predict how everything it going to turn out. But the humor, atmosphere, unique blend of 3d animation and traditional artwork, the loyalty to the characters and the depth of the story remain of a very high standard.
8

Dune: Part Two

Paul joins the Fremen on Arakis. Some say he is the chosen one to lead their cause.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
10-04-2024
8

An epic epic

This part spends more time on the characters and the tribe rituals, but there is also epicness in large quantities, making this a massive joy to simply experience. But I have to say, there's still something preventing it from truly knocking your socks off.
8

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

Die Brucke - Bernhard Wicki (1959)

There can't be enough anti-war movies
average 8.0

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-03-2023
7

a sad warstory, told well

After all these years, this is still a worthwhile movie, effectively painting contrast between the boys in their daily life and the pointless and violent war they end up in. Some remarkable cinematography for it's age, too.
7

hente
hente
10-10-2013
9

Armed conflict can infect us all

I saw this movie half a century ago and it is still impressive even without the usual mass scenes and shoot-outs. Make sure you watch the original version by director Wicki and not the later re-make with the same title.
9

Ghost in the Shell (2017)

Live action Manga remake of the android fighting crime, her past and herself

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-04-2017
8

It gets it right

So people were complaining this had no depth, but were fine with Avengers? Screw that. This is an awesome looking movie that is exciting throughout and has plenty of depth and bucketloads of atmosphere. It also strikes a good balance between a 'western take' and the core Japanese original.
8

Open Water

Scuba diving couple emerges to find the boat not there

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-08-2023
8

A nailbiter that kept reeling me in

I wanted to do something else but I could not resist this movie. My complements for making the simple plot and scenery not a limitation but a strength. The natural, almost amateuristic camerawork and non-sensationalist footage of sharks is also a masterstroke making everything up close and personal.
8

Sinister

Writer and his family move into a house where horrible attrocities have taken place, so he can research these and write a book about it. To start him of, he finds a box with old 8mm films...

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-02-2016
8

Eerie

Didn't crawl under the skin as I thought it would (for some reason), but a very eerie, umcomfortable and stylish horror nevertheless. 8mm graininess is used to great effect together with really unsettling music.
8

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

Chernobyl

A pretty accurate miniseries about the nuclear catastrophy

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
07-06-2020
8

Seriously good

Grim and sober, never succumbing to cheap thrills or green glow. Featuring strong acting and fanatic attention to historically accurate details. Apparently it still is not always exactly what went down, but the fact that it made me read up about this accident is a compliment in itself.
8

You Won't be Alone

In the nineteeth century, a young girl is turning into a witch, inhabiting different bodies as she goes

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-07-2023
8

A poetic, beautiful and unique witch movie

With numerous voice-overs pondering her faith, the dreamy cinematography and absence of viewer pampering, this felt more than a poetic essay, depicting witches more as misunderstood outcasts than malicious beings. I found it beautiful and a highly refreshing.
8

I Origins

In a search for the evolutionary origins of the eye, the lovelifes of the scientists lead to an even more profound discovery

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
19-01-2015
8

A wonderfull mix science of spirituality

Appeared slighty pro-spirituality, anti-science, depicting scientist as strange, rigid, disconnected people. It's no big problem though, because it is still a very well done, nicely paced movie with an unsubstantiated premise that is nevertheless nice to see where it's going.
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

Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre

Collection of short horror manga

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-02-2023
8

Worthwhile collection of weird but effective horror stories

As usual, I needed time to adjust to some of the intricacies of Manga that always annoy me. But eventually I did, thanks to high tempo and the wonderfully weird, intense and sometimes quite scary stories. Most of them are open-ended or just end plain unhappy. Refreshing.
8

Lux Æterna

Actors and crew are trying to shoot a moviescene featuring the burning of witches

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
24-09-2023
8

Utterly strange, uncomfortable and intense

Even if this movie is mostly people cursing and shouting in chaos, and it remains unclear what the real problem is, there is something very intense about it. The anxious feeling of wanting to leave the place is deep. The finale will blast your senses, leaving you shellshocked on the couch. Awesome.
8

Aniara

A spaceship transporting colonists of Mars gets way of course. Seen from the perspective of an employee running a onboard mind escapism facility

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
23-03-2021
8

Fresh scifi

The non-Hollywood atmosphere is a welcome change in science fiction. The happenings on the spaceship are very varied and interesting, mostly focused human behavior and group interaction in such a dire situation. Really fresh, and I quite liked the spaceship design and ending too.
8

Radius

A man looses his memory after car accident, and acquires a deadly trait for people getting too close him

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-08-2023
8

An exciting orginal

What a nice surprise this was. An movie with some fresh ideas, tightly brought to the screen and intriguing from the very beginning until the end. It's never sensationalist, but let's the script and actors deliver the thrills.
8

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

Zero Dark Thirty

The hunt for UBL

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
19-05-2013
8

ladies and gentlemen, she got him

Stylish and engrossing hunt for Usama.. which is quite an achievement since it apparently involved so much waiting and utter lack of progress. The movie ends with a nail biting assault on the man.
8

Martian, The

Left for dead astronaut on mars tries to survive
average 8.0

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
15-01-2016
8

Mars revisited

Great visuals and rather convincing approach to the Mars hype (except for the last 30 minutes or so).
8

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
23-10-2015
8

It's 'gravity' in mars. Or 'Cast Away' on mars.

A splendid, sharp looking and wholefully exciting space survival adventure. It's fantasy of course, but with just enough ties to science to make you buy it. I thought maybe the high count of jokes and wisecracks sort of distracted from the gravity of the situation.
8

Hateful Eight, The

Bounty hunter, his prisoner, and a bunch of cowboys get stranded in an inn, in a Agatha Christie kind of setting

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
15-01-2016
8

Who can be trusted? Damn those cowboys, just shoot them all...

Typical Tarantino twists, blood, gore, and humour in a successfull blend of western and detective elements. The story slowly unfolds in this somewhat lenghty movie, but manages to grasp your attention until the last second....
8

Babadook, The

Widow is trying to get by with her needy son when she also releases a shadowy presence in her house by reading a strange childrens book

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-02-2019
8

Succesful on multiple levels

Even more than the restrained and tasteful horror story, I was impressed by the suffocating and agonizing experience of watching her slide into insanity, due to sleep deprivation, desperation and social seclusion. It's sad, original, scary and intense. Bravo.
8

Big Hero 6

Talented young inventor must befriend (and upgrade) a clumpsy medical robot in order to save the world from his own invention

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-12-2016
8

Excellent

A fantastic animation that is spot on with exiting action, great visuals, humor and it is not afraid to reach some deeper emotions as well.
8

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

Wild

A woman goes on a hike to deal with her troubled past...
average 7.8

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
24-04-2015
7.5

Honest and beautiful, but not profound

A sympathetic idea and story that is naturally acted and shot. It's all served in a simple, straightforward way, albeit at the cost of not quite nailing the deeper ends. I also didn't 'feel' the sheer length of this journey.
7.5

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
23-01-2015
8

Let's go for a walk

Previous trauma, physical exhaustion, perseverance and overcoming ones past all blended into a nice movie portraying a woman on a serious hike. Also teaches you why you shouldn't buy shoes that are too small....
8

Melancholia

Depressed woman and somewhat disjointed family retreat to a luxury countryhouse on a golfcoarse to get ready for a planet flyby
average 7.8

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-06-2014
8

The beauty of sadness

This slow, depressing but fascinating study makes global disaster 10 times more profound than Armageddon ever did.
8

hente
hente
11-10-2013
7.5

Earth is about to collide with another planet

Astro-nerds will stumble over the technical flaws in this visual treat. Not a movie to watch any time of the day or night but only when you feel down and mellow wanting to go all the way into yourself. Lesson: only the depressed can help us in times of disaster because they have nothing to loose.
7.5

SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, The

The recipe for krabburgers gets lost, so Spongebob and friends must travel above the surface to find it.
average 7.8

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
17-02-2015
8

Hilarious fun in the sponge bob universe!

Great movie for both kids and parents, with impressive 3d effects enhancing the overall experience. Do not try to touch the soap bubbles with cannon balls (just to warn you)....
8

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
08-02-2015
7.5

Whack!

Of course you have to GET the hysteria and oddity that is Spongebob. But if you do, you're in for a funny and whacky movie bursting with colors and pleasant anarchy. Incidentally, the 3D version features some of the the most effective and sharpest looking 3D yet!
7.5

Her

A man in the foreseeable future starts dating his operating system after the painful separation from his wife
average 7.8

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-08-2014
7.5

True love

Part of me wished the artificial intelligence and the relationship evolved more slowly, more bumpy, more clumpsy. But it still stands as a unique love story, that actually evokes that bubbly love feeling amidst a cold digital context. Johansson's irresistible voice is a master stroke too.
7.5

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
28-01-2014
8

Relationships in the digital era 2.0

An interesting movie on the role technology plays, and might play in the near future, in human life. Including a redefinition of relationships, love, emotions and ultimately the consciousness debate is touched upon as well. If you managed to finish this review, you might just like the movie ;)
8

Grave of Fireflies

A brother and his little sister try to make it through the bombardments of worldwar 2

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
22-10-2023
7.5

Honest and sad

A sad and sober story without much window dressing, instead focusing on these kids and their innocence, and heart shattering daily tasks of looking for shelter and food. I wasn't as destroyed by it as some viewers apparently were, but that's just because I have no emotions.
7.5

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

Finding Dory

It's actually more like "Finding Dory's Parents"

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-12-2019
7.5

For a sequel, this seems about right!

While it won't yield the awe of the first one, simply because we are used to it, I'd say it quite successfully finds a balance between delivering what made the first one so good, and introducing a new story, plenty of memorable moments and some new fun characters.
7.5

Touch Me Not

I think it's about a woman trying to break through her fear of intimacy

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
07-05-2023
7.5

Experimental sexual therapy

No, it's not soft erotica as the description might seem to suggest. Instead, it is an experimental, wandering movie that explores the meaning of sexuality to remarkable people. Cold due to the bright lights and analytical style, yet intimate by letting us in.
7.5

Leave the World Behind

A family on vacation find themselves cut off from the rest of the world, with an increasingly horryfying realization that something terrible is happening

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-01-2024
7.5

A thrillride

All in all a really satisfying movie that draws you in by feeding you small chunks of the puzzle without overdoing or spoiling it. Interesting characters, interesting and well paced story.
7.5

Gone Girl

One day, a guy's wife is gone. The search that follows reveals many noire twists to this event

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
04-10-2015
7.5

Mostly a satisfying mystery crime story

Gloomy and very Finscher indeed. I liked it, but I thought the girl was too alien and the guy too earthlike to make much sense of their relationship in the first place.
7.5

Judge, The

Succesfull lawyer tries to help his estranged father, who is a judge and suspected of murder

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
02-02-2015
7.5

Not bad for a movie about lawyers and judges

Solid acting performance by the cast, but no big surprises in the plot. Overall, a pleasant movie.
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

Mountain

A documentary that explores our relationship with mountains

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
04-03-2023
7.5

A poetic analysis

Instead of a dry analytic approach, it chooses a more poetic blend of music, philosophic narration and plenty of spectacular images. Very beautiful, but I remained on my couch nonetheless. And while the sport scenes are probably rightfully part of the story, they felt a bit dissonant to me.
7.5

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

Mandela Effect, The

After loosing his daughter, a guy gets obsessed with the ´Mandela Effect´ (look it up), possibly as a way to get her back

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-05-2020
7.5

Well done despite limited resources

It feels a bit low-budget and simplistic at times, but it still hits the mark at exploring this phenomenon and incorporating it into a very entertaining, thought-provoking movie. It had me look into this stuff afterwards and check the Monopoly guy for sure.
7.5

Conjuring 2, The

A haunted house, based on a true story

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
30-01-2017
7.5

Very fine horror that is just a bit too long

A good horror that impress with plenty of scares accentuated by great camerawork, and refrains from too much cheap jump scares. Like it's predecessor though, I thought it went on for too long so my 'get scared' supply ran out and I was just taking it in. Too bad.
7.5

My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell it to

Brother and sister need blood for their brother who has a very special condition

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-06-2023
7.5

Different and unpleasant, and definitely worthwhile.

There's something quite unsettling about seeing normal people processing heavy dead bodies, especially when the atmosphere and acting is natural and plain. The special 'patient' even manages to evoke feelings of sympathy.
7.5

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

An investigation into pleasure robots that start to kill their owners

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
10-06-2018
7.5

Not for everyone, but a joy for some

Once again it will test your endurance for coping with long, poetic, endless metaphors and contemplations about technology. And once again it will reward you with a fabulous combination of drawn and CGI graphics and a fascinating atmosphere. A bit too low an action maybe, but worth it.
7.5

Tremors

Texas country folk dealing with massive worm-like creatures attacking their tiny town

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
25-05-2019
7.5

Cheesy at it's best

Even when it was made, it already was silly, cheesy and ridiculous as can be. But it also managed to be an irresistible and charming combination of fun and dumb action that make it a classic. Every time I stumble upon it, I just cannot switch it of.
7.5

Pearl

A farm girl wants to make it big in dancing. By any means necessary.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-01-2023
7.5

Good combi of drama and horror

An atmospheric flick that is in no rush to reach the horror, but instead gives ample space to lead actress Mia, who caries this movie wonderfully from the beginning until the end.
7.5

Invisible Man, The

Woman escapes her tirant husband, but he comes back to haunt her in ways she did not see coming. Mwuaha.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-11-2020
7.5

Classy version

It's at it's best when it patiently explores the uncanny feeling of someone being in your house, without resorting to cheesy effects of cheap scares. Later on it turns into more gimmicky cat-and-mouse affair, but still with plenty of class. Great lead actress, too!
7.5

Skyscraper

Man is going to save his family from the highest skycraper in the word. On fire. With one leg. With crooks inside.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-01-2019
7.5

The fun to be had!

No doubt we could make a long list of things that are dumb or preposterous about this movie. But I thought they nailed that lovely vibe of action-disaster movies of yesteryear, and I honestly can't think of a recent movie that made me enjoy myself and sit on the edge of my seat like this one!
7.5

Rogue One

How the rebels stole the plans for the Death Star

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
18-12-2016
7.5

Staying loyal to the franchise has it's drawbacks

Despite exquisite action scenes and many memorable Starwars moments, something felt tired. How many dramatic Vader entrances must I care for? How many nameless (and still incompetent) stormtroopers killed? How many shields disabled just in time? How much dangling in high shafts?
7.5

Yogen (aka Premonition)

Man receives pieces of newspaper accurately predicting doom, beginning with the death of his daughter

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
24-05-2023
7.5

Adept mystery/horror

The movie has an interesting story to tell, tells it well and has quite a spooky atmosphere that calmly but inescapably is woven through it. Perhaps the man's constant frustrated expression were a bit monotonous, but that is just nitpicking.
7.5

Baskin

Turkish movie about a police squad ending up in a devilish mansion

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-04-2018
7.5

Original, effective and hellish

While the actors may not be very likable, at least their character are unique and distinct, and we are given the time to get to know them. The finale is truly hellish, the atmosphere is ominous and there's some interesting stuff going on in the time line as well.
7.5

3 Body Problem

When science appears to be broken, a group of scientists discover an amazing upcoming event causing it

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
04-04-2024
7.5

Not perfect, but loaded with plenty of scifi perks

There were quite a few elements that I found a bit of-putting - mainly that this world cataclysmic event only seemed to occupy a small group of befriended people - but this did not take away from the fact that it is a highly enjoyable specific epic, loaded with strange stuff and enticing mystery.
7.5

Sucker Punch

Girl is institutionalized, but lives violent fantasies while dancing which help her escape it the end. Or something.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
20-04-2014
7.5

Violent video clip, done with much love

Easy to fault, but I was amused by the violent, fabulously stylized, unearthly, anachronistic action, as well as the moody and steamy atmosphere. Absorb it like a videoclip, then you may get it.
7.5

Snow White and the Huntsman, The

Vicious queen takes over the land in a quest for eternal beauty, and hunts down the princess who has the power to top her

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
08-10-2013
7.5

Pleasant surprise

Expecting this to be a loud and dumb 'modern take' on the fairytale, I was pleasantly surprised. The pacing is right, it never goes over the top, it looks great and the actors deliver, especially Theron!
7.5

Teeth

A girl finds she has teeth in her vagina (there's actually a name for that too: Vagina testada)

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-02-2023
7.5

Surprisingly good

Oh my, what kind of movie can possibly come out of this? A pretty good one, apparently! I was pleasantly surprised by an effective mix of drama, horror and humor. It takes itself seriously with becoming heavy handed, and even has some good cinematographic moments in there too.
7.5

Gokseong aka The Wailing

A cop is facing myserious evil possessions of people in his village, not in the least of his daughter

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
18-10-2023
7.5

An eloborate and moody horror

All in all a pretty good horror with some interesting approaches and an effective gloomy and rainy atmosphere. I liked how the main protagonist is a bit dopy instead of an unrealistic superhero. The story is a bit allover the place though.
7.5

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

Triangle

Shipwrecked friends climb onto a passing ship, but it is hardly an improvement....

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-08-2015
7.5

An great story, executed slightly dull

Direction and performances are a bit uninspired, contrasting with a really nifty and clever story that keeps your attention all the way. Even my wife stayed awake for this one.
7.5

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

American Sniper

About the 'legend' sniper who killed over 160 people in Iraq missions

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-03-2015
7.5

Very good war movie, even moreso if you like Texan cowboydreams.

I wasn't too keen on the Texas-cowboy-American-hunt-with-your-son-patriot-there's-always-vacant-pretty-girl-just-sitting-at-the-bar elements. Not overly successful as a war commentary either. As a war movie though, is filmed with class, sincerity and restraint and hits hard.
7.5

Visit, The

Brother and sister document their first a visit to their grandparents. Including what happens with them after 21:30.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-05-2016
7.5

Evolves into something good

What starts of somewhat doubtfully as yet more mockumentary by cute rapping teenagers, gradually evolves into a rather dark, vile, nasty and scary movie indeed. It's slow pacing and lack of gore/fx only make it stronger.
7.5

Secret Life of Pets, The

When humans leave their pets at home during work, the pets start their second live and embark on an adventure

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-08-2016
7.5

Fun and heartwarming

Another original, joyful, colorful and funny animation that is hard to fault. Pet owners will get some extra laughs out of the recognizable pet quirks shown. These animation movies are constantly of such a high quality that they will have to come up with something new to stand out.
7.5

Altered Carbon: Resleeved

In a world with interchangable bodies, a man looks after a girl who is hunted down by just about everybody. But why?

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-04-2020
7.5

A fine anime

A fine anime with sweet, non-standard animations and drawings, an interesting story and a couple of very intense action scenes with wicked ninja's.
7.5

Katla

In a small Icelandic town situated next to an active volcano, people that already exist or existed rise from the ashes

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-01-2023
7.5

Moody en interesting mystery

It can be a tad sluggish, and I sometimes became frustrated with the incomplete and vague way people talked. Mostly though, the story is intriguing, and the easy going pace combined the Icelandic setting created a lovely, mysterious glow.
7.5

Free Guy

Backgroundcharacter in a game becomes self aware and fights for his existence with the help of some gamers

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-08-2021
7.5

Not for everyone, but definitely for some

You'll need some knowledge of contemporary gaming, the Youtube subculture, and mental preparation for a barrage of restless imagery and hysteric jokes. But if you manage all that, you'll find that it has it's heart at the right place, is enjoyable and sometimes a good laugh indeed.
7.5

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

Only God Forgives

Drug dealer in Thailand gets caught up a bloody circle of revenge when his brother is killed

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-10-2013
7.5

Bloodred

Dark, bloody and mesmerizing movie that views like a comicbook, the way it slowly serves it's mostly static scenes one by one.
7.5

Destroyer

Worn out, dead tired female detective is haunted by a criminal from her past

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-08-2019
7.5

Looks and feels unique

I didn't want to keep dwelling in the extraordinary make up and looks of Kidman, but it is so powerful that it radiates onto everything in the movie, lifting it to an intense, hot and muggy experience.
7.5

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

Tomorrowland aka Project T

A rebelious teenage girl is the chosen one to glimpse into a future world - and save it too

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
27-05-2015
7.5

Gorgeous but Disney

For younsters, this is a splendid and exciting space adventure with a great spirit. Grumpy old men like me need to deal additionally with the miles thick morals, and the over-smart main character and her indifference towards the amazing things she encounters.
7.5

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

Mission Impossible: Fallout

Some nuclear threat

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
05-05-2023
7.5

Good stuff if you accept the gist

This time, I was prepared and ready for layers of over-the-top plot twists that are not what you thought, yet happened perfectly according to someone's plan, which was also part of another plan. And once that is your mindset, you have yourself a highly amusing, high octane spy action thriller.
7.5

Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The

An office nobody frequently gets lost in his daydreams, but for a last assignement and a love interest, his adventures must become real

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-04-2014
7.5

Wonderfull movie that had even more potential

Great idea, beautifully done in a movie with a big heart. I thought the pacing was not quite right and it could/should have been even more magical.
7.5

Jacob's Ladder

War veteran starts seeing demons and jumps between alternate realities... what is going on?

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-07-2023
7.5

Dark and interesting

Not as horrific as I remembered it, but nevertheless a well done, interesting and gloomy thriller/drama about war trauma with satisfying depth.
7.5

Raid 2, The

Martial-arts wonderboy goes undercover to infiltrate the local mafia and gets involved in quite a bit of brawls and the powerstruggle between and within clans

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-02-2015
7.5

Ouch

Loaded with an insane amount of painful fighting, with faces cracked and banged against walls, bones snapped, and knives, hammers and bats smashing and hacking away. It gets you nauseous and uncomfortable. But my my, it is also expertly choreographed and shot.
7.5

Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters

When space survivors find no habitable planet, they have no choice but to return to the earth they fled because Godzilla was on it.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-07-2018
7.5

Bad ass

Godzilla is only showed sparingly, instead building up mystery and an ominous atmosphere surrounding his presence. It has gorgeous drawings of awesomely designed space warfare in it. So all in all, despite the usual hysteric acting, I thought this was rather successful and was quite impressed.
7.5

Favourite, The

Maid elbows her way into the personal circle of the queen

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
06-07-2019
7.5

Quite unique

I tried this because it was hyped as the costume movie that, because of the vile play and firework between the female rivals, was also suitable for men. And indeed, I did enjoy the acting, the beautiful decors and camerawork people making their way through the castle. It has quite a unique vibe.
7.5

Dredd

Comicbook judge-jury-executioner takes rookie into builidng full a drug addicted badguys (and a badwoman)

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
18-02-2013
7.5

Fine heavy duty action

Movies that occur in a single place can feel somewhat cheap. But I quite enjoyed this moody, dark, heavy action flick with some beautiful slo-mo scenes and sounds.
7.5

Road, The

Father and son try to survive in a ravaged world, where all life has died and the last humans have resorted to cannabalism

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
25-02-2024
7.5

Moving but very comfortless

A very bleak and depressing affair, almost excessively so. You start to wonder if there ought to be some kind of payoff for enduring all of this, but I am not sure there was. But I have to say, I was moved by it.
7.5

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

The IMF team, suspended by the government, still carry on to take down a secret terror organisation

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-08-2015
7.5

Another solid episode

As always, these movies guarantee plenty of really solid slick and tense action. This one starts to lean towards a James Bond vibe, skimping on the outrageous impossible stunts. It's still fab, as long as you can take in the endless layers of "HAHA it was all part of some amazing plan!"
7.5

Vivarium

Couple do a house sighting of a strange sterile house in a neigbourhoud where everything seems the same.. and then can't seem to leave the place

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
23-05-2020
7.5

Refreshingly and pleasantly weird

Sometimes non-standard oddball movies that do something different, mysterious, bizarre and thought- provoking are just so refreshing and satisfying. Like this one.
7.5

Lucy

Woman gains acces to full brain capacity after a drug is accidently spilled in her body - giving her remarkable skills

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-08-2014
7.5

Survives its many flaws

I wish the superpowers were a little less extreme, the science a bit more refined, the pacing a but more delicate. It's also unfortunate that the superpowers are only used for fighting goons, not something more poetic. Despite all that, it still is a very entertaining, smart and quite a cool movie.
7.5

Invitation, The

Introvert man is invited to a party, at which something feels not quite right

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
03-06-2018
7.5

Party sucked, movie did not

One of those movies that plays out in a single place with a single group of people, and a good one at that. The main goal of slowly building up a feeling of discomfort and anxiety to resolve what's going on is successfully achieved by the fine actors, story and no frills.
7.5

Parasite

A poor family finds ways to infiltrate in the household of a rich family

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-09-2023
7.5

Varied, interesting and entertaining

A well-rounded and well made movie that has a little bit of everything, and remains fresh by taking multiple new directions. I liked it, but do not fully feel the 'masterpiece' status it has. People applaud it's 'social commentary' - but if they mean rich and poor - then well duh.
7.5

Dark

Inhabitants of a small German town get entangled in time paradoxes spanning generations

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
07-03-2021
7.5

Deep and interesting, but it's darlings start to annoy

A profound series with a unique atmosphere and just enough lifelines to help you through the complexity. Problems: It dwells badly in the same concepts and 'darlings', the characters communicate in an unacceptably vague way, and everyone seems to have just one overacted facial expression.
7.5

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