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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

Inside Out

5 separate emotions in a girls' head are trying to keep it together when she and her parents move to a new city

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-07-2015
8

Unique, emotional, courageous and wonderful

One of the most unique, brave and original movies ever to come out of a major animation studio. A collage of symbolism en abstractions that is still child-friendly and a great experience. It made me cry as well, which I needed to hide from popcorn munching kiddies all around me in the theater.
8

The Northman

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

The Karate Kid

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

The Impossible

A family tries to survive the 2004 tsunami in Thailand

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-04-2014
8

Terrifying and heart shattering

A terrifying and heart shattering experience throughout. Very well done, although maybe a little over eager to bring the viewer to tears.... but goodness did they succeed!
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

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

Birdman

A former action film hero wants to be recognised as serious actor in his own broadway play, meanwhile his world seems to be falling apart
average 8.0

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
19-06-2016
8

Quiet something

A unique movie displaying a wealth of class-A acting by the entire cast, together with amazing camerawork literally floating through the clever script, backup up a great musical score.
8

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
02-02-2015
8

Surrealistic flight with the birdman

This movie balances on the ambiguous line between arthouse and mainstream films. Surrealistic and flatout weird at times, but also insightfull, captivating and refreshing. I enjoyed this movie, to my own surprise :)
8

Mama

Couple takes in two little girls that have been living alone in the woods for many years. Or have they?

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-08-2014
8

Fine, original and well made horror

Like many horror movies, it sort of keeps you occupied with somewhat isolated scary scenes and jumpscares until it's time for the finale. But it did so in a more stylish, original, creepy and effective way than most.
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

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

Coherence

Friends enjoy diner while a comet passes over... causing strange quantumlevel effects on them

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-01-2016
8

I love quantumfucks

A really wonderful, mind boggling story that manages to suck you into the puzzle and leaves you in a somewhat unsettled but intrigued state of mind. Effective also because it is set up so plainly and is acted naturally.
8

Apollo 13

After an explosion occurs on the Apollo 13 mission, the crew and groundcontrol have to abort the mission and find new and untested ways to get home

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
22-02-2015
8

Thrilling space adventure

It's a blockbuster and it knows it, with some moments of over the top heroism and music. But who cares, most of it is a authentic, thrilling and nail biting experience that is very well made.
8

Speak No Evil

Danish couple visits Dutch friends they met on vacation. The weekend slowly becomes agonizing, then turns into something much worse.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
20-11-2022
8

A tough watch, but the quality makes it a worthwile one

The feeling of ever growing discomfort really gets to you, and works well because of the natural acting and settings. It ends sad and depraved, but somehow feels like the right conclusion of the dread that had been accumulating.
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

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

Everest

True story about a terrible day on the Everest on which several lives were lost

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
29-05-2016
8

Engrossing and impressive

A thrilling and chilling story with powerful footage and acting, shot in very smooth 3D. It didn't completely knock me down, but I am not yet sure why.
8

A Cure for Wellness

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

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

Spectre

Just when the 00 team is cancelled, Bond faces the architect of all his pain

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-05-2016
8

Tight

With a sense of perfection in each scene, the the movie is confident enough to never rush or over-do things, instead rolling along nice and tight. I found Bond himself is a little too 1-dimensional with his grumpiness and fearlessness. The man seems utterly bored with his job.
8

Lamb

Couple who run a secluded sheepfarm get a very special lamb one day

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-11-2021
8

Bizarre and modest at the same time

I think I'd call it horror, which is uncanny, bizarre and disturbing but at the same time very plain, pure and subtle and without ever becoming cheap. And I finally liked Noomi Rappace, who looks and acts fantastic here.
8

Paranorman

Not only does this kid see ghost, he is now trying to get rid of zombies and a witchcurse too.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-05-2013
8

Horror for kids, made with love and style

Unique stylish claylooks, a wonderful atmosphere, great effects and big heart.
8

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

The Covenant

An American soldier's life in Afghanistan is saved by a local translator, a debt he gets to pay back.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
14-03-2024
8

Good and gripping

A good war movie with some tense moments, good performances and a gripping story of debt and friendship. I was quite moved by it. Only their perfect aim, especially compared to the Taliban's, was a bit dissapointing.
8

The Conjuring

How to get rid of a bad demon....
average 8.0

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
04-01-2015
8

Genuinely scary and expertly done

A really scary movie with agonizing tension built-up courtesy of great camerawork, a slow but deadly script and effective and sober use of sounds. I'd say it was a bit too long though. The finale is suitably terrifying, but by then I felt a bit saturated.
8

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
23-12-2013
8

One hell of a scary movie!

An excellent adaptation of the standard "creepy demon in a house" plot, that will scare the **** out of you. Sound effects and background music perfectly add to the suspense..
8

A Quiet Place

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

The Dead Center

Psychiatrist treates a patient that has risen from the dead

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
14-06-2021
8

An unpleasant surprise

Morgue-scenes, already my weakspot! But this movies doesn't solely rely on their creepy atmosphere. It has an intelligent, well constructed uncanny atmosphere throughout, and I love the natural acting and believable hospital atmosphere that was created. It really elevates the story.
8

The Shawshank Redemption

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

Ex Machina

Software developer wins a trip to a genius living in solitude, who created a new tier in artificial intelligence
average 8.0

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
17-09-2015
8

Not just another AI movie

Enjoyable approach towards the artificial intelligence debate, with some nice twists in the plot
8

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-08-2015
8

Clever and good looking scifi

A very stylish, smart and engrossing scifi flick with some nice twists to boot.
8

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Now that the the cave is vacant again, a war for it's treasures is immenent

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
03-01-2015
8

This is more like it

Yes. Less hobbit whining and dwarf singing. More intense combat, both on a massive scale as one on one close encounters. All this intense and beautiful action and hardship finally made me care about the creatures in this movie.
8

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

2010: The Year We Make Contact

A russian spaceship takes along some americans to investigate what happened to HAL, the Discovery and the monolith

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-07-2023
8

An exciting continuation

While it is perhaps not as mysterious and far-reaching as 2001, this still is an exciting sci-fi epic. It may be different, but it's story fits the narrative perfectly, and features some awesome setpieces, effects and characters. Mind you: even in diminished form the story is still captivating.
8

American Hustle

Con man and con woman doing a lot of conning, with Feds, politicians and mobsters involved

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
17-01-2014
8

Great acting in a movie filled with conning

Conning, trickery, treason and seduction with a thin layer of comedy showing through occasionally, in a balanced movie with great acting by the main characters
8

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

Skinamarink

Dark and grainy footage of two toddlers trying to make it through the night when the house gets weird, and their parents disappear

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-04-2023
8

Quite brilliant if the concept clicks with you

A very demanding movie, both in terms of pacing and visuals, but I was impressed. My interpretation is that it shows horror experienced through the eyes of people who have not yet learned the normal scares or panic adults would have. Scary, uneasy, touching, quite brilliant and totally unique.
8

The Beaver

Depressed man finds therapy by talking to himself using a beaver handpuppet

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
25-02-2013
8

Can I say 'great' about this much depression?

Even the premise of this movie gets you depressed, but it was a fine piece of work - courtesy of the actors in this.
8

It Follows

Girl has unknown people walking slowly but straight at her

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
07-02-2016
8

Scores in many fields

The seemingly simple story in this little marvel is told with style and confidence, supported by a nice cast, good music and great camera work, and manages to be scary without over-relying on the same old cliches. Unique and refreshing.
8

Resurrection

A woman has an anxiety attack when a man from her past shows up in her live. What happened here?

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
23-12-2022
8

Great actors, story and weirdness.

Rebecca Hall once again carries this neat little mystery/horror puzzler with strides. It's all done very tastefully, acted beautifully, and some tasty absurdity is gives you something to ponder on.
8

The Signal

Computer hackers hunt down a rival hacker. But their roadtrip brings them to something much more mysterious and unearthly.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
03-01-2015
8

A pleasant surpise

Well this is nice! A very stylish movie with a tasteful combination of science fiction, mystery, fine acting and suspense. Accompanied by wonderful music throughout.
8

Captain Philips

An American cargo ship gets hijacked by Somali pirates (Arrr matey!)
average 8.0

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-03-2014
8

Nailbiting, sweaty and genuine experience

Maybe it is a tad too long, but for sure this is a compelling, griping and intense experience.
8

RockmeNow
RockmeNow
01-02-2014
8

Boats, pirates and a psychological battle between two captains

Highly recommended movie, at first glance simply about the hijacking of a cargo ship. But it also conveys a deeper message by implying the complex situation in many African countries, where the difference between right and wrong is not always that clear. Authentic acting by Tom Hanks.
8

Soul

Just before a breakthrough live performance, a jazz musician has an accident and get assigned a quest somewhere in the afterlife

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
22-01-2021
8

Beautifully abstract and heartfelt.

Another bold Pixar endeavor that doesn't shy away from emotions, highly abstract concepts and symbolism. Apparently, kids get it instantly, but I needed some time to figure it out. Any which way, it is just lovely, beautiful and wonderful.
8

Joker

How Joker, you know - Batman's nemesis, came to be

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-10-2021
8

Exactly what Joker's origin story deserves

It's done right. You can feel the man sliding off, the transformation is plausible and understandable, it's not simplistic right and wrong, and I sympathized with him. The movie also features beautifully lit scenery and of course world class acting.
8

Life of Pi

After a shipwreck, boy is stuck on a lifeboat with wild animals as he sails into a trippy journey

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
24-05-2013
8

wonderful journey

Intriguing mix of hardship and fantasy storytelling. Unique, brave and utterly beautiful.
8

The Revenant

After being left for dead and betrayed after a bear attack, a man must defeat nature and other dangers to make it home and take revenge

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-03-2016
8

Big

A majestic and profound experience that is beautifully shot. Personally I wasn't able to connect fully with the main character, as he is mostly a puffing and groaning wild man, but that's a minor quibble.
8

Infinity Pool

Couple on vacation in a fascistic country descend into hellish and surrealistic peril when they leave the resort

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
26-02-2023
8

A tasty shocker

Although it has plenty of bizarre and shocking scenes, this movie doesn't solely rely on them, but also is a feisty crime and science fiction story on it's own right. I was really enjoying this, and Mia is such a screen presence again!
8

The Babadook

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

The Eyes of my Mother

When her mother is killed during a home invasion, the daughter grows up isolated to develop increasingly strange and sadastic ways

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-01-2023
8

Not for everyone perhaps, a delicacy

It has a unique atmosphere that is dark, sad and macabre, even of the blood won't show red in the black and white execution.
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

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

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

The House that Jack Built

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

Soft & Quiet

A group of white women is having a get together. Slowly we learn with binds them, and then we get to see how far they are willing to take it.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
20-02-2023
8

A gutpunch

Unaware what this would be about, I was quite shocked as it slowly unfolded from bad into worse. The staging and acting is impressive, and becomes even more intense and haunting by the single take in which it all occurs.
8

The Raid

Police squad in Jakarta raids a tower inhabited by criminal scum. It turns bad really quickly.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
31-08-2015
8

Brutally refining

A really sweaty and hardcore fighting movie with a deep sense of pain and tired bones. It is unpleasant in a way, but it is also spectacular, amazingly well performed and choreographed and a genuine new benchmark for brawling movies - that had been going nowhere until this came along.
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

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

Alpha

Set in the stone age, a boy gets seperated form his group and must find his way home, but befriends a wolf along the way

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-12-2019
8

Beautiful and heartfelt

I like to think of this as perhaps the first domestication of wolfs, eventually leading to dog breeds. Extremely pretty, akin towards kitsch, but never crossing that line. The storyline is also gripping, making me care about this journey and swallowing tears near the end.
8

Bird Box

Woman tries to bring two kids to a save haven in a world overrun by a suicide pandamonium

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
02-01-2019
8

Original and exhilarating

My goodness: a highly original (not withstanding the similar 'The Happening'), strongly acted and nail-biting movie that is very well put together. Those are not easy to come by these days. It once again shows the strength of NOT showing or explaining everything and anything.
8

Get Out

Black boyfriend gets to meet his white inlaws for the first time, in a mansion where something weird is going on with the black personel

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
18-11-2018
8

What's going on?

The sense that something's not right but you can't quite grasp what it is has been done extremely well and carries this movie till the end. Together with the fine actors, this was a highly entertaining movie with a dash of horror.
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

Spy

Condemned to work in a basement supporting agents doing all the action, a CIA agent finally gets a change to do some fieldwork of her own

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
14-08-2016
8

Dare I say hillarious?

In a time where 'comedies' merely evoke a vague smile at best, I was delighted to find this genuinely funny movie that had me laughing out loud several times. Deliciously nasty and hysterical.
8

The Nightingale

After unspeakable cruelty was done to a woman and her family, she chases down the perpetrators through the Tasmanian bush, with the aid of a native aboriginal

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
12-05-2020
8

Heavy, but very good

It covers a lot of heavy-handed subjects (racism, revenge, rape, murder, repression) and inevitably features some tough scenes. But it has all been done really well. I liked how during the revenge part she remained fragile and insecure, and didn't have sudden superskills that came out of nowhere.
8

Saint Maud

Deeply religious palliative nurse becomes dangerously fanatical when she thinks she has performed a revelation on a patient

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
01-08-2021
8

Impressive and scary, with thick layers of atmosphere

An impressive psychological thriller with some horror and supernatural elements in a very tasteful, restrained and effective way. The atmosphere oozes of the screen, performances are great, especially Maud's of course.
8

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

The Creator

A man is after a new weapon from AI powered robots, but when he finds it it turns things on it's head

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
09-10-2023
8

Familiar elements blended into something exciting and new

A lot of elements and concept are quite familiar. It reminded me of Elysium for example, both in style, looks and story. But it manages to combine it's sources of inspiration into a new, exciting story, with gorgeous visuals, great performances and it even touched me emotionally.
8

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Young Han is seperated from his girl, and goes through great lengths and cosmic adventures to get back and save her

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
03-06-2018
8

A welcome change

Contains just the right amount of Star Wars icons to make it connect to the universe, but never lazily riding it. By focusing on a small group of people, I felt a much more intimate connection than the main movies. The portayal of the younger Han actually worked for me. Funny and exciting, too.
8

When Evil Lurks

Two farmers encounter a 'rotten' demonic curse, and must race to stop if from spreading

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
01-01-2024
8

The best possession movie I know

The macabre folklore, while slightly weird, gave this a unique atmosphere. The characters are interesting and well acted, and it has some brilliant gut-punch horrorscenes. And finally, it has a constant high tension drive, making it feeling almost like an action movie.
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

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

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

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

Enter the Void

Smalltime drug dealer in Tokyo experiences after death experience and reincarnation... while on drugs

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
13-01-2018
8

What a trip

I am assuming this is about the closest you can get to tripping out (or dying) in beautiful Tokyo without doing any drugs. The camera work, images an music are really extraordinarily done and it treats the 'expected' after-death events in a sort of believable way. Very long though.
8

A Ghost Story

After a deadly car accident, a man wakes up as a ghost and dwells in his former house, with his former girlfriend

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
21-02-2024
8

A unique point of view in a unique movie

The long, sometimes very long, static scenes mean this movie will not be for everyone. But for me, it neatly visualized the endless time ghost exist in, until their unresolved issue is dealt with. I also loved the ghost perspective, and it is quite haunting and even touching at times.
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

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

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

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

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

The Night House

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

Life

The crew of spacestation ISS manages to acquire a sample from mars soil... with life in it.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
01-04-2017
8

Very good space horror

It is not perfect, but overall I found this to be very solid, exciting, great looking film that reconfirmed just how much and why I love space horror. The spacestation and camerawork floating through it are first class.
8

Hereditary

The death of a tyrant grandmother does not spell relieve, but drags a family into paranormal turmoil

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-07-2018
8

No cheap tricks, pure dread.

While I may not have been as shellshocked as many other reviewers, I do agree think this was remarkably good under-the-skin horror that uses some common themes but threats them in a much more adult, slow and agonizing manner.
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

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

First Man

Neil Armstrong's mission to the moon

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
04-11-2018
8

But why so serious

Apparently, everyone involved was deeply serious and humorless about going to the moon, making this movie more depressing than it probably ought to be. But my goodness, those spaceflight scenes are mindbogglingly exciting and extremely well shot.
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

L'année dernière à Marienbad (1961)

Man meets woman, woman meets man, or perhaps they didn't

hente
hente
10-10-2013
8

Time and place are no longer certain

As we are constantly cheating our memories, actual life becomes a guessing game in this stylish movie. Ultimately, all movies are addressing space and time. This one adds to the mystery like a photo of a photographer. Over-aged? How can time be dismissed as being too old? Call it matured...
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

Chronicle

Found footage of teenagers developing superpowers

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
19-02-2013
8

Unique approach to what superpowers would be like

Real people with some superpowers are more exciting than superpeople with massive superpowers. Nice effects too.
8

Kubo and the Two Strings

Stop motion animation about a young boy who enters a ghostly realm to flee from dark enemies and prepare for a confrontation with his grandpa, who is after the boys eye.

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
07-08-2019
8

Wonderfully diverse, different and pleasant

The story may sound bizarre, but it is told in a very interesting, confident and pleasantly mysterious way. It is beautiful to look at, has some really exciting scenes and is a welcome change in style from the big-name animations coming from the big studios.
8

The Autopsy of Jane Doe

During an autopsy of a beautiful women, the cause of death becomes increasingly mysterious, as are the things that are happing to the coroners

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
17-05-2017
8

Creepy setting, creepy movie, excellent idea

Any morgue setting will instantly cater for a horror movie. But this original, focused and terrifying movie sure exploits it to great lengths. Love how the mystery unfolds and how the autopsy and dead people are straight up in your face!
8

Lego Movie

The insignificant life of a lego nobody turns on it's head when he is the chosen one to act against evil plans that threaten lego world

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
16-02-2014
8

Fantastic frantic

Could have gone wrong in many ways, but did not. Loaded to the brim with action, jokes, fantastic visuals and brilliant 'real' animation. I did think it was a little to nervous and restless, and overcomplicated for kids to follow comfortably.
8

Mother!

In an isolated house, a woman struggles with her husband's increasing tendency to have strangers stay over, up until extreme and paranormal levels (this description probably sucks, you tell me!)

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-09-2017
8

A different kind of horror

A reminder that horror and unrest can come in many shapes, not just ghouls and ghosts. A disturbing but very engrossing experience which I thought was fresh, well acted and intense. It felt great to see a movie again that sticks with you and leaves a goddamn impression.
8

Edge of Tomorrow

A not so brave solider gets killed on a beach fighting aliens, but then gets to relive that day over and over again, get better at it each time

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
15-06-2014
8

Slamming scifi with a twist

A neat thrill ride based on a great story, cool action and splendid visuals. Maybe the story was over-centered at the main character and story, making it feel like the suffering of the rest of world wasn't an issue. But who cares.
8

Oppenheimer

A biography of the father of the atomic bomb

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
11-08-2023
8

A fascinating drama disguised as an adrenline action ride

A very intense and splendidly shot, acted and directed movie. But part of me thought Nolan was cheating, by presenting what is essentially a drama as an pumping action movie, using all of his film-making prowess. There was a dissonance beween what was actually happening and how it was presented.
8

A Quiet Place Part Two

Apart from a flashback, a seamless continuation of part one, in which the family is trying to find a safe place

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-07-2021
8

Just as good as part one

A worthy sequel in that it really offers the same level of acting, nailbiting tension and heartfelt performances. Clearly one of the better horrors of the last few years.
8

Alita: Battle Angel

Man rebuilts a cyborg he found in a trashpile. A very special cyborg it turns out...

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
25-02-2019
8

Great

Fearing a hysteric and flat CGI bonanza, I was pleasantly surprised. We actually get to like the characters, it's exciting and original. It has a nice big-amazing-adventure vibe that I haven't felt for while. But yes, it does feature awesome, bright daylight CGI in every scene.
8

The Martian

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

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

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