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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dune (2021)

Clans fight for control of planet Arrakis and it's resources, both with other clans and with the native inhabitans

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
17-10-2021
8

What the word 'epic' was meant for

Wow, this was quite an epic experience on all accounts. Incredible spaceship designs, compelling imagery, great music and overall an enticing story. Very very tasteful. On the downside, the sterile environments and characters meant it had only a limited emotional impact and didn't really stick.
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smile

Psychiatrist investigates a chain of people who kill themselves after have seen a smile from strangers

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
28-12-2022
8

Quality horror to make you smile

While the concept is quite familiar, I quite enjoyed this. On a few occasions it resorts to banal jump scares, but mostly it proves that it stands above these, with quality horror containing plenty of moments to send shivers down your spine.
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Shape of Water

In a 50's secret facility, a mute cleaning lady falls in love with an aquatic creature they experiment on

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
23-03-2018
8

A unique and pretty modern fairytale experience

It is an unusual blend of humor, science fiction and an escape movie, all wrapped in an arthouse atmosphere, and somehow it works beautifully. The trademark color tones and style of Del Toro look as gorgeous as ever in this 50s setting.
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

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

The Incredibles 2

Again living in secrecy, the family gets a chance to do their superhero stuff again when they are contacted by a secret organization

Wittenberg
Wittenberg
30-06-2018
8

What a lovely family

A lovely episode that once again shows the aces of the franchise: Spectacular action, a lot of humor and an exciting, well-developed story line. But what The Incredibles absolutely excel at are the non-heroic moments where we see them as normal, fallible persons trying to get by like anyone else.
8

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