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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Witcher

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

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 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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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