Goldbeater

This is a minimalist thriller about being buried alive in a typically Poe-esque fashion, this time situated in the world of science fiction. It does not come even close to the qualities of Rodrigo Cortés's thriller Buried, which was a real conversation piece and came a whole decade earlier. Here, the screenwriter hides the banal plot behind cheap tricks, such as memory loss and the gradual revealing of things the audience can guess a few, sometimes even tens of minutes before they are revealed in the movie. In the last quarter of the movie, it is sort of pleasing to see the broader backdrop in which the action takes place. But all in all, it did not take my breath away at all.

Despite my very tempered expectations when it comes to grindhouse trash, Death Game ultimately captured my attention. Despite its appearance, it is actually not a trashy B-movie at all. It is a fairly intimate horror thriller that, even with just a few characters and an almost theatrical execution, manages to play out a very thought-provoking psychological game with a few great ideas and, most importantly, completely with brilliant acting from the main protagonists (Sondra Locke, Colleen Camp and Seymour Cassel). The only thing that managed to slightly distract me from the dense atmosphere was the voice dubbed over Seymour Cassel’s performance (the actor refused to take part in the post-synchronization due to creative differences), but you get used to it after a while. It is a movie that perhaps none of the makers were happy with, yet it is a very solid and colorful watch. Overall, this movie deserves some decent remastering and to be rediscovered by true horror fans. Eli Roth certainly did not do it any favors with his remake. Stick to the original!

Directions is a mosaic of taxi driver stories responding to the current and long-entrenched socio-political situation in Bulgaria, and a movie that is very entertaining in its dialogue and everything that happens plot-wise. At times the screenwriter may have gone too far against the grain, and the idea of a radio station going on all day discussing the crime of a murderer who shot a loan shark seems a bit absurd, but that was the creative decision and I was willing to accept it. So, for me, a very decent movie that managed to be really engaging and they pulled it off really well.

There are martial arts, travel to exotic lands, a cannibal cult, ex-Nazis, blue zombies, piranhas, and boobies. This is the ultimate fantasy B-movie for boys, and though it does not seem like it at first, it is also a more-than competently made and satisfying movie. Raw Force is a movie so crammed full of ideas and antics that an hour and a half simply flies by. An action-packed trash and entertainment from A to Z.

This is an erotic art movie, and a visually captivating bizzarro. Each camera shot is a colorful, playful treat. It is difficult to get a clear grasp of the plot, the audience has to let itself get carried away by the visual stimulations, the primeval tone, and the sultry close psychological atmosphere.

This movie has an imaginative subject matter, a likable cynical approach, and a great plot. However, disappointment soon comes. With such a strong concept and edgy heroine, it is a complete shame that the filmmaker decided to include villains worthy of Looney Tunes animated cartoons, and completely resigned from making any bold decisions. Moreover, it is one of those movies whose final act just happens to be whatever tickled the screenwriter's fancy at the time. It was OK, but it could have been much better.

This is a contrived posturing from an artist who apparently believes himself to be overflowing with all-round talent and for anything he touches to turn to gold. Unfortunately not. At times, I was surprised that so many A-list actors/actresses had not thought twice about getting involved here. John Turturro better be in front of the camera next time, not behind it. It was quite a task to finish watching this showcase of "nothing".

This movie has been bothering me for a while. On the one hand, it is just a silly comedy, where it is advisable to turn off all your brain as quickly as possible and enjoy the few jokes that come along and land well. On the other hand, this is a movie about two repulsively awful characters with whose life goals only a few people could identify with, and who you wish would get nothing but a hard slap in the face. Moreover, the movie’s message is so morally corrupt that you would rather remember the little "highlights" with Chazz Palminteri and Dan Hedaya than ponder over the movie’s disturbingly depraved message any further.

Home Alone with a twist; here the thief is the savior from a far worse guest. You can never have too many inventive "trap" movies, and the screenwriter of the middle instalments of the Saw franchise cannot be denied, but I have to admit that the older I get, the harder "torture porn" movies get to sit through, especially when there is an overabundance of fishing hooks in them. A solid horror flick, but one and done for me.

Magic works much better as a psychological drama than a horror movie, because the tropes of the genre that are inevitably going to turn up here without any surprises and in a fairly classic form. Still, if you already found the ventriloquist's dummy on the poster very disturbing, you have a lot to look forward to. Anthony Hopkins is phenomenal in the dual role (if you can call it that), and certainly carries the whole movie. Plus, I have to say, I was surprised at how dialogue-driven, funny and raunchy the movie was at times. William Goldman is undeniable. To sum it up – you will not get a fright, but you will be interested in the well portrayed characters and you will be totally convinced of the inner conflicts of the main anti-hero.