EvilPhoEniX

The only thing the reboot of Wrong Turn has in common with the original is the name and maybe the traps in the forest, so diehard fans of the series will be disappointed. From the trailer, it was quite obvious that there won't be mutants this time (which is not a big deal, since the best ones were in The Hills Have Eyes anyway) and this new direction possibly brought a fresh breath. Actually, the only thing that slightly bothered me is that most of the murders are off-screen, but fortunately they usually show at least "what's left". The group of teenagers is okay, the blonde is a likeable babe, who at the end comes off as Lara Croft, and I definitely have to praise the decent craftsmanship, the nature, the nice masks of animal skulls, and the very well built-up tension (the fall from the slope in front of the rolling log was great), and that one atmospheric and creepy scene that nobody expected (the corridor of the blind is wonderfully unpleasant). The final 20 minutes are quite intense, culminating in a sharp and interesting ending. It could have been even more brutal and dirtier, but it is still more brutal than most of the horror movies that have come out recently. I am satisfied, I have a weakness for forest massacres and there hasn't been a proper one for a long time and probably won't be. Those 49% are laughable and irrelevant for now. Story***, Action****, Humor>No, Violence****, Enjoyment****, Music***, Visuals****, Atmosphere****, Tension****. 7.5/10.

Fun teen horror for the little ones, but adults will also enjoy it out of nostalgia. Altogether it's about two hours long, so it's easily digestible and I can't think of a better choice to introduce young fans to the world of horror. The story focuses on a group of teenagers who tell horror stories and when one of the stories, “The Carnival of Doom”, becomes a reality, most of them are horrified. The protagonist’s last name is Carpenter, and the class nerd falls almost in love with her when he finds out she has seen the movie Changeling. I like that the children talk about different themes, stories, characters, and cult horror-films, and it's immediately more interesting than discussing love, who cheated on whom, and when the next party is. The atmosphere of the amusement park is nice, the clowns are unpleasant, and although the movie won't scare adults, teenage girls could be spooked. Most likely, most people know the 90s series. Story***, Action>No, Humor>No, Violence>No, Entertainment****, Music***, Visuals****, Atmosphere****, Tension***. 6.5/10.

The story focuses on Emily, who is celebrating her 18th birthday and her family informs her of an important secret, a birthday present you wouldn’t want! The ending is downright unpleasant and pretty creepy. The atmosphere here is brilliant. 8/10.

Brazilian madness for a marginal audience. A medieval castle, a cemetery, a Satanic Bible, Brazilian colonists, and a look straight out of the 1980s. I'm a bit disappointed. This is definitely a film where you can't expect a story, acting performances, or visuals from, but I didn't expect it to be this slow, and you have to to wait more than an hour for the gore. The massacre in the last ten minutes is excellent, but it would be more suited for a short film like Fist of Jesus because the hour before that felt like two. If they can't impress with anything other than gore and decent practical effects, one would expect them to serve it from beginning to end and at least make you laugh occasionally at how unintentionally funny it is, but it's taken seriously. Story**, Action***, Humor>No, Violence****, Entertainment***, Music***, Visuals***, Atmosphere***, Tension**. 5.5/10.

An enjoyable and intimate Swedish survival drama from Netflix. A romantic trip in the Swedish mountains takes a turn when an unknown sniper starts terrorizing the loving couple. It’s nicely shot, with beautiful scenery, likeable actors, occasional tension that works, and a satisfying twist that gives it a greater impact. The finale is mildly brutal and definitely uncompromising. Not a smash hit, but fans of survival movies will certainly not be offended. Story***, Action>No, Humor>No, Violence***, Entertainment***, Music***, Visuals***, Atmosphere****, Tension***. 6/10.

The protagonist is falsely accused of drug possession and sentenced to seven years in prison. After his release, he thinks of nothing else but seeking revenge on the man who ruined his life. I enjoyed the first half a lot, but, I wasn't very satisfied with the direction the film ultimately takes. It's more of a drama, with only a few thriller elements. It's watchable, fairly original, but not gripping. 6/10.

A new documentary series from Netflix touting the infamous Hotel Cecil, known as a hotbed of violence and death. The hotel has been the stage of several suicides and murders here, and drugs, prostitution, and even the Night Stalker lived there. It is very disappointing that the series focuses on the disappearance of Elisa Lam the whole time. I found it relatively entertaining in the first two episodes, but after four episodes, it begins to repeat itself and becomes a bit boring. The case is interesting as long as you know nothing about it, but in the end, when you find out the truth, you realise that it's not as interesting and creepy as you hoped. I would much rather see the various murders and suicides that took place in the hotel, or even the Skid Row next to it, with homeless people and crime being a daily occurrence, which I found more interesting than the whole Elisa Lam case. It's a shame, the series touts something different than it actually is. It would definitely benefit from being shortened by one episode. 6/10.

A visually captivating adventure about a wizard with a talking horse and trolls under a bridge. Maybe longer than it should be, but nice. 8/10.

Dante Lam, by favorite director from contemporary China has switched from action to disaster and has made the best disaster film in the last few years, where the Chinese star Eddie Peng excels! The film focuses on a group of rescuers who go on various dangerous missions to save people, creating a beautiful diversity and variety in the genre. If somewhere we see a volcano eruption, earthquake or tsunami, here we have four disasters all at once, and they are all epic and magnificent. There is an oil rig, a wild river, an airplane crash, which is the craziest scene in the movie (very realistic and unpleasant, and the shots of the passengers' bodies will evoke the right discomfort), and I won't tell you the finale, suffice to say that it lasts half an hour and it's huge. In the first half there is a bit of the classic melodrama – a necessary evil in Asia – but once the film starts rolling, it holds throughout. It is thrilling, epic, the soundtrack is absolutely brilliant, the effects are magnificent, there are also some great slow-motion shots, and the intensity knows no limits. Someone complained in a foreign review that the protagonist would have never survived what he does in the film. So if you are among the viewers who wonder if someone can survive or not, you won't enjoy the film. All others will experience a disaster ride that will make you sweat your ass off. In this year's Hong Kong vs South Korea duel, it's currently 2:1 for China. Story *****, Action *****, Humor>No, Violence****, Entertainment***** Music*****, Visual*****, Atmosphere*****, Tension*****. 8.5/10.

For South Korea, this is an almost a made-for-TV thriller about a man who catches the killer of his wife. A little bit of torture, a little bit of interrogation, but in the 100 minutes, the movie feels a bit dull and tedious. The ending is unexpectedly brutal, and that earns it a third star. But Korea can do better. This is somewhat of a scream in the dark from a budding director. 5/10.