EvilPhoEniX

In 2019, Lee Won-Tae proved himself with the acclaimed hit The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil, which is sete to get an American remake, so any new film of his is definitely expected and this one, also with the Devil in the title, is unfortunately disappointing. It's not that it's a completely bad film, he just chose a the topic of politics and elections that I don't find interesting, and mixed in gangsters, so nobody can say is a bit boring (Korean audiences will probably enjoy the film more). There's an election coming up and some candidates are willing to get their hands dirty to win. There's very little action and not much of anything, a few people do scream, but we don't see any outright violence. It's more of a political thriller involving manipulation, blackmail and power struggles, and I don’t enjoy that at all. For me, barely average for the traditional good visuals and fine actors. 5/10.

An enjoyable psychological horror film with an interesting theme. The main character is a likeable and attractive woman who does not want to have children. She thinks her biological clock is broken and so she signs up for a clinic to help her, but it takes its toll. The craftsmanship is surprisingly decent, the actors and dialogue aren't bad either, the premise itself is interesting, and the fine design of the tall ghost is appropriately creepy (but plays more of a minor note, which is a shame because adding more scares could have been pretty intense). The process at the clinic itself is quite engaging and the aftermath, including the paranoia and hallucinations of the main character, is interesting too. In short, this will be an uncomfortable watch for women. The most interesting scene is definitely the baby swinging on the umbilical cord and then the finale. With a better director, it could have been a big hit, but it's still an inoffensive one-off. 6/10.

Emil Křížka crucified, tortured and burned a Phoenix at the stake! The Czechs are trying to do something different, but we can see how absolutely unable they are. Better go back to comedies and fairy tales, because this is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Everything is so wrong here that I threw up five times while watching it. There’s almost no talking, nothing makes sense, the narrator mixes plot lines as he pleases (probably according to the shot he just had), it's boring as shit, the characters are unlikeable and the only thing to watch here were the tits of Pavla Gajdosikova. I wished for the ending like I haven't in a long time. I haven't anything worse this year. 1 Star for mercy.

The cinematographer of The Lost Bullet brought in the famous Alban Lenoir and made a gangster debut that doesn’t put him to shame. It's a decent ride! I have a soft spot for French films be it comedies, crime dramas, thrillers, action or gangster, in short they excel on any level (like the Poles and the Spaniards, for example) and I am happy for any new filmmaker on the scene. AKA may not bring anything new to the genre, and anyone who expects only story and script from films should avoid it (read fuck off), but if you like honest action, great actors, thick atmosphere, great craftsmanship and gangster films in their own right, this is the way to go! The story focuses on a Special Ops agent tasked with infiltrating a crime syndicate to tear it apart from the inside, only to unexpectedly befriend the son of the head mobster and soon have to decide whose side he's actually on. I was entertained from the very beginning, where the film opens with a shootout somewhere in Libya, and then we watch the main character trying to befriend the dreaded gang (by beating the crap out of five guys from a rival gang!). Alban Lenoir is a sharp guy who definitely knows how to fight and he fits the action role very well. In short, it's got a very entertaining and brisk pace, the characters are engaging and you will care about their fate; the craftsmanship is of a high standard and the action itself, shot in one take, took my breath away. It is realistic, authentic, unpleasant, brutal! The bloody head-shots are more delicious than in Wick, and at one point I thought I was watching a live match in Tsk. I haven't enjoyed a shootout like this for a long time and when it came to machetes and contact fights, it felt like an European version of The Raid! I had a great time, AKS hit my mood a lot, this is exactly my kind of movie and I thank Dalibert! 8/10.

An entertaining, comedic horror short about a guy who has his guts out! The finale, like something out of Final Destination, is pleasantly brutal and entertaining. 7/10.

An average but inoffensive monster genre film from New Zealand. A family inherits an abandoned coastal property, but unknowingly awakens an ancient monster that terrorized the inhabitants for centuries. It's a little slow to get going (nothing really interesting happens for the first 40 minutes), but with the arrival of the monster on the scene it's fine. The practical effects are very nice, with the people who created the orcs in Lord of the Rings working on the monster, so it looks good. But there's just a lack of characters that it could possibly eat (when one does appear (the sheriff) we still don't get to see the gore). Rather, it relies on suspense and atmosphere, something that worked back in the 90s, but nowadays doesn't impress anyone. I appreciate the effort at least. 5.5/10.

This Finnish World War II revenge film wowed with the trailer of the year. The film itself may not be a new genre milestone, but it's pretty cool. The not too experienced Jalmari Helander has originally enriched the popular library of current action movies. He chose a feared main character (John Wick, Nobody), whom everyone is afraid of, has a dark past and is a brutal beast in action, and swapped classic gangsters for Nazis, which is cool and fresh. Story-wise, however, it's very simple. The protagonist finds gold at his house and decides to take it to the nearest bank, but along the way he has to beat up a bunch of Nazis who want to steal it. The protagonist doesn't say much, the actions simply speak for him and when it comes to the getting down and dirty, it's a nicely brutal and dirty affair with an almost western feel to it. Unless you're willing to accept what all the main character can and can't survive, you won't enjoy it (if that bothered you in Wick, it's doubly true here), but I'm OK with it. Outside of the action sequences, it's a bit slower and more intimate, but luckily it's only 90 minutes long, so the movie goes by very quickly. I must also praise the villain, who played the evil Nazi brilliantly. There aren't many genre films like this being made and it's definitely my kind of thing. If you like revenge movies and Nazis, you shouldn't hesitate to go to the cinema. 75%.

A very mediocre affair, where I surprisingly enjoyed the romantic games more than what follows afterwards. The characters are likeable, Anna is just plain awesome, the humor is rather passable but not boring, the cameos are very enjoyable, and the action is a PG-13 routine for me that didn’t offend me, nor did it impress. 5/10.

Great!!! 1967, England, and a mysterious noise from the ocean that messes up you head. Great atmosphere, great music, goosebumps guaranteed and the kids are great. The visuals are great too, this is simply a classy short.

A surprising romp from start to finish and a great performance by Nicolas Cage as Dracula. This year of vampires looks promising so far, and Renfield can definitely be counted among the best horror comedies, as a little sibling to the excellent Day Shift. The story may be simple, but it's entirely sufficient. We have Nicholas Hoult as Renfield, who looks for food for his master Dracula. In addition, the gangster Teddy Lobo (a brilliantly written and acted character) is on the rampage in the city and the policewoman Awkwafina is trying to destroy his criminal organization. The plot isn't the point, but it's enough that it's presented in an entertaining way and has a great pace. The action scenes are nice, and while they are frantically edited, they are the most important thing to see. The fights are dynamic, physically tough and most importantly very brutal. There is plenty of gore, it's almost comic book-like, nicely over-the-top, with blood flying by the gallon (there's perhaps even more gore here than in the new Evil Dead, so violence lovers will really enjoy a lot of fun and crazy fatalities). Tearing someone's arms off to then use as a murderous spear is simply awesome. In that respect, the film surprised and delighted me a lot, but it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Dracula's make-up is also good, and Cage overacts, stealing scenes for himself. For me, a very entertaining and brutal diversion that I would happily watch again with friends.