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Reviews
The Loner (2016)
Not bad
This film has something exotic about it. Tells the story about an Iranian child soldier who, has an adult, lives in the US but is stuck with some fellow country-man of him that are ruling a kind of Persian crime syndicate. Not quit the live that the main character wants for himself but he has no choice. The exotic and particular element of this film is the Persian sub culture we see some glimpses of. This, and also some visual hypnotic images, gives this film something special, that overcomes the rather generic story.
Get the Girl (2017)
has its moments, but not enough
What saves this film from total boredom is the use of humour. The characters are all somewhat offbeat an don't always take the right decisions in the strange situations there in. And then you have the head character saying quotes every time he finds himself stuck in a weird situation. Not that all of this makes a great film: story is to generic, the final twist doesn't really work, mix of humour and violence should have been darker...But hey if you simply want a fast paced action film with some humour, this film will do the job. Nothing more, nothing less.
Dans la forêt (2016)
Not just a walk in the park
Quit an intriguing film this is. The story is somewhat reminiscent to the Shining but is quit simple an rather straight forward. A France father, divorced an living in Sweden, has his two little sons for a holiday visit and is taking them to a hiking trip in a beautiful but claustrophobic forest. But the youngest boy has a kind of ability (like his father) to see some kind of shapes form the future and he is afraid to go on the hiking trip. This 'gift' of the young boy gives this film immediately a sense of dread and once the walk in the forest begins, the tension is mounting and the film really gets a grip on you. Which is only accentuating by the sublime decorum of the beautiful but also menacing forest. I liked this film very much, more for the somewhat creepy atmosphere then for the story itself, that could have been a little stronger.
Money (2016)
to theatrical
Not that this is a bad film. But there are number of things that are somewhat annoying: too much dialog, characters and situations that aren't really believable and a story that is somewhat predictable. Settings are OK, director tries to give a visual touch but the film smells to much like a stage play. But hey, the actors are OK and the story is still strong enough to keep your attention. All by all a film that is easy to see but also easy to forget.
Let Her Out (2016)
Let this film in
Wasn't expecting much but hell this film turned out to be quit a ride. The story isn't really exceptional, twin sister 'lives' in the body of her sister and tries to get out, but it's told in a rather exciting way. Vivid colors, good editing, nice soundtrack: for those who loves their horror films to be a visual trip: this one is a feast. But also the story, a kind of schizophrenic Doctor Jekyl and Mister Hide history, is good enough to keep this film rolling. A good and inventive horror film, as it should be.
Apprentice (2016)
Being a hangman
Strong and straight forward drama in which a young prison guard is trained by an old chief to be the next 'hangman'. Both the young guard as the old chief have their inner demons and strong difficulties in coping with the job. Being a kind of legal killer is not like another day in the office. It leaves marks. This film describes in a non-sensational way that those who actually have to execute the death penalty, die also a little bit inside with each hanging the system 'asks' them to do.
Pig Pen (2015)
As grim as it gets
Strange little movie this is. Begins like a rather depressing kind of social drama but it ends with a punch in the stomach due of some very nasty violence. It's about a kid roaming the (depressing) streets and his mom. Trouble begins when the mom, a drug addict but rather caring mom, takes a new man in the house, a plain right psychopath. The film has this cheap looking thing about it. But that only helps the dreadful atmosphere this film is bathing in. Acting is kind of wooden and some dialogue scenes are simply to long, but like I said the end is a punch in the stomach. Not for everybody but those who are searching for something original and daring: give this film a try.