Movie Reviews #100%!

Miss Christina (Domnisoara Christina) (2013) Review Well, this was certainly a surprise. This type of movie is not that common in Romania but I am so glad that the Romanian directors are looking into other genres. It's a very well made and effective ghost story. From the beginning, with those opening images with that chilling music and excellent imagery, gives you a taste of what this movie will be. Besides being a story it is also a love story, so it's going to please horror fans as well as the ones that prefere a much romantic twist. It gave me the vibe of a "Woman in Black" and "Crimson Peak" movies. The tone, the cinematography, the soundtrack, the eerie and strange atmosphere and the story makes for a very good mystery. You can feel the sense of isolation and entrapment alongside the characters. And it is based on a novel written by Mircea Eliade. Very effective, weird, strange and beautiful movie. Here's for many more. 8.5/10 OK guys, thos...

Rules Don't Apply (2016) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! No Korean movies today, just a boring Warren Beatty movie, if you can imagine and a rather surprisingly good Romanian movie. Listen, I have the greatest respect for Mr. Beatty but this movie that he directed and written is not good. First of all, is way freaking long, it's boring most of it, apart from some moments that are funny and enjoyable. It opens rather well but then it turns out to be another Howard Hughes movie. Which we already got with "The Aviator". So I did not need that. The acting is very good, especially Warren Beatty, who brings a slight charm and full on eccentricity to a personality that was already viewed as eccentric. The love story between Lilly Collins and Alden Ehrenheich is underdeveloped, to say the least. And, also, the chemistry was not that good. Warren Beatty tried to show us a piece of the Hollywood life and style thru the eyes of Howard Hughes, but the ex...

Train to Busan (2016) Review Man, Koreans know how to make a zombie movie. Great action, excellently shot, characters that are well developed with enough backstory to fully understand them. For me, it's a combination between "Snowpiercer" and "World War Z". It's violent but not exaggerated with enough narration that you can understand the situation. The movie focuses on the people on the train with a few scenes that let's you know what's happening outside as well. Very thrilling and entertaining, this movie brings some new life in the zombie genre. With a touching and emotional ending. The movie offers nothing new but the way it was made, with a fast pace and some slow moments that are compensated with an immediate action sequence and tension makes this an excellent addition to the list of good zombie movies. 8.7/10 OK guys, these are my reviews for today. Tomorrow, we will find out that, for some people, "Rules Don't Apply" an...

#Selfie (2014) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! So today we have another Romanian and Korean movie. So this is, from my part, the Romanian version of the american movie "Spring Breakers" without the drugs, sex and murder. The stories are similar and there is nothing new in that department. With that said, the movie is actually funny and awesome. Is full of cliches, of course, but it manages to make you look beyond that and enjoy the movie. The actors are really good, pulling off some nice performances that make you laugh and cry. And you can empathize with the characters, because, let's face it, we all wanted and succeeded on making an escapade. It's a fun, corky and sweet comedy about love and youth. 7.5/10 

Domestic (2012) Review Another review of another romanian movie. So, the main theme of this movie is about animals, mainly domestic ones, and how these influence our lives and the people that they come in contact with. It's a dramedy, because amongst this main theme there is also a sad moment that changes the tone of the movie. I liked the execution from it's director, Adrian Sitaru. It is raw and it does not pull any punches. Kinda weird but very good, nonetheless. It almost feels like a play, because all of the scenes are taking place in a confined space like a room or the interior of a car. There are only two scenes that are happening on the outside of the apartment block but these scenes are also shot in a minimalist way. So you are not distracted, it keeps you focused on the scene at hand. A well done movie, not very long with an interesting topic. 7.8/10 OK guys, that is my review of this movie. Tomorrow we are going to the seaside with the movie "#Selfie...

Battle Royale (2000) Review Hi guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! Today I'm reviewing the coreean movie that inspired "The Hunger Games" and another romanian title. So let's start with this one. This is the movie that inspired "The Hunger Games" movies and this is how the first entry in the "Hunger Games" franchise should have been. You get right into the action from the beginning and it does not let go until the end. There are some tense, emotional and slower moments thru out all of the mayhem and deaths. The movie gives you a controversial and visceral look at adolescence peppered with teen melodrama and the decisions of life and death. Of course, the movie cannot be taken seriously and the few emotional moments don't really tug on your heart strings but, the way they combined action with drama, makes this an enjoyable movie to watch. And, over the years, it became a cult movie. So you can definitely give this a try. There is a sequ...

Doua Lozuri (Two Lottery Tickets) (2016) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! Today, I'm reviewing a movie from my country, Romania. It is based on a novel with the same name written by I.L.Caragiale. This take has a modern twist and puts the story nowadays. I can say that this is one of the best romanian comedies in the last few years. The idea is similar to an american comedy and the three characters reminded me of "The Hangover" movie. It's like a same situation but with different outcomes and a different story. The movie is funny and it does not turn into a parody and that is a good thing. Even from the beginning you are invested in the story and the characters. Because you can relate to them. They are day to day people with normal lives and normal activities. The three actors make for an amazing trio. Dorian Boguta is kinda the loser of the group, Alex Papadopol is the conspiracy theorist and Dragos Bucur is the ladies man and the tough guy. ...

The Founder (2017) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! Today I'm reviewing the movie that tells the story of Ray Kroc, the one who, allegedly, started McDonald's. The movie is going to split audiences thru the middle. Why am I saying that? Because, some of you are going to see this movie and buy a McDonald's menu after. Others, however, might not agree with how McDonald's came to be what it is today. When you see how far Ray Kroc has gone to achieve ownership of this company and the lives that he destroyed in the process, you are going to see McDonald's with different eyes. I'm not saying that you will not still go and eat at McDonald's but your opinion about the history of this giant industry might change a little bit. With that out of the way, the movie is a smart, sturdy and really well done biopic. It shows you, with many details, how this brand, that started off with a small drive-inn, became one of the biggest fast-food industries...

Shut In (2016) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! I was right, this movie is not at all. The premise is so confusing and it does not have any character development or any exposition. The beginning is rather good, opting for a psychological thriller, with a building tension and some good suspense but ultimately fails with cheep jump scares that are not one bit terrifying and it transforms into a stupid and predictable slasher movie in the third act. I cannot believe Naomi Watts and Oliver Platt agreed to star in this movie. There is an absence of thrills and chills that I'm surprised this movie is of the horror genre. Nothing in this movie is scary. It's a cliched, predictable and low-quality horror movie. Time wasted. Don't watch it! 3.5/10 OK, so that is my review of "Shut In". Tomorrow I'm reviewing "The Founder". So have a nice day and keep on reviewing!

John Wick: Chapter Two (2017) Review Man, I didn't thought I could like these movie more than the first, but I did. It blew my mind away. It starts off very strong, with a bang and continues on doing so. The action is doubled in this one, longer, greater, bloodier and beautifully choreographed. The one thing that bugged me with the first movie is that we didn't quite get to see more of the world of John Wick. The underground world for the trained assassins. Well, I think they heard me because the second one shows us more of this world, the Continental hotel and it's rules. And I enjoyed that, getting to know more about this life and its ups and downs. We get to see John Wick in full form, using ingenious methods to kill his assailants. And we get to see him using a freaking pencil in a fight. I mean WOW! The body count has a higher number than in the first one and the action scenes are, once again, shot brilliantly and also keeping the violence as high as its predecess...

John Wick (2014) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! I just saw "John Wick: Chapter 2" and I loved it. I said I would only do the first movie but, as a bonus, I am going to do the second as well. The first one was a complete surprise. It has that feel of an 80' s action movie. A classic revenge story. Of course, the story is not that fresh but the way it was shot and put together, made it a cool, stylish, action packed movie. Keanu Reeves shines as the titular character and gets rid off his surfer boy image. The action scenes in this movie are nuts. The camera work is excellent, no shaky cam or fast cuts, you can understand everything from the action scenes. And the violence. Extremely bloody but masterfully shot. It has a bit of emotion, a bit of humor and you can relate to the character. An excellent, violent and pretty damn good action thriller. 8.2/10

Monsters: Dark Continent (2015) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! I know, the break was a bit longer but I have so much work to do these days that I didn't have time to make this review. And it was, also, Valentine's Day this week, so another reason. OK, the main question about this movie is why the hell it was made? It wants to be a sequel to the hit indie movie "Monsters" from 2010 (review is already posted). But it fails miserably at everything. The 2010 movie was an innovation and it had great political themes. This one is a bland movie, with a simple plot, no character development, no exposition of any kind and without the monsters. The monsters are pushed in the back so they can focus on a stupid war story, that has all the war movie cliches. The action is not that exciting, is boring most of the time, no emotion whatsoever from any character. It has a single scene that can get you out of the sleeping state that this movie is putting you ...

The Lego Batman Movie (2017) Review Do you remember "The Lego Movie" from 2014? That was an awesome movie, funny, family friendly and beautifully animated. Well, this one is more of that with a great in action. And I can say that this is the best Batman movie since the "The Dark Knight" trilogy. It's beginning reminded me of "Deadpool" because, from the very start, you can see that the movie is going to be great. And, like Deadpool, this version of Batman pokes fun at all the other incarnations of the character and some other movie cliches. It has more action that I expected, it's very funny, excellently animated and the movie is proof that the movie industry has no limits in what thay can make. You have all of the villains from the Batman comics with some other villains as well. The voice acting is full of talent with Will Arnett leading this pack. It has some emotional parts as well and it blends nicely with the story. And we get to see a se...

Split (2017) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! Man I feel so good reviewing this movie because I freaking loved it. M. Night is back! I knew that from the 2015 "The Visit" but this movie hardens that conviction. The atmosphere, the tension, the suspense is wonderful. And big shout out to James McAvoy whose performance was off the charts. Unbelievable, playing so many characters. And an excellent performance from Anya Taylor-Joy, from "The Witch" and "Morgan" fame. Yes, the movie is a bit predictable and the story is not that believable but the way it's handled creates that sense of a psychological thriller. And man, that twist at the end is worth every minute of this movie. Is not as good as "The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable" or "Signs" but it is a return to form for M. Night. 9/10

Silence (2016) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! I know, I said I will review the movie "War on Everyone" but I changed my mind and I did not review that movie. You can watch it, the movie is funny, it has some crazy situations and Michael Pena with Alexander Skarsgard make an explosive duo. Think of it like a crazier chapter of the "Lethal Weapon". That is all about that and now I will review the new movie from Martin Scorsese. First of all, I don't know how this movie was glossed over by the awards. It has just an academy award nomination for cinematography. I agree with that but I don't know why this movie or it's director don't have nominations for best movie and best director. It's just baffling. The movie is Scorsese's best yet and it's a testament for faith. It has great cinematography, stunning visuals and landscapes, superb score, a very powerful theme, top notch performances, great actors, excellent direc...

Lion (2016) Review So, this movie is based on a non-fiction story written by the Saroo Brierley based on his real-life tale, which is a very emotional and heart wrenching tale. The movie captures that very emotion of loss and discovery. Beside being a sad story, is also an uplifting one because of the subject. A 5 year old boy is lost, spends a few days on a train looking for his mother and brother, gets adopted by an Australian couple, which adopts another kid and then, after 25 years since he was lost, he finally finds his real family. Performances are excellent, even the young boy, Sunny Pawar, who plays Saroo at 5 years, is a revelation. And boy, he can run. He can give Tom Cruise a run for his money. The movie stays out of the normal cliches and gives you a moving and emotional journey. It's definitely a really good life lesson. 8.7/10 OK guys, that is all for today. Take care and keep on reviewing!

Jackie (2016) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! So, my opinions about "Jackie". The movie reminded me of another excellent biopic, "The King's Speech". But of course, the stories are very different. The movie gives you a peek behind the curtain in the like of Jackie Kennedy after the Kennedy assassination. It feels very intimate, it has a great score that really transcends the emotions of the scenes in which that score is playing. It may be boring in some occasions but the movie is elevated by the extraordinary performance of Natalie Portman. The actress blends herself with the legendary figure and you don't see Natalie Portman on screen because she transformed into Jackie Kennedy. She is the first lady. And the close ups with Natalie's face gives you the emotions that she conveys. I can't say this is the best movie of the year because they choose to pay attention more on the character than on the story. So, for me, that lower...

The Edge of Seventeen(2016) Review Man, this movie made me laugh and think about my own youth and high school years. I mean, the movie is so down to earth, so normal, with day to day problems, day to day people. It's a welcoming addition to the coming-of-age movies. And it's more than your average coming-of-age movie. It has a sharp and smart script, with a very hilarious dialogue, an outstanding performance from Hailee Steinfeld, a great story and it has an excellent character introduction. The movie has a level of emotions that you don't often see in this type of movies. And it blends well with the humor. It works perfectly. Watch it and re watch it because the movie gives you an interesting look upon life and youth. 9.5/10 OK guys, that is all for today. Tomorrow I will give you my opinion about "Jackie" and "Lion". Tune in. Take care and keep on reviewing!

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! So I'm gonna say a few words about this movie that wants a type of wartime drama but unfortunately it fails. Let's be honest, the movie is not that bad and definitely it's not the worst that Ang Lee has done ("Hulk" movie anyone?). But, judging by his last movie, which was "Life of Pi", a visually and emotionally stunning movie, this one falls a bit short. Yes, it's goals are noble but the execution of the story is what lowers the quality of the movie. The movie is split in three pieces, the army tour, the coming home part and the television tour, which at times can be a bit to much and confusing. I would have liked to see more scenes from the army tour, which were funny and intense. It is based on a novel with the same name written by Ben Fountain. It has some strong performances, it's always nice to see Chris Tucker again. He is like an endanger...

Allied (2016) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! Today I am reviewing what is basically a combination between "Casablanca" and "Mr. and Ms. Smith". Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard star in this wartime drama that definitely has its moments but ultimately does not really deliver. I liked the movie but I would have liked it more if it wasn't a bit predictable. Robert Zemeckis knows how to balance the drama with the action and the movie has a fare amount of nice action sequences. It has good cinematography, nice visuals and solid performances. One thing I absolutely enjoyed about this movie is Marion Cotillard speaking french. You can see from her performance that she is in her natural element besides Brad Pitt who looks a bit stiff at the beginning. It has a good love story, although not that fresh, but the predictability of the movie lowers the quality. I'm not saying you should not see this movie, you can definitely enjoy it and is perfe...

Captain America: Civil War (2016) Review So this movie was awesome. Let me tell you, that this has the most excellent and well executed battle in a superhero movie to date. The Russo brothers done it again, combining very well awesome action with some political kinda thriller. So, between, the "Iron Man" series, "Thor" series and the "Captain America" series, the latter takes the golden medal. Until "Thor: Ragnarok" arrives. Like I said, awesome action, fantastic story, excellent writing and the usual Marvel humor make this movie a grown-up addition to the MCU. And, being a romanian, I liked that they ad the romanian origins of actor Sebastian Stan. The movie is excellent and it's a worthy follow-up to "Winter Soldier". I didn't quite like the villain tough but it gave us an excellent introduction to new characters like Black Panther and the new Spider-Man. And the movie is dramatic when you think of it. Yes, there is humor...

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! Today I'm reviewing the last (let's hope) of the "Resident Evil" movies. It's more of the same with this one. Plot that is simple and underdeveloped, characters that don't have any backstory or anything, fast camera cuts that ruins all of the fight sequences, bad writing, shaky cam movement, a lot of shaky cam and an ending that is more confusing that a conclusion. The movie is fun, I'll give them that and it's entertaining but all that excitement, fun and quality of that fun is lowered by those stupid camera cuts that are so fast you don't understand anything. The fight scenes are awesome but the shaky cam movement and fast cuts make them more confusing than awesome. Milla Jovovich is just as great as ever and the 3D and slow motion are not exaggerated in this one. If you like fast camera cuts, shaky cam movement and bad lighting this is the movie for...

Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) Review So the fifth installment of the franchise offers everything that you would expect from this series. It has great action, a nice soundtrack, good special effects and some nice CGI. Saying this, it also brings the usual crap that the series is known for. It lacks creativity, plot and character development, exposition of any kind, bad writing, an overuse, again, of 3D and slow motion and it basically rehashes everything from the previous four movies. And the fight at the beginning, which I thought is going to be entertaining and a bit longer, was a disappointment. It was just a stupid montage that goes reverse and then fast forward. The scene that Alice imagines having a family was a good idea because it gives the character a little more depth and it humanizes her. The fight from the end of the movie is awesome and well choreographed. There are some returning characters which I did not see the point but okay. It looks better than the fourth on...

Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) Review Paul W.S. Anderson (not to be confused with Paul Wes Anderson) brings the "Resident Evil" series to 3D territory. The movie, I think, lowers the bar on everything: creativity, a smart plot, good writing, the action as well. I saw the movie when it came out in 3D and, I have to say, it didn't look that bad to me. Aside the simplicity of the plot and all the other issues, like overuse of 3D technology and slow motion, and I do love this things but when they are used in a normal amount. I don't like movies saturated with 3D and slow motion. It gets annoying at some point. So, like I said, looking past the issues, the movie still has some fun scenes and some good action. The special effects are improving, that being a good thing. And a major part that keeps this movie and the entire franchise on float is Milla Jovovich. It could be the weakest link from the series but it's still watchable and it definitely looks good. 6/10 ...

Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews! Today I'm reviewing the next 3 "Resident Evil" movies and we start with the 3rd one. One good thing about this movie is that the action, which is impressive, takes place in a more wider environment. It doesn't feel that enclosed as the first two. It almost has a "Mad Max" feel to it. So, like I said, the action is great but anything else isn't. There is no creativity, no originality whatsoever, the plot is ridiculous, raising more questions that it answers, no character development or some type of introduction at least, bad writing which equals bad dialogue, still crappy special effects and no exposition. The little amount of exposition that we've got isn't enough. Saying all that, the movie is not a waste of time. It's fun, engaging and with some good zombie action. The make-up is awesome by the way. And we have a few jump scares as well that are well ...

Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) Review The second one is no different than the first, in terms of plot development, character exposition and originality. Instead, it has more action than the first so that means more silliness. It's a good sequel but not as good as the first one, and that's saying something. If it wasn't for the awesome presence of Milla Jovovich, this franchise would have gone by now. So all the credit goes to here. Not much else to say. The action is awesome by the way. Top marks there. 6.2/10 OK guys, that is all for today. Tomorrow I will review the next 3 "Resident Evil" movies: "Extinction", "Afterlife" and "Retribution" culminating with the review on the last one on Sunday. So tune in. Take care and have a nice day!

Resident Evil (2002) Review Hello guys and welcome back to movie reviews. Today I'm going to review the first 2 "Resident Evil" movies. And I am going to cut it a bit short. So, it's a video game adaptations and, as you know, these type of adaptations don't do well with critics. And sometimes audiences as well. This one is no different. It's loud, incomprehensive, cheesy, formulaic with some special effects that don't look that good, terrible writing and, of course, filled with violence and gore. But, unlike other more recent video game adaptations, this franchise has made a lot of money and 6 movies. So something works. For me, it's a guilty pleasure. I don't have to think about the plot with these movies, because it's stupid anyway and I just lay back and enjoy the silliness. And Milla Jovovich of course has her role and she sells it pretty damn good. If you want a movie that is stupid fun, then this is the one to watch. Even if I liked ...

Ant-Man (2015) Review So, if you thought that "Guardians of the Galaxy" was a risky bet, this one was even riskier. But, like Guardians, the movie was a massive hit. Both critical and commercial. The movie is not as smooth going like the other ones, but, with the charming and comedic performance from Paul Rudd, the movie works excellent. And, like Guardians and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier", the first being a space-opera and the second being a political spy thriller, this one hints to a heist movie rather than a classic comic book movie. Edgar Wright, who is responsible for the Cornetto trilogy, which includes "Shaun of the Dead", "Hot Fuzz" and "The World's End", was supposed to direct the movie but he stepped down. However he did work at the script, amongst others, and you can see that because the lines and some scenes of the movie are so funny. We get nice performances from Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lily, Michael P...

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews. So, the second Avengers movie was not that good as everyone expected and clearly it's not that fresh like the first one. But, having new additions to the cast and the team and a menacing villain, the movie does not disappoint in terms of entertainment and action. Yes, the movie is a bit overstuffed with exposition and characters but it looks good, sounds good and it delivers. The director decided to give Hawkeye a little bit more screen time and made him a character that, despite the first movie, was indispensable and a very important member of the team. Joss Whedon gave him a backstory and focused on his family as well. And I think that was a good idea because, like Aquaman from DC, Hawkeye is seen, from the fans perspective, as the weakest of the group. Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, though I prefer the version from the X-Men movie and Vision are great additions to the group. Ultron, as a villai...

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) Review Well until the second volume arrives I revisited the first volume. And guess what? I liked even better than before. The movie is so zany and ridiculous it's astonishing. Who would have thought that some Marvel characters from the bottom of the barrel will have such an excellent success. It has everything that a Marvel movie enthusiast would expect: humor, more than enough, excellent visuals and special effects, an impressive and excellent cast, action packed, thrilling, exciting and full of heart. And the soundtrack. It's called "awesome mix" for a reason. It's awesome. I mean, the dialogue and lines are entertaining enough. Sadly, the villain is yet another useless and pointless character. Hey, but at least we got to see Thanos. A well made and balanced movie. It was an unexpected surprise. In a very very good way! Let's hope Vol.2 is going to be as good or even better. We shall see this summer. 9.5/10 OK guy...

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Review Hello guys and welcome back to Movie Reviews. Today I am reviewing what I think it is the ultimate Marvel movie. This entry in the Captain America series is the most thrilling. It goes beyond the comic book movie an turns into a action packed and smart political spy thriller. I mean, this is Marvel version of a Jason Bourne movie. It has great action, an excellent and smart story with an incredible and menacing villain, the titular Winter Soldier, played amazingly good by romanian origins actor, Sebastian Stan. The Russo brothers, who directed this, are known for their work on the TV sitcoms "Arrested Development" and "Community". So you think that they are not the right choice to direct a Marvel movie. But surprise. They exceeded all expectations and made an incredible and powerful movie. The movie gives a tribute to the good guy complex and ads incredible action, smart humor and writing. The Russo brothers enc...