Review Daglicht (2013)
genre:thriller,mystery,Dutch

Daglicht is a Dutch thriller which for The Netherlands is a genre that rarely is made. It is even rarer to have a title that is made well. Diederik van Rooijen already proved to me in Taped he could handle the genre so I was looking forward of the this mystery we would be introduced to.
The viewer doesn't have to wait long for the mystery to appear and it is one that is compelling that maintains interest from the get go. It is layered enough to have all sorts of outcomes and that for a short while makes you really invested to watch. But I already figured out early on one important part of the riddle. Which (for me) made everything else less surprising and incredibly predictable. In one of the many reveals a character is introduced who is called Ray. This character is autistic in the same fashion as Raymond played by Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. In fact the way he moves and behaves is almost an exact copy of that character. For me personally this was a weak moment of film making. Fedja van Huęt is excellent, let there be no mistake about that. It his good acting and professionalism that the role prevents it from becoming a parody. Still it was hard to shake off the connection. This character said something that made me suspect on how the rest of story would unfold since a lot of focus was on this specific part of the mystery. In another reveal we get to see this supposedly clever scene where the son of Iris (Angela Schijf) shows his puzzle solving skills. And yes I would have agreed and been impressed also if not for the fact that I had seen it before in other thrillers were other autistic savants played important roles. What I am saying is that if you like me love the genre and have seen many movies from that genre a lot in the film will get predictable. Mind you, I know that enough people who don't watch as much will be able to be surprised and enjoy the viewing experience that is promised. I only had hope that the director would offer one twist more for thriller fans like me to also make it more interesting for us but sadly he did not. In stead we get a nice,touching and overall warm ending which for me worked well also and was good enough.
If I have to compare I think Taped is the superior thriller because that one maintains the suspense and tension throughout where as Daglicht relies more on the strength of mystery that in the end is not that strong. Still I think it is not a waste of time because the competent acting especially by Fedja van Huęt does give it that edge. The bigger names Derek de Lint and Monique van de Ven however are very much under used and don't really add that much which is a shame but not bothersome. As a big fan of the thriller genre I can only applaud the ambition to make films like these and it looks like it is headed into the right direction.
My first poll ever so please be gentle.

Thierry
Diego
Stefan
Damon
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Review The Guilt Trip (2012)
genre:comedy,drama
I fully agree with the comments on this poster.
This one might have slipped by you. In a year full of comedies that mostly focus on the absurd and ridiculous you have one that actually is subtle and sincere. Actually I myself would not qualify The Guilt Trip as an actual comedy. More like a light drama that provides many laughs. What kind of laughs? Well, most of the laughs come from recognizable interactions and moments between mother and son. And this only works because of great chemistry between Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand. Streisand is absolutely adorable as the mom. Rogen plays the son who at times is a little mean but without it being said or mentioned clearly I could relate to him. This might be slightly different for some naturally that has to do with your background and where you are in your life. Although there were some situations that were put on too thick probably for dramatic effect. Which was never intrusive or obnoxious. Most of what occurred on the screen seemed very real and believable. Overall The Guilt Trip is a nice little film that has touching moments and for the most part is very unpretentious and very enjoyable to watch.
Review No One Lives (2012)
genre:horror,slasher

No One Lives is a heavily flawed slasher with just enough to keep it entertaining and fun. The excessive blood and gore (although quite a few times it happens off screen) are a welcome addition and shows how demented our killer is. In a strange way you sympathize with him much in the same way we do with the character Dexter in the TV Show. Although the killer here makes Dexter look like a saint. Ryhuhei Kitamura almost can do no wrong with me but in this production he does drop the ball a bit when it comes to maintaining a high level of excitement. I saw that he made a lot of progress with The Midnight Meat train because he totally rocked that one. Here he seems to have trouble telling his story. The way some events are unfolded are poorly executed and feel a little detached and thus are not coherent. It raises an expectation that is never met. Still he does compensate a lot with the outrageous killer and his evil acts. And despite it being messy it is quite fun.
Review World War Z (2013)
genre:action,horror

World War Z gets a bad rep because it is being rated as a PG horror. And therefore fans of the genre might have the impression the movie won't be doing zombies or infected people justice. While a lot of the mythology was skipped on and they could have elaborated a little more I have to say I disagree strongly. From the moment we are introduced to the terror you gradually feel for Brad Pitt's character and the rest of the human race. Especially when right after a feel good moment something terrible happens. But of course you don't really get to know characters that well since they are dealing with infected people wanting to eat them. And for the most part I was fine with this. Add more drama or something else and it would distract too much. Does the lack of blood and gore really matter? No, not at all. See people World War Z is an example of how it can be done without resorting to cheap tricks. Just create situations or events where things seem impossible and overwhelming and you have yourself a thrilling or horrific moment. Naturally there is enough to complain about. But for once I am not jumping on that band wagon. I liked this one very much and people should give this movie a break since it does a lot without having the need to for acts where intestines are being ripped out and eaten or something similar. The fact that people disown a movie just because it does not have blood or gore (at least not much) tells me that a lot of them haven't got a clue what a good thriller or horror entails. Which is rather sad if you ask me. I have considered that some might be disappointed because it differs too much from the book. Well,yes I can understand that but still when it comes to adaptations one has to accept that and look if at least the spirit of the book is the same. Since I have not read the book I can't say anything sensible about this. But if someone would like to comment on this then please feel free to do so. For me this film was very entertaining and deserves much better recognition.
Review Kick Ass 2 (2013)
genre:action,comedy

The first Kick Ass was well received and highly praised. And honestly I don't get it. Sure there are elements present that make it worth wile to see. Like for example the character Hit girl. A young girl with a potty mouth chopping off limbs is bound to be interesting and appealing. And a lot of the action sequences were very entertaining. As for the rest I am totally confused why people like this comic book adaptation so much. Similar movies like for example Defendor was much better. It took a more serious approach and still was funnier than the childish humour in Kickass.
Enter Kickass 2. My expectations were very low for this one but sadly I have to say not even those were met. You see the childish humour from the first has increased so much that they did not even bother to focus on other elements. At least the first had a more coherent blend of drama,comedy and action. Now it is a full on comedy making it so much worse. It is almost like the characters are parodying themselves. They hardly take themselves serious so why should the viewer? It is one silly scene after another and on top of that some dramatic events are brushed off like it had barely an impact and did not mean anything in the grand scheme of things. Excuse me! Wasn't the whole point of these masked crusaders that they do make the difference no matter how small their input? To be fair though if you don't take it seriously at all and get into the new vibe of this movie than you might be able to chuckle a few times. Especially when it is Chris D' Amico concerned. He as super villain Mother Fucker was definitely the highlight of the film. But is it enough and worth the praise Kickass 2 is getting at the moment? NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! Kickass 2 is worse than it's predecessor which wasn't that good to start with. I had hoped that the makers of the first understood this and were anxious to improve. In stead they diminish the few elements that were good and add more silliness. Normally I can appreciate that very much as long as heart is put into a project. In fact then I am able to overlook many flaws. But to me in this case it feels like there is no soul to at all. In my opinion a waste of your time.
Review We're The Millers (2013)
genre:comedy

We're The Millers might very well be predictable and not bring anything new to the table it is one of the funniest comedies I have seen this year. It's hilarious. Why? Because some of the actors make that happen. Jason Sudeikis is one and the other one is Will Poulter (most will know him playing as Eustace Crab in Chronicles of Narnia:The Voyage of The Dawn Treader). They provide the most laughs. But Will Poulter undoubtedly steals every scene he is in. His performance has made me want to check out more of his other movies. Also there is a sincerity to We're The Millers that I have missed in most contemporary films. It shows a little of the real world we live in these days. And without making it a hard topic they touch upon it briefly so that it will make you think but never feels forced. A form of subtlety I can appreciate. Jennifer Anniston does her best. But more and more it seems like she is a one trick pony. There is even a joke about this in the bloopers scene in the ending credits. Overall for me this was funny as hell so definitely one I can recommend.
Miss Chofas I and are in agreement for the most part but has more to say regarding Jennifer Aniston. Here is what she has to say:
Really predictable but funny. Sudeikis is very good, Roberts is ok, Aniston is very hot, she looks great but doesn´t pull it off as a stripper, I thought she was stiff and not believable as one. Poulter on the other hand was amazing, he nails the American accent (I didn´t know he was English until someone pointed that out to me) and with his hilarious rendition of "Waterfals" he steals the movie.
Review The Colony (2013)
genre
cience fiction,action,thriller

The most pertinent question for a lot of you will be. Is this film really worth my time? Well, while The Colony touches an interesting theme it never gets pretentious or wants to convince us of something. This can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you are expecting. Some might want to be intellectually stimulated or forced to think about a subject they never have though of before. Those people will be disappointed because The Colony does not have an original concept at all. But for the ones who just want to be entertained will have a good time. The acting is more than decent thanks to Laurence Fishburne and Bill Paxton that bring a lot of weight into the movie. Although Kevin Zegers holds his own pretty well among the giants. Most of the focus is on the thrills and action. And in that aspect the director knows what he is doing. There will be moments where logic is thrown out of the door to keep the plot moving but one huge one will at least make you scratch your head and ask how did they manage to do that so quickly? Which could be distracting. Also a lot of questions will remain unanswered. Still the viewer will be rewarded more than enough with some solid thrills and action. So to answer the question. Yes,in my humble opinion The Colony is worth your time because this unpretentious B movie does what it is supposed to do. It will entertain you.
Review The Heat (2013)
genre:comedy,crime

Personally I was really looking forward to this because I like Sandra Bullock in comedies or action oriented roles. For the more serious ones I don't think she fares well. Melissa McCarthy I know from the tv show Mike and Molly and actually don't think she is really funny. Which is no different in The Heat. Most of her comedy is based on acts in stead of how she delivers the portrayal. This becomes clear in her interaction with Sandra Bullock. There is no real chemistry or awkwardness to speak off. It becomes more evident when you see the duo on their own. Sandra then is like we know her from comedies like in Miss Congeniality. Melissa completely fades away. It begs the question why are these actresses teamed up? The first half of The Heat was terrible. Sorry no point in beating around the bush. As a start of a buddy comedy it is not even delivering half of what let's say Cop Out (2010) put on the table. Just to give you an idea. Only short flashes of goodness like Tom Wilson. Ok,I have to rant here a little. You have this comedic genius at your disposal. And you don't use him. That is just sheer stupidity. The few lines he had were funnier than the whole damn movie. If that is not proof of why he should have been given a more prominent role than I truly don't know what more convincing some studio executive need. Back to the movie. The second half is a lot better and actually entertaining. But more so because of Sandra Bullock being able to do her thing on her own. Suddenly the pair bonded and they are partners. No real good reason given other than that Sandra Bullock's character comes to the realisation it is the best partner (or only friend) she has. After having seen so many buddy cop movies I need much more convincing for these things to be skipped on. So what do I think? I guess there is a charm to it but honestly I am not understanding the praise and the high ratings The Heat is getting. It is barely decent.
Review The Skin I Live In
a.k.a. La piel que habito (2011)
genre:thriller,horror,black comedy

In reviews about this film I kept reading how twisted and disturbing this film is. And it certainly is but not in a way you would expect. The twisted part is more in how the characters interact and behave. For the most part it feels surreal. Which only becomes more so after a certain point. Initially it is thrilling and full suspense since you don't quite know what is going on and who to root for. Then when it becomes clear nothing worthwhile happens (at least I and Miss Chofas think so) making some final events predictable and not very exciting especially compared to the first series of events. The Skin I Live In is not a pure thriller,neither is it a pure horror. It's a mix of genres that is tied together by dark humour. I myself rarely like black comedies since only a few truly manage to pull it off. For the most part is not funny at all just weird. But I am aware director Pedro Almodóvar has made it a speciality to make such films so I should have expected this. If only there was a point to the themes we were presented with. Perhaps there is a deeper meaning to it all but in all honesty I couldn't care less. This does not mean I did not like this film. Actually I liked it a lot. I was genuinely surprised at one point and could not wait how the story would end. And like I said before here is where director Almodóvar fails to do something exceptional. Throughout there was enough in the film that had a lot of possibilities. I myself was hoping for some compelling cat and mouse play. It was present but so subtle and short that it made me wonder why not more was done with it. Thank god for Antonio Banderas. No matter how bad the movie you can always count on him. And he plays his role masterfully. Backed up by a good cast it lifts the story to heights that in all fairness doesn't really deserve it. Overall I think this is definitely a movie worth watching. But for people expecting a lot of horror or thrilling events will be severely disappointed.