J*A*S*M

For me, on the same level of A Quiet Place (which I actually liked a little bit less than the average rating would suggest), though it also has some passages that will make a sane viewer facepalm. The behaviour of the characters doesn’t correspond to what would be sensible a given situation (can anyone explain me why nobody paid attention to the guy who in the flashback was experimenting with cameras around the house?). Taken as a whole, however, it’s professionally put together, with solid performances and direction. But expecting a masterpiece would be a mistake.

Roma isn’t love at first sight, it’s not a film that would hook me in the first minutes keep me hooked all the way till the end. But, after two or three days, it did grow on me. Cuarón this time delivers a detached view into a couple of months of the life of a broken Mexican family, mainly that of their maid, Cleo. The story takes place in a sort of by the way manner, with the camera following relative “non-stories”. But each of those fragments compose a surprisingly rich mosaic of human destinies and by the end the viewer must acknowledge that a lot has actually happened. The similarities with Czech films that in the microcosm of one family tell wider stories with a universal reach are not entirely out of place. Watching it in the cinema is certainly worth it, the camera work and, in particular, the sound are top-notch. One of the films of the year. #svetozorcinema

A beautifully shot, horror morality tale with deep roots in Hindu mythology. The story revolves around greed, a golden treasure, a forgotten god and an originally conceived shrine, and takes place in three key moments throughout thirty years of the life of a boy. There aren’t many comparable films going around, which contributes to the final impression – you are more willing to overlook a few of the negative aspects. For me, those are mainly in the sometimes overacting Indian actors (in the first third, the boy’s mother “plays” hysterical sadness to the point that it feels almost funny, I’m sorry), the sometimes weaker special effects (though the make-up is great) and the too long middle part, which, for longer than necessary, deviates pretty far from the horror genre. With respect to the horror itself, it’s bit a of a pity that the creators play their strongest cards already in the first third. I’m hesitant about the rating, I have it at three and a half…

Essentially, a terrible mess but with a fairly high dose of fun. The “guilty pleasure” label fits it to perfection.

The films of Andy Mitton so far have always bored me, but this time at least he hits the spot – or how to conceive the tired haunted-house genre with originality and almost no money. The characters are fun, they behave slightly differently than in similar films. I also had fun looking for the ghost of the witch, who often simply appears in the scene without the director needing any jump-scares to draw attention to her. And the story is enjoyable, too, it evolves into a surprisingly emotional drama with a very well executed chilling twist at the end. This film may not be not gratifying enough for the viewers to get Mitton into a wider audience, but as a sample of independent genre filmmaking, is almost perfect.

As soon as Evans goes into full horror mode, there’s hardly anything to complain about. Some of the scenes (the preparation of the brain, the meat grinder, the underground tunnels) are among the strongest that the genre has produced this year (and the competition is well above-average). It drags a little, however, when it tries to be more than just straightforward horror, especially with the relationships between the characters and their development. Paradoxically, although the film is a bit too long, I felt that those relationships were insufficiently drawn and their transformations rushed. For instance, in the second half there’s obviously an emotional bond between Thomas and Malcolm's daughter, but I have absolutely no idea where it came from. Nevertheless, Apostle is overall a good period horror film that in an interesting fashion blends the atmosphere of The Witch, Wicker Man the tales of Lovecraft, spicing it up with a pinch of gore. The main character of Dan Stevens also provides a very bizarre atmosphere. Throughout the film he appears to be on drugs, at the edge of madness, or as if someone had hit him on the head and he was about pass out. Dan can add another remarkable genre performance after The Guest.

The sequel that the original Halloween deserved. If we assume that making a sequel four decades later is a good idea, I can’t imagine how it could have been done better. On the other hand, I also have no idea what would have to happen for a thoroughbred slasher to truly excite me in 2018. In an era when prime horror films are not only scary and superbly crafted, but also try to go a bit further, the simple slasher movie is inevitably a step lower. Proof that Halloween, and the sub-genre as a whole, is a relic from the past can be seen when the creators, in a surprising twist, attempt to deviate a little and address the unhealthy obsession of the public with horror icons, which in a slasher movie is a bit too much. Though it does make sense conceptually and fits into the logic of the plot, I cringed at the screen because I was watching something that had no business doing in a slasher flick. Other than that, it’s really brilliant. A masked killing machine immune to psychological analysis, American suburbia and scared teenagers. The moment when Alysson sees her friend skewered on the fence and runs hysterically down the street is the closest to the sheer terror of the original film.

The tragic death of the star during filming and the fact that Stevan Mena was forced to finish the film on its own and with zero budget are a sad thing for which I’d love to give a better rating, but there should be something to hold on to. I don’t remember much about the first Malevolence, nor about Bereavement, but judging by the comments, I was overall happy with them. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the final part of the trilogy. Giving it more than one star, especially now with David Gordon Green’s Halloween in cinemas (a direct competitor in the sub-genre), would have been a sign of insanity.

I’m giving it four stars for its relative originality. It convinced me for most of the run and I will turn a blind eye to the ending, which I feel goes way too deep into B-movie waters. By this I mean, it has a B-movie feel, but without being stupid. The attractive premise that reminds of an almost forgotten kids game from the 1980s serves a catalyst for the very tense relationships between relatively well-drawn characters. And that’s where the main tension is, for most the time, the mysterious sci-fi element is just an ornament. Thematically, Kevorkian focuses on the struggle between critical thinking and blindly following orders from authorities and the passive acceptance of information, conservative prejudices and liberal open-mindedness, generational conflict, consumerism, and patriarchy. And he does it in a quite amusing and gratifying way.

Well, not everything that A24 touches turns into gold. Unfortunately, Slice turned out to be an unbearable “horror” “comedy” that I didn’t like at all. IMHO, this is the antithesis of good taste, it feels a bit like Kevin Smith’s latest film (Yoga Hosers). I give it that one star for the opening credits, but not a single bit more.