As many countries as possible 2023
by lars-71265 | created - 01 Jan 2023 | updated - 3 months ago | PublicThis year I'm watching productions (primarily movies) from as many countries as possible. I've decided let myself to choose one country (displayed in bold) if there are multiple countries of origin for a production.
I'm using this extremely blunt scale:
1/4 - A bit painful.
2/4 - It has ... something.
3/4 - Good, but didn't blow me away.
4/4 - This is something special.
To sum up 2023: I've watched movies from 54 countries. It's been fun. I've especially enjoyed watching those which take place in a different country or culture than I'm more used to, like the one from North Macedonia, or the one from Estonia. Still, fellow Swede Ruben Östlunds films were quite special too. And you never know what you get when you watch just about anything.
For 2024 ... I have not decided a challenge (yet). We'll see. But in any case there will be a list.
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1. Dragons Forever (1988)
TV-14 | 102 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
Three successful Hong Kong lawyers are hired by a chemical company of questionable ethics and must eventually make a difficult decision when their employer's motives become clear.
Directors: Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Corey Yuen | Stars: Jackie Chan, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Biao Yuen, Pauline Yeung
Votes: 9,350
3/4. First up, a Hong Kong movie. One of the best Jacke Chan movies I've seen. A lot of Chan's signature parkourish martials arts fights. However, it suffers a bit from the English dubbing; it makes it a bit silly. Or, should I say sillier, because this is a goofy and lighthearted comedy after all.
(1 Jan, 2023)
2. Brighton Rock (2010)
R | 111 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Charts the headlong fall of Pinkie, a razor-wielding disadvantaged teenager with a religious death wish.
Director: Rowan Joffe | Stars: Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, Helen Mirren, John Hurt
Votes: 6,767
3/4. A United Kingdom/France production. For once I've read the book. Sadly it was a struggle; I wasn't engaged at all. I didn't understand the lead characters' choices. Same goes for the movie, but it was an easy watch. The two protagonists are not mentally healthy. So what's the story? Troubled youth in the 1960's? What did I feel or learn? Not much. The movie looks good though. Some really beautiful coastal scenes, and the eerie, ominous score is great.
(3 Jan, 2023)
3. Troll (2022)
TV-14 | 101 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Deep in the Dovre mountain, something gigantic wakes up after a thousand years in captivity. The creature destroys everything in its path and quickly approaches Oslo.
Director: Roar Uthaug | Stars: Ine Marie Wilmann, Kim Falck, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen, Gard B. Eidsvold
Votes: 49,226
3/4. Fantasy from Norway. It's competently put together and directed and actually emotional at times. Still, it is textbook example of a monster movie, borrowing quite a lot from Hollywood productions, so there's no real surprise in there. The computer whiz Sigrid character could've been more fleshed out though; a missing character arc. Anyway, to get something more creative, watch Trollhunter (also Norwegian) instead.
(7 Jan, 2023)
4. Clark (2022)
TV-MA | 362 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
This is the incredible story behind Sweden's most notorious gangster, Clark Olofsson, whose infamous crimes gave rise to the term "Stockholm Syndrome".
Stars: Bill Skarsgård, Vilhelm Blomgren, Nicklas Berglund, Sandra Ilar
Votes: 13,851
4/4. First Swedish production on the list. Brilliant, loved it! Director/writer Jonas Åkerlund et al has gone suitingly off the rails and Bill Skarsgård nails it, telling the story of infamous Swedish bank robber Clark Olofsson, constantly in search of women, money and freedom. Voice over of future Clark, fast cuts, animations, a couple of dance numbers and generally just creative and fun. Basically it's bank robberies, sex, a life on the run and even more sex. One of the episodes is dedicated to the Norrmalmstorg bank robbery during which the term Stockholm syndrome was coined.
(16 Jan, 2023)
5. Terror by Night (1946)
Approved | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
When the fabled Star of Rhodesia diamond is stolen on a London to Edinburgh train and the son of its owner is murdered, Sherlock Holmes must discover which of his suspicious fellow passengers is responsible.
Director: Roy William Neill | Stars: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Alan Mowbray, Dennis Hoey
Votes: 6,920
3/4. First US movie on the list, ironically a Sherlock Holmes adaptation taking place in England and Scotland, with basically an all British cast. Basil Rathbone as Sherlock, excellent of course. Lovely exterior train miniature shots.
(5 Feb, 2023)
6. Camera Buff (1979)
Not Rated | 112 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
An ordinary factory worker buys a camera on the occasion of the birth of his child. The authorities order him to make documentaries about the factory's success. But his endeavor to be truthful leads him to opposition against censorship.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Jerzy Stuhr, Malgorzata Zabkowska, Ewa Pokas, Stefan Czyzewski
Votes: 8,283
3/4. A movie from Poland. I liked it, and I've also liked all other Kieslowski movies; I've seen six others. Interesting characters. And there's something special with this gray, eastern European 70's setting, with these large apartment buildings. It's an ugly and harsh society but the people are friendly and the protagonist's filming adventure is met with love from so many but not from his wife ....
(8 Feb, 2023)
7. Blackwater (2023)
355 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
One midsummer evening in 1973 two tourists are found murdered in a tent. The unsolved crime casts shadows on the lives of several people.
Stars: Pernilla August, Alba August, Erik Ehn, Rolf Lassgård
Votes: 3,360
3/4. Another Swedish production. And for once I've read the book. Really good! Not a stereotypical crime story. Beautiful footage of northern Sweden. Masterful world building, especially the 1973 parts.
(10 Feb, 2023)
8. Come and See (1985)
Not Rated | 142 min | Drama, Thriller, War
After finding an old rifle, a young boy joins the Soviet resistance movement against ruthless German forces and experiences the horrors of World War II.
Director: Elem Klimov | Stars: Aleksey Kravchenko, Olga Mironova, Liubomiras Laucevicius, Vladas Bagdonas
Votes: 97,319
4/4. A movie from the Soviet Union. Quite special creation, indeed. Distorted voices, breaking the 4th wall (but not addressing the viewer), natural light and documentary footage. Unnerving sounds like flies, mosquitos and airplanes. Poetic, dream-like, nightmarish. Fascinating scenes many people and a lot going on, with moving camera. What you see in other war movies, you don't see here. Carried by the performance of A. Kravchenko, around 15 years old at the time.
(23 Feb, 2023)
9. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
R | 174 min | Drama, Romance
A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist.
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore | Stars: Philippe Noiret, Enzo Cannavale, Antonella Attili, Isa Danieli
Votes: 283,018 | Gross: $11.99M
3/4. An Italian movie. I don't know, beautiful in many ways, but didn't really capture me.
(18 Mar, 2023)
10. Kona fer í stríð (2018)
Not Rated | 101 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Halla becomes a determined environmental activist, but this threatens a long-held hope of hers.
Director: Benedikt Erlingsson | Stars: Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, Jóhann Sigurðarson, Juan Camilo Román Estrada, Jörundur Ragnarsson
Votes: 11,307 | Gross: $0.85M
3/4. An Icelandic movie. I liked it! Comedic touch. Fun choice of having seemingly non-diegetic music being diegetic.
(24 Mar, 2023)
11. Bill Bailey: Larks in Transit (2021 TV Special)
58 min | Comedy
Bill Bailey performs stand-up at the Royal Opera House in London.
Director: Joe Magee | Stars: Bill Bailey, Florence Illi
Votes: 142
3/4. Another United Kingdom production. Loved it! Bill Bailey combines musical creativity with stand up comedy and it's great.
(10 Apr, 2023)
12. UFO Sweden (2022)
115 min | Adventure, Sci-Fi
A rebellious teen placed in foster care suspects her father is not dead but has been abducted. She is determined to find out the truth with help from a UFO association.
Director: Victor Danell | Stars: Inez Dahl Torhaug, Jesper Barkselius, Eva Melander, Sara Shirpey
Votes: 5,682
3/4. Another Swedish production. I've been looking forward to this as I really liked writer/director Victor Danell's The unthinkable (Den blomstertid nu kommer). I love the concept, the basic plot, but unfortunately this one's more for younger teens than for me.
(25 Apr, 2023)
13. Kaleidoscope (2023)
TV-MA | 41 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Centered around the largest heist ever attempted, the vengeance and betrayals that surround it.
Stars: Giancarlo Esposito, Rufus Sewell, Paz Vega, Rosaline Elbay
Votes: 43,713
3/4. Another US production. Really good! I do have a thing for heist movies and such though, and here's there's a good amount of tech stuff, planning and so on.
(5 May, 2023)
14. Das Rätsel von Tunguska (2008 TV Movie)
43 min | Documentary
On June 30th, 1908, 7:14 am, the largest explosion recorded in human history reverberated throughout our planet, two thousand times the force of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb. To this day, ... See full summary »
Director: Christoph Schuch | Stars: Amartscha, Mark Boslough, Christoph Brenneisen, Valentina Bykova
Votes: 231
2/4. A German short documentary. Serves as an introduction into the Tunguska mystery of 1908, covering a couple of the most probably hypotheses.
(7 May, 2023)
15. Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet (2022)
TV-MA | 60 min | Documentary, Crime
Conspiracy. Fraud. Violence. Murder. What starts out virtual can get real all too quickly--and when the web is worldwide, so are the consequences.
Stars: Paul Black, Daniel Rigmaiden, Devin McGee, Aaron Kuban
Votes: 2,451
3/4. Another US production. A short documentary series. Solid. Informative. I liked it, especially the two Stingray episodes.
(8 May, 2023)
16. Steel Rain (2017)
TV-MA | 139 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A coup in North Korea forces an agent to defect to South with unconscious "Number One". While operatives from North hunt for both of them, the agent has to work with South Koreans to stop the nuclear war.
Director: Woo-seok Yang | Stars: Jung Woo-sung, Kwak Do-won, Kim Kap-su, Kim Eui-sung
Votes: 6,557
3/4. A movie from South Korea. Controversial subject, perhaps. The South, the North, the US, China, Japan and nukes. Quite alright. Emotional even. Some comedic moments.
(10 May, 2023)
17. Monos (2019)
R | 102 min | Adventure, Drama, Thriller
On a remote mountaintop, eight kids with guns watch over a hostage and a conscripted milk cow.
Director: Alejandro Landes | Stars: Sofia Buenaventura, Julián Giraldo, Karen Quintero, Laura Castrillón
Votes: 18,928
3/4. A movie from Colombia (and a bunch of other countries). Something different. I found it quite disturbing. Visual. Not much dialog. Violent kids, jungle guerilla, lawlessness, a hostage situation. Appropriately unnerving electronic score.
(14 May, 2023)
18. Destroyer (2018)
R | 121 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A police detective reconnects with people from an undercover assignment in her distant past in order to make peace.
Director: Karyn Kusama | Stars: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Sebastian Stan
Votes: 31,805 | Gross: $1.53M
3/4. Another US production. Really, really good. Nice performance from Nicole Kidman. A mix of whodunnit, revenge and heist, and a mother-daughter relationship.
(15 May, 2023)
19. The Horseman (2008)
R | 96 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
When Christian finds out his runaway teenage daughter, Jesse has been sexually attacked, the suburban father loses it. Setting out to find Jesse's attacker, Christian goes on a violent rampage.
Director: Steven Kastrissios | Stars: Peter Marshall, Caroline Marohasy, Brad McMurray, Jack Henry
Votes: 5,396
3/4. An Australian movie. Horsecreek finally picked up a good movie. I liked it. Pure revenge picture. Very good fight sequences; realistic, brutal, raw. Good acting from the lead. Too criticize something: it's perhaps a bit too desaturated.
(17 May, 2023)
20. The Piano Teacher (2001)
R | 131 min | Drama, Music
A young man romantically pursues his masochistic piano teacher.
Director: Michael Haneke | Stars: Isabelle Huppert, Annie Girardot, Benoît Magimel, Susanne Lothar
Votes: 71,842 | Gross: $1.90M
3/4. An Austria/France/Germany production. Sado-masochism. Disturbing. Controversial?
(22 May, 2023)
21. Soólè (2021)
116 min | Comedy, Thriller
A group of travellers on a bus journey home for Christmas find themselves entangled in a cat-and-mouse game with dangerous criminals.
Director: Kayode Kasum | Stars: Adunni Ade, Lateef Adedimeji, Mike Afolarin, Anda Ajakaiye
Votes: 73
3/4. A Nigerian movie, in other words a Nollywood production. Labeled thriller and comedy, but does not have much of either in my opinion. Started weak, but turned out to be alright. Took quite a dark turn. Nice to hear pidgin spoken, and apparently yoruba as well.
(24 May, 2023)
22. Homunculus (I) (2021)
TV-MA | 115 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Truth and illusion blurs when a homeless amnesiac awakens from an experimental medical procedure with the ability to see people's innermost traumas.
Director: Takashi Shimizu | Stars: Gô Ayano, Edward Bosco, Amber Lee Connors, Lucien Dodge
Votes: 3,675
2/4. A Japanese film. Supposed to be horror, but was more of a drama thriller. A psychological or supernatural theme. I couldn't connect; didn't feel engaged.
(26 May, 2023)
23. 28 Days Haunted (2022– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Horror, Reality-TV
Three teams spend 28 days in some of the most haunted locations in the United States for an experiment based on the theories of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Stars: Tony Spera, Sean Austin, Jereme Leonard, Shane Pittman
Votes: 2,854
2/4. Another US production. What can I say? A guilty pleasare of mine, this kind of paranormal investigation. This was kind of alright, but still, the complete lack of any kind of self criticism and scientific perspective makes it a quite silly though; "this proves that ...", I mean, come on ...
(31 May, 2023)
24. Incantation (2022)
TV-MA | 110 min | Horror, Mystery
Six years ago, Li Ronan was cursed after breaking a religious taboo. Now, she must protect her daughter from the consequences of her actions.
Director: Kevin Ko | Stars: Hsuan-yen Tsai, Sin-Ting Huang, Ying-Hsuan Kao, Sean Lin
Votes: 20,848
3/4. A horror movie from Taiwan. I liked it. It felt like something perhaps not new but fresh. It's in the found footage category, but combined with ordinary footage. It works alright. And the horror elements are very good. A little bit of everything: spiritualism, ockultism or folklore perhaps, a cult, some kind of deity, possession, buddhism, body horror, claustrophobia and bugs. And at the center there's a mother-daughter relationship theme. Emotional at times.
(3 June, 2023)
25. Thai Cave Rescue (2022)
TV-14 | 360 min | Adventure, Drama, Thriller
TV series that chronicles the rescue of the 12 boys and their soccer coach, who were trapped for two weeks in flooded caves in Thailand during the summer of 2018.
Stars: Thaneth Warakulnukroh, Papangkorn Lerkchaleampote, Pratya Patong, Songpon Kantawong
Votes: 2,402
3/4. A production from Thailand. I stumbled upon a short radio documentary about this incident, and I was moved, so I looked further and found this mini series depicting the story. A decent drama.
(6 June, 2023)
26. The Trapped 13: How We Survived the Thai Cave (2022)
TV-14 | 101 min | Documentary
In this compelling documentary, members of the Thai youth soccer team tell their stories of getting trapped in Tham Luang Cave in 2018 and surviving.
Director: Pailin Wedel | Stars: Ekapol Chanthawong, Richard Harris, Ei Khan, Panumas Sangdee
Votes: 680
3/4. A US/Thai production. Very good documentary about the same incident as Thai Cave Rescue is about. This documentary is more emotional than the mini series. Interviews plus some reenactments with actors.
(7 June, 2023)
27. Thirteen Lives (2022)
PG-13 | 147 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller
A rescue mission is assembled in Thailand where a group of young boys and their soccer coach are trapped in a system of underground caves that are flooding.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, Tom Bateman
Votes: 67,569
3/4. A UK production. Another installment of the story with the thai soccer team that was trapped in a cave. I asked myself before watching how you can do the 18 day story justice in just about two hours. This movie did feel a bit stressful in the beginning. But it was alright. Emotional, sure, but not as much as the documentary mentioned above. More dive sequences than in the 6 hour drama mentioned above, and I liked that.
What's lacking in both productions is a sense of the time it takes to get from the cave entrance to the boys; apparently it could vary between 2 and 7 hours. The whole operation is a tremendous achievement from the divers, and it really doesn't show in these fictional productions.
(9 June, 2023)
28. The Name of the Game (2018)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary
The Name of the Game is a feature-length documentary about the team up between the legendary arcade game designer, Eugene Jarvis, and the Finnish game developer, Housemarque. The end result... See full summary »
Directors: Jarno Elonen, Paul J. Vogel | Stars: Harry Kruger, Eugene Jarvis, Mikael Haveri, Tommaso De Benetti
Votes: 158
3/4. A documentary from Finland about a game developer business and the production of a new game. I'm a bit of a gamer and I really liked this closer look into game development. Very well made and balanced documentary; never boring.
(10 June, 2023)
29. Beyond the Light Barrier (2023)
87 min | Documentary, Biography, Romance
A legendary meteorologist spends her days on earth attempting to convince the world that her alien lover from an advanced human race existed, and held the only solutions to all our problems on earth.
Director: Uga Carlini | Stars: Sue Armstrong, Beth Brady, Paul Brogan, Chester Chandler
Votes: 579
3/4. A documentary from South Africa. Creative production. Cartoony drawings and animations. Nice electronic score. Interviews, both old and new.
(12 June, 2023)
30. Sayen (2023)
94 min | Action, Thriller
Sayen is hunting down the men who murdered her grandmother. Using her training and knowledge of nature, she is able to turn the tables on them, learning of a conspiracy from a corporation that threatens her people's ancestral lands.
Director: Alexander Witt | Stars: Rallen Montenegro, Enrique Arce, Roberto García Ruiz, Camilo Arancibia
Votes: 1,127
3/4. A movie from Chile. Indigenous people vs big corp. Environmental and cultural values vs money. Corruption A bit of Rambo-style revenge (more of that would have been good). Interesting to hear what I now have learned is called mapudungun, a languange spoken by the Mapuche. And I just loved Sayen's mother.
(17 June, 2023)
31. Arnold (2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Documentary, Biography
Follows the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger, from his days of lifting weights to his successes in Hollywood, his time serving as governor of California, and both the joys and volatility of his family life.
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron, Sylvester Stallone, Ken Waller
Votes: 21,742
4/4. Another US production. Well, I am already fascinated by Arnold Schwarzenegger's story, his achievements and how he got where he wanted to go. I've read his autobiography (titled Total recall). There's of course much more in the book, but this excellent mini series covers the main plot points if you like. At its core it's interviews with Arnold. Also interviews with movie industry people and politicians etc. Private still photos, and more. Even manages to get emotional. Good stuff!
(19 June, 2023)
32. The Angel (2018)
TV-MA | 114 min | Action, Biography, Drama
As his country prepares for war, top Egyptian official Ashraf Marwan makes contact with Israel and wades into a shadowy game of high-stakes espionage.
Director: Ariel Vromen | Stars: Jordan Rocca, Marwan Kenzari, Henry Andrawes, Adam Othman
Votes: 15,492
3/4. An Israel/United Kingdom/Egypt procuction. A decent political spy movie based on true events. I learned about the Six-day war and the Yom Kippur war.
(22 June, 2023)
33. Morvern Callar (2002)
R | 97 min | Drama
After her beloved boyfriend's suicide, a mourning supermarket worker and her best friend hit the road in Scotland, but find that grief is something that you can't run away from forever.
Director: Lynne Ramsay | Stars: Samantha Morton, Kathleen McDermott, Linda McGuire, Paul Popplewell
Votes: 11,049 | Gross: $0.27M
3/4. A movie from Canada/United Kingdom. Not a traditional story arc. Poetic at times.
(24 June, 2023)
34. FUBAR (2023– )
TV-MA | 55 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A C.I.A. operative on the edge of retirement discovers a family secret and is called back into the field for one last job.
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Monica Barbaro, Milan Carter, Gabriel Luna
Votes: 37,451
3/4. Another US production. And more Arnold, and if it wasn't for Arnold I wouldn't have watched a second of this. While the actors are doing alright, there's something lacking here. It's comedy in the script but it's not delivered properly.
(1 July, 2023)
35. Bollywood Hero (2009)
85 min | Drama
A young actor (Nick) goes to Mumbai for a role as a colonial in a Bollywood costume film. While he records video messages for his senile father in Holland, he also tries to right several social wrongs in Mumbai that cross his path.
Director: Diederik Van Rooijen | Stars: Rubina Ali, Ishwari Bose-Bhattacharya, Kanika Dang, Vijay Kadam
Votes: 139
3/4. A movie from the Netherlands. Takes place in Mumbai, India. I really liked the music and the mood it sets; sometimes with no diegetic sound and/or slow motion.
(2 July, 2023)
36. The Mother (2023)
R | 115 min | Action, Thriller
While fleeing from dangerous assailants, an assassin comes out of hiding to protect the daughter she left earlier in life.
Director: Niki Caro | Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Joseph Fiennes
Votes: 47,213
3/4. Another US movie. You've seen it before, you know what to expect and it's delivered. Just what you need sometimes.
(4 July, 2023)
37. Money Movers (1978)
R | 92 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
An armoured car company is the target of repeated heists. Company leadership is enforcing new measures in order to tighten security. The biggest danger of a new heist lies from within the company's own ranks.
Director: Bruce Beresford | Stars: Terence Donovan, Tony Bonner, Ed Devereaux, Charles 'Bud' Tingwell
Votes: 963
3/4. Another Australian movie. Good stuff if you're into heist movies and such. Also, creative photography.
(5 July, 2023)
38. The Siege of Jadotville (2016)
TV-MA | 108 min | Action, Drama, History
Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan leads a stand off with troops against French and Belgian Mercenaries in the Congo during the early 1960s.
Director: Richie Smyth | Stars: Jamie Dornan, Emmanuelle Seigner, Mark Strong, Mikael Persbrandt
Votes: 44,371
3/4. A movie from Ireland/South Africa. Based on a true story. Now that's a very, very good depiction of battle, and a solid movie. I was pleasantly surprised, I have to say.
(6 July, 2023)
39. Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)
PG-13 | 125 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
A woman who raised herself in the marshes of the Deep South becomes a suspect in the murder of a man with whom she was once involved.
Director: Olivia Newman | Stars: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, David Strathairn
Votes: 121,596 | Gross: $90.23M
3/4. Another US movie. Very good drama!
(10 July, 2023)
40. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
PG-13 | 154 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Karen Allen
Votes: 198,783
3/4. Another US movie. Well, I liked it in general, but the action sequences were just too long. The opening, 1939, was good but too long. I have no complaints regarding the digital de-aging of Harrison Ford. The ending , in yeaer 213 or what it was (which they somehow got away with), was fun. Wombat was miscast and the character not fleshed out.
(11 July, 2023)
41. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
R | 139 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.
Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert | Stars: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ke Huy Quan
Votes: 533,367 | Gross: $72.86M
2/4. Another US movie. It just didn't resonate with me. I didn't feel anything, wasn't involved. (What was the hype about?)
(12 July, 2023)
42. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
PG-13 | 124 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.
Director: Jason Reitman | Stars: Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Votes: 218,877 | Gross: $129.36M
2/4. A US/Canada movie. I saw the 1984 original twice at the cinema; that one's a perfect storm. And it's correct in this context to talk about it as an original, because this Afterlife turned out to be a remake; it's all there, the Gatekeeper, the Keymaster etc. For the love of Zuul: why?
(13 July, 2023)
43. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022)
R | 97 min | Comedy, Drama
Nancy Stokes, a retired school teacher, is yearning for some adventure, and some sex. And she has a plan, which involves hiring a young sex worker named Leo Grande.
Director: Sophie Hyde | Stars: Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack, Isabella Laughland, Les Mabaleka
Votes: 37,669
3/4. A United Kingdom/US movie. Good stuff! Very good acting.
(15 July, 2023)
44. Two Men in Town (2014)
R | 117 min | Drama
A Muslim ex-con forms a friendship with his parole officer.
Director: Rachid Bouchareb | Stars: Forest Whitaker, Brenda Blethyn, Luis Guzmán, Dolores Heredia
Votes: 2,280
3/4. A France/Belgium/Algeria/US production. It was alright. Nothing spectacular. Forest Whitaker great as always.
(18 July, 2023)
45. Exposing Muybridge (2021)
88 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Exposing Muybridge tells the story of trailblazing 19th-century photographer Eadweard Muybridge, who changed the world with his camera. Muybridge set the course for the development of ... See full summary »
Director: Marc Shaffer | Stars: Gary Oldman, Marta Braun, Philip Brookman, Luther Gerlach
Votes: 186
3/4. Another US production. I do like still photography, and I've studied photography. I really liked this documentary! Muybridge was a strange man. Clever and with a unique vision.
(21 July, 2023)
46. Bird People (2014)
Unrated | 127 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
In an airport hotel on the outskirts of Paris, a Silicon Valley engineer abruptly chucks his job, breaks things off with his wife, and holes up in his room. Soon, fate draws him and a young French maid together.
Director: Pascale Ferran | Stars: Josh Charles, Anaïs Demoustier, Roschdy Zem, Radha Mitchell
Votes: 3,264 | Gross: $0.01M
2/4. Another movie from France. Something quite different. Gotta be the most silent non-silent movie I've watched. Hardly any score. I did not feel much watching this movie.
(30 July, 2023)
47. Four Good Days (2020)
R | 100 min | Drama
A mother helps her daughter work through four crucial days of recovery from substance abuse.
Director: Rodrigo García | Stars: Mila Kunis, Carla Gallo, Glenn Close, Stephen Root
Votes: 12,243
3/4. A movie from Canada/US inspired by true story. I liked it. Very good drama about recovering from heroin addiction. Strong performance from Mila Kunis. Emotional.
(31 July, 2023)
48. Detonator (1993 TV Movie)
R | 98 min | Action, Thriller
A train with hostages is stolen in Bremen, Germany. It's heading south through Europe with a nuclear bomb. A UN crime-fighting task force is in charge of stopping it in cooperation with local military and police.
Director: David Jackson | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Patrick Stewart, Alexandra Paul, Ted Levine
Votes: 3,997
2/4. A movie from United Kingdom/Croatia/US. Filmed in Croatia and Slovenia. Alistair Maclean, hurrah, but this story is rather weak. Standard action. Nice cast. Forgettable music.
(1 Aug, 2023)
49. Última Parada 174 (2008)
Unrated | 110 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A chronicle of a real-life bus hijacking in Rio de Janeiro that occurred on June 12, 2000.
Director: Bruno Barreto | Stars: Michel Gomes, Cris Vianna, Marcello Melo Jr., Gabriela Luiz
Votes: 5,582
3/4. A movie from Brazil/France. Really good! Realistic violence and everything actually. So the police did kill him in the end? What the heck!
(3 Aug, 2023)
50. Oppenheimer (I) (2023)
R | 180 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr.
Votes: 729,446 | Gross: $326.11M
3/4. A US/United Kingdom movie. Quite good, but I was hoping for something more exciting. I thought there would be more science; the struggle, the setbacks, but nope. I didn't expect all these hearings etc. Good acting and music. Creative visuals.
(6 Aug, 2023)
51. The Nun (2005)
R | 101 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
Years ago, a cruel and merciless nun turned boarding school into a living hell for her students until they could no longer bear the abuse, and she mysteriously disappeared. Now the alumnae are being brutally murdered one by one.
Director: Luis de la Madrid | Stars: Aníta Briem, Belén Blanco, Manu Fullola, Alistair Freeland
Votes: 3,559
2/4. A horror movie from Spain/United Kingdom. Filmed i Spain. English spoken. Nice underwater shots. Story was okay, but it doesn't really flow. Redeems itself a bit at the end. Perhaps the "reveal" could've been delivered in a more cinematic way though, not intercut with this dude talking, explaining.
(9 Aug, 2023)
52. 9th Company (2005)
R | 139 min | Action, Drama, History
A group of Russian army recruits complete training and take their posting in late-1980s Afghanistan, where the insurgents are slowly gaining the upper hand.
Director: Fedor Bondarchuk | Stars: Artur Smolyaninov, Aleksey Chadov, Konstantin Kryukov, Ivan Kokorin
Votes: 21,686
3/4. From Ukraine/Russia/Finland. Filmed in Crimea, Ukraine. A pleasant surprise, this one, most of it anyway. Characters with depth. About the comradery, the fear, the slaughter. Well shot and all. Some quite insane action shots. I didn't like the ending though; the movie departed from all the character's development, but then this was based on a true event. It's war. It's hell.
(12 Aug, 2023)
53. Gagarin. Pervyy v kosmose (2013)
108 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Gagarin blasted off in a Vostok rocket and he orbited Earth for 106 minutes. He was the cosmonaut who was selected from over three thousand fighter pilots throughout the Soviet Union.
Director: Pavel Parkhomenko | Stars: Yaroslav Zhalnin, Mikhail Filippov, Vladimir Steklov, Vadim Michman
Votes: 3,578
4/4. From Russia. Yuri Gagarin's first and only Earth orbit, intercut with childhood, cosmonaut training and other episodes. Very good! Beautiful shots and very good CGI; feels real. Emotional moments.
(16 Aug, 2023)
54. Heatstroke (2013)
TV-14 | 92 min | Action, Thriller
An accidental detour during a vacation in the African desert pits a research scientist and his family against a group of dangerous arms dealers.
Director: Evelyn Purcell | Stars: Stephen Dorff, Svetlana Metkina, Maisie Williams, Peter Stormare
Votes: 3,363
2/4. From US/South Africa/Germany. With my fellow Swede Peter Stormare. Not bad, just a bit slow at the beginning and then the story isn't really unique.
(19 Aug, 2023)
55. Amnesia (I) (2015)
96 min | Drama
Jo has come to Ibiza to be a DJ in the club Amnesia. He befriends a solitary woman who's trying to forget her past. As Jo draws her into techno music, Martha puts everything she had previously lived by into question.
Director: Barbet Schroeder | Stars: Marthe Keller, Max Riemelt, Bruno Ganz, Corinna Kirchhoff
Votes: 1,205
3/4. From Switzerland/France. Filmed in Spain. Dealing with Germans in 1989 dealing (in different ways) with the nazis' atrocities during WW2. A warm and heartfelt setting, but with these horrible memories and stories juxtaposed.
(20 Aug, 2023)
56. Sniper: Legacy (2014 Video)
R | 95 min | Action, Thriller, War
A rogue assassin is taking out military leaders, and Brandon gets word that his father is one. He tries to track down the killer, finds out that his father isn't dead and realizes that his superior officers are using him as bait to track the killer.
Director: Don Michael Paul | Stars: Tom Berenger, Chad Michael Collins, Doug Allen, Dominic Mafham
Votes: 5,938
3/4. A US/Bulgaria production. One of these US productions in eastern Europe. And nothing wrong with that. Competently made! Sniper bonanza. Fair amount of action.
(25 Aug, 2023)
57. Pusher (1996)
Not Rated | 110 min | Crime, Thriller
A drug pusher grows increasingly desperate after a botched deal leaves him with a large debt to a ruthless drug lord.
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn | Stars: Kim Bodnia, Zlatko Buric, Laura Drasbæk, Slavko Labovic
Votes: 44,568 | Gross: $0.00M
3/4. From Denmark. Finally I got around to watching this well known film. Very, very good! Violent, brutal. Hand-held cameras only. No light or low light. Felt realistic. And I liked the ending, or no-ending if you like. This just keeps going. There's no resolution.
(26 Aug, 2023)
58. The Frozen Ground (2013)
R | 105 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
An Alaska State Trooper partners with a young woman who escaped the clutches of serial killer Robert Hansen to bring the murderer to justice. Based on actual events.
Director: Scott Walker | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Vanessa Hudgens, John Cusack, Dean Norris
Votes: 67,307
3/4. Another US movie. Solid! Well made and acted.
(27 Aug, 2023)
59. Tangerines (2013)
Not Rated | 87 min | Drama, War
In 1992, war rages in Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia. An Estonian man, Ivo, has decided to stay behind and harvest his crops of tangerines. In a bloody conflict at his door, a wounded man is left behind, and Ivo takes him in.
Director: Zaza Urushadze | Stars: Lembit Ulfsak, Elmo Nüganen, Giorgi Nakashidze, Misha Meskhi
Votes: 49,005 | Gross: $0.14M
4/4. From Estonia/Georgia. Filmed in Georgia. Loved it! Dark, beautiful, warm and sweet.
(30 Aug, 2023)
60. The Accidental Spy (2001)
PG-13 | 87 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
At a Hong Kong shopping center, Buck Yuen's (Jackie Chan's) intuition warns him. He saves a robbery's loot and gets on television, ends up in Istanbul via South Korea, and accidentally becomes a spy. Fortunately, he knows Kung Fu.
Director: Teddy Chan | Stars: Jackie Chan, Min Kim, Eric Tsang, Vivian Hsu
Votes: 18,684
3/4. Another Jackie Chan movie from Hong Kong. Action comedy of course. Uneven but acceptable. A lot of Chan's signature fighting choreography and stunts, and then nothing. Sped up car chase sequences. I think Chan's acting is good, so it's sad that all dialog is ADR:ed (in this version anyway).
(1 Sep, 2023)
61. Black God, White Devil (1964)
Not Rated | 120 min | Adventure, Crime, Drama
After killing his employer when he tries to cheat him out of his payment, a man becomes an outlaw and starts following a self-proclaimed saint.
Director: Glauber Rocha | Stars: Geraldo Del Rey, Yoná Magalhães, Othon Bastos, Maurício do Valle
Votes: 5,357
2/4. From Brazil. What is this? French new wave? The sun is made of gold and we won't find the island, but yes, it's a the bottom of the river, and a thousand similar religious ramblings. Incomprehensible and theatrical. A couple of insanely beautiful shots. The odd scene out of focus. A singer with guitar narrates parts of the story. Long takes with moving camera with weird dialog and silence (made me think of a Monty Python sketch making fun of French cinema).
(3 Sep, 2023)
62. The Shape of Water (2017)
R | 123 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
At a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.
Director: Guillermo del Toro | Stars: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Doug Jones
Votes: 447,770 | Gross: $63.86M
2/4. A US/Mexico movie. Not for me, this one. The quirky music, the orange-teal color grading and this almost steampunk design choice ... it's just nightmare material for me. Michael Shannon is just great though.
(7 Sep, 2023)
63. Snabba Cash (2021– )
TV-MA | 52 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The entrepreneurial jet set and the criminal world are more brutal, chaotic, and ruthless than ever. When these two worlds collide, loyalty, friendships, and business partners will be tested in the never-ending quest for easy money.
Stars: Evin Ahmad, Alexander Abdallah, Ali Alarik, Dada Fungula Bozela
Votes: 12,495
3/4. A Swedish production. Inspired by the Snabba cash books and movies. Very good! Apparently appropriate use of Stockholm suburb slang as well as some tech and business lingo. Focus is on criminal networks selling drugs, and kids getting drawn into this, and in the middle of it is Leya who just wants her tech startup to thrive. Quite brutal, and realistic I guess (I wouldn't know).
(15 Sep, 2023)
64. Super Me (2019)
102 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
A young scriptwriter starts bringing valuable objects back from his short nightmares of being chased by a demon. Selling them makes him rich.
Director: Chong Zhang | Stars: Talu Wang, Jia Song, Kevin Lee, Gang Wu
Votes: 2,019
3/4. A movie from China. Slick psychological romantic fantasy drama thriller?
(16 Sep, 2023)
65. Painkiller (2023)
TV-MA | 48 min | Crime, Drama
The causes and consequences of America's opioid epidemic unfold in this drama following its perpetrators, victims and an investigator seeking the truth.
Stars: Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch, Dina Shihabi
Votes: 30,338
3/4. From the US. Really good! Creative. Well paced. Manages to combine the serious subject matter with "fun" moments, making it even more off-putting and horrifying. Great performance by Uzo Aduba.
(18 Sep, 2023)
66. Nobody (I) (2021)
R | 92 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A docile family man slowly reveals his true character after his house gets burgled by two petty thieves, which, coincidentally, leads him into a bloody war with a Russian crime boss.
Director: Ilya Naishuller | Stars: Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd
Votes: 324,617 | Gross: $27.27M
3/4. From US/Japan/China. Really good! Revenge action, plain and simple. Christopher Lloyd - that's perfect casting.
(19 Sep, 2023)
67. Bhuddah Hoga Tera Baap (2011)
Not Rated | 114 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A quick-tempered, flamboyantly-dressed, retired hit-man returns to India for one last job. Just don't call him "Buddah"
Director: Puri Jagannadh | Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sonu Sood, Sonal Chauhan
Votes: 3,047
1/4. From India. I chose this one because it had Amitabh Bachchan. Unfortunately this was the bottom of the barrel from Bollywood. Bad CGI, basically no room tone (!) and all dialog ADR:ed. Just one big dance number and the lighting was bad and the song a horrible over-auto-tuned ... thing.
(20 Sep, 2023)
68. First They Killed My Father (2017)
TV-MA | 136 min | Biography, Drama, History
Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.
Director: Angelina Jolie | Stars: Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Mun Kimhak
Votes: 20,443
2/4. From Cambodia/US. Almost passable. If you make it through the first half you're kind of rewarded. Good acting by the little girl from what I can tell.
(21 Sep, 2023)
69. Extraction II (2023)
R | 122 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
After barely surviving his grievous wounds from his mission in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tyler Rake is back, and his team is ready to take on their next mission.
Director: Sam Hargrave | Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Tornike Gogrichiani
Votes: 147,802
3/4. From Czech Republic/Austria/Australia/US. Good! Solid action piece. Nice coreography and camera work with long takes (no 12 minute take like in Extraction, I think).
(22 Sep, 2023)
70. The Insider (1999)
R | 157 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller
A research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a 60 Minutes exposé on Big Tobacco.
Director: Michael Mann | Stars: Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, Diane Venora
Votes: 180,255 | Gross: $28.97M
3/4. From US. Very good drama. Powerful dialog and acting, especially from Al Pacino. Really good choice of music too.
(23 Sep, 2023)
71. The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
R | 128 min | Crime, Horror, Mystery
A world-weary detective is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. Stymied by the cadets' code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case - a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.
Director: Scott Cooper | Stars: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Simon McBurney, Timothy Spall
Votes: 124,716
3/4. From US. Lovely, dark, period piece set in winter 1830. Good world building. Wonderful dialog and interactions. Harry Melling does a great job portraying E. A. Poe.
(24 Sep, 2023)
72. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
TV-PG | 113 min | Biography, Drama, History
Against all the odds, a thirteen-year-old boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine.
Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor | Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Maxwell Simba, Felix Lemburo, Robert Agengo
Votes: 44,436
3/4. From the UK/Malawi. Very good! Beautiful photography. Heartfelt. Made me shed a tear. Based on a true story.
(25 Sep, 2023)
73. Ferry (2021)
TV-MA | 106 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Ruthless Ferry Bouman is sent to his native region of Brabant by his boss Brink to avenge an attack on their gang. When he meets lovely Danielle and old family feuds resurface, Brabant starts to pierce his steel armour.
Director: Cecilia Verheyden | Stars: Frank Lammers, Elise Schaap, Huub Stapel, Raymond Thiry
Votes: 13,089
3/4. From Belgium/Netherlands. Nice one! I enjoyed it. Characters with depth. Good acting from Frank Lammers.
(26 Sep, 2023)
74. Blood & Gold (2023)
TV-MA | 98 min | Action, Drama, War
At the end of World War II, a German soldier is looking for his daughter while an SS troop is looking for a Jewish treasure.
Director: Peter Thorwarth | Stars: Jördis Triebel, Robert Maaser, Alexander Scheer, Marie Hacke
Votes: 17,183
3/4. Another German production. WW2. Violent, quirky, a bit comedic and with a score inspired by Morricone's western themes.
(27 Sep, 2023)
75. Robbing Mussolini (2022)
TV-MA | 90 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A Milanese wartime entrepreneur forms a band of misfits and rogues to stage an elaborate heist of a legendary treasure belonging to Benito Mussolini.
Director: Renato De Maria | Stars: Pietro Castellitto, Matilda De Angelis, Tommaso Ragno, Isabella Ferrari
Votes: 2,637
3/4. Another Italian movie. WW2 heist movie. Decent. I see what they're going for, with a cool soundtrack and score. What's lacking is pace, a rhythm to go along with it. It's never boring. It just lacks that punch, a final touch.
(28 Sep, 2023)
76. Narvik: Hitler's First Defeat (2022)
TV-14 | 108 min | Drama, History, War
April 1940. The eyes of the world are on Narvik, a small town in northern Norway, source of the iron ore needed for Hitler's war machinery. Through two months of fierce winter warfare, Hitler is dealt his first defeat.
Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg | Stars: Kristine Hartgen, Carl Martin Eggesbø, Christoph Gelfert Mathiesen, Henrik Mestad
Votes: 17,418
3/4. Another Norwegian movie. WW2. Good world building. Three dimensional characters. Emotional.
(29 Sep, 2023)
77. Munich: The Edge of War (2021)
PG-13 | 130 min | Biography, Drama, History
A British diplomat travels to Munich in the run-up to World War II, where a former classmate of his from Oxford is also en route, but is working for the German government.
Director: Christian Schwochow | Stars: George MacKay, Jannis Niewöhner, Jeremy Irons, Liv Lisa Fries
Votes: 35,903
3/4. A United Kingdom/US movie. WW2. Interesting theme: the negotiation of Sudetenland. Never seen that in a movie before. Good performances and excellent world building, a very believable 1930's.
(30 Sep, 2023)
78. The Forgotten Battle (2020)
TV-MA | 124 min | Drama, War
1944, the Second World War. A British glider pilot, a Dutch boy fighting on the German side and a Dutch female resistance member all end up involved in the Battle of the Schelde. Their choices differ, but their goal is the same: freedom.
Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. | Stars: Gijs Blom, Jamie Flatters, Susan Radder, Jan Bijvoet
Votes: 37,073
3/4. A Netherland/Belgium production. WW2. One of those with colliding destinies, of three people. But it's quite seemless. Very well made, realistic, brutal and horrifying fight sequences.
(30 Sep, 2023)
79. Fury (2014)
R | 134 min | Action, Drama, War
A grizzled tank commander makes tough decisions as he and his crew fight their way across Germany in April, 1945.
Director: David Ayer | Stars: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña
Votes: 547,449 | Gross: $85.82M
3/4. A US/China/United Kingdom production. WW2. Pulls at your heartstrings more than the recent WW2 movies I've watched.
(1 Oct, 2023)
80. Hitler: A Career (1977)
Not Rated | 150 min | Documentary, History
This meticulously assembled film dissects the Third Reich with an analytical blade, charting Hitler's improbable rise, his mastery of crowd psychology and his consummate skill in exploiting others' weaknesses.
Directors: Joachim Fest, Christian Herrendoerfer | Stars: Gert Westphal, Stephen Murray, Artur Axmann, General Bergeret
Votes: 3,035
4/4. A documentary from West Germany. Fascinating document with this English narrator calmly presenting the facts, with the focus on Hitler's career, if you wanna call it that, and his mental state.
(2 Oct, 2023)
81. Heart of Stone (I) (2023)
PG-13 | 122 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
An intelligence operative for a shadowy global peacekeeping agency races to stop a hacker from stealing its most valuable and dangerous weapon.
Director: Tom Harper | Stars: Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt, Jing Lusi
Votes: 59,273
3/4. From the US. It was alright, I guess. In the long run forgettable though. Stereotypical superskilled agent stuff, with the addition of a know-and-hack-it-all AI. PG-13 and it feels like it.
(3 Oct, 2023)
82. Stranded (V) (2013)
Not Rated | 84 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
Four astronauts working at a lunar base suffer a meteor strike that brings an infection that leads to paranoia, fear and death.
Director: Roger Christian | Stars: Christian Slater, Amy Matysio, Michael Therriault, Brendan Fehr
Votes: 4,280
2/4. From Canada/United Kingdom. Steretypical bodyhorror alien in space movie. Spores, infection, pregnancy, cloning, madness, airlock, emergency shuttle, divert all the power; nothing really creative here. The worst part though is the boring setting and lighting.
(5 Oct, 2023)
83. My Name Is Khan (2010)
PG-13 | 165 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
An Indian Muslim man with Asperger's syndrome takes a challenge to speak to the President of the United States seriously and embarks on a cross-country journey.
Director: Karan Johar | Stars: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Sheetal Menon, Katie Amanda Keane
Votes: 116,393 | Gross: $4.02M
3/4. From India/United Arab Emirates/US. Quite an emotional roller coaster!
(6 Oct, 2023)
84. Triangle of Sadness (2022)
R | 147 min | Comedy, Drama
A fashion model celebrity couple join an eventful cruise for the super-rich.
Director: Ruben Östlund | Stars: Thobias Thorwid, Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Jiannis Moustos
Votes: 178,217
4/4. From Sweden/Greece and eight other countries. Another one from Ruben Östlund exposing the dark corners of the human condition.
(7 Oct, 2023)
85. Gospod postoi, imeto i' e Petrunija (2019)
100 min | Drama
A Macedonian woman throws herself into a traditionally men-only ceremony, kicking up a ruckus and standing her ground.
Director: Teona Strugar Mitevska | Stars: Zorica Nusheva, Labina Mitevska, Stefan Vujisic, Suad Begovski
Votes: 2,545
4/4. From North Macedonia/Belgium/ Slovenia/Croatia/France. Wonderful little movie! Condensed, effective. Lovely dialogs. I liked the breaking of the 4th wall.
(8 Oct, 2023)
86. D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?! (2022)
TV-14 | 42 min | Documentary, Crime, History
It follows the 50-year quest to find Cooper, the man who hijacked a Northwest Airlines passenger jet in November 1971 and escaped with $200,000.
Stars: Eric Ulis, Jonna Mendez, Tom Colbert, Bruce Smith
Votes: 3,361
3/4. From the US. I'm not from the US, but I've occasionally heard about the story, so I thought I'd check out this documentary. So, for me, I think it was good, but I assume D.B. Cooper nerds might disagree since there's got to be many facts, theories, twists and turns left out here.
(8 Oct, 2023)
87. The Sixth Commandment (2023)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, History
Follows the deaths of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin in the village of Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, and the extraordinary events that unfolded in the following years.
Stars: Conor MacNeill, Éanna Hardwicke, Adrian Rawlins, Amanda Root
Votes: 6,424
3/4. From the United Kingdom. Really good! A sick and disturbing case. Very good performances and music.
(10 Oct, 2023)
88. The Mystery of D.B. Cooper (2020)
TV-14 | 85 min | Documentary, Crime, History
A documentary that looks at the well-known case, which is largely regarded as the greatest unsolved heist in American history.
Director: John Dower | Stars: Jo Weber, Duane Weber, Tim Collins, Tina Mucklow
Votes: 2,222
3/4. From the United Kingdom. Another documentary about the D. B. Cooper case. It focuses on a few of the main suspects. It does however not mention the main suspect in the documentary I wrote about the other day, and that one's also more meta, about the search for D. B. Cooper, while this one felt more grounded and presents more facts.
(11 Oct, 2023)
89. Don't Breathe 2 (2021)
R | 98 min | Action, Crime, Horror
The sequel is set in the years following the initial deadly home invasion, where Norman Nordstrom lives in quiet solace until his past sins catch up to him.
Director: Rodo Sayagues | Stars: Stephen Lang, Madelyn Grace, Brendan Sexton III, Adam Young
Votes: 71,598 | Gross: $32.64M
3/4. From the US. The first one, Don't breathe, was brilliant. This one's not far behind. A very good revenge action thriller. Beautiful lighting. Very well acted.
(12 Oct, 2023)
90. Train to Busan (2016)
Not Rated | 118 min | Action, Horror, Thriller
While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan.
Director: Yeon Sang-ho | Stars: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an
Votes: 258,897 | Gross: $2.13M
2/4. From South Korea. Meh. I don't like zombie movies. It's just stupidity and screaming. But people have been talking about this movie, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Often zombies are not a threat, but here they're fast and violent at least. Sure, some tension and emotion are conveyed, but in the end it's not that special.
(13 Oct, 2023)
91. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007)
Not Rated | 113 min | Drama
A woman assists her friend in arranging an illegal abortion in 1980s Romania.
Director: Cristian Mungiu | Stars: Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Alexandru Potocean
Votes: 63,298 | Gross: $1.19M
3/4. From Romania/Belgium. Eastern Europe 1987 and everything is dull and grey, including the weather. If I didn't know it was made in 2007 I'd guessed 1980's. Nice work! Other than that I went in totally blind though. Turned out to be a powerful contribution to a political debate.
(14 Oct, 2023)
92. Akira (1988)
R | 124 min | Animation, Action, Drama
A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.
Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo | Stars: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Tesshô Genda
Votes: 205,314 | Gross: $0.55M
2/4. Animated movie from Japan. Some sort of classic, I get it, it's been influental, sure, and the artwork is amazing. The details in so many shots! And the use of light and shadow. Beautiful! But, as a movie, for me, a bit tiresome; I can't get pass the constant screaming and action. I couldn't connect, and of course I want to really feel something when I watch a movie.
(15 Oct, 2023)
93. Out of the Trees (1976 TV Movie)
33 min | Comedy
Sketch show pilot written by Graham Chapman, Douglas Adams, and Bernard McKenna. The show shared some of the stream-of-consciousness style of Monty Python's Flying Circus. Actors included Mark Wing-Davey and Simon Jones.
Directors: Ian MacNaughton, Bernard Thompson | Stars: Graham Chapman, Roger Brierley, Simon Jones, Maria Aitken
Votes: 67
4/4. From the United Kingdom. Apparently a pilot for a show that sadly never came to be. I love Monty Python, so this really is my cup of tea. It's the same kind of silly humor and it's lovely!
(16 Oct, 2023)
94. Harakiri (1962)
Not Rated | 133 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
When a ronin requesting seppuku at a feudal lord's palace is told of the brutal suicide of another ronin who previously visited, he reveals how their pasts are intertwined - and in doing so challenges the clan's integrity.
Director: Masaki Kobayashi | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita, Tetsurô Tanba
Votes: 68,707
4/4. From Japan. Black & white. Beautifully lit. Minimalistic. Intense.
(19 Oct, 2023)
95. The Big Boss (1971)
R | 99 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A young man sworn to an oath of non-violence works with his cousins in an ice factory where they mysteriously begin to disappear.
Directors: Wei Lo, Chia-Hsiang Wu | Stars: Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, James Tien, Marilyn Bautista
Votes: 29,480 | Gross: $0.04M
3/4. From Hong Kong. Embarassingly my first Bruce Lee movie. A bit weird script. Cheap production. Sudden cuts. English dubbing, mostly not matching lips movements. The joy is Bruce Lee's presence in all scenes, and of course the fighting. I guess this is a hint of what's to come in his following movies.
(20 Oct, 2023)
96. Involuntary (2008)
98 min | Drama
In several unrelated stories, the consequences of putting one's foot down - or failing to do so - are explored.
Director: Ruben Östlund | Stars: Villmar Björkman, Lola Ewerlund, Maria Lundqvist, Henrik Vikman
Votes: 6,481
4/4. From Sweden/France. Filmed in Sweden. Very Swedish and also very human. Episodical. A lot of natural light. Long takes. No camera movement. Unusual framing and placing of camera; behind people, posts and windows. Quite a bit happens in the negative space. Like you're a fly on the wall, or a surveillance camera even. Really good acting.
(21 Oct, 2023)
97. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)
PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik's vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible.
Director: Lasse Hallström | Stars: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked, Kristin Scott Thomas
Votes: 67,130 | Gross: $9.03M
3/4. From United Kingdom. Loved it! , Comedic moments, emotional moments, McGregor's Scottish accent.
(22 Oct, 2023)
98. The Eagle Has Landed (1976)
PG | 123 min | Adventure, Drama, Thriller
A German plot to kidnap Sir Winston Churchill unfolds at the height of World War II.
Director: John Sturges | Stars: Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Jenny Agutter
Votes: 24,518
3/4. From United Kingdom. I love these big ensemble movies of the 60's and 70's. Fantastic characters here by Pleasance, Sutherland, Caine and Duvall. Sadly Hagman's character is just from another movie, a silly comedy. And the action is also rather silly. I wish the movie was darker. A modern, dark remake would be wonderful.
(24 Oct, 2023)
99. The Guitar Mongoloid (2004)
89 min | Drama
A 12 year old boy making basic punk songs, grown up men playing with guns, a neurotic woman with euphoric happiness targeting self destruction. A Swedish everyday life you've never seen before.
Director: Ruben Östlund | Stars: Erik Rutström, Britt-Marie Andersson, Mikael Allu, Bjarne Gunnarsson
Votes: 1,442
3/4. From Sweden. Another one by Ruben Östlund, an early one. The Swedish title "Gitarrmongot" translates to "The guitar freak" or "The guitar retard"; "mongo" is a non-PC derogative. Episodical film; different poeple in scenes without shared plot. No clear theme here other than showing every day life in Sweden (Gothenburg), albeit with characters, mostly kids and teens, behaving beyond what's generally socially acceptable. Cast: mostly people with no other credits on IMDB. I wonder how Östlund directed these, because it's all very believable; perhaps many of them are instructed to be themselves, and say what they want, and just have a certain goal in a scene. And again, no camera movement and a lot of natural light from what I can tell.
(29 Oct, 2023)
100. Vjeran Tomic: The Spider-Man of Paris (2023)
86 min | Documentary, Crime
In his own words, the burglar behind the 2010 robbery of the Paris Museum of Modern Art tells how he pulled off the biggest art heist in French history.
Director: Jamie Roberts | Stars: Louis Deleegher, Maxime Canat, Derek Simon Robin
Votes: 1,108
3/4. From France, I assume. Documentary about an art heist in Paris, performed by a burglar who use to climb buildings to rob the rich. Good dramatic reconstructions. Interviews.
(30 Oct, 2023)
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