mmuggi Reviews

The Last of Us: Part II (2020 Video Game)

The Last of us Part II

[9/10 · 4 May 2024]

Title: The Last of Us Part II

Genre:

• Action
• Post-apocalyptic horror

Ratings: IMDB: 8.8 Metacritic: 90/82

Average: 8.7

/ Anthony Newman's first directorial credit. Previously worked with material from Neil Druckmann and is not the sole director.

/ Halley Wegryn Gross is new to the team. Previously wrote for Westworld S1.

/ It's also Josh Scherr's first venture into The Last of Us universe.

/ Clear elements from Uncharted 4, which work well and are understandable as they likely share the same engine.

/ Long stretches without encountering any enemies, making the encounters even more lively.

/ Became Sony's fastest-selling PS4 game, making it the biggest PlayStation launch ever.

/ Seattle - Most of the story takes place there.

/ Santa Barbara - Firefly outpost.

/ Catalina Island - Main Firefly base.

Pros:

• Great combat.

• Snow effects.

• Character movements.

• Dangerous jumps.

• Semi-open-world Seattle segment.

• Ellie's comment on Halloween.

• Intelligent AI.

• Cool camera work.

• Shifts into survival horror at some point.

• Multidimensional characters.

• Sniper sequence.

• Insane to see the whole situation from all angles, with game mechanics that were once against Ellie now being used by her.

• Playing as both Abby and Ellie fosters empathy for both characters.

• Intertwined plotlines.

Cons:

• Occasional frame drops when NPCs ride.

• How can Ellie shoot standing without support with such a powerful rifle? (Patrol with Tommy)
• Small details like the suppressor on the pistol being absent in cutscenes. Similarly, Nora should have been more prepared. I know they're listening to music, but gunshots and shouts outside should be audible.

• The section with Abby and Owen in the aquarium, how did Owen find that place?

• The coins.

• Missing mask on Abby in the California sequence.

• A tad too long.

What happened in my playthrough:

Biggest Winner:

• Dina

Biggest Loser:

• Seraphites.

Department Q: The Absent One (2014)

Fasandræberne

[7/10 · 1 May 2024]

Rotten Tomatoes 92/68 IMDB 7.1 Metacritic 6.1/7.4

Average 7.3

Genre:

Crime Thriller In December 2014, the film became the highest-grossing Danish film ever at the Danish box office with 66 million kroner from 749,000 tickets sold. It marks the feature film debut of Johanne Louise Schmidt.

Another visit to Jussi Adler-Olsen's Department Q universe. More brutal and direct this time around, and based on the success of the first film, it's immensely popular. However, I don't think this film is paced as well as the first. There's much less mystery, which suited the first film. Johanne Louise Schmidt is a welcome addition to the department, though. Similarly, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina delivers a compelling performance.

One might wonder if the police director will hold a grudge against Department Q in the future, now that he was somehow involved in this case in an obscure manner.

When in Rome (2024)

Rom

[9/10 · 25 April 2024]

Genre

Comedy Drama Romance

We get Danish folk comedy with the cultured wife, who would rather have traveled by a CO2-friendly train as opposed to her boat-necked husband, who wanted to fly.

We get more refined comedy tones à la Woody Allen, where a suburban woman from Hvidovre transforms into a flamboyant femme fatale.

There is also the theme of aging without fading. Truth-seeking scenes out of a marriage with lies and Latin. A rather old-fashioned slapstick farce with a race against time. And an ending that questions the film's facade of feel-good.

But fundamentally, it's a charming film with an inciting Bodil Jørgensen, who gets better and better with age. Kristian Halken and Rolf Lassgård also give solid performances, and one is drawn to Rome, with all the clichés that come with it.

Department Q: The Keeper of Lost Causes (2013)

Kvinden I buret

[9/10 · 17 April 2024]

The first thriller based on Jussi Adler Olsen's book series "Department Q." Nordic noir of quite high quality, good production value, well-dosed acting across the board. A particularly delightful highlight is Assad, who is Muslim. And it doesn't matter at all. Religion plays no role, his other ethnic background plays no role. It's great to see, especially in a Danish film in the mid-2010s.

The film maintains suspense throughout, and the rationale for the kidnapper is present and understandable. The pressure chamber adds an extra dimension of claustrophobia, although I don't know how the kidnapper partly has knowledge of the use of a pressure chamber, and partly how he has managed to install a pressure chamber in the attic of a barn.

The car accident itself is also a bit too theatrical for my taste, and one could criticize the film for being a cliché in its portrayal of Carl Mørch.

But all in all, a solid Nordic noir crime thriller, and I look forward to the next film.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

[8/10 · 30 March 2024]

Score IMDB 8.1 Metacritic 8.5 / 8.1 Rotten Tomatoes 9.6 / 8.1

Average 8.5

Genre

Fantasy Dark Fantasy Teen Fantasy Financial success

At a mere 130 minutes, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the shortest of the eight films in the Harry Potter series.

Director David Yates (who helmed the previous three installments of the series as well) and screenwriter Steve Kloves (who scripted all the films except Order Of The Phoenix) start the film exactly where Part 1 left off, and with the same moody, somber, unrushed tone. But what dragged in Part 1 simply seems appropriate here, as the story gently reabsorbs viewers before taking off. Then Yates and Kloves ramp the action up to manic levels-even including two cartoonishly brash sequences at the Gringotts bank that hearken back to Chris Columbus' two Potter films-and find ways to draw out the final battle, extending it beyond J. K. Rowling's original novel.

However, the part in Gringotts bank bothers me. It is unnecessary to use the dragon, as they could have escaped via Hermione, and the whole setup of the bank is incomprehensible to me.

There is simply an inexplicable plot point that scratches the surface. If Harry Potter is Horcrux no. 8, and it requires him to die for the Horcrux to die, how can Voldemort then die when Harry Potter survives? It's something I don't understand, and even though the film apparently tries to explain it with a little Voldemort in the fetal position, which is not a pretty sight, the explanation is not solid enough.

• Unless Voldemort is still alive, but then both Hermione and Harry Potter must suspect this. I't doesn't seem like theu do though.

Its principal cast members were hired as cute prepubescents and have grown impressively into their adult roles; with this installment, the series itself completes a similarly protracted and rewarding maturation.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

Reviewed 27/3-24

[7/10 · 27 March 2024]

Genre

• Dark Fantasy
• Sword & Sorcery

Score IMDB 7.7 Metacritic 65 / 76 Rotten Tomatoes 77 / 85

Average: 7.6

Financial success

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Harry Potter movie franchise has been the way it's held onto its core cast, letting audiences watch the actors mature along with the characters and J. K. Rowling's progressively darker material. But nothing else about the films has been as consistent. Each new director has brought in his own look, tone, and sensibility to book-to-film adaptation.

Like its immediate predecessor, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 makes no bones about being part of a longer work rather than a stand-alone film. It begins mid-speech and ends mid-story. With Harry's chief protector dead and his enemy Voldemort openly taking over, Harry and his closest friends isolate themselves to fight behind the scenes. Lacking allies or sanctuary, they become depressed and aimless, prompting long sequences in which they stare moodily into space; have strained, muttered, pause-packed conversations; or in one case, share a spontaneous melancholy dance to Nick Cave's "O Children."

I miss a better death for Moody, who has been an important supporting character since the middle of the franchise.

It's the first film that doesn't take place at Hogwarts at all, but despite the wonderful setting Hogwarts is, this doesn't matter much. On the contrary, it adds to the feeling of rootlessness.

Fun fact: Filming the "seven Harrys" scene was so complex that Daniel Radcliffe counted over ninety takes for just a single shot.

I partially understand the scene where Harry needs to be identified. Because yes, the consequences would be unfairly harsh if they summoned Voldemort for no reason. But who else would be with Ron and Hermione, and Harry doesn't look changed either.

Review question: If the Patronus saw Harry and Ron immediately before the discovery of Gryffindor's sword?

It can't help but feel like the prelude it is, but Deathly Hallows: Part I is a beautifully filmed, emotionally satisfying penultimate installment for the Harry Potter series.

Honorable mention: Stuntman David Holmes.

Rocky IV (1985)

Reviewed 26/02-24

[5/10 · 26 February 2024]

Genre:

Sports Boxing Drama IMDB: 6.9 Metacritic: 40 User: 7.1 Rotten Tomatoes: 40 User: 80

Average: 60

Financial success over the long term

Some fleeting thoughts along the way:

/ Pride comes before a fall / Rocky, remember you're a father now... / Doping Drago / "You're not doing what we agreed on, Drago." He holds back in the first round, pride?

/ Drago puts power on in the 2nd round

Sylvester Stallone has become a better actor.

I like Draco's cold demeanor. It's much better than Clubber Lang.

Sylvester Stallone with a beard.

Classic virtues vs. Cheating, sham, and "optimization." The trailer reveals way too much, ruining the entire first act of the film, an act that is crucial.

Paulie being the idiot Paulie as he usually is.

It has never been the boxing matches that are the franchise's best scenes.

Moscow pro Rocky?? Why???

Drago was lost the moment he insulted the Russian prime minister; he would never have been seen as a hero, even if he had won the fight against Rocky. Apollo, may he rest in peace, makes the same mistake he made when he first fought Rocky, underestimating an unknown opponent. Unfortunately, it costs him his life. I know it's probably propaganda that Drago can hit so hard. However, I don't understand why no one questions it. The American boxing association clearly made a huge mistake because there wasn't a doctor present in the fight between Apollo and Drago.

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

Sweet Home Alabama

[6/10 · 21 February 2024]

Title: Sweet Home Alabama

Genre:

• Romantic Comedy

Score: Imdb: 6.2 Metacritic: 4.5 User: 6.6 Rotten Tomatoes: 3.8 User: 7.8

Average: 5.78

Financial success

Smoother or Carmichael, why are the people in Alabama so surprised that she has used a different last name than the one she was born with, when they themselves claim to be familiar with her fashion career? The same goes for her lawyer.

There are also quite a few continuity errors in the film, something I don't usually pay attention to, but here it's somewhat careless.

It furthermore marks the first movie to be filmed in New York after 9/11

However, I would like to give the film credit for genuinely making me unsure about which guy she chooses, as one isolated doesn't outweigh the other, almost the opposite.

Someday, a movie will be made in which the hero leaves the homey backwaters of Capraville U. S. A. For a steely metropolis and never thinks of going back, so wowed is he or she by a fast-paced, exciting world with a rich art and culture scene, ethnic diversity, and the possibility of Chinese takeout in the middle of the night. Meanwhile, country trounces city again in Sweet Home Alabama, a romantic comedy so cozily formulaic that the title more or less gives away the ending.

In the film's least amusing subplot, the disapproving Bergen dispatches a team of political operatives and hatchet men to follow Witherspoon and expose her as a commoner.

For Witherspoon, the choice is clear: Return to the cynicism and corruption of the big city with a bland Ralph Bellamy type, or lead a slow-paced life with Lucas in the Deep South, where she can enjoy the simple pleasures of chicken-fried steak, double-wides, and her father's Civil War reenactments. Director Andy Tennant, who specializes in girlish fantasies such as Ever After and the Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen vehicle It Takes Two, knows better than to tinker with his own success. With Sweet Home Alabama, he delivers exactly as advertised.

Public Enemy (2016–2023)

Series review

[7/10 · 18 February 2024]

"I have to connect with IMDB user kosmasp's review of the series.

"Can a person really change who he or she is deep inside? The show explores quite the depths of psychological drama - and demons or whatever you would call them. That's even crazier considering where one of the main characters ends up in at the beginning of the show - not that all of the church establishments have a good reputation (even less so, if you are cynical).

It looked like there was a big cliffhanger after two seasons - and Netflix seems to consider the final season as a standalone thing. But it is important to the overall story of all the important characters ... and how they deal with stuff. With new issues and crimes coming up. How much can you trust a criminal? How far is a cop supposed to go ... before going over the edge with all ... the psychological ups and downs this showcases ... the relationships of all involved ... even more showcased since we are talking of a small community ... you have to be into that stuff ... but if you are ... well there is a lot to like here ... if you can use that term of course."

The series has been through many challenges, but they end up on the other side as a cohesive series, even though the first season was lackluster. The second season spun threads to the third season, which subsequently delivered the series' best episodes in episode 3."

Spider-Man (2018 Video Game)

Reviewed 13/2-24

[8/10 · 13 February 2024]

Genre:

• Action
• Superhero
• Sci-fi

Ratings: IMDB: 9.2 Metacritic: 8.7 User: 8.7

Average: 8.7

Became the fastest-selling PlayStation 4 game of all time, with 3.3 million copies sold within just three days.

Spider-Man is probably one of the most impressive superhero games I have ever seen, and a game that has a lot going for it, especially considering how historically difficult it has been to make solid superhero games. The level of detail in Manhattan is outstanding, and swinging through the streets works perfectly. It is clearly one of the best aspects of the game.

There are good opportunities for collectibles, and even though I'm not a completionist, I completed this game, so that says a lot.

The story is solid, the enemy roster is extensive and good, especially when it comes to the main villains. However, the encounters with Sable and the various henchmen become too repetitive, and in the last part of the game, there are so many encounters that I eventually don't bother going into them anymore.

There's a good difference in facing a supervillain. As Miles against Rhino, Rhino is extremely threatening, while against Spiderman, he is more manageable.

Some side missions, like Harry's extra missions, feel out of place, as well as the pigeon-catching aspect. There are some meaningless milestones, and MJ's missions are just not very exciting when you already know the outcome. And how can she scan a room? It takes away from the gaming experience that she can do this. With all the supervillains at play, why don't The Avengers help? They are established in the world.

The end of the game is decent, but it can be felt that it sets up for more regarding Miles. Miles Morales was not originally in the game but was eventually written in as the writers believed there was "something missing." There are questions about why Spiderman is taken to F. E. A. S. T and not to the hospital, and why it doesn't require Spiderman to remove the suit. These are small things, but still things that stand out in an otherwise consistent game.

The worst character is undoubtedly Silver Sable, who suddenly has a change of heart and becomes too sentimental and reflective, considering how little we have had to do with her.

And a bit about the characters' fates:

• Peter Parker and MJ reunite.

• Miles gains powers as Spiderman.

• Fisk is imprisoned and has lost a lot of money.

• Norman Osbourne loses millions. He continues to try to save his son Harry, whom he experiments on in an attempt to save him. The Devil's Breath, originally intended to be a cure for Harry, is used as a biological weapon.

• Dr. Morgan Michaels (AKA Morbius) creates an antidote for the Devil's Breath.

• Martin Li (aka Mister Negative) is defeated by Spiderman, but his subsequent whereabouts are unknown.

• Shocker is defeated and imprisoned in the Raft.

• Tombstone is defeated and imprisoned in the Raft.

• Octavius Industries goes bankrupt.

• Otto Octavius is defeated by Spiderman and imprisoned in the Raft.

• Vulture is imprisoned after being apprehended with stolen weapons.

• Electro is webbed up by Spiderman and subsequently imprisoned.

• Taskmaster plans to continue testing Spiderman.

• Rhino defeats Miles, who is severely injured.* Rhino, along with Scorpion, is captured in a container and arrested.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Reviewed 4/2-24

[8/10 · 4 February 2024]

Genre:

• Fantasy
• Sword & Sorcery
• Teen Fantasy

IMDB: 7.6 Metacritic: 7.8 User: 7.6 Rottentomatoes: 8.4 User: 7.8

Average: 7.8

/ Significant financial success

The film primarily focuses on the growing sense of dread in Harry's world, a theme barely explored visually. It unfolds at a deliberate pace, contrary to the series' earlier films, offering a matured perspective on the Harry Potter universe. "Half-Blood Prince" assumes a considerable investment in the wizarding world, lacking introductory elements for newcomers but refraining from rehashing past details. For those already immersed, the film aligns with the books' maturation.

I feel the Half-Blood Prince's book doesn't receive enough attention. While Harry naturally uses it, its impact on the film is not sufficiently pronounced. The conclusion, meant to be impactful, feels rushed. The build-up involving Draco sending items through the cabinet lacks clarity; why not conclude it's possible and proceed? The ending seems hurried and somewhat anticlimactic.

And when did the Room of Requirement turn into a storage room?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

21/1-24

[7/10 · 21 January 2024]

Rotten Tomatoes 7.8 User 8.1 IMDB 7.5 Metacritic 7.1 User 7.5 Average 7.6

Genre

• Drama
• Teen Fantasy
• Politics

Financial success

Although the film is based on the longest book in the series, it is the second shortest film in the series. This is also the film that uses the first CGI set, in the form of the Ministry of Magic. There is no Quidditch in this film, a segment I have never found particularly interesting, so its omission is very sensible.

However, there is a huge plot hole that could undermine the entire film. This is why Dumbledore does not use the memories that can be extracted and seen through magic when the hearing about Harry Potter's use of magic outside of school takes place. This would have supported Harry's entire explanation, and the Ministry would have been forced to face the facts, and Umbridge would never have been installed. We also never get an answer to who ordered the Dementors to attack. On that note, the Dementors are terrible prison guards, as evidenced by a group of Death Eaters escaping Azkaban. And why doesn't Barty Crouch escape?

Why do Harry and the rest of the group fly off course from the direct path to the Ministry of Magic when they urgently need to save Sirius? And how do they get into the Ministry? Can you just walk in from the street?

I have to admit something. I partially agree with Umbridge. Hogwarts is too lax and fragile. It has been seen repeatedly in this series, so a restoration of order is a good thing. However, I do not agree with her methods.

It is also noticeable that this film sets up several more films. In isolation, this film cannot be used for much, and can barely stand on its own. But I think it is well-produced and pushes the franchise forward.

RIP Sirius Black.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Reviewed 11/1-24

[6/10 · 11 January 2024]

The movie's average ratings are as follows:

• IMDb: 7.7
• Metacritic: 8.1
• User: 7.8
• Rotten Tomatoes: 8.8
• User (another source?): 7.4

Genre: Fantasy, Coming of Age

Financial Success: Not specified.

Faced with adapting a lengthy book, the director and screenwriter opted to trim redundant content from the previous films. The fourth installment sees Harry reluctantly participating in a wizarding competition, with significant setup involving dreams, the Quidditch World Cup, and a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. The movie balances explosive setpieces with essential setup, foreshadowing, and intercharacter conflict.

Robert Pattinson makes his film debut and, despite lacking some experience, delivers a commendable performance.

Barty Crouch's death is briefly depicted and scarcely mentioned afterward, a potential missed opportunity for exploring dynamics among the newly introduced Death Eaters.

There are scenes depicting characters making mistakes, such as Karkaroff touching Neville, inconsistent with his Death Eater background. Additionally, Sirius Black uses his real name instead of a codename in correspondence, contradicting the need for secrecy.

Lastly, the lack of security at Hogwarts, exemplified by a dragon escaping during the first task, raises concerns, adding a touch of magic to the film's quirks.

It does touch lonliness for a while. It is never known wether the Cup is a place where one can die, or if it's just to scare the contesteants. If it is the first, that would be insane to let anyone anticipate in such thing.

The Last of Us: Left Behind (2014 Video Game)

7/1-24

[9/10 · 7 January 2024]

Metacritic 8.8 User 4.9 IMDB 8.9

Average 7.5

Genre Action Drama Horror

/ Prequel to The Last of Us / Also, this is an award-winning DLC / It is a DLC / Along with showing us how Ellie & Riley got infected, this DLC also fixes the continuity of how Ellie took care of Joel when he was impaled by rebar during the Fall section of the main game.

No reaction to tracks from Ellie early in the game?

Ellie's voice reactions don't always match the body's reactions.

The water fight is quite exciting.

Some stats from my playthrough: Joel 0-1 Ellie 0-1 Riley 0-1 Bandits 1-0 Infected 0-1 Death 1 out of 2 times 4/1-24: Kicked in the head by a bandit.

The Last of Us (2013 Video Game)

Reviewed december 2023

[9/10 · 2 January 2024]

Translate to English:

Genre Adventure Horror Action Doomsday thriller

/ Award-winning game / Two things stand out for Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley - The Last of Us, and the Uncharted universe

Challenging enemies, and various types Intense levels The atmosphere Dynamic in Ellie's way of acting Blood in Joel's head Life in others' apartments for what once was.

THE Scene

Packing a nail bomb in the pocket Ellie's sometimes quirky crouching and the fact that enemies don't see her The tank could have killed Joel instantly in a cutscene How did Ellie manage to bypass the bandits when Joel and Tommy rode straight into their trap?

Control of the horses

So, a few stats from my playthrough: Joel 1-3-9 Sara 0-1 (DEAD) Killed by a soldier on orders Tess 0-1 (DEAD) Killed by soldiers, but not before she shot two to death. The alternative was the infection

Tommy Maria

Bill

Fireflies 1-1 Riley Marlene 1-0 Injured but survives

Fedra 1-1-1 Ellie 1-1-4

Infected 3-1-2 Clickers 3-0 Runners 1-2 Bloater 1-1

Bandits 1-2-2

Robert 0-1 Killed by Tess after he sold their weapons to Fireflies. Two shots to the head and a broken arm in an alley.

Malik

Henry 0-1 (DEAD) Took his own life after shooting his brother, who had been bitten and was about to transform. He saved Ellie in that moment.

Sam 0-1 (DEAD) Got bitten and attacked Ellie the morning after. Shot by his brother.

David 2-1 James 0-1 (DEAD) Killed by Ellie with a machete to the throat.

Death 7/14 times 14/5-23 - Joel killed by Clicker 16/6-23 - Joel killed by Clicker 1/7-23 - Ellie killed by Clicker 13/7-23 - Joel killed by Clicker 28/11-23 - Joel killed by Clicker 7/12-23 - Joel torn apart by Bloater when a door he tried to escape through wouldn't open 14/12-23 - Ellie killed by David with a machete.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

30. december 2023

[6/10 · 30 December 2023]

Average rating: 6.8

Genre:

• Family
• Adventure
• Musical

A decent financial success.

The film is based on a novel of the same name written by Roald Dahl in 1964. Tim Burton works his magic on the screen, resulting in a colorful whirlwind inside the chocolate factory.

Tim Burton avoided using too many digital effects because he wanted the younger actors to have a realistic environment to move in and play against. Therefore, considerable effort was put into oversized props, various perspective techniques, and models. Details were carefully considered, such as the style in which the Oompa-Loompas sing, among other things. However, there is a slight lack in terms of the technical aspect and the knowledge that Mike Teavee possesses, as it is not entirely factually correct.

Critics might argue that the film doesn't have the clear jumps that a Tim Burton film should, but becomes too compressed in its settings and locations. I find the film psychedelic in various ways, from the entire plot to the colors and concept. It's silly, really, that Willy Wonka almost randomly chooses an heir from 5 random children.

Well, the film is worth watching.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

How the grinch stole christmas - 12/23

[5/10 · 25 December 2023]

Title: "The Grinch - Christmas is Stolen"

IMDb: 6.3 Metascore: 4.6 User Rating: 6.5 Rotten Tomatoes: 4.9 User Rating: 5.8

Average: 5.6

Genre:

• Family
• Christmas
• Fantasy
• Comedy

Financial Success

The film is an adaptation of the 1957 book of the same name, starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch, a green monster residing atop a mountain near the town of Whoville.

A family-oriented Christmas fantasy with a touch of comedy, Jim Carrey carries the film, though his experience in the Grinch costume was reportedly dreadful.

Director Ron Howard strives for the stylized chaos of Frank Tashlin and Tim Burton but leans more towards the visually overwhelming style of Joel Schumacher's Batman movies. He pits Carrey against the grotesque rat-faced mole-people of Whoville.

The plot is present but not particularly strong.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

[7/10 · 18 December 2023]

Translation to English:

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

IMDB: 7.9 Metascore: 8.2 Metacritic user: 8.3 Tomatometer: 9.0 Rotten Tomatoes user: 8.6

Genre

Fantasy Family Oh my, how the franchise changes with this film. From simply children's films in the first two, this movie is more teenager than a pimply teenager itself. Don't get me wrong. The film stays true to the universe, but something has changed. This "something" is exactly what is praised by critics all around. But from my perspective, this installment leans more towards Twilight.

Well, this is the film where Voldemort is not present for the first time. Instead, we get Peter Pettigrew, who turns out to have been Ron's rat all along. Alliances shift quickly, and the revealing scene in the abandoned house becomes a bit too much, and a bit too exaggerated without cause.

However, there are powers at play in this film, it is clear. Like the clock ringing in connection with the "Time Turner" scene, and the executioner, who is actually Walden Macnair, one of Voldemort's first Death Eaters.

One small thing that bothered me was Harry Potter's use of The Invisibility Cloak. He can't possibly throw snowballs or pull on Draco Malfoy without his arm becoming visible.

Likewise, there is a problem in the scene where Lupin teaches Harry Potter how to handle a Dementor (a frightening creature, by the way). It's a Boggart being used for training, which shouldn't react to the same spell as a Dementor does.

Although Dementors are pretty cool creatures, they are poor guards and can be relatively easily defeated.

Finally, the most fascinating aspect of the film is "The Marauder's Map." But we never really get insight into who The Marauders are, which, in a lore-heavy franchise, is a bit disappointing.

The Holiday (2006)

The Holiday

[3/10 · 6 December 2023]

"The Holiday"

Genre

Christmas film Romance "The Holiday" is an American/English Christmas film where two women exchange houses for the holidays for their own reasons, primarily dealing with heartbreak. Enter two men from the respective lives of the women, and there we have the film.

Cameron Diaz plays so dreadfully that it's cringe-worthy. She has one good scene, and it's a scene where she says nothing.

Kate Winslet and Jack Black have a wonderful naturalness, and Jude Law is simply charming.

The film is cozy but a bit too long. Fortunately, there's a subplot involving Arthur receiving an honorary award, which sweetens and, in many ways, unintentionally becomes the heart of the film, with the best score composed by none other than Hans Zimmer.

The film was not a success domestically (in the UK and US) but became a global success.

Rated 06/12/23.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets

[7/10 · 29 November 2023]

"Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets"

Genre:

• Fantasy
• Family

Rest in peace Richard Harris

"Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets" is a darker portrayal of the Hogwarts universe. The animatronics, such as Fawkes, are well-executed. There is thought behind the cinematography, with Chris Columbus making an effort for the camera to move at times like a snake.

The film is as magical as its predecessor, and I enjoy returning to Hogwarts. Dobby, Lucius, and Gilderoy Lockhart are good additions to the series.

However, it's also clear that there are some inconsistencies at Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic.

• Why didn't Albus Dumbledore interrogate Moaning Myrtle? She was the last victim, the only one killed by the basilisk.

• There aren't enough teachers for all students to be escorted to classes and back to common rooms.

• The Ministry of Magic should know that Aragog cannot petrify.

I also wonder how the basilisk can move in the pipes and Slytherin's plan, as the snake could accidentally make eye contact and kill someone. This would be unintentional for Slytherin, who was only interested in killing Muggleborns. I also wonder why the Horcrux in Harry Potter wasn't destroyed by touching the basilisk's venom, as this is later emphasized in subsequent films.

Then there's the commotion with the magical car. Partly, it's worth noting that Ron and Harry arrived at the station via the fireplace, not the car. Partly, it doesn't make sense how the car knows that Harry and Ron are in serious trouble when they visit Aragog.

The idea that it's Ginny doing Voldemort's work is quite good and unexpected. However, she can't be in multiple places at once, such as in the library and simultaneously controlling the basilisk to petrify Justin.

There are minor errors like mistakes in the color of ties, Snape's Expelliarmus not causing Lockhart to lose his wand when the spell is designed for this, and Harry having perfect vision like Goyle both with and without his glasses - glasses that are prescription glasses, to be precise.

Reviewed 29.11.23.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Harry Potter and the sorcerer's Stone

[7/10 · 23 November 2023]

Translated to English:

**Genre**

• Fantasy
• Family

**Metascore:** 65 **User:** 7.8 **Tomatometer:** 8.1 **User:** 8.2 **IMDb:** 7.6

*Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone* is the first film in the magical universe created by J. K. Rowling.

The film is lengthy, a duration that is justifiable only to a certain extent. Nevertheless, it is visually pleasing, even though director Chris Columbus was not pleased with the CGI.

Speaking of CGI, Quidditch is simply not a particularly exciting part of the Harry Potter universe. It doesn't contribute much to the story, and the CGI doesn't fit well in this context.

It's also peculiar, partly why our main characters must serve their detention in the Forbidden Forest, which had just been established as a place one should never enter. Similarly, the chess scene seems somewhat flawed. Why don't they just go around, and is it necessary for them to sit on the chess pieces and thus put themselves in danger? The same goes for the guard dog. Isn't it too easy to cast a first-year spell and put the dog to sleep?

Lastly, it's odd and somewhat unsettling that Harry seems unaffected after apparently killing Professor Quirrell.

That being said, the lore is extremely interesting to delve into, and I look forward to more.

As a fun fact, Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort, once received the award for "service to the school."

23/11-23.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Halloween 4

[5/10 · 15 November 2023]

Translated to English:

**Halloween IIII: The Return of Michael Myers**

• Halloween without Laura Strode isn't really Halloween.

• Too much screentime for Michael Myers.

• Family ties.

*Dhani Lipsius and Benjamin Ruffner have the only writing credit, the latter's only credit.*

*Larry Rattner and Alan B. McElroy have the first writing credit.*

*Michael's knife is a 10.25' Friedr. Herder Abr. Sohn Sollingen-Germany.*

*The film marked the first time that director Dwight H. Little shot a film under union rules. He was previously known as a "non-union director" who often used amateur actors.*

*Was the number one movie at the US box office for two weeks in October 1988.*

**Ratings:**

• Metascore: 3.9
• User: 7.9
• Tomatometer: 3.9
• Audience: 5.3
• IMDB: 5.8

**Genre:**

• Horror

**Review:** The fourth installment of the Halloween films is a sluggish affair. Yes, Michael Myers is back, but Laura Strode isn't, as she apparently died in a car crash. This leaves Laura's child, played by Danielle Harris. Dr. Loomis is also back, with battle scars and all. He is more psychotic than ever before, clearly affected by what happened in the previous films. Ellie Cornell does a solid job but can't quite fill the void left by Laura Stode (Jamie Lee Curtis). Unfortunately, Michael Myers fails to be as frightening, possibly due to too much screentime or the incorrect use of it. However, there is a twist at the end that we must see how it unfolds. Whether all this is due to changes in directors and writers is unclear but not unlikely.

Saw X (2023)

Saw X

[7/10 · 10 November 2023]

Translated to English:

/Between Saw and Saw II.

/The first installment of the series to feature John Kramer as the main protagonist.

/With a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this is the best-reviewed film in the series. The second best-reviewed is Saw (2004), with 50%.

The first "Saw" film with Kevin Greutert as both director and editor. Greutert's two previous directorial efforts in the series, Saw VI (2009) and Saw VII (2010), were edited by Andrew Coutts.

/Financial success.

• At 1:05:30, Celia cuts out the intestines of Valentina. Intestines are not loose in the body. They have a lot of connecting tissue.

John Kramer has a code. It has been mentioned and used in the films in a way that justifies his actions, and his victims are reduced to both being hated and, therefore, loved a little for being tortured.

I haven't seen the other SAW films except for the 2021 spin-off Spiral, but I feel that it is criticized for being mere violence. I partly agree, as the traps are the main focus. However, this film manages to build a plot and, to some extent, characters, giving the film and the horror of the traps something to hold onto.

Now in his eighties, still improbably playing a 52-year-old man, Bell may not have many more of these in him. If this is his last, it makes for a fitting swan song, allowing him to play a wider range of moods and moments than the formula typically permits.

The first Saw movie to be told in linear fashion, Saw X sort-of features more homemade, improvised traps, since Jigsaw doesn't really have the luxury of choosing the time and the place here to the usual degree. They're still way more elaborate than anyone other than a fictional movie character could rig up.

For casual fans who may wonder, the gore gets intense this time around, sometimes explicitly showing what prior installments only implied, like the graphic sawing off of a leg. Intestines used as a lasso feel more like something out of Peter Jackson's early splatter-comedies, but the moment adds to the slight air of self-parody at play. It's not something that derails the stakes, but its intense gruesomeness may elicit laughs as well as dry heaves.

Story-wise, Saw X has no real reason to exist-it's a self-contained narrative accessible to franchise newcomers, with Bell and a returning Shawnee Smith not even trying to look 20 years younger, as they would be chronologically. The same, however, could be said of many of the sequels-their true reason for being is that there's an audience for the self-mutilation machines, and for Bell's memorable presence as a narcissistic moralist with skewed priorities. If the latter is the primary draw, Saw X indulges, delivering an all-timer of a slasher lead performance in addition to more guts and gore than expected.

I also don't understand how Cecilia's boyfriend finds the place. Yes, she calls him, but she doesn't provide any location. It is implied, however, that he now knows the location, but why, and how does Amanda know that's the case?

Jurassic Park (1993)

Jurassic Park

[10/10 · 31 October 2023]

Genre:

• Adventure
• Science Fiction
• Family

Jurassic Park is groundbreaking. It's the earliest dinosaur film I've seen, and as part of the "old" films, it uses animatronics instead of the CGI we see today. This gives a tactile feeling in the movie and a sense that there's a genuine danger at hand. However, there are still a few scenes, especially the first one where Grant and Ellie see a living dinosaur, where the use of CGI, as it is, falls short. Even though the scene itself is awe-inspiring, the CGI is just a glaring flaw in the scene.

It's interesting to think that during the film's two-hour runtime, the dinosaurs are on screen for only 14 minutes, and the CGI ones appear for just six meager minutes. Yet, the film has had such an impact on the dinosaur genre, proving that "less is more" has always been relevant.

The cast is diverse, and the plot is well-established. The park is truly magnificent. The score is iconic. Speaking of the cast, none of them were really well-known or established at that time. Why is that, one might ask? Because Steven Spielberg knew that the dinosaurs should be the stars of the film. And they were.

This is Spielberg's highest-grossing film.

I'd also like to commend the sound design for the dinosaurs, where a lot of effort was put into using various animal sounds to create the dinosaur sounds.

Compositing dinosaurs onto live-action scenes took up to an hour. Rendering them took from two to four hours per frame, but the T. Rex in the rain took up to six hours.

Pre-production lasted for twenty-five months.

(at around 25 mins) The mosquito encased in amber, from which the DNA sample is extracted, is male. This is evident from the "bushy" look of the antennae. Female mosquitoes have far fewer hairs on their antennae, making the distinction easy. Only females drink blood as it's needed to produce eggs. There wouldn't have been any dinosaur DNA in the male.

(at around 1h 40 mins) When Tim is electrocuted, this wouldn't really happen. Before climbing, you can see that the horizontal cables are held together with vertical cables, so all fence wires are live AC voltage. The fence, like those to contain cattle or sheep, works when the dinosaur touches the fence and ground at the same time, completing the circuit. That's how birds can sit on live power lines.

(at around 1h 35 mins) When Muldoon is loading his shotgun, he only puts two shells into it. That type of shotgun, a Franchi SPAS-12, holds a total of nine rounds (eight in the magazine tube plus one in the chamber). Considering the situation and that Muldoon is an experienced hunter, it would make much more sense to load the gun to capacity.

Reptile (2023)

Reptile

[6/10 · 13 October 2023]

In English:

Grant Singer has directed music videos but otherwise has no experience in directing films.

I have very limited knowledge of Benjamin Brewer as well. He has a film on my watch list (The Trust).

At some points, the film is too clever for its own good; it's a slow-burning crime thriller.

The ending and the whole narrative are sometimes incomprehensible, and some strange and inexplicable choices are made.

If the head of the department was in on Summer's death all along, why would he have assigned Nichols the case in the first place (i.e., one of the cops not in on it)? They could have easily covered up Summer's death by other means and just not involved Nichols at all.

However, there is a particular atmosphere that also works well in some parts.