Tag: 2022

The Year the Film Was Released

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Movie Review

Knight of Fortune (2022) Short Movie Review

Knight of Fortune – Short Movie Review

Discover the heartfelt and moving story of Knight of Fortune. A must-watch short movie that explores themes of loss, grief, and love.

First Reaction – Knight of Fortune is incredibly moving and a must watch story.

Watch Knight of Fortune HERE

ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominated – K

Director: Lasse Lyskjær Noer

Writer: Lasse Lyskjær Noer (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Leif Andree
  • Jens Jørn Spottag (Better Times)
  • Jesper Lohmann (Out of the Darkness)
  • Bodil Lassen (Nightwatch)
  • Oliver Due (Pretty Young Thing)
  • Dick Kaysø

Plot: The loss of a loved one, the grief, the risk of yellow skin, and a coffin, that is too much for Karl to face.

Runtime: 26 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Knight of Fortune starts when Karl (Andree) gets the devastating news his wife has passed away. The doctors try to comfort him as he prepares to say his goodbyes to her. He meets a fellow mourner Torben (Spottag) and the two strike up an unlikely friendship while sharing in their grief.

Verdict on Knight of Fortune  

Recap

The movie follows two elderly grieves coming together to share their memories of their late wives. They spend time looking back at their time together and finding themselves in awkward situations.

Best Parts

This story shows the moment families first got to grieve losing a loved one. It shows how they have started to put on stronger faces and attempted different stages of the grief process. The strange connection the two men make, and the unlikely events show us how they are dealing with things differently, while also keeping the serious nature of their grief. There is an incredible presence with the story involved and something people will go through whether they want to or not. The performances are fantastic and the pace of the story is outstanding.

Final Thoughts –Knight of Fortune is a fantastic emotional journey.

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Movie Review

Shark Side of the Moon (2022) Movie Review

Shark Side of the Moon – Movie Review

Shark Side of the Moon is a wild film about astronauts battling humanoid sharks on the moon after a crash landing. Its absurdity entertains, despite subpar special effects and unanswered questions.

First Reaction – Shark Side of the Moon is a bonkers crazy movie.

Watch Shark Side of the Moon on Tubi

Director: Glenn Campbell, Tammy Klein

Writer: Ryan Ebert, Anna Rasmussen (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Decades ago, the USSR developed unkillable sharks and launched them to the moon. Today, a team of American astronauts will endure the fight of their lives.

Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Shark Side of the Moon starts when Commander Nicole Tress (Witrak) leads a mission to the moon. However, they encounter difficulties and crash land. They meet Sergei (Mikitas) and Akula (Fox), who are leaving on the moon to battle humanoid sharks, a failed Russian experiment.  

Before the sharks reach their ship, the two sides must team up to find a way off the moon. It leads them to battle to survive against bloodthirsty creatures determined to reach Earth.

Verdict on Shark Side of the Moon

Recap

The movie follows a group of astronauts who land on the moon, only to discover they are facing humanoid sharks. They must figure out how to fix their ship and get home before the sharks reach Earth.

Best Parts

We can always enjoy a movie that is completely over-the-top and bonkers. That is this movie on every level, a crazy idea for humanoid sharks on the moon wanting destruction of Earth. It almost feels like a comedy, and it is something so out there it works.

Worst Parts

The special effects are not the best, but we know what to expect from an Asylum production. We could have also learnt more about why the sharks were made in the first place.

Final Thoughts –Shark Side of the Moon is a crazy concept that creates a bonkers movie.

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Movie Review

Resurrection (2022) Movie Review

Resurrection – ABC Film Challenge – Horror – R – Resurrection – Movie Review

Resurrection

Director: Andrew Semans

Writer: Andrew Semans (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Margaret’s life is in order. She is capable, disciplined and successful. Everything is under control until David returns – that is – carrying with him the horrors of Margaret’s past.

Runtime: 1 Hour 43 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Resurrection starts as we meet a successful over-protective mother Margaret (Hall). Her daughter Abbie (Kaufman) is about to turn 18 and she is becoming insecure about how much control she can offer her daughter in the real world.

However, Margaret’s past has come back to haunt her, when David (Roth) returns. Margaret looks back at the horrific past of her abusive relationship that has traumatised her daily. It is left to see if she can escape his grip once again.

Verdict on Resurrection

Resurrection is a horror thriller diving into the mindset of a former abusive victim. It shows how she has tried to live a normal life for decades, only for her past to come back and cause her unimaginable pain.

This is a disturbing movie showing us how quickly someone can have their life pulled apart. It shows that false confidence can be hiding a far more traumatic past. Rebecca Hall is brilliant in this role, as she perfectly shows the descent her character suffers through. This is not going to be for the faint of heart, as the graphic stories and visuals are disturbing throughout.

Final Thoughts – Resurrection is a disturbing uncomfortable horror movie.

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Movie Review

Speak No Evil (2022) Movie Review

Speak No Evil – Movie Review

Read a review of the movie Speak No Evil, a Danish-Dutch drama filled with polite tension and unraveling relationships.

Director: Christian Tafdrup

Writer: Christian Tafdrup, Mads Tafdrup (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Morten Burian (The Promised Land)
  • Sidsel Siem Koch
  • Fredja van Huet
  • Karina Smulders
  • Liva Forsberg
  • Marius Damslev

Plot: A Danish family visits a Dutch family they met on a holiday. What was supposed to be an idyllic weekend slowly starts unraveling as the Danes try to stay polite in the face of unpleasantness.

Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Speak No Evil starts when a Danish couple Bjorn (Burian) and Louise (Kock) meet a Dutch couple Patrick (Huet) and Karin (Smulders) on vacation in Italy. The two families strike up a friendship, which sees the Dutch couple invite the Danish couple to visit them in the future.

However, the weekend starts getting uncomfortable as a series of unusual behaviours is shown. It leads to the Danish couple wanting to leave, but not wanting to disappoint their hosts. Despite putting their differences aside, the weekend takes a dramatic turn.

Verdict on Speak No Evil

Speak No Evil is a horror movie following two families from different countries who meet on holiday. They strike up a friendship which sees them meet up again for a weekend visit. However, a disturbing truth comes to light and the visiting family must fight to escape.

This movie is a gut punch of a horror, which is filled with a truly disturbing nature. It never holds back on the brutality of what is about to happen, and the performances only create the added uncomfortable nature to everything. This is a horror movie that will stick with you long after watching. It is shocking, disturbing and uncomfortable, leaving you feeling empty after watching.

Where to Watch

JustWatch

Final Thoughts – Speak No Evil is a disturbing and shocking horror movie.

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Movie Review

Mother Nocturna (2022) Movie Review

Mother Nocturna – Movie Review

Discover the captivating and disturbing world of Mother Nocturna. Read our movie review for insights into this supernatural thriller.

Director: Daniele Campea

Writer: Daniele Campea (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Susanna Costaglione (Macbeth – Neo Film Opera)
  • Sofia Ponente
  • Edoardo Oliva
  • Elena Battarin
  • Vincenzo Mambella
  • Ricardo Pellegrini

Plot: Agnese is a wolf biologist who gets back to her husband and daughter after a long hospitalization in a mental institution. The moon has an occult power over Agnese, whose mind begins to disrupt and her body transforms, while the visions of the “God of the woods” intrude on reality. She will deal with the ghosts from the past, locked in a house surrounded by woods, where nightmares take over, and obscure presences become ever more disturbing.

Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Mother Nocturna starts when Agenese (Costaglione) is released from the hospital. She has been struggling with mental health problems and her family takes her in to care for her. However, soon after she returns, strange things start taking over again. Agnese feels a connection to power controlling her and seeing strange things in the local forest.

As Agnese explores the transformations, she starts finding unusual connections to her dreams. To make matters worse, the connection is getting stronger, and she struggles to control the presence taking over.

Verdict on Mother Nocturna

Mother Nocturna is a horror thriller following a woman recently released from a hospital. She’s been struggling with mental health and dealing with a transformation. It leads to her facing the challenge head on, as she looks to cure the problems she is facing.

This movie dives into the concept of understanding mental health, mixed with the concepts of werewolves. It does this in a way you wouldn’t expect, leading us down a path of unusual events. We see a different form of transformation and the calm motions keep us wondering where things would go. If you are a fan of the werewolf sub-genre of horror, you will enjoy this.

Where to Watch

Mother Nocturna will debut on North American Cable VOD and Digital HD September 27th, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Cox, Charter and Spectrum. The film will also be available the same day on Prime Video and Apple TV in Campea’s native Italy and the United Kingdom.

Final Thoughts – Mother Nocturna is an unusual and interesting spin on werewolf movies.

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Movie Review

The Infernal Machine (2022) Movie Review

The Infernal Machine – ABC Film Challenge – Thriller – I – The Infernal Machine – Movie Review

Infernal Machine

Director: Andrew Hunt

Writer: Louis Kornfeld, Andrew Hunt (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A reclusive and controversial author is drawn out of hiding when he begins to receive endless letters from an obsessive fan. What ensues is a dangerous labyrinth as he searches for the person behind the cryptic messages.

Runtime: 1 Hour 51 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Infernal Machine starts when reclusive author Bruce Cogburn (Pearce) starts finding himself pestered by a fan. He finds himself receiving endless letters leading to him politely asking the fan to leave him alone. However, the letters and parcels continue to arrive.

Bruce went into hiding after a young man went on a killing rampage claiming to use his book as inspiration. However, now Bruce can’t shake whom this mysterious writer is and finds himself dealing with an unknown threat sending him down a labyrinth.

Verdict on The Internal Machine

The Infernal Machine is a mystery thriller following an author struggling with his life decades after a mass shooting claimed his book was the motivation. He finds himself getting letters from a fan that leads him to question why the fan won’t leave him alone. It ends up with him questioning everything about his life and wanting to know who is trying to contact him.

This is a movie that is covered in a mystery that keeps us guessing about everything that is going on. However, instead of getting into the mystery, it seems to focus more on a logical outcome. This leaves far too much of the mystery feeling empty and underused. Guy Pearce does give us a paranoid performance that keeps us on edge. While the rest of the performances are strong when they are needed to shine.

Final Thoughts – The Infernal Machine keeps us guessing, even if things get too much.

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Movie Review

The Hanging Sun (2022) Movie Review

Jessica Brown Findlay Stars in The Hanging Sun Thriller

ABC Film Challenge – Thriller – H

Jessica Brown Findlay Stars in The Hanging Sun Thriller

Director: Francesco Carrozzini

Writer: Stefano Bises (Screenplay)

Writer: Jo Nesbo (Novel)

Cast

Plot: On the run from his former employer, a reluctant hitman seeks refuge in an isolated village where he is faced with events that test the true nature of his conscience.

Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Hanging Sun starts when Nichols (Spruell) looks to escape his criminal life, which sees him needing to kill his twin brother. Their boss and father (Mullan) don’t want him to walk away and look to clean up loose ends. However, his past comes back to haunt him.

Elsewhere, John (Borghi) goes into hiding where he befriends Lea (Findlay) and her son Caleb. However, the worlds collide and the memories of the past come back to haunt them all.

Verdict on The Hanging Sun

The Hanging Sun is a thriller following people searching for a new life. It takes a small isolated village and turns their lives on their heads. However, the past comes back to haunt the people trying to escape their darker pasts.

This is a thriller that moves at a slow pace. Even with the slow pace, it is hard to keep up with. The film struggles to tell the story to the best of intentions and it leaves more things feeling confusing than fulfilled. I believe it tries the old ‘criminal wants out but isn’t going to be allowed to walk away’ idea. However, nothing feels as clear as it should be for that to make the biggest impact.  

Where to Watch

JustWatch

Final Thoughts – The Hanging Sun is hard to follow and confusing throughout.

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Movie Review

Breaking (2022) Movie Review

Breaking – Movie Review

Read a thrilling movie review of 'Breaking' - a story of a Marine war veteran facing challenges of reintegrating into civilian life.

ABC Film Challenge – Thriller – E (892)

Director: Abi Damaris Corbin (Actors Anonymous)

Writer: Abi Damaris Corbin, Kwame Kwei-Armah (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A Marine war veteran faces mental and emotional challenges when he tries to reintegrate into civilian life.

Runtime: 1 Hour 42 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Breaking starts when military veteran Brian Brown-Easley (Boyega) enters a bank and takes it hostage. He holds Estel Valerie (Beharie) and Rosa Diaz (Leyva) threatening to have a bomb unless he gets what he wants.

As the police approach, Eli Bernard (Williams) leads the negotiations. Meanwhile, Brian connects to the media through Lisa Larson (Britton) to tell his story and the government taking his money.

Verdict on Breaking

Breaking is a thriller following a military veteran who takes a couple of bank employees hostage. He wants the money which was taken from him and uses the situation as a platform to show how badly veterans get treated.

This thriller uses the idea of veterans being discarded by society refusing to accept the decision. It has all the tension you would expect, as we wait to see how the standoff will unfold. All while giving us a deeper message about how to treat people who need help. This is based on a true story and proves once again that not everything is treated fairly in the world. We have a strong cast, who get their time to shine through the movie.

Where to Watch

JustWatch

Final Thoughts – Breaking Is an important message about helping people in need.

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Movie Review

The Lost King (2022) Movie Review

The Lost King – ABC Film Challenge – Set in England – L – The Lost King – Movie Review

The Lost King – ABC Film Challenge – Set in England – L – The Lost King - Movie Review

Director: Stephen Frears

Writer: Steven Coogan, Jeff Pope (Screenplay)

Writer: Michael Jones, Philippa Langley (Book)

Cast

Plot: An amateur historian defies the stodgy academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III’s remains, which were lost for over 500 years.

Runtime: 1 Hour 48 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Lost King starts as Philippa Langley (Hawkins) is going through a difficult divorce with John (Coogan). She suffers from M.E which can make everyday tasks difficult. However, after being passed over for a promotion, she finds herself drawn toward the cast of King Richard III and his missing body.

When Philippa believes she has discovered the resting place of King Richard III, she looks to find people that would help her uncover the truth. However, not everyone is willing to help her search for the final resting place.

Verdict on The Lost King

The Lost King is a drama following one lady who believes she has discovered the resting place of King Richard III. She leads a campaign to put together a support network of supporters to help her conduct a dig. However, not everything has been as easy and she must overcome the odds to make one of the biggest historical discoveries of recent years.

This is an interesting movie because it has an interesting subject matter. It was one of the biggest stories when it happened and getting to dive into some of the smaller details adds some layers to the bigger story. However, the way this movie tells the story comes off in a less-than-exciting manner. It doesn’t seem to create a connection between the characters, the fight Philippa is meant to be going through doesn’t feel as difficult as hinted at. By the end, it just gets done and dusted without hitting any high notes. The performances are good from the whole cast, it doesn’t see the movie standing out.

Final Thoughts – The Lost King ends up feeling like a basic drama on a historical moment.