Movie reviews of Niels Matthijs

Slightly elevated cinematography, a more contemporary soundtrack, an unflinching camera, and very strong performances from the central cast turn this social drama into a rare success for me. Review

The cinematography and score are polished and stylish, the performances are top-notch and the themes are dark and challenging, resulting in a very fine drama that underlines Okuhara's talent. Review

The stellar lead performance by Tadanobu Asano, the crisp styling, and the balance of delicate drama with some rougher edges turn this into a quality film. Review

If you're an action fan and you love a good roller-coaster ride that commits to the genre from start to finish, Carter is one of the most exhilarating films I could recommend. Review

The performance of Bale is stellar, the pacing and characterization are on point and the dark comedy is razor sharp, though I'm certain it won't be for everybody. Review

The plot is kept pretty basic, but the performances are superb, the cinematography is polished and the score is on point, resulting in prime edge-of-your-seat cinema. Review

With the help of a perfect build-up, some solid performances, and polished cinematography, Kitamura delivers a fun and thrilling genre exercise that entertains from start to finish. Review

Blazing Famiglia looks appropriately gritty, it sports a fine soundtrack, some great performances and a cool plot with a proper dramatic foundation. It's a little niche and may come off a tad inaccessible at first, but give in to what Kumakiri serves and you might discover a little underseen gem. Review

The stylish black and white cinematography, the excellent performances, and the strong dedication to its candidly absurd moments make this a delightful comedy. Review

Earwig is unmistakably a Hadzihalilovic film, while also offering something a little different from her previous work. It's an exuberant mood piece that dares to be bewildering, that isn't afraid to challenge its audience and that marries operational excellence with vision and creativity. Review

The stylish cinematography, the moody score, and the devastating central performance all help to flesh out and strengthen a captivating drama about processing loss. Review

The elaborate plot, the quirky characters, the explicit cinematography and atmospheric soundtrack all build up to a beautiful finale that anchors the film as a future classic. Review

Govaerts crafted a near-perfect piece of entertainment that gets progressively better as time passes, without ever losing sight of the cinematic craft and creativity that blesses the best of genre films. Review

The loveable characters, the stylish score and cinematography, and the slightly fantastical moments all add up to a very likeable and capable drama without any real weak points. Review

Minor details, like some very smart soundtrack choices, noticeably elevated cinematography, superb performances and more tempered dramatic influences make the real difference here. Review

Flux Gourmet looks great, sports an awesome soundtrack and insane sound design, the cast is great and the mix of self-deprecating comedy feels like a breath of fresh air. Review

Take a bunch of wonky hitmen, add the necessary explosive firepower, pepper it with an over-the-top approach, and you have a film that still stand proud today. Review

The build-up is meticulous and the mystery slow to reveal itself, which pays off when the finale finally starts to take form. The stylish cinematography and superb sound design create a unique and tangible atmosphere, the performances and strong characterization add extra flair to the whole. Review

Thanks to the wonderful art style, the atmospheric soundtrack and the proper amount of mystery and intrigue, this film is poised to become a future fantasy classic, though one that holds clear niche appeal over broader appreciation. Review

The art style is wonderful, the animation is lovely, the characters are pleasantly different, and Watanabe's bold dramatic choices pay off nicely in the end. Review

Solondz' unique talent is making extreme tragedy fun, pushing things into uncomfortable territory, and there is no better film than Happiness to illustrate this very particular skill. It's the reason why this film still feel poignant, even though the boundaries of comedy have shifted a lot more since its original release, a little over two decades ago. Review

The lovely cinematography, the superb production design, the solid integration of the score and the pleasant performances all add up to a very charming and disarming film. Review

Both the writing and the direction stand out, combined with the superb performances, the perfectly paced build-up and the fitting finale, it makes for an excellent black comedy. Review

The lush visuals, great score and superb cast all add to this epic journey, which truly shines whenever people dig out their swords and start to hack, slash and twirl. Review