Filmrecensies van Alex Brannan

Watcher struggles to do two things at once. It wants to succeed as both a slow-burn thriller meditating on the plurality of the cinematic gaze and a tense mystery which keeps you guessing as to what is true. The two cannot find a happy medium. Recensie

Emergency is a confident and lively film that aims to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Not every element within entirely coheres, but if one accepts the tonal turbulence, there is a lot of humor and heart (and tension) in this film. Recensie

Scream is witty and exciting. Like any good slasher, it keeps you guessing and makes you wonder just where the killer will pop out next. Recensie

Here’s the bottom line: No Way Home is fun. You can see every string if you squint even a little. You can point out every inconsistency, the logic behind every emotional moment. These seams did bother me while I was watching, making it difficult for me to fully buy in and enjoy the experience. Recensie

Eternals, by comparison, feels like a film throwing a bunch of things at the wall to see what sticks. Most of it doesn’t work, but the fact that it is trying for something different within this formula is mildly exciting. Recensie

From a filmmaking perspective, it was hard for me not to think that this was just doing a serviceable job of what many wuxia films have done better. Recensie

Viewing the film without the larger continuity in mind, though, there are some competently-directed sequences. Recensie

The set pieces are fun, but their superfluousness to the larger mythology renders them largely unimportant. Recensie

Cecilia Milocco is astonishing in this film. Knocking can’t work without this performance. Hers is easily one of the best performances of the fest, mirroring anxiety, confusion, and dread effectively from start to finish. Recensie

Thematic tension regarding having the capacity to take the necessary action despite its ugliness is a motif, but this only manages to be a tepid examination of fragile masculinities. Recensie

With a bevy of recognizable names in found footage filmmaking interviewed, it seems marketed at the horror fan. But that audience is also the most likely to already be familiar with the information being put forth. Recensie

Whether you compare it to its source material or not (or the zanier second film, for that matter), Slumber Party Massacre 2021 is a clunky film whose awkward attempts at humor struggle to land. Recensie

If anything in this film is going to get a crowd going, it’s Tjanjanto’s work. It is a cyberpunk body horror masterclass. Recensie

Through its first two acts, Housebound is a rather effective mood piece. There isn’t anything particularly flashy about its design or aesthetic, but the increasing tension among its characters held my attention. Recensie

Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest is a feel-good doc with a lot of heart. Recensie

The film’s parts complement its whole, with the editing, shot choices, and soundtrack contributing to the light tone. It is a well-shot film with plenty of effective gags. The main issue is that the script loses steam (and some of its charms) through its final act. Recensie

I was bored, I’ll admit it, and while I watched I struggled to find a more sound opinion than that. Recensie

Glasshouse ponders this situation while keeping the tension high. And while the film ends pretty much exactly in the place you would not want it to, it is still compelling for its quiet thrills and complex character dynamics. Recensie

Glenn Chan’s film is a strange balance of the supernatural and gritty realism, and I don’t think that it works. Recensie

The script does its best trying to capture this story with nuance and to go beyond mere shock and discomfort, but it struggles at crucial moments. Recensie

Joint is a compelling film despite its use of one of the oldest cliches in the crime genre. To see a fresh take on the formula of an ex-con wanting out of the crime game is a welcome surprise. And the density of the plot welcomes repeat viewings. Recensie

Sinkhole is an entertaining and humorous disaster film. Recensie

Either are acceptable on their own, but they are somewhat redundant together, effectively slowing the pacing down as a result. Recensie

A Leg struggles to transcend its offbeat premise and deliver on the emotional story it is aiming for. Recensie