Filmrecensies van Hope Madden

Odenkirk still cuts a funny figure as an action star, and he makes Hutch’s longing for a nice, normal family feel sad and sweet. Recensie

Descendent is an impressive piece of homegrown intergalactic horror worth your time. Recensie

It’s an elegant, chilly, bruised reminder that absence doesn’t necessarily mean safety. Recensie

Jimmy and Stiggs was shot over 4 years, beginning during lockdown and extending until completion, mainly in Begos’s LA home. It’s a wild bit of alien fun that fades to black just before it outstays its welcome. Recensie

This is smartly crafted, beautifully acted horror. Those who worry Cregger’s left nasty genre work behind for something more elevated need not fear. As crafty as this film is, there’s not a lot of metaphor or social consciousness afoot. Weapons is just here to work your nerves, make you gasp, and shed some blood. It does it pretty well. Recensie

There’s a lot Strange Harvest has going for it, but Ortiz and his cast never fully deliver on the promise of the title. Recensie

Investment in metaphor over monster mythology robs the final scene of some of its potential, but not a lot. Animale sees parallels you may not want to see, but once you’ve watched it, it can’t be unseen. There’s no question that’s a good thing. Recensie

It’s not that Birthrite is terrible. There’s just nothing new to see here. Recensie

Solid performances all around, plus gorgeous locations and some genuine surprises elevate the proceedings, but the pace is slow, the FX are weak, and the story too often falls prey to the cliché it’s trying to expose. Recensie

The snappy visual aesthetic and mischievous energy perfectly suit this cast, and the film feels like a fun and intriguing steppingstone for a franchise or TV series. It’s smarter than it looks and goofier than it needs to be. We’re in too short a supply of both of those things, so I’m happy to report that The Bad Guys 2 delivers the goods. Recensie

For a step outside the expected and an unexpected burst of giddy, messy violence, Cloud shouldn’t be forgotten. Recensie

Worley’s writing is on point, rarely (though occasionally) drifting into maudlin territory. But even at its weakest, the script benefits from Carden’s crisp comic turn and Hale’s effortlessly empathetic pathos. Recensie

What Shanks manages with his film is to be overtly romantic, never cynical, consistently funny, and gross as hell. It’s the perfect date movie. But maybe go on an empty stomach. Recensie

That is to say, three people break into a well cared for, isolated home to unravel no mystery they know of in one of the more tedious, uninspired, lazily written found footage horror films in recent memory. Recensie

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is no Superman. But it’s fun. It’s wholesome. It’s swell. Recensie

We spend 75% of the films brisk run time with just those three characters. In lesser hands, that could become tedious. But Wiluan and his dedicated trio deliver action and fun. Recensie

Aster captures it all, depicting the way the façade of normalcy had protected us from ourselves and each other, and reminds us that nothing healthy grows on stolen land. Recensie

Kermani’s film delivers on horror, bloody and emotional, in a way the short does not. Recensie

Both Sanz and Castillo are up to that challenge, but the script sometimes is not. The conveniences and cliches pile up, and suspension of disbelief is strained to breaking. Recensie

It obviously knows the story it’s supposed to tell, it just doesn’t tell it especially well. Recensie

The writing periodically drags 40 Acres backwards, particularly the budding romance and related choices. But for thrills-aplenty action with something on its mind, you could do worse than this. Recensie

The plot gets convoluted and silly, the message about AI holds no water at all, and Amelia’s true purpose is always beside the point, never driving the narrative. And abandoning horror entirely is a bit of a disappointment. Still, M3GAN 2.0 delivers some summer fun. Recensie

This feels like a short film padded to feature length, and a couple of the lengthening pieces don’t fit well. A solid b-story would have added needed depth, but there are some tense and satisfying moments to be had. Recensie

Dickey’s a treasure, and one filmmakers are finally, truly recognizing. Her finest moment might have been Max Walker-Silverman’s lyrical A Love Song, but Dale Dickey delivers no matter the role. Recensie