Movie reviews of Niels Matthijs

Sono's latest is another wild experience, full of energetic performances, manic camera work and excessive events. A fever trip that holds you prisoner and dazzles all the way through. Review

The acting too is solid, even though Race and Rosanne Wong aren't the most prolific actresses. It's true that Oxide Pang does most of the heavy work for them, but there is a small dramatic undercurrent that's helped by good performances from both leads. Review

Overall Sound & Fury is a fine anthology, with some truly stand-out entries that are executed with the highest level of craft and creativity, but as a visual album there are still a few gaps to bridge. Review

Ready or Not is a dark and atmospheric horror/comedy with some solid kills, a superb setting, sumptuous visuals, a very likable main character and plenty of sly and sneaky grins. It's not high art nor the next big thing in horror, neither does it pretend to be. It's just an extremely fun and well-made horror flick, executed to perfection. Review

Dragon Tiger Gate sports some sublime action sequences, superb cinematography and a central duo that has the show aspect of martial arts down to a tee, all in the name of juicy entertainment. Review

Kung Fu Hustle is the perfect showcase for Chow's trademark mix of silly, over-the-top comedy and deadpan execution. Genuine laughs and crazy martial arts scenes make this one of the most entertaining films around. Review

Involution is a superbly styled, impeccably scored, intriguing and challenging sci-fi that easily outdoes the majority of its peers with just a fraction of their budget. Review

De Patrick has a very interesting look, sports a great soundtrack, isn't childish about its subject matter and is mysterious, darkly funny and somewhat baffling throughout. Review

Call Boy is a very direct, somewhat impenetrable yet beautiful and ultimately touching film that relies on sublime styling and great performances to craft a dark and alluring universe. Review

It's a film that combines a myriad of crazy ideas and styles, blending black comedy, musical and claymation as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Review

A few minor nuisances aside, The Brand New Testament is a smart, funny and original film that charms all the way through. Review

Despite its rather strong reliance on CG, it doesn't feel like Re-cycle has aged all that much. Superb cinematography, sharp editing, a very moody score and some truly creative world building all help to keep the film fresh, attractive and most importantly, original. Review

While not amongst his very best, this is another upbeat, hilarious and delightfully directed Miki comedy that easily entertains and has a string of memorable scenes that make it well worth the watch. Review

Quite simply put, there's no film like Tears of the Black Tiger out there. It's a mad blend of western and soap drama, wrapped in Thai goodness, rendered in the craziest color combos imaginable and sporting one of the cheesiest soundtracks I've ever heard. Review

Hidden Man is an insanely entertaining, clever, tongue in cheek revenge flick that features a stellar cast, stylish visuals and some very solid action sequences. Review

Love on Sunday is an endearing film with a warm, summery vibe, strong performances and effective drama without any false sentiment. Review

If on the other hand you're looking for an edgy, fresh and challenging genre film, then do yourself a favor and give Downey's first a fair chance. Review

Fiendishly amusing, darkly funny and pleasantly sadistic. Review

Not everyone is going to love this film, but that's okay. It's a bit of a weird beast with a very peculiar sense of humor. I'm sure though that there are just as many people out there who are going to love this film to bits. Review

A.I. Rising is a slice of juicy, old-fashioned science fiction. Review

The film looks beautiful, the core drama is intriguing, ambiguous and heightened by minor fantastical elements and the payoff is more than satisfying. I found it very easy to forgive the film some bumps along the road, but your mileage may vary. Review

It strikes a difficult balance between shock, amusement and absurdity that is better experienced than explained. Though there is some technical decay noticeable, Battle Royale is still an amazing experience. Review

Blue Spring is well-balanced, featuring a great cast, intriguing characters and a director with not only a clear vision, but also the ability to execute that vision flawlessly. Review

The Shadow Play is a film that will appeal to crime/thriller fans who don't mind a more solemn approach to the genre, or to arthouse fans who don't mind deep-rooted genre elements driving the narrative. Review