Movie reviews of Filipe Freitas

There’s plenty of disturbing aspects in the plot by Ingeborg Topsøe that makes the film compulsively watchable. The performances are strong - not only from Kampp and Knudsen who are at the center, but also from Hove who truly impressed me (it will take me some time to forget the immense emptiness in his look). This uncompromisingly ugly story managed to linger in my mind after its conclusion. Review

Carax’s Annette is blatantly uninspired and I was simply left in the cold of its contrived machination. Review

I wouldn’t bother visiting this 2-star hotel. Review

Screenwriter Natasa Drakulic, who shares a good slice of responsibility in this misfire, forges an unsatisfying conclusion that leaves everything in suspension. What should be agonizingly poignant becomes merely superficial. Review

Although uneven, this is a brave, revelatory film from a smart filmmaker who presents things from the perspective of the executioners, drawing attention to the impact of their acts on themselves and the ones who surround them. Review

As passionate about its subject as the actor was about acting, the film tells Kilmer’s story intimately, with compassion, without never going into unnecessary sentimentality. Yet, this self-portrait of the star is not as powerful as I had imagined, even losing its track a bit by the time that Kilmer’s film Cinema Twain (2019) is mentioned. It’s an OK watching, not a fascinating one. Review

Servants could have been tighter in its final stage, but it’s still a rigorous, peculiar journey of faith that entangles in a slow, sure-handed fashion. Here, the enemy is not the devil or ‘witches’ or anything supernatural, but rather a human-made political system that operates in silence. Review

Sometimes giving the sensation that is going to dry out, the plot never flounders and maintains its steady pulse. To tell the truth, I was never truly hypnotized but never lost the interest either. Review

Although narratively opaque for most of the time, which makes us constantly aware of not seeing the whole picture, Apples is a very clever film. Bizarre indeed, but ultimately so simple at its core. Review

The film, once an extraordinary idea, becomes out of shape at the moment that Horvát tries to give it one. The reversion of the roles of Marta and Janos brings an emotional hollow that transforms these Preparations in an unaffecting put-on. Review

Even limited in budget, Gaia is a surprising poke in the eye of our horror-movie expectations. Review

Never overheated, the film plays like a nightmarish fairy tale that is by turns austere and affecting. While the absurd humor generates crushing awkwardness, the convincing environments promulgate a sad authenticity. And this mix functions correctly, regardless the so-so finale. Review

Flurries of Afrobeat try to infuse some energy but what we get here is a negatively intoxicating vibe that forced me to get absent really fast. Review

Fancily decorated, the film also evokes Pirates of the Caribbean, Goonies and Aguirre (just a little due to the presence of the Spanish conquistador), but ends in a cluttered mess devoid of magic, where every attempted thrill becomes ineffective. Review

This desolate tale of a political leader in steep decline can’t be ignored. Review

As an affecting and intimate declaration of faith in human values, the picture works its way quietly and steadily into our emotions. Every line and frame have something of interest and it’s nearly impossible not to care for these characters as we witness their pain, compassion and hope. Limbo is difficult to forget. Review

There’s not enough skill in the plotting and execution of a criminally boring fiction that comes packed with hallucinogenic pretentiousness. While exposing glaring plot holes, the film drowns in waves of imbecility, rendering everything frigid with a tacky approach. Review

Packed with the faces of consternation and tears of despair, State Funeral is both remarkable and tedious. Review

Even if the cinematography tends to infuse warm light in every scene and the direction is sometimes too bubbly to feel real, the performances are genuinely natural and sympathetic to make us bound up with the characters. There is a tenderness about this hero and his noble intentions that is profoundly touching. The ending is delicious, and even James Bond seems to have acknowledged this story. Review

Action and intrigue, which should be the go-thing in Cliff Walkers, are in clear deficit, and the film, duller than exciting, got me bored. Review

Some thrillers earn the epithet of ‘edge of your seat’ experiences, but with Pig it’s more like you are waiting patiently for Rob to resolve what needs to be fixed. Successful debut by Sarnoski. Review

It’s all lugubrious, esoteric and bemusedly enchanting, with major contributions of sound designer Juan Carlos Blancas and the cinematographic art of Patiño. Review

Possessing a tight control over the camera and catching glimpses of details with astute intelligence, the filmmaker succeeds in laying bare the complexities of this ruinous teen-adult relationship. Review

As the self-indulgence imposes, the film offers less and less. It’s difficult to imagine much of an audience for The Sparks Brothers; at least, some other than the cult-like admirers that idolize them. Review