Pasha's Film Reviews Etc.

* * * * It's hard to be a single mom, especially if your husband died on the night your son was born. Especially if your only son is violent and seeing monsters everywhere. When a blood-red book appears on her son's bedroom Amelia doesn't think too much of it. It is a creepy book however and as her son Samuel continues to insist Mr. Babadook is real, she has to show what's the proper parenting is about. Borrowing heavily from THE SHINING and Wes Craven's New Nightmare, BABADOOK has it's own evil heart at its core. It introduces its own kind of monster. It is called grief. And the longer you deny it the stronger it gets. Babadook is not free of horror cliches: we get squeaky stairs, dark closets and insects infested kitchen, but this does not take away it's impact. The scene of Babadook appearance in Amelia's bedroom is probably the scariest sequence on screen since The Conjuring. BABADOOK would have never felt so real if not for a f...

* * * Young fairy Maleficent lives in an enchanted forest without a care in the world, until a terrible betrayal of the one she loved turns her into a monster. Maleficent seeks revenge and puts a terrible curse on a new born princess Aurora.  Years later Aurora is all grown up and bonds with Maleficent, who little by little starts to regret what she has done. But the curse is still there and the day of Aurora's sixteenth birthday is approaching… MALEFICENT is a real treat for the fans of Angelina Jolie, who plays Disney's greatest villain with a likeable energy, straightening up the illogical moments in the story with one mischievous look. This is a superhero fantasy movie with all the elements of a modern comic book pop culture.  Maleficent goes through a typical stages of an Avenger - she fights evil, she looses to evil, she is consumed by the darkness but finds her way back to make things right, she even temporary looses her powers and she has a deadly weak...

* * The time is now and a giant lizard emerges from the ocean. It’s existence had been known for decades, but never before it had stepped a foot on a soil. When another deadly threat shows itself, it is time for GODZILLA to rise to restore the balance on earth… or take us back to the stone age. GODZILLA trailers sold us a dark, realistic take on the Japanese franchise. It was shown as well acted, dramatic movie, a GODZILLA film done right. Did the makers deliver on the promise? Let’s start with GODZILLA himself, because for the fans it is the key element they were waiting for. No one will be disappointed in that department. GODZILLA kept its original look, but at the same time is very believable  His face with the traces of some intelligence is far from fearsome, it is even a little bit cute. You would really care for you pet lizard if it looked at you this way.  It also inherited most features of the Japanese version. I have to praise the writers o...

* * * * Jorge lives a quiet with his wife, son and daughter. A chance encounter with the wrong crowd and a dispute at night sends a street thug to jail. Two years later Jorge starts receiving disturbing phone calls. The man he accused has returned seeks revenge on him and his family. The abuse is getting worse and in the end it seems that Jorge has only one choice left. TO KILL A MAN is a little story about a little man who is quietly making a decision to take another man's life. The plot might have been done to death (pardon the pun), but it is meticulous proportion and structure that make TO KILL A MAN to stand out. Camera work puts you into Jorge's mind with static shots, calculated and measured, just like the insulin shots Jorge gives himself - a part of his daily routine. The film never spirals into a nailbiting thriller, but everything happening on screen feels real and raw, and therefore fascinating. TO KILL A MAN is full of...

* * * * LIVING IS EASY WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED is a line taken from the John Lennon song STRAWBERRY FIELDS. The film tells the real story of an English teacher Antonio who travels across SPAIN in order to meet his idol John Lennon. On his way he picks up two young hitchhikers, both escaping a pre-ordained fate. Our trio spends time bonding, talking and even falling in love, little by little figuring out what their next step towards the future shall be. Road trip movies are a genre of its own and the characters will either make them work or flop. LIVING spends a great deal of time introducing you to the leads (maybe a little longer than necessary), but as the trip begins everything comes together: the dialogue is sharp, the chemistry is perfect and the sunburned Spanish landscapes are breathtaking. The writers make you genuinely care about our heroes' fate. Also, being limited by the genre, one will find it hard to imagine anything bad happening to any of them...

* * * * Dora,her husband Ramon and their baby daughter Rosita own a piece of land not far from a small town in Spain. The year is 1916 and as revolution takes over the country Ramon’s life is in danger and he is forced to flee. The family has a secret - on the eve of the same night every year some strange lights appear in the forest. According to the legend those who enter the lights will find themselves in another dimension. As Ramon is swallowed by the forest Dora is to shoulder all the hardships of war all by herself waiting for his return…  One cannot avoid comparing THE FOREST with GUELLIERMO DEL TORO’s famous PAN’S LABYRINTH. Both films mix the realities of war with supernatural, both have similar structures and strong female protagonists. THE FOREST, however, has its own unique voice and a story to tell. It focuses on the role of a woman at the heart of war, positioning her as a true protector of land and the only reminder for men of their slipping humanity. Whi...