[JonE(vil)]

Thursday murder club. 2025.
5/10
A group of oldies solve a murder.Slow but steady mystery crime comedy, directed by Chris Columbus, it has a lighthearted colorful look and style. With a cast of well known older actors they bring a grace and sensitivity to each of their roles. The plot allows each character to add as the mystery with no flashbacks. It does drag a bit because of this, but doesn't then have to reply on one sole character as in the knives out series.

[JonE(vil)]

Lobby. 2025. South Korea.
8/10
Two rival companies compete for a government contract on a golf course.
Comedy with a large cast, it sets up nicely both companies and the minister along with her crew. Bulk of the film is largely on the golf course and seems to focus largely on one group. There is a wilder element with the second group, but the third act nicely ties it all together. Steady plot with alot of humour.

[JonE(vil)]

Alpha. 2025. France.
7/10
From the woman who directed RAW and Titane.
A young girls relationship with her doctor mother and junkie uncle.
Very much a drama, that has a element of horror in the form of a virus that turns the person body slowly to a hard marble.
Departure from the other two films, a slow burn that has elements of tension, when the girl is singled out by her peers, her developing relationship with the uncle. Good acting from both. But without a clear plot it kinda fails to ignite.

[JonE(vil)]

War machine. 2026. NETFLIX
2/10
New age ultra macho PREDATOR for idiots.
Contains spoilers.
Right from the opening fives minutes the film sets up the oversized hero. In this case, it's his soon to dead friend that makes him promise they'll try to become Rangers.
It rambles on for 30 minutes, of a nearly two hour runtime, with the selection process and setting up certain characters that will be lumped together, only to be blasted into forgetable pieces. The film has chaotic but well crafted CGI done action scenes, that punctuate the cringe inducing dialogue of the 'soldiers'.
Nothing is memorable, it just looks and feel sooo over the top.
In the end, the hero drives an earthmover into the machine. To which it goes into self destruct mode and the last explosion is a direct copy from, PREDATOR.
After that even, it layers on more dibble for anyone to have actually sat thru it all.
(I downloaded a copy and flick thru it.)
He carries his 'teamleader', somehow injured mid way but still alive? over the line of the ranger base..
What happens after that is yet another huge layer of seven minute garbage.
I hope everyone got paid well who created thi

[JonE(vil)]

Tusk. 2014. (Youtube viewer request.)
3/10
A podcaster goes to meet a older man who promises to tell him stories of his life.
Instead he is slowly transformed into a walrus. Well directed and filmed by Kevin Smith, it has a solid grasp on practical horror effects. But the plot is peppered with silly characters, with the only serious one being the old man. Most of the time is dialogue is the kind of inane garbage spoken on podcasts. The only real laugh is that the director, Kevin Smith, actually made this.


Pretty lethal. 2026
4/10
Ballerinas fighting badguys.
Interesting idea that puts a group of american ballerinas in a remote region of Hungary. They end up in a gangster inn run by Uma Thurman, and use there skills to fight their way out.
Typical type cast set of characters, takes a while to get going, but the fight scenes are real stunts to a degree. Even with a 90min run time it does feel like it drags. The idea that they can use the dance skills to fight their way out is interesting, but they resort to generic fighting with little elements. It does build up to a whole scene, but then the typical 'lead baddie' showdown at the end kinda slows it all down again.

[JonE(vil)]

The hit. 1984.
10/10
A road trip that ends with executions.
A older contract killer and his young apprentice have to take care of a criminal that gave evidence against there boss years before, and made a new life in Spain.
A well crafted crime drama, not a slow burn, that follows them as certain things happen along the way. The ex con character is resigned to his fate, knowing this day would come, the older hitman is ruthless and calculating, while his young apprentice is violent and impulsive. The film has a moderate amount of dialogue but it sticks to the plot and doesn't ramble, the police in pursuit have none, but this serves a creeping menace. Simple effective cinema with a 97 minute run time.

[JonE(vil)]

Fate of a man. 1959. Soviet Union.
7/10
A russian soldier with a small boy, tells his experience of WW2 to another veteran. This makes up the bulk of the film, starting with establishing his family of wife, son and two daughters. There is no action as he is a POW till he escapes and the war ends. Steady drama with the 'unbreakable human spirit' that is the main takeaway. It doesn't have a uplifting ending as it ends where it began with the two talking. Well filmed with good performances.
(no subtitles.)

[JonE(vil)]

Ready or not. 2019
4/10
The rich hunt the new family member.
OK film that kinda adds new elements to the whole 'hunting a human' idea. The first hour is good, after that i got bored and just reached for the remote.
There is a alot of comedy and gore and well as an interesting plot but it just seemed to run out of steam. Similar to The cannibal club (Brazil) and We are what we are (Mexico) but it just lacked the intensity those films have. Watchable if you don't like subtitles.


The cannibal club. 2018. Brazil.
9/10
A group of elite business men have a club where the indulge in voyeuristic sex and cannibalism.
With a run time of only 75 mins, the film delivers. The story is somewhat basic but interesting. The gore effects are practical and with a small cast it actually delivers. The are some funny moments in the film, and although the middle does drag a little, it generally succedes with flying colours.


Ready or not 2 2026
2.5/10
Same situation with a broader idea.
Familiar retread with no real surprise. Picks up where the first left off, but adds the idea that there is a whole coven of families that are linked to the original one. With the addition of a sister for the main character, and tag alongs for the killers of each family, it really only adds a 'bickering' element.

[JonE(vil)]

The Producers. 1967.
8/10
An accountant and a once popular broadway producer conspire to rip off investors with a musical they are sure will fail.
Well paced colourful comedy with outlandish characters. The idea to produce a 'flop' is conceived early, this makes for the gradual build up of a wacky ideas and energetic performances. Unpredictable and memorable.

[JonE(vil)]

Project hail mary. 2026
5/10
A school teacher/scientist is on a mission to save the universe.
Ryan Gosling stars in a very effects heavy drama, with elements of light humour. For the first hour, combined with the flashbacks it makes for a interesting film. But with no other characters, it relies on his light breezy everyman way of acting. With tributes to 2001 and close encounters, it does make for a mildly entertaining watch, but a drain at two and a half hours.