Change Your Image
danieltucher
Reviews
Zgjoi (2021)
The real Heroes
An excellent Oscar submission from Kosovo- "Hive" tells the true story of Fahrije Hoti: a woman who suffered greatly, losing her husband in the Kosovo war and fighting for financial independence and security for herself and her family.
Fahritje and her village neighbors struggle together to get up from adversity, directly eliminating the stigma of weak women who only depended on the role of men. Greatly acted and directed, the film tells the story of mothers who are strong and mentally steel. The real Wonder Women.
8 femmes (2002)
Loved it!
A tongue-in cheek homage to Agatha Christie-styled murder mysteries, staged as a closed-room musical with a great cast.
A weird mixture of musical and murder mystery with gorgeous costumes and set design. The songs don't really fit organically into the script and feel a bit awkward, but I didn't care.
Nitram (2021)
Competent
Without naming any names, it perfectly constructs a problematic identity in an increasingly tense environment that will explode at any moment.
It's very competent and the performances are brilliant but it's a tad boring at times.
Still worth watching, especially for the performances alone.
Ku bei (2021)
Extreme
The Sadness is pretty much what I expected (and hoped for) judging from the trailers.
A completely bonkers and hyper violent & disturbing movie that is an intense viewing experience.
While there are some attempts at social commentary, there is not much besides the mayhem and gore going on - but I think most people will be fine with that.
The Retaliators (2021)
A fun & gory Nu Metal film
Better than a movie featuring the singer of Papa Roach has any right to be, "The Retaliators" is a fun revenge thriller, that switches between genres, offering just enough twist and turns (and a bonkers ending) to stay engaging.
The acting is not bad, with a certain Z Nation actor being the highlight.
Crabs! (2021)
Throwback to Little Monsters
A fun throwback to little creature features such as Gremlins and Critters that is not as polished or extreme as it could be.
The acting is alright, with characters that are somewhat bland (with the exception of am offensive comic relief character called Radu, who while fun at times, is definitely too over utilized). But kudos for having a physically disabled character as the protagonist.
The effects are pretty impressive for a film of this budget but it goes too much into camp in the kaju type end sequence.
All in all a fun little romp, but don't go expecting too much.
Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes (2021)
Our Eternity in this Castle
This was probably my favorite film of FrightFest this year, but also the hardest to write a review about. Mainly because the plot is so delicate and multi layered that anything I write could spoil the wonderful experience.
All I can write is that "Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes" is a brilliant, atmospheric, thought provoking and beautifully shot (!!) throwback to gothic horror that is so much more than it lets on.
It's a film that I had to think about a lot after having watched it, because there is just so much happening, and every little detail has so much meaning. It's a film you want to re watch again and again.
While some might be frustrated that the film doesn't hand out everything on a silver platter, it's a much more engaging film that forces the viewers to really think about what they just witnessed and to connect the dots themselves.
So happy that FrightFest chose to show this film!
No Man of God (2021)
Bill & Ted
While we've seen quite a bit of Tewd Bundy in the last few years, "No Man of God" does offer an interesting take on his story.
Playing out more like a very intimate stage play, there is not much action to be had. It's mostly dialogue scenes.
Luckily the acting is pretty strong, especially Luke Kirby, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Ted Bundy in terms of look and mannerism.
I quite enjoyed this film, though it might be a bit too uneventful for some.