The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2004
	Director: Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel)
	Actors:  Bill Murray (Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation), Owen Wilson (Zoolander), Anjelica Huston, Cate Blanchett (The Lord of the Rings 1-3), Willem Dafoe (Spider-man), Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park: The Lost World, Independance Day 1-2)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Comedy, Documentary
	Conditions of visioning: 24.11.16, VOD, 32" TV.
Synopsis: Towards the end of a declining oceanographic Documentary-making career, Steve Zissou (Murray) looses his best friend at sea to a monster he dubs Leopard-Shark. This event renews interest in his work and he then sets-up to find the beast. Meanwhile he learns about the existence of his possible son Ned (Wilson).
Review: I discovered Wes Anderson's style in The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) which I preferred to the older Moonrise Kingdom (2012). The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is much older and one of his first, but one can already recognize his trademarks: non-traditional shooting (from far away, different angles...), many known actors often casted against type, down-to-Earth story and dialogs taking place in a kind of fantasized World, both visually and in its very existence. The life of Steve Zissou is wildly inspired from the one of our own Commandant Cousteau (this is even acknowledged in the end credits), from his genius to the devoted crew, his beloved ship, the shooting of Documentaries and the dynamiting of ocean life which was not such a big deal in the 80's but led to a mini-scandal some years ago when some people watched again the 30 years-old Academy Award and Palme d'Or-winning The Silent World. I do not know enough about the life of Cousteau and his team to comment on the likeliness of other elements of the story. Bill Murray is funny as usual, especially when wearing the trademark red hat. The other actors accompany him well (Blanchett, Dafoe, Wilson, Goldblum...). I loved the sets from this movie, like the one of the ship cut in half to get an explanation of what everybody is doing on board and in which room. I also like to 2-tone very simple music accompanying the scenes without dialog. The cinematography is not as extremely geometric as in The Grand Budapest Hotel but you get some hints of the same style during some travellings. All-in-all a good movie but I found that it went too slowly and I got a bit bored towards the end. Many delightful scenes in the Wes Anderson style interrupted by some less attractive ones.
Rating: 5 /10

Chariots of Fire (1981)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 1981
	Director: Hugh Hudson (Greystoke)
	Actors: Ben Cross (Star Trek), Ian Charleson (Greystoke, Dario Argento's Opera), Nicholas Farrell
	Country: GB
	Genre: Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 23.11.2016, In-flight Entertainment, 10" tablet screen.
Synopsis: Two British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, aim at competing in the 1924 Olympics.
Review: After the touching Eddie the Eagle, I had the opportunity to watch the classic Chariots of Fire that I had never seen and which story also revolves around the Olympic games, but with a totally different approach. The difference between both is well discussed in the comment section to our post on Eddie the Eagle, and indeed the British classic is more about "Faster, Higher, Stronger". The first thing I noticed when watching the movie is the theme by Vangelis which, although its electronic sounds are very dated to the 80's, works well on this story taking place in the 1920's, even when watched now near the 2020's. The same goes for the whole movie soundtrack, discreet so not overly disco or electronic like some of other movies of the time which now suffer from it. I liked seeing in a small role Ian Holm at the same age as he has in Alien and the other actors, mostly British, are quite natural in their dramatic roles. But then I had trouble keeping track of the characters and the story, partly due to many flashbacks and ellipses, the fact that some characters are not well introduced and their motivation unclear, and also because the image and sound quality of the movie I saw was rather poor. It may deserve to be seen in better conditions. The timeless message of the movie about racism, accepting the other, social classes, religion... is definitely strong, but I couldn't immerse myself enough in the story to fully appreciate it.
Rating: 5 /10

Thick as Thieves (2009)

	Also Known As: The Code
	Year of first release: 2009
	Director: Mimi Leder (Deep Impact)
	Actors: Rade Serbedzija, Morgan Freeman, Robert Forster, Antonio Banderas (Desperados, The 13th Warrior), Radha Mitchell (Pitch Black)
	Country: USA, D
	Genre: Thriller
	Conditions of visioning: 01.11.2016, VOD, 10" tablet screen.
Synopsis: Both talented thieves, Ripley (Freeman) follows Gabriel (Banderas) and proposed him a job of stealing from a Russian tycoon.
Review: Quite the classic story of thieves teaming up, and facing the usual lot of deception and surprises, reminding a bit the style of Entrapment with Sean Connery as the mentor (here Freeman) and Catherine Zeta-Jone as the (hot) disciple, here replaced by Banderas but with the help of Radha Mitchell which I like since Pitch Black. The story is not particularly exceptional, until a semi-twist that wakes you up enough to follow the last half-hour. But I found the motivation of the characters to be not very well expressed by the actors. For a Russian mob story in the USA better watch again Eastern Promises from David Cronenberg with Viggo Mortensen. A movie so quickly forgotten that I had forgotten to review it although I thought I did.
Rating: 3 /10

Elvis and Nixon (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Lisa Johnson
	Actors: Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Colin Hanks
	Country: USA
	Genre: Comedy
	Conditions of visioning: 07.11.2016, Schauburg, OV Sneak Preview, English with German subtitles
Synopsis: On a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock 'n Roll (Shannon) showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the President of the USA, Nixon (Spacey). The untold true story behind this revealing, yet humorous moment in the Oval Office.
Review: The main interest of the movie is the originality of the plot. As the success of the postcard of Elvis and Nixon shaking the hands in the White House. But the story itself should not present much interest for non-North-Americans.  The roles of Elvis and Nixon are quite expected and flat but the roles of the side kicks, the friend of Elvis, Jerry (Pettyfer), and the secretary of Nixon, Krogh (Hanks), are quite interesting and provides a bit of authenticity and suspense to the movie.
Rating: 4 /10

Solitary (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Daniel Ruczko
	Actors: Jodi Lynn Thomas, Chelsea Edmundson
	Country: USA
	Genre: Drama, Fantasy
	Conditions of visioning: 13.11.2016, Schauburg, German Premiere in English version with German subtitles
Synopsis: The successful writer Zoe Coleman lives in the illion city Los Angeles but does not know anybody and does not want to know anybody. She already has her best friend Sam.
Review: From his debut, I follow this talented director (see here). I like also his usual cast of which Jodi Lynn Thomas is part. She has the ability to swap from fragility to self confidence and hard conviction. As an artist she has an imaginary friend, what may happen as normal. But the acting and directing make her conviction to have this friend quite strong.  Even if a few spots are indeed in LA most of the movie is still shot in Albuquerque, the city where Daniel Rucsko uses to shoot his previous movies. It started with a financial reason and it continues for practical reasons. The director reporting that to shoot ten minutes in a unknown shop in LA the tender asked for a contract and 500 dollars while in Albuquerque they don't ask anything.  The German subtitles have been done in the few days before the screening. A making-of has been presented as well showing some backstage images. There has been a Q&A when the director did not say much about the making of the movie nor the elaboration of the project. Rucsko leads his movie like the big Hollywood filmmakers. During the show, we got also presented a trailer for one of his next movies. Thus we can only expect the new pearl by Daniel Rucsko!
Rating: 7 /10

Café Society (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Woody Allen
	Actors: Jesse Eisenberg, Steve Carell, Kristen Steward
	Country: USA
	Genre: Comedy
	Conditions of visioning: 31.10.2016, Schauburg, OV Sneak Preview, English version with German subtitles
Synopsis: In the 30's, in Hollywood, the powerful agent Phil Stern (Carell) is in a party and receives a phone call from his sister that lives in New York. She asks for a job to her son and Phil's nephew Bobby (Eisenberg) that decided to move to Hollywood. Three weeks later Phil schedules a meeting with Bobby and decides to help him. He asks his secretary Veronica "Vonnie" (Steward) to hang around with Bobby, showing the touristic places to him. Bobby immediately falls in love with Vonnie but she tells that she has a boyfriend, a journalist that travels most of the time. However, Vonnie's boyfriend is indeed a married man that is also in love with her and soon she has to decide her choice between her two loves.
Review: This is the classical Woody Allen movie having the usual love triangle with a small twist having a couple of good dialogues on life. I missed the non-stop humourful dialogues (Everyone says I love you) or the exaggerated drama (Blue Jasmine).  The acting by Kristen Steward is quite constant, always a bit mysterious and a bit enloved. Jesse Eisenberg acting was annoying as it was obviously a tentative to imitate Woody Allen body expression. Globally pleasant. If you are a fan of Woody, you will love it.
Rating: 4 /10

Supergirl - Season 1 (2015)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2015
	Creators: Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg
	Actors: Melissa Benoist, Mehcad Brooks, Chyler Leigh, Callista Flockhart (Fragile, Ally McBeal TV-series)
	Country: USA
	Genre: SF
	Conditions of visioning: November 2016, VOD, 10" tablet screen.
Synopsis: Sent to Earth to protect her cousin Kal-El (that became Superman), Kara (Benoist) arrives in fact years after him without this role to fulfill anymore, until she decides to reveal herself to the inhabitants of Capital City.
Review: I started to watch this TV-series not with real interest but I think because I didn't want to start watching the new season of other series I like to follow, and I was tired and craving yet another super-hero story. I remember the Supergirl movie from 1984 that was trying to replicate the success of Richard Donner's Superman (1978), with a different approach but the same audience. From the very first episodes it is obvious that this Supergirl is a super-heroin TV-series for girls. Not an adult female audience but girls, which makes me really not the right public for it. What makes me say that is not that the lead character and a large part of the cast are female (Kara, her sister, mother, aunt, rivals and boss played nicely by Callista Ally McBeal Flockhart), because the same is true from Joss Whedon's productions (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) but they are cleverly done to speak to anybody. What is girly in Supergirl is the motivation and reaction of those female characters (plenty of gossip about who likes who) and the fact that the male characters seems to be around only to illustrate those motivations: Jeremiah the lost father (nice cameo by Dean Cain from Lois & Clark), Winn the best friend, Jimmy the potential lover, Hank the father-figure, Maxwell Lord the attractive bad guy... It is all a bit too obvious but could be put aside when following the somehow interesting story, if it were not for very cheap and in-your-face special effects that look 10-years old. Still there are a few strong moments: Hank's sacrifice, the change in the aunt's character, the cross-over with the Flash series in Episode 18: Worlds Finest, but unfortunately not enough to motivate me to watch the second season currently being released... except in another period of weakness.
Rating: 3 /10

Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre Festival 2016 - Interview with Ariana Bouzón

Present at the 17th edition of the Rojo Sangre Festival of Buenos Aires (preview here), JoRafCinema interviewed the producer of the Festival.

JoRafCinema: Could you start by telling us about you? Who you are and what is your background? 
Ariana Bouzón: My name is Ariana Bouzón, I have been the producer of the Festival for nine years. I studied cinematographic production.
JRC: At the beginning the festival was more informal, how did it start?

House of Cards - Season 4 (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Creator: Beau Willimon
	Actors: Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects, American Beauty), Michel Gill, Robin Wright (The Congress), Michael Kelly
	Country: USA
	Genre: Thriller, Drama
	Conditions of visioning: November 2016, VOD, 10" tablet screen.
Synopsis: Frank Underwood (Spacey) is fighting on all fronts in his presidential campaign, against external and internal enemies.
Review: I am amazed how this series keeps on re-inventing itself season after season, making them very different from one another thanks to new challenges for the character of Frank Underwood and the others. I was thinking that character evolution was also a key to this attractive (and addictive) series, but after some thought I realized that almost only the character of Claire (Wright) is rapidly changing in fact. From the others you know more or less what to expect even though their reactions are continuously pushed to the extreme. After the cliffhanger at the end of the third season, I loved the way the Underwood couple is rebuilding itself (I was expecting something very different) until the turning point (more like the top of the hill) at the key Episode 4: Chapter 43. Many characters from the previous seasons make a come-back either in dreams, flashbacks or truly come-backs, which is a nice touch for those who follow the series assiduously and loved such and such character. We are also finally introduced to the Republican opponent of Frank, a surprisingly young man, married with two children, loved by many, and played by Joel Kinnaman seen recently seen in the Robocop remake. The conclusion of the season is fully satisfying although it seemed scary and unrealistic when I saw it, but since then the true story of the White House future has appeared to be no less scary.
Rating: 8 /10

Ghostbusters (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Paul Feig (The Heat, Spy)
	Actors: Melissa McCarthy (The Heat), Kristen Wiig (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Paul, The Martian), Kate McKinnon, Chris Hemsworth (Thor 1-2, The Cabin in the Woods)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Horror, Comedy
	Conditions of visioning: 02.11.2016, in-flight entertainment system 10" screen.
Synopsis: Erin (Wiig) aspires at a tenure in her University when her past of ghost-believer catches up with her in the person of her old Friend Abby (McCarthy). At the same time some ghost start to make apparitions in town.
Review: I was curious about this movie but not very optimistic about the end result. It is in fact and as expected a useless remake of the 80's classic from Ivan Reitman and with Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd who both have a cameo role here as have Annie Potts (who played the secretary), Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and others. There are also many winks in direction of the original movie: music, sounds, characters, dialogs.... The lead roles are played by women in this version, to what I could say why not? But what I disliked the most was the totally different type of humor, probably more fitting nowadays' young audience, in the line of what I had previously seen from Melissa McCarthy (in fact some joke seem to have already been used in The Heat with Sandra Bullock). Example: when about to enter a ghost-infested building a Bill Murray would have (and did) cracked a nonchalant joke or Aykroyd launched a "let's go!" in which you could feel his fear, giving more depth to the movie instead of it being simply a fantastic comedy. In the same situation McCarthy and Wiig weakly pronounce the "let's go" at the same time and then make fun of it: "sorry, you say it, no you say it. OK next time it is me...".  I understand the intention of offbeat humour but this defuses any attempts at seriousness or second degree. One thing to save from this Ghostbusters: the character of the secretary given (to continue with the role-inversion idea) to a totally dumb eye-candy Chris Hemsworth which plays it wonderfully and pulled from me the only few laughs I had.
Rating: 2 /10

Nordic Film Days 2016 in Lübeck

After having experienced the Nordic Film Days in 2014 (read article here) and the opportunities to watch Baltic movies being almost null and very limited for Scandinavian movies, I am glad to visit this beautiful city and nice festival since then. This is then the third edition covered by JoRafCinema. 
You can select in JoRafCinema all the movies seen in NFDL2016 by searching NFDL2016. The same method works for NFDL2014 and NFDL2015. 

 

Eidurinn (2016)

	Also Known As: The oath, Der Eid
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Baltasar Kormákur
	Actors: Baltasar Kormákur (Finnur), Hera Hilmarsdóttir (Anna), Gísli Örn Gardarsson (Óttar)
	Country: IS, GB, D
	Genre: Polar, Thriller
	Conditions of visioning: 06.11.2016, Kollosseum, NFDL2016, Icelandic with English subtitles
Synopsis: Finnur (Kormákur) is a distinguished surgeon who lives with his wife and daughter (Hilmarsdóttir) in a tastefully decorated modern building. After work, he trains for the triathlon. The only thing that worries him is his grown daughter from a previous relationship. Anna dropped out of school and has recently taken up with Óttar (Gardarsson), who is apparently involved in the drug dealing. She descends deeper and deeper into substance addiction. She calls in the middle of the night pleading for help, only to return to Óttar shortly afterwards. Because Anna is not a minor, the police and doctors don’t seem to be able to help. So Finnur takes it upon himself to try to get Óttar out of his daughter’s life.
Review: The story is quite classical. A part of Traffic with Michael Douglas or Ransom with Mel Gibson or Taken with Liam Neeson. This movie shows the relationship with the daughter. Therefore the movie becomes rather a thriller. We see him going to extremes.  The psychology of Finnur is quite well visible via his acting, the music and as often in Icelandic movies via the landscapes shown during the scenes. But otherwise nothing much original. Entertaining and charming with the Icelandic landscapes.
Rating: 5 /10 Poster of the English version

Sventasis (2016)

	Also Known As: The saint, Der Heilige
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Andrius Blazevicius
	Actors: Marius Repsys (Vytas), Indre Patkauskaite (Jurate), Gelmine Glemzaite (Marija), Valentinas Krulikovskis (Petras), Lukas Malinauskas (Der Heilige)
	Country: PL, LT
	Genre: Drama, Comedy
	Conditions of visioning: 05.11.2016, CineStar 3, NFDL2016, Lithuanian with English subtitles
Synopsis: Vytas (Repsys) looses his job and does not find any. He begins to neglect his wife Jurate (Patkauskaite) and daughter and starts looking for work and for a new love. With minimal success. The application process the labour office orders him to do is complicated; so is the job interview. An affair with a hairdresser and a round of drinking with friends does nothing to fill the void. Then a video appears on YouTube in which a man from the neighbourhood claims to have seen Jesus. Vytas goes looking for him. Forcefully and with a touch of humour, “The Saint” illuminates how a lack of career prospects can affect a person’s private life. The large-scale images portray a Lithuania in which the poorer segments of the population are shut out through no fault of their own.
Review: As there are not many movies coming from the Baltic countries and that these are usually very good, I needed to watch this one. The plot sounds a bit boring. And the story telling is indeed often quite plain. But the style reminds me Ken Loach's movies The navigators or It's a free world. The peak of the economical crisis reached Lithuania in years 2009-2010 and the daily life is intended to be related with truth. The director Blazevicius confirmed indeed during the Q&A: "I want that that atmosphere stays written for History." Vytas priorities in life seem to be his body building exercises and to be the one getting the money home. "The man is very Lithuanian.", so Blazevicius. The quest of the Youtube Jesus sounds absurd but initiates the change in the life of Vytas.  All the scenes are for the director typical and have been experienced by friends or by himself. For instance the insight in the culture of pretending for the job interview. "You made a very good impression, and finally I did not get the job.", so Blazevicius.  The camera is very intimate as we are really in appartments, sitting in the kitchen or on the couch. There is no overreaction of the actors, so that it gives the impression of watching the daily life in the time of crisis.
Rating: 6 /10

Ex-onnelliset (2016) – E1&2

	Also Known As: Living with my Ex, Tür an Tür mit Ex
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Johanna Vuoksenmaa
	Actors: Miaa Nuutila, Mikko Nousiainen, Anna-Leena Sipilä, Jarkko Pajunen
	Country: FIN
	Genre: Comedy
	Conditions of visioning: 03.11.2016, CineStar 5, NFDL2016, Finnish with English subtitles
Synopsis: The couples who live in this new architectural project are divorced, but stepping up to the parental responsibility plate jointly. The apartment ground plans provide for the children to live in the middle section and the parents at either end, each with their own entrance. Movable walls open up the children’s section to either mom or dad on an automatic schedule, guaranteeing joint custody and the necessary distance to the ex. In theory, it’s a grand idea. But in practice, the singleton and yet family-friendly architectural model works out quite differently for Laura (Nuutila) and Kalle (Nousiainen), Reija (Sipilä) and Antti (Pajunen), and all their neighbours.
Review: In the Nordic Film Days 2016 many TV-series are presented. At least kind of pilots with the first episodes. The plot of this one sounded very original ant therefore I wanted to watch it. It is indeed very original. Even if the architectural originality may give constraints to the story, as both parents somehow agreed to live in the same building. Therefore all the relationships presented are nice, non violent, very consensual. It is a bit restrictive to have in such a situation only nice people. On the other side, this would not be a comedy anymore! There is by luck a lot of black humour or humour of the absurd that makes the story living.  The positive point in Scandinavian TV-series is that the technical quality is as the movies. And this gives to this series good potential. It will not be easy to watch this TV-series
Rating: 5 /10

Småstad (2016)

	Also Known As: Small Town Curtains, Kleinstadt
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Johan Löfstedt
	Actors: Family Löfstedt
	Country: S
	Genre: Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 04.11.2016, CineStar 5, NFDL2016, Swedish with English subtitles
Synopsis: It starts with a burial – Björn, the deceased’s son, is supposed to give a eulogy for his father, but can’t get a word out. Brother to four sisters, even as a child he was a shy and cautious person. But his father’s last message provides an impetus to make changes in his life. Björn starts to get involved in the theatre world. His sisters have also received video messages that have gotten them thinking in new ways about their jobs and their relationships with their nearest and dearest.
Review: The main reason why I wanted to watch this movie is the thin line between documentary and fiction. During the Q&A the director Johan Löfstedt confirmed: "It started as documentary and finished as a fiction. Only change from the reality is grandfather dies". This major change let the family think about this possible event and their acting was even more authentic at it was the confrontation of themselves to an event that they know will come. They got prepared somehow. Even if this kind of movie is a unique experiment, this was very original to me. Apart from these authentic scenes some more authenticity is given by the private videos of the family cut within the movie. This can sound sometimes a bit too much voyeurism. But I liked this. About the characters, the director declared: "There are two fears in Sweden. To speak in public and death." This gives us the context to understand better the story. And this means that even if it is not a documentary, the director wants to give something from the reality of Sweden.  After the movie, a part of the family present during Q&A accepted to take a picture for JoRafCinema in front of the poster of their movie.
Rating: 6 /10

Aloys (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Tobias Nölle
	Actors: Georg Friedrich, Tilde von Overbeck
	Country: CH, F
	Genre: Polar, Drama, Fantasy
	Conditions of visioning: 14.11.2016, Schauburg, OV Sneak Preview, Swiss German with English subtitles
Synopsis: Aloys Adorn (Friedrich) is a lonely unsociable private investigator. His father just died. He lost his camera, videos in a bus. When he is contacted by a mysterious woman (von Overbeck) who stole these, she pulls him into a mind game known as 'telephone walking'. Fascinated by her voice, Aloys discovers an imaginary universe that allows him to break out of his isolation.
Review: The story starts like a black comedy in which we follow the boring, absurd and pathetic life of Aloys in a Swiss city. Once Vera enters into his life, his life becomes even stranger until he builds one imaginary universe full of friends, nature and life. After having seen recently John From with another imaginary universe I loved Aloys for its mysterious romance and its characters providing very funny moments and very melancholic scenes.  The photography is very grey to enhance the boring lives of both Vera and Aloys. And very colourful (very green forest, party) when the imagined life feels better. I liked the cut as well because the environments (reality, imagination) change in the blink of an eye but keeping similar movements of camera and of characters. The characters are well built along the scenes, suspenfull and interesting for their weirdness. Well I like weirdos!  Tobias Nölle has definitely good ideas and a good vision how to implement them. As already reported by JoRafCinema, Tobias Nölle contributed to the creative bomb pot-pourri from Switzerland Heimatland. I wish to see more soon! And now I have the dilemma for the rating. I would give to Aloys a bit more than for John From thanks to the great story, but 8/10 feels too much.
Rating: 8 /10

The Windmill Massacre (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Nick Jongerius (producer of Frankenstein's Army)
	Actors: Noah Taylor, Charlotte Beaumont, Patrick Baladi
	Country: NL
	Genre: Thriller, Horror
	Conditions of visioning: 05.11.2016, Multiplex Lavalle, BARS2016
Synopsis: Several people meet in Amsterdam at the departure of a bus tour of the countryside windmills. Each has a different motivation for being here.
Review: This movie may sound like a simple slasher and you know that the cast is going to get decimated, but it has a nice "European" touch I would say, being a Dutch production (although in English language mostly). I couldn't help but thinking about Dick Maas' Amsterdamned during the first 10 minutes in the capital. The boogeyman design and story are interesting if not really original, and the characters have a back-story more developed than usual (I am thinking about the recent Howl that also had its cast trapped in the middle of a forest). The visual aspect of the movie is serious, and so are the special effects and the violent deaths. Even the morality at the end is refreshing compared to the usual lot. It is only a pity I didn't see in the best conditions: weak sound, uncomfortable seats, noisy neighbours, overlapping subtitles.
Rating: 6 /10

Attack of the Lederhosen Zombies (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Dominik Hartl
	Actors: Gabriela Marcinková, Laurie Calvert, Patricia Aulitzky
	Country: A
	Genre: Horror
	Conditions of visioning: 04.11.2016, Multiplex Lavalle, BARS2016
Synopsis: Steve and Josh are two snowboarders trying to get a sponsorship contract. When they screw up, they get stranded for the night in a Hütte for the season closing party, while a zombie outbreak starts in front of their eyes.
Review: I was expecting a bit of both the Austrian In Drei Tagen bist du Tot and of the Norwegian Dead Snow in this movie that attracted me mainly thanks to its title (who has ever lived in south Germany or Austria must want to see Zombies in Lederhosen). In fact it does have the cheap zombie comedy aspect of the second but none of the seriousness or local accent of the first, because unfortunately 95% of the dialogs are in English. Too bad, that would have brought a nice local touch to the movie which instead just takes place in an Austrian ski station and in which you barely see two guys and a lady in traditional outfits. The plot is nicely crazy, but maybe cuts too quickly to the chase and then struggles to keep any kind of pace for the rest of the 90 minutes. How many times can you show a zombie decapitated by a snowboard? The voracious reindeers are a good idea, as some of the splatter zombie deaths, but that's not enough to be remembered in an ultra-saturated sub-genre.
Rating: 3 /10