Julia's Eyes (2010)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2010
	Director: Guillem Morales
	Actors: Belén Rueda (The Orphanage), Lluís Homar (Eva), Pablo Derqui
	Country: E
	Genre: Thriller
	Conditions of visioning: 14.07.2013, Blu-ray, Home cinema
Synopsis: Julia (Rueda) has a degenerative eye disease. Her sister who suffered the same disease became blind and suddently commited suicide. Julia starts to investigate while her condition deteriorates and her husband Isaac (Homar) wants her to move forward.
Review: The most terrifying in this Guillermo Del Toro production is to identify yourself to the main character losing her sight, and the question in background of what would you do if you lost one sense? Would you accept it or not? The subjective view through her eyes progressively filled with dark patches is an easy trick to make the viewer feel involved. Another nice trick is not to show the face of people surrounding the main character when she becomes blind. This gives a good feeling of not knowing what is around. The story slowly reveales itself, some unexpected turns keep the movie interesting until the second half that I found too long. My final rating is an average beteen 5/10 for the story and 7/10 for the direction.
Rating: 6 /10

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2008
	Director: Guillermo Del Toro (Cronos, Mimic, Blade 2, Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, Pacific Rim)
	Actors: Ron Perlman (Blade 2, Sons of Anarchy TV-series, Pacific Rim), Selma Blair (The Fog), Doug Jones (Men in Black 2, Doom)
	Country: D, USA
	Genre: Action, SF
	Conditions of visioning: 12.07.2013, Blu-ray, Home cinema
Synopsis: While Red (Perlman) struggles in his couple life with Liz (Blair) and would like to reveal himself to the world, Prince Nuala of Bethmoora intends to awake the mechanical Golden Army to fight humans.
Review: After reading exciting reviews and interviews about Pacific Rim (I can't wait to watch that one!), I was attracted to watch again other Guillermo Del Toro movies, like this Hellboy 2 which was his biggest movie to date (in terms of cost and visual show). The first Hellboy was a bit dissapointing as it lacked ambition. Although the second movie has a much larger scale, it misses some bigger-than-life action, it is rather intimistic and this may be the trademark of Del Toro. It makes the movie touching but the poesy may sometimes be too much, and leaves the viewer with a feeling of something missing. Apart from that the movie is very good, the story interesting, the mythology very creative like always with Del Toro, the Troll Market is filled with creatures of fantastic design and shapes, so much that you would like to replay the scenes many time to catch all the details. And the CGIs are perfect. The humor fits the odd character of the half-demon. I read that many people are lobbying to get Hellboy 3 on tracks.
Rating: 7 /10

Man of Steel (2013)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2013
	Director: Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, Sucker Punch, 300)
	Actors: Henry Cavill (Immortals), Russel Crowe (Gladiator), Diane Lane, Kevin Costner (Dance with the Wolves, Wyatt Earp), Amy Adams, Michael Shannon (Pearl Harbor, Premium Rush)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Action, SF, Epic
	Conditions of visioning: 03.07.2013, CINEMA theater, 3D
Synopsis: The planet Krypton is dying. While fighting against general Zod (Shannon), the scientific advisor Jor-El (Crowe) sends his newborn son Kal to Earth where he will grow up with another family (Costner & Lane) to become Superman (Cavill).
Review: This is a very nice reboot for the franchise. The original movies were getting old (in the images but also the story) and the recent film Superman Returns had nice images (I loved the plane rescue scene) but was not really exciting otherwise. Acclaimed directors Zack Snyder and Christoper Nolan  (Memento, the Dark Knight trilogy, Inception) team up with screenplay writer David S. Goyer (Dark City, Blade, the Dark Knight trilogy) for this long-awaited reboot. The story focuses on the origins of Superman, and revolves around his choice whether to reveal himself to the humans. Cavill plays very well Clark Kent and is built like a god (ladies you will love when he removes his T-shirt!), so that it even looks exagerated when he puts on the puffed-up costume. Crowe and Costner are also excellent. The story is well told with the help of flashbacks and apparitions of Jor-El. Many scenes are really beautiful, especially the ones related to Clark slowly discovering who he is and what he can become. If you have seen the movie trailer, you will feel like you have already seen and heard the first half hour of the movie, but then it is all new. The 3D is OK but doesn't bring much. Then I have always wondered how do you find enemies to a beeing which is invincible? Well you have Kryptonite but they don't use it in this movie. Then you have other people from Krypton, like in the original Superman 2. The problem is then unending fight scenes between several invincible beings. Although it was very well done in this movie, it got a bit repetitive towards the end. Too much explanation of Superman's powers reveals some unconsistencies (he can survive in outer space but becomes mortal if he breathes Krypton air !?!). Like in the Transformers series, the massive destruction of cities with no care to what becomes of the population also annoys me. Thousands of people die (but not on camera) while we focus on the fate of a few (the team of the Daily Planet). Still, to me one of the best super-hero movies ever.
Rating: 8 /10

Frances Ha (2012)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2012
	Director: Noah Baumbach
	Actors: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michael Zegen
	Country: USA
	Genre: Drama, Comedy
	Conditions of visioning: 08.07.2013, Schauburg, OV Sneak Preview
Synopsis: Frances lives in New York, but she doesn't really have an apartment. Frances is an apprentice for a dance company, but she's not really a dancer. Frances has a best friend named Sophie, but they aren't really speaking anymore. Frances throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as their possible reality dwindles. Frances wants so much more than she has but lives her life with unaccountable joy and lightness.
Review: The story is original and full of great expectations, as Frances lives finally a moment of happiness. Even if the daily life does not so great. She sees people's expected happiness that is not necessarily as expected, her best girlfriend gets envoled, her roomates fucks plenty of chicks, another girlfriend has a great carreer. And for this, you do not need to understand much about life, as you do not need to understand what Frances says. The important is that Frances takes her chances when they come, also making mistakes, but that is life. She does not need to live something extraordinary to be happy. This can happen to anybody. The acting of Greta Gerwig is very authentic and like the black and white makes the picture very personal. Like all the moments of lightness that Frances takes from life. In this sense, my feeling by watching this movie is a bit like for Amélie Poulain, in front of this simple moments of happiness and lightness.
Rating: 7 /10

Mr. Deeds (2002)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2002
	Director: Steven Brill (Little Nicky)
	Actors: Adam Sandler (Coneheads, Big Daddy), Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands, Alien Ressurection, Star Trek), John Turturro (O'Brother Where Art Thou?, Transformers 1-3)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Comedy, Romance
	Conditions of visioning: 03.07.2013, DVD, Home cinema
Synopsis: Longfellow Deeds (Sandler), a simple guy who never left his small town, inherits from the media empire of his uncle he didn't know. In New York he will have to navigate between the cmpany's executives, the media, and a girl (Ryder) he is falling in love with.
Review: I remember having a good time watching the movie in the cinema in 2002. Ten years later it gave me the same feeling, although I didn't remember it was so stupid sometimes. It is indeed a romantic comedy, but an Adam Sandler-style comedy, like there are Will Farrel, Eddy Murphy, Ben Stiller or Jack Black comedies. What is nice is the character played by Sandler, a simple guy that loves simple things and inspires people around him to be themselves, just by beeing next to them. He is a breeze of fresh in the rich New York society. Also brilliant is the character of the butler played by Turturro, funny as usual. It is actually the remake of 1936 Mr. Deeds goes to Town with Gary Cooper. From what I read many elements are taken from it, so I would be almost tempted to see the original.
Rating: 7 /10

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2011
	Director: Joe Johnston (Jurassik Park 3, The Wolfman)
	Actors: Chris Evans (Fantastic Four 1-2, Sunshine, The Avengers 1-2), Hayley Atwell, Hugo Weaving (The Lord of the Rings 1-3, Matrix 1-3), Tommy Lee Jones (Men in Black 1-3)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Action, SF, War
	Conditions of visioning: 01.07.2013, Blu-ray, Home cinema
Synopsis: During WWII, a skinny kid from Brooklyn is recruited by the Army for a special program to become a super-soldier (Evans) and fight againt the Hydra forces of Johann Schmidt (Weaving).
Review:  It is not the first time that I watch this movie, as it is maybe my favorite from all the movies with heroes from the Avengers team (Iron Man, Thor, Hulk), except for The Avengers itself. The character of Captain America is interesting and the WWII uchrony is fun. I thought I could't relate to this 100% American hero but he fights for universal values so he turns out to be a nice guy. Only at the very end when the defeated ennemy tells him that he dreams of a Future without flags, and Captain America replies: "Not in MY Future". This sound a bit more than patriotic, almost nationalist. Do we need flags and separate countries to give people a reason to fight each other? As if religion and petrol were not enough. Anyway, the character is well introduced, so is the bad guy. The hero gathers a team of soldiers to help him fight Hydra, wich is I guess inspired from the comics book. Weapons design is nice (the final ship!) and the special effects good-looking. The sequel Captain America: The Winter Soldier is currently in post-production.
Rating: 6 /10

World War Z (2013)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2013
	Director: Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace)
	Actors: Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Snatch, Tree of Life), Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, Pierfrancesco Favino (Angels & Demons)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Action, Horror
	Conditions of visioning: 01.07.2013, CINEMA theater, 3D
Synopsis: Former UN intelligence agent, Gerry (Pitt) will have to go back to his old life to save his family from a global Zombie outbreak.
Review: I may be fed up with Zombie movies, I wanted to see what could be done on this topic with a lot of money. It is indeed the most ambitious (meaning expensive and with known actors) Zombie movie ever, replacing Zombieland. Most of the money is probably concentrated on the salary of Brad Pitt, shooting on various locations around the globe, and special effects. This is where the movie makes the difference: with lots of money you can really show a global zombie infestation, not only suggest it like it has to be done in any B-movie on the topic. 28 days later gave a good try at the fast undead invasion, and Dawn of the Dead continued, but here it went up one level: thousands of zombies ferociously climb on top of each other to reach the sumit of a 20-meters high fence, like ants. The Zombies turn in ten seconds, look dismembered and are very fast and scary. Brad Pitt is his usual self and plays well. It looks like there was not enough money to afford another kown actor but that's OK, all the second role actors are good as well. What is to critisize about this movie is that the most important events in the Zombie outbreak always happen when the character of Brad Pitt is around, a bit like it does in 2012: the characters always escape death by one minute. Once is OK, but not too often. But if you manage to put this aside, then the movie is a lot of fun and scares. Oh, and 3D is useless in this movie.
Rating: 7 /10

La délicatesse (2011)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2011
	Director: David Foenkinos, Stéphane Foenkinos
	Actors: Audrey Tautou (Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, The Da Vinci Code), François Damiens (OSS 117, Taxi 4, JCVD), Bruno Todeschini
	Country: F
	Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
	Conditions of visioning: 29.06.2013, Blu-ray, Home cinema
Synopsis: After the death of her husband, Nathalie (Tautou) will focus on her work, where she has to reject the seduction from her boss. Unexpectedly she will learn to know her Swedish collegues Markus (Damiens).
Review: I didn't know what to expect from this romance, I am not used to this kind of movies. It is not a romantic comedy. The first half is slow, until you get into to the real story: the atypical relationship between Nathalie and Markus. The screenplay is not really funny, but the movie is saved by the acting of Francois Damiens, all in small gestures and habits, that make him look like a big fluffy bear from Sweden. The way he dresses, talk... often make you smile. I knew that he was looking like a friend of mine, but in this movie it is even more obvious! Sometimes the movie tries to look like Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (main actress, music, narrator, small habits in Paris...), and as a reference they even put a name in its German title (Nathalie küsst), but thankfully not too often.
Rating: 6 /10

Dead Snow (2009)

	Also Known As: Død snø
	Year of first release: 2009
	Director: Tommy Wirkola (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters)
	Actors: Vegar Hoel, Jeppe Beck Laursen (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters), Charlotte Frogner
	Country: N
	Genre: Horror
	Conditions of visioning: 29.06.2013, DVD, Home cinema
Synopsis: A group of friends decide to spend Easter's week-end in a mountain hut. They will meet an army of undead Nazi soldiers!
Review: In the past two years I have seen quite some Norwegian movies (Troll Hunter, Norwegian Ninja, Let the Right one in, Cold Prey 1-2, Thale) and Nazis return movies (Iron Sky, Frankenstein's Army, The 25th Reich).The idea in this movie is not original (a classic slasher with zombies) but it looks less cheap than what I thought it would. As in all Norwegian movies I have seen, the actors are always surrounded by beautiful landscapes that make you want to visit the country. It seems easy to make a good-looking movie there, you just have to invent some story to tell between two scenes where you show the mountains! And when you think the movie becomes too predictible, the main characters rebel and start slicing up the zombies in the most creative ways. Not too bad indeed for a second movie and not surprising that Tommy Wirkola was given the direction of a big Hollywod movie afterwards. Dead Snow 2 is in production.
Rating: 6 /10

Mr. Boo meets Pom Pom (1985)

	Also Known As: Ji yung sam bo (original)
	Year of first release: 1985
	Director: Ma Wu
	Actors: Michael Hui (Teppaniyaki, Chicken and Duck Talk), Richard Ng, John Sham
	Country: HK
	Genre: Comedy
	Conditions of visioning: 24.06.2013, DVD, 32" TV
Synopsis: Two mediocre cops (Ng & Sham) call for the help of the clever Inspector Boo (Hui) to solve a jewelry robbing case. Doing so, Mr. Boo discovers that his wife is cheating and will get obsessed by the lover who is also the jewelry shop owner.
Review: I wrote about the background of Michael Hui in the review of Teppaniyaki, the other film that was sold in DVD as double feature with this Mr. Boo meets Pom Pom. It is not easy to follow this movie: the story is very confused and only after half the movie the makers made up their mind and decided to turn it into a cheating-wife / jalous husband story. People are talking a lot and very fast, and the jokes are very "slapstick", but all in all the movie is pretty boring and not funny, except for some stunts towards the end. Image and sound quality are also quite poor in this French DVD edition. Not recommended for people who want to discover this kind of cinema: they would quickly be discouraged! The recent box set of three films directed by Michael Hui is probably a better choice.
Rating: 2 /10