Reviews

"Winnetou und Shatterhand im Tal der Toten" tells the story of an army official who has to face court due to accusations over lost gold. Can Winnetou and Shatterhand prove his innocence?

This movie is a classic western. The characters are either good or bad, the plot has a lot of suspense and the time is running while the main characters do what they can to help justice win. The film is professionally produced and the acting is solid. Today one would maybe add a bit more depth to the characters and show their inner fights more naturally but what you see is what you get with this movie.

All in all you do nothing wrong by giving this western a watch. It is not one of the genre changers but a well carried out example of time and genre.

"Wild Child" tells the story of a spoiled Malibu girl who is sent to a British boarding school in order to learn some good behavior.

The beginning of this movie is painful. Everything is so exaggerated that you get cramps from rolling your eyes. Even for your typical teen movie, the lack of depth in many of the characters is indeed alarming. However, you can not deny that the producers know how to get you invested in the plot and the characters and in the end you do want to know what happens even though it comes as no surprise. I guess it is, after all, kind of entertaining.

All in all this is by far not a good movie but it is fair to say that what you see is what you get and that you won't be bored and I guess that is something.

"Kajínek" tells the story of a man behind bars whose case seems to be politically motivated and not on a very solid basis. Will the people on his side find a way to set him free?

I honestly have a problem with this sort of movie. Either you make it a documentary and ask the important questions or you make a movie but to make a movie like this in the end feels rather like a political statement than entertainment which in cases like this can be problematic (It is not problematic in general). This being said, a lot of the scenery in the movie seems taken over from american prison movies, I honestly hope that this is not how a czech prison works. The characters are rather one-dimensional, the acting is not always on point. The plot itself is okay but it is nothing to keep you sitting on the edge of your seat.

All in all this movie is entertaining enough to give it a try but I really think that a documentary about the topic would have been better. Somehow this film is sitting between all chairs.

"Five Minarets in New York" tells the story of a respected elderly muslim who is arrested under charges of terrorism. But the reality isn't that simple.

In my eyes this movie is underrated. Of course films centering around extremism are always inaccurate and there are surely aspects that you can rightfully criticize about this one. But it is a rare example of a movie that takes its plot serious enough to spend time developing it and giving it clever turns. Not all of these turns are realistic and at times this can be disturbing but all in all this is something I highly respect.

All in all this is a thriller above the average. In my eyes a bit more darkness and less action would have made even more of a difference but it already is a very respectable piece of work.

"Dead West" tells the story of an actor working in a wild west park who finds himself in serious trouble when the park is taken over by vampires.

It is the old simple approach of taking two things everyone likes but that are not normally connected (cowboys and vampires) and just let them fight against each other. I promise this will never be the plot of a good movie. In this case the one thing you can say is that the movie is entertaining and doesn't bore you. On the other hand the acting is not always good, the poduction looks cheap at times and there are sequences (like these strange radio interviews) that I didn't simply understand. Maybe this was an attempt to be more artsy but if so it failed.

All in all I just think that you should put a bit more thought into your plot and the production. This movie too often chooses the easy way out instead of the clever one and it doesn't suit the production well.

"Wildes Herz" is a biopic about the lead singer of the German punk band "Feine Sahne Fischfilet", Jan Gorkow.

There are probably few bands in Germany that produce such a mixed echo depending on the political side one feels attached to. For many right-wing enthusiasts, "Feine Sahne Fischfilet" has become a symbol of the left. The producers of this documentary managed to take a look behind these discussions and unravel a very personal story of Jan Gorkow, which helps to explain a lot of what happened in the past years surrounding the band.

All in all this is a very honest and personal film that speaks with the right people and shows the human behind the symbol.

"Korunní princ" tells the story of a prince who is put under a spell by his own brother who wants to rule the kingdom instead. Can he find a way out of the magic forest without even knowing who he once was?

I have to make the producers of this film a compliment. Especially for a tv production it was carried out with a lot of production value and heart. It tells a classic story but includes modern elements of filmmaking and screenwriting and thus becomes entertaining for both children and adults. It has humor and I think in the end we were all cheering for the good guy to take the throne.

All in all this is an example of how tv productions can take their plot serious and produce a film that is not worse than many productions made for the big screen.

"Il ritorno" tells the story of a young man who needs to return to Italy from Germany when a close member of his family dies. Back in Italy he is confronted with the ghosts of his past and his present and has to make some important decisions.

The film has the typical feeling of any German tv drama. Enough emotions to keep you at least mildly interested but no so much that anyone could seriously get hurt. It is more or less feel good cinema for people that lead a rather boring life themselves. However, producers managed to write the plot carefully enough to keep the audience invested with the characters and one can not say that nothing happens or that the film is not entertaining.

All in all this is not a gamechanger or something special but it also avoids the worst mistakes and feels okay in the end.

"Ji qi zhi xue" tells teh story of a cop and father who has to face a radioactive villain in order to save his daughter and the world.

It kind of feels like the producers took many good things and used them just a little too excessively. While I appreciate the mixture between action, sci-fi and comedy, all of these elements feel a bit exaggerated at times. There are just a ton of explosions, sci-fi elements that don't really match the logic and the comedy sometimes turns a bit silly. If you take these exeggagerations away, what remains is actually a decent film, nothing specctacular but solidly produced and entertaining.

All in all this is a nice distraction for a quiet evening but it is lacking the consequence to be something bigger than that.

"Haikyuu!!" tells the story of a volleyball team that once was a respected power but now is only belittled by its opponents. When two new and very dedicated students arrive, a new time seems to begin, promising long lost glory.

The first few episodes are hard. I don't know how often they mention that Hinata is small but very fast but it almost makes you angry. The beginning totally lacks to connect other characters into the story to really keep you interested in their way. Strangely enough, this is exactly what happens in the later episods, which is why I was really looking forward to every episode then. I don't know if this is meant to be or if the producers just noticed their own problems but it is one of the rare examples where a show gets better and better over time (so far). Of course the plot is rather limited and I would not want seven seasons of this show but I think that if they stop after three or four seasons this could be remembered as a great show.

All in all you need some time to really invest into the characters but if you give yourself this time there is a fair chance that you will stay hooked.

"Mayday" tells the story of an airplane that finds itself trapped in a state of emergency, with the only chance of survival being a brave passenger who struggles to land the machine savely.

In many elements this is just another version of the "airplane emergency" blueprint with a lot of action and suspense, some horrifying camera shots of a plane out of control and icecold politics on the ground. All of this it carries out solidly and it is not a trash movie. But the script is lacking the originality to make it something more than just an adaption of a story that was told many times already, not even mentioning that a lot of good will is necessary to find the events presented in this film very likely.

All in all this is a movie that fans of the genre will probably like or that will at least please them. Personally, I don't think that this is a horrible or bad movie but it did not give me much inspiration because of its similarity with other films of the genre.

"...altrimenti ci arrabbiamo!" tells the story of two opponents who win a dune buggy together and form an unlikely friendship trying to get it replaced by the villain who destroyed it in the first place.

I would argue that much of the charm of this movie actually originates from the fact that the main characters are not really heroes but simply want payback for their loss. Thus a story evolves with a certain comedic side to it because many of the actions seem so stunning and unbelievable from a logic perspective. In a way, this is relatable to other films such as "The Big Lebowski", where similar techniques are being used. Apart from that this is a rather typical Spencer/Hill film with lots of fighting and brave dialogues. It is not really artsy enough to stand out as a movie but it is masterfully entertaining.

All in all this is an innocent but great piece of entertainment that combines the strengths of its main actors with a clever script and has found a loyal audience throughout the generations.

"Cross" tells the story of a cop, whose family is taken hostage by his enemy, seducing him to work together with a wanted professional killer in order to keep them safe.

The basic elements of the story are well known. A tough but unusual cop, an unlikely liaison, much testosteron and stereotypical masculinity. However, the plot is solid enough to be entertaining and even though there is not necessarily a deeper emotional connection to the characters, it is carried out well enough for an evening filled with a little suspension.

All in all this film surely doesn't stand out by any means but it is solidly produced and not worse than many other simiar titles of the same genre. No delicacy but sweet and simple.

"The Legend of Walks Far Woman" tells the story of a native american woman that is excluded by her tribe after she fights her abusive husband.

There are many aspects to like and dislike about this movie. The story itself has very emancipated elements and touches topics that still today (sadly) are very much worth being discussed, such as domestic violence and group dynamics in relation with hierarchies. On the other hand I don't get why you can't just cast native american actors for parts that are clearly meant to be native americans. So in the same way this film is progressive, it is also offending. The way the story is told is rather classic and can feel a bit lengthy at times, but it is still carried out decently.

All in all this is a movie which you can praise for some aspects very much worth praising and at the same time criticize for some eagerly obvious reasons. Judge yourself.

"Der Schnüffler" tells the story of a harmless taxi driver who finds himself right in the middle of a political scandal, threatened from all sides and in permanent danger.

I didn't expect much from this title but have to admit that it is actually an enjoyable film. Not to be mistaken, the humor is very slapstick and shrill but at least the plot itself is clever enough to make for an interesting story. The plot is actually not far away from "Burn after reading" but the style is a lot more openly comedic, which is a bit much at times but at least consequently carried out.

All in all not a masterpiece but a fairly decent comedy that has some nice aspects but tends to exaggerate in terms of humor.

"Hair Love" tells the story of a father who becomes frustrated over trying to somehow fix the hair of his daughter, when his wife in the hospital is no longer able to do so.

The plot is really very simple and rather predictable. If this wasn't a short movie, it would make for a nice and creative detail. However, it is very sweet and heart-touching and you got to appreciate the work put into it by the animaters. It manages to deliver what is a sad event in a tone that keeps you smiling and thus takes away some of the weight that lays on it.

All in all this is a simple-structured shortfilm that plays with modern phenomenons and is surely worth a watch in order to appreciate the love put into it by the producing team.

"No Retreat, No Surrender" tells the story of a teenager, whose father is forced out of the martial arts business by a band of thugs, leading the boy to train even harder after they move to another town. When the thugs threaten yet another studio, the time has come for his revenge.

Yes, this movie is entertaining. But I guess you must have seen this as a kid in order to hype it as some reviewers do. As someone who watched this as an adult, I have to say that the plot is rather weak (I mean isn't it comfortable that the same thugs appear in this one town of all?), the paranormal element is pretty trashy (yeah.. he trains with his ghost.. right) and the characters are let's say interesting (what was this sidekick). No offense, as I said most of these elements are still entertaining and help to make this about more than just fighting scenes. However neither the plot nor the production are clever enough to give this some kind of legendary aura.

All in all this is an entertaining film that is in a way a portrait of its time and surely even more fun to watch for kids. It is however, not as big as some reviewers make it.

"Escape from Soribor" tells the story of concentration camp inmates that develop a plan for escaping the camp, putting them all in great danger.

The film manages horribly good to make you feel what people had to endure during this period. It shows all the desperation, the hatred and sadness that this topic evokes and makes it easy for its audience to get emotionally involved. There are some things which I doubt are historically accurate but I am more than happy to forgive this, since I believe that in this case the message and the skilful production totally make up for it.

All in all this is a movie that more people should watch in order to learn more about the life in concentration camps, not only historically but also emotionally. A powerful piece of work.

"Stalingrad" tells the story of a group of German soldiers in the Second World War that begin their journey in Italy and later find themselves trapped in the cold Russian winter, surrounded by enemies.

There are many things to like about this film. The production looks very professional, the acting is fine and the film manages very good to show what an emotionally extreme situation this winter was for the average soldier. However, it is a bit misleading how they all turn their backs on nazism and more or less become heroes throughout the film. The truth is that far too few, almost none German soldiers at all turned their backs on the Nazis. And it is also false to act like only a few top-Nazis sent thousands of innocent soldiers to war, many of them were very convinced of the ideology themselves, did horrible things and were happy to fight for the Nazis.

All in all, this is a well produced and carried out movie that surely leaves you with a solid wish for peace in the world, however it gives a rather positive picture of the German army, that historical facts don't really support.

"Fußball ist unser Leben" tells the story of a bunch of hardcore-soccer fans that are in danger of falling apart when a risky bet and a lazy superstar challenge their community.

I pretty much expected the worst from this movie. When you see the posters or teasers, it looks like cheap humor mixed with stereotypes and no depth. And.. in a way this is also what you get, but in a far more clever and empathic way than expected. Yes, the characters are total stereotypes and not what most soccer fans look or act like. And yes, the humor developing from this is sometimes mediocre. But at the same time the film manages to take these characters serious, to depict real, believable relationships and friendships and to find tones of grey between sheer black and white.

All in all this is nothing you have to have seen but it is something to pass the time that is rather a positive than a negative surprise.

"Sissi - Die junge Kaiserin" tells the story of the young empress of Austria, Sissi, who finds herself caught between the enormous political duties of her beloved husband and a mistrusting, careless mother-in-law.

The film is typical for its time. You have a couple that is almost ridiculously in love, that has huge fights over important issues but suddenly forgets everything at the first opportunity (Doesn't seem like a clever way to cope with differences). You have good and bad characters and very little in between. There is a lot of effort shown, especially in terms of mask and set decoration, but all of the emotions in this movie are so exaggerated that even the dark sides of the story are not dark enough to cause any trouble. What I don't really like are that the film is changing history, even though this is a common thing. It is clear that the depiction of historic events will always be an adaption but you should at least stick to the facts.

All in all this is a classic but one that aged quite noticeably. I would have liked a more brutal depiction of what it psychally meant for a young empress to live through all that.

"Saturday Morning Massacre" tells the story of a group of ghosthunters that mostly seek to hunt down criminals but find themselves in a house where dead is around the corner.

At first, the plot seems well-known. A group of ghosthunters hunted down by some actual real demon or something alike. However, I really like the beginning of this film because they kind of play with this stereotype. For a moment afterwards, I had the fear that it would drift off to some paranormal happenings but in the end I have to say that they (vaguely) stayed within the real world. In many ways this film is over the top, in other ways it can be also a bit slow and probably disappointing for fans of the genere. But as someone who is really tired of demons and paranormal splatter horror, this was actually a nice relief.

All in all you can see that some creativity and talent were put into the movie even though there are surely things to criticize rightfully.

"Treasure Island" tells the story of a young boy who one day receives the map to a big treasure from a strange man and naively forms an alliance with some very dangerous men in order to get to it.

Some reviewers criticize that the plot is rather loosely based on the novel. That might well be true but I don't think it does much harm. The movie is in no respect outstanding but it is one of those films that partially bring back to you the feeling of a lazy sunday as a kid when all you had to do was lay on the couch and watch the adventures pass by. This of course also means that the film looks way older than it actually is and the characters too seem like from a different decade of filmmaking but if you can ignore this you will get a solid adventure.

All in all I can understand why some people don't like this movie, however personally I had my fun with it and if you're open to a bit of change in comparison to the original, why not give it a try.

"Antisocial" tells the story of a bunch of young folks gathering at a party when they witness the outbreak of a deadly virus, turning people into dangerous creatures. Could the popular social network have something to do with it?

To start on a positive note, the film looks rather professional and modern. The acting is also not bad, even though the charakters are sometimes a bit one-dimensional (or maybe realistic, hard to tell). Unfortunately, everything doesn't really add up in the end. The idea of a social network that controls the minds of its users is charming, but when this turns into some form of Zombie-Virus it gets a bit over the top. It seems like there are different stories that the producers desperately tried to fit into one film when concentrating on one of them (in my opinion the social media / mind control part) would have been the better option.

All in all this film is in many situations predictable. It has a nice look and doesn't have to hide from other lower budget horror films in terms of production value but in the end I was rather confused than shocked.

"Yuma" tells the story of a Sheriff who is new in town and risks serious trouble with a very mighty man over a crime he is slowly uncovering.

Parts of this Western are very stereotypical. A loyal, invincible hero without any downsides, a thankful lady, the world is easily distinguishable in good and bad in this film. However, the social relations are depicted in a rather thoughtful way and the plot has enough depth to deliver more than just a series of showdowns in the sunset. Nowadays the look would have probably been chosen a bit more "rough" but still this made for a quite interesting watch.

All in all this is not a masterpiece but definitely a film that noone needs to be ashamed of. In terms of the western movies I know, I find it above average and surely worth a watch.