Film Reviews by OtakuFeebs

I am a massive Studio Ghibli fan and was really looking forward to watching this film. However, this is not really a Ghibli film, other than it is beautifully animated by the studio. To explain that statement, this film lacks the whimsical magic of a Ghibli film (even Grave of the Fireflies has it's moments). Michaël Dudok de Wit is a completely different sort of director, he's not someone I'm familiar with and I won't be seeking out his work again.

It's all a matter of opinion of course but I found the film hugely unsatisfying. I couldn't relax watching it as I was constantly trying to understand it's meaning. When I finally gave up caring I actually fell asleep which is something I very rarely do whilst watching films. If you enjoy obtuse experiences this might well be a film for you.

It's a bit of a lazy comparison but one that's bound to be made. Ji Dong-chul (Gong Yoo) is your average North Korean defector, working as a driver, barely scraping by - or is he? Turns out he's a top North Korean secret agent who was abandoned by his government and now he's been set up for a murder he didn't commit!

This film is fast paced and you really need to pay attention or you'll get thoroughly lost. There is a lot going on with crosses and double crosses. The action is fast and frenetic. My main complaint is that there's just a bit too much editing. The car chase (which is pretty sweet) is just a little too choppy. The fight sequences are gritty and painful, there were several sequences that left me squirming. Gong Yoo really is a wonderful actor, he's completely believable as the terribly wronged protagonist.

On a side note the subtitles get a bit dodgy towards the end of the film with questionable grammar and spelling but it wasn't so bad as to spoil my enjoyment of the film.

If you like action and are happy to watch a subtitled film I'd recommend this one.

Let's be clear, this documentary is not one to watch off the cuff. It deals with a terribly tragic and wholly avoidable set of events that devastated a family and their friends.

Kurt Kuenne's close friend Dr. Andrew Bagley was murdered. In an effort to deal with this loss, he chose to make this documentary for Zachery, Andrew's son, who sadly never had a chance to meet his father. It details his trip across America and Canada along with a trip to England to visit Dr. Bagley's friends and family . The documentary records the great impact Dr. Bagley had on the people in his life. He seems like one hell of a guy and it's the world's loss that he was taken away so cruelly and so early.

If you are familar with the facts of this case you will know the outcome of the investigation and be aware of the frustratingly slow Canadian justice system. This documentary acts as a wonderful tribute to Zachery's father and grandparents and is really worth watching, but be warned it takes an emotional toll.

I can't fault the actors at all, they gave good performances, but overall I found this film to be style over substance.

Amy Adams plays a very rich gallery owner who wanders around her opulent home "tormented" by memories of her failed first marriage, which are triggered when her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal) sends her a manuscript out of the blue. The novel is shown as Susan reads it, a nasty revenge piece.

That's it basically, with lots of misogynistic imagery and acts on screen. The women are vapid and/or need rescuing, either from their gilded cage or their attackers.

I'm going to be frank, I didn't enjoy this film. In fact I felt sick for most of it, probably because I am fully aware of the "Bodies in the Barrels" murders.

However the film deserves four stars because of its bleak uncompromising portrayal of this series of terrible crimes whilst never once being sensationalist. The lead actors are convincing and terrifying. Amazing work from Lucas Pittaway (who seems to have been plucked from the streets judging from the casting extras) and Daniel Henshall.

For the most part not much of the actual murders are shown, but the sense of dread and despair the film managed to capture really set me on edge. I had to pause the film a couple of times, not sure if I could keep watching. I ended up only listening to one scene and having to distract myself for the final quarter so that I didn't lose myself in the abyss of human depravity. With that said it really is a masterful piece of cinema, but I think it's fair to inform you of what you are letting yourself in for if you choose to watch it.

An excellent film from the uncomfortable opening montage to the bleak final act. I'd recommend it to any horror or thriller fan. The contrast between the bright cheery sunshine against the macabre goings on really is startling. It's a slow build but completely worth the journey.

I saw this when it originally aired at age 18. I remember it being creepy and made me doubt myself.

On second viewing I found it to still be a good watch. If you take into context of when it aired and who was "presenting" the show there are many clever elements. I grew up watching Sarah Green on Blue Peter, Mike Smith was her long time partner and they were newly married at the time, so this was a nice touch. Michael Parkinson, or "Parky" as he's affectionately known, was a national treasure before the term was coined. Craig Charles was that cheeky bloke from Red Dwarf who first appeared on telly reciting poetry. Overall a heady mix of believability.