kosmasp

IMDb member since June 2005
    Highlights
    2021 Oscars
    Highlights
    2020 Oscars
    Highlights
    2018 Oscars
    Highlights
    2017 Oscars
    Highlights
    2016 Oscars
    Highlights
    2015 Oscars
    Highlights
    2014 Oscars
    Highlights
    2013 Oscars
    Lifetime Total
    10,000+
    Lifetime Name
    1+
    Lifetime Filmo
    25+
    Lifetime Title
    5+
    Top Reviewer
     
    IMDb Member
    17 years

Reviews

Anna: Scream Queen Killer
(2013)

Read between the lines (?)
Not really, more like act exactly in the manner the script suggests. No pun intended of course - and the movie seems to be one long audition tape. While it may be fun to watch audition tapes at times, it only is fun to see portions of them. And while I will not make a judgement on the actress here - I don't think she's doing herself a favor ... having written this and directed it too ... being more or less the only person that has to carry the movie.

There is something missing ... actually a lot is. There doesn't seem to be much sense behind what we see being "played out" in front of the camera ... why would she be willing to go that far? I don't think the twist at the end is .. enough to make sense of it all. On the other hand, if you like a movie that ... actually I don't even know what one may find appeasing here ... but some have found things they like - good for them I say. Everyone else probably should stay away from this ... as far as possible ... 15 minutes of fame are not worth it .. are they? Come to think of it, this can be categorized Found Footage ... which makes it even worse I reckon ...

The Young Cannibals
(2019)

The monster we ... made
No pun intended - sometimes a monster is something literal ... something we project. Of course as the cover and poster already reveal we have quite the physical monster here. But can you really see it? Sorry for another pun I reckon, but I had to.

This is quite low budget and if you like horror movies, you could do worse than watching this one. As the next movie made quite clear - next movie I watched that is. This right here is into the woods and has quite the strong opening ... one that suggests that the movie may be better than the final product even? Well you'll be the judge of that. Good effects overall and maybe one twist too many ... still decent overall.

Detroit
(2017)

Dark chapter(s)
No pun intended - the US has quite a few things that are not that old (history and years wise) that they cannot be proud of. And with one party (of the two that exist in their political climate) being held hostage most of the time by deniers and conspiracy believing people, there are more bad things to come (unfortunately but quite predictably so).

This would be something that I assume would be part of CRT teachings. And while not everything may have occurred exactly the way it is portrayed here ... I am assuming it is close to the truth. Powerful performances and not easy to watch - especially because you can guess where it all is going ... even if you are not aware of the facts ... we are all human and it should be accepted like that.

Kathryn Bigelow knows how to shoot a movie and the cast she has assembled is quite stunning ... drama and mayhem ensue ... be prepared for that ... the occasional jokes may lighten up the mood for a short period of time ... but not for long ...

Soldier
(1998)

Galactic (universal) Soldier
No pun intended - and while this apparently is playing in the same universe as Blade Runner, the movie can be compared to Universal Soldier more than anything. Also I thought that Carpenter was at the helm of the movie - I reckon because Kurt Russell is the lead I just assumed that ... but I did so wrongly obviously.

Starforce Soldier as it is called in Germany, is quite fine. Even though it was made for TV or looks like it was made for TV at least. That said, the effects (many of them) have not aged too well. Still this is above what many consider Paul WS Andersons best work ... at least for me. Also Mortal Kombat is probably the movie I like best of the ones he directed ... and the ones I watched (quite a few actually) ...

Drop Dead Gorgeous
(2010)

Not the 90s (movie)
Young, dead, sexy - as a newer title for the movie suggests too. So no pun intended - nor a weekend at Bernies either ... well that may be intended a little bit. Also it does not take prisoners when it comes to how the movie presents itself and how it displays the story.

That being said, depending on your willingness to suspend your disbelief and your sense of humor, you will like this more or less. I did dig what the movie was trying to do - but I and others may be very aware of what this was trying to do and accept it ... others may not and may hate the jokes ... which is a death sentence for the movie (does that count as a pun? Let' say yes and use it as pun ...

Gang Related
(1997)

Wrong person
No pun intended - and a theme running through the whole movie. Also wrong decisions ... and stuff that make our two main characters quite unlikeable ... not sure how that will fare with viewers. This being the last movie Tupac did before he was shot and killed - him showing off that he could have a bright future in movies too ... he was blessed as a musician ... but also troubled of course.

I like Jim Belushi, but I get if you are not a fan. I was kind of surprised that I haven't heard of him recently. Allegedly he had some health issues ... or maybe he had other reasons to cut back on acting and working. Pretty sure it wasn't him doing shady deals and being on the wrong side of the law ... well right side, but with a moral compass that needs serious adjustment.

All that said, one inciting incident kicks off quite the mayhem .. especially because they don't take responsibility ... but rather try to slither and avoid retaliation ... by digging deeper and deeper holes ... will they be able to make it? Do you care or rather what do you want to see happen to them? And what will actually happen ... quite an interesting cast overall btw.

Death of Me
(2020)

Death is (not) the end
No pun intended - is there life after death? And how do we know we are dead. To delve into the movie (not how it ends), we start quite confused - or are as confused as the couple. I was surprised seeing Maggie Q with not a lot of clothes on. I thought she tried to stay away from roles like that ... but it is necessary to her character and the story .. also she never is naked, so there is that.

Quite soon we find out that something happened (therefor me checking the box and telling you I am going to talk a bit about the story/plot) ... we see video evidence of her husband choking her ... to death? It seems like that ... which makes the rest and certain decisions quite infuriating ... like either not going to the doctor or not demanding answers (insisting on getting them) ... on the other hand, the movie has the excuse of .. well our main character having illusions ... how can we tell what is real then? Exactly ... and the end is another twist that may not have been necessary ... still quite decent overall ..

The Poughkeepsie Tapes
(2007)

Killer found footage
No pun intended - and of course as with most movies this is not "real" found footage. It is not even real real ... as in, this is a pseudo documentary on a serial killer. Now when this was done I think there was not that much of a market for these things. With Netflix the landscape has changed and a lot of people are yearning for something along those lines.

That all being said, this is quite well done. It does make sense, but it also is quite horrific to watch at times. Not for any sensible and sensitive soul ... you might have issues watching this. Of course the filmmakers went on and made a career after this ... but this always remained a movie I was unable to find - was just curious to watch it. Finally I was able to catch in on a streaming service ... and I was not disappointed ... though hearing so much about it, I might have expected a bit more to be completely honest ...

Mindcage
(2022)

Silence of the .. art(s)
No pun intended - and no f given either! It would make it a different kind of art if I used it - this having Martin Lawrence in it and all, you'd be excused if you'd think it would be funnier. But instead we get Malkovich channeling his inner Hopkins.

Maybe the movie will have lost you already if you see and compare it to Silence of the Lambs. Martin Lawrence who really went all the way to be as believable as possible is trying his best too. And the movie is quite fine I reckon - it has enough twists and turns to keep you interested until the end ... well as you can guess there are surprises for that too.

Suspend your disbelief and try to go with the flow ... or watch Clarice doing her thing once more ...

The Untouchables
(1987)

The Bat and the Train
No pun intended - and I assume that most who have seen the movie will know what I am on about. Most movies are glad if they have one memorable scene ... this has at least two! Maybe some others stuck in your mind too (rooftop, court, dialog, raid(s) and so forth) ... one thing is for sure, you will also remember the cast! Well at least the 4 main characters! And while you may only remember the names of 3 of those stars, that is more than enough too.

Brian De Palma may have had some misses too, but he is a master of suspense ... and yes I wrote a and not the ... for reasons as some might say. Of course most will associate the with Hitchcock! And rightfully so I might add. But back to De Palma, who really knows how to edit and shoot a movie. Having Ennio Morricone do the soundtrack helps too .. both have a highlight with the Train station scene. Which may be a bit bad for the rest of the movie ... it may feel like it goes downhill from there .. but the actors do save it, even if it doesn't seem to have too many highlights after that ... well ok the rooftop ... and the court, but the train station is above and beyond ... touch the untouchables! Touching untouchables - that is the better pun!

Jezabel
(2022)

Generation X
No pun intended - I actually don't mean that there is a Generation X (maybe there is), but this is just a filler for the pun I mentioned before. Which would have to do with love making - but with less love and just seeking thrill and having "highlights". Which seems to be ... making life worthwhile to a degree .. getting kicks, doing stuff that is not allowed - like cheating on exams and all that.

That means of course that you may not have too many characters that you will find too likeable ... you have to suspend your disbelief in that and many other regards. Also as you may have guessed you can't be too sensitive about stuff - especially when it comes to intercourse and nudity ... but also violence, physical and psychological ...

Lieber Kurt
(2022)

Here comes/goes Kurt
No pun intended - actually it is a German song (Hier kommt Kurt), so you may not even know about that. Also it is just a joke/pun, which I like to use and has nothing to do with the movie overall. That being said ... it may be a fitting example of the movie. Maybe you like the joke maybe you don't ... but it is not appropriate ... well not entirely.

And that is how the movie feels a lot of time. Which is sad to a degree - especially because there is quite the good story hidden here. Apparently it is based on a book too .... I assume the book is better than this ... which is quite easy, especially when Schweiger has some ill conceived scenes ... he does not have the acting range to really portray certain emotions ... at least as a viewer I don't feel it.

Don't get it twisted though and even though there seem to be some allegations at the moment, he still is a powerhouse when it comes to German film making .. there seems no way to go around him ... well unless you know Schweighöfer I assume.

It would have been a better drama if it were made by someone else.

12 Theses
(2021)

Better believe
No pun intended - actually it does not really matter for you - it may not even matter for the characters in this. On the other hand some would really have to go to acting school ... not that the script is airtight or anything. But as a German saying tells us, all beginning is hard ... so maybe there will eventually come something way better from all involved.

As it is I can't really recommend the movie right here. Too many flaws, slow pace and quite predictable. Nothing really seems to make a dent with this. I could tell you what this is about (faith and all that), but I would bore you as much as the movie probably will ...

The Old Way
(2023)

The Old W...estern
No pun intended - if you are into Western movies and the genre in general, I don't think I have to recommend the movie to you. You'll watch it anyway, no matter what I will say. Of course if you are a fan, the movie will not have too many surprises for you - and I mean it like that. I do believe it may have some things that may ... even shock you .. which overall is a good thing of course.

Nicolas Cage is really good and while he churned out movies in a similar pace as Willis, he too had money issues apparently, the quality of the movies he was making was still way better than the ones Willis was in. Of course Cage mostly had bigger roles too ... the shootouts are well shot and while it can not touch any of the classics, this is a decent effort for sure.

In the Mouth of Madness
(1994)

Stranger than Fiction (?)
No pun intended - so I didn't have the Carpenter timeline in my head, but another reviewer had my back. So this seemed to be not just him returning to his favorite genre but also finishing off the Apocalypse trilogy - the movies are not connected mind you - not story wise at least. And while the Thing is untouchable, this has enough mayhem to work its charm.

Though I'd understand if this would be just too mad for some. There are too many things happening that seem out of this world - but if you can suspend your disbelief and just roll with the flow and our main character, who has quite the inventive mind ... well you can see where it all must lead ... it is kind of inevitable isn't it? That's almost as rhetorical as some other things the movie asks (of) us.

The acting is top notch - though may have to do with the actors not completely understanding what is going on themselves. Again not an easy movie, but if you get into it, quite rewarding ... well rewards do not always have to be a positive thing, yes? Again rhetorical ... not the first and not the last movie that suggest the power of the (written) word ... but one that also has the ideas and effects to visually transport you there and show you (off) Soundtrack wise we are spoiled anyway with anything Carpenter too of course ... anarchic and almost angry to a degree ... might have mirrored the mindset Carpenter was in at the time ... he probably was in the Mouth of Madness himself ...

King Kong
(1976)

Kong lives ... I mean loves
No pun intended - and where the original couldn't or rather wouldn't walk down a special road with the "monster" (we could argue who really is the monster here - or rather monsters - talking about politicians and others trying to enrich themselves) ... well this one does. The way Kong looks at Jessica Lange ... not that you don't understand ... well if you believe that we had or come from the same species or however you would call it.

Jeff Bridges does his best to steal the show, but it is Rick Baker (who was on and off the very troubled project, the movie deserves a deep dive when it comes to its conception and creation and everything surrounding it) who mostly is the man in the suit - well not man, but am not sure if calling him an animal would be considered something offensive.

Talking of offensive: the movie is a bit of a testament of its time. And while even a movie like Singing in the Rain has scenes that our sensibilities nowadays may have issues with ... well you just have to understand when this was shot and that certain things were easier ... or the easier the better/faster filmed.

The TV version which adds an hour rum time has a bit more depth, but also is even slower pace wise and has some repetition. Plus those odds breaks where ads would come up - not to mention the movie is presented as a two parter and some of the violence seems to have been cut out. So I'd say go with the theatrical cut ... also listen to the audio commentaries if you want to ... quite a few gems hidden there ... I remember this fondly - watched this as a little kid and made me love animals even more .. misunderstood and all that ... I didn't pick up on any ... well "horny" intentions as much as an adult probably will ... that said, the effects are quite good even if you can see their age ... but the addition of one big hand (or two?) helps .. size and otherwise!

El silencio
(2023)

Still waters run deep
No pun intended - the show may be a bit too long, but it has something to say too. And while I reckon it could have been said a lot earlier ... the movie has punches and it does not hold them back. If an individual is broken, it may need a lot to heal. How deep is the truth buried? Or is it buried at all? Things to know and things to find out.

And if you have an individual that is out to try to help you (for reasons that are slowly revealed with some twists waiting until later) ... well it helps. Though you will have others who will try everything to keep things hidden ... their agenda? Well you have to watch to find out ... I would argue not everything makes sense and some things are made more difficult to make this seem more complex than it is in the end ... but it's still an interesting show to watch ... if you are into crime and whodunit and all that stuff ... Not so silent after all ...

Supercell
(2023)

Chasing the storm
No pun intended - the movie has Alec Baldwin and Skeet Ulrich ... so maybe only the former is a name you can work with. But Skeet of Scream fame .. well it had been a while since I last saw him. And I almost didn't recognize him. Add Anne Heche to the mix and you have a solid group of people/actors.

I had no idea what this was going to be - and I am not into storm chasing myself. But since it was on a streaming platform and the actors sound nice .. I went for it. Some decent effects help the movie and the story is easy to follow too .. which cannot be said about the storms of course ... though why would you put yourself into that position is ... well I know the movie wouldn't exist otherwise ...

White Elephant
(2022)

In the room(?)
No pun intended - of course this is not about the elephant in the room. Though if you'd call some of the actors elephants (in a good sense, because they are big), I'd understand. Michael Rooker and John Malkovich alone are ... well if you know them I don't have to sell them to you. We know Bruce Willis has done his fair share of great movies ... but not in a while.

That said, the movie is quite well made ... better than most of the things Willis has done in the last couple of years. Olga K. Is in this and you have quite a few action scenes ... which elevate the movie quite a bit. If you like low budget movies with some star power to fill it up ... well you could do worse.

Die Känguru-Verschwörung
(2022)

Truth hurts
No pun intended - one of the things I drew out of the whole conspiracy thing that was going on: it is the easy way out to have something or someone to blame on. No matter if there actually are facts to support that - if you feel it, you just take this on and roll with it. I found out that some of my friends, relatives and acquaintances were easy targets of disinformation ... something the movie is able to lay bare.

Even from the start, the movie sets the tone, by reprising the first movie ... not well and then just summarizing it with making fun of humans (the Kangaroo has that joke of course). And while that may seem trivial, it is foreshadowing of things to come.

Reality has shown it is stranger than fiction. And if you are mad at the movie for not getting things straight (male kangaroo with the physics of a female, because of the pouch) or think it is too simple in its depiction of certain characters: try to see this for what it is ... a comedy. Yes it tries to educate in a sense to be more sensible at times, but overall it aims to entertain more than it does to educate. Conspiracy theorists are easy targets - that does not make them less people or human of course.

The movie also is not a blueprint on how to deal with them. There are some solutions ... some suggestions on things you could try out. But the movie shows that it might backfire too ... in a bigger way than you may think. One thing is for sure, arguing with someone online is not going to solve much ... talking to someone you know and trying to talk to them on a personal level on the other hand ... might.

The Offering
(2022)

Give it a .. rest
Or an offering I suppose - no pun intended. If you are into horror movies, you may not care for inconsistencies and stuff like that. And it is well done/shot, so there is that to look forward to. The acting is also at least decent. The story begins in the past and we get to see something that is still ... well haunting the present. Which is something that will be apparent quite quickly.

The movie title is a bit of a giveaway I suppose, but it does not tell too much. Also as you know horror movies (most of them) are not too complicated to begin with. Which may be the reason they try to shock you ... even after they are over (no pun intended) ...

Das Lehrerzimmer
(2023)

Lesson
No pun intended - I am really hard on German dramas at times. Because I understand the language I may be able to detect flaws and bad acting - at least what I would call bad acting. Now let's not even go that direction, because this movie blew my mind. Yes I too can learn a or my lesson! This had me on the edge of my seat at times ... and the tension was ... you could feel it.

The direction, the acting, the cinematography, the sound design, the set and costumes ... this is really as good as I heard it was. And I can say that it will be in my top 20 movies of the year for sure! Yes I can say that at this point in time - there is no chance I will watch 20 other movies that are all better than this ... just not happening.

The title is giving a bit away, but actually not much. You know this plays at a school and that teachers are the main theme here ... obviously pupils will be a subject too ... more than one that is. And then you have ... well once something is set into motion ... as the Germans would say: wenn der Stein ins Rollen kommt ... which means the same thing as what was set in motion can't be stopped ... or does it? It is going to be hard for sure - and more than one players have to help make it happen.

Doing the right thing is not always the way to go. As the saying goes "no good deed goes unpunished" ... not being able to say what she thinks most of the time, restrictions and trying to connect both teacher world and student world kind of are tearing our main character apart ... a movie that is so rich and has so many things to discover about it ... I can't praise it enough ... let's lift it up in the air ... and with this I'll say goodbye and you can make up your own mind ...

Living
(2022)

Life is for the living
Movies are for ... those who watch them? No pun intended - you may be aware of the original movie this is based on "Ikiru" by Akira Kurosawa. If not, I suggest you go watch it ... like right now! Not even kidding - you can read my review of it if you want to, but watch it, that's all I've got to say.

That out of the way, this is a really good movie in its own right. And it is because of the strong base this can built upon. So there is a strong script/movie to draw from and then you cast Bill in the lead role. He is a national treasure for sure. He is a treasure for anyone who loves movies that is. He begins quite stoic, we do not get to see much of him ... and the movie also has a new guy ... who represents the audience. He doesn't know much about the business, about the job and his new life he is about to embark. Just like us in a way.

But Bill takes over ... and how well he does it .. it is amazing. If this does not touch you in any way ... well you should check your pulse as they say. Well told and well filmed, with some good music/soundtrack to boost too ...

Kompromat
(2022)

Eye of the (russian) tiger
And his will to survive - well this is not a movie about boxing, so no pun intended. I assume you knew this anyway, but just wanted to make sure, you'd understand my method and my summary (head)lines. We have something that is based in reality or something that actually happened - I did not check what things were made up or exaggerated, in case you were wondering.

The movie is heightened for sure and has quite a few near misses and a lot of tension. You may be wondering what is happening at times, but the time frame and the timeline jumps are carefully chosen, so I reckon most will be able to follow ... well no pun intended again, since some in the movie seem unable to follow ... well the movie would not happen, if they did.

It may be a bit too long for its own good ... and I thought there was an ending 20-30 minutes before the movie actually ended ... we needed another highlight I assume ... can't just let the movie ... drown like that ...

No Way Out
(2022)

How far will you go?
Or as a song once asked: how deep is your love? Well that song has been done over and over again of course, but you get what I mean. So no pun intended of course. The movie is quite predictable. The minute our main character is being given a choice ... because of something that happened in the past according to his partner ... well I doubt many will be surprised about where this is going and how it is being resolved.

Good looking people who seem to love each other a lot ... way too much you say? Maybe ... maybe even "criminal" one might add ... but that we have to see. Nudity and some violence may be a bit too much for some (you can't be too sensitive if you want to watch) ... but it comes with the territory ... and the "territory" has to be protected .. doesn't it?

See all reviews