henriqueac-62783 Reviews

Contraband (1980)

Not the average cop movie

[7/10 · 20 November 2023]

This movie sure as hell is full of graphic and sexual violence. But this we all knew before watching it. It is really redundant to say that a Lucio Fulci's movie is full of gore and may contain some rape scenes.

Luca and his brother are two smugglers who got deceived during an operation. As story unfolds, we watch a sort of gang dispute full of killings. Despite all we can say about the plot not being very interesting, Fulci manages to make the whole movie seem to last "only 10 minutes".

Alright, it is not remarkable to say that we've liked this movie due to it's gory death scenes, nudity, shootings and so on so forth. But I mean, thruth be told: it is what it is. Let's just not stick to the plot simplicity and moral values this time and say that it was good because of all that things which are actually bad.

It wasn't Fulci's best effort, but I will give it seven out of ten for being a so-called "eurocrime" movie so "out of the box".

Blood, Sweat and Fear (1975)

General view

[6/10 · 18 November 2023]

The movie is a guaranteed nice time if you are looking for this sort of "eurocrime" stuff. But personally I thought it was a bit dramatic.

The heroin addicted girl and her mom stood out for me. Much more than the whole "training the younger cop thing". Also, for an one hour and a half lenght movie, which we already knew who the bad guy was and what he was doing, the time should have been filled with more people being subjected to a beating.

However, I may say that, when it came down to shootings and car chases, the movie delivered the goods. Perhaps they should have worked more on the bad guys characters, so they could've looked more... "exotic", let's point this way.

It was not the best italian cop tale, but I would watch more of the "Mark, the narc" series.

Suburra (2015)

very good

[9/10 · 8 November 2023]

It all begins when a politician's menage a trois end up with a underage girl dying. A crook and the other prostitute from the menage go dispose the body. But when the crook tries to blackmail the politician, the parliament man asks his contact, to hire someone to scare the ambitious blackmailer.

However, the story actually evolves around a gangster old man who is trying to get politicians to approve a law. This law would turn the place they live into a fancy place, with cassinos and this sort of things. With this being said, we get to the highest point of the movie: the mob. The gipsy family and the "number 8" guy allies are what makes this movie so great.

In the end, it is as if we got to see a small picture of this characters lifes. Somehow, between threats, shootings, kidnappings, sex, general violence and conversations, all the characters life's are connected. It is a very unfortunate chain of events that bring to light a very nice movie. A movie that not only fill it's running time with lots and violence.

Desamantes (2019)

review in foreign language

[6/10 · 27 September 2023]

Unfortunately it is gonna be me the first one to review it. I tought it was not a so funny movie, but I understand that where there is drama and relationships, we are bound to laugh a little to. The story is about a paranoid guy and a whore who are about to have sex. But the guy sees lots and lots of problems in the relationship he paid to have. Consequently the ended up chatting a lot and doing drugs. It is pretty clear that the dude has some women in his life with whom he had some messed up relationships. As for the woman, she sees this man as a challenge, he paid her the money in advance and she does it all to deliver the job. It seems that she will only excuse herself for being where she is after getting the work done. Not being the best thing you are ever going to watch, it is also not bad either.

Brimstone (2016)

Sad and epic

[9/10 · 5 August 2023]

Movie about a ruthless world which women had no power at all. We follow Joanna's story since the days she was a small girl until she is already a woman. She is a warrior, she suffers a lot, she had a chance to be happy but it was taken from her. This so-called reverend is hell on Earth, the guy was her father. I did not want to give any spoilers, but the following is really not one anyways: the reverend is a curse, a demon who chasses poor Joanna through her life. Almost every man is scum, is evil and, among all women, Joanna had a friend. Indeed she did, but destiny was not very good to her to. Great movie.

Another Soul (2018)

I did not understand

[8/10 · 30 July 2023]

I did not understand why so much hate. I mean it is a brief and cheap movie with poor dialogues. The plot is indeed easy: a woman sold her daughter's soul for money, in order to save her husband's life. The woman was skeptical. What happended here is that this is not supposed to be the first horror movie a person watches. And why? Because it is a movie full of clichés and it does not takes itself seriously. For example, the character of the priest, is useless for the plot, it is sheer enterteinment. The mother laughs when she shouldn't and the young girl is stone cold. There are no remarkable characters is this one. This is a movie for those who had watched many horror movies but, now, they wonder: "do I really like horror?". Can I spend my whole carrer provoking the audience? Shooting movies that work as a question "are you really watching this?". Well, I sure can. Why not? Surely, "Another Soul" is sloppy in it's task to depict violence, in the end, for example, they insert the character of the deceased girl's father in the combat totally out of the blue. It was not meant to be funny, however sometimes it was. But it had a solid pace and it was a straighforward flick. Didn't you want tension, darkness and cry, well, it delivered. Funny fact, in the first time I watched, I was did not like it, I was with my head somewhere elsse. This time, I accidentally started watching it again. I was not utterly bothered by it. It was what I call "a 4AM horror movie".

Trinity Is Still My Name (1971)

two kids

[7/10 · 9 April 2023]

Come on, these are two kids fighting they way in the old west world as horse thieves. Trinity seems to be more outgoing, better with girls but still, harsh and ruthless against the enemies. Meanwhile, Bambino, as the name says "bambino" seems to be even younger. Bambino does not know how nothing works, he is totally impolate and violent. The latter, moreover, is a more experient thieve and he is surely a pro when it comes down to drinking whisky. It is a subtle comedy, a movie to unwind, a very light movie. Some scenes gripped more my attention: the beginning, the card game and the boys attempt to eat out in a fancy restaurant. Good movie genre to visit sometimes.

The Tough Ones (1976)

very nice

[9/10 · 7 April 2023]

Basically it is just Leo Tanzi bringing bad guys to justice. As a '94 born man, I would say this is a kind of video game story which is set in the nineteen seventies. A tough, yet crooked, cop, Leo Tanzi, which is also a fearless man of the law, goes after the bad guys. Some of the bandits are meticulous, whereas others are just insane. A one hour and a half movie which does not let the action stop at any time. Car chase, shootings, fistfights, rapes and violence against woman in general... Also, blood and a few guts... And of course, some nudity. The italian movie industry never let us down, specially Umberto Lenzi.

Prey for the Devil (2022)

girls on the spotlights

[8/10 · 3 April 2023]

I am not giving ten out of ten stars because there is no iconic demon or monster in this movie. Also, the end seemed to be a little fast and much to happy. "The devil sheds a light in the depths of the mind of the victim. In the darkest places." There was a quote like this. There is not much dialogue, but there is a continuous action indeed. The nun had a child, she didn't keep the kid because she was too young. Turns out the kid is the one who is possessed. What a unfortunate event, huh? I mean, the plot is not so fancy, the same demon possessed grandmother, mother and daughter. It is even a little funny. Nice jump scares. Great horror movie.

Limbo (I) (2019)

good ideas

[6/10 · 30 March 2023]

A strange movie which the prosecutor tries to send a killer to hell while the defence attorney tries to save the killer's soul by sending him to heaven. The murderer story is brought to light by flashbacks and it is quite funny because other deceased people are called to give their statement as witnesses. Not much violence or sex here, I like ninety minute movies, specially those who have a good plot. A plot twist by the end is well placed. But I suppose that hardcore movie fans will not be surprised by this so-called plot twist. It is a horror and comedy movie, but it is not so funny or scary. However good performance made me feel like if I was in a theatre.

Naked Girl Murdered in the Park (1972)

If you like the genre this should be more than fine

[8/10 · 26 March 2023]

Good plot twist. Not meant to be remembered. Maybe it is more like an episode from a serie? Got here for the mistery, stayed for the sex. Perhaps all these previous sentences could be used to describe this movie. People hold a grudge from others, people are cheating on each other, family ties are not so strong, some characters are very exquisite, others are indeed strange... Well, it is more or less a classic giallo, the girl is receiving treats and she is scared, the guy is there for her, the killer could be anyone, the setting is very unique and in the end, things are explained. Moreover, some characters seemed to be unnecessary.

The Case of the Bloody Iris (1972)

Almost educational

[8/10 · 12 March 2023]

There are two movies in one. There is the erotic part which could be developed until it became a adult movie and there is the thriller part in which Jennifer is being followed. But Edwige Fenech as Jennifer is so sexy, you know? She is so fragile and scared. Jennifer is just like a doll whose men takes advantage of. How would the girl defend herself? She is not capable of facing her stalkers and now she is trying to stay away from all the group sex activities she was into. Every now and than Jennifer is naked and she is being called a w-h-o-r-e. Is Edwige Fenech screwing me around? Let's not talk about this, let's just say that, among all things, there is also a killer there. Of course, my old cowboy pal George Hilton was there to, facing his demons.

The Grapes of Death (1978)

Wanderer of solitude

[6/10 · 1 March 2023]

Such landscapes and general setting made it look like the characters were to small, or maybe there were so little of them that the setting really turned into something that could call my attention a lot. It is a slow paced plot and literally: slow paced zombies. European movies sometimes seems to don't actually belong to their original genre, here, there seems to be so much melancholy and finesse, that even in the violent and gory scenes, it feels light for my mind. Sometimes a caught myself thinking "man, these girls have been walking around a lot, just being scared, although nothing happened for a while now. But it is a good movie indeed. A half a century ago movie. Hahaha. Gotta love'em.

Nazi Undead (2018)

worth a try

[7/10 · 20 February 2023]

This is a cool little movie about a girl and his boyfriend being lost in the middle of nowhere. In the search for a shelter they realise that they are in a haunted house. It is that same old approach which depicts a young girl starring an horror movie. What is different here is that they manage to do much with a cash shortage. I mean no bug studios behind this one. The movie begins where a teenage comedy ended, or at least it looked like it. Then the plot unfolds. Of course, it is a narrow plot in a short movie with a shortage of cast, but the psychedelic horror really does the trick in this one. Sometimes it just looked like a really old mute movie.

The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974)

Weird... and then good

[6/10 · 8 January 2023]

I can't say a lot of things about Silvia, but I can tell you that with the good looks, the woman also carries something crazy inside her. Her traumatic childhood and fear of being stalked along with the hallucinations she has, I saw it like this, make the movie interesting. Things does take too long to begin to happen but when they do, the movie take a turn for the best. Funny how the movie makes no clear distinction between what is really happening and what seems to be going on just on the woman's scared and crazy mind. Are women crazy? Emotionally scared woman are poor unfortunate souls and they have to be twice or three times stronger than many man out there to survive in our sick society.

X (II) (2022)

I should not

[10/10 · 7 January 2023]

I should not be writing this review but I will anyways, hope you all do not judge me, folks. This is a movie to be remembered. A number of totally straight folks go film a porn in a farm? Old secluded people will try to murder them? Does not get better than this. The plot is well built and once we reach the climax, it all go downhill quite fast, no beating around the bush. Sex, violence, farm and a dream to succeed. Porn is a devil worshipping thing, fellas. Now, is the youth all you got in life? Where do you see yourself from here to 20 years ahead? Moral lesson? Many questions being raised by me, but one thing is for sure: people should give it a try.

Well (2016)

nice

[7/10 · 6 January 2023]

This is not a bad movie at all. No one is actually a hero while many of the characters are... Let's say... They may have some personality flaws or they are very unconventional and polemic to say the least. When it comes down to horror, I believe things should be a little dark and unsettling. Plus, I did not begin to watch this to see a hero or some tough teenage girl saving the day. Although we know girls tend to save the day in the horror genre. But getting back to the movie, there are some side stories that sometimes made me feel a little tired. The point I should highlight, or better, confess, is that I saw myself laughing once or twice here. Maybe it is the booze, maybe is dementia or even the lust.

Der Tote am Teich (2015 TV Movie)

a brief thought

[7/10 · 4 January 2023]

I am just passing by to say that this movie constantly makes me feel like I am losing something. But in the end everything made sense. I mean, sometimes it is as if there is no investigation at all, it is like we are just watching these people everyday life there in a frozen Austria. The sub plot is funny with the detective's cat. But if I take in consideration the suspects of commiting the muder, well, these are even funnier. A drunk, a macho curling player... I would also highlight the character of the younger detective, who is a girl and is constantly non satisfied with her routine. She passed a sensation of total lack of confort to me. European detective stories are always very distinct because it seems that no one is actually a cop there. Maybe if one inserted a passion encounter there, this could turn into a drama or a romance. But it was cool anyways. I mean, despite feeling that these people made me feel like a fool, it was cool.

Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night (2010)

not memorable

[6/10 · 27 December 2022]

Not an out of the box movie. Not being innovative is actually common. It is hard to do something unique. The movie is not bad though. Nakamura is good in his brother hole, trying to help his sister and such. Perhaps the plot should involve the two youngsters seeking for more help. Perhaps those friends who came by their house should have said something more. I don't know how big was this movie's budget, maybe it does lack some more action scenes. Maybe some knifes flying through the kitchen would do the trick. However, that ending owes me no excuses. The girl all of a sudden makes me lose it...

Two Males for Alexa (1971)

Just to say...

[7/10 · 18 December 2022]

... that I watched and this is a pretty nice movie. I mean, no moral lessons were given and all characters have some serious personality flaws, but in the end I turned out to be a cool movie. An old wealthy ruthless man, a cynical girl and a... let's say... Incoherent fellow see themselves sharing a girl... The plot has all the conditions for a disaster to happen, but the way it happens is creative. I will give no spoilers here, but I am about to say that it seems that the old man was always in control... Too late, now I have already said it. Hahaha As always, these old italian movies has nice scenarios and clothes.. Everything seems to be very fashionable... hahaha.

Misery (1990)

solid seven

[7/10 · 12 December 2022]

Thrillers may not be exactly my thing but the movie is good and I know it. Maybe the story takes a little too long to unfolds and ends a little bit to fast and all of a sudden... But we can't deny that the atmosphere of the guy there tidy up in that bed, not being able to walk. If you are like me you just expected this movie to end and now you do not want to watch nothing else for a day... hahaha But really, what about that detective as well? Guy seems to have come from an old western... He should have asked for some reinforcements since he was the only one in town able to figure out where the victim was... hahaha.

Contracted (2013)

not bad...

[7/10 · 11 December 2022]

• Ok, nobody sees that clearly something is wrong with her
• Allright: we may spend the whole movie waiting to watch a freak zombie like ex human being killing people
• despite being ugly and unhealthy, the girl does not looks so scary

But in the good and bright side: good body horror movie, very dramatic as the plot depicts a girl turning into a zombie like creature in the most realistic way as the can be... Though it may seem a little prejudicial show Sam spreading this virus like an STD, it is allright. I mean, it is a movie after all... This is like a first step before you watch a classical horror movie with infected humans...

Secreto Matusita (2014)

10 out of 10

[10/10 · 4 December 2022]

Just passing by to say this movie is scary as hell and deserves a love letter. Hahaha This is the stuff and comes from Peru. From freaking Peru, man. They get into the place which may be haunted and such... You may have seen something similar already or say that this is just a bunch of clichés... But what the hell, man? It definetely works. The characters are perfect for this kind of stuff: the presenter, the medium, the skeptical and the girl. How long will take until every one of them die? Will they die? What is the plot? "Let's go there to that abandon place..." hahaha. It works during dawn or during late night, it is all I care. Nervous laughs here not ashamed to say.

The Desperate Hour (2021)

monologue

[5/10 · 25 November 2022]

People are hating this movie but the truth is that this maybe should be watched as a monologue. I mean I can not give seven stars to it and such, but I it is not entirely bad, it is a monologue, it could be presented in a theater. It does not fulfill our urge to watch violence and the plot has no twists or surprises, however, the lenght of the movie makes up it's simplicity flaws. If you look for a movie to watch as if you are willing to watch videos on youtube, this works out just fine. Perhaps it also works for the young audience. To wrap up: it is a very unconventional movie, with the right mindset, you may enjoy it.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

outstanding

[8/10 · 19 November 2022]

I usually do not watch westerns and when I do, I search for the so-called spaghetti westerns. But I have to say that this one is actually good. The word "epic" hardly ever describes the kind of thing that I like to watch, but this movie is epic, bearing in mind not only it's lengh and plot twists, but also the war scenario. This plot could easily be turned into a 10 chapter season of a western series. It seems that the "dollar trilogy" got better in the sequels, while me, as a viewer, believe that usually the prequels are better. Not here, indeed, the quality of the stuff seemed to get higher as time gone by.