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Johnny Mad Dog 2008
No stars here, because it would be wrong to rate this in terms of entertainment value. Also because, as a straight forward film, it does not fit the custom definition of entertainment. There is not much plot to speak of: a young boy gets recruited as a child soldier and then goes on a rampage until the final scene where he gets some sort of cumuppance.
Can I judge the realism of this movie? No. It is probably a mix where some elements capture reality better than others do.
It is, however, a very raw and visceral piece of cinema. The seemingly chaotic plot line perfectly fits the way this ragtag gang of child soldiers goes about their business. Completely desensitized to the suffering that they are causing and keeping themselves in that zone with drugs and the type of army chants reminiscent of all the army movie classics.
For fans of raw cinema. Or fans of war films.
Maggie 2023 ★★★★
An old man living alone gets a visit from a nurse. In an atmosphere filled first half we build up tension with the nurse wanting to take the man to a home and him seemingly not wanting to say goodbye to his widow.
At the half point, Maggie turns into a pretty well made haunted house story with some solid jump scares. And even a bit of a callback with the line about how “it's never the same person twice” is not just an indictment of the health care system and what not.
Four stars. Well recommended.
The Night They Knocked 2019 ★★
Bland low budget home invasion flick with subpar acting, a John Wayne Gacy looking clown and little or no redeeming values.
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