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Witching & Bitching is undoubtedly a film that could only come from the mind of Álex de la Iglesia. Anyone familiar with his artistic style knows exactly what to expect: chaos, over-the-top exaggeration, and a complete lack of limits when it comes to absurdity. For me, as always, that is both the charm and the problem of his films.

There are moments when the humor works and even delivers some good laughs, mainly through the way it plays with the ridiculous. Despite all the excesses, I stayed interested until the end, which shows that Las brujas de Zugarramurdi has some real entertainment value. The costumes of various characters are another plus, helping to create a visually curious and memorable world.

But then comes the more frustrating side. The narrative reaches a point where the absurdity takes over, making certain situations almost unbearable. To make things worse, basic editing mistakes stand out: characters disappear and reappear without explanation, cuts are poorly executed, and the montage does not always make sense.

What disappointed me most, however, was the missed opportunity to create a more atmospheric experience. There were elements that, if explored differently, could have resulted in a much stronger and more memorable film.

Witching & Bitching ends up being a curious mix: entertaining in some moments, over-the-top in others, with a handful of technical flaws that cannot be ignored. It is a chaotic work that can be fun and entertaining, but in the end, it is just that.

I was convinced to watch Night of the Reaper thanks to an opening scene I saw on Shudder's Instagram, which overflowed with 80s energy and atmosphere, with the background music pulling us right into the action and an aesthetic that looked like it came straight from a VHS tape. On top of that, I had read some opinions pointing to it as a whodunnit (films where we try to guess the killer's identity), a subgenre I really enjoy, so I couldn't resist.

But I quickly realized that the opening scene is, in fact, the film's highest point. The initial energy never transforms into artistic personality, staying only on the level of visual surface. It feels like the director nailed the "look" but failed to give it real narrative impact. The result is a film that works on a technical level but feels incomplete in terms of soul.

As for the story, it is not actually a slasher. What we get is more of a crime thriller with light touches of horror. The film tries to be a whodunnit but gives up halfway. There are not enough characters to create the mystery dynamic this subgenre needs, and the killer's reveal ends up being predictable. It is not that the result is bad, but it also never becomes truly good. It meets the basic requirements to keep us watching until the end, without ever raising the bar or delivering that sense of unease or surprise it seemed to promise.

In the third act, there are some twists that could have given the story more strength, but they are undermined by explanations that are too rushed, forced, and not very believable. The film lacked time and clarity to develop these ideas properly. Still, I appreciate the attempt to do something creative instead of sticking to the basics, even if the final impact was weak.

In the end, Night of the Reaper is entertaining enough, but it leaves the clear feeling that it could have been much more. The style is there, the potential too, but it lacks substance and stronger writing to really convince and make a mark. It feels like a missed opportunity to turn a good concept into a memorable work within the thriller and horror genres.

Judging by the marketing of Una noche con Adela, I was convinced I was about to watch a heavy, impactful psychological thriller with a frenetic pace, shot in a single take. The truth is, while the film is interesting, it never quite becomes truly impactful nor delivers the pace it promises.

The story follows one night in the life of Adela, a street sweeper who decides to carry out a personal plan of revenge against those who made her who she is. The idea of shooting it as a long single take actually works, and I found myself trying to guess where the hidden cuts might be, a curious little game between viewer and direction. At the same time, this technique traps us with the protagonist, forcing us to follow her every step without escape. Laura Galán delivers a strong performance that carries the entire film on her shoulders. Without her, Una noche con Adela would lose most of its strength.

What struck me the most was the contrast between Adela's lonely, monotonous routine and the unsettling events unfolding throughout the night. It's an uncomfortable portrait of solitude and revenge, and even when we expect her to commit something cruel, the character never stops evoking empathy. The problem is that the film constantly feels like it's building up to a big shocking moment that never arrives. It leaves the impression that something truly impactful is missing. In that regard, I believe Piggy (also starring Laura Galán) was far more intense and memorable.

When the moment of revenge finally comes, the result is bittersweet. The monologues reveal all of Adela's pain and rage, but the execution falls short. I was hoping for something more brutal and striking, not necessarily physically violent, but something that would provoke a strong reaction in me, and that never really happened.

Una noche con Adela is not a film for everyone. It demands full immersion and rejects conventional pacing, which might alienate some viewers. Still, I can say I liked it: it's bold, original, and has its own identity, even if it doesn't deliver the impact it seemed to promise. In the end, though, I still prefer Piggy, which despite its flaws, feels more intense and powerful.