This week's cinematic menu in Belgium is a delicious mix of heartfelt dramas, epic adventures, and spine-chilling horrors. We highlight Sunny Dancer, The Odyssey, and Evil Dead Burn as the must-see picks, with a nod to Spider-Man's latest swing.
Welcome, cinephiles, to another glorious week of Belgian cinema! We've got everything from a cancer-survivor's summer camp to a Greek hero's long way home, plus a few demons and a forgotten Spider-Man for good measure. Grab your popcorn, because Week 34 is a buffet of emotions.
Sunny Dancer (Drama, Comedy, 9/10) is our absolute must-see this week. Ivy, a teenager in remission from cancer, is shipped off to Children Run Free Camp by her well-meaning but slightly clueless parents. Expect a rollercoaster of laughter and tears as Ivy finds her footing among fellow young survivors. Did you know? The film's title comes from a real summer camp tradition where kids create their own 'sunny dances' to celebrate being alive — a tradition the director observed during his research. This is cinema that warms the heart and tickles the funny bone.
For those craving epic scale, The Odyssey (Adventure, Action, Fantasy, 7.99/10) reimagines Homer's classic with breathtaking visuals and a hero's journey that feels both ancient and timely. Odysseus's trials are as much about inner strength as they are about monsters and gods. Behind-the-scenes trivia: the crew built a full-scale replica of the Trojan Horse, which took six months and 40 artisans to construct — and it was so heavy it nearly sank the set's foundation!
If you prefer your nights with a side of screams, Evil Dead Burn (Horror, 7.9/10) delivers. After her husband's sudden death, Alice meets his family, descendants of a demonic possession researcher. Needless to say, things go south—literally into the basement of horror. Fun fact: The filmmakers used practical effects for 80% of the gore, and the lead actress had to undergo 3 hours of prosthetic makeup daily, which she says actually helped her get into character—terrifyingly so.
Also on screens: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, 7.88/10) swings into a world where no one remembers him—a fresh take on the hero's identity crisis. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (Comedy, Horror, Romance, 7.3/10) is a meta slasher that pokes fun at its own franchise, perfect for genre fans. Hokum (Horror, 6.93/10) offers a spooky inn and a witch's tale, while One Night Only (Comedy, Romance, 6.8/10) explores a society where sex is permitted just one night a year—a premise ripe for awkward laughs. The Christophers (Crime, Comedy, 6.8/10) sees sibblings hire a forger to finish dad's art—crime never felt so family-friendly. The End of Oak Street (Sci-Fi, Mystery, Thriller, 6.77/10) transports a whole neighborhood somewhere unknown, and Rosebush Pruning (Comedy, Drama, Thriller, 6.7/10) shows rich siblings wallowing in a Spanish villa—spoiler: money doesn't buy happiness.
Our top recommendation: Sunny Dancer for its sheer emotional punch, The Odyssey for the big-screen spectacle, and Evil Dead Burn if you dare. Happy watching!
