Wow. This is my favorite movie of the year so far, which is really surprising because—and I say this in all seriousness—I’m not sure I understand it. It’s like a Hitchcockian thriller, if Hitch was a huge fan of Kafka. It is a marvelous, mysterious, psychological thriller, and it really did remind me of Hitchcock’s psychological thrillers. The one thing that really sealed the comparison for me was the score. Continue reading
Michael Haneke seems to be another one of those “love him or hate him” directors. His films are frustratingly slow and this, his feature debut, is no different. I don’t mind the slow pace, as I think there’s usually a method to his madness, but I could see those used to more mainstream films finding his work “boring.” Here, he also takes great pains to avoid addressing the characters with the camera. (It’s been a while since I’ve seen any of his other films, but I seem to recall that being a common thing with him.) For example, at the breakfast table we see the table laid out, but only see the hands of the family as they reach for the various items. It denies us a connection with them, but little by little, he lets us become closer, just as the camera does. I think I know the reason he does that, but to explain it here would ruin your experience. Continue reading
I’ve slammed Nicholas Cage for the atrocious Rage (among others), so it’s only fair to laud him when he’s good. And he’s good in this. As good as I’ve seen him since Leaving Las Vegas. All the performances are nearly note-perfect, especially Tye Sheridan as Gary. Given his performances in this and Mud, he looks like he’s going to have a hell of a career ahead of him. And I have to say I can’t remember hating a character as much as I hated Gary’s father, Wade, played by Gary Poulter. What makes this even more amazing is that Poulter isn’t even an actor, but a homeless man, who—sadly—died shortly after the film was completed. I have to think that a lot of the characters used were local non-actors, too, but (because?) they were so incredibly believable. Continue reading
A really solid police thriller from Belgium that borders on horror. It doesn’t quite have the atmosphere of a Se7en or Prisoners, but it reminds me a little of those films (especially the latter). I won’t lie to you—the subject matter is dark, which makes it hard to watch, but it’s not overly gory. Think of it as something along the lines of some of the British three-episode dramas out there.
The story seems fairly simple: a detective investigates the abduction of a young boy, but there are a number of twists and turns along the way to keep it interesting, and to keep you guessing. And to complicate matters, the detective himself watched his brother abducted before his eyes as a child, so his judgment is questionable.
Geert Van Rampelberg does a decent job as the haunted investigator, and the villain—the “Troll”—is one of the most unhinged since John Doe. You may think you know where this one is going, but it will spin you a couple of times before you get there.
IMDB gives it a 7.5, but I’m inclined to bump it up to an 8.0, as I could see this one being a contender for my “best of” list. (running time 2:11)
This one is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it seems very dated, and very low budget. I kept thinking it reminded me of an ‘80s film due to the soundtrack and lighting. Then I realized that the ‘80s film it reminded me of (one of them, at least) was Blade Runner. In fact, in many ways this could have been a prequel to Blade Runner. That’s not to say that it’s at the same level as BR, but for a low-budget Sci-fi flick, it’s not too bad. Continue reading
I’m a big fan of good horror films, and there have been quite a few good ones in the last few years. This one belongs on the list. I’m sure those who disagree with me will complain “nothing happens!” Even if this were true (it isn’t), “Seinfeld” showed us that there can be success in entertainment about “nothing.” Of course, what they really mean is there wasn’t a lot of maiming and slashing and gore and…you get the idea. No, this is much more of a psychological film. It blurs the line between reality and illusion just as it blurs the line between past and present. Continue reading
Thanks to my friend Lacey for the hat tip on this one. I thought I had seen it, but turns out I was thinking of a different film. Another South Korean film that really illustrates the level of talent they have. This one is a police thriller based on a real-life series of killings, although I’ve read that it can also be seen as a metaphor for the competing political parties in Korea during the period in which the film is set. I must admit to being ignorant of that connection, but I might have to watch it again after I read up on it a bit.
The film deals with a series of killings in a small Korean town (city?). The local police are uneducated thugs, who care more about prosecuting someone than whether or not that someone is the right one. Continue reading
Who Cares What You Think? 