Let the Right One In

In defiance of all that is "Twilight" I decided to watch a REAL vampire movie, one that has just been released but stands absolutely no chance against the legions of wildly insane "Twilight" fans, who can all just bite me. I'll stop there, as my disdain for the whole affair could probably fill a book. But no, instead of rambling on, I will instead review a vampire film that stands so far above "Twilight" that it makes this geeky chick all warm and happy inside.

Prepare yourselves, "Twilight" fans, this movie has SUBTITLES....ooooooh, I know, positively frightening. Okay, alright, I swear that's the last of the digs. "Let the Right One In" is a Swedish film that is gorgeous, haunting, bloody and yet, still at heart, a story about childhood, friendship, and that first feeling of love we all experienced when we were stuck in between being a kid and being a teenager.

It follows the story of Oskar, a 12-year-old kid who is tormented by bullies and dreams of revenge. A mysterious girl, Eli, moves in next door, a girl who seems to not feel the cold, and has a way of appearing out of thin air. The two strike up a friendship, and as events unfold, we discover that the fates of these two are entwined, with bloodily good results. It turns out that Eli is a vampire, and when her "caretaker" of sorts meets his end, her friendship with Oskar becomes much more.

The only drawback to the film is that is moves verrrry slowly, with spurts of violence and action, but for someone like me, who values substance above all else, the pace of the film fits the progression of the story perfectly. The cinematography is STUNNING, and the settings of the frozen Swedish country give the whole film a very crisp, cold, feel. The ending of the film is especially arresting, and I pretty much felt as if I had been tossed into some of the icy waters that run through this movie.

The film has already been slated for an American remake with the director of "Cloverfield" set to helm...the two films are literally at opposite ends of the spectrum cinematically, so I really have no clue how that's gonna work...

Anyways...again, "Twilight", bite me. I'll stick with quality...

Wristcutters: A Love Story

Wow, I ADORE this movie. Now, we all know I'm not the most girly of girls, so it figures that one of the only romantic films I love features characters that are all dead. However, in my defense, "Wristcutters" isn't just a love story, it's also wildly hilarious, and it has a FANTASTIC soundtrack.

Starring Patrick Fugit, one of my favorite underrated young actors, the story takes place in a sort of purgatory, where those who have comitted suicide live a bland, boring life. One of the most entertaining parts of the film are the little vignettes of each character's suicide, my personal favorite being that of Russian rocker Eugene, (who is based loosely on the lead singer of the band Gogol Bordello, a friend of the director's and whose music is used liberally within the film) who electrocutes himself with his guitar. Fugit's character is on a search for his ex-girlfriend, who killed herself soon after he did, while he meets up with Shannon Sossamyn's character, a chick who believes she doesn't belong in this purgatory of losers and is in search of the "people in charge". Featuring great cameos by Tom Waits and Will Arnett, this film is quirky, funny, and entertaining. Nothing in this movie is exactly what meets the eye, for instance, a particularly hilarious scene featuring our lovebirds after a touching evening together on a.....beach. We'll just call it that.

King of the Ants

I LOVE revenge films. I find there is nothing I like better when I'm feeling down more than watching some poor schmuck get the ever-loving shite beat out of him/her and watching said schmuck get their oh so deliciously cold dish of revenge. It's well known among my friends that the "Kill Bill" films are at positions 1 and 2 on my list of all-time favorite films. "King of the Ants" is quite high up there as well, and I never tire of telling people about it. But you've gotta be prepared...revenge films are never pretty, nor easy to handle, and "King of the Ants" is no exception.

Directed by Stuart Gordon, who is one of my favorite directors, (he just finished the harrowingly good "Stuck" featuring Mena Suvari and Stephen Rea....I definitely recommend that one as well, but when I say harrowing, I mean it...) but he is best known for his wild b-movie classic "Re-Animator".

Sometimes...we make mistakes. We're all human. We tend to screw up a bit. Our lead character, Sean Crawley...well, let's just say...he made a slight error in judgement. See, Sean's mistake landed him on the wrong side of some pretty unsavory criminals...including an unimaginably sweaty George Wendt, (who apparently is a huge fan of horror films, and was one of the films' producers) and the oldest, most slimy, Baldwin brother. These guys proceed to lock Sean up in a shed and beat him over the head with a golf club. But, as with any good revenge film, Sean eventually gets to lay down some swift retribution. They really pushed the limits in this film...you never really think they're gonna hit Sean with that golf club up until they do, and it is BRUTAL And then they do it again. And again. And oh my god NOT AGAIN!!!

WARNING: this trailer is NSFW, but it's the only one I could find...

Ravenous

I've mentioned "Ravenous" on this blog before, when I reviewed Guy Pearce's "First Snow", and this weekend, I just had a craving for a little, ahem...bite....of one of my favorite of Pearce's roles. The film came the year before "Memento" and has since been lost to obscurity, which is such a shame because it is one of the most unique films I have ever seen, and superbly acted by everyone involved...yes, even by David Arquette.

Loosely based on the stories of the Donner Party and Alferd Packer, (go ahead, wikipedia it, we can't all be weird history buffs) the story involves a group of soldiers in an isolated California outpost. All of them are dysfunctional, practically banished by the army for different reasons, and Pearce's character is no exception. When a battered and broken stranger shows up at the fort, (played perfectly by Robert Carlyle) claiming that he is the last surviving member of a group of pioneers, the soldiers head out to search for survivors. Of course, there aren't any, and the stranger is a lot more...voracious...than he seems. The movie is dark and bloody, but also quite hilarious at times, and features one of my favorite lines from any film..."HE WAS LICKING ME!!!" I can't tell you how much I love horror films that take place in the past. There's not very many of them for some reason, I guess they just don't sell well. People aren't frightened by the past, but I just love it when historical horror is done well.

Another great aspect to the film is the music, which was composed by Damon Albarn, who is best known for his bands Blur and The Gorillaz. It's weird and eerie, and somehow just fits perfectly.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

"Behind the Mask" was one of those movies that has been sitting in my collection for a while, but I had never gotten around to watching it. This is mostly because while I love the horror genre very dearly, I am not a fan of slasher/psycho killer films. They just feel so tired to me, and more of an exercise in how much you can disturb viewers instead of how much you can scare them, which is really the true test of a good horror film. So for a slasher film to entertain me, it's gotta be either really scary, or somehow it has to remake the theme in a fresh, new way. "Behind the Mask" does this really well, and the end product is a really great send-up of all the slasher film stereotypes in a darkly humorous way.

The plot centers around a group of grad students who are filming a documentary. They've been contacted by a guy named Leslie who claims that he is going to be the next famous psycho killer, and consequently the first half of the film is often laugh-out-loud hilarious as the crew follows this guy around as he sets up his victims, writes his own backstory, and even visits with a retired "veteran" of the business. However, we are talking about a psycho killer here, and the light heartedness takes a turn for the frightening when all of the preparation begins to actually come to fruition, and the film crew have to decide whether to stand by while the bodies fall or step in and do something about it.

Stuffed full of little inside-jokes for those who are familiar with the genre, (Leslie's pet turtles are named Zowie and Church, the names of the pets from Pet Sematary and Pet Sematary 2) and a cameo from Freddy Kruger himself, Robert Englund, "Behind the Mask" is a smart, frightfully funny film.

The Fall

When I first heard that Tarsem Singh was FINALLY making another movie, I literally burst from excitement into little pieces. For those who don't know, Tarsem directed "The Cell" way back in 2000. Reception of that film is generally mixed, but the one thing that no one can deny is the artistry of the stunning visuals that Tarsem brought to the screen. "The Fall" is Tarsem's return to cinema, and again, it is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful films ever made. If you were even mildly impressed by "The Cell", be prepared for a visual feast that will leave your eyes exhausted.

Unfortunately, the only weakness of "The Cell" was the limp, mismanaged plot, and it seems that six years later, Tarsem still can't tie together a gorgeous film with an equally arresting story. "The Fall" takes place roughly during the 1930s, where we find a Hollywood stuntman in a hospital after a botched suicide attempt. His heart has been broken, and he wants nothing more than to finish what he started. In walks an impossibly adorable little girl who is also a patient in the hospital. He tells her stories to get her to do little "favors" for him, such as stealing morphine. It's an odd relationship, one that doesn't lend itself to much sympathy for our "hero", and we only ever see the woman who broke his heart once, so there isn't much of a connection for the viewer to hold on to. The whole thing is quite reminiscent of "Pan's Labyrinth" but that movie does it so much better.

However, it is almost impossible to believe some of the sights you will see, and I still highly recommend this film, at least just for a rental. Tarsem is currently slated to direct a movie titled "War of the Gods" that is based on a mashup of Greek mythology. Here's hoping he can finally pull together his amazing artistry with a solid story.

Sunshine

Every time I watch "Sunshine", without fail, I am left utterly speechless and breathless, flailing for purchase in a reality that has been fundamentally altered. If this film doesn't affect you in some way, you must be a numb creature, and no friend of mine.

Lately, the treatment science fiction films recieve in the film industry is pretty apalling, and the way that "Sunshine" was treated was no exception. It's release date kept getting pushed back due to a "lack of interest" in science fiction, and finally lasted maybe a week in theaters with little promotion at all. It's a true shame because while it's true the sci-fi genre is pretty hit and miss, "Sunshine" is much more a psychological and philosophical journey than a straightforward sci-fi tale.

Set in 2057, we find the earth in a deep freeze due to the dying of the sun. The last hope for humanity is the crew of the Icarus II, a ship carrying a bomb that will

re-ignite the dying star. What really drives the film are the interactions of the crew, and they way that they deal with arising crises. Cillian Murphy is fantastic as usual, playing the role of the physicist who created the bomb and ultimately, the only one who can set it off. The mission starts out well enough, but the closer the ship gets to the sun, the closer everyone is brought to insanity. The amazing special effects help to convey the godlike qualities of the sun, qualities that have different effects on all the crew members, from violence to fear to worship. All sorts of philosophical questions are raised, reality is questioned, and sanity is just barely held onto with quaking fingers. When the mission becomes more and more jeopardized, you will find yourself literally on the edge of your seat, eyes glued to the screen until the credits roll. The last twenty minutes or so of the movie will blow you away.

To get the performances he wanted for the film, Boyle had the actors live together during the filming, and the sets were intentionally claustrophobic. The filming affected all the actors differently, and Cillian Murphy has claimed that the experience turned him from an agnostic to an atheist. Boyle himself has declared that he will not return to the sci-fi genre, calling the production a "spiritually exhausting experience". Boyle's most recent film, "Slumdog Millionaire", has just gotten a limited release, and already the positive reviews are pouring in. With a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, it's evident that the guy isn't going to slow down anytime soon.

Go and watch this movie now, and be prepared to be blinded by the sun...

Naked Lunch

David Cronenberg is one of my favorite directors. I have yet to be disappointed with any of his films, and as his last two films, "Eastern Promises" and "History of Violence" have both been nominated for several awards, it seems that the rest of the world is finally catching on to his genius.

My first Cronenberg film was "The Fly", and from the moment Jeff Goldblum's "Brundlefly" started crawling on the walls I was hopelessly hooked. He's a director who takes risks and will show you things you could never imagine in your wildest dreams and nightmares.

"Naked Lunch" is no exception, and is one that I hold near and dear to my heart not only because it is through and through Cronenberg insanity, but also because it is based on a novel by one of my favorite authors of the beat generation, William S. Burroughs. It's a dark tale of drugs, obsession, art, sex, and oh yes, we musn't forget the aliens. "Naked Lunch" is a semi-autobiographical tale of the strange happenings in Burroughs drug-infused life, set in a seamy noir landscape of femme fatales, talking typewriters, cigarette smoke, and hallucinations.

The acting on all parts is really what drives the film, especially Peter Weller's performance in the lead role as an exterminator/starving artist who ends up embroiled in a double-crossing network of intrigue. Cronenberg really has a way of getting amazing performances from his leading men. The film also features Cronenberg's signature special effects, with strange beings melding flesh and machine. Check this one out and expand your reality...

Sukiyaki Western Django

I knew going in that "Sukiyaki Western Django" was either going to be absolutely awful, or absolutely spectacular. That's usually the way that Takashi Miike's films are. He's one of Japan's most prolific directors, having made over seventy films, which range from the wildly surreal "Gozu" to the kids adventure film "The Great Yokai War". Some of his stuff is classic, and some of it is so awful it can hardly be sat through.

However, despite all this, I had pretty high hopes for "Sukiyaki" because it was partly produced by Quentin Tarantino, who also has a wildly hilarious role in the film, AND because it also stars Masanobu Ando, one of my favorite Japanese actors, who is best known for playing killer student Kazuo Kiriyama in "Battle Royale" and Yusuke Iseya, from the super insane "Casshern".

Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't knocked out either. "Sukiyaki" is best enjoyed as two hours of craziness that makes only the least bit of sense, but looks incredibly awesome and will at different times have you laughing out loud and staring at the screen with your jaw on the floor. The whole thing is very stylized and surreal; a mix between spaghetti westerns, samurai films, punk rock, and pirate movies. The cinematography is one thing that truly stands out. The colors are all gorgeously saturated and the sets are stunning. The actors all speak English, which adds to the who surreality of the thing, as no one is able to really emote while struggling to speak a language they aren't familiar with. This is the second time Miike has made a film this way, the first was his entry for the Showtime series "Masters of Horror", called "Imprint", which was banned from air due to it's extreme violence. That episode happens to be, in my mind, one of the Miike's worst attempts, and the actors' stumbling doesn't help it, but in "Sukiyaki" it adds to the comical aspect of the film.

I definitely recommend this film for fans of Tarantino and Miike, and also for anyone looking for some crazy good fun. But don't expect a masterpiece folks, this is pulpy cult cinema at it's best, you're not gonna find much substance here...

Transsiberian

"Transsiberian" is directed by Brad Anderson, who directed one of my favorite films of all time, "Session 9", which is a FANTASTIC psychological thriller that should get Anderson huge props due to the fact that he actually manages to get a good performance out of David "Sunglasses and One-Liners = High Drama" Caruso . Anderson also directed "The Machinist", which, much like "Transsiberian", is totally awesome until the end, which is really my only issue with an otherwise taut suspense film.

The story follows an American couple, played by Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer, who board the famous Transsiberian line which travels from Beijing to Moscow. I absolutely love Harrelson in this role; he plays a bumbling, wide-eyed tourist with the innocence of a kid, to much hilarity. It's soon revealed that the two have some marital issues; she used to be a wild child who was tamed by church-loving Harrelson, and the taming isn't going as smoothly as either would like. When they meet their cabin mates, the Spanish sex machine Carlos and his gothy runaway girlfriend, Abby, the suspense gets thick. It turns out that Carlos and Abby are transporting drugs, and inevitably the American couple gets all embroiled in the mess, with much blood and violence ensuing.

It's a great film, up until the very very last ten minutes or so, where it seems as if Brad Anderson just had no more gas left and called it in. He did this with "The Machinist" as well, and as a fan of his work, I'm hoping he manages to work this issue out. "Transsiberian" is still a really great film, with fantastic performances from all actors involved, and I can't wait to see more from Anderson...definitely give this one a rental.