last two weeks or so:
Iep! (2010) The director saw her film hijacked from her by the producers and has since withdrawn her name from it. Too bad this black veil surrounds what still (even in this truncated form) must be the best Dutch childrens movie in years. Poetic and quirky and truly a joy for all the ages.
The Wolfman (2010) This one also seems to be truncated, but this time only to be able to sell the movie again on dvd… commercial horrors aside this is also a fine movie. I haven’t seen em this gothic in years and there is plenty of blood and gore too. The story is nothing new or shocking but told with great skill
Nine (2009) great actors, interesting story, it just doesn’t really work as a musical…
Harry Brown (2009) b-territory revenge story gets killed by more artistic aspirations. The gun buying scene is classic, but instead of going over-the-top from there it just slowly keeps going nowhere.
Shutter Island (2010) interesting noir-ish mindfuck from Scorsese brought with great skill. It failed to really grab me though.
An Education (2009) also interesting and unable to be much more.
Mushukunin Mikogami no Jôkichi: Kiba wa Hiki Retsu Ita (1972) Trail of Blood bloody jidaigeki, good setup for the series
Mushukunin Mikogami no Jôkichi: Kawakaze ni Kako wa Nagareta (1972) Fearless Avenger the least of the three in my opinion
Mushukunin Mikogami no Jôkichi: Tasogare ni Senko ga Tonda (1973) Slaughter in the Snow not really a final to the story arc of the Jokichi character, just another episode, but I guess they didn’t want to continue after this one. Maybe because the downbeat anti-hero is reluctant to help others in his singular need for revenge. He let’s people get killed or raped as long as the attackers don’t bother him. But it has got funky music, lot’s of blood and great cinematography going for it, so you don’t hear me complaining.
El Ataque de los Pájaros (1987) Evil Birds interesting concept with very poor execution. the birds looked more frightened than scary
Minagoroshi no reika (1968) I, the Executioner brutal noir, great cinematography, loads of style, cool story. highly reccomended
Baba Yaga (1973) adaptation of an episode of the Crepax comic Valentina. Loads of surreal weirdness
Hanno cambiato faccia (1971) They Have Changed Their Face Another Corrado Farina movie. I liked this one even better than Baba Yaga. It’s both a satire on consumerism and a modern (but still very gothic) re-telling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I loved the little Italian cars roaming the grounds around Nosferatu’s villa like wolves, the de Sade LSD commercial and the stunning beauty of Francesca Modigliani.
After seeing these two I think it’s fair to describe Farina as an Italian William Klein. Both have done great satires set in an area they used to work in (commercials and fashion respectively).
Col Cuore in Gola (1967) Deadly Sweet a giallo, a pop-art comedy and lots of nods to godard and antonioni (blow-up was made the year before) rolled up in one sexy package. loved it!
White Shadows in the South Seas (1928) a doctor sick of the corruption white civilisation has brought to his island community is given a one way ticket to hell by the pearl merchants who like to see him dead. But luck has it that he ends up in an uncorrupted paradise. How long will it take before the whie shadow reaches out again? a nice message, certainly considering the time this movie was made and wonderful footage of a south seas paradise world.
