AJ_Nel Reviews

Laid to Rest (2009)

A typical recipe slasher horror with a bit more high tech mask

[5/10 · 2 June 2024]

"Laid to Rest" (2009), is a classic slasher film; facial deformity, mask, big knife, final girl, and all. People run, people hide, people die immediately after they have done something endearing or redeeming. Everyone tries to figure out who the killer is or why he is killing folks. Acting by Lena Kathren Headey (who later became famous as Cersei Lannisfer) largely carried the acting side of the film (think Jamie Lee Curtis in that other series). The kills were often essentially off-camera and there was not much gore (bar for the final kill). I could not really pick up on suspense building, but that is often par for the course for slasher films. In short, it was a pretty run of the mill slasher and gets a run of the mill.

Abigail (2024)

An interesting take on a pretty tired genre but the real could have been done much later

[7/10 · 2 June 2024]

Abigail (2024), is a bit of a one trick pony which actually mostly worked. The horror film is created on top of a pretty stock standard "kidnapping of a minor from his / her scary mobster dad" premise. Initially (and despite the lazy writing) the film builds tension very well. The reveal however comes somewhat too "easy" and too early and from there onwards the film mostly falls back into a "killer picking off everyone one-by-one" film. On a positive note, there is a lot to like, both stylistically and from an acting point of view. The initial ,carefully created, suspense does not entirely fall flat after the reveal and the film remains mostly entertaining to the end. Worth a watch. 6.5/10.

Lowlifes (2024)

So close to being a game changer in the slasher genre, but opportunity missed

[7/10 · 2 June 2024]

Lowlifes (2024, USA), despite being just another slasher film, has a bit of a twist which makes it kinda interesting. The problem here is that the writer then failed to make use of an ideal opportunity for a double whammy. Instead she decided to incorporate a bit of a moral lesson. Things got somewhat worse when the writer / directors decided to explain the moral lesson to us "as if I'm five". That said, apart from a script which tied the film's hands behind its back (and did so immediately after almost delivering a knock-out) the film was decently directed, really well acted (given the script restraints) ,and had some kick-ass blood and guts effects. Even the cinematography and cutting contributed in spades to atmosphere and tension. It's really sad that the script did not capitalise on a brilliant idea. With the correct and logical second reveal, even the lacking dialogue would not have prevented this film from being an 8/10 film. As it stands, 6.5/10. Ps nothing against the writer in general, as her work on "The Influencer" was solid.

Pandemonium (II) (2023)

The horror of existentialism

[9/10 · 25 May 2024]

Pandemonium (2023, France), at face-value presents three ostensibly loose standing stories which all lead to almost everyone, fairly or unfairly, ending up in hell and going through a Dantesque process of suffering.

At this level the story engages questions around the moral values, if any, of those who "judge" humanity and as such the potential irrelevance of human existentialism.

There is also space for interpreting the film. An example of this flows mainly from the final aspect around the reincarnation of the Anti-Christ and the immediately preceding remarks around time being a human construct and not being linear. In each story we experience loss by the protagonist of family members in different ways, but there is always loss and there is always either direct or indirect guilt on the side of the protagonist. The argument for the stories thus dealing with reincarnation is not totally far-fetched and provides a solid thread to combine the stories into one larger story.

The cinematography was clearly influenced by writer and director Alexandre Claudin (Quarxx)'s artistic and atmospheric intent, inter alia demonstrated through the homage paid to various genres of horror films through the three stories.

The acting, especially by (at the time) ten year old Manon Maindevide, was top notch. The writing left obvious lacunae in the individual stories as well as the connecting story. Some might see this as a weakness in the film but it served an obvious purpose , both in relation to the main theme of existentialism / life-death-afterlife and the meaning (if any) thereof, as well as how the viewer gets his or her head around this theme, i.e. Through personal interpretation. Definitely a very unique film. 9/10.

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

Found footage done perfectly till the final act when it flopped spectacularly

[6/10 · 29 April 2024]

Drawing its principal inspiration from the 1980 incident between talkshow host, Don Lane, and magician turned skeptic, James Randi, 'Late Night with the Devil' presents a compelling found footage horror noir till almost right at the end. The ending is however so over-the-top that it totally destroys the credible "is this all created for ratings, or is this really happening' theme created throughout the film and digress into absolute and somewhat a lame 'deal with the devil territory'. Generally the film is very well directed with a plethora of homages to both 70s horror and 70s talk shows. The acting is mostly solid and the atmosphere is true to time. This could have been a masterpiece, but for the overindulging final act. 6/10.

Humane (2024)

Dystopian dilemmas captured in horror noir

[7/10 · 29 April 2024]

Acclaimed Canadian photographer (and carrier of the infamous Cronenberg gene), Caitlin Cronenberg dipped her toes into (well longer than one minute) directing with the dystopian horror noir "Humane". The film is set in a world where overpopulation requires all governments to meet a culling target and the US opted for voluntary culling against payment. A dilemma develops when through a series of events four siblings are required to decide which one of them should be "culled". Events start to play out with some very cool gore and more than decent acting. The facial expressions captured in unobtrusive detail truly enhanced the "noir quality" of the film, but certain scenes were somewhat over-the-top resulting in almost slapstick comedy. All and all an enjoyable film. 6.5/10.

You'll Never Find Me (2023)

Classic horror theatre brought into a contemporary setting

[9/10 · 23 March 2024]

With "You'll Never Find Me", Indiana Bell demonstrates that exceptional writing (especially dialogue) and acting, supported by atmospheric sound- and light effects, is all which is needed to create pure theatre. The minimalistic set (comprising the sparce interiior of a double wide) coupled with the very intentional use of sound (alternating silence and well-chosen dialogue, and a haunting score) truly carries the multilayered themes of this psychological horror with immense effect. A truly terrifying and engaginging visit to the dark recesses of the human condition; reminiscent of the writing of Poe, Jackson and Mamet.

Romancham (2023)

Hilariously funny and at times eerie

[8/10 · 11 February 2024]

"Romancham" (Goosebumps) [2023, India], is a Malayalam satirical horror comedy.

The film is loosely based on "hauntings" experienced by writer & director, Jithu Madhavan, and six of his friends in a house which they shared approximately a decade ago. As such the group unleashes a spirit when they play around with a Ouija board and realises that the spirit can correctly "answer" almost any question.

Madhavan's direction coupled with exceptional acting, by a cast mostly consisting of Tik Tokers / Youtubers and underscored by a perfect soundtrack, creates truly human experience. Hilariously funny and at times very eerie. The film is pure cinematic enjoyment.

Megalomaniac (2022)

Beautifully Nightmarish

[8/10 · 8 October 2023]

Megalomaniac" (2022, Belgium), is a film in the new French raw tradition.

Back story

The film follows the fictitious lives of the two children of the Butcher of Mons, the unidentified serial killer, who killed five women and left their body parts in 15 plastic refuse bags in streets in Mons, a city in Southern Belgium, during March and April 1997. The serial killer, thought to be Smail Tulja, who died in a Montenegro prison, was never caught and the investigation remains open.

Storyline

Felix (Benjamin Ramon) and Martha (Eline Schumacher), lives in the gothic family home left to them by their serial killer father. Felix follows in the footsteps of his father by murdering women at night. He further micro-manages every aspect of Martha's life by creating strict rules for her to follow. Martha works as a cleaner in a factory where she is sexually abused by co-workers, whilst the supervisor turns a blind eye. These events lead to Martha suffering ever-increasing psychological trauma, up to developing disassociative personality syndrome. The turning point comes when Felix accedes to Martha's request for a "pet" and he brings her a woman who is then chained up a bathroom, effectively as a pet. Martha's interactions with the "pet" gives an insight into her mental changes which culminates in Martha seeking revenge on her co-workers and involving Felix in her plan to do so.

Review

Karim Ouelhaj creates a nightmarish world where each scene holds a mirror to the ugliness of "humanity'. Inspiration from the scenes is taken from the Baroque era art works of Delacroix, Velázquez, Bacon, and Van Eyck, which gives the film the distinctive and visceral atmosphere of a never-ending nightmare. This nightmare world and the subtext, which includes the circle of the patriarchy, victim turning into monster, nature vs nurture, and the repetition of history, carries the film. The storyline itself, although uniquely told by focussing on imagery, remains intentionally underdeveloped. Schumacher's acting is superb, and Ramon is able to pull off the cold and calculated self-centred and almost vampirish, role to its full effect. Given the budget and three-week shooting time, the film is a masterclass is underground cinema. As such, the film is one to appreciate for its elements, more than a film which seeks to fully develop characters and storylines.

The Profane Exhibit (2013)

Moments of almost brilliance but way too many minutes of average viewing

[6/10 · 12 July 2023]

The ten year wait is over, but how to review this extreme horror anthology? Let's start with the obvious. Extreme horror anthologies usually suck. Partly this is true of The Profane Exhibit, but then there are also moments (really just moments) of almost brilliance. For most of the directors, these little snippets (most are about ten minutes) do not present their best work or even their most extreme work. Overall it is better than I expected (yes I expected very little), but it's nothing special and falls way short of the 10 year hype. Two snippets stand out for watchable storylines and three for their unique viewer experience (yes there is an overlap). This film is probably only for a select audience. I'd say probably a 6/10 for an extreme anthology.

Romper Stomper (1992)

A cult classic blueprint for the Neo. Nazi / Skinhead / Cult genre

[8/10 · 16 April 2023]

Having rewatched Geoffrey Write's 1992 Australian cult classic, "Romper Stomper" over the weekend, I felt a short review was in order.

Though essentially concerned with the violence and hatred (both racial and towards authority) without the neo-Nazi / skinhead groupings, the film is rather more complex. It thus fits into the "American History X" and to some extent "Green Room" category. A number of themes are explored, most pertinently, the need to belong in the more downtrodden / abandoned youth; the willingness to accept dogma merely not to lose that social tennant of human nature but also the need of group alpha to retain that following. This is done superbly and without wasting screentime or impacting on the overall pace. Though the violence is rather primal and filled with hatred, the cinematography and atmosphering use of Super 16, carries the film themes and the film never merely becomes another proponent of gratuitous violence merely for the sake of violence. Wright (also known for the excellent "Metal Skin" and "Cherry Falls"), did a phenomenal job on both the writing and direction side and the acting, from mostly a rather young and inexperienced cast, was top notch. The three main characters, Russel Crowe, Daniel Pollack and Jacqueline McKenzy (recently in Malignant) really provides career defining performances. Definitely worth a watch or rewatch.

The Unknown Woman (2006)

A rather gritty thriller from an unlikely director

[8/10 · 19 March 2023]

"The Unknown Woman" ("La Sconosciuta", 2006, Italy / Fance) is definitely not the type of film which Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradisso) normally writes and directs. Though essentially a gritty revenge film, Tornatore kept true to his film-making style by principally depicting complex human elements but without losing pace or authenticity. The film is beautifully shot, opting for flash-cut back flashes to depict the traumatic event but not squirming away from extremely violent assaults in current time. Kseniya Rappoport's stellar performance leads a very competent cast and performance. A worthwhile watch.

Shatter Dead (1994)

Interestling take on the Zombie genre but undeveloped

[5/10 · 4 February 2023]

Like many, I've heard that Scooter McKray does great no-budget blood spatter scenes and eventually pulled "Shatter Dead"(1994) up for viewing. Though, the script is very light (if it even existed) and the philosophical message side plate shallow, the film does provide a very different take on the Zombie genre and deserves two points for (somewhat) developing the idea. Bar for the acting by the so-called villain (which was another one point to the tally, decent), the acting disappointed. Cinematography was another one point meh. This brings me to my little gripe with the film. Despite using a lot of the standard Zombie tropes (e.g. Stuck in a vehicle surrounded by Zombies), there was zero suspense in the film. Finally, yes, the blood splatter was pretty decent. 5/10.

Christmas Cruelty! (2013)

Memorable but low budget extreme pshyco slasher

[7/10 · 4 February 2023]

To the best of my recollection, "O'Heilige Jul" ("Christmas Cruelty!") came out in 2013, i.e., before "Red Christmas" and is thus officially Norway's first Christmas horror movie. That said, the Norwegians have made some bloody decent slasher movies and are well known for having an "anything goes" attitude to making extreme horror (e.g., "Fritt Vilt" and "Dead Snow") "O'Heilige Jul!", though picked up by Unearthed was made on a US$ 220k budget and most of the key film crew, including the two directors (Magne Steinsvoll and Per-Ingvar Tomren) also had principal roles in the film. It thus sits firmly in underground filmmaking, and I tend to be more lenient on films made purely for the love of it and the burning need to "make a movie". Small budget films often must deal with constraints like shooting on inferior equipment, zero special effect houses being contracted and key personnel (e.g. Cinematographers and editors) not being industry professionals. It's clear that "O'Heilige Jul!", suffered amongst other things this exact list of constraints and the directors had to be ingenious in how they approached them. For instance, the anamorphic quality of the film (I assume VHS) was embraced to give the film a dirty, gritty (kinda like Schramm) and home-movie type (e.g. The first couple or minutes of Das Velangen Der Maria D.) atmosphere. Similarly, the obvious difficulties in the cutting room were embraced by exacerbating harsh cutting and cleverly adding some industry editing tropes. The film starts our serial killer Santa terrorising the captive member of a household and though it is brutal and fast paced, it is the foresight to cut away from some scenes which creates an additional layer of horror. The second act very successfully moved into character development placing the oddball dark comedy character development of the main supporting cast in juxtaposition to the calculated and sick character of the psychopathic killer. As an aside, the obsession and interaction with his daughter was written superbly. That said, the pace of the second act is way too slow create a cohesive whole and did not work in the greater movie. The third act is classic, though more extreme, final act psychopath slasher film, but with some well-scripted and -directed dark comedy sprinkled in and a great in-house soundtrack. The gore special effects needed a lot more work but did not destroy the film and at times worked pretty well (esp the knife work). Acting was much better than expected. All and all a very decent no-budget psycho slasher. 7/10.

Decision to Leave (2022)

Park Chan-wook showing of! Bravo!

[10/10 · 15 January 2023]

"Decision to Leave" (Heeojil gyeolsim) is a 2022 romantic thriller set around an obsessive relationship between a police detective and a murder suspect (brilliantly portrayed by Tang Wei). The inspiration for the film was drawn from the theme song "Aetage" (Mist / Fog) and Park Chan-wook incorporates this theme into every aspect of the film, including dialogue, plot, soundtrack and especially cinematography and editing. The complexity of a number of scenes is mind-boggling; with various timelines and dream / actual sequences all taking place in the same shot / sequence. The film is much more demure and subtle than the films like the so-called Vengeance Trilogy. Park Chan-wook firmly controls the viewer's cinematic experience and does so almost "effortlessly". A true cinematic experience.

Triangle of Sadness (2022)

Satire presented in a smart and entertaining manner

[8/10 · 14 January 2023]

"Triangle of Sadness" (2022), in its first act, relays the simple story of the interpersonal relationship between two fashion models who were gifted a cruise on a luxury private yacht. The second act expands by introducing additional role-players on the yacht and third act centers around the interaction between the survivors stranded on an Island after the yacht sank. As such, it is not the storyline which makes the film worthwhile to watch but writer-director Ruben Oslund's ability to weave satirical social commentary on even the most mundane subjects (e.g. The rich vs poor dichotomy and the battle of the sexes) into the story, and then to just let the camera take the role of a fly on the wall. Apart from Zlatko Buric (Pusher) who delivered a mini tour de force, the acting was competent enough though not spectacular. A fun film for a Saturday night.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Not as absurdly delicious as Swiss Army Man, but a close second

[9/10 · 14 January 2023]

"Everything, Everywhere, All At Once" (2022, USA), is the Daniels' first feature film since their uniquely absurd "Swiss Army Man" (2016). Essentially the film focusses on one day in the life the matriarch of a Chinese immigrant family in LA. The first act builds a detailed picture of the contributing factors to her life having become empty and nihilistic, e.g., her conflicts with her husband, father, and daughter but also external pressures such as an IRS audit and a serious mid-life crisis. The second act is introduced by her suffering a meltdown / panic attack which forces her out of inaction. Her introspection is cleverly demonstrated through a deus ex magina process where she is both forced to and assisted in accessing the multiverse and to do battle with the physical personifications of her real-life struggles. The third act culminates in an "acceptance" of her place in the universe. The film is written and directed in such a manner as to create a multiverse which is unique, chaotic, absurd, and funny. The fight sequences are highly over the top and almost continues throughout the two later acts (picture Yeoh in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). This however does not detract from the story and tends to underscore (similarly to the fight scenes in "Sucker Punch") the stubborn resolve of the matriarch and her "battle" to rediscover her persona. Direction is tight and focused and the cinematography top notch. Both Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis delivered sterling performances. 8.5/10.

Speak No Evil (2022)

Jordan Peele meet Marain Dora

[9/10 · 7 January 2023]

Speak No Evil (Goscie), 2022, is essentially an indictment against the impotency of middle-class Western Europe; told through two families who meets during their vacations in Tuscany whereafter the Dutch family invites the Danish one to spend a weekend with them. The eerie and sometimes cringeworthy interaction between the couples during the second act is brilliantly written and acted and the direction retains the atmosphere throughout the second act. The third act is somewhat reminiscent of a Marian Dora film and does not seek to create a backstory but purely emerges the viewer into a largely visual experience of an incident depicting polar opposite human conditions. The climax is pure Dora and not for sensitive viewers.

Das Verlangen der Maria D. (2018)

Reviewed as a double feature with Pesthauch der Menschlichkeid

[8/10 · 13 November 2022]

'Dead Centre of Desire' has been widely interpreted and various reviewers have alluded to Maria D being a play on the Marian Dora (and variations thereof) nom du plume. This might be taking things a bit too far as Dora tends to focus on a psychological aspect / defect of the human "animal". Unlike Melancholia der Engel and in keeping with most of his films neither 'Dead Centre of Desire' nor 'Blight of Humanity' presents themselves as complex cinematic works. The films are in esse someone holding up a camera (well someone who really knows how to get exceptional angles out of an SLR or mobile phone) to a scenario. Time is not wasted on creating a backstory or developing complex characters. The focus is on a scenario which will confront more than entertain. ''Dead Centre of Desire' does have a very distinct atmosphere and a more, dare I say, complex storyline than 'Blight of Humanity'. Dora wrote basic accompanying music which works well with the pace of 'Dead Centre'. The inside ('Dead Centre') vs Outside ('Blight') juxta positioning of the films is very interesting, and the detailed cinematography associated therewith rather beautiful. The raw violent third acts are also shared, but obviously the "human" condition which plays out, plays out consequently to different mental conditions. The films are true underground cinema, true Dora and as such not intended for all audiences.

Blight of Humanity (2018)

Reviewed with Das Verlangen Der Maria D as a double feature

[8/10 · 13 November 2022]

'Dead Centre of Desire' has been widely interpreted and various reviewers have alluded to Maria D being a play on the Marian Dora (and variations thereof) nom du plume. This might be taking things a bit too far as Dora tends to focus on a psychological aspect / defect of the human "animal". Unlike Melancholia der Engel and in keeping with most of his films neither 'Dead Centre of Desire' nor 'Blight of Humanity' presents themselves as complex cinematic works. The films are in esse someone holding up a camera (well someone who really knows how to get exceptional angles out of an SLR or mobile phone) to a scenario. Time is not wasted on creating a backstory or developing complex characters. The focus is on a scenario which will confront more than entertain. ''Dead Centre of Desire' does have a very distinct atmosphere and a more, dare I say, complex storyline than 'Blight of Humanity'. Dora wrote basic accompanying music which works well with the pace of 'Dead Centre'. The inside ('Dead Centre') vs Outside ('Blight') juxta positioning of the films is very interesting, and the detailed cinematography associated therewith rather beautiful. The raw violent third acts are also shared, but obviously the "human" condition which plays out, plays out consequently to different mental conditions. The films are true underground cinema, true Dora and as such not intended for all audiences. 8/10.

Dark Glasses (2022)

The most beautifully constructed colour saturated opening sequence followed by recent Argento giallo

[7/10 · 2 October 2022]

As a well-documented Dario Argento fanboy, I really rooted for the film to be on par with his 70s and early 80s cult classics. The opening sequences (and most of act one) were indeed made up of beautifully colour saturated- and uniquely constructed scenes; shot in an elevated 'Profondo rosso' style. However, the too thin storyline, lack of suspense and ridiculous snake- and mauling sequences did not work at all and merely made "Occhiali Neri' another Argento homage to his earlier work. It's worth watching solely as a beautifully shot example of classic (albeit toned down) Argento Giallo, which makes it still deserving of a 7/10.

You Won't Be Alone (2022)

Witches and solitary confinement used decently to explore the social contract and humanity

[8/10 · 18 September 2022]

"You Won't Be Alone" (2022, set in Macedonia) is writer and director Goran Stolevski's full film debut and presents a theme where a child essentially grows to the age of 16 without any real contact from the outside world and then (her being taken as a witch) having the ability to shape-shift, most pertinently, between the sexes and age. In juxtaposition hereto the old witch vicariously takes in these experiences (something which society precluded her from partaking in).l. This dualistic social experiment and the "lessons" taken from it in the greater application of the "contrat sociale", coupled with the inherent qualities which makes man human makes the film compelling (albeit slow) viewing. The storyline in as far as the developing of the witch as an entity and the interactions by her within society effectively becomes a vessel to carry secondary storyline and unfortunately this story is underdeveloped and rather flat, not to mention the cause of periods of essentially dead screen time. The acting is definitely better than average, though the atmosphere suffers from the "Eggers effect", though without the masterful handling of cinematography and score. In fact, the score tends to be overly ambitious with abrupt changes. All thus despite, the film builds a bond with the viewer and retains that bond over a period in excess of two hours; this is no small feat. Apart from decent gore elements, the film has little horror elements and would resort more in a drama category.

Housewife (II) (2017)

Very different from Baskin but an interesting artistic endeavour

[7/10 · 17 September 2022]

"Housewife" (2017, Turkey) is largely a style over substance psychological / cosmic horror film., with some very decent gore elements. Stylistically it presents homages to amongst others Lovecraft and the films of Argento and Faci. The influence of the latter two can be seen in inter alia the use of colour, metaphor, and camera angles. From a substantive point, one gets the impression that the intention was to create several causal nexuses and then to intentionally leave the ending open-ended, to invite viewer interpretation. The problem is twofold, (1) the ratio d'etre can only be one of two things or a combination of both, and (2) the input data is insufficient to reach a definitive conclusion either way. Simply put, the concept is not complex enough to leave it open-ended. That said, the film remains interesting enough to compel the viewer to interpret the metaphors and other audio and visual cues. The first act is especially well developed around cues, and some are well utilised throughout the film. An example would be the conclusion by the mother of the main character that her older sister's first menstrual period means she is bound to be impregnated to fulfil the needs of the cult and would thus suffer something she did not wish upon her child. Other aspects, e.g., the knife, the portrait, the longing for forgiveness from the sister all contribute to the hypnotism / induced dream state creating an opportunity (either actually or subconsciously) for a life changing moment for the main character, i.e. To "elevate" herself from "housewife". On the other hand, the cult is given an objectively tongue-in-cheek treatment (e.g., sexual gratification of a cult leader being paramount to the existence of the same, members of the cult demonstrating a childlike exuberance, the wearing of druid-like clocks by the upper echelon; the need for sacrifice for the greater cause). One can just as easily believe that the main character "tripped her tits off on schrooms" and had dreams / visions dominated by her childhood experience and current psychological state, as one can believe that either the main character or her sister had a birthing role to play in the cult and their mother wanted to save them from that. So, fun can be had with analysing the film despite a somewhat haphazard storyline. Acting was competent enough, though sub-par dialogue, which now and again popped up, could likely have been prevented by not opting for an English soundtrack, similarly ambiance and timing. Though "Housewife" mimics certain dream state elements found in "Baskin" (2015), the films differ greatly in almost every other aspect, demonstrating Evrenol's capabilities as a co-writer director. 7/10.

Vinyan (2008)

Heart of Darkness meets Lord of the Flies

[9/10 · 28 August 2022]

Vinyan (2008), is premised six months after the infamous 2004 Tsunami where a couple is working through their child having gone missing during the Tsunami. Without going into the story, the couple ends up "slipping" into Burmese jungle to search for their child where they encounter a group of feral children of approximately their child's age. The interplay between the environment and the mental impact of the loss of child forms the central theme in a film , which is essentially a homage to "the Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad, with a good helping of "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding scooped in. Fabrice du Weltz (director and co-screenwriter) teams up with his Calvaire cinematographer, Benoit Debie (who also works often with Gaspar Noe). As in Calvaire, the visual storytelling is enigmatic and conveys a dark, desperate, and ominous atmosphere which is perfectly complimented by using silence and lingering facial closeups. Though comparisons can obviously be drawn to Copolla's Apocalypse Now, as both films rely greatly on the influence of nature and tribal elements with culminates into insanity, Vinyan tells the "female" side of the "Heart of Darkness / Apocalypse Now" coin. This makes Vinyan compelling watching as it does not merely piggyback onto the "cruelty to locals culminating into insanity" theme, but hauntingly visualises a similar result flowing from the pain of loss. That said, the film is replete with metaphors and homages and though all serving very specific purposes, they might be regarded as pretentious by some UK / American audiences. Acting is top notch and Emmanuelle Beart delivered a tour de force performance. 9/10.

Breeder (2020)

Though thin on storyline, its still a very decent gore offering.

[7/10 · 27 August 2022]

With Breeder (2020) Jens Dahl, who wrote Pusher, elevated a rather predictable schlock / grindhouse offering to something decent. Yes, the acting "ran" out, but as it started off decent, I tend to blame the script for that. The cinematography, editing, set design, gore effects and direction all punched way above the film's weight class. In fact, Dahl did such a good job at setting up the film, that he might have created expectations which were never the intention of the film. Seeing the film as a tightly directed homage to the grindhouse genre (as pointed out somewhere else) with some solid nods to early New French Horror, would be more in line with the true nature of the film.