Tag: drama

The Wailing (2016)

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South Korean horror / thrillers can be a little hit or miss considering how many have been released in the last 20 years. The Wailing is a hit my friends. This is shot beautifully, is fast-paced, and seriously scary. It even manages to be funny at times. My only minor issue with the film is it might be a tad bit long. However if you’re new to dark SK movies, this is definitely not a bad one to start with.

Available on Blu-ray from Well Go USA.

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Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)

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A local translator for the UN in Srebrenica gets caught between her people and the Serbian army. This is a fictional story based on the very real, and very brutal, Bosnian war in the 1990s. In spite of not being directly based on historical events, it is a very effective movie. The acting is top notch and the cinematography is perfect. This is obviously dark stuff, but important on many levels. It’s also one of the best serious dramas I’ve seen in recent years.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

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The Hunter (2011)

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A gun for hire is sent to find the last Tasmanian Tiger. I love Willem Dafoe, and this is one of the better films where he is the lead actor. This is beautifully shot in unbelievable Tasmanian locations, very well cast, and has a great melancholy feel throughout. There’s a tiny bit of CG that does not look great, but the movie is so good it doesn’t matter. I still give The Hunter a perfect score.

Available on Blu-ray from Magnolia

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Capote (2005)

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As I’ve said in the past, I really try to avoid recommending Academy Award winners. I really love this film though, and have not heard it mentioned in years. Capote is the story behind the writing of the grandaddy of all True Crime books “In Cold Blood”, and it’s pretty much a perfect film. This is also my favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman performance (RIP). This is one dark, beautifully filmed, emotional movie, that I give a 10/10. Also, if you’ve never read “In Cold Blood” before, do yourself a favor and do so immediately. It really is one of the very best works of American non-fiction.

Available on Blu-ray from MGM.

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Things to Come (1936)

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I avoided this film for a while, but damn it’s really something special. The story is the unfolding of a century from war and chaos, to utopian innovation. I was already a fan of H.G. Welles adaptations since I was a kid, I’ve read some of his books as an adult, but I never really understood the breadth of his imagination until seeing this movie. Welles wrote The Shape of Things to Come in 1933. If it’s anything like The War of the Worlds, the book is FAR better than the film. In spite of that, to SEE how ‘30s filmmakers applied Welles’ ideas is truly stunning. Things to Come has a far more spectacular look than I would have thought was possible before WW2. In the beginning of the film everything appears like you would expect. As the story moves forward in time, it all becomes more and more wonderfully bizarre, and just keeps getting weirder. The grim war years are particularly something to behold. Bottom line, if you are a science fiction fan, this is essential viewing.

Available on Blu-ray from Criterion Collection.

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Under the Shadow (2016)

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Streaming on Netflix | imdb | trailer

You may have noticed I am not a fan of PG-13 movies. Well, this is an exception. Under the Shadow is a very creepy horror film set in ‘80s Iran during that country’s war with Iraq. Your city being bombed regularly is bad enough, but throw an evil spirit into the mix and you have serious trouble. Sounds like some full-blown Anomalous Cinema right? This is a unique film that I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope to see more quality dark horror movies come out of Islamic countries in the near future.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

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I Saw the Devil (2010)

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This is a very good South Korean horror / crime thriller from the director of the excellent A Bittersweet Life. Many folks love his film The Good the Bad the Weird too. The bad guy is the original Oldboy himself Choi Min-shik. Do I really need to say more? Nah.

Available on Blu-ray from Magnolia.

If you are a fan of Anomalous Cinema, please consider supporting this site by donating any amount (even $1.00 is appreciated) via Venmo @vergeoflight / Cash App $vergeoflight / or Paypal at this secure link. A Paypal account is not required. Thank you.

Athena (2022)

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Streaming on Netflix | imdb | trailer

This is a solid action / drama with beautiful camera work and an artsy, almost documentary feel. Centered around a low-income housing block, it’s cops vs activists vs gangs vs well-meaning Muslims. They’re all interconnected and it’s a crazy spectacle from start to finish. There has been criticism that Athena is all style and little substance, and it does have a few flaws. However I was thoroughly entertained and thought that the various plot lines were worked out by the end of the film. Yeah, the director could have made a powerful social critique, but he just ended up making a damn good, fast-paced, great looking film.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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On the Count of Three (2021)

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Two friends are fed up with the world, enter into a suicide pact, and whacky hijinks ensue. Jerrod Carmichael directs and stars in this entertaining buddy / black comedy. His co-star is the excellent Christopher Abbot (Possessor, Catch-22). This movie is fast paced and as dark as can be, while remaining legitimately funny throughout. You have to be a bit of a creepy weirdo to appreciate On the Count of Three, but that’s what makes it Anomalous.

Not available on Blu-ray.

If you are a fan of Anomalous Cinema, please consider supporting this site by donating any amount (even $1.00 is appreciated) via Venmo @vergeoflight / Cash App $vergeoflight / or Paypal at this secure link. A Paypal account is not required. Thank you.

Ghost World (2001)

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An irreverent girl graduates high school, and needs to figure out what’s next, all while navigating many weird characters in Anytown, USA. Well, not Anytown. It seems like a Middle America mashup of Austin, Portland, OR and a more typical, boring small city. Directed by Terry Zwigoff (Crumb, Art School Confidential, etc.) and based on the graphic novel by Daniel Clowes, this is a wonderfully unique comedy / drama. It manages to feature some hilariously surreal moments that will remind you very much of situations that have happened to you, or stories you’ve heard friends tell. “Man, the STRANGEST thing just happened…” If you have a counter cultural bone in your body, this is essential viewing. My partner and I still reference this regularly. We even named our cat after the lead character Enid. I rate Ghost World among my favorite films, and will never get sick of watching it. Younger viewers please be prepared for some “triggering” situations and dialog, or just skip it.

Available on Blu-ray from Criterion Collection.

If you are a fan of Anomalous Cinema, please consider supporting this site by donating any amount (even $1.00 is appreciated) via Venmo @vergeoflight / Cash App $vergeoflight / or Paypal at this secure link. A Paypal account is not required. Thank you.