Some Guy Who Kills People
Judging from the trailer for director Jack Perez’s understated horror/comedy, you’d think that the film would be heavier on gags than characterization. Fortunately for us, this simply isn’t the case. “Some Guy Who Kills People” has much more to offer than cheap thrills and cheaper laughs. Kevin Corrigan’s turn as troubled thirty-something Ken Boyd is finely tuned, giving the picture’s somewhat generic premise a surprising amount of heart. I suspect this one will eventually find its audience as soon as it arrives on DVD and/or Blu-ray.
The Devil’s Double
While some people are quick to label stuff like “The Human Centipede II” as the most disturbing movie they’ve seen this year, I’m of the belief that director Lee Tamahori’s “The Devil’s Double” takes that honor. Even if a quarter of the brutally unsettling events portrayed in this visually stunning motion picture are true, it’s still beyond frightening. Dominic Cooper astounds as both Uday Hussein and his double Latif Yahia, the latter of whom went on to write a book about his life with the Saddam’s unbalanced offspring. Simply outstanding.
Absentia
Don’t let Phase 4 Films’ awful DVD artwork fool you — writer/director Mike Flanagan’s drama isn’t an over-the-top supernatural thriller. In fact, “Absentia” is one of the few flicks this year that caused this seasoned review to shed a tear or two over the course of the feature. The story of a woman’s obsession with finding her missing husband is both eerie and emotional, a balance that is carefully managed by Flanagan’s intelligent script and steady direction. It’s movies like “Absentia” that make me glad that I write for a website like this.
The Skin I Live In
Writer/director Pedro Almodóvar’s insanely abnormal melodrama seriously freaked me out. The film is oddly humorous, strangely erotic, and incredibly disturbing, often at the same time. At its core, the story is about obsession and its effect on the human psyche, and, for the most part, it works. Performances from Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya are razor sharp, and Almodóvar’s direction is suitably cold and detached. If you’re looking for something truly uncomfortable, “The Skin I Live In” is the ride to take.
The Road
A few people have claimed that my recent review for “The Echo” director Yam Laranas’ outstanding ghost story was completely insincere, a fluff piece specifically designed to generate hype for a mediocre motion picture. That’s simply not the case. “The Road” is a genuinely scary, thoroughly enjoyable cinematic experience, and I’m not ashamed to share my excitement for the flick. As stale and redundant as the genre is at the moment, Laranas’ spooky endeavor arrived like a breath of fresh air. Do not let this one pass you by.
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