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I Saw the Devil, film, 2010, dir. Kim Jee-woon
Unrelenting and pointed enough to be compelling with violence that packs a punch, but the gratuity and grittiness feel, for lack of a better word, grimdark; from the fridged girlfriend to the gazing-into-the-abyss theme, it's also overly familiar. There was a lot I liked here as I was watching it, but my sum opinion is lacking. It does what it does well, but to be honest I Saw the Devil just doesn't do much.
Below, film, 2002, dir. David Twohy
A claustrophobic, paranoid mystery without succumbing to predictability or cheap tricks, and while not particularly frightening as a ghost story it has a strong atmosphere and a few hard-hitting moments. In no ways great, but a solid 3/5 and perfectly watchable.
Ginger Snaps, film. 2000, dir. John Fawcett
Rewatch, exactly as I remember it: a messy conflation of women/sexuality/coming of age/monstrosity, but one which is authentic and bloody and bold, lovingly-crafted—from the gallows humor to the surprisingly good effects and indulgent aesthetic to the perfectly rendered loving claustrophobia of the sibling relationship. Still one of my favorite movies.
Dark Shadows, film, 2012, dir. Tim Burton
More silly than effective, far more campy than called for, but the effects are often fantastic and there's some good character moments. I was content to see this once, it's funny and creative and highly indulgent, but it's too slight to hold up to rewatch.
V/H/S, film, 2012, dir. Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, Radio Silence
Better in concept than execution. The few good touches throughout these shorts—each has one or two, but the monster in "Amateur Night" and the haunted house scenes in "10/31/98" are particularly nice—get worn out by repetition and drowned out by frankly distasteful padding; the parade of sexualized and victimized women is unnecessary. I liked what this tried to do just enough that I'll watch the sequel someday, but I don't recommend it.
The Human Race, film, 2013, dir. Paul Hough
I can't possible give this a fair review, because this is one of my favorite (overly-specific) premises. I like Deadly Games in general, but find a race for survival particularly compelling; see also King writing as Bachman, The Long Walk. The Human Race lives up to the potential of its premise. It has good momentum and a willingness to murder its darlings, but necessary black humor keep it from growing joyless. The acting is solid. The end is a little madcap but not unacceptable. This was like a little gift, flawed and at times problematic but, for me, utterly delightful.
Unrelenting and pointed enough to be compelling with violence that packs a punch, but the gratuity and grittiness feel, for lack of a better word, grimdark; from the fridged girlfriend to the gazing-into-the-abyss theme, it's also overly familiar. There was a lot I liked here as I was watching it, but my sum opinion is lacking. It does what it does well, but to be honest I Saw the Devil just doesn't do much.
Below, film, 2002, dir. David Twohy
A claustrophobic, paranoid mystery without succumbing to predictability or cheap tricks, and while not particularly frightening as a ghost story it has a strong atmosphere and a few hard-hitting moments. In no ways great, but a solid 3/5 and perfectly watchable.
Ginger Snaps, film. 2000, dir. John Fawcett
Rewatch, exactly as I remember it: a messy conflation of women/sexuality/coming of age/monstrosity, but one which is authentic and bloody and bold, lovingly-crafted—from the gallows humor to the surprisingly good effects and indulgent aesthetic to the perfectly rendered loving claustrophobia of the sibling relationship. Still one of my favorite movies.
Dark Shadows, film, 2012, dir. Tim Burton
More silly than effective, far more campy than called for, but the effects are often fantastic and there's some good character moments. I was content to see this once, it's funny and creative and highly indulgent, but it's too slight to hold up to rewatch.
V/H/S, film, 2012, dir. Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, Radio Silence
Better in concept than execution. The few good touches throughout these shorts—each has one or two, but the monster in "Amateur Night" and the haunted house scenes in "10/31/98" are particularly nice—get worn out by repetition and drowned out by frankly distasteful padding; the parade of sexualized and victimized women is unnecessary. I liked what this tried to do just enough that I'll watch the sequel someday, but I don't recommend it.
The Human Race, film, 2013, dir. Paul Hough
I can't possible give this a fair review, because this is one of my favorite (overly-specific) premises. I like Deadly Games in general, but find a race for survival particularly compelling; see also King writing as Bachman, The Long Walk. The Human Race lives up to the potential of its premise. It has good momentum and a willingness to murder its darlings, but necessary black humor keep it from growing joyless. The acting is solid. The end is a little madcap but not unacceptable. This was like a little gift, flawed and at times problematic but, for me, utterly delightful.
