The Bloody Olive (1997)

Film noir, French for "black film", describes a very particular kind of crime dramas that originated in the early 40s and had very distinctive traits. For starters, thematically they had connections to the hardboiled school of crime fiction that began during the depression, this results in stories with greater cynicism and a taste for morbid themes. However, perhaps the most distinctive trait of the film noir was the low-key lighting in its cinematography, which played with hard shadows in the style of German Expressionism. This stylish cinematography, result of having low budgets to work with, became a staple of Films Noir, and while the classic period of the genre ended in the 50s, its visual style has inspired countless homages and tributes ever since. It certainly inspired a young filmmaker from Belgium, Vincent Bal, whom used a distinctive film noir visual style to make a comedy short film shortly after finishing film school. The title? "The Bloody Olive".

With a runtime of barely 11 minutes, "The Bloody Olive" begins with a married couple, Werner and Mylène (Frank Focketijn and Veerle van Overloop respectively) preparing themselves for Christmas. The couple finishes the Christmas tree and is seen getting ready for the dinner, when suddenly, the doorbell rings. The visitor is Sam (Gene Bervoets), Werner's business partner and a good friend of the couple, whom arrives with a bottle of wine for them. However, Sam doesn't look like he's having fun, and accuses Werner of being stealing from the company. Sam claims he has proof, so Werner reacts by shooting his partner in front of a shocked Mylène. Werner explains that there wasn't really another way to do it, and that Sam's death can easily be explained as self-defense. But things aren't always easy, specially in films noir, and to everyone's surprise, Sam gets up not being really dead yet. This is only the beginning of a series of betrayals that prove that in film noir, nothing is what it seems.

"The Bloody Olive" has its origins in the 1994 graphic novel "Imbroglio", by French cartoonist Lewis Trondheim; however, director Vincent Bal takes the plot and fully adapts it to better blend into the film noir style he attempts (the novel, while also a jab at noir, has less emphasis in this, and in classic Trondheim fashion, the characters are anthropomorphic animals): and all without losing the black humor of the comic book. Certainly, it could be argued that "The Bloody Olive" is a one-joke short film (perhaps the bane of ), and that would be right in a way. Fortunately, director Vincent Bal elaborates on the joke with great skill, and in fact achieves a smooth transition from straight crime drama towards the absurd black comedy that "The Bloody Olive" truly is. The story unfolds at a nice pace, which begins slow in classic melodrama fashion and then gets increasingly faster as secrets are unveiled. Nevertheless, the true highlight of "The Bloody Olive" is its craftsmanship.

And this because its actually in the way that Vincent Bal and his team replicate the film noir style where the magic of "The Bloody Olive" is. As written above, the film is faithful to its source, however, Bal's decision of replicating the film noir aesthetics is more than appropriate as it transforms what originally was a fun yet simple parody ("Imbroglio") into a heartfelt tribute to the noir genre. And instrumental for this is the work of both cinematographer Philippe Van Volsem and Art Director Gert Stas, who make a remarkable achievement in bringing to life the somber vision of director Vincent Bal. From the low-key lighting to the somber atmosphere, "The Bloody Olive" is just perfect in its representation of film noir style; and actually this faithfulness ultimately serves for comic effect, as the contrast between the absurd of its story with the careful replication of the noir style results in a tongue-in-cheek homage to the most morbid excesses of film noir.

The acting in "The Bloody Olive" is particularly good, with each cast member doing their best to replicate the melodramatic tone and fast delivery of the 1940s acting. Actress Veerle van Overloop (of 1995's Dutch film "Antonia") plays Mylène, Werner's loving wife whom results to be more dangerous than any weapon. Van Overloop shines in her role, moving nicely between the two extreme female icons of film noir: the loving wife and the femme fatal. With her natural charm and her strong screen presence, she ends up being probably the best performer amongst the cast. Frank Focketijn plays her husband Werner, and also makes a pretty effective job as the sly Werner. Focketijn allows himself to go over-the-top at times, but he's never out of place and displays a great skill at comedy. Finally, Gene Bervoets plays Sam, and while he is a tad inferior to his co-stars, Bervoets isn't really bad, perfectly channeling the tough guy persona so typical of films noir.

Cleverly developed and brilliantly done, this little tribute to film noir is a quite amusing piece of work. In making an adaptation of a popular comic book, director Vincent Bal has gone beyond and delivers a quite enjoyable movie that not only remains faithful to its source, it actually builds up from there to create a heartfelt homage to a classic genre. Certainly the visual design is the film's strongest element, but it's also commendable the way Bal adapted the original comic book to suit his needs. The reconstruction of the period is excellent for a low budget film, and it does feel right at home with the films noir of the classic period. Still, this doesn't mean that "The Bloody Olive" lacks any problems, it has its fair share of flaws; the main one of them being perhaps the fact that in the end, it's still a one-joke film. Fortunately, director Vincent Bal's has focused greatly in his craftsmanship to make it an enjoyable experience. Yes, "The Bloody Olive" is a film of style over substance, but done right.

A lot of the charm of "The Bloody Olive" comes not from being familiar with the story, but from being familiar with the conventions of film noir, as the classic elements from those classic crime dramas can be found in an exaggerated form in "The Bloody Olive". Vincent Bal's film is perhaps an example of how an adaptation can be inventive with its source: while Lewis Trondheim's comic is fun by itself, Bal's film neither replicates it nor exaggerates it, it merely uses it as the basis to make a slightly more ambitious comedy. In "The Bloody Olive", director Vincent Bal proves that with talent and lots of imagination, an unforgettable movie can be done in the short format.

8/10
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Jacob's Ladder (1990)

 One of the greatest misconceptions about the horror film genre is that it is a clichéd, predictable and juvenile entertainment based entirely on sex, blood and gore. Certainly, there are a lot of horror films that would fit that description without problem (and without shame), but the fact is that horror films go beyond that. And that misconception is so deeply ingrained in the mainstream audiences that often when a great horror film appears ends up as being labeled as a "thriller" instead of a horror movie, as if horror films were by default unable to present intelligence and quality. But they do, and a great example of a brilliant horror film that breaks that popular misconception about the genre is Adrian Lyne's 1990 masterpiece, "Jacob's Ladder". After having earned commercial and critical acclaim with "Fatal Attraction" (1987) and with a good reputation as maker of sexually charged thrillers, director Adrian Lyne tackled a much darker theme in this existential venture into psychological horror.

"Jacob's Ladder" is set in 1975, and is the story of Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) a Vietnam war veteran who works as postal worker and is trying to start a new life with his girlfriend Jezebel (Elizabeth Peña) after his ex-wife Sarah (Patricia Kalember) divorced him. However, his sanity begins to fade as he is troubled by horrible hallucinations and increasingly severe flashbacks to his days in the war, his previous marriage, and the years before his little son Gabriel (Macaulay Culkin) died. The visions of monsters and the return of the horrors of the war start to become dangerous to Jacob as the hallucinations get more real each time. Jacob is contacted by one of his former Army friends, Paul (Pruitt Taylor Vince), who tells him that he is also having hallucinations. As Jacob's mind shatters, he also suffers mysterious threats to his life, and the murder of Paul gives ground to the theory that everything is the result of the Army's experimentation on the soldiers. However, there's something more in Jacob's soul.

Written by Bruce Joel Rubin, "Jacob's Ladder"'s hallucinatory trip to madness is easily one of the most captivating and vivid portrayals of the horror of insanity ever put on film, and most of the film's success is thanks to Rubin's cleverly devised script. Complex and multi-layered, Rubin takes Jacob through hell and back in his quest for an explanation to what is happening to him, but given the unpredictable nature of his mental condition, there is never an only answer to the bizarre series of events that happen in his life. Reflecting his particular interest in metaphysics and spirituality (a constant theme in his career, as exemplified by "Ghost"), Rubin explores ideas about life and death, and the nature of the soul. However, the tone and atmosphere of "Jacob's Ladder" is somewhat darker than in his other works, though without losing its symbolism. While the complex narrative may sound a bit too ambitious and contrived, Rubin makes it work and the final result is one of the most original movies (not just horror) ever written.

Know for his stylish visual narrative and strength in developing characters, director Adrian Lyne does a remarkable job (one of the best in his career) at giving life to Bruce Joel Rubin's story of insanity and horror. Particularly impressive is the camera experimentation to create the unsettling effects of the hallucinations, a visual imagery that proved to be highly influential ("Jacob's Ladder" is credited as an important influence on the "Silent Hills" videogames for example) due to their disturbing nature. The film's atmosphere as a whole is one of unnerving decay and disorder, meant to reflect the deteriorated state of Jacob's own mind. Cinematographer Jeffrey L. Kimball delivers his most accomplished work and captures the urban chaos of New York with great skill, adapting gracefully to Lyne's stylish vision and transforming the city into a nightmarish world in which nothing is what it seems. Lyne keeps the symbolic nature of Rubin's screenplay, sustaining the ambiguity, but without losing the story's humanity and soul.

The cast delivers a great job in "Jacob's Ladder", but certainly the highlight of the film is Tim Robbins, who plays the tortured Jacob Singer. In one of the best performances of his career, Robbins is simply perfect as Singer, capturing masterfully the inner horror of a man betrayed by his own mind. Playing insanity without resorting to clichés, Robbins transforms himself into the troubled soul of Singer and proves that he is certainly a vastly underrated actor. Cuban-American actress Elizabeth Peña is very good as Jacob's girlfriend Jezzie, giving an effective performance in its subtlety, though her character feels somewhat limited. However, it's worth to point out that the film is entirely focused on Jacob, so there's not much space for other actors to shine. In fact, the only other actor who manages to do it is Danny Aiello, who appears in a small but very important role as Jacob's chiropractor and only friend Louis, who acts as a spiritual guide in Jacob's attempt to understand his experiences.

"Jacob's Ladder" is definitely one of the most original films of the 90s, due not only to it's brilliant storyline, but also to the way Lyne crafted the film in a simple yet very effective way. Certainly, the film does contain some plot twists that may not be that original anymore, however, the beauty of "Jacob's Ladder" is in the stylish way the challenging complexity of the script unfolds. It's also remarkable how Lyne manages to keep the spirituality that's the focus of Rubin's screenplay, as the film has a powerful supernatural atmosphere that enhances the feeling of Jacob's world blurring the line between reality and insanity. The conspiracy thriller aspects are another good touch the story has, that Lyne allows himself to explore, but without losing the focus on the film's theme: Jacob's struggle with his own demons. Like the Biblical Jacob (that inspired themes of the film), Jacob Singer struggles with something beyond himself, and Lyne makes of this struggle a haunting experience.

The terms "psychological thriller" and "psychological horror" are used very loosely in recent times, however, "Jacob's Ladder" is a movie that truly represents what psychological horror is. With its delightful mix of mystery, suspense and horror, Adrian Lyne's "Jacob's Ladder" is a masterpiece of horror that serves as the perfect example of a story that uses horror to explore limitless possibilities. Perhaps its only flaw is that it hasn't aged that gracefully (it looks like a true product of the 80s, though that's perhaps a flaw of Lyne's visual style as a whole); nevertheless, the strength of the story is still as captivating as when released. As a film that explores the horror of conspiracies, "Jacob's Ladder" is a true horror gem.

9/10
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9½ Ninjas! (1991)

In 1986, Adrian Lyne's erotic drama film "9½ Weeks" was released and, despite getting mixed reviews, the sexually charged film quickly became a tremendous pop culture reference of the decade, thanks not only to the performances of stars Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger, but to Adrian Lyne's stylish craftsmanship, that resulted in erotic scenes that have become simply iconic. And with the status of iconic pop culture reference comes not only tributes and homages, but also spoofs, and in this aspect "9½ Weeks" has been quite prolific, as most of the stylish set pieces conceived by Lyne have been the subject of a spoof in several films and TV shows: the food scene, the ice, and of course, Basinger's legendary striptease to the sound of Randy Newman's "You Can Leave Your Hat On". Certainly, some spoofs are more intelligent than others, and there are also spoofs that are downright idiotic. Unfortunately, Aaron Barsky's "9½ Ninjas!" (1991) is one film that rightfully belongs to this category.

"9½ Ninjas!" begins with the young Joe Vogue (Keaton Simons) receiving strange Ninja lessons from his Master (legendary Gerald Okamura). Little Joe doesn't seem like Ninja material, but his Master's patience and perseverance give results: flash-forward a few years and adult Joe Vogue (now Michael Phenicie) is not only a successful businessman, but also a killing machine. His deadly abilities come handy to save the beautiful Lisa Thorne (Andee Gray) from a gang of criminals who were bothering at the restaurant where Joe was having a sandwich. Lisa immediately falls in love with Joe, and tells her that the gang was actually hired by Arnold Gruber (Robert Fieldsteel), an evil land owner who just bought her building and has been evicting everyone there. Joe decides it's not his business, however, a message arrives that makes him change his mind: Gruber has also bought his building and is evicting him as well. Now that the matter has turned personal, Joe decides to train Lisa and together stop Gruber, but Lisa has also certain skills she wants to teach Joe.

Written by Bill Crounse, John Morrissey and Don Pequignot, "9½ Ninjas!" attempts to spoof both Lyne's "9½ Weeks" and the ninja action films that had enjoyed a huge popularity during the 80s (popularity reflected most notably in Golan and Globus' "Ninja" series and in the "American Ninja" series). Unfortunately, it fails on both accounts. Most of the humour is based on Joe's useless attempts to train Lisa, whom is more interested in taking him to bed than in becoming a ninja herself. While everyone in the film is in awe at Lisa's beauty (and her preference for revealing clothes), Joe seems unaffected thanks to his Ninja focus. In fact, this and other of his strange antics also come to play, such as his strange relation with her mother (also a ninja) and his dependence on a hand puppet called Mr. Ninja (voiced by Paul Jabara). The jokes in the film are of a quite simplistic variety, based mainly on the absurd situations the absurd characters are put into. For a film which claims to be an erotic martial arts action comedy, it's unusually innocent in its humour.

While there are sources that cite producer John Morrissey as the director under the name of Aaron Worth, most take Aaron Barsky as the real director behind the pseudonym. What is beyond any doubt is the fact that whomever had been the responsible of "9½ Ninjas!" did a pretty poor job in bringing everything together. Granted, the source material is an awfully constructed screenplay that doesn't give much room for improvement, but the film's simplistic work of direction seems to had been limited to just framing the scene, giving some encouraging words to the actors and then shooting it. Everything done in the worst 80s TV style. In fact, while released in 1991, it wouldn't be surprising to discover that the film comes from the late 80s, as it does feel older. Anyways, to the film's credit, Spaniard cinematographer Fernando Argüelles (whom would later work in the celebrated TV series "Prison Break") does a more than acceptable job, certainly more than what "9½ Ninjas!" deserves, particularly in the only two scenes when he's required to mimic Lyne's style in "9½ Weeks".

As written above, there is not really a good screenplay material to work with, though some of the cast members in "9½ Ninjas!" manage to do their job with dignity. Magda Harout, who plays Joe's mother Gladys is probably the best amongst them, as she truly adds some spark to her badly written role, and is perhaps the only one in the cast who truly understands comedy timing. In his limited cameo, Gerald Okamura shows a lot more of commitment than most of the main cast members, and along Harout, is probably the only one genuinely funny in his performance. The protagonists, Michael Phenicie and Andee Gray are pretty bad in their roles. Phenicie is good looking, yet lacks the charm and energy to carry the film. Andee Gray is a beauty, but that's the only thing she brings on to her character. Character actor Robert Fieldsteel plays the evil Arnold Gruber, and while there's talent in his delivery, his role is probably the most ridiculous in the film. As a curiosity, Don Stark of "That 70's Show" fame can be seen as Gruber's servant Sledge.

Nevertheless, beyond its raw and simplistic craftsmanship, low production values and poorly talented cast, the real problem in "9½ Ninjas!" originates somewhere else: its terrible screenplay. Legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa once said that not even a good director could make a good film from a bad script, and "9½ Ninjas!" is a certain proof of that. Spoofs are supposed to mock, comment or satirize their subject, but in the case of "9½ Ninjas!" this is largely forgotten as the writers merely included stupid or awkward situations in an attempt at absurd comedy. Any attempt at parodying the ninja subgenre or "9½ Weeks" is lost in pointless scenes that seem lifted from a very old TV show. certainly, "9½ Weeks"'s status as an icon of its generation suits nicely to parody, but while "9½ Ninjas!" could had taken a more risqué approach to spoof the exaggeratedly stylish erotic drama of "9½ Weeks", it opts for a quite stupid and childish humour that probably sounded good on paper, but executed was painfully bad.

Certainly, Adrian Lyne's "9½ Weeks", with its oversexualized characters, stylish cinematography and outdated fashion sense is a great material to spoof. It's a complete product of its time, and as such, prone to be the target of the most merciless of parodies. Unfortunately, "9½ Ninjas!" fails at achieving this, and in fact, for a film that claims being an erotic martial arts action comedy, it results being neither erotic, nor thrilling nor funny. A couple of jokes may raise a smile or two, but as a whole, "9½ Ninjas!" is an unfortunate failure for everyone involved. Far better parodies have been done of both martial arts films and that 80s classic named "9½ Weeks".

3/10

Ravenous (1999)

The decade of the 90s isn't really know for its horror cinema, not even when Wes Craven's postmodern mix of horror and comedy, "Scream", seemed to reinvigorate the slasher subgenre in 1996. Nevertheless, as the decade reached its end, several horror films were released that proved that the genre was still alive and kicking. The independent spirit of "The Blair Witch Project" and the new wave of Asian horror started by "Ringu" paved the way for the renaissance that the genre experienced in the 2000s. Director Antonia Bird's "Ravenous" (1999) was also one of those films, an offbeat horror film that succeeded at being what most of the postmodernist clones of "Scream" failed to be: genuinely creepy and entertaining at the same time. A clever mix of horror and black comedy, Bird's "Ravenous" is a Western film that not only is intelligent and thought-provoking, it also allows itself some real fun thanks to the fresh and unpretentious approach of the film. This movie about cannibalism, is a nice surprise that it's not only a great horror film. It's a great film, period.

In "Ravenous", Guy Pearce plays Capt. John Boyd, a young member of the American Army during the Mexican-American War, who by lucky circumstances ends up becoming a war hero despite a shameful display of cowardice in the battlefield. As a "prize" for his dubious honor, Boyd is sent to Fort Spencer, a small and forgotten fort located somewhere near the Rocky Mountains. There, the troubled Captain Boyd meets the gang of misfits that form the military crew of Fort Spencer: the drug addict Pvt. Cleaves (David Arquette), the psychotic Pvt. Reich (Neal McDonough) and the perpetually drunk Mayor Knox (Stephen Spinella). As Boyd tries to get used to his new position, the group receives the visit of a stranger, a lost wandering man named Colqhoun (Robert Carlyle) who tells the group of army men his bizarre story of survival: according to Colqhoun, his wagon train got lost in the Sierras Nevadas and his group reduced to cannibalism to survive. The soldiers at Fort Spencer decide to investigate, and their own horror story will begin.

The debut work of writer Ted Griffin (who has carved himself a name as a screenwriter of thrillers), "Ravenous" deals with the dark and disturbing subject of cannibalism, but the clever way the script is written makes the ride a captivating and intriguing instead of morbid, thanks in part to the great set of quirky and fascinating characters that populate Fort Spencer. While it could be argued that Griffin's use of dark comedy diminishes the impact of the horror in movie, actually Griffin's witty touch of humor and irony is what truly adds the strange offbeat charm the film has; and by making his gang of undesirable misfits a lot more human and likable, Griffin has developed a story that almost works as an ensemble piece. With great character development that challenges twists the typical conventions (for instance, the main character, is truly one big unashamed coward), Griffin's "Ravenous" presents one of the most original stories in modern horror, one that doesn't shy away from dwelling into human's darker nature.

Director Antonia Bird takes a straight forward approach to translate Griffin's screenplay to the big screen, though there's a special focus on the characters that turns them into the driving force of the film and ultimately what separates it from the rest. Bird's "Ravenous" has the benefit of having as assets the remarkable works of cinematographer Anthony B. Richmond and production designer Bryce Perrin. Despite working on a budget, their work manages to make a pretty faithful rendition of the time period in which the story is set. Richmond's cinematography makes great use of the locations (The Tatras Mountains in Slovakia) and develops a nice contrast between the beauty of the natural landscape and the grotesque gore of the events that takes place inside the Fort. But even when the story aims for a graphic orgy of violence, Bird's heavy focus on the characters allow a deeper insight from the story beyond the violence. In "Ravenous", Bird succeeds in making cannibalism both repulsive and captivating.

Leading the cast is Australian actor Guy Pearce, whom delivers a remarkable performance in the difficult role of Capt. Boyd, as his job becomes making likable a character that in essence is really the antithesis of the classic hero archetype. Using more his body and facial expressions, Pearce's presence completely owns the screen even when his character barely speaks at all in the film. However, he is not the only one to shine in "Ravenous", as every member of the cast receives a chance to show off their talents. The highlight is certainly Robert Carlyle, who delivers an outstanding performance as the disturbed Colqhoun, a man driven by his obsession, or better said, by his addiction. The sociopath Colqhoun is a savage force of nature, and Carlyle makes the most of the role without resorting to cliché or caricature. Jeffrey Jones' Col. Hart gives dignity and the touch of black humor to the ensemble cast. And finally, David Arquette, Jeremy Davis and Stephen Spinella deliver restrained yet effective performances that complete this delicious black comedy.

Offbeat, grotesque and yet captivating, Antonia Bird's "Ravenous" is a pretty original and interesting take on the Western genre in which horror elements are added in an interesting and original way. Mixing elements from Native American folklore, Griffin and Bird have created a story that seems to be an allegory for addiction. The cannibals are addicts to the strength they receive from human meat, and ultimately, each member of the group is fighting for their own survival. Interestingly, director Antonia Bird is a vegetarian, so that can explain the added repulsiveness added to the meat consumption. While definitely not perfect, "Ravenous" is certainly a refreshing film that brings back introspective horror to the spotlight. Beyond the gore and violence, the horror is found in what Capt. Boyd is becoming: he and Colqhoun are not that different, and Boyd's gory journey is basically his way to come to terms with this. If the film has any flaw, it is definitely the somewhat slow pace it has, but that's more a quibble than a problem.

The ultimate human taboo, cannibalism is an act that encompasses uneasy feelings of both fascination and repulsion. From Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus" to Ruggero Deodato's classic of exploitation "Cannibal Holocaust", cannibalism has inspired several works of art through history, as it's certainly a complex subject matter that will continue captivating the minds of authors for centuries. In the hands of Ted Griffin and Antonia Bird, cannibalism has resulted in one of the most original and refreshing horror films of the late 90s. A true gem in a decade with very few hits, "Ravenous" is part of those films that closed the 90s with a bang and foretold the horror revival of the 2000s. Grim and slow, but sill witty and funny, "Ravenous"' odd mix of horror and comedy in a Western setting is a terrific addition to the genre.

8/10
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Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö (1990)

After the success of his 1988 film "Ariel", Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki produced the movie that would gave him international recognition: "Leningrad Cowboys Go America". A bizarre road movie about the misadventures of a Russian rock band in America, "Leningrad Cowboys Go America" would become a landmark in Kaurismäki's career. However, after this success, Kaurismäki decided to return to the themes he had previously explored in "Varjoja paratiisissa" and "Ariel", the stories of the underdogs, the losers, the dispossessed members of the working class who struggle everyday in the coldness of Helsinki to find something close to happiness. Titled "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" and released in 1990, the movie completed a thematic trilogy along "Varjoja paratiisissa" and "Ariel", which is now known as "The Proletariat Trilogy". Nevertheless, while similar, "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" is a bit different to the other two films, as it's one of Aki Kaurismäki's darker films.

"Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" or "The Match Factory Girl", is the story of Iris (Kati Outinen), a young lonely woman living a dull and monotonous life in Helsinki. Working at a dead-end job in a match factory, and supporting her uncaring mother (Elina Salo) and her forbidding stepfather (Esko Nikkari), whom she gives most of her meager salary. There's little joy in Iris' life, who spends her free time reading cheap novels and attending to nightclubs, hoping to meet the man of her dreams. Unfortunately, this never happens, and her social life is a disaster. One day she saves enough money to buy herself a new dress, much to the displeasure of her family who wants her to return it. Iris keeps it anyways and goes out, finally finding a dance partner in Aarne (Vesa Vierikko). They spend the night together, though Aarne thinks she is a prostitute and their relationship doesn't end well. When Iris finds out that she's pregnant, things get even worse, but she is also read to take revenge on the world.

While covering the same themes and obsessions as the other two films in the "Proletariat Trilogy", "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" represents a notorious break in terms of tone, as this time, Kaurismäki's trademark brand of dry comedy is downplayed and leaves room to a truly bleak and depressive tragedy. Like other Kaurismäki's anti-heroes, Iris lives with an iron-clad stoicism, facing the constant abuses from the people around her. However, for Iris there is no love or hope to inspire her, as the world seems to pretend that she doesn't exist. As if she was just another machine in the match factory, her life passes day after day in the same monotonous pattern. Heartlessness is common in Iris' world, and yet, amidst the big atmosphere of melancholy and despair, there are still brief glimpses of Kaurismäki's deadpan humor through the film. His comedy is not absent in "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö", just hidden, waiting to deliver a masterful lesson in irony that's the icing of the bleak cake that is "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö".

The dialog in "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" is minimal, yet remarkably efficient. Everything that needs to be said is said, not a single line is wasted, and if images alone can tell the story, then so be it. It is certainly a case of "less is more", a supreme triumph of simplicity in storytelling, as the minimalist approach Kaurismäki employs, as cold and distant it may look, surprisingly proves to be no less expressive than flashier visual styles. This minimalism, that Kaurismäki had been perfecting with each work, can finally be seen at its best in "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö", which reveals the Finnish director as a master of composition. With sparse camera movements, Kaurismäki conceives a visual narrative that's as efficient as it is economical, making of "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" to be almost a purely visual tale. The work of cinematographer Timo Salminen, Kaurismäki's regular collaborator is worthy of praise, as he captures the bleak gray world of Iris' Helsinki with realism and a certain degree of tragic beauty.

Yey, as remarkable as Kaurismäki's work of directing is, a huge part of the triumph of "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" is due to the effective performance of Kaurismäki's muse Kati Outinen as the match factory girl, Iris. In role completely different to the one she played in "Varjoja paratiisissa", Outinen truly creates a haunting portrayal of a tragic woman. With subtle gestures and deeply expressive eyes, Outinen says a lot with her silence, and in that expressive silence, she makes Iris to stand for every abused women, regardless of nationality. Perhaps even for every abused people, regardless of sex. As Aarne, Vesa Vierikko is equally great, making a painfully realist character that could had easily been nothing more than a mere archetype. In fact, most characters in the film could had been mere archetypes if it wasn't for the actors who play them. Case in point, Elina Salo and Esko Nikkari, who play Iris' parents. Particularly Esko Nikkari offers a remarkable performance that, like the film itself, says a lot in very few lines.

While certainly "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" offers a colder and darker vision compared to his previous films, Kaurismäki still remains a humanist in "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö", as while the film showcases a series of humiliations that Iris survives with naive stoicism, there is never a hint of miserabilism in the treatment. It's all frank and honest in its portrayal, something that could be seen as distant and harsh on Kaurismäki's part, but that it's actually a compassionate view without any trace of artificial dignity. This becomes clear as Iris begins to plot her revenge. Kaurismäki's dispossessed ones are never examples of "nobility in poverty" and in fact, Iris' tragedy slowly begins to show its true colors as a Kaurismäki comedy. The blackest, the bleakest, the most depressive and melancholic one, but a comedy at heart. The comedic turn that this tragedy makes is not a cheap one, it's not a betrayal to the tone set by the rest of the film, it's more like Kaurismäki's bittersweet irony raising up a wry smile.

Somber, depressive, yet powerfully evocative, Aki Kaurismäki's third part of the so-called "Proletariat Trilogy" may be a difficult film to watch, but it's certainly one that leaves a strong impression. "Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö" of "The Match Factory Girl", bears all the trademarks of a Kaurismäki minimalist film taken to the max: sparse dialog, slow rhythm, minimal camera movement. Everything is there, as a final statement of his thoughts about the reality of Finland's underdogs as he sees it. It's a harsh view, but an objective one. void of cheap romanticism, Kaurismäki's view on the dispossessed is, despite all the bleakness, a humanist one. Certainly the fate of Iris, the match factory girl is hard. But for a moment, she may be able to raise a smile.

8/10
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Delicatessen (1991)

In the late 70s, french director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and designer Marc Caro met at a film festival and found they had a lot in common regarding their view on visual arts. Wit Jeunet being an animator, and Caro a comic book artist, their friendship soon became an artistic team that would spend the following decade making short films and TV commercials where the duo was able to develop their artistic style and master the cinema language, perfecting their storytelling abilities and visual design skills. All done in order to prepare themselves to begin a full-time career in film-making. Their joint efforts finally payed back in 1991, when Jeunet and Caro were finally able to take their craft to the level of a full feature length film, in the project that would become their breakthrough in the film industry and the proper beginning of their careers as filmmakers: the post-apocalyptic black comedy "Delicatessen". Zany, whimsical, a times morbid, at times sweet, "Delicatessen" would introduce the talents of Jeunet and Caro to the world.

The world of "Delicatessen" is a dark bleak post-apocalyptic France where apparently there is no law and food is incredibly sparse (to the point that grain is now being used as currency). In this desolated urban nightmare, the residents of an old, dilapidated apartment building located in the middle of nowhere have a solution to the hunger that roams the world thanks to the schemes of their landlord, the butcher Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus). The butcher's solution is to kill the building's handyman and use him as meat to feed his bizarre group of tenants; and after that Clapet offers again the position of handyman to outsiders, in order to find more fresh meat. One day, former clown Louison (Dominique Pinon) arrives to the building and gets the handyman position, and soon it is set that he'll be the next victim; however, the butcher's daughter Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac) has fallen in love with Louison, and she will do whatever is necessary to help the naive clown to survive and stop the madness of her father's delicatessen.

Written by Gilles Adrien (who also wrote several of the previous Jeunet & Caro shorts), along directors Jeunet & Caro themselves, "Delicatessen" is a wonderfully imaginative tale of sweet romance and hilarious black comedy that gives an unexpected light-hearted twist to a topic one may normally found a tad morbid for a comedy: cannibalism. And surprisingly, it all works bizarrely fine, not only because of the whimsical, surrealist and almost absurd tone that the story has, but also because of the detailed assortment of strange yet very human characters that populate the world of "Delicatessen". This collection of human oddities truly become the movie's soul, adding a lot of charm and heart to the film with their highly detailed antics and traits, as if each one has a small but necessary piece in a complex machine. The story, stripped down to its most basic, it is actually a very simple one; however, the darkly humorous tone and the charm of its characters transform it into a weird yet enjoyable experience.

Nevertheless, it is in the visual aspect where the film truly shines and becomes simply sublime, with Jeunet and Caro's highly imaginative style appearing all over the place. Dividing responsibilities, director Marc Caro got full control of the production design and the visual elements of the movie, and so in "Delicatessen" Caro's highly inventive artistic vision results in a vibrant imagery that seems to be the dark offspring of Cinéma du look and a heavily retro-futurist vibe, creating a movie that could be described as a moving canvas. Highly atmospheric, the french duo puts to great use the work of cinematographer Darius Khondji, mixing techniques and showing a huge range of their artistic influences that go from German Expressionism to 40s modernism, resulting in one of the most beautiful looking movies ever done. Jeunet's visual narrative is slick and coherent in tone, giving substance to Caro's style, saving the film from being a hollow visual fest. It could be said that Jeunet's work is keeping the many elements of the film working nicely in the right place. And he succeeds.

As written above, it's in the characters and their antics where the "Delicatessen"'s soul is, and the ensemble of actors playing them really made a terrific job in the film. Leading the cast is Dominique Pinon (who would become one of Jeunet's regular collaborators), delivering a subtle and charming performance as the ex-clown Louison. Pinon gives the character a very human touch, essential for the kind of character he is playing, and this human touch coupled with his facial expressiveness at times makes him like the spiritual heir of the kind of silent film comedy that Chaplin used to do. Truly believable in the role, Pinon handles the film's sardonic situations with a great comedic timing and a lot of physical expression. The same can be said of Marie-Laure Dougnac, who plays Louison's love interest Julie, and captures the sweetness and naiveté of her character in a very natural way. Jean-Claude Dreyfus as Clapet the Butcher is simply delightful as the story's "villian", and achieves equal levels of nastiness and hilarity with his work.

Basically every member of the cast delivers an unforgettable performance no matter how long or short is their screen time (Silvie Laguna for example, is really wonderful), and this is truly a testament not only of the cast's skill, but also of the writers' wit and love for the project. "Delicatessen" is a solid debut by this two skillful french artists, and it already shows why the two quickly became an important team in the French fantasy cinema. Their very own brand of surrealist fantasy flows freely through the film making a unique visual fest (although to be fair, it definitely goes a over-the-top at times, particularly at the end), and while it doesn't reach the artistic level of their superior follow-up (the 1995 dark tale of science fiction "La Cité Des Enfants Perdus"), it's still a nicely done movie that delivers good entertainment and showcases its director's narrative talents. While its subject matter may be difficult to stomach, "Delicatessen"'s whimsical tone and lavish visual style make this filmic dish an exquisite oddity.

Unlike their later films, maybe "Delicatessen" won't be everyone's cup of tea, as its surreal fantasy may seem at times too close to absurd to be enjoyable. However, those with a taste for the bizarre will find a great movie in this French comedy. While "Delicatessen" still shows the excess of the young and raw talent of Jeunet & Caro, it's not hard to see why they became known worldwide after this initial success, as this movie shows the enormous potential of their skills as filmmakers. This brilliant mixture of genres is definitely a very recommended movie, and like "La Cité Des Enfants Perdus" ("The City of the Lost Children" in English), "Delicatessen" is an essential gem of French cinema of the 90s.

8/10
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The Relic (1997)

Authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child found the perfect niche for their collaborative writing in the techno-thriller genre, novels where a vast amount of technical detail is important part of the prose. Amongst their work, the series of novels with Agent Pendergast have proved to be their most popular, with eleven published novels to date. "Relic", the first of the series, became a bestseller very quickly, and naturally, negotiation began for a movie adaptation with director Peter Hyams at the helm. Hyams at the time had gone from making several science fiction movies ("Capricorn One", "Outland" and "2010"), to direct several thrillers in the 80s and 90s, including two action films with Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 90s ("Timecop" and "Sudden Death"). "The Relic", as the film was retitled, was released in 1997 (two years after the book), and while several major changes took place from novel to film (Pendergast is omitted entirely to begin with), the resulting horror film was not really bad.

"The Relic" begins when an strangely abandoned ship arrives on the Illinoins River. Chicago PD homicide detective Vincent D'Agosta (Tom Sizemore) is sent to investigate the ship, which contained cargo for the Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Looking for the missing crew, D'Agosta finds their severed heads in the bilge hatch. At the Museum, Dr. Margo Green (Penelope Ann Miller) examines the cargo sent and only finds a statue of the mythical beast Kothoga. When a security guard is murdered in the same gruesome manner as the ship's crew, Detective D'Agosta suspects that there may be a link to the crime at the ship. The Museum is planning a gala opening for its latest exhibition, "Superstition", so it's on its best interest that D'Agosta's investigation ends soon. The police finds and kills a deranged homeless man hiding in the basement and the case is considered closed. However, D'Agosta is not convinced of this, and takes his men for a final search through the basement, when they are attacked by an enormous monster: Kothoga.

Preston and Child's novel was adapted to the screen by a team of scriptwriters consisting of Amy Holden Jones, John Raffo, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver. Moving away from its techno-thriller roots, "The Relic" film version takes a decidedly more straightforward horror approach: it is a creature feature in the most classic style, with a monster roaming free and hunting a group trapped in a dark and sealed location, in this case, the halls of the Museum of Natural History. "The Relic" is certainly very traditional in its approach to this formula, perhaps too traditional for its own good; however, the little details and ideas that "dress" the plot are what keep things fresh and interesting, and almost make up for the lack of originality in its formula. The Museum by night is a wonderful setting for a monster movie, and the creature mythology and origins are a nice twist as well. Character development is kept at a pretty basic level, though Detective D'Agosta has interesting bits when his extreme superstitiousness faces the Museum's "Supersition"'s exhibit.

However, while the plot may be formulaic, director Peter Hyams plays with it to his favor and builds up in "The Relic" an effectively atmospheric film that takes full advantage of its setting to deliver a simple but entertaining monster movie. As expected, Hyams is also the cinematographer of the film, and while his work in this field is often labeled as poorly lit, his style actually works favorably for the kind of horror he attempts in "The Relic". His low-key lighting enhances the ominous atmosphere of the Museum, and increases the tension and suspense by having the monster Kothoga lurking in the dark for the most part of the film (traces of Ridley Scott's "Alien" can be felt). An effective craftsman, Hyams creates a couple of pretty interesting set pieces in which this terror of what lurks in the shadows is exploited to good effect and elevate the film from the rest. "The Relic" is also a tad gorier than other mainstream horror films of the same period, an element that along the dark cinematography give the film a nice grizzly style.

Leading the cast is Tom Siezemore as Detective Vincent D'Agosta, playing a superstitious yet hard-working detective, basically an extension of the tough guy persona that Sizemore had been built through the 90s. in "The Relic" Sizemore delivers a good, effective performance, believable and natural though to be fair, without showing anything really outstanding. However, Sizemore manages to carry the weight of the film with strength. As his counterpart, Penelope Ann Miller is a bit less successful, as while her performance is not particularly bad, she seems just average, sleepwalking through her role as if she preferred to be somewhere else. Granted, a lot of this may be the result of the sad fact that their roles are pretty much the typical stock characters of the modern monster movie, so there's the tough guy who must face his secret fears and the sexy scientist who must put up a good fight with the monster. The rest of the characters are also of the classic variety of supporting characters that make up good victims for mythical beasts so, nothing truly new here.

Certainly, the apparent lack of originality in "The Relic" basic elements make it sound like a typical B-movie with relatively known actors, and clichéd situations. However, as written above, the little details are what make "The Relic" to rise from the norm and deliver good entertainment. Hyams crafts his movie with a deeply somber seriousness: there is no place for cheesy humor, juvenile roles or witty postmodern references; "The Relic" may be nothing more than a simple creature feature, but it takes its subject seriously, and with as much realism as its fantastic roots allow it to have (perhaps an inherited trait from its techno-thriller origins). This approach works nicely with the grizzly gore and Hyam's dark cinematography, giving the film an atmosphere akin to a descent into a Lovecraftian nightmare. And this is maybe why Hyams' faithfulness to the monster movie formula actually works in "The Relic": the built-up atmosphere is so effective that a move away from the expected may feel like a betrayal to the genre.

American columnist William Safire recommended that one should avoid clichés like the plague, however, and specially when working within a defined genre, sometimes clichés are what work best. The secret being not what happens, but how it happens. In "The Relic", director Peter Hyams takes a clichéd storyline and delivers a well-crafted tale of horror that, while certainly will not change the face of the horror genre, at least delivers its fair share of scares and entertainment. And sometimes that's all that's needed. While perhaps of little resemblance to Child and Preston's techno-thriller, "The Relic" is definitely one of the better monster movies that came out in the 90s. Dark, creepy and ominous, "The Relic" is an underrated minor gem, and a highlight in Peter Hyams' uneven career.

7/10
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Braindead (1992)

In the early 80s, a passionate young man from New Zealand named Peter Jackson struggled to complete his first independent film, a science fiction story that mixed splatter horror and bizarre comedy. Finally released in 1987 as "Bad Taste", the movie quickly became a cult favourite and revealed Jackson as a promising new talent. He'd follow up "Bad Taste" with an offbeat movie even more bizarre than his debut, "Meet the Feebles", a black comedy starring puppets that further cemented Jackson's reputation as a cult filmmaker. For his third film, Jackson had a go at a more traditional horror storyline: a zombie film. However, his outlandish style and energetic filmmaking took the sub-genre beyond and resulted in one of the most amazing and original zombie films ever made, "Braindead". Released in 1992, "Braindead" (or "Dead Alive" as it was known in the U.S) is a deliriously insane mix of splatter horror and romantic comedy that knows no boundaries when it comes to gore. Peter Jackson's first bloody masterpiece.

Set in Wellington, New Zealand, during the summer of 1957, "Braindead" tells the story of Lionel Cosgrove (Timothy Balme), a young man who has spent most of his life under the oppressive control of his domineering mother Vera (Elizabeth Moody). One day, Lionel meets the shopkeeper's beautiful daughter Paquita (Diana Peñalver), whom is convinced that Lionel is her one true love that the Tarot cards prophesied. Feeling attracted to her, Lionel ends up having a date with her at the Zoo. His mother follows them but she is accidentally bitten by the highly aggressive Sumatran Rat Monkey, a strange creature from the legendary Skull Island. The accident disrupts Lionel's date and, to Vera's pleasure, he decides to take care of his mother's wound. However, her recovery is not exactly successful and the poisonous bite of the creature turns Vera into a flesh-eating zombie. Lionel, determined to take care of his mother, locks her in the basement, but all hell's break loose when she begins to devour their neighbors.

Written by Jackson and regular collaborators Fran Walsh and Stephen Sinclair, "Braindead" is a darkly humorous take on the zombie genre that balances perfectly the slapstick comedy and the splatter horror. Jackson and company have crafted in "Braindead" a highly inventive storyline that keeps getting more and more outlandish as it develops, and yet manages to remain coherent in both its tone and style, without getting ridiculous or tedious (quite a feat given its theme). They certainly never miss a chance to go over-the-top, but the playful, whimsical tone the story allows such excesses. Interestingly, the characters are very well defined, and behind the gallons of blood and the dismembered body parts, there is a well developed complexity in the relationship between Lionel, his mom and Paquita. The core conflict of the film being not just to survive the zombie rampage, but Lionel's fight to be free from his mother. However, the most remarkable thing about "Braindead" is simply how genuinely funny it is.

And a lot of credit for this must go to Jackson's work of direction, which showcases a great comedic timing and a pretty good knowledge of how to develop his plot. While "Braindead" is not the first film to have over-the-top comic-book violence as source of laughs, however, Jackson does it with intelligence, embracing the camp and the absurd outrageousness of the story without taking it too seriously. Bizarre and subversive, yet full of a charming naiveté, "Braindead" is a wild roller-coaster ride of non-stop laughs and gore. Cinematographer Murray Milne showcases a highly dynamic camera-work that truly makes the most of its haunting location: the Cosgroves' old mansion. A lot of credit must go to Richard Taylor (later founder of Weta Workshops) and his special effects team, who create a remarkably outstanding piece of work, specially considering the relatively low budget of the production. The highly imaginative set pieces that Jackson creates would not be the same without the work of both Milne and Taylor.

Regarding the cast, the performances are of great quality, and the actors really make a great job with the screenplay. In his feature film debut, Timothy Balme is great as the shy, and socially awkward Lionel Cosgrove, the unlikely hero of this story. With a everyman look and natural charm, Balme is perfectly believable both as a dedicated son and as zombie killing machine. Balme also displays a terrific talent for slapstick comedy through the film, specially in a scene involving a park and a baby cart. The beautiful Spanish actress Diana Peñalver makes a fitting romantic interest for Lionel, playing the high spirited Paquita with a joy and energy that contrasts nicely with the bumbling character developed by Balme. Elizabeth Moody plays Vera, and she does it with such a great passion and power in her delivery that is difficult not to hate her character. Nevertheless, actors Ian Watkin and Stuart Devenie are definitely the scene stealers of the film; Watkin, as the despicable uncle trying to get Lionel's money, and Devenie, in a small but very memorable scene as the town's priest.

Peter Jackson's "Braindead" has earned a reputation as one of the goriest films of all time. While the movie certainly makes a good argument for the title, what makes the difference between "Braindead" and other gory horror films may be the fact that despite the looks, it's not really gratuitous. It's not gore for gore's sake, but the actual use of guts and blood for slapstick. Like Sam Raimi did in "Evil Dead 2", the gore in excess is taken as another element of absurd in the manner of grand guignol theater. Things that could be labeled as gross, sick or disgusting, become the source of comedy under Jackson's narrative, which seems to be trying to outdo itself in terms of outrageousness each time (and boy it succeeds!). The macabre humor of Peter Jackson may be hard to stomach at first, but in "Braindead" he achieves a balance between mainstream accessibility and his trademark taste for the bizarre. And the most amazing thing is that after all the guts and gore, there's a charming love story that works swiftly hidden beneath the blood.

Years later, Jackson become a well-known name thanks to the strong drama film "Heavenly Creatures" and of course, his magnum opus, the adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel "The Lord of the Rings". However, for many horror fans he was already a major talent to follow way before his mainstream breakthrough, being the mastermind behind three splatter cult classics where low budget was in no way a limit for a fertile imagination. Despite being lesser known that "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Bad Taste", "Meet the Feebles" and "Braindead" remain an early trilogy of offbeat horror and comedy that still can deliver its good share of laughs, and showcase the rising talent of Peter Jackson. Of the three, "Braindead" is without a doubt, the crowning achievement. And one hell of a bloody crowning achievement!

9/10 
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The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)

Selkies, mythological creatures found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish folklore, perfectly represent how important was the sea for such cultures. Having their origin in Pictish or Celtic myths, selkies are marine shapeshifters, they are seals able to shed their skins to show off their human form. Stories of selkies interacting with humans are common in seaside towns, though often the stories concerning them are romantic tragedies. This is because selkies can only return to their seal form by wearing their skin again, and if they lose it, they are unable of returning home. Given these conditions, their romantic liaisons with humans in the stories are particularly complicated. Rosalie K. Fry's novel, "Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry" is a story dealing with this kind of relationships, as it deals with the selkies legends and their relationship with Scottish seaside towns. With a change of setting to Ireland and the new title of "The Secret of Roan Inish", American filmmaker John Sayles offers his particular vision of the selkie legend.

Set in the 1940s, "The Secret of Roan Inish" is the story of Fiona Coneely (Jeni Courtney), a young girl living with her father in a big city in post-War Ireland. Her father Jim (Dave Duffy) is having a hard time after Fiona's mother died, and is often depressed at pubs. Convinced that this is no life for Fiona, she is sent with her grandparents who live in a seaside town. Living with them, she gets closer to her grandfather Hugh (Mick Lally), who tells her stories about her family's past in Roan Inish, a small island near Donegal which has a strong, mythical link to the Coneely family story: legend says they descend from a beautiful selkie woman. Unfortunately, the Coneelys were forced to evacuate Roan Inish during the War's years, and the island became a reminder of a tragic past, as during the evacuation Fiona's baby brother Jamie (Cillian Byrne) was lost at the sea. Intrigued by all this information, Fiona decides to visit Roan Inish with her grandfather, and in one of those trips, she begins to suspect that her little brother Jamie may still be alive.

Adapted to the screen by director John Sayles himself, "The Secret of Roan Inish" is a family film that works as a fairy tale, with Fiona's attempt to find her brother being the motor of the film. However, it is also a story of rediscovering traditions, with Fiona getting in touch with the life the Coneelys left in Roan Inish. The screenplay is filled with a desire to embrace the past and return to it, as in her adventure to discover her brother's fate she also reconnects with her ancestral land. The stories her grandfather Hugh tells are memories from that mythical past in which the connection with the land and the sea was stronger. Sayles uses the figure of the selkie to symbolize this connection, and Fiona's quest to find her brother becomes also a quest to discover her own identity, lost amidst the sea of time and progress. Built up as a fairy tale, or better said, as a legend, "The Secret of Roan Inish" explores this discovery with a children's point of view, open to fantasy and imbued with a great sense of wonder.

At the helm of "The Secret of Roan Inish", John Sayles opts for a slow pace, a strongly visual narrative and most importantly, a mythical atmosphere, achieving pretty much a feeling akin to that of listening to legends or tall stories. With a remarkable work by cinematographer Haskell Wexler, Sayles captures beautiful images from rural landscapes in County Donegal, Ireland, which contribute to the rich atmosphere of magic and legend the movie has. By exploiting the natural beauty of his location, Sayles brings to life a mythical Ireland in which legends are true. However, all this is done with a restrained, subtle approach that treats its subject matter with great seriousness. While a fantasy film, it's not spectacular; and while a children's film, it's not simplistic. It treats its audience with intelligence, and manages to narrate a children's story without a sense of shallowness or artificiality. However, despite building up a powerful atmosphere of legend, at times this mythical tale fails to engage.

The cast is for the most part good, specially the young ones. As the lead character Fiona, Jeni Courtney is remarkable as the plucky girl full of curiosity and stubborn willpower, set to discover the secrets of her ancestral home. "The Secret of Roan Inish" is completely told from her perspective, and she manages to portray that mix of naiveté and sense of wonder that her character requires. As her grandfather Hugh, Mick Lally amazingly captures the spirit of an oral storyteller, and his narrative of the Roan Inish legends is a great pleasure to listen. Eileen Colgan plays her wife Tess, though her delivery is a tad too hammy and stereotypical for her own good. As Fiona's brother Jamie (seen in flashbacks), Cillian Byrne is quite natural and believable in his delivery, quite a feat for his young age. Perhaps the weakest link would be Fergal McElherron, who plays Jeni's ancestor (also seen in flashbacks) who is saved by a female Selkie (Susan Lynch), whom easily overshadows him with a strongly emotional though silent performance.

In "The Secret of Roan Inish", director John Sayles seems set to capture the sensation of listening to ancient Celtic legends, and for the most part he succeeds, particularly in the several flashbacks that detail the tall tales grandfather Hugh tells to Fiona. The whole atmosphere of myth, the slow pace, the lyric beauty of the images coupled with Mick Lally's pleasant narrative perfectly convey the idealized, romantic view of old Ireland that Sayles (an American of Irish descent) wants the audience to long for. However, this effect is perhaps less successful in Fiona's own adventure, not because of lack of atmosphere, but because of an anti-climatic resolution. Sayle's narrative style is, while slow and restrained, completely appropriate for the kind of children's tale he is telling, treating his young characters with intelligence and developing a mythical tone. The problem is that as the conclusion is reached, the magic and atmosphere are somewhat lost in a quite anti-climatic finale. Its last third, where all loose ends are tied, is surprisingly unengaging.

This doesn't mean it's a bad ending, just a slightly disappointing one. Given its mythical tone, Fiona's adventure could had required a bit more of flavor. However, despite this minor quibble, John Sayles' "The Secret of Roan Inish" succeeds in making a children's film that is neither patronizing nor superficial, and that certainly has appealing for mature audiences as well. A portrait of an Ireland vibrant with magic, "The Secret of Roan Inish" seems to claim for a return to the past, to the purity of origin, and the spiritual connection to the homeland. Since Sayles is of Irish decent, it's not hard to see where he is going, and the visual beauty of his painting of the romantic Irishness he longs for, could pretty much symbolize the romantic homeland we all long for.

7/10 
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Xizao (1999)

When American producer Peter Loehr arrived to China in 1996, he discovered two things in the local industry: a great amount of talent and a lot of difficulties for film distribution. The rising generation of independent cinema was moving away from the lavish historical productions of filmmakers of the so-called "Fifth Generation" (like for example, Yimou Zhang), being more interested in urban realism. Backed by a Taiwanese media company and with the goal of discovering new talent and making independent cinema, Peter Loehr produced the first film of director Yang Zhang, the low-budget "Aiqing mala tang" ("Spicy Love Soup"). After experiencing difficult times finding ways to distribute the film, "Spicy Love Soup" finally was released and became an enormous box office success, launching the careers of several members of its cast and crew. Two years later, Yang and Loher collaborated again in another independent low-budget film, "Xizao" (known in English as "Shower"), a family drama about the clash of modern life and China's ancient tradition.

Centered on a traditional bathhouse for men in Beijing, "Xizao" is the tale of the bathhouse owner Liu (Xu Zhu) and his two sons: Da Ming (Quanxiu Pu) and Er Ming (Wu Jiang). Da Ming, Liu's elder son, is a successful businessman in the southern city of Shenzhen after abandoning his father many years ago, while Er Ming, whom is mentally challenged, helps his father run the bathhouse. One day, Da Ming unexpectedly returns home believing his father has died. However, what happened was merely a confusion caused by a drawing Er Ming had sent to his brother in a postcard. Feeling uncomfortable around his father and brother, Da Ming prepares to return to Shenzhen three days later; but when Da Ming loses Er Ming at the airport, he decides to stay in Beijing until he finds him. Fortunately, Er Ming returns home the following day, though this event opens Da Ming's eyes to the way his father feels about him. So, when old Liu catches a cold and falls sick, Da Ming decides to stay at home and help his family. And he'll discover that the old bathhouse is still alive.

Working again with the team of writers that penned his previous film "Spice Love Soup" (Shangjun Cai, Yi'nan Diao and Fendou Liu, plus Xin Huo), director Zhang Yang conceived in "Xizao" what is basically the story of a man rediscovering his past, rekindling with the life he wanted to abandon in his youth. The urban, modern businessman that Da Ming represents, detests the environment represented by his father's traditional job, and utterly abhors abhorring the idea of continuing with the business. The return to the bathhouse will take him to learn the true importance of his father's job, something he had considered obsolete. It could be said that the relationship between father and son is "Xizao"'s main theme, however, it would be better to state that "Xizao" is about the estranged relationship between Da Ming and his past as a whole. His inability to understand his brother Er Ming is another reflection of this, as is, to a lesser (though no less important) extent, his inability to relate to the problems of the bathhouse's small community.

While this sounds like a deep serious film, director Zhang Yang actually takes a light-hearted approach to his story, making it more of a comedy with Da Ming being a fish out of the water in his father's bathhouse. However, Yang's comedy is always respectful with its subject matter, and he crafts his film with great subtlety, handling marvelously the themes of family and progress. In "Xizao", Zhang Yang opts for a realist style, and uses Jian Zhang's great work of cinematography to truly capture the homely and warm environment of the traditional bathhouse to great effect. Yang's narrative is simple, restrained, as he lets his story flow without much visual flare. And yet, this simple way of telling his story suits nicely the atmosphere of the friendly micro-verse that is contained within the walls of the bathhouse. The way Yang develops each one of the subplots that take place inside the bathhouse is remarkable, as not only it truly builds up the sense of witnessing a community vibrant with life.

Nevertheless, this aura of reality would not be possible without the remarkable work of acting that the main cast delivers in the film. The naturalistic approach Yang takes for his film extents to the performances of his cast, with Wu Jiang shining in his performance as the cheerful younger brother Er Ming. Portraying Er Ming's disability with a sheer honesty and great respect, Jiang creates a well-rounded character that truly transmits the spirit of the film. Certainly, Jiang steals the film with his impressive performance. As his older brother Da Ming, Cunxin Pu is quite effective and natural, and despite having a somewhat unlikeable character, it's not difficult to feel identified with his rediscovery of family life. In his final role before retiring from film, actor Ding Li delivers a moving performance as old master Lin. His scenes with Jiang's Er Ming are filled with a highly emotional charge, yet never verging to the excessively melodramatic. The rest of the cast is pretty effective and natural, looking almost like real people being filmed.

One of the greater strengths in Zhang Yang's "Xizao" is the great balance it has in its elements. There is a perfect equilibrium between the comedy and the drama, between the old and the new. Almost echoing the very same equilibrium that the character of Da Ming so desperately needs. Interestingly, there is a balance even in the handling of its themes, as even when "Xizao" could had easily stick to a patronizing, conservative view of "old days were much better", instead it opts for a stance that conciliates the old with the new, as if saying "progress is good, but without forgetting the roots". Also of note, is the treatment of the bathhouse as a gathering place for people, for building and fostering relationships between people and purification. In "Xizao", the bathhouse is a place that purifies not only the body, but also the soul. Given its familiar storyline, the film is a tad predictable to a certain extent; but Zhang Yang manages to make the film a ride so pleasant, that it's lack of originality can be forgiven.

Through its light-hearted humor and warm charm, "Xizao" delivers a powerful and moving story that avoids the trap of cheap melodrama or dull pretentiousness. And yet, it is a piece that is as thought-provoking as it is fun. And it is also another proof that without visual flare or great production values (the film was done with an extremely low budget), an amazing movie can be made. It is not even a complex plot or an exceedingly original concept. All that is needed is the proper visual narrative for the story, and for "Xizao", the slow, subtle style that director Zhang Yang employs is all that this story requires. In all its simplicity, "Xizao" delivers its message with a profound beauty and astounding charm.

8/10 
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Bat sin fan dim ji yan yuk cha siu bau (1993)

In the early 80s, popular actor Danny Lee (famous for his work in action films) became director and producer of his own films, and by the end of the decade was already a major player in Hong Kong's movie industry. This position allowed him an enormous amount of power during the 90s boom of Hong Kong cinema, and made him the discoverer of future famous stars (like Stephen Chow for example) and producer of a wide array of fresh and interesting films by upcoming filmmakers. Among those, Herman Yau's "Bat sin Fan Dim Ji Yan Yuk Cha Siu Bau" (known in English as "Human Pork Chop" or "The Untold Story"), is certainly one of the most popular in the Western world, and one of the better known movies of the CAT III rating (originally for pornography, but also covered grisly exploitation and horror films) that was introduced by the Hong Kong government during those years. Suppousedly based on a true crime story, "The Untold Story" turns out to be very powerful film that truly lives to its reputation as one of the most brutal films of Hong Kong cinema.

The plot in "The Untold Story" begins with the grizzly discovery of a plastic bag containing decomposing body parts in a lonely Macao beach. The young and unexperienced police team assigned to the case is confused, completely clueless and disoriented, never having faced a case of such a horrible nature; however, lead by the suave officer Lee (Danny Lee), the team begins to find clues pointing to Wong Chi Hang (Anthony Wong), a Hong Kong native, owner of the popular Eight Immortals Restaurant. As the cops discover that Wong had just bought the place to his former boss under strange circumstances, they try to track down the previous owner; nevertheless, every attempt to find him or his family proves to be futile. The discovery of Wong's dark past in Hong Kong prompts his arrest, but at the station, the odd man still refuses to admit having committed the crime. Officer Lee decides to take severe measures to force his confession, but not even the determined detective will be prepared to hear the horrific details of Wong Chi Hang's Untold Story.

Written by Law Kam Fai (author of another famous CAT III film, "Dr. Lamb"), the story unfolds as a typical police procedural movie, detailing the work of the cops trying to figure out the identity of the criminal; however, two extremely different elements set "The Untold Story" apart from similar stories: the dark and hauntingly realistic portrayal of the psycho killer, and the no less dark sub-theme of police brutality. The odd addition of offbeat comedy (in the shape of the team of bumbling cops) disrupts the haunting mood and its an unnecessary addition that tarnishes the film instead of of serving as comic relief. Nevertheless, when it gets serious, "The Untold Story" shines the most, contrasting the sadistic acts of a madman with the equally sadistic interrogation techniques of the police. It may seem gratuitous, as if each act of violence was attempting to top the previous one in brutality; however, violence is more unnerving than exploitative, and all in all serves the purpose of showcasing police authority as clumsily overconfident at best, and stupidly ineffective at worst.

While labeled as one of the most shocking Asian horror films, "The Untold Story" is surprisingly not as graphically gory as one would expect with such title; the shock and the horror originate not from what's seen, but from what takes place in off-screen. Directors Danny Lee and Herman Yau build up a disturbing atmosphere, very much in tone with the unbalance mind of Wong. Employing a stylish narrative, directors Yau and Lee cleverly orchestrate the grotesque details of the crimes in such a harrowing, powerful way that, no matter that the actual act takes place off-screen, the horrific effect is still felt. Having the audience's imagination to fill the gaps is a powerful device directors Yau and Lee use to full effect, ultimately making the violence portrayed frighteningly real despite not being strictly graphic. One doesn't need to see the cut to feel the pain. The raw and gritty style Yau and Lee use for the film (mainly for budgetary reasons) only enhance the realism of the movie, and together with Wong's brilliant performance result a movie very hard to forget.

Definitely one of the elements that really make the difference between "The Untold Story" and similar exploitation movies (Asian or not) is the top notch performance of Anthony Wong as the enigmatic Wong Chi Hang. Menacing and cold, yet frighteningly human, Anthony Wong captures so well the traits of this unbalanced psychotic character that one can't help but believe that the man on screen is truly a demented person. Anthony Wong's fascinating portrayal of the monster behind the glasses is definitely the film's highlight. Action veteran Danny Lee, as Officer Lee, offers a balance between the darkness of Wong and the silliness of the police team. Lee adds a factor of coolness that gives edge to his smooth and witty character, and contrasts with the clumsiness and naiveté of the cops (though certainly, none of them is a model of police ethic). The young cops are portrayed by equally young actors, and their performances range from average to poor. The exception is Emily Kwan, who plays Bo, the only female in the team, being the only one genuinely funny in her comedic turn.

Harrowingly disturbing and remorselessly grizzly, "The Untold Story" is truly a movie difficult to watch; yet, while terrifyingly crude, the sadistic and violent portrait it makes of the crime is strangely captivating in a way that few horror movies manage to achieve. But even when "The Untold Story" is one of the best CAT III movies of its time, it's definitely not without flaws, and one of them really brings down the movie, preventing it from being a masterpiece of its genre: the odd addition of silly comedy, and bad comedy while we are at it. In a fashion remarkably similar to Wes Craven's "The Last House on the Left" (1972), the bumbling cops make for a comic relief that is so silly and stupid, that feels unnecessary and out of place. As in Craven's groundbreaking film, the odd mix doesn't work that well, and tarnishes an otherwise brutal movie (though, it must be said that the effect is less silly than in Craven's film). The film's low production values are also notorious, but sometimes that also adds to the atmosphere, giving the film a fitting raw, unpolished look.

As one could easily imagine by now, it is obvious that "The Untold Story" is not a movie for everyone. The powerful and violent descent to the killer's mind is a harrowing experience not for the squeamish, but it is also a very rewarding movie. Anthony Wong's unforgettable performance, together with the film's dark grizzly tone, its captivating storyline, and its carefully constructed brutal violent imagery make "The Untold Story" the perfect example that exploitation movies can mean more than gratuitous graphic violence. Not that there's something wrong with gratuitous graphic violence, but in "The Untold Story" (like Ruggero Deodato's "Cannibal Holocaust"), it enhances the atmosphere and horror in a powerful way. Shocking, disturbing and unnerving, Herman Yau's "The Untold Story", or "Bat sin Fan Dim Ji Yan Yuk Cha Siu Bau" is in a class of its own.

8/10
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Due Occhi Diabolici (1990) @ Cult Reviews!

Once again, good things are happening at Cult Reviews, that cool website dedicated to the weird, the strange and the shocking of cinema. Horror, exploitation and related weirdness gather there, and after some months of relatively slow output, Vomitron and the Perfesser Deviant are back in the game with more. I was asked to write a piece for the site too, this time about "Due Occhi Diabolici" (or "Two Evil Eyes" in English), that interesting 90s anthology by legendary masters of horror Dario Argento and George A. Romero in which each of them crafts a short film based on one of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories. As you can see, the idea seems amazing, almost a horror fan's wet dream (the fact that Adrienne Barbeau and Harvey Keitel are the stars, and that the make-up is by gore-maestro Tom Savini only enhances it) but, unfortunately, things didn't go as well as planned and the output was far from satisfying. Of course, you'll only see why in more detail by reading the post at Cult Reviews.

This review for "Due Occhi Diabolici" is part of a series of posts dedicated to the Mr. Horror Presents DVD collection. Mr. Horror, aka Jan Doense, is known as the foremost horror guru of The Netherlands and Belgium. The man has built up a well deserved reputation in film journalism, and has been for many years the driving force behind the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival (formerly The Weekend of Terror). He also witnessed the births of The Night of Bad Taste (aka “De Nacht van de Wansmaak“), The All-Night Horror Show and the Dutch fanzine Shocking News (aka “Schokkend Nieuws”). In short, the man knows his stuff, and on the “Mr. Horror Presents” label, he brings together some of his personal favorites: a collection of (modern) horror classics that were previously unreleased on DVD in the Benelux countries. At Cult Reviews, severeal of the movies of the collection have been reviewed lately, including Scott Spiegel's "Intruder", Spanish horror-noir "Nos Miran" and Jeff Lieberman's "Satan's Little Helper". The whole list of reviews can be found here.

Other recent things of interest in the site are Perfesser Deviant's reviews of two modern horrors: Farhad Mann's "Devil's Diary" and Greg Hudson's "Shredder", as well as a piece on 70s' obscure rarity "Sasqua" by the good fellow codenamed "Humanoid Of Flesh". This and more at your favourite site on the weird and the obscure (which now also has a new logo!).

So, keep supporting Cult Reviews!

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French Kiss (1995)

Usually, romantic comedies are not really taken seriously as they tend to be seen as simple and formulaic fluff meant only to provide light hearted entertainment. Like in action films and horror films, the overuse of the enormous amount of clichés and typical plot devices, has turned the sub-genre into a formula where stories are predictable and the twists glaringly obvious, and all because the genre's basic structure has been done countless times before. While this predictability is definitely a problem, occasionally a movie appears that despite once again following the exact typical pattern of the genre, manages to stand out among the rest; and even when at its core it still is a typical romantic comedy, it shines with a light of its own due to some special magic that could only be described as "charm". "French Kiss" is one of those movies, a film that despite being no masterpiece of cinema, achieves its original purpose without problem: to provide good light hearted entertainment by telling a charming story about two equally charming characters.

"French Kiss" is the story of Kate (Meg Ryan), a young woman who after moving to Canada, where his boyfriend Charlie (Timothy Hutton) lives, begins to make preparations for her future life next to him. However, all her plans crumble when on a business trip to France, Charlie meets another woman, Juliette (Susan Anbeh), and falls deeply in love with her, to the point that he decides to remain in France and cancel his wedding plans with Kate. Deeply hurt by Charlie's decision, Kate decides to overcome her terrible fear of flying and travels to France, decided to recover her boyfriend and continue with her life plan. On the trip she is seated next to Luc Teyssier (Kevin Kline), a somewhat rude yet charming Frenchman with whom she engages in a conversation. This will only be the beginning of her adventure with Luc as the odd Bon Vivant she has met has hidden a stolen piece of jewelry in her purse to get it past customs, and now he wants it back. Problems begin when Kate's purse is stolen, forcing both to work together to recover the stolen purse, and its contents.

Written by Adam Brooks, "French Kiss" certainly follows the basic blueprint of romantic comedies: it chronicles the misadventures of a couple that initially dislikes each other but that after being forced to spend time together begins to discover the growth of a certain attraction between them. At first sight it would seem that it's just another typical romantic comedy (one with the welcomed benefit of a romantic French setting); however, and despite its far fetched plot, writer Brooks makes the story fresh and even believable, and it all surprisingly works in the end. While the romance between two different and apparently incompatible people is the main focus of the film, Brooks also makes some cleverly written scenes playing with the stereotypes French and American people have of each other in small, yet very funny scenes that make one fall in love with his assortment of quirky supporting characters. "French Kiss" is not exactly the definition of realistic, but in the end is this romanticizing of the story what becomes the film's main strength.

Director Lawrence Kasdan takes a straight forward approach to the script, and lets the natural charm of his cast to be the driving force of the film. It is really his work with the actors what makes the story come to life, as he manages to get them to break their archetypal characters and make them more natural and human, resulting in a film a bit more believable and natural than what the script (formulaic as it is) made it to be. Certainly, Kasdan still can't avoid the use of some silly and definitely unrealistic dialogs, but the performances of his cast make everything work to an extent. The real star of the film is Owen Roizman's cinematography, who under Kasdan's direction portrays France's both urban and countryside landscapes with great talent, making the amazing beauty of the country to show off in many scenes. Following Brook's running theme of making jokes about American tourists, Kasdan constructs some visual gags that spice up the love story between Kate and Luc, add some diversity and keep things up and running.

The cast is what really makes "French Kiss" to stand out among similar movies. At the peak of her "romantic comedy phase", Meg Ryan was delightfully charming as the main character, Kate. With her natural charm and talent, this character was definitely piece of cake for her, and she makes what otherwise could be a two dimensional character a bit more enjoyable. Kevin Kline is the highlight of the film, making a very convincing Frenchman in his portrait of Luc. It's kind of a shame that the producers decided to hire a non-Frenchman for the role, but fortunately Kline delivers an excellent performance as the witty crook (while his accent isn't really good, his natural acting made that irrelevant). Timothy Hutton is definitely the weakest link in the cast, as not only his character was badly written, his performance is not really good and looks really out of place in the film. French actors Jean Reno and François Cluzet have small supporting roles, but they truly make the best out of them, with Cluzet showcasing great talent for comedy and Jean Reno completely stealing every scene he is in.

As written above, the script is plagued with a good share of flaws, and while some are somewhat corrected by the work of Lawrence Kasdan and his cast, there are details that do hurt the film. Like many romantic comedies, "French Kiss" is based on a far fetched situation (perhaps even more so than others), but the problem is not how unlikely is the situation that makes the couple meet, but in the poor initial setting of the story's events. With the probable exception of Luc, the rest of the characters begin underdeveloped, and their personalities and actions feel initially a tad random. Hutton's character is simply badly done and never believable in his choices (a problem, considering that his actions set the plot in motion). Ryan's characters is slightly better conceived, but it does take Meg Ryan's performance to make her real and likable, as Kate is not exactly a sympathetic character to begin with. Don't get me wrong, the story is charming, but it's truly lousy beginning makes obvious that what happens before the trip was written just to justify Kate's going to France.

Light-hearted and charming, "French Kiss" is a very 90s romantic comedy with certain touches of those classic screwball comedies of old, where realism was sent to the backseat and the mix of comedy and romance used to drive the story. The pairing of Ryan and Kline works wonders and achieve moments of genuine fun. While far fetched and formulaic, Kasdan plays the right notes and what results is a major example of how to fully exploit the main themes of the romantic comedy, and create an entertaining film that manages to make those themes to feel fresh and new again. Ultimately "French Kiss" may be far from a masterpiece of the genre, like say "Annie Hall" or "When Harry met Sally" are, but "French Kiss" gets the job done thanks to the charming performances of the cast, and the magic of the French landscapes.

7/10
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