Downsizing: an uneven satirical science fiction comedy commenting on various social, economic and political issues
Alexander Payne, “Downsizing” (2017) For most viewers, perhaps the more interesting part of this long
Tag: Horror
British Films | North American Films
Pride + Prejudice + Zombies: affectionate spoof historical comedy drama / horror film mash-up could have promised more
Burr Steers, “Pride + Prejudice + Zombies” (2016) At long last, instead of yet another
Adam Ruins Everything (Season 2, Episode 14: Adam Ruins Halloween): beneath the silly slapstick and cheap thrills, a sobering message about manipulating people’s emotions and weaknesses for profit
Tim Wilkime, “Adam Ruins Everything (Season 2, Episode 14: Adam Ruins Halloween)” (2017) Beneath the
French and French-language Films
Les Biches: a coolly elegant and stylish film on obsessive love, the fragility of identity and class tensions
Claude Chabrol, “Les Biches / The Does” (1968) A beautifully elegant film of stylishness and
Treasures Decoded (Season 4, Episode 6: Shrunken Heads): phenomenon of shrunken heads hides a history of cultural exploitation and degradation
Peter Crystal, “Treasures Decoded (Season 4, Episode 6: Shrunken Heads)” (2017) Shrunken human heads are
The Mummy (directed by Alex Kurtzman): action thriller / horror film with no horror, few thrills and silly action
Alex Kurtzman, “The Mummy” (2017) Somewhere in this hokey action blockbuster film is a story
Mash-up of all previous Alien franchise flicks delivers an uneven story in “Alien: Covenant”
Ridley Scott, “Alien: Covenant” (2017) British director Ridley Scott must have taken all the criticisms
Get Out: social criticism and philosophical inquiry in amongst a bizarre plot and interracial politics
Jordan Peele, “Get Out” (2017) Jordan Peele’s comedy horror film, his first as a director,
Compliance: sneering at naive workers exploited by a culture that treats them as robots and brutes
Craig Zobel, “Compliance” (2012) Based on a series of incidents over a decade from the
Chinese and Chinese-language Films
Raise the Red Lantern: criticising the abuse of power by those tasked with upholding tradition
Zhang Yimou, “Raise the Red Lantern” (1991) This is a beautiful film of minimal, even