Pony: a dark little story about the loss of innocence in a banal setting
Dony Permedi, “Pony” (2006) “Pony” is a short animated film made by Permedi as an undergraduate college project with the subversions of everyday life and student…
Horror
The Image: a tiny study of mental crisis, homoeroticism and creepy atmosphere sets a template for David Bowie’s future career
Michael Armstrong, “The Image” (1967) Notable mainly for being singer and sometime actor David Bowie’ first film role, this 14-minute horror short is an eerie surrealist…
Son of Saul: a modern morality play in the midst of extreme evil
László Nemes, “Son of Saul / Saul Fia” (2015) Of all the stories László Nemes could have chosen to film to launch his career as a…
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Hollywood Goth drama undone by misanthropy and poor source material
Tim Burton, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007) US film director Tim Burton has long been fascinated with non-conformists and outsiders, especially those…
The Virgin Spring: a profound and moving work on vengeance, justice and the remoteness of religion
Ingmar Bergman, “The Virgin Spring / Jungfrukällan” (1960) Perhaps not so celebrated as “The Seventh Seal”, this morality tale on the nature of humanity, the remoteness…
Ex_Machina: style is part of the substance in a low-budget SF film that tackles complex issues
Alex Garland, “Ex_Machina” (2015) At first glance, Alex Garland’s directorial debut flim “Ex Machina” looks like the total triumph of style over substance but like its…
Invocation of My Demon Brother: not an essential film to see for Kenneth Anger fans
Kenneth Anger, “Invocation of My Demon Brother” (1969) If like me, you’ve already seen a considerable number of films by Kenneth Anger, this one won’t add…
Scorpio Rising: an amazing concoction of film collages, music and themes
Kenneth Anger, “Scorpio Rising” (1964) One of the most amazing concoctions of film collages and music soundtracks, “Scorpio Rising” is perhaps Kenneth Anger’s most famous and…
Troll Hunter: comedy horror flick works in popular Norwegian stereotypes and fears of a police state
André Øvredal, “Troll Hunter / Trolljegeren” (2010) Inspired perhaps by the example of “The Blair Witch Project” and “Man Bites Dog” from the 1990s and “Cannibal Holocaust” from…
Funny Games (English language version): an ultimately empty and boring remake that misses the point of violence in American films
Michael Haneke, “Funny Games (English language version)” (2007) Austrian director Michael Haneke originally had wanted to make “Funny Games” as an American film due to his…