Memoria: a tight closed narrative loop with no chance of forgiveness or redemption
Elísabet Ýr Atladóttir, “Memoria” (2013) A creepy psychological character study, “Memoria” is very depressing to
Tag: Horror
The Backwater Gospel: a darkly grim Gothic satire on religious fanaticism, mob rule and the fear of death
Bo Mathorne, “The Backwater Gospel” (2011) In a total running time of just over nine
Kwaidan: a lesson in four parts about having contact with the spirit world
Masaki Kobayashi, “Kwaidan” (1964) Often billed as a horror film, “Kwaidan” is in fact a
Suicide Club: gory horror flick intended as interrogation of the state of modern Japanese society
Sion Sono, “Suicide Club / Jisatsu Sakuru” (2002) Famous for its controversial premise, full-on gory
Blancanieves: silent Gothic melodrama of a brief summer of shining innocence before a long winter of fascism
Pablo Berger, “Blancanieves” (2012) In the style of old 1920s expressionist silent films, Berger’s “Blancanieves”
Italian and Italian-language Films
The Case of the Bloody Iris: trashy serial killer entertainment set in a changing Italy during the early 1970s
Giuliano Carnimeo, “The Case of the Bloody Iris” (1971) Known also as “What are those
Shadow of a Doubt: innocence, a happy family and insular small town America menaced by an outside force
Alfred Hitchcock, “Shadow of a Doubt” (1942) A dark film that explores the potential for
Stoker: psychological thriller let down by stereotyped characters and poor scripting
Park Chanwook, “Stoker” (2013) Appropriately Chanwook Park’s Hollywood directing debut is a psychological thriller featuring
Battle Royale (Director’s Cut): satire on Japanese society and militaristic values with plenty of teen angst and splatter gore
Kinji Fukasaku, “Battle Royale (Director’s Cut)” (2000) For all its extreme violence and other liberties
Persona: visually stunning minimalist meditation on identity, duality and the art of film-making
Ingmar Bergman, “Persona” (1966) A visually stunning film, shot in black and white film and