13 Beloved: clever comedy horror movie with surprisingly deep ideas
Chukiat Sakveerakul, “13 Beloved” aka “13: Game of Death” (2006) Your name is Phuchit and you labour rather unenthusiastically as a sales rep in a company…
Horror
German and German-language Films
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (dir. F W Murnau): rich in themes and technical artistry
Latin American Films (Spanish language)
Pan’s Labyrinth: film of dark fantasy, horror and historical drama that inspires hope and courage
Guillermo del Toro, “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006) This is an excellent film that successfully combines dark fantasy and horror with historical drama set in fascist-ruled Spain in…
Let Me In: Reeves “lets the right one in” to smother his version’s potential
Matt Reeves, “Let Me In”, Hammer Films / Overture Films (2010) Once upon a time about 25 years ago in a small town somewhere in Reagan-era America, there was…
Rosemary’s Baby: does it reflect women’s oppression by modern life?
Roman Polanski, “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) Who doesn’t envy young couples these days who dream of having a nice 3-bedroom house or apartment in the city close to…
Let the Right One In: first, the Swedish version is allowed in
Tomas Alfredsson, “Let the Right One In” (2008) Often when a novel is translated to the screen, the result is a superficial imitation of the printed word:…
Splice: spliced-together movie unravelling at the joins
Vincenzo Natali, “Splice”, Dark Castle Entertainment (2010) Fans of former Oscar Best Actor winner Adrien Brody must be wondering how their man came to be slumming it…
German and German-language Films
Inside the Cabinet of famous German Expressionist film
Robert Wiene, “The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari” (1920) Seeing this German Expressionist silent film classic at the Australia’s Silent Film Festival showing in Sydney recently…
The Hunger: glossy and glamorous but in need of a remake anyway
Tony Scott, “The Hunger” (1983) One of a number of 1980s-made movies in the remake production line, this glossy flick was Tony Scott’s directorial debut about…