THE FOUNTAIN

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Released: 2006

i finally got around to seeing this one. definitely great, though it's probably my least favorite thing that aronofsky's done. i don't mind movies with little explanation, but this one seemed to have NO explanation. we're thrown into this story (rather, three stories) without knowing much of anything. i'd like to watch it again. i read he's doing a director's cut; apparently he wasn't pleased with the cuts he was forced to make right before the film's release. looking forward to that. 6.5/10.

GRAPHIC SEXUAL HORROR

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THE VANISHING

Directed by: George Sluizer
Released: 1988

the original, not the american remake (which i've yet to see, but i've heard nothing but horrible things). this was great. an extremely tense film with a truly shocking ending, even by today's standards. 8/10.

TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL

Directed by: Guy Maddin
Released: 1989

the fact that this was made in 1989 and it looks about 60 years older than that is really what made it great for me. i've never seen anything done that way before; switching to an "old style" of film when telling a story from the past. great stuff. amazing use of sound and mise en scene. 7/10.

CUBE

Directed by: Vincenzo Natali
Released: 1997

the acting was pretty bad, save a few characters, but overall the film was quite good. i like the claustrophobic effect achieved through a lot of the shots, and the math stuff, while i had absolutely NO concept of what the fuck they were talking about, was very interesting. i've been reading about it, and it seems that people are/were pissed off about the ending and lack of details in the film (how they got there, why they're there, where "there" is, etc)... it's obviously much deeper than that, and it can be interpreted a million different ways, which is why i liked it. 7.5/10.

ROB ZOMBIE'S HALLOWEEN II

Directed by: Rob Zombie
Released: 2009

100% fucking garbage. i can't believe i wasted my time on it. even watching it while drunk didn't make it enjoyable. i was able to tolerate his first installment, even though i found it highly unnecessary, but this... this was crap. and it's a shame, zombie's made some good films. 1/10.

RED

Directed by: Trygve Allister Diesen & Lucky McKee
Released: 2008

an extremely atypical revenge story about a man and his dog. absolutely heartbreaking and maddening at the same time. 9/10

EL TOPO

Directed by: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Released: 1970

i need to watch it again. i really, really enjoyed it, but unfortunately i wasn't able to give it my full attention. i recently bought the "films of alejandro jodorowsky" box, so "the holy mountain" and "fando y lis" will be viewed soon. 7/10.

THE COLLECTOR

Directed by: Marcus Dunstan
Released: 2009

way better than i expected. total B movie gore. in parts, it was hard to believe that this was a hollywood film. tooth extraction with a chisel = me squirming. 7/10

SPRSKI FILM (A SERBIAN FILM)

Directed by: Srdjan Spasojevic
Released: 2010

it's a pretty nasty film, i'll say that. the most disturbing thing i've ever seen? absolutely not, as i've seen "the video diary of ricardo lopez" ... the most disturbing fictional film i've ever seen? maybe, i still need to digest it more. the film itself has a very "slow burn" aspect to it.. almost an hour in, nothing truly shocking had happened. but when it happens, it basically doesn't stop. the already-infamous scenes of sexual violence are all very well done (in that they're pretty realistic -- for the most part), and in these scenes, the filmmakers are showing the audience things they've probably never seen, and i'm sure they never wanted to see.

i do have to say that the acting and directing was pretty great.. and it had some of the most unsettling (excuse the film school geek term) mise-en-scene i've seen in a long time. that, coupled with the film's score, which creates a very tense atmosphere on it's own, makes it a disturbing film on a purely psychological level. most may not agree, but personally, i'm bothered by things like a little girl dressed up as dorothy from "the wizard of oz" sitting in a chair on a david lynch-esque checkerboard floor in shadowy darkness, just staring at the camera with no movement. seemingly normal things in abnormal settings always freak me out.

as for it being a commentary on the current serbian government, i can't comment, as i know nothing of serbia, their history or their politics. but, i can say that i'm now interested. from the mostly negative reviews i've read, the political message is very thinly veiled; i disagree, i actually thought the message came across a little too heavy handed. they mention the country they're in about a dozen times, as well as making many references to "a happy serbian family," etc. it seemed forced... which bears the question: did the filmmakers make a torture porn (i'm sorry, i HATE that fucking term) and then realize there's no way they're going to screen this if they don't insert some kind of political metaphor in it, thus having an excuse for all the violence? i think they might have been better off spinning it as showing how far a man will go to support and protect his family. but as i said, i don't know dick about serbian government.. maybe they really are fucking people to death. heh.

there seems to be a lot of discussion as to whether or not this film will get a theatrical release in the US ... i'm leaning towards a big fat fucking no. there's no way in hell this would even pass with an NC-17 rating. i'm sure they'll take it to other festivals, art houses & smaller indie theaters will play it, etc... otherwise just wait for the DVD. i will watch it again for sure, and i'll more than likely buy the DVD whenever it comes out. i see it being one of those films that i have in my collection just to show to people who haven't seen it (similar to "salo," "cannibal holocaust," .. basically all the films that "a serbian film" is being compared to)... it's not exactly the kind of movie that you throw on when you wanna kick back and relax. 8/10.