Black and White and Sex (2012)

B+W+S is an Aussie drama that lays bare the problems inherent in subscribing to accepted notions of sex via a scripted, fake interview with a Sex Worker. It’s the story of Angie; she’s many women but she’s one woman. Angie is the voice of chaos, reason and experience; she's a magnificent contradiction. She’s the focus of a filmmaker who wants to understand why she does what she does, but Angie asks the question why the filmmaker does what he does. Are they so different? It’s a power play of give and take, of exposure and concealment like the sexual act itself.
Films like this don't come along very often.

4½ contexts out of 5

The Mindscape of Alan Moore (2005)

Alan Moore, writer, magician and worthy apostle of beards, speaks directly to the viewer. His words are accompanied by reflective imagery illustrating the feelings and social consciousness of Britain of the era. When juxtaposed with selective comic panels from his most famous works (Watchmen, V for Vendetta) and his lesser-known ones (D.R. & Quinch), a deeper understanding of his methodology and strongly-felt motivations is unearthed.
The cogs of Hollywood have tried but always failed to capture the essence of Moore onscreen; Mindscape will help you understand why.

4½ vistas of imagination out of 5

Babylon A.D. (Unrated) (2008)

Vin plays his usual kind of suspicious tough guy role. He’s a mercenary hired to protect a girl as she moves from point A to point B.
The film works best when it isn't being an action movie, but the music likes to pretend otherwise. There’s a potentially interesting film lurking somewhere within the mess, but it’s too deeply buried.
Some research into the reason for the different running times showed that the shorter theatrical version had some major studio interference, including changing important dialogue, adding an unnecessary car chase and gluing on a happy ending. If you live in Europe you're spared that version. If you live in the States you've got both to choose from.

2½ bumper stickers out of 5

Fantastic Four (2005)

It’s a bright and colourful origin story, but it’s another solid case of a movie studio milking a tit they've never been properly introduced to.
The biggest problem is in casting. Alba was chosen for one reason alone, and it wasn't her acting ability. The only one of the team that captures the essence of their comic book counterpart is Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm; he’s the one thing that’s in any way ‘fantastic’ about this shit-fest.

1½ plastic bore out of 5

The Hidden (1987)

A parasitic alien with a love of expensive sports cars and loud 1980s rock music goes on a killing spree. An FBI agent (Kyle MacLachlan) tracks it across America hoping to find the window he needs to ultimately kill it.
The story is a simple one on the surface, but the film is a tense chase movie with some hidden depth beneath (no pun intended). The viewer knows exactly what the alien looks like, but beyond that it remains a mystery and that secrecy works in the film's favour. It's like an X-File case years before the X-Files even existed. The creature effects are few in number, but are fantastically well done and leave a lasting impression.

3½ gastric problems out of 5

Farewell, My Lovely (1975)

The third filmed version of Raymond Chandler's book was Robert Mitchum's first time under the hat. He gives a fantastic performance as the detective hunting for a woman who doesn't want to be found.
The Noir language draws constant attention to itself, meaning it never feels real, but Marlowe’s sarcasm and hyperbole are so well-scripted that it doesn't matter. Hard boiled isn't reality; that’s part of the charm.

4 glasses of bourbon out of 5

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

A documentary by street artist Banksy about a guy with a camera who was lying about making a documentary about the street artist Banksy. That’s only the beginning of the confusion.
Bansky turned the tables, but I'm not sure how many were seated at the table. The film is quite possibly a prank or a commentary, or an exposé of how such pranks and commentaries are staged, executed, believed and turned into store-bought reality. The art snobs deserve to be ripped off and they deserve to be told about it.
That MBW guy couldn't possibly be real, could he?

3½ captured lives out of 5

Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012)

It’s a feature film with a higher budget so it looks better than Roughnecks, but that doesn't guarantee it’s better in other ways. Tits. Violence. Bad language. Gunfire. Bugs hit door. People die. Bugs die.

2 drops out of 5

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

I gave up on The Simpsons TV series many years ago. Not because it got shit, but because it moved to a new channel and they put an advert halfway through; an advert in a 24 min show is unacceptable. Maybe it was because I’d not seen the characters in a long time that made me enjoy this so much, or maybe it really is that good. It’s got laughs. It’s got heart. It’s got old man prophecies and an angry mob with pitchforks. Good times.

3½ further dysfunctions out of 5

Straight Talk (1992)

Shirlee is a (little) big ole shoulder for people to cry on. If you have a problem, she's all ears. Even when down on her luck her willingness to help others keeps her strong. Job hunting at a radio station changes her life forever, and the lives of others.
Straight Talk is the kind of crap my mom would've watched when I was a kid, but now that I'm grown it's become my kind of crap. Who'da thunk it? It's hackneyed but fun. Dolly fans will enjoy it.

2½ honks out of 5

Logan's Run (1976)

The future. 2274. A hedonistic utopia that demands a price of its citizens: on your thirtieth birthday you must take 'Carrousel' in a gamble to be ‘renewed.’ If, instead, you choose to flee, the Sandmen will hunt and terminate you. Logan is a Sandman and he’s nearing his ‘Last Day.’
LR is classic 70’s sci-fi with pertinent social commentary that’s obvious but isn't forced down the viewer’s throat; you can ignore it completely and still have fun with the campy, colourful sets and imaginative story.
Some of the decisions taken by the protagonists may seem a little stupid at times, but they aren't very bright by nature.
If dying at thirty is the price asked for having Jenny Agutter appear in your room at the press of a button... I’d be very tempted.

4 palm lights out of 5

Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)

An invisible man story that doesn't play around with how much fun it would be to creep into the ladies showers. Instead, it puts emphasis on how lonely it would feel not being seen by the people you care about. It doesn't go as far down that route as it could've because it seems intent on keeping a light-hearted tone too. It’s less goofy than the kind of film Chevy Chase is better known for, and devoid of the kind of horror themes that Carpenter is known for. The entire film feels like a compromise by everyone involved.

2 suspended laws of physics out of 5

Street Fighter (1994)

Movies based on video games are more than likely going to suck. It’s not that they can’t succeed, it’s more that the people financing and shooting them usually have no idea what it was about the game that made it a success. With SF it’s as if everyone involved on the production side of things actually set out to make the worst film they could but they didn't count on Raúl Juliá being somewhat entertaining. He doesn't save it from the shit-bin, but he makes the scenes he’s in more bearable.
JCVD on the other hand tries to be serious. His efforts turn every second of his screen time into a face-palming session.

1 Bison dollar out of 5

Ghost in the Shell: Arise - Border 1: Ghost Pain (2013)

Despite the changes since SAC, there’s still much the same. The framing, scenery and even the camera movements are similar to Kenji Kamiyama's.
Of the two main differences, the first, Motoko, is less upsetting than I’d feared. It’s a prequel, so she’s younger and less experienced. She also looks odd, but only for a short time. Her confidence, her movements and her decision making is as normal, so I was able to look beyond the shell very quickly; it’s her, there’s no doubt of that.
What I found harder to accept was the change in music. There's an occasional nod to Kenji Kawai that I really liked, but elsewhere the absence of Yoko Kanno's evocative themes was heavily felt.
I’d have preferred a 3rd GIG, but the events in this kept me hooked and by the end I was completely on board; all fears were washed away.

4 absent limbs out of 5

Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)

A slightly better than average suspense/thriller penned by Horror maestro John Carpenter but directed by Irvin Kershner. Fashion photographer Laura Mars experiences flashes of actual murders seen through the eyes of the killer and, worst luck, it’s people she knows.
Faye is believable in the Laura role one minute and the Queen of melodramatic overacting the next. Tommy Lee Jones gives support and looks weird being so young (I assumed he was born old).
It’s essentially an Argento style Italian Giallo film in English.

3 frustrated voyeur types out of 5

Jimmy Carr: Being Funny (2011)

A stand-up show from the British comedian that was filmed in Birmingham. If you don't know Jimmy's style, then you may be shocked by some of the things he says. Nothing is taboo. Everything is a target. He smashes through boundaries and just keeps on going. It works best when he delivers his quick fire observations in deadpan fashion. When he breaks from that formula it begins to feel a little forced and my attention wavered.

3 teabags out of 5

Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (2011)

A glimpse into the lives of attendees of the San Diego Comic-Con that rarely feels like a legitimate documentary. It's more akin to a filmed attendee memento that'll please people there at the time. It has very little to say beyond that. The sense of community that should've been the lifeblood of the crowd was absent. The comic collectors and page-sniffers were outnumbered by the cosplayers and actors. If the focus of the film was representative of the event, then it seems to have become a place predominantly for people more interested in seeing Hollywood movie actors and games companies promote and peddle their crap. Is it time they changed the name?

2½ lanyards out of 5

Son of Rambow (2007)

Schoolboys William and Lee are polar opposites. One has led a sheltered life under a religious upbringing and the other is independently high-spirited and lacks parental guidance. Together, with no experience and no safety nets, they shoot a short film inspired by a chance viewing of First Blood (1982).
It’s a skilfully made coming of age drama that has some quality laughs along the way, some emotional moments and some commentary on what constitutes friendship. Even if you didn't grow up in the era represented there’s enough archetypal events to create an attachment.

3½ great escapes out of 5

Orson Welles: The Paris Interview (1960)

A great interview with the big man that shows how intelligent and knowledgeable he was about almost everything under the sun. He laughs at his own shortcomings and takes criticism on the chin. All the while he breathes like the air is being sucked out of the room while chomping on a fat cigar. He retains his dignity throughout.

4 art forms out of 5

Superman: Unbound (2013)

A bland and boring version of Superman has to contend with Supergirl’s super-angst and the possibility of Earth being wiped out by the big bad. I'm not sure which is worse, or which is the most overused plot device. Long-time fans will recognise the villain from the cover art, but I won’t say who it is in case some of you don’t know. That’s if you can even muster up the enthusiasm to care, because this one is dull and has too many plot holes to recommend to anyone but the biggest fan.

2 bottles out of 5

Phantom of the Paradise (1974)

PotP is a bizarre musical from Brian De Palma that has all the hallmarks of a ridiculous failure, but somehow it works. It’s the story of a musician who writes a great work inspired by Goethe’s Faust. He’s offered a contract by an evil record producer, and through naïvety and misfortune becomes the Phantom in a loose retelling of The Phantom of the Opera.
It's more entertaining than it has any right to be given the absurdity of the situations, but in a strange way that's also what holds it together.

3½ house vibes out of 5

Doctor Who: The Movie (1996)

A joint UK and US production set in San Francisco (but filmed in Canada) that was intended to kick-start an American approved version of Dr Who. Paul McGann takes on the role of the eighth Doctor and other than the title music and iconic TARDIS exterior he's the only aspect of it that feels like it belongs. The shift in style to a more 'serious drama' and a misguided pandering to the target audience meant it was stripped of almost everything that had made the original TV venture interesting in the interesting in the first place.
I'm glad it didn't go to series but also saddened that McGann didn't get another proper shot at the role onscreen, because he'd the skills to make it work.

1½ jelly babies out of 5

Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

Zhang Yimou's controversial adaptation of Tóng Zhōngguì's novel is the story of a concubine's daily trials in 1920s China. Her position means she must share her needs with a number of other women, most of whom are hungry for the master's attention and the benefits it brings. The treatment of the women is justified by tradition even when it's clearly immoral and outdated.
The film is pure art. Every shot, particularly the external locations, aren't just eye candy, they're imbued with a real sense of history and a richness of character. It helps that Chinese period architecture is so beautiful, but it takes someone like Yimou to translate the hidden depths to the screen.
Gong Li plays nineteen-year-old Songlian, the lead role, and delivers the best performance I've ever seen her give.

4 power struggles out of 5

The Tracey Fragments (2007)

Tracey Berkowitz goes on a journey to find the truth behind her little brother Sonny's disappearance. If you like split screen techniques then you’ll be in heaven. About 99% of the film is presented in split screen; there must be at least four movies worth of movie.
It got a little overpowering after about twenty minutes, but by then the story had become so filled with metaphor, both structurally and visually, that I was in for the duration. It requires you to have picked up on certain things said and unsaid before they are fully revealed, and that reveal doesn't come until well into the running length.

Interestingly, a project called Tracey Re:fragmented made all the footage shot for the film available as a download (under a CC licence) so people could remix and re-edit it to create a new truth.

3 bus rides out of 5

Assassin's Creed: Embers (2011)

The third AC short takes place after the events of AC: Revelations (2011). It brings closure to the story of Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the year 1524. It’s similar to the in-game animation style and uses the same voice actors.
I think if they’d taken the moment in time featured in Embers and used the same kind of production as they used for Lineage (2009) it could've been even better. It’s definitely the best of the short films.

3 homecomings out of 5

The Butterfly Effect 2 (2006)

The first film was an enjoyable sci-fi story that felt like the main protagonist’s actions had real consequences. This one doesn't. It’s not a butterfly effect, it’s a teeny, underdeveloped baby midget moth effect and it smells strongly of turd.

0½ a shaky picture out of 5

Futurama: Bender's Game (2008)

In the third feature-length outing the crew's kids play Dungeons and Dragons and Bender gets upset (there's a connection between the two things). It goes LotR but not before it somehow all comes down to what Nibbler drops out of his ass. It's my favourite one so far.

3 buckled sphincters out of 5

Jackie Chan: My Stunts (1999)

A companion piece to My Story (1998) that goes into greater depth about the choreography, the setup, the execution and the dangers behind throwing yourself and your team into potential life-threatening situations.
Jackie’s limited English vocabulary means he’s not the best at explaining details, so he teaches by example instead. Having it presented that way is actually more entertaining and makes a lot more sense to the student.
His respect for his ‘Jackie Chan Stunt Team’ is clear to see, as is their professionalism and commitment. They help him look good most of the time and it’s right that they should get some recognition for it.

3½ faces through glass out of 5

Ra.One (2011)

The worst Indian film I've yet sat through is an attempt to mimic Hollywood sci-fi/action cinema. It succeeded. It even outdid Hollywood in spectacular fashion. The CGI is off the scale. So is the theft. Most of the plot is made from parts of Terminator 2, TRON, Iron Man, and The Matrix. If copyright actually meant anything in India, then lawyers would pluck Ra.One clean.
It’s primarily a kid's film but there are moments wholly inappropriate for that demographic, such as pervy airport guy getting excited over a possible knob piercing. There's comedy, bad chart music, super-jumps up Battersea Power Station and… enough! Some restraint was needed.

1½ proverb folders out of 5

Whore (1991)

Ken Russell’s adaptation of David Hines’ play (called Bondage) is reportedly the cult director’s response to the unrealistic romantic nonsense that was Pretty Woman (1990). Russell made a no frills, low budget film packed with monologues and lengthy asides by Theresa Russell (no relation) that are both candid and self-deluding. If you’re paying attention you’ll hopefully figure out which of those two states is the most telling at any given time.
It was the last cinema release he ever made. The studio’s treatment of the film and their fear it would bring them bad publicity meant it was criminally overlooked at the time of release.

3½ substitutes out of 5

Wilde (1997)

The 19th Century's quintessential bender, Oscar Wilde, deserved no one less than the 20th Century's most fabulously intelligent bender to play him onscreen. It's a good thing Stephen Fry can act, because it's the role he was born to play. Wilde enjoyed showing the world how abhorrent their ignorance was, and he was proved right by their reaction to his 'private' life. The film documents that side of him, including his fame and his fall, and doesn't shy away from the naked truth.
If you're not familiar with Oscar's work, then you may want to proceed with caution because there are some spoilers - it gives away the ending of both The Picture of Dorian Grey and The Importance of Being Earnest.

3½ frivolously serious wild flowers out of 5

Ghoulies (1985)

Let's face it, if you still want to watch Ghoulies after seeing the cover art (or even because of it) then you're either budarc or you're well-prepared for a mid 80s horror movie with idiot protagonists and women with perms.
It's typical low budget horror hokum crap with puppets, but I was disappointed that the rubbery turds the film is named for don't actually do very much. Instead, it's left to the hammy actors and the reanimated corpse to provide the filler, of which there is much.

1 LBRP out of 5

BRONSON [2008]

Nicolas Winding Refn follows the life of the UK's most famous prisoner Michael Peterson in the biographical drama Bronson.
It's a disturbingly bizarre, often humorous and violent character study that at times dips into a surreal world filled with classical music that reminds me of a gritty mixture of Terry Gilliam and Stanley Kubrick.  Actor Tom Hardy has never really interested me all that much but, like Eric Bana in Chopper, his ability to go from intensely terrifying to charmingly humorous to just plain nuts deserves much applause and recognition.  When all is said and done, I felt it was missing something to glue it all together but still left me entertained enough to recommend it.


3 lunatic dance parties out of 5

PUSHER [2012]

The Pip-pips adapt Nicolas Winding Refn's Pusher into something glossy, fast-paced & loud, thereby neutering it of the realistic tension of the original Danish film.
Richard Coyle (from Grabbers) does a fine job at filling the shoes of Kim Bodnia although it never felt quite as real and was constantly reminded that I was watching a movie.  It's not a particularly offensive retelling of a far superior product but more or less completely pointless and watered down.  It's almost as if it's trying to remake the original film in the style of Danny Boyle and fails at that as well.  Oh well.  Perhaps the Hindi remake is better?

2 bloody bunnies out of 5

THE GOONIES [1985]

The collaborative efforts of storytellers Chris Columbus & Steven Spielberg with director Richard Donner resulted in one of the defining films of many folk's childhood, The Goonies.
With it's spirited and nostalgic sense of adventure it remains a timeless classic for anybody as a child dreamed of something bigger and better hidden within their everyday life.  Shining with a particularly entertaining child cast (take note of Jeff Cohen as Chunk), The Goonies blends Indiana Jones and The Hardy Boys for one exciting trap after another.   It's a little loud and sloppily put together when it comes to a clean storyline but it really doesn't matter when you're in it for the memories or showing it to the kids for the first time.  Good times.

3½ hilarious sounds of vomit out of 5

Assassin's Creed: Ascendance (2010)

The second AC short fits between AC II (2009) and AC: Brotherhood (2010). It tells of Cesare Borgia's rise to power, but unlike the previous one it’s an animation. Also unlike the previous one, it’s a giant failure.
Visually it’s like a cheaply made flash animation that’s been given a painted effect, supposedly to make it resemble oil-paintings of the Renaissance era. My ass in a blizzard is more interesting than Ascendance.

1 leap of faith out of 5

Mortal Kombat (1995)

Burly men, dry Ice, flaming skulls, bad acting and shit music? It must be Mortal Kombat. A shameless Enter the Dragon (1973) rip off/homage gets the characters to where they need to be, but they have nothing noteworthy to do when they get there. The film falls head first into a Paul W. S. Anderson sized hole. If not for Goro (unintentionally hilarious) and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa I’d have died a slow death.

1 enfeebled mind out of 5

Ali G Indahouse (2002)

A very shaky beginning made me think I was going to regret sitting down to watch Indahouse, but after some readjustment of expectations the funny won me over. I'm still not sure giving the character an actual plot driven story was a good idea, but Cohen is such a natural comedian and his jokes so well-delivered that I got some genuine belly laughs from it. Taking the piss out of British politicians is a productive way to waste time.

2½ booyakashas out of 5

Mohabbatein (2000)

Three male students, three women (one for each guy), one hard-nosed school principal determined to keep his kind of order no matter what and Shah Rukh Khan being awesome. Wow! It's a hell of a good film that many people will overlook because its running time is more than twice that of a typical English language movie. It promises ‘Mohabbatein’ and that’s exactly what it delivers.
If I'd been viewing it in a theatre I’d have given it a standing ovation. But I was at home, so I grabbed a tissue instead and dried my appreciative eyes.

5 personification storms out of 5

Assassin's Creed: Lineage (2009)

A prequel to the video game Assassin's Creed II (2009) that focuses on Giovanni Auditore de Firenze, the father of the game’s protagonist, Ezio.
To achieve the look of 15th century Renaissance Italy they used green screen that actually works, possibly because they utilised the actual game engine to build the world. It looks great and is the most successful and faithful video game tie-in that I've ever seen. Well done, guys.
What let it down was the usual half-a-story Ass Creed script and, while the actors deliver their dialogue just fine, I can’t tolerate when English is used by an entire culture that should be speaking Italian.

2½ dark skies out of 5

The Punisher (1989)

Dolph might look like a big dumb shit but he's a highly educated guy, holding a BA and an MA in Chemical Engineering (top of his class!). He's also a formidable athlete, holding a third dan black belt in Kyokushin. Simply put, he could kick your ass on the street and in the classroom. And yet, because of his stature and his enunciation skills he gets crappy film roles that perpetuate the action star/dumb shit stereotype. The Punisher is no different, but it has an underused stylistic element that sets it apart from the usual violent revenge flick and all the modern Marvel films.
I'd be interested in seeing the Swede acting in his native language to see if he's any better at it.

2½ rain-soaked streets out of 5

The Gate II: The Trespassers (1990)

Apparently a bloody great big demon bursting through the floor of his best friend’s house and killing guests didn't teach young Terry a damn thing about being responsible, because he’s back to conjure more nasties in a sequel that recreates the same kind of vibe as the original The Gate (1986). If you liked the first film, then I expect you'll like this one, too, but perhaps a little less.

1½ demon roadies out of 5

BLUE VALENTINE [2010]

Director Derek Cianfrance's Blue Valentine is about the strength of new love and how fragile it can become with age.
Watching their love grow is so well done and realistic it makes watching it all fall apart quite a difficult and often uncomfortable experience.  It's well acted, starkly shot and wonderfully written even if it is a bit too bleak to want to revisit again.  We complain about the phoniness of silly rom-coms but do we really want them all to be like this?

3½ motel rooms of the future out of 5

KISS KISS BANG BANG [2005]

Writer/director Shane Black loosely adapts a Brett Halliday Michael Shayne mystery novel and teams up Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer for the comedic crime film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Like his Lethal Weapon films and The Monster Squad, Black cleverly inserts humorously witty dialogue into a fast-paced, straight-faced genre narrative.  This time around he takes the hard-boiled crime genre and gives it a flashy modern day Los Angeles spin.  Kilmer & RDJ have wonderful chemistry playing off each other while Michelle Monaghan holds up her own in between the bantering duo.  In a day of overly serious or just plain boring thrillers and crime dramas this film is a breath of fresh air.

3½ faggot guns out of 5

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (extended edition) [2003]

Peter Jackson & co. deliver an emotionally powerful, visually breath-taking grand finale to The Lord Of The Rings film trilogy with The Return Of The King.
Clocking in at over 4 hours it feels like no time is put to waste with it's satisfying character moments, terrifying battle scenes and beautiful backdrops courtesy of New Zealand.  So much care and love was put into every single element of the film you know it's a film for the fans made by fans.  Many might complain about the overly long conclusion but I find it more than suiting to wrap up everything while never wanting to let the characters go.  This trilogy as a whole is a fine achievement in film-making that has already found it's place in cinema history and with good reason.

4½ drinking games out of 5

Carny (1980)

A young woman uses the travelling carnival that’s stopped in her town as a means to escape her boring, dead-end life. There’s very little plot. Instead, it relies on the characters to keep the viewer’s attention, but the characters themselves are kind of irritating. I stuck it out to the end and got a few scenes that I wasn't expecting, so I guess it was worth the effort, barely.

2 lengths of string out of 5

Between the Folds (2008)

An award winning documentary about origami, the people that do it and the science behind it. The rules state that only one sheet of paper can be used, but that doesn't stop artists creating elaborate structures and beautifully expressive works of art. I felt that some of the techniques and tricks used, particularly the wetting of the paper, brought it closer to sculpture than ‘folding’, but no one seemed too concerned, and what do I know? I can’t deny the results were anything less than stunning.
It’s not just artists that are getting involved; there are mathematicians, engineers and even physicists.

3½ metamorphic forms out of 5

The Atrocity Exhibition (2000)

I did my best to explain what I thought TAE was about when I reviewed the book (HERE). I'd assumed it unfilmable, but Dir. Jonathan Weiss achieved the impossible: he turned Ballard's conceptual head-fuck into a living, breathing psychodrama of fused sequences and deep, unsettling allusions.
Be warned, there's some very upsetting imagery on display; there had to be if he was to remain faithful to the source, but it's still a shock even when you've mentally prepared yourself for it. If you attempt to understand what you're seeing without first having read the text and applying it as a primer, then you may not grasp the full impact of what the film set out to do. You'll notice I didn't say 'understand the film,' because that would be madness.
To date, it's the only film Weiss has made. I can understand why. After Atrocity, working in conventional cinema would be a major comedown.

5 angled doors out of 5

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)

I love me some Dolly and I don’t care who knows it. When she’s teamed with Burt Reynolds the good times get even better. When Dolly's onscreen it’s great. She looks like she’s having a blast making it, which helps her character be even more likeable. When Burt’s moustache is onscreen it’s equally great. He gives good smug. When they’re both there at the same time, playing off each other's charms, it’s awesome!
Unfortunately, when it's left to someone else to keep the hijinks high it stumbles with its pants around its ankles. No matter, there's enough D+B to keep it rollin' along at a steady pace, and there's songs!

3 hallelujahs out of 5

ONLY GOD FORGIVES [2013]

Nicolas Winding Refn's minimalist thriller Only God Forgives is like a Greek tragedy illuminated in harsh shades of the primary colors and cold-hearted violence.
The emotional intensity of the film threatens to erupt with each moment but Refn cleverly allows it to slowly simmer only allowing small yet heavily effective bursts of unforgiving brutality to ease the tension.  The narrative never really guides the viewer's morals to either side and that's part of the seductive allure of the film.  It's like a dark and colorful fairy tale nightmare set in Thailand that breathes with brilliant photography, beautiful lighting and a deliciously sadistic performance from Kristen Scott Thomas.

4 Angels of Vengeance out of 5