Category: International

52 FILMS BY WOMEN: #13. RAW (Grave) (2016) [France/Belgium] – Julia Ducournau

52 FILMS BY WOMEN: #13. RAW (Grave) (2016) France/Belgium Julia Ducournau   RAW is a nuanced story of love, secrets, & acceptance. I read a comment on this film calling it a slow Ginger Snaps, but I think that fan (of possibly the horror genre) missed the subtle subplots. In the film, Justine (an adamant…
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52 FILMS BY WOMEN: #12. Mustang (2015) [Turkey/France] – Deniz Gamze Ergüven

52 FILMS BY WOMEN: #12. Mustang (2014) Turkey/Russia/France – Deniz Gamze Ergüven   Mustang is a moving tale about a group of sisters stuck in a traditionalist Turkish environment as they long for modernity. At the end of the school year 5 sisters frolic with classmates unaware of the events to follow. Upon returning to…
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Black Swan (2010) USA

Black Swan is not only mesmerizing but it makes the world of Ballet really fascinating. Darren Aronofsky is the Kubrick of our generation. The story is about a frigid but gifted dancer Nina who due to self-torturing and a smothering mother finds being 99% proficient at dancing not good enough. She is a chorus member…
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Sympathy Trilogy ( Mr. – Oldboy – Lady) (2002, 2003, 2005) KOREA

6 of the most satisfying hours of cinema I have ever had in my life! So I do have a short attention span for long drawn out plots, no big secret. But this trilogy has taught me for Chan-wook Park…wait for it…wait for it…POW!!! How does one make Dismemberment poetic? Ask Park. This Trilogy has…
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GUROTESUKU (GROTESQUE) (2009) JAPAN

Gore, gore, gore…gore, gore, gore…But where was the point?! So now is the time where I say “See at least SAW had a motive!!” or “And you Knock Friday the 13th part 100″…They had points!!!!! Abstract? In the film GROTESQUE, I was hoping to employ that word and ignore the hate, but abstract from what?…
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REC 2 (2009) SPAIN

They went back in…What were they thinking?!?! By KLM So, I was afraid, very afraid. There‘s this thing that’s out there, it’s called “Sequel-itus”!?!?! A company is so amped up to cash in on a movies popularity they crank out quick flop. There are several reason to be afraid: 1. All of the characters you…
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BATORU ROWAIARU (BATTLE ROYALE) (2000) JAPAN

Lord of the Flies meets the Breakfast Club. I worked with this really cool chick (a while back) that was just as into horror as me, if not more so. I found this out when, one day, she came in wearing a Battle Royale T-shirt. Someone commented great movie and she said to me “You…
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REC (2007)SPAIN

Rabid done right! If you spent the 8-14 bucks seeing Quarantine, sorry.  In case you didn’t know it was actually a remake of the Spanish film REC that was still in theaters in Spain as they tossed out a copy here in the States. (Spoiler Alert!) Simple, simple.   A reporter (low on the totem…
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Haute Tention (High Tension) (2005) FRANCE

What would you do to save your best friend? In this intense horror thriller by Alex Aja and Greg Levasseur, two girls Marie and Alexia go to Alex’s parent’s house in the country for the weekend to study. Once there, the family and guest are terrorized by a killer who shows no mercy. When the…
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