Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)

Perfume, first of all, could have won an academy award for best cinematography. It does a fascinating job of capturing scent. The film so heavily focuses on sensuality, it offers not only an intense experience visually, but for literally all of the senses. The music stirs emotion, wind feels breezy, and you can smell flowers. Yet the entertainment value is not lost beneath the art for those who are less appreciative.

Perfume is a time period piece based off of a novel (that I haven't read). It is about an unusual boy with a gift for scent and a fierce wish to learn how to capture it. It is strange because content-wise it is a violent serial killer movie but it doesn't feel like one. I walked away from it instilled with a beautiful perception of the world and feeling sympathetic for the murderer/main character. I think that some people are a vessel for love that is so extreme that it manifests into darkness. And this film is a lovely example of that.

Sometimes I find time period pieces to be too dull or realistic but this one wasn't. I think the charming narration and fictitious atmosphere helped with that. It is told in a fairy-tale-like manner despite the heavy, dark undertones.

The Fall (2006)

The Fall is about a man who becomes broken  - mentally, physically, and in his heart. In this state, he tries to tell a story to a child, creating a wildly eccentric tale full of goofiness, beauty, death, and every emotion you can imagine. The viewer experiences two worlds: the hospital lives of a little girl and a young film stuntman who have both experienced recent tragedies, and the fantasy world that they create together.

Out of all the independent films I have seen this one really stands out and easily outshines most hollywood cinematography and imagination. Tarsem Signh's direction is so admirable, from the acting to the visual creations. The young girl's (Catinca Untaru) performance is close to the best child acting there is. She is Romanian, playing an immigrant with broken english. Her realism makes it difficult to fathom that she is actually in character.

It is difficult to really describe how visually stunning this film is. The fantasy scenes are so colorful and lavish, shot in gorgeous landscapes from all over the world (France, India, Italy, Egypt, Brazil, South Africa, Fiji...etc.). The costume designs are over-the-top, in fact, everything about the fantasy world is over-the-top. There are so many captivating scenes: an underwater elephant, butterflies shooting from a hero's mouth, a chanting mystic tree cult. And the symbolism between the two worlds is emotionally captivating.

Even Robert Ebert gave a good review!

A Tale Of Two Sisters (2003)

This is an excellent asian horror film, in fact, one of my favorite horror films. It is comparable to Audition in style but Jee-woon Kim's construction is more solid when it comes to the puzzle-like nature that both films possess. He manages to create horror using both psychological and supernatural elements, executing them both with great skill. I have a hard time finding ghost-like characters in movies that look believable and frightening. Jee-woon Kim uses an approach similar to The Ring, but he does it successfully.

The suspense is horrifying. The story takes place in a house to which two sisters return home after leaving a mental institution. The audience has little information to start with but the family's dark secrets slowly piece together. The ending is emotionally disturbing and quite unpredictable. I actually had to re-watch a few scenes to fully understand and accept the film's fate and that made me realize just how perfectly he set-up the ending. I am also glad that he didn't go in the 'open-interpretation' direction.

The film is beautiful. The camera shots are poetic with intentional use of placement, symmetry, and color. There are some gorgeous shots that I literally paused for just to admire. The young actresses are very believable and look very pretty throughout the film.


*The Uninvited (2009) is the American remake 

Phenomena (1985)

Another murder mystery masterpiece by Dario Argento. Phenomena is incredibly entertaining. The creativity in this film is even more extreme than many of his others. There are so many plot twists...just when you think you know how it is going to end he introduces a new element out of left field. His scripts get lots of criticism for being untraditional but I love how brilliantly he executes his off-key imagination.

Jennifer Connelly shines as the star in this film. Her character's unnatural relationship with insects (which is what Phenomena is most well-known for) is actually much more interesting than what I was expecting, but that is just one of the many ingredients that make this film. The scenery is lovely, the suspense is great, and the amount of gore is perfect.

I tend to compare Argento's films to Suspiria, his most popular. I personally prefer Phenomena for its uniqueness and fantastical story. As far as the soundtracks go it is hard to choose. Goblin's music is awesome in both films, better in Suspiria, but when coupled with Iron Maiden's contribution it does incredible things for the mood and style of Phenomena.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane (1976)

"A lone 13-year-old resorts to murder to protect her haven." is the synopsis as described by IMDb. Paired with the film's title I was expecting a 'little girl psycho killer' type movie but there was much more depth to it, most impressively within the characterization. The little girl is a 13-year-old adult played by a wise-beyond-her-years, young Jodie Foster. A fierce performance.

The character is a self-reliant, precocious, young teen living on her own under a false pretense. Adamant against social conditioning and demanding of her right to live freely and peacefully, she  quickly becomes targeted and victimized by the community. When her way of life becomes threatened she is forced to do what she must to survive and does so gracefully as she is just as devious as her foes. I love this film's courage and how not a trace of fear is shown even in the most threatening situations, yet it is there in the undertow.

This is one of those films that is categorized under horror probably because there really isn't a fitting genre. It is uniquely bizarre and I love how the 70s mannerisms compliment that...definitely not a film you would see made today.

Rabbit Hole (2010)

Rabbit Hole is a sad but beautiful story about a couple that has lost their son. Director John Cameron Mitchell masters the portrayal of grief as the characters cope with their loss. Despite the all-star cast this is a quiet film - the plot is not overly-ambitious, simply exploring life after death, so to speak (and in a visually stunning manner).

I am a fan of Nicole Kidman and many of her glorious roles but this has to be one of her most dedicated  performances. That goes for Dianne Wiest, Aaron Eckhart, and Miles Teller as well. Their characters seem to completely consume them. The acting is pure and the dialog is so perfectly worded that it feels real. 

Whether or not as a viewer you have experienced death in this manner you will empathize and relate to the characters. Watching their struggling relationships and their individual ways of coping is so intense that it plants a part of their pain in your gut. I can't imagine that it is an easy thing to film emotion but this one gets 10 stars for nailing it. 

Because of its sorrowful topic I can understand why this film isn't more recognized but it should be given a chance because it renders the fact that there can be comfort and beauty in sadness. And the ending is hopeful. 

Bad Boy Bubby (1993)

Bad Boy Bubby is one of the most awkward, twisted films I have seen but it is very excellent. Bubby is a middle-aged man who has spent his entire life in a basement-like dwelling being manipulated and abused by his mother. With zero social/survival skills, Bubby enters the outside world for the first time.

It is a challenging film to watch, filled with taboo scenes where we view a grown man in very inappropriate situations. But the innocence and naivety of his character create a fascinating take. If you can withstand the awkward creepiness of the first twenty minutes, it unfolds into a beautiful story that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions.

Nicholas Hope's acting is disturbingly brilliant and so believable that I had a hard time not emotionally caving in when I saw this. I highly recommend this film but use caution; it is pretty dark and weird.

The Hunger (1983)

The Hunger is a cult classic and very unique vampire film. Refreshingly, the vampire flair seen in most vampire flicks (blood-sucking, fangs, sparkles!) is omitted and replaced with overflowing stylistic and visual flair.

David Bowie is starred alongside of an irresistable Catherine Deneuve, and Susan Sarandon. You can see the glam rock influence of Bowie in the film's style mixed in with the beauty of classical art. Every scene concentrates on visual aesthetics: flowy sheer curtains (particularly during the film's famous lesbian love scene), music video-like photography, and Tony Scott trademark lighting techniques (shining through window blinds). The color pallette is suitably pale with a blue tint. The camera placement is cleverly voyeuristic. There are a lot of long shots that focus on intimate details; a factor in the film's "slow pace" which for some cannot be appreciated. And the make-up artists did a phenomenal job. A complete visual sensation.

The soundtrack is a fantastic mixture of genres from Bauhaus and Iggy Pop, to Schubert and Bach, to ambient, synthesized tracks made with bizarre electronic sounds.

The Hunger was Tony Scott's directorial debut but its art house nature was not received well by critics. There is so much goodness going on in this film, it is a shame that it did not receive more recognition.

The People Under the Stairs (1991)

My favorite of Wes Craven's films, The People Under the Stairs is quite the rare gem. It is super fun to watch and I guarantee that if I had seen it in 1991 it would have been my favorite movie. There is something to be said about the fact that after watching it for the first time over 20 years later I am impressed.

A young boy from the ghetto breaks into his landlord's large suburban home in hopes of saving his family from eviction but finds that once inside, he cannot escape. The bulk of the plot takes place inside this nightmarish, labyrinth-like house owned by a psychotic couple.

The film is classified as horror but to me the experience is more of a fantasy/adventure although it lightly touches upon some horrifying topics (incest/child abuse). It is full of classic, oddball creepiness (cannibalism/booby traps) but the scenes are goofy and innocent enough to be enjoyed even by children.  The acting is great all around and the roles played by the demented couple (Everett McGill and Wendy Robie) are particularly over-the-top. Sean Whalen has an unforgettable role as well.


"Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no evil"

Drawing Restraint 9 (2005)

Drawing Restraint 9 is a film that is part of a 16 piece project created by the controversial artist Matthew Barney. The film is an elaborate sculpture that explores Japanese traditions primarily focusing on the whaling ritual. It takes place on the Japanese vessel Nishin Maru. It is mostly a silent film but it is accompanied by the most fantastic soundtrack I have witnessed. The main characters (Matthew Barney himself and Björk) are occidental guests who are invited to take part in the ceremonies that take place on the vessel. The film's climax is the most magical love scene I have experienced ever. I would only recommend this film to viewers who are appreciative of experimental art and beautiful cinematography, otherwise one might find it rather boring.

Santa Sangre (1989)

A boy is committed to a mental institution after witnessing his father cut off his mother's arms and then kill himself while growing up in the circus. Years later he escapes the facility and reunites with his mother who puppeteers him into becoming her own arms. 


The imagination and depth behind this story and the directing are very impressive. It is the type of film that induces heightened emotions - pain, fear, love, empathy, anxiety - and those triggers, to me, are momentous experiences in life. There is so much tragedy in this film, painted with a circus-like freakiness; far from average tragic situations. It is 100% bizarre on an extremist level but it is detailed and woven together with artistic perfection. It is a movie with which you will either be too disturbed to withstand 5 minutes or be lastingly mesmerized. I'm not really sure whether I would categorize this film as a horror story or a love story but it definitely wins for most unforgettable.

Peeping Tom (1960)

Peeping Tom is a brilliant horror film. The killer in this film is a character who as a child was psychologically abused as a result of being a lab rat for his father's scientific studies involving fear and the human psyche. As a result he inherits extreme voyeuristic tendencies which the director, using clever tactics, forces the audience to experience as well. This makes the killer feel real (as opposed to the generic and over-dramatized villains found in many horror films today) and creates a very personal experience for the viewer.

The atmosphere throughout the film's entirety is filled with unsettling tension and the director creates this without polluting the movie with unecessary gore and shock value. The ending is refreshingly unpredictable and a perfect touch to this daunting tragedy. The film is also visually pleasing as it is shot using rich color and inventive camera placement (for its time). Definitely a must-see for all fans of horror.


Fun fact: Peeping Tom was rejected in 1960 for being too shocking and vulgar, destroying Powell's career as a director

Videodrome (1983)

An original story with a solid execution, Videodrome was far ahead of its time and continues to put to shame attempts at mind-bending, psychological thrillers. The owner of an erotic TV program stumbles across a pirate video broadcast that begins to have a bizarre effect on him and the increasingly thin lines drawn between reality and the virtual world.

As with most David Cronenberg's films, Videodrome is not for everyone as it is very weird and unusually provocative. Cronenberg also cleverly plays with issues regarding media and desensitization to violence. James Woods' performance is a large contribution to the success of the film and I love that Deborah Harry (Blondie) was casted. This is one of the most unique films I have ever seen.

Hairspray (2007)

This musical remake of the film by the great John Waters is a two-hour bolt of positive energy. It captures the amazing culture of Baltimore (my hometown) while addressing race and body image equality in a fun, feel-good way.

The whole cast does a wonderful job and Nikki Blonsky (the energetic, "overweight" main character) really does win you over. Christopher Walken and John Travolta (in a fat suit) are adorable as a singing and dancing husband and wife. I wish there were more films that targeted issues on an activist level while maintaining light-hearted, fun entertainment.

Briar Patch (aka Plain Dirty) (2003)

When I saw Dominique Swain's performance in Adrian Lyne's Lolita (great film) something about her style really intrigued me so I decided to check out this little unknown film in which she is starred. I love films with heavy character development and Dominique Swain does a great job of luring your attention.

This is a Southern Gothic style movie about an abusive relationship/love triangle. There are a lot of brutal scenes but it is directed with a modesty that really communicates to the audience well...the acting is realistic, the plot doesn't try to sell-out, and visually it is right on point. This film deserves more credit.

From Beyond (1986)

One of my favorite 80s horror films though definitely one of those more hilarious than spooky ones. It is based off a H.P. Lovecraft story and it perplexes me just how under-rated this film is especially when it comes to sci-fi/horror fans. Two scientists create an invention that gives people the ability to perceive a horrifying universe that is "from beyond".

The special effects are fantastic and the whole film is outrageously entertaining and demanding of attention. It is the perfect blend of slime, gore, perversion, comedy, and 80s cheese.

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

Very strong debut film by Dario Argento. His vision and sense of style is so clear with this film, establishing  trademarks that can be found in all its successors. This is one of my all-time favorite murder/mystery/serial killer film as well as my favorite Argento film (although I haven't seen all of them yet) even surpassing Suspiria, his most well-known film.

From beginning to end he really captures the audience using impressive mood-control. Every scene is like an abstract piece of art, captivating from every angle. It is quite an attractive film. I love the soundtrack…very spookily avant-garde. The acting is a little unusual but not in a believable/unbelievable way; just more of a stylistic feature. The plot is much more complete than some of his others that receive complaint of being too holey and the ending delivers a well done twist.

Tideland (2005)

Tideland is one of my favorite films by one of my favorite film makers. It also seems to be one of Mr. Gilliam's least recognized films possibly due to its creepy undertow/borderline taboo moments. It is about the traumatic life of a young girl seen from her point of view.

Despite how dark and tragic the plot is, he portrays it with such color, innocence, and imagination; very Alice in Wonderland-esque. Everything about this movie, from the music to the camera techniques to the props, is so so so pretty. The acting is outstanding, the actors perfectly casted...this movie is a real treasure.

Sleeping Beauty (2011)

Sleeping Beauty is a powerfully controversial film that left me feeling unsettled for days (that is a good thing). It very hauntingly portrays the self-destructive lifestyle of a stunningly beautiful, ice-cold character played perfectly by Emily Browning.

The film's slow pace is necessary as it focuses less on narrative and more on raw emotion and gorgeous cinematography. There are scenes in the movie that are intriguingly uncomfortable; the fact that they are both alluring and off-putting at the same time is, in my opinion, fantastic. A beautiful, realistic film.