Day: October 1, 2019
-
Run From Your Wife: Exploring The Horror of Marriage In Possession and Antichrist
There are two: Two horror films, two male directors, two couples, two marriages on the rocks, two Deadly Women to be feared, two men at the mercy of these women. Chaos and Order, Man and Woman. The films in question our Lars Von Trier’s “Antichrist” (2009) and Andrzej Żuławski (1981), the films may have been made decades apart, but they share such striking similarities that it’s hard not to discuss one without referencing the other. Both films depict an underlying fear of women, seen through the fearful gaze of the male directors and the male characters.The women represent Chaos and disorder, their male partners are on a quest to fix these women and restore order.
-
31 Days of Horror, Day 1: The Invitation
An underrated mastery of the psyche “The Invitation” (2015) directed by Karyn Kusama is one of my favorite horror/thrillers in recent years. We’ve seen a lot of psychological distress on screen, but this is truly at its finest here. That churning tension of uncertainty that is introduced early, ruminates throughout, giving us a party that’s not quite what it seems. Will (Logan Marshall-Green) and girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) are invited to his ex-girlfriend Eden’s home (Tammy Blanchard) for a dinner party, he’s not really sure what to expect. When they arrive, they’re surrounded by several old friends, Eden’s new boyfriend David (Michiel Huisman) and some wildcard new acquaintances of the hosting couple, including Pruitt (John Carroll Lynch) who brings an extra element of creepiness.
-
Retrospective Review: The Lego Ninjago Movie
“The Lego Ninjago Movie” (2017) is funny and bright with a strong message at the core. But if it’s a representative of a universal playtime fantasy we have some serious issues on our hands. Playtime doen’t really include women and girls. Lloyd (Dave Franco) is a Lego teenager who happens to be the son of evil Lord Garmadon (Justin Theroux). He’s also secretly a Ninjago warrior, along with friends Nya, Zane, Jay, Cole and Kai. Together they must battle to defeat evil Lord Garmadon and find their inner peace (inner Lego piece, get it!) on the way. Together they defeat the Ultimate Weapon – a cat called Meowthra – and Garmadon’s evil plans. This is a fun film. Funny, colourful, playful, and self-aware. But it falls into the trap of being aimed at all children but focuses on male characters to the notable exclusion of female ones.
In Their Own League 