The director of ‘Oldboy’ delivers a sexy, savage, utterly compelling con thriller tangled up in national and sexual politics in 1930s Korea.
Category: International Cinema
‘Dracula’ – the 1931 Spanish version on Criterion Channel
This little known alternate version, shot on the same sets as the Lugosi classic, features a different cast and a sexy style and is proclaimed by many fans as a superior version.
‘Timecrimes’ – time travel madness on Amazon Prime and free on Kanopy and Hoopla
Nacho Vigalondo’s dark and demented little psychodrama is an ingenious time travel into madness.
‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ – Guillermo del Toro’s dark fairy tale on Netflix
This elemental ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is both an escape from and a fantastical reflection of the horrors of Francisco Franco’s reign of terror in 1944 Spain.
Guillermo del Toro’s ‘The Devil’s Backbone’ on Amazon Prime
Guillermo del Toro directed this haunting ghost story, set in a remote orphanage in Spain, against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War.
Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Cronos’ on HBO Max and Criterion Channel
The feature debut of Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is a magnificent mix of fantasy and horror, an alchemic twist on vampire lore and the costs of eternal life.
‘The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie’ on Amazon Prime
Luis Buñuel’s sly, dry, deadpan masterpiece of upper class hypocrisy uses satire to skewer social pretensions and moral hypocrisy
‘The Guilty’ – a rivetting Danish thriller on Hulu
Actor Jakob Cedergren carries this drama about an Emergency Services operator who receives a call from a woman in trouble and has to solve a mystery with only a phone.
‘Ong-Bak 2’ and ‘3’ – The Prequels on Hulu
Tony Jaa returns in these martial arts revenge thrillers set in 15th Century Thailand. He is still the most impressive special effect in the movie.
Last chance: ‘The Bird with the Crystal Plumage’ – Dario Argento begins on Criterion Channel
The directorial debut of Dario Argento sets the tone and style for his baroque horror films and the genre he helped define: giallo.