The Killing

It's been ages since I posted to this blog. The truth is, I've been working on a business plan and website at night rather than watching movies. Out of the few movies I've watched, the ones I liked weren't really dark. Until last night. I finally sat down to watch Stanley Kubrick's "The Killing", which has been sitting on my bookcase for 2 months (thank you Netflix for the no late fees thing). Finally - a dark movie I could add to the blog!

The movie is the definition of a classic film noir. One of Kubrick's earlier works (1956), most of the characters were as fascinating as the actors who portrayed them. Most notably, the main character Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden), and the gunman Nikki Arcane (Timothy Carey). If you don't know anything about them (I didn't), click the links to read their fascinating biographies. The character of Sherry Peatty, unfortunately felt stereotypically unoriginal, and I basically detested everything about her. But she certainly did not ruin the movie for me, nor did the narration (which sometimes can really bug me in a realistic film), or the black and white film, which I felt really worked here. I don't want to give to much away, but the basic plot was a racetrack heist, and as the plan unfolded I was actually on the edge of my seat. There were some interesting images, and the music was great - very suspenseful.

Bonnaroo Lineup

Death Proof (2007)

View On AmazonQuentin Tarantino's directorial half of the Grindhouse series (made with Robert Rodriguez, who directed the other half, Planet Terror). The idea behind the project is to produce movies in the exploitation or grindhouse style of the 1960's.

Planet Terror was funnier but also revolting and completely ridiculous. However, my favorite part of the entire project is the fake movie trailer for 'Machete' at the beginning of Planet Terror. But overall, I enjoyed Death Proof more. Kurt Russell plays "Stuntman Mike", a very weird guy who's favorite hobbies include stalking women and killing them with his 'death proof' car.

There isn't a whole lot more to the plot. The character development is great and the dialogue is trademark hip and clever. One thing about Quentin Tarantino is he always manages to use construct an amazingly original and effective soundtrack, and Death Proof is a shining example of this. The soundtrack perfectly sets the mood for different scenes, using obscure music that totally rocks.

Gone Baby Gone

View On Amazon2007 was a great year for Casey Affleck. Between this movie and The Assasination of Jesse James, he produced 2 high quality performances with 2 very different characters. In Gone Baby Gone, he is private detective Patrick Kenzie, hired to track down a 4 year old girl who has gone missing from her Dorchester (Boston) neighborhood. Having grown up in the same tough neighborhood, Kenzie has inside connections that give him an advantage over the police detectives assigned to the case. He also has street smart instincts that serve him well as he delves into his neighborhoods underworld. But all the street savvy and connections in the world aren't much help when you find yourself in an no-win situation. Michelle Monaghan costars as Angie Gennaro, Kenzie's partner/girlfriend. Big brother Ben writes and directs in this tense crime thriller.

As the parent of 2 young children, I find the story heart-wrenching. And as a native of the Boston area I enjoy the decent Boston accents and authentic backdrop. Although the movie is not flawless, I highly recommend it, if for nothing else, for Casey Affleck's performance.

Hellboy (2004)

View Details On AmazonWhy did I not watch this movie earlier? My thought process went something like this: "Hellboy? Another comic book movie? And this one is called Hellboy? Sounds really dumb". Well sometimes cinema snobbery can get you nowhere. Since Hellboy came out, I have discovered that I really like movies by Guillermo del Toro. For that reason alone I finally added this movie to my Netflix queue. Then, there is the critical success (yes, critical) of the Hellboy sequel released a few weeks ago. My desire to see this sequel caused me to move the first Hellboy to the top of my queue (containing 265 movies - it will be years before I watch everything). After all, del Toro chose Hellboy over Harry Potter 3, he must have had a reason.

Hellboy is dark, entertaining, stylish, and packed with action and del Toro's creative visual effects. At time it is (believe it or not) sweet, at times it is funny. I don't go so far as to claim it is great, but it is good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He's a monster fighting, cat loving (we're talking to pet, not to eat) post adolescent demon who has better lines than the Terminator. Things the movie lacks: reality. But come on, this is a comic book movie, not a documentary. The supporting characters are pretty cool too. There's an evil Nazi assassin, a clairvoyant fish man, a pyrokenetic young woman (Selma Blair), and a demon possessed Rasputin. Even if you are not familiar with the comic book character (I am not) this movie is enjoyable and entertaining. Although if you are looking for something deep, save this one for another day.

Zodiac (2007)

How do you find one creepy, stocky, lumbering, crazy letter writing serial killer? It can actually be very difficult, as is shown in Zodiac, which chronicles the hunt for the historical mass murderer of the same name. The story is sensational, stunning, and because it is closely based on the facts of the case, lacks a sense of closure. So it works better as a history lesson than as a drama, but as someone who enjoys history, I liked it.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays San Fransisco Chronicle cartoonist turned Zodiac enthusiast Robert Graysmith. The movie was actually co written by Graysmith and much of it details his hunt to find the Zodiac killer. Other notables are the very talented Robert Downey Jr. (as journalist Paul Avery) in his signature character as the witty, talented, substance abuser (in this case his talent is crime writing and his substance is alcohol). Chloe Sevigney also makes a late appearance as Greysmith's girlfriend/wife. All three give decent, albeit not exceptional performances. There is a lot going on including coverage of the police investigation manifested by two frustrated San Fransisco detectives (one played by Anthony Edwards who most know from his ER days but to me will always be Gilbert from Revenge of the Nerds). The detectives overcome jurisdictional issues and bureaucracy to identify their man, only to have their case fall apart from under them. Also, there is the erosion of the personal lives of Paul Avery and Robert Graysmith as they become obsessed with finding the identity of the killer.

Serpico (1973)

It's unbelievable at this point in time to watch a young Al Pacino in one of his defining roles. At the time, he was only widely known for his Godfather I role, which had come out the year before. Serpico gave Pacino his 2nd Academy Award nomination and has become a timeless classic.

In Serpico, a true crime drama, Pacino plays the title role of Frank Serpico, an idealistic and honest New York police officer with one hell of a wardrobe. As a fresh police academy graduate, Serpico has his sights set on a Detective's badge. But he quickly becomes disillusioned at the rampant graft embedded in the force. Singled out for being the only officer not to take the money, he is relentlessly harassed by his peers. Competent police work and a charismatic personality has earned him a sparse group of loyal friends but for the most part he is completely isolated at work. Eventually, with the help of several friends, he attempts to trigger an investigation into the corruption in the police force and is betrayed at every level. The corruption goes all the way to the top, and Serpico's cooperation with a grand jury leads to more contempt from his fellow officers and no resolution to the corruption. The stress wreaks havoc on Serpico's personal life and well being.

The film is made even more remarkable by the fact that it is based on a true story. Pacino and the real Frank Serpico lived together for a period of time before filming, and you feel as if you are watching the actual man. I have no idea what he is really like but Pacino's intensity and toughness are extremely convincing. The rich backdrop gives a vivid picture of life in New York the late 60's/early 70's. Many strata of society are depicted: blue collar, immigrant and first generation, young bohemian, organized criminal, and ghetto. Instead of dating the movie, the gritty portrayal of city life makes it into a historical drama.

The Devil's Backbone (2001)

A pre Pan's Labyrinth ghost story by Guillermo del Toro, this is actually my favorite of his movies. Both written and directed by del Toro, the film is haunting and creepy. It contains elements from both Pan's Labyrinth and The Orphanage (more accurately, they contain elements from this movie since this one came before the others). I saw it for the first time shortly before Pan's Labyrinth was released, and at the time I had never heard of del Toro. I remember being surprised by how good it is. It is not as beautiful as Pan's Labyrinth, although the cinematography is amazing. The landscape is spare and lonely and the portrays the idea that the people at the orphanage are completely cut off from the rest of the world.

Set in an orphanage during the Spanish civil war, the movie captures the chaos that accompanies war as the rules of society break down. The main character is a little boy named Carlos who is abruptly left at the orphanage. It turns out that he is not the only one stranded there. He soon comes in contact with the ghost named "the one who sighs" by the other children. After some frightening encounters, Carlos pieces together the mystery behind the supernatural events and works out the identity of the ghost, what happened to him, and even what "the one who sighs" is looking for.

Although the ghost story is creepy, there is a lot of other stuff going on in the movie. There are many interesting characters and war related events. Two of my favorite characters are Carmen and Dr. Casares. Carmen is a woman who was once beautiful but now seems more tired and disillusioned than interested in promoting the radical cause to which she has dedicated her life. Her tragic story includes a dead husband and the loss of one of her legs, which forces her to wear a heavy wooden prosthetic. The events behind her losses are never clearly outlined and their story is left to the imagination. Dr. Casares is a poetry quoting medical doctor who loves Carmen and helps her keep the orphanage functioning during the war. The character and plot development is what makes the movie for me. There are some scenes designed to make you jump, but the movie has more substance than most scary movies.

The Spiral Staircase (1945)

This is the first movie I've seen in a while (almost a month!) that I felt was worthy of putting on the blog. Filmed in 1945, this black and white classic thriller stars Dorothy McGuire as Helen, a mute maid working in a mansion full of odd people. There's Professor Warren (George Brent), and Stephen (Gordon Oliver), the smooth talking younger brother who has recently returned from an extended stay in Europe. Add in Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore) who was nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for her role as the ailing, elderly mother to Stephen and step-mother to the Professor. There's a brandy stealing cook, and her husband and a crotchety nurse. Oh, and one of them is probably a serial killer who target's handicapped and maimed women. This doesn't bode well for mute Helen.

Elegantly crafted. this movie uses black and white film to the fullest. Full of dark shadows and surprisingly decent special effects (considering it was made in 1945), you would never guess that it was filmed entirely on a sound stage. The story is good, although the suspense is muted compared to today's standards. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - the movie stands more on style and crafted story telling than the cheap, sensational thrills that are the focus of so many modern thrillers.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

Written, directed and acted by the same individuals who made Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz is a murder mystery spoof set in a rural village in England. Since Shaun of the Dead is one of my favorite movies of all time, I was both excited and apprehensive going into this movie. On the one hand, I heard the movie was really funny. On the other, how could they possibly top, or even rival their first film? Well, both emotions were satisfied. Hot Fuzz is very funny and entertaining, but I didn't like it as much as Shaun of the Dead. The biggest problem is that the characters are unrealistic and I couldn't identify with them the way I could with the characters in the first movie.

Enough about Shaun of the Dead though. Hot Fuzz is about outstanding London police officer Nick Angel (Simon Pegg) who is shipped out to the small town of Sandford in the countryside. The Sandford police force is the British equivalent of Reno 911 and I think contains the best characters in the movie. Angel finds himself paired up with the bumbling Officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) and together they uncover a string of serial murders in the sleepy town. This movie is actually very funny and the character development improves in the 2nd half. The dialog is clever and hilarious throughout the entire movie. If you have already seen the movie, check out the imdb trivia here (be sure to watch the movie first since it contains spoilers and won't be funny anyway until after you've seen it). I was on the floor laughing at a few of them. Overall, this dark comedy is funny and fun.

Serenity

A World Without Sin.
What does that mean? How would it be accomplished? That's one of the central themes to this high action science fiction. Written and directed by Joss Whedon (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame - the TV show, not the movie), this movie revolves around a vagabond space ship named Serenity and her crew. They make a marginal living mostly smuggling and evading the military regime, called the 'Alliance', that has taken over their section of the universe. The captain, Mal, is a fast talking maverick who fought on the losing side of the war which put the Alliance into power. Mal is played by Nathan Fillion, who played the same role in the Whedon produced TV series Firefly, which this movie is based on. I've actually never seen a Firefly episode, but I hear it's really good.

The surreal, futuristic world the story takes place in consists of big brother type of surveillance from the government who make extraordinary effort to convince their minions that they live in a clean and safe universe. But behind the scenes, things seem to be breaking down. An undercurrent of resistance exists below the surface (including the Serenity crew and their associates). Also, there are rumors of attacks by "Reavers", insanely aggressive cannibalistic people who haunt the space just outside the Alliance's territory. Although the Alliance denies their existence, the rumors are growing.

In the midst of this, the Serenity's doctor, Simon Tam, brings his mysterious little sister River on board. The Alliance conducted experiments on River and as a result she has developed special powers, including telepathy, super strength and agility, and psychotic tendencies. The Alliance, believing that River acquired knowledge that could be harmful to it, send an elite bounty hunter after her. The crew of the Serenity reluctantly shelter her and begin to piece together the secret about the Alliance that is locked inside her brain.

What this movie lacks in acting it makes up for in action and mystery. Although there are some minor holes in the plot, it works well. Nathan Fillion manages to convincingly capture Mal's disillusionment and uneasy altruism. The story is far fetched but intriguing and the Reavers are disturbing and creepy. It's an entertaining and imaginative movie that is good for some serious escapism after a long day of work.

The Orphanage

The Orphanage is a Spanish horror movie produced by Guillermo del Toro (among others) of Pan's Labyrinth fame. I am a fan of both Pan's Labyrinth and The Devil's Backbone, both by Guillermo del Toro so I've been very excited to watch this movie since I saw the preview back in December. The Orphanage met my high expectations - it is extremely spooky without any gore. Rarely can a movie get my heart pounding without the use of scary background music, but this movie did that on many occasions. As with Pan's Labyrinth, the events in The Orphanage have several plausible explanations. Ghosts? Psychosis? Or a combination of both?

The story is set around a large Spanish mansion that was used as an orphanage in the past. Laura, the main character, grew up in said orphanage and has returned as an adult to reopen it with her doctor husband. She brings her young son, Simon, who has no knowledge of his own shaky background. Soon after arriving, creepy things start happening. Simon, who already has several imaginary friends, finds a new gang of "imaginary" friends. A creepy social worker is prowling around. There's a dark cave, an out of use lighthouse, and of course the mansion itself, with its history and its creaks. In the middle of all this, Simon vanishes, and the distraught Laura will go to any length to find out what happened to him.

Cloverfield

I only have one word to say about this movie, 'Yee-haw'! OK, so I'm not really sure if that's 1 or 2 words, and I actually have more to say. Think 'Independence Day' meets 'King Kong' meets 'The Blair Witch Project' and you'll get the idea. Dominated by spectacular special effects and full of thrills and action, Cloverfield is a wild ride. Don't go in looking for a clever or even plausible plot. The acting is nothing to write home about either. I found the main characters unconvincing and their actions make no sense whatsoever. Still, the movie is worth seeing if you like special effects and apocalyptic monster movies. I would recommend a big screen TV if you have access to one. It definitely would lose its power on a small one.

I had the misfortune to see a picture of the monster before watching the film. Avoid this if you can. I think I would have been much more freaked out (during the first half anyway) if I could have left my imagination to it's own devices.

Check out more details and watch the trailer here.

The characters from the movie all have their own MySpace pages. After you watch the movie, check them out:
Rob, Beth, Marlena, and HUD

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

I was caught pleasantly off guard by this mockumentary which oscillates between hilarious spoof and campy horror. Nathan Baesel gives a great performance as Leslie Vernon, a budding homicidal maniac. After watching him in this movie, I am very much looking forward to Baesel's 2 upcoming movies due to release later this year.

The premise for Behind the Mask is that Vernon invites a team of journalism grad students to film his preparation for, and execution of his serial killing debut. Baesel portrays Vernan to be surprisingly personable and funny through most of the movie, mixed with eerily sincere intermittant switches to cold and calcualting. The dialog is very funny and manages to simultaneously spoof and pay homage to the slasher films of the 70's, 80's and 90's. Happily, most of the gore is left out and the focus is instead on dark humor and wit. At first the ending threw me a little, but the more I think about it, the more I like the way it ended.

Fight Club

I'm adding this movie to my list of recommendations after watching it for the 3rd time. The first time I watched it, years ago, I didn't think to much of it. I had heard all kinds of raves about it, and I wasn't impressed by the fighting, or the acting of Brad Pitt or Helena Bonham Carter. If there is such a thing as a 'Chick Flick', then Fight Club seems to me to be the opposite - a movie made more for men than women. I found it unnecessarily violent and rather unbelievable. Over the years I've heard people discuss the 'genius' of the movie, and wondered if I missed something the first time I saw it. I have been known to do that on occasion - I had a very similar experience with 'American Psycho'.

HBO played it a few weeks ago and I decided it was time to give it a 2nd chance. I had forgotten the twist at the end, although it started coming back to me as I got closer to it. The 2nd time around I was much more impressed by the whole concept and after watching it for the 3rd time, with the ending still fresh in my mind, I can really see how well made it is. I have even come to appreciate Brad and Helena's characters, although Ed Norton definitely gives the strongest performance. If you can get past the unpleasant (to me) fight scenes, there is really a strong story there with many layers.

The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse

The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse is the 2nd film I've seen by director Fritz Lang (the first is M). It was released in 1933 where it was banned in Lang's native Germany because of it's apocolyptical themes and possible references to the crimes being committed by the Nazi party.

This movie is an important piece of work and is credited by several film makers as the inspiration for their career choice. It is one of the oldest psychological thrillers I've ever seen and is very remarkable (especially if you consider when it was made). It's worth watching as long as you don't mind subtitles (it's in German) and old black and white cinemtography. Lang artfully encompasses sound (at the time a new technology) using techniques such as misidentified sounds and leitmotif.

The cast includes Rudolf Klein-Rogge as the creepy Dr. Mabuse, and Otto Wernicke as Inspector Lohman, the whip smart detective investigating a mysterious crime ring lead by an anonymous "man behind the curtain" whom nobody has ever seen. Things get even weirder when the insane and evil Dr. Mabuse begins scribbling out papers predicting the elaborate crimes from inside his cell in an asylum. It's a fascinating premis for a groundbreaking film which was decades ahead of it's time.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

This movie tells the story of the last year of life of outlaw Jesse James (Brad Pitt) and of his killer, Robert Ford (Casey Affleck). According to the writers, the movie is historically accurate, although I know very little about the James gang so I cannot really say if that is true. Jesse James and Robert Ford are the 2 main characters and their actions are the basis for the storyline.

Ford is well portrayed as a character full of contradiction. At times Ford's vulnerableness and desire for acceptance is heartbreaking. At others, his selfishness and desire for fortune and fame are detestable. His ambition seems to be greater than his abilities which often gets him in way over his head. Affleck does an excellent job of refecting the many facets of this complex character including his unlikeable personality and his innocence.

I think Jesse James is one of the better characters from Brad Pitt. Sometimes I find him overdramatic, especially when playing a deranged character. A little of that comes through here but it is understated. Usually what comes through is the unsettling feeling of coming in contact with an extremely charismatic monster. This seems to be an accurate representation of the man, who was idolized by many despite being a cold blooded killer.

I would describe this movie as a historical epic, not a western. It is slow at times and riveting at others. The cinemtography and musical score are hauntingly beautiful.

The Game

The Game is surprisingly unpredictable and intricate. It's a good thriller with a lot of twists which will really get you thinking. At some points the plot seems almost too elaborate but overall I think it works. I find it especially intriguing that it is based (loosely, I think) on a real life scavenger hunt type game.

Michael Douglas portrays a stuffy banker from a wealthy family - the man that has everything, except a life. Sean Penn, younger brother with a troubled past, is the black sheep of the family. The acting is decent but not remarkable. The main strength of The Game is the fast paced, intense story line that draws you right in and keeps you guessing until the very end.

No Country For Old Men

I am probably the last person on the continental US to see this movie, but now that it is out on DVD I finally had the chance to sit down and watch it. I was a little leary going in because of my high expectations issue. Having heard it was great from everyone I know who has seen it, my expectations were very high. It won Best Picture, Best Directing, etc. - it doesn't get much better than that. I was told Javier Barden was incredible, and he won the Supporting Actor Oscar.

That being said, I am not disappointed - NCFOM is excellent, and Javier Barden is great (and really creepy). Expecting both the movie in general, and Barden to be excellent, I am not blown away by either, but I really enjoy the movie and Barden's performance.

NCFOM contains elements from several different genres including psychological thriller, western and drama. There's a drug deal gone bad, $2 million up for grabs, and a spooky serial killer in the mix. Mostly it follows 3 different storylines from 3 of the main players. There's a loner cowboy who stumbles across the $2 mil, a psychotic killer who believes the $2 mil is rightfully his, and a cop who is investingating the whole affair. Over the course of several days, they chase each other around Southern Texas in a deadly game of hide and seek.

The Third Man

Tonight was my first time ever watching this film-noir legend. The movie was amazing - every scene was a work of art. I now have a better understanding of the term 'film-noir'. It won the Best Cinemtography Oscar (black and white) in 1951. The angles, the lighting, the shadows - everything is so well done.

Set in post World War II Vienna, 'The Third Man' follows down and out writer Holly Martins, who has traveled all the way to Austria to meet up with his long time friend Harry Lime. Upon arriving, he is informed his friend was the victim of an accident and passed away minutes before he appeared on the scene. The thick sculled Martins quickly becomes embroiled in the mystery of Lime's death, despite the discouragement of everyone involved.

Besides the excellent cinemtography the acting is decent. Orson Welles gives a chilling performance as the villian of the film. This movie also left me an overwhelming desire to visit the city of Vienna, which unfortunately I have not yet had the chance to see. One thing I found very interesting was the vision of war torn Vienna. The city is divided into 4 separate parts run by different countries. The actors walk by a montage of beautiful old architecture and piles of rubble and debris without giving it a second look.

If you are looking for a quality thriller with more substance than bling this movie is definately a good choice.

The Thing

The Thing is a remake of the 1950's sci-fi classic 'The Thing From Another World'. Both movies are set in an extremely cold location (one is the Arctic, the other is the Antarctic), and involve a malevolent creature from outer space buried in ice which comes back to life when dug up and defrosted, and havoc ensues. This is one of John Carpenter's earlier films and is idolized by many as ground breaking in the realms of makeup and special effects. Although it doesn't look like much in today's CGI world, it is remarkable for it's time (1982). Even so, if you are really into advanced CGI effects, you won't be overly impressed.

The values of the film are that it is an important chapter in the history of special effects, and the story itself is pretty interesting. The special abiity of the alien, to mimic any living thing it comes in contact with, opens a world of possibilities in the imagination of the viewer. Who is a mimic and who is human? For those taken over, when were they infected? How would it feel to be completely isolated with a small group of people, knowing some were actually these alien mimics but not knowing who is who? Also, the transformation scenes and results of interrupted transformations are actually quite creepy.

American Gangster

American Gangster is based on the true story of Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, and detective Richie Roberts. I'm not sure how much of the actual story is true but I believe most of the characters were based on real people. Lucas and Roberts were both major consultants for the film which could contribute to the raw honesty portrayed by the actors (Denzel Washington as Lucas and Russell Crowe as Roberts) in shownig both the strengths and weaknesses of each man. I'm actually very surprised that there was not an Oscar nomination for either Washington or Crowe because they both put in such strong performances.

I am rapidly becoming a fan of director/producer Ridley Scott, who manages to make this complicated story comprehensible and draw the viewer in throughout the entire movie. You know a movie is well done when it's 3 hours long (I watched the extended, unrated version) and at the end your comment is 'I wish I knew what happened next'.

The character development is excellent, not only for the 2 main characters, but also for the many supporting characters such as Lucas' mother (Sandra Dee - the only acting Oscar nomination from the film) and crooked cop Dectective Trupo (Josh Brolin).

The Staircase

Last night I went on a little Staircase marathon and watched parts 5, 6 and 7. It killed me to stop at 7 - I'm dying to find out how it turns out, but I knew I had to get up at 5 AM this morning and it was already 11 PM by the time I finished 7. I'm a basket case without enough sleep so common sense won out (for once!). So I have to get through my 10 hour work day and then wait until the kids go to bed before I can watch the last part - it seems very far away.

** Spoilers below **
In my first post about this movie, after watching the first 4 parts, I had the feeling that Peterson was guilty. Now that the trial is almost over, I'm not so sure. One thing I can say is he has a great lawyer who talks circles around the prosecutors. If I'm ever on trial for anything, I want Peterson's lawyer to defend me (of course I don't have $1 million to pay him so I highly doubt that would ever happen - best to just stay out of trouble for the middleclass).

At any rate, I just can't get over a few things. First, it's such a huge coincidence that 2 women close to Peterson (the mother of his adopted children, and the step mother of all his children) just happened to be found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs with their heads severely lacerated. I know anything is possible, but the odds seem astronomical.

Also, Kathleen Peterson's sisters were shown at the Duke University archives making copies of some of Michael Peterson's writings. They seemed to indicate a severely disturbed author, saying that murder was pleasureable, etc. None of this was used as evidence in the trial (at least not yet) but it's pretty unsettling. I don't know the context he wrote this stuff in, if you really want to stretch you might be able to come up with a reasonable explanation, such as he had a creative writing assignment to define the characteristics of a serial killer.

And finally, the number and severity of the lacerations on Kathleen Peterson's skull are so numerous and severe, it doesn't seem to match a fall down 5 or 6 steps. It will be interesting to see what they make of the blowpoke. The defense seemed to make a big deal out of the fact there were numerous spiderwebs attached to it, but it has been almost 3 years since the murder at this point, and I think cobwebs could easily form in that amount of time (especially in a dusty, seldom used garage. And what is up with that garage? They have this huge, beautiful mansion with a dirty, dark (no electricity) garage underneath? I guess I could see it if they never used it, but they are storing a car, tools, etc. in there. That just seems weird.

Michael Clayton

Michael Clayton is a fast-paced thriller with excellent acting. I got a little confused early on about over who was working for which company, etc., but I tend to get confused easily when the plot is fast-paced. The ending tied it all together though - even for me. I read on IMDB that they even cut out a whole subplot where Clayton had a girlfriend.

I enjoy Sydney Polluck as both a director and an actor, and you get to see both in this movie. Tilda Swinton was great, I thought her performance was Oscar worthy and George Clooney was also excellent.

It's an interesting look at the shameful behavior of the extremely priviledged and the lengths people will go to in order to remain in that elite group.

Disturbia

This is a semi-decent thriller about troubled teenage Kale (Shia LaBeouf) who is under house arrest for punching his Spanish teacher. He has an ankle bracelet, Paris Hilton style. The punitive accessory sounds an alarm if leaves his yard, resulting in an extended trip to Juvenile detention. Sentenced to spend his entire summer in his house, Kale quickly becomes extremely bored and spends his days and nights spying on his neighbors. He soon notices one of the neighbors has some similarities to a suspected serial killer.

The plot is interesting although the details are pretty far fetched. Kale discovers that his troubled teenage soul mate has moved in next door. Enter Ashley (Sarah Roemer), a completely useless character who adds nothing to the film. The only rationale I can imagine for including her is to attract a few male teenage viewers who want to see her bikini clad form swimming in her backyard pool. There is also a goofy best friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo) who ended up being my favorite character. The ending is definitely cheesy but earlier in the movie there are a couple good jumps. Overall it is sort of disappointing. The idea is good but I wish they had put more effort into developing the story and characters.

The Staircase

There are a few movies with this name but the one I'm talking about here is the documentary by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. It's actually listed on IMDB as Soupçons which I think actually translates to 'suspicion' in French? Anyway, I've only watched the first half so far (it's split into 8 45 minute sections) and I can't wait to get disc #2 from Netflix.

** Spoilers **
The documentary revolves around the murder/accidental death of a prominent Raliegh businesswoman Kathleen Peterson. She was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs in her home with her head bashed in. The only other person home at the time was her husband, columnist and novelist Michael Peterson who claims to have found her where she had "fallen".

I haven't seen the 2nd half so I don't know what actaully happened (assuming there is a clear conclusion by the end) but so far I've found Michael Peterson extremely creepy. At first he walks around saying Kathleen was his soulmate and pretending to be astonished that anyone could suspect there was anything wrong with their relationship. Then the police disclose they've found evidence that Michael Peterson committed adultery on Kathleen with multiple men. Peterson tries to deny this but when the evidence becomes overwhelming (one of his partners comes forward) he changes his tune and says Kathleen knew all about this and was fine with it, and now he is astonished that anyone would think there was something wrong with his infidelity. Then it's discovered that a close female friend and neighbor of Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her stairs from a supposed "brain hemmorage" 18 years earlier. When the police exhume the body for an autopsy, Peterson acts like they are committing a terrible crime and when they publish a report saying her death was also a homicide, he just can't believe the prosecutor could be so unfair. Then, the trial starts.

That's as far as I've gotten so far. The thing that is most amazing about this documentary is the level of access the filmmakers are given into Peterson's life and defense. It's also intriguing to see the kind of defense $1 million can buy you. I watched "After Innocence" last week and you can really see the huge contrast between the defense (or lack of defense) the less affluent, falsey accused ex-cons were given compared to the obscenely wealthy.

The Usual Suspects

** This post contains spoilers **
Here is where I'm going to try to piece together what happened in the movie. Don't read this post if you haven't seen the movie yet since the whole thing will be one big spoiler.

Verbal Kint (Spacey) is Keyser Soze. I thought this was how it was going to turn out early on the first time I saw this movie. Kevin Spacey was awesome, but his limp just seemed to obvious a way to throw people off. Plus, there is a scene when the four criminals are escorting Soze's 'lawyer' to his office where Kint's limp is almost nonexistent, even though in most of the movie it is very severe.

So we know Kint is Soze. We know his lawyer works for him although his name is not Kobayashi and we don't even know that he is actually a lawyer. We know the line up scene at the beginning actually took place, although any of the dialog betweene the 5 suspects unwitnessed by the police could have been made up. The attack on 'New York's Finest Taxi Service' actually happens and probably the emeralds really existed and were stolen. Also, the boat had a Hungarian crew and was harboring a witness who could identify Soze. Finally, we know Soze's name and legend were known on the street, although most people considered him an urban legend and the police had associated his name with some narcotics crimes. We don't know whether any part of the legend about his family is true.

Other than that, couldn't any point of the story have been made up? We know Redfoot didn't exist (or at least his name wasn't Redfoot), so how did Soze's lawyer contact the 'suspects'?

Am I missing any other events that we know actually happened (as opposed to possibly being made up by Soze on the spot)? Are there any alternative theories to what actually happened throughout most of the movie?

The Prestige

This is one of those movies that gets better the 2nd time you watch. The main characters are played by Christian Bale (who I think is awesome) and Hugh Jackman. The first time around I thought it was decent, but I was sort of lukewarm. I looked up the movie on IMDB because something at the end was bothering me and I wanted to find out what really happened. A lot of the comments mentioned how it was so much better the 2nd time so I watched it again and they were right. It took the 2nd viewing for me to realize how much thought went into this movie and how well made it is.

I've enjoyed Christian Bale in pretty much everything I've seen him in (starting with Empire of the Sun) and he didn't disappoint me in this movie. I've been less impressed with Hugh Jackman (although I think he makes a good Wolverine). I found his character pretty unlikeable, but he is supposed to be so that is a compliment to Jackman.

The Thing From Another World

'The Thing From Another World' is a black and white science fiction movie from the 1950s reminiscent of 'Creature Double Feature'. (I found a list of CDF movies and checked, but this movie wasn't there). As you can probably guess, the special effects are very basic (they were probably very advanced for 1951 but times have certainly changed). The upside to that is you don't have to watch this movie on a big screen TV to enjoy it. Also, I read the director of the movie didn't like the closeups of the monster - he felt they looked very unrealistic. So he never used any in the final version of the film. The fact that you never get a close up look at the 'Thing' adds to it's mystery and alieness. Some of the acting was very bad (the lead scientist), but I liked the bravado shown by the Army men. It was a refreshing change from the majority of modern horror movie characters who run screaming and hide when confronted with a monster.

Blood Diamond

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly star in this emotional thriller set in Africa in the 90's. Mostly set in war torn Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond tells the story of a South African diamond smuggler who goes on a hunt for a diamond of legendary proportions while civil war breaks out all around him. Although the main characters are fictional, many of the events and atrocities actually are based on historical events that took place during the bloody rebellion in 1999.

Blood Diamond promotes important awareness of the oppression and suffering still taking place in Africa. The plot is strong, although I found many parts too unbelievable to take too seriously. DiCaprio is decent and sometimes almost heartbreaking. There's movies I've enjoyed him in more (The Departed, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and Catch Me If You Can), but I think this is one of his better movies. I don't really care for Jennifer Connelly's acting and this movie is no exception. I just don't find her believable. Her character is flat, her emotions seem forced and she lacks chemistry with DiCaprio.

There is a lot of action and which is riveting at times, but some of it just seems to be too much. This really bothers me because part of the punch of this movie is that it could actually happen. Don't get me wrong, I do like the movie a lot, but it was so highly recommended to me I guess I went in with very high expectations and ended up a little disappointed.

A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints

This autobiographical coming of age drama written and directed by Dito Montiel won several awards at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, including a Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Performance. It's set in a tough Queens neighborhood in the height of the 80's (the summer of 1986) and revolves around a teenage version of Dito Montiel and his gang of street hardened friends. The story is told through flashbacks experienced by a 30 something Dito, who is on his way home for the first time since '86.

The story is based on the book of the same name, written by Dito Montiel. I hear the book is even better but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. The story in the movie is decent, but the real draw is the cast and the superb acting. I was drawn deeply into each of the characters and after the movie was over I found myself reading an interview with Dito Montiel to find out what happened to each main character after the fateful summer. Knowing this it's based on a true story and real people makes the characters more fascinating although Montiel readily states he took extreme 'liberties' in his account of events and characters. Most of the effects are good but there is one short part of the film where each of the kids speaks directly to the camera. That kind of thing bothers me because it really ruins the illusion for me, but here it is short and to the point and doesn't really take away much from the film.

The Descent

*** This post contains spoilers ***

Ok, here are the holes I found in the story. Let me know if you agree or disagree. This post gives away stuff that happens later in the movie so if you don't want to know what happens, stop reading.

1. The climbers are supposed to be blind from spending all their time underground, but they are supposed to come up to the surface to hunt animals. I would think if sight would be either necessary or a huge advantage if this were true and would not have been thrown away as an unneccessary trait by natural selection.

2. The climbers are supposed to have an extraordinary sense of hearing and smell. So why do they miss the girls when the girls are holding still? Supposedly they can't hear them because the girls are not making any noise because they are not moving. But if the climbers have such good hearing, wouldn't they be able to hear the girls breathing? Their hearts beating? And wouldn't they be able to smell them? It just seems silly that creatures who evolved perfectly underground, would miss an animal as large as a human being because said animal is trying not to move.

That's all I have so far, which is good because I tend to over analyze. Of course, when I watch a horror movie, I'm not looking for or expecting the plot to be air tight. If I were that concerned about reality, I'd watch the news (not!). So I still recommend this movie even though it contains some slight holes in the plot.

The Descent

6 friends are exploring a cave and become trapped underground. As they search for a way out, they find old climbing equipment, hear strange noises, catch glimpses of gruesome creatures, and find piles of bones. And then things really start to go downhill. It's a wild ride with many jolts and an emotional undertone which helps pull the viewer in with the characters. The plot is pretty good although it has some holes. One note, if you have plans to go caving any time in the near future, wait until after your trip before you watch this. (Someone with caving expertise might think this is silly - I've never been and this movie has at least temporarily killed any slight desire I might have to go exploring underground).

I saw the uncut, British ending on DVD. I guess the American version ended differently and the two outcomes could be viewed as dramatically different. I like the way the ending I saw made you wonder a little bit about what really happened. Even the title makes you wonder - is it a descent into the cave, into madness, or both? The movie is very dark and sometimes it's very hard to tell what's going on. It feels kind of like going through a haunted house, where someone might jump out at you around every corner.

Honorable Mentions

This is a list of very good movies that just missed making the list. The main reason these movies were excluded from the recommendations is that they weren't quite dark enough. The other possibility is that it was a good, dark movie, but I just didn't feel it was up to the standards of the other movies. Of course this is all based on my opinions so if you don't agree with me, post a comment and let me know. At any rate, if you like the movies on the recommended list, there's a good possibility you will like some of these movies too and they might be worth looking at.

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory


• C.R.A.Z.Y.


• Labyrinth


• SherryBaby


• The Andromeda Strain

Suggestions

If you know of a movie that you think should be included on this list, enter the title as a comment here and I will watch it and possibly add it to the recommendations. I'm sure there are plenty of sites where you can recommend X-rated movies, but this is not one of them, so please stick to R, PG-13, PG or G. Anything worse will be deleted from the comments.

Wolf Creek

Scary, creepy movie that is roughly based on a true story. It's about a serial killer in a remote part of the Australian outback who lures tourists to his house of horror by sabotaging their cars and then offering to help. I was on the edge of my seat for most of it.

Underworld

A secret war between werewolves and vampires - what more could you ask for? The plot is pretty silly but some of the ideas are intriguing. It is action packed with great special effects and overall this movie rocks.

True Romance

I love this movie. It's dark, violent and bloody but still sweetly romantic. It's classic Quentin Tarantino cool (he wrote it but didn't direct). The all start cast includes Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Val Kilmer, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Samuel L. Jackson, Saul Rubinek (remember Balky from Perfect Strangers?) and a young James Gandolfini.

The Usual Suspects

I just watched this movie for the 2nd time (the first time was 12 years ago in the movie theatres!). I remembered it was a really good movie, even though I actually saw the final twist coming early in the movie. Kevin Spacey is awesome (of course - he won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1995). I really like Benicio Del Toro and this is the first movie I saw him in. I'm going to piece together what happened in the next post so don't read it if you haven't seen the movie yet.

The Skeleton Key

This is a creepy thriller starring Kate Hudson set in an old Louisiana plantation. There are a couple of good jolts and a twist at the end that I didn't see coming (although I probably should have). The movie involves Hoodoo (a variation of Voodoo), an old murder of two slaves, a locked attic and a creepy old woman played very well by Gena Rowlands.

The Sixth Sense

If you like dark and scary movies then you have probably already seen this but for the few of you who haven't, I highly recommend it (as long as no one has told you how it ends). It was the first big blockbuster for M. Night Shyamalan and because of it I've watched most of his subsequent work (Signs, the Village, Lady in the Water) Some of it was ok, but The Sixth Sense was so good that everything else he has done has seemed sub standard. So far, the Sixth Sense is the only work from him I recommend. Even my husband, who is not a fan of horror or Bruce Willis, thought it was great. Some very creepy moments and good jolts, and an ending to beat the bag.

The Silence of the Lambs

The first time I saw this I was a freshman at UMass. We saw it at a mall in Amherst where a student had been murdered in the parking lot the year before. Needless to say it was pretty creepy walking to the car after watching this movie (which scared the SHIT out of me).

Jodie Foster is FBI agent in training Clarice Starling. Anthony Hopkins plays serial killer/cannibal/psychologist Hannibal Lector, who is being held in a maximum security facility for the criminally insane. New serial killer known as "Buffalo Bill" is on the loose and the FBI believes he is a former patient of Mr. Lector's. Clarice's boss sends her to interview Lector, believing there is something about her that Lector may identify with. Lector gives her some clues, but no answers, and Starling's scavenger hunt for Buffalo Bill begins.

This movie is great - super scary the first time and still fascinating the 10th. There is a prequel, Red Dragon, that is decent. Also a sequel, Hannibal, which I have never seen (I heard it is revolting and even the book made me gag so I decided to skip it).

The Shining

The Shawshank Redemption

The Serpent And The Rainbow

The Salton Sea

The Others

The Ninth Gate

I like this movie for a couple of reasons. I think it might be my unrealized 4th grade ambition to become an archeaologist, but I love mysteries involving antiquities, legends, etc. Is there a word that describes that category? If so, post a comment and let me know what it is. Whatever the word, this movie fits.

Anyway, The Ninth Gate was directed by Roman Polanski and stars Johnny Depp. I've said it before and I stand by it, I think Johnny Depp is the greatest actor to emerge from Generation X. I have also enjoyed Polanski's major works (Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown). So I guess it was unavoidable that I would like the film. It involves rare books, the occult, and Paris (my favorite city in the world).

The Night Stalker/The Night Strangler

Very funny and surprisingly creepy. Darren MacGavin (the Dad in A Christmas Story) plays a rogue journalist who finds himself investigating crimes with a supernatural element. It's actually 2 separate movies. I liked the 1st one (The Night Stalker) slightly more than the 2nd, but they are both excellent.

The Machinist

The Lost Boys

The Last King of Scotland

The Killing Fields

The Illusionist

This movie barely made my list, but Edward Norton's performance was very good, and I love the old European city setting (Vienna). I thought the weakest point was Jessica Biel, who was very flat and uninspiring as Sophie, the fiance to the Crown Prince of Austria. The ending had one twist but it is very predictable. Paul Giamatti, an actor who I usually enjoy watching, is good but not great. I guess the merits of the film are in the gorgeous special effects, and the intensity of Mr. Norton's character.

The Green Mile

The French Connection

The Departed

The Crow

The Constant Gardener

The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns

The Changeling

The Butterfly Effect

The Brothers Grimm

I was on the fence about whether or not to include this movie. The plot is sort of silly and a lot of the acting is just average. I was particularly unimpressed with Lena Headey. I did like it - I'm a fan of Terry Gilliam and Matt Damon. It's funny but I wouldn't call it hilarious - some of the oneliners seem sort of canned. The special effects are good and the way they incorporate fairy tale characters is very imaginative. The overall effects create a dark, magical, and mysterious world.

The Big Easy

The 13th Warrior

Syriana

A dramatic thriller about the people, money, and corruption involved in big oil. Matt Damon and George Clooney are both very good (Clooney won Best Supporting Actor at the 2006 Academy Awards). This movie is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Strangers on a Train

Stir Of Echos

Stir of Echos is a ghost story where the past and present become entwined in an unraveling mystery.

Stargate

Snatch

Sling Blade

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepers

Shaun of the Dead

I love everything about this movie. From the title to the credits, this Shaun of the Dead is darkly hilarious and clever. It's a brilliant commentary on the self absorbed apathy of generation X. Shaun (Simon Pegg) is your average 29 year old. Stuck in a dead end job, unable to take the next step in his relationship with girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), he spends his days playing video games with his immature best friend Ed (Nick Frost) and drinking at the local pub, The Winchester. He is so entrenched in his routine, it would take an international crisis to break him out. That's exactly what happens when a mysterious illness starts turning people into flesh eating zombies who can spread their condition with a single bite. As his life is overrun with the undead, Shaun is finally forced to find his inner hero.

The character development in this movie is terrific. Everybody knows someone exactly like Shaun, Ed, Liz and even the stuffy David. Shaun's relationships with his friends, girlfriend and family are classic. I was really able to identify with all of them. The whole movie is witty and fun. A bonus is Shaun's stepfather, Phil, played by Bill Nighy. I give this one a 10/10.

Scream

Saw

Salem's Lot

The first time I saw this movie I was in 9th grade and it scared the crap out of me. At the house I grew up in, there was only one shower, and there was a window in it (with curtains) at face level. I used to get up at 5:30 AM where for most of the year it's completely dark, and everyone else would still be asleep. I'd get into the shower and get a really vivid picture of Danny Glick floating on the other side of the glass, reaching his arm out to scrape at the window. I can tell you I hurried through many a shower in those days.

Salem's Lot (the 1979 version) is based on the early Stephen King book of the same name. In my opinion, King's earliest books were his best and this book (and movie) are very scary. The only way I wouldn't recommend it is if you have a window in your shower :-).

Ringu

I saw this after I had already seen the American remake and I was still scared. If you like The Ring, you will definately like this. I also thought it made a little more sense than it's American counterpart.

Reservoir Dogs

Reign of Fire

Red Dragon

Rebecca

Psycho

Primal Fear

Pitch Black

This movie rocks! The plot is somewhat silly but the special effects and action are awesome. Whatever they did to Vin Diesel's eyes looks really cool and he is very good in this movie. I was disappointed by the sequel and most of his other films, with the exception of The Fast and the Furious which I thought was pretty good. Still, Pitch Black is definately my favorite Vin Diesel movie.

Paradise Now

This movie offers the viewer unique insight into the world of the Palistinian suicide bomber. It's an emotional account of 2 young man in from the West Bank used by a band of terrorists as human bombs. They have explosives taped to their bodies and are sent across the Israeli border. However things don't go as planned and they end up back in the West Bank, separated, with the explosives still taped to them.

We have all seen reports about suicide bombers on TV, and as an American I cannot fathom what would cause somebody to commit such an act. It was so interesting to see this from the terrorists point of view. This movie portrays many contributing factors including the oppression of the Palestinian people, the charismatic terrorist leader pretending to care about the naive kids, and the cultural adoration of previous martyrs. The movie doesn't present this as excuses for such flagrent disregard of human life, but to deliver some understanding to the average viewer into the mindset of the human beings who commit these atrocious acts.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

No Way Out

Mystic River

Monster

Based on the true life story of prostitute and serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Charlize Theron received a well-deserved Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal as Aileen in 2004. She was so convincing, by the end of the movie I couldn't see the lovely actress at all, just the rough, unpolished Wuornos.

One thing to point out: my brother, who usually has the same taste as me in movies, couldn't stand this movie. He said the reason was Theron's portrayal was so abrasive and repulsive he just could not stand to watch her. He hated Wuornos and she is the main character so you see quite a lot of her. I think this is a compliment to Theron's acting ability, since in real life she seems to be a delight and very easy to watch. But if you are bothered by this sort of character, you may want to consider skipping it.

I really liked this movie. I got pulled right in by Theron and felt both repulsed by and sorry for Wuornos.

Misery

Minority Report

Memento

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Guy Ritchie's first blockbuster is hilarious and fast paced as it follows 4 friends who come up with a plan to make some cash in a poker game, and end up way over their heads. Each move they make to try pull themselves from the fire immerses them further into the London criminal world.

The four main characters are great, but there are also some excellent subcharacters such as Rory Breaker (Vas Blackwood), the psycho hash lord, and JD (Sting), Eddie's father.

Ritchie's follow up movie, Snatch, is excellent also. There hasn't been much from him since, but I am looking forward to his next movie, RocknRolla, due out this year (2008).

Less Than Zero

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

The main character of this movie, Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr), experiences a series of absurd coincidences that lead him to landing a Hollywood role, impersonating a homicide detective, and witnessing several murders. The movie is very funny overall and Robert Downey Jr. is so talented. Some of the scenes by the end get a little ridiculous but overall I really enjoyed this movie.

Jagged Edge

This movie is responsible for turning me on to the world of psychological thrillers. Released in 1985, it is one of the first of this genre I can remember watching. The story is about Jack Forrester (Jeff Bridges), whose heiress wife is found brutally murdered. Circumstantial evidence points to Jack who is arrested, and hires Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close) to defend him. Tension builds as the trial progresses and new evidence is uncovered.

I think this film is underrated. It is filled with suspense right up to the ending. The trial is presented a masterful game of chess between Barnes and prosecutor Thomas Kransey (Peter Coyote). A side plot adds a history and a tense relationship between the 2 lawyers. The viewer's perception of Jack swings between guilty and innocent as evidence is uncovered that implicates and exonerates him. The last 2 minutes of the film are the most suspenseful I've ever seen.

In the Line of Fire

In the Heat of the Night (1968)

This suspenseful film is a crime thriller made in the late 60's which addresses race relations in the deep south - a very explosive subject at the time. It stars a very young Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger - who won Best Leading Actor at the Academy Awards for his role as a small town, racist policeman. The movie also won the Best Picture Academy Award in 1968.

This is a remarkable movie, especially considering the time it was made (they had to move filming from Mississippi to Illinois because of political conditions). And on top of everything else, it's an excellent murder mystery. Sydney Poitier plays the role of Virgil Tibbs, a renown Philidelphia homicide detective. While passing through Mississippi, he is drawn into a murder investigation of a prominent business man in a small rural community. At first a suspect (the only 'evidence' against him is that he is an unknown African American man) he later becomes the unlikely partner to the racist, backwater sheriff played by Rod Steiger. In addition to being a great classic movie, it's also neat to see the 'advanced technology' Sidney Poitier's character uses to investigate the murder, you can really see how far forensics has come in 40 years.

Howl's Moving Castle

This is the only cartoon I've put on this list so far. It takes the viewer to a dark, magical world with amazing animation. If you absolutely hate cartoons you should probably skip it but otherwise it's worth your time. Not as dark as most of the other movies on this site (it's only rated PG), but there are monsters, a witch and an evil king, and many other imaginative creatures.