Author: Jean Jentilet
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The Descent (2005)
A film about letting the abyss take you in the wake of tragedy, sure sure, but also a film about inevitability and futility. The world would be a tiny a bit better without the hand-holding U.S. ending, and the sequel in enabled. It speaks to The Descent’s supremacy that neither mars the film overall. Often…
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The Ruins (2008)
It would have been easy for The Ruins to be the low-effort cash grab that a quick glance at its contemporaneous promotional material made it seem to be. Instead, it drops a lesson in unsettling sound design, and the real effectiveness of judiciously choosing when to zoom in and when to look away. A film…
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Phenomena (1985)
With beats of Supiria echoing throughout, Phenomena is a power-soaked slice of its time. There are flashes of Argento’s real brilliance–creating a the atmosphere of a nightmare synergizing with Simonetti’s contributions to the score–but those moments are fleeting among the misplaced maggots. No shade to Inga, the real star of the show. Our discussion: AcastYoutube
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The House with Laughing Windows (1976)
Pupi Avati’s is a layered film, with a unity between visuals and narrative clearer and more sophisticated than either Lizard or Phenomena. contrast to the other films we watched this month. At its core is a nearly mythical figure–the painter of agonies–and a story with enough tendrils to make another half-dozen movies without any of…
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A Lizard in A Woman’s Skin (1971)
Ever the master of vibes-based filmmaking, Lucio Fulci here hangs vibrant imagery on a plot-like structure that barely matters: every frame is worth a thousand words, and the rest is mostly distraction. Stodgy repression, lurid libertinism, a blandly venal bourgeoisie, and barely competent bureaucracy are laid unmistakably bare while a psychiatrist stands in as an…
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Blood and Black Lace (1964)
In this seminal Mario Bava film, we see the traces of everything that came before and the outlines of everything that will follow. Impeccably realized atmosphere and stunningly composed scenes drive the film. Here we recognize the framework of the opening scene of Suspiria. There, the faceless, black-gloved killer that will chase countless victims through…
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Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2026)
More “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” please. Thanks. Our discussion Youtube Acast
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The Menu (2022)
Elegant storytelling and the deft weaving of themes characterize The Menu, which had the vibe of an instant classic upon release. Time seems to be bearing that out. Commentary on class, art, and consumption start out as unobtrusive as a good sommelier, but is soon impossible to ignore, even for the most obstinate of Hawthorn’s…
