Best Films
Diva: An absolutely wonderful French film from the 80's, directed by Jean Jacques Beineix and staring nobody I've ever heard of before, but perhaps notably the real opera singer Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez. Don't be put off by the diva/opera connotations, this is a magnificent crime thriller, far more stylish than any Hollywood 'film noir' and contains many quirky set pieces and wonderful characters. Essentially a very French film, but at the same time not following all the usual French film attributes.
Avalon: From the Japanese film maker Mamoru Oshii & filmed in Wroclaw, Poland with a largely unknown Polish cast and mostly in sepia type tones! Add to all this, the most wonderful special effects, which are distinctly different from the Hollywood fare we've gotten so use to over the years and before you even start you known you're in for something special. It revolves around a compulsive and addictive illegal virtual reality war game. However, it can leave a player brain-dead, needing constant medical care, these are called 'unreturned'. But there is oh so much more going on!
Perfect Creature: So another Vampire movie, well not quite. The vampires in this instance are called the Brothers, the worlds religious order and are sworn to protect the weaker humans. These vampires are all human born due to a genetic quirk, removed from their mothers at birth to be raise by the church. Humans go to Church and give blood and as such co-exist. But all is not as it seems...
Returner: A rather unusual Japanese film, think a hit man out for revenge add a Triad gang, but then throw in a bit of time travel with a soldier from the future (where humanity is on the edge of extinction) returning to the past to change the future (now where have I heard that plot element before?) some shape shifting alien spacecraft, a bit of E.T. and an outrageous baddie - you just know it's going to be fun!
The City of Lost Children: French film magic once again; a mad scientist kidnapping children to steal their dreams (on an oil rig like structure in the sea) because he can't dream. On the oil rig there is also a brain in a tank, and some clones (each trying to figure out if they are the originals. Not strange enough? OK lets add in female Siamese twins who control orphans in crime escapades (very Fagin-Esq) a killer flee controlled by a organ grinder and a sect who have one eye replaced with a device that allows them to visualize sound, living in a kind of 'steampunk' environment and finally Ron Perlman as a circus strongman who plays the part of the hero. This is a Jeunet (who went on to do Alien Resurrection) & Caro film who always give wonderful value - like in the next film on my list!
Delicatessen: Set in a post-apocalyptic France, where everything is in very short supply (especially meat). A butcher, who also rents out rooms, keeps his customers happy with a rather unusual source of meat - the hired help. Him plans go awry, when his daughter falls in love with the next victim (played by Dominique Pinon - who played the clones in The City of Lost Children and Vriess, in Alien Resurrection as well as many other fine roles). His daughter sets out to rescue him with the aid of a band of vegetarian rebels, who live in the sewers.
Brotherhood of the Wolf: Yet another French film, this time set in the 18th century just prior to the French Revolution. The story revolves around the legend of the 'Beast of Gévaudan' which would attack and rip the throats from its victims, those that escaped told tails of a huge wolf with orange fur and fetid breath. Well this film contains the mystery beast, but adds; politics, erotic elements, martial arts (al la The Matrix) a (red) Indian, mystery (of course) horror elements and a love story. The mix of the historic and fantasy combine to give this film a great 'feel' and will appeal to a wide audience due to its many elements, characters and wonderful set pieces.
Avalon: From the Japanese film maker Mamoru Oshii & filmed in Wroclaw, Poland with a largely unknown Polish cast and mostly in sepia type tones! Add to all this, the most wonderful special effects, which are distinctly different from the Hollywood fare we've gotten so use to over the years and before you even start you known you're in for something special. It revolves around a compulsive and addictive illegal virtual reality war game. However, it can leave a player brain-dead, needing constant medical care, these are called 'unreturned'. But there is oh so much more going on!
Perfect Creature: So another Vampire movie, well not quite. The vampires in this instance are called the Brothers, the worlds religious order and are sworn to protect the weaker humans. These vampires are all human born due to a genetic quirk, removed from their mothers at birth to be raise by the church. Humans go to Church and give blood and as such co-exist. But all is not as it seems...
Returner: A rather unusual Japanese film, think a hit man out for revenge add a Triad gang, but then throw in a bit of time travel with a soldier from the future (where humanity is on the edge of extinction) returning to the past to change the future (now where have I heard that plot element before?) some shape shifting alien spacecraft, a bit of E.T. and an outrageous baddie - you just know it's going to be fun!
The City of Lost Children: French film magic once again; a mad scientist kidnapping children to steal their dreams (on an oil rig like structure in the sea) because he can't dream. On the oil rig there is also a brain in a tank, and some clones (each trying to figure out if they are the originals. Not strange enough? OK lets add in female Siamese twins who control orphans in crime escapades (very Fagin-Esq) a killer flee controlled by a organ grinder and a sect who have one eye replaced with a device that allows them to visualize sound, living in a kind of 'steampunk' environment and finally Ron Perlman as a circus strongman who plays the part of the hero. This is a Jeunet (who went on to do Alien Resurrection) & Caro film who always give wonderful value - like in the next film on my list!
Delicatessen: Set in a post-apocalyptic France, where everything is in very short supply (especially meat). A butcher, who also rents out rooms, keeps his customers happy with a rather unusual source of meat - the hired help. Him plans go awry, when his daughter falls in love with the next victim (played by Dominique Pinon - who played the clones in The City of Lost Children and Vriess, in Alien Resurrection as well as many other fine roles). His daughter sets out to rescue him with the aid of a band of vegetarian rebels, who live in the sewers.
Brotherhood of the Wolf: Yet another French film, this time set in the 18th century just prior to the French Revolution. The story revolves around the legend of the 'Beast of Gévaudan' which would attack and rip the throats from its victims, those that escaped told tails of a huge wolf with orange fur and fetid breath. Well this film contains the mystery beast, but adds; politics, erotic elements, martial arts (al la The Matrix) a (red) Indian, mystery (of course) horror elements and a love story. The mix of the historic and fantasy combine to give this film a great 'feel' and will appeal to a wide audience due to its many elements, characters and wonderful set pieces.