Chan-wook Park made his English language debut in bombastic style with Stoker, a deliciously overcooked, Southern-fried slice of Gothicism. Anyone familiar with Park’s earlier work doubtless expected the gorgeous cinematography and marvelously trashy plotline, but who would have thought the shift from East to West would have been so natural? An off-beat tale of murder, incest and insanity, Stoker is an absolute blast to watch. Packed with style and eerily perfect haircuts, there is never a dull moment.
[h2]7. Before Midnight[/h2]
Before Sunrise and Before Sunset provided so much wonderful dialogue and subtle character development, that it’s now a privilege just to spend more time in Jesse and Celin’s company. The fact that Before Midnight also proves to be an utterly heart-wrenching chapter in the lives of two of cinema’s best-loved characters is an added bonus. You can tell that Richard Linklater and his cast make this out of complete affection for the characters and their story, it’s a pure and honest kind of filmmaking that’s almost never seen in such high-profile releases.