City 40

Clandestine filmmakers break into Obersk, a contaminated Russian secret city and home to its nuclear reserves in this gripping, chilling documentary. Featuring footage of nuclear weapons tests, civilians wearing gas masks, shocking aerial footage of the burning rubble of Chernobyl immediately following the infamous accident, haunting photos of an abandoned school and amusement park, and affected civilians sweeping radioactive dust, City 40 is an eye-opening film showing the human and environmental effects of the nuclear arms race.

Oops, someone accidentally replaced the trailer of City 40 with a video of Vladmir Putin singing the Radiohead classic "Creep". Let's try that again, shall we?

Ah, here we go. That's much better.

When you get a chance, kindly stop over at Cultured Vultures and check out my review of American Poltergeist.

https://culturedvultures.com/american-poltergeist-netflix-nasties/

The Boys From Brazil

Alt-right war criminals organize to kill retirement-aged men and bring about the 4th reich in this absurd science fiction film. Featuring cloning, doberman pincers, old men biting each other, an inexplicable appearance by Steve Guttenberg, and the phrase 'The Right Hitler For The Right Future', The Boys From Brazil is a dated, ludicrous film. Seriously, who would believe a worldwide rise in Nazism in 2017?

Hieronymous Bosch: Touched By The Devil

Paintings by the enigmatic Dutch artist is curated for a 500th anniversary in his hometown in this dry, academic documentary. Although featuring astonishing extreme closeups of the 500-year old artwork in HD, examining details of each bizarre creature in Bosch's iconic altarpiece, The Garden Of Earthly Delights, and the delicate restoration of a damaged paining, most of the film is spent focusing on the bureaucracy of the negotiations to loan crucial pieces of his limited extant oeuvre for an exhibition in his hometown on the 500th anniversary of the artist's death. Stay tuned to the end of the film, when the triptych's right panel is shown in all its frightening, nightmarish glory.

Fun Fact: Although 'neoclassical dark wave' band Dead Can Dance named an early e.p. "Garden Of The Arcane Delights", Bosch's artwork makes an appearance on their Aion album cover.

See, wasn't that fun?

If you have a moment to spare, check out my review of the horror film American Poltergeist at Cultured Vultures.

https://culturedvultures.com/american-poltergeist-netflix-nasties/

Investigation Of A Citizen Above Suspicion

A high ranking police officer kills his mistress and intentionally leaves taunting clues behind in this satiric, political thriller that was the Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film of 1971. Dry, stylish, and blackly humorous, Investigation Of A Citizen Above Suspicion follows the story of a 'law and order', anti-leftist police officer, who murders his mistress and initially covers up his crime by insinuating others could be suspects. After then leading the trail of clues to himself, he confesses to the crime, only to discover that in spite of clear evidence, no one believes him.

Painting a vivid portrait of the political environment of right-wing Italy during the early 1970s,  Investigation Of A Citizen Above Suspicion has a frighteningly modern feel. With its scenes of political protest, intrusive surveillance, terrorism and threats of terrorism, an authoritarian police force obsessed with maintaining 'law and order', politicos seemingly exempt from prosecution, and a roundup of 'subversives', Investigation Of A Citizen Above Suspicion seems remarkably fresh and current for a nearly 50-year old film. Plus, it has a great score by Ennio Morricone and 24 killer ties.

I said some stuff about the horror film American Poltergeist at Cultured Vultures. Strangely enough, the film doesn't have many poltergeists in it.

https://culturedvultures.com/american-poltergeist-netflix-nasties/

De Palma

The career of the filmmaker is examined in this fascinating documentary.

It's De Palma. Just De Palma. OK, maybe a few other notables, but for the most part, it's just him.

Interviewed before a static camera, Brian De Palma candidly revisits his warts-and-all career and personal life. Punctuated by clips from his influential films including Sisters, Phantom Of The Paradise, Carrie, Dressed To Kill, Blow Out, and Body Double, he discusses being influenced by Hitchcock and Godard, and the business of film and the techniques he uses; i.e. split screen, casting, scoring, lighting, editing, blocking, syncing, mixing, scoring, budgeting, and negotiating. It's an advanced class on film in and of itself. Oh, and he charmingly uses the phrase, 'Holy mackerel', about a million times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97XoMjwoZ5w

Check out my review of Death Race 2050 at Cultured Vultures.

https://culturedvultures.com/death-race-2050-netflix/