I'm very picky with regards to horror movies. I would like movies with a meaty story that haunts me, unsettles me and naturally scares me, but isn't a complete gore-fest. I don't wish to see people being torn to shreds, especially when there's no real plot. I like horror movies like The Shining, The VVitch, It Follows, Tale of Two Sisters and Midsommar. When my colleague Anna sent me the trailer for Out of Darkness, I knew I’d like it.
Set 45,000 years ago within the Scottish Highlands, the film follows a small tribe of Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens who find themselves in a brand new land stuffed with unknown dangers. They soon realize that their survival plans must involve greater than gathering food and finding shelter, as a mysterious monster begins to hunt them down one after the other.
As our reviewer Penny Spikins, an authority within the archeology of human origins, explains, cinematic depictions of this era often bordered on the ridiculous – they were either wildly inaccurate (10,000 B.C.) or blatantly funny (The Croods and Ice Age). However, the makers of “Out of Darkness” have managed to create a deeply unsettling and surprisingly accurate Stone Age survival horror.
They've obviously done their research and the tribe's clothing and appearance match what experts know concerning the period (no fur bikinis or loincloths). Our reviewer was also impressed by the inclusion of websites known to have been used as burial sites and hunting grounds during this era. They even worked with a linguist to create probably the most authentic language possible, without sounding irritating or cartoonish.
“The Settlers” is a brutally violent film that has lots to say in itself and likewise plays with genres. It might be viewed as a type of Western, following three horsemen within the early nineteenth century as they travel through rugged landscapes on a mission to violently oppress the native population to further European interests. It's a widely known tale in Western movies, but The Settlers uses it to sentence within the strongest possible terms the exploitation and colonization of Chile's Tierra del Fuego on the behest of Spain's landowning elite within the country's capital, Santiago.
The film is the debut of director Felipe Gálvez Haberle, who doesn’t shrink back from the relentless horrors of this campaign while telling the story of settler colonialism and genocide from the attitude of the perpetrators. As our reviewer Barry Langford notes, Haberle's decisions were made to redress the whitewashed history of the period and incorporate indigenous trauma into the narrative of Chile. He urges viewers to not look away and witness the horror that the country has ignored for a lot too long.
Something sweet
Both Out of Darkness and The Settlers feature deeply atmospheric cinematography that showcases the wonder and violence of their natural landscapes. However, for those who're on the lookout for something somewhat less violent and lots richer and more beautiful, we recommend testing The Taste of Things. Our reviewer Thi Gammon thought it was great, which inserts well with director Trần Anh Hùng's growing body of labor.
I'm someone who shows love through food, and this film speaks to that side of me deeply. It follows chef Eugenie and her boss, famous French gourmet chef Dodin, over 20 years as they impress the world's best chefs and grow closer to one another in the method. Dodin wants nothing greater than for Eugenie to be his wife, but on this planet of romance, things aren’t as easy for the couple as they’re on this planet of food.
It's a simmering and plush period romance with standout performances from Juliette Binoche (Eugenie) and Benoît Magimel (Dodin). Great attention is paid to the cooking process, with entire scenes dedicated to the dizzying goings-on within the kitchen.
If you're on the lookout for more romance, take a look at the brand new Australian romantic comedy Five Blind Dates. This film treads familiar territory, following a young woman who, to the dismay of her parents, cares more about running her business than finding love. Tea shop owner Lia is forced to go on five blind dates, on one in all which her fortune teller tells her that she is going to meet the love of her life.
It's the type of movie that's perfect if you want something comforting and familiar but don't need to re-watch your favorite romantic comedy for the umpteenth time. Our reviewer Jodi McAlister found it refreshing to see a movie a couple of Chinese-Australian woman that, while it borrows from many well-known rom-coms, manages to face out. Plus, it's only 90 minutes long, which in a world of two-hour-plus movies is cause for celebration.
Immerse yourself in beauty and romance at Tate Britain's latest exhibition Sargent and Fashion. Did that American artist John Singer Sargent was a master with needles and fabric? With somewhat time and plenty of foresight, the person could make an outdated cloak look latest and dramatic again, because the opening portrait of this exhibition proves.
Birmingham Museum of Art
Fashion historian Serena Dyer felt somewhat monotonous Sargent's striking portraits of ladies in flowing taffeta and thoroughly draped silks – though she was decked out in an important outfit for her visit and even wore a Sargent painting necklace. It's not an ideal exhibition – it doesn't acknowledge the numerous anonymous women who created the fabulous garments on display, and doesn't say anything too exciting about Victorian fashion. What it does do, nevertheless, is introduce Sargent to a unique audience, fashion lovers, and for many who are already fans, illuminate a brand new and essential side of his work.
image credit : theconversation.com