The Founder (2016) / Under The Skin (2013) / Såsom i en spegel (1961) / The Wicked Lady (1945) / 1922 (2017) / Gerald's Game (2017) / Muse (2015)
The Founder (2016) Relentless delineation of American capitalism, efficiently constructed and absorbing though without grey shades to puncture glossy 50s visuals. Michael Keaton is a dynamic presence as the man who forged the McDonald's empire, adding nuance to the sales pitch.
Under The Skin (2013) Precise and coldly ambivalent, an irritant of a soundtrack aligns with edgy editing, as Scarlett Johansson's alien visitor seduces and consumes men. An isolated, unsettling experience, with striking images and impenetrable perspective, both intoxicating and perplexing.
Såsom i en spegel (1961) Luminous images burn through the confusion and gnawing sadness of family disintegration under the strain of a descent into madness. Harriet Andersson is a searing presence, painfully aware of what she will lose, even as she waits for the door to open.
The Wicked Lady (1945) Stagey setups and pacing undermines the potential of Margaret Lockwood's gender playfulness as a highwayman chasing physical and emotional release. Design and costume, as well as the wedding party and James Mason hanging scene, deliver more persuasive pleasures.
1922 (2017) Bracing, studied design and framing adds considerably to the developing sense of dread as Thomas Jane's blunt farmer confesses to murder and gradually unravels. Intelligent, enveloping use of sound and music, with naturalism transforming to the grisly and the abstract.
Gerald's Game (2017) Finely structured, a sex game gone wrong leaves a wife handcuffed to a bed while a wild dog pounces on her dead husband. Uniformly well acted, especially a gutsy Carla Gugino, the psychological layers and resolution are powerful. The physical monster less convincing.
Muse (2015) A claustrophobic chamber piece sees a reclusive painter acquire an AI companion to inspire him. Emotional and physical control is soon at stake. Overlong, often static and thematically blunt, the narrative just about maintains interest and the twist is satisfactory.
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