THE DANMAN CAN

"The human face is a powerful messenger. Our brains are attuned to its every nuance. ... One could say that for human beings, face is a structure with a high information resolution." Brandon Cronenberg Feature Films Ranked

Brandon Cronenberg 's sophomore feature,  Possessor   (2020), is a psychological body horror gender bender mindfuck that can hold its own against his famous  father 's films—a slow burn cyberpunk fever dream concerning a corporate assassin whose reality begins to blur as she fights for her identity. The almost-exclusively in-camera, practical effects are brilliant, brutal, disturbing, and disorienting. The bursts of violence don't arrive that often and don't last long, but leave an indelible impression. The production design, with its mishmash of styles, and the cinematography—where everything is slightly off-kilter—create a unique experience. On the acting front, everyone is good across the board, but if I have any complaints it's that star  Andrea Riseborough  is not on screen enough (this was also true for 2018's  Mandy   ( review ). Landing  Jennifer Jason Leigh , who starred in the senior Cronenberg's  eX istenZ   (1999) ( review ) ...

1.    Killers Of The Flower Moon   **** ( review ) 2.    Beau Is Afraid   **** ( review ) 3.    The Holdovers  **** ( review ) 4.    Poor Things   ***1/2 ( review ) 5.    Evil Dead Rise   ***1/2 ( review ) 6.    Asteroid City   ***1/2 7.    Infinity Pool   ***1/2 ( review ) 8.    Oppenheimer   ***1/2 ( review ) 9.    Smoking Causes Coughing  (2022) ***1/2 10.  Dream Scenario   ***1/2 ( review ) 11. The Iron Claw  ***1/2 12. May December ***1/2 13. Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny   *** 14.  The Killer   *** ( review ) 15.  Thanksgiving   *** ( review ) 16. Saltburn  *** 17. Napoleon *** 18. Master Gardener (2022) *** 19. Talk To Me (2022) *** 20. Suitable Flesh   *** Biggest Disappointments Kids Vs. Aliens (2022) **1/2 The Exorcist: Believer **1/2 ( review ) When Evil Lurks   **1/2 Barbie ...

Brandon Cronenberg  continues to make interesting and engaging films, and so far he's 3 for 3. After Take 2 of  Infinity Pool   (2023), I'm still not sure the movie is as transgressive as I wish it was, but (particularly after watching behind the scenes footage/featurettes) I have an increased appreciation for the hallucinogenic sequences and their wonderful practical/in-camera f/x and production design. As "weird" as IP is, it might be BC's most accessible picture yet. I believe this owes to the fact that it's a pretty funny film.  Mia Goth  is obnoxious in her role and, thus, perfectly suited to it. After a rewatch (this time the uncut NC-17 version , which honestly doesn't change the feel of the film, as it amounts to a whopping 18 seconds of difference) I still don't know that I feel there is anything deeper to glean than what appears on the surface. Some interesting themes (wounded masculinity, ego, class, mortality, female power) are explored bu...

Brandon Cronenberg  continues to make interesting and engaging films, and so far he's 3 for 3. I'm not sure this is as transgressive as I thought it would be and, as "weird" as it is, it might be his most accessible film yet (and it's slightly surprising to see that this is playing in basically every theater in my area). I believe that owes to the fact that it is way funnier than I expected. Mia Goth is obnoxious in her role and, thus, perfectly suited to it. I think I'm still processing my thoughts on it, yet I don't know that there is anything deeper to glean than what appears on the surface. I suppose I'll find out on a rewatch, as that will definitely be in order (and I’m curious to see how the NC-17 cut plays). The payoff is a bit lacking but I still really enjoyed  Infinity Pool   (2023). Recommended for fans of Cronenberg's  Possessor   (2020) ( review ), Kubrick 's   A   Clockwork Orange  (1971) and  Eyes Wide Shut (1999),...

1.    Possessor   **** ( Review ) 2.    1917  (2019) ***1/2 ( Review ) 3.    Portrait Of A Lady On Fire  (2019) ***1/2 ( Review ) 4.    Corpus Christi  (2019) ***1/2 ( Review ) 5.    Palm Springs   ***1/2 ( Review ) 6.    Deerskin   (2019) ***1/2 ( Review ) 7.    I'm Thinking Of Ending Things  ***1/2 ( Review ) 8.    Sound Of Metal   (2019) ***1/2 ( Review ) 9.    Gretel & Hansel  *** ( Review ) 10.  The Lodge  (2019) *** ( Review ) Biggest Disappointments Da 5 Bloods   **1/2 ( Review ) Bill & Ted Face The Music   **1/2 ( Review ) Rebecca  **1/2 ( Review ) (Click image above for Letterboxd link)

Brandon Cronenberg 's sophomore feature, Possessor (2020), is a psychological body horror gender bender mindfuck that can hold its own against his famous father 's films—a slow burn cyberpunk fever dream concerning a corporate assassin whose reality begins to blur as she fights for her identity. The almost-exclusively in-camera, practical effects are brilliant, brutal, disturbing, and disorienting. The bursts of violence don't arrive that often and don't last long, but leave an indelible impression. The production design, with its mishmash of styles, and the cinematography—where everything is slightly off-kilter—create a unique experience. On the acting front, everyone is good across the board, but if I have any complaints it's that star  Andrea Riseborough  is not on screen enough (this was also true for 2018's  Mandy   ( review ). Landing Jennifer Jason Leigh , who starred in the senior Cronenberg's  eX istenZ   (1999) ( review ) (itself a sort of sister...