THE DANMAN CAN

So far so good.

Mathieu Kassovitz ’s The Crimson Rivers (2000) is an above-average psychological thriller with an enticing, isolated snowy mountain setting (featuring the beautiful Mont Blanc ) backed by an intriguing, Bernard Herrmann esque score by Bruno Coulais .  Its beats are familiar for anyone versed in the serial killer cinema playbook but there is enough stylish cinematography and strong performances (plus a random and hilarious but awesome techno-soundtracked fight scene) to keep the film entertaining throughout. The ending may seem to come out of left field but it’s perfectly suitable for those with a love of gialli .  Recommended for fans of  The Silence Of The Lambs  (1991) ( review ), Insomnia (both its 1997 and 2002  ( review ) incarnations), Se7en   (1995), and  Alfred Hitchcock .

I remember first seeing Amélie  (aka  Le Fabuleux Destin D'Amélie Poulain ) (2001) at a nearby (now defunct) $2 movie theater in either late 2001 or early 2002. I was already a fan of  Jean-Pierre Jeunet , via his previous three films (two with Marc Caro ), but  Amélie  was the one that garnered real attention in the States. After a mixed reception to his first solo outing,  Alien: Resurrection (1997), Jeunet came back four years later with this gem of a movie. Amélie  is definitely a film where you have to buy into the fantasy and the hyperrealism. If you're a fan of that approach, it's an absolute delight. The cinematography, production and art design, the heavy green and red color manipulation, Yann Tiersen 's playful score, and all the characters—including the smallest of roles—all blend together to create an indelible experience. Jeunet   seems to make even misery look beautiful. Audrey Tautou  is, of course, infectiously adorable....

Second viewing. Haywire   (2011) is such a great little spy flick. Realistic action sequences, groovy score, style galore—this is pure Soderbergh .

Funny. The last two  movies that I watched in a row were Soderbergh films. Haywire (2011) is another great film from him, written by Lem Dobbs , writer of the superb and underrated The Limey   (1999) ( review ), which Haywire feels similar to at times.  David Holmes , one of Soderbergh's two  go-to musicmen, delivers another impressive score .