what i watched last week

Kuroneko (Kaneto Shindô, 1968). Could be called “A Japanese Ghost Story”. It’s got samurai, it’s got vampire ghosts, it’s got vengeful women. It even has wire-fu. It’s got atmosphere up the wazoo. Doesn’t make much sense, but what do you want from a ghost story? This isn’t exactly a scary movie, but I don’t know that it is supposed to scare us. I can imagine some people getting very involved in the various underlying contexts. I’m being vague because, just a couple of days later, I’m having a hard time remembering the movie. Many critics call its haunting ambience unforgettable, though, so don’t take my word for it. 7/10.

The Gold Rush (Charles Chaplin, 1925). 10/10.

Gomorrah (Matteo Garrone, 2008). 9/10.