Stoker (2013)

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

STOKER is proof, if proof were needed, of the old adage "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear". It's a film directed by Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, a man responsible for such classics as OLDBOY and SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE, and he tries very hard here to breathe life and style into the material. It's a classically-shot film in which inventiveness and imagination are key in terms of the visuals, the music, and the like, but at some point I felt like Park was trying a little too hard to make his film ominous.The reason soon becomes obvious: this film's story turns out to be pretty poor, especially in the modern world. It might have worked in the 1960s or even the 1970s, but by the 2010s it all feels very obvious and all-too-familiar. It's a simplistic rip-off of Hitchcock's SHADOW OF A DOUBT; it feels an over-obvious storyline that feels dragged out endlessly and might have worked as a half hour short, but not at this length. And everything is so glaringly, blindingly obvious, I thought of half a dozen twists that would have made it a better film.The script was written by Wentworth Miller, best known as the actor in PRISON BREAK, and it's a definite case of "don't give up the day job". The dialogue is pat, the characters non-existent, the scenarios obvious from the word go. There are no real shocks or surprises to be found here at all. Matthew Goode is the best actor in it but has little to do other than be still and creepy, while Nicole Kidman is the usual Stepford wife. Worst of the bunch is Mia Wasikowska, who can inflect no character or feeling into her protagonist; she might as well be Alice in a brunette wig.

There are so many, so many things wrong with the film, I do not know where to begin. Why does the movie hint at suspense but reveal less than half way thru? Why are people helping (housekeeper) or not-outing (aunt) the madman? Why is it okay for people missing never to be reported or investigated? Why is this murder gene there and how does he know it is there in her? Why is the sheriff murdered? Why is Nicole Kidman playing another redheaded manic pixie milf? Why is the setting English with housekeepers and cooks and yet in the US? What are rich people doing going to govt schools on a school bus? Why are modern cars being driven but attire and bullies are from 30-40 years ago? Why are they hunting birds with rifles?

When I first saw the film, I wasn't too enthusiastic at first, but that soon changed. The film has a dark and disturbing premise, which at first, makes you want to quit watching, but by the end, you are hooked.Literally one of the strangest and weirdest films I've ever watched, it's definitely deserving of the R rating it received. Truly great direction and acting as well as a great story.If you're like me and were not a fan of Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland, you may have a newfound respect after seeing Mia Wasikowska in Stoker. She was dynamite in this film, and I do have a newfound respect for her. Her shower scene was the best.See this film!!

The writing impresses me so much, I do a double take, rewind, check all the angles and always always, use IMDb, the best movie source to look up the writers involved in super flixs! This time boy, was I thrown back- abashed for I could not believe it was some guy who acts in a whole bunch of stuff... I guess it is true you just never know who is the creative out there twixt the maddening throngs and rabbles and automatons Lol JK... well not really, but wow! This guy is definitely on my radar... Wentworth Miller of I guess 'Prison Break' fame, heard of the show but never seen it, nor will I ever see it, now it could be my lose for it could be fantastic, but I scarce doubt that since it gives off the vibe of a 'who dunnit' type of gimmicky schematic dullness that any Super NON - creative can copy and paste together , let alone some horrible gauche producers who should be working at some wal-mart shoving underlings around and exacting orders and howling into the night for they are truly awful inhumanoids, godawful and everybody knows this, look at Asian flix, the art coming out of there is so grand, yet here it should be the same, it should be better because of all the time and money spent, why does 90% of it sux? Take a wild Guess Producers/hack/wannabes - obviously in Asian parts of the world the producers know their part and play their hand to their capacity, they give the artist some money and say here give me your love! Gladly sir! God bless and sure enough, time passes and we have love, Asian love - wish we could get the same here - I have to say , Wentworth Miller, must of found one of the good guys cause the movie flows exactly how a creative Super CREATIVE screenplay should flow, with creative love! And we the masses just are so willing and able to suck it all in with our open maws! loving ever second of it!