Stoker

Stoker directed by Chan-wook Park, starring Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, and Dermot Mulroney.

I've been trying to think all day about what to talk about this movie.

Visual, I think that's the best place to start.  This is visually one of the best films I've seen in a long time.  And by visually I don't mean burdened down with special effects shots, on the contrary it was the director who made this movie a visual feast for the eyes, as he proved time and time again that a director doesn't need special effects to give a movie a memorizing and stunningly visual flare.  His camera movement, camera placement, and his ability to set up scenes, all contributed to how this movie came together for a visual buffet.  It is, visually, one of the best films I've seen in a long time.  And for a director, who actually directed a movie and let his visual style weave throughout they story and strengthen everything in the story without getting in the way of the story line.

What an intriguing story line.  I won't go into the details of the story line but will just say, it's a very interesting story with some genuinely interesting characters.  Everything about the storyline and characters is explored in a natural, organic way where it all flows and is paced at pitch perfect speed without a speed bump or slow down sign available.  I was enchanted from the "prologue" type of opening until the end of the movie where it tied back into the prologue.

I'm not normally a Nicole Kidman fan but she did a good job of portraying a wife who lost her husband and who was doing her best to stay focused on life.  But the real stars of this movie - besides the outstanding visual flare brought from the director - are Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode.  Who infuse every scene they're in with such a fire and charisma not found too often in movies.  When they are on scene the camera is fully glued to them, waiting and wanting them to act before it's lens, and that is no joke.  They bring that much energy and passion to the story and characters as they weave into director Chan-wook Park's visual style with ease and precision. 

This movie is basically a big screen adaptation of the TV show Dexter.  And I won't go into any more detail than that, but I will say it is about serial killers and told in an extraordinarily different way.  And I will end this review by saying go out and watch this movie.  It needs to be seen.