Half-way through the year already, it's time to review the last six months of cinema. Here are the top five outstanding films released this year. All of them are must-sees, so without further ado, and in reverse order:5. INSIDE (A L'INTERIEUR)
Gruesome has a new name, and it is INSIDE. The sickest, nastiest, and most strangely disturbing film to emerge from the budding New Wave of French Horror. Pregnancy has never seemed so horrible.
4. THE ORPHANAGE (EL ORFANATO)
Suddenly, after years and years of making genre films, it seems that practice has made perfect for Spanish cinema. THE ORPHANAGE follows expertly in the footsteps of Guillermo Del Toro's spooky double of THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE and PAN'S LABYRINTH. Crazy jump-scares and a vicious twist.
3. REC
And here's the rest of the proof that Spanish horror is holding its own with the French. This is the best videocam horror since BLAIR WITCH. Funny and exciting stuff. A sequel is on its way!
2. CHOCOLATE
While we're all waiting for Tony Jaa's ONG-BAK 2, we can enjoy this latest slice of muay-thai kick-boxing action from Pracha Pinkaew. And it's clear that the master choreographer has unearthed a new star, the fantastic Jeeja. The new Tony Jaa is here, and she's a girl!
1. THE MACHINE GIRL
A perfectly judged Japanese splatter-comedy in the vein of STORY OF RICKY and BRAINDEAD: takes the revenge flick and amps it up with buckets of blood, brains and guts. This is the film PLANET TERROR desperately wanted to be. Will make you chuckle with glee at it's sheer inventive excess: "How about an unusual conditioner? Wash your hair... in your son's blood!"
