Feature-length Studio Ghibli animated film about two orphaned siblings who struggle to survive and stay together during the final months of the Pacific War. This is more animation that's strictly not for kids. In fact, just like The Plague Dogs, this is a harrowing, haunting watch. The innocence of the children in the face of …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 33- Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Snitter and Rowf, a pair of dogs, escape from a research facility where they are being cruelly tested. They quickly discover that life on the outside is just as inhumane. Obviously, this belongs in the genre of ‘animation not for kids’ (another cartoon film adapted from a book by Richard Adams, who also wrote the …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 32- The Plague Dogs (1982)
Precocious NYC youths act with a sense of impunity, as if there were no consequences for their actions. But when Jennie finds out Telly has passed HIV on to her, she tries to stop him before he does it again. This is like an after-school special on steroids. It’s grimy, documentary-like and features the kind …
LT (Harvey Keitel) is a corrupt New York cop who is addicted to drugs and gambling. He tries to redeem himself whilst investigating the r*pe of a nun. I remember going to see this with a friend on its original release. Except that the friend in question was a born-again Christian. It was quite the …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 30- Bad Lieutenant (1992)
Larry Clark’s film follows Marty, who confides in his new girlfriend, Lisa, about his bullying and the invalidation he faces from his friend, Bobby. Lisa suggests the ultimate remedy- Bobby’s murder. They call some friends to help with the plot. Bully has an atmosphere all of its own which veers from goofy comedy to something …
From IMDB- ‘During World War I, a patriotic young American is rendered blind, deaf, limbless, and mute by a horrific artillery shell attack. Trapped in what's left of his body, he desperately looks for a way to end his life.’ Well, this is quite the film. It has a huge emotional pull, amazing performances (Timothy …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 28- Johnny Got His Gun (1971)
Kerry, on the surface, appears to be a normal, happy 10-year-old girl. But it's shown that her home life is massively dysfunctional with her parents having an extremely volatile relationship. Even more shocking than that is that they are abusing her. On studying the films on Taste of Cinema’s Shocking Films list, I was waiting …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 27- No Child of Mine (1997)
Just before the First World War, a Protestant village in northern Germany starts to come apart. While riding a horse, a doctor is brought down by a wire strung between two trees on his land. A farmer’s wife dies. A child is tortured. The pastor ties white ribbons on his children as a reminder to …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 26- The White Ribbon (2009)
In a working-class London neighbourhood, Janet, a widow, has welcomed relatives into her home. In addition to her elderly mother, Kath and her son, Billy, Janet lives with her daughter, Valerie and Valerie's abusive, alcoholic husband, Ray. This mix proves explosive. I thought my family was dysfunctional. Nil By Mouth is brutal, violent and utterly …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 25- Nil By Mouth (1997)
The Heke family are Maori and live in modern-day Auckland, New Zealand. The family is led by the violent, fiercely patriarchal Jake. I first saw Once Were Warriors when I was living in Australia and it really opened my eyes! It unflinchingly deals with such weighty topics as domestic violence, dole culture, child abuse, alcoholism …
Continue reading Shocking Cinema- Day 24- Once Were Warriors (1994)
