Much of the richness of Under the Shadow comes from its historical and Islamic inspiration – both a timeframe and culture I know very little about. My perspective (see ignorance) made the story even more compelling. I was deeply curious about all the characters, about their politics, about the War, and about their beliefs. Combining this with a threat whose motivation is tantalizingly unknowable made for a deeply satisfying scare-fest.
For lovers of visually pleasing and thematically mature science fiction, High-Rise is a film not to be brushed off.
March's Weird Elephant selection highlights what can go wrong if parents do not carefully vet their babysitters. Emelie is a tautly scripted and suspenseful horror/thriller. It is a concise and somewhat Hitchcockian (yes, it's a word!) piece. The film reminds the viewer of a devious cross between Michael Haneke's Funny Games and Hand that Rocks the Cradle (filmed in Tacoma. Never forget a claim to fame, people!).