Stoker

When I first heard about this film, I was giddy with anticipation. Park Chan-Wook's Oldboy is one of my favorite movies and I was interested to see what the director would do with an American film.  I went into viewing this film with an interest I rarely have about a film.  So the expectations were much higher than usual.  The film starts off very slowly, a family, a death, a unknown stranger and a family dynamic that is far from normal.  The entire time you realize something very strange is happening, but you have no idea where it is going and to be honest, I almost started to lose patience.  Just at that very moment, there was a scene, simple in it's premise, portraying the two main characters playing piano together.  To give any details would be to cheat you of the experience, but let's just say it was sheer brilliance and the moment the film took off.  Everything from that moment on took on new meaning.  Wook's ability to control a completely the chaos is nothing short of amazing.   The movie is stunningly beautiful in its cinematography and the scenes  flow effortlessly together.  The acting is also brilliant, with Mia W absolutely tantalizing from start to finish.  Matthew Goode is chilling as the mystery uncle.  Nicole Kidman, whom I normally dislike, was equal parts  sultry and aloof  and in one scene, one in which she delivers the line of the movie, she is downright wicked.  Most will complain about tempo, but you're overlooking the path to the incredible conclusion.  It's a movie I greatly look forward to seeing again in a few months, to watch for the subtle nuances that Wook inserted so masterfully. In my opinion, a masterpiece.