MOTM: "Carlos - The Miniseries" (2010)

There are two versions of Oliver Assayas’s epic, slow-burn, globe-trotting examination of the terrorist Illich Ramirez Sanchez, better known by his nom de guerre, “The Jackal”.

I'm opting for the bigger, badder, meaner cut.

The inspiration for numerous villains in countless spy films and novels, the title character at the center of this 326-minute roadshow version of the French-produced drama (originally aired in 3 parts for the Gallic tube) is at once a producer and product of his times.

Criticature: "Graveyard of Honor" ("Shin ingi no hakaba")

Peek-a-boo.

In honor (heh) of the stateside release of Takashi Miike’s newest film, I felt compelled to immerse myself in his canon beforehand. For those of you unfamiliar with said auteur’s body of work, just know that it is often disturbing, visceral and—more often than not—masterful, surprising and perversely fun.

The character study: after casually foiling an attempted hit on a crime boss, Rikuo—a dead-eyed dishwasher—is inducted into the gang as an honorary strong man. Yet the mobsters get more than they bargained for when they come to learn just how crazy he really is. Whether he’s raping hostesses at karaoke bars or shooting it out with the police in his underwear, there seems to be nothing the man can’t or won't do. And as Rikuo’s penchant for slow-burn sociopathic mayhem spills back onto his masters, it becomes quite clear that Rikuo has no room for friends in his life. Only the bodies of his enemies—real or perceived—which he leaves stacked at his knees.

Criticature: "Blast of Silence" - 7/2/10

Say 'goodnight'.

Like Stanley Kubrick’s “The Killing”, Allen Baron’s little gem is part of criminal cinematic lore. It’s short, precise and knowing and works with a confidence big enough to match its lack of budget. Though the first-time writer/actor/director went on to be known primarily for his work in TV—namely “Charlie’s Angels” and “The Dukes of Hazzard”--“Silence” is often overlooked when it comes to the gangster genre. And unjustifiably so.

Criticature: "Un Prophete" - 4/25/10

I KEEL YOU!

What makes a good prison movie? The sheer volume of convict chronicles might suggest that the devil is in the details. But then what details make or break a mold we’ve seen and joked about so many times? Machine shops? Time spent in ‘the yard’? Solitary confinement? Protection dues? Conjugal visits? Shivs? Corrupt guards? No, wait. I got it…shower scenes, right?