STOKER

Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode,

Nicole Kidman, Dermot Mulroney

"Do not Disturb the Family"

The word that comes to my mind to describe this movie is 'peculiar'.  This is the story of India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) a young woman who must learn to cope with the sudden death of her beloved father.  Helping her through the 'process' is her unstable mother Evie played brilliantly by Nicole Kidman and her uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode).  Her father's younger brother who suddenly shows up after the funeral. A close relative which neither Evie nor India knew even existed.  Charlie has a magnetic draw to his personality which India cannot quite explain yet it continues to fascinate the young woman. 

"Stoker" is the first English languaged film of Chan Wook Park, a Korean director and its script is co-written by Wentworth Miller of "Prison Break" fame and who was recently in the news for revealing his sexual orientation.

The main draw for me is the brilliant way "Stoker" was filmed. The cinematography was bursting with vibrant colors. Each detail in every scene was well showcased from extreme close up scenes to wide angle shots of landscapes. Most of them accompanied with hauntingly sinister music.  It felt like a fairy tale where you'd half expect animals and plants to start talking but fortunately they didn't because it isn't an animation film.  Even though the lead actress Mia Wasikowska first debuted as Alice in "Alice in Wonderland".

The peculiar aspect rose mostly from the mysterious aura of its unique characters. Strange roles but well acted by the ensemble cast. Notably Matthew Goode as Uncle Charlie was as creepy as creepy gets even though he looks like he walked out of a GC magazine cover. But beware looks can truly be deceiving!

No doubt, "Stoker" is a dark film with rather disturbing sequences which all unfold towards the end yet the mesmerizing manner it was presented is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.