!Review may contain spoilers!

Vincent Cassel should never again be aloud to freak me out, it's unhealthy...for us. He does just that in Sheitan, out now on DVD. A movie mindfuck that's reminiscent of early survivor, horror movies like Friday the 13th and The Hills Have Eyes. Basic setup: a group of inept, young adults find themselves in increasingly bizarre situations and over stay their welcome, and...well...that would be telling.

Okay, you twisted our arms, we'll tell you a bit to snack on. Sheitan is a french movie, directed by Kim Chapiron, that tells a seedy tale of a backwards french town and the sickening rituals one family goes through in preparing for childbirth. Tossed into this dark creepfest are a few oblivious french partiers. They decide to follow a girl to her home in the countryside, and soon they can't escape fast enough. Can they make it? Do you even want them to?

The look is as dirty as the characters. Autumn colours infest the film, creating rusty backdrops and dirt-caked townies. Occasionally the film work veers off course and loses track of its story, but eventually it gets back on course. Not a spectacular film by any means, but there are a few choice camera moves and sequences that use modern techniques and flair.

Story lacks in many ways, quite often confusing, and frequently awkward; but that's not where the fun is. This movie really belongs to Joseph (Vincent Cassel). He is a dark force of quiet madness; an unhinged feeling permeates his every scene. Even when he is doing little more than smiling, you are constantly on edge. When he appears, he may shower affection or rain violence. To say that Cassel excelled in the role is an understatement, he literally is the movie. Had Cassel not gone all out in this role, the movie wouldn't have been a joy (and a nightmare) to watch.

To buy or rent is up to you and your tastes, we think this flick deserves at least a rent. Though it strays off course at times, Vincent Cassel always brings you back. In the end, we really do want Cassel to freak us out, and you will too.

Ruby Tuesday - Franco Battiato
Running the World - Jarvis Cocker

!Review may contain spoilers!

Playing out in a dystopian future, Children of Men,based on the novel by P.D. James, says everything worth mentioning, as humanity is faced with it's own mortality. Clive Owen is Theo, a man who's lost his faith in life and is content to sleepwalk through his days. By chance or fate, he is given a purpose--protect Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), the first pregnant woman in the past 18 years.

Children of Men does a wonderful job in capturing the essence of such a catastrophe. Countries topple, governments call marshal law to reduce hysteria, anti-government and political groups form, people fight and die for an overall lost cause, industries for suicide and mass anti-depressants open up, people cling to their religions to pray and finger point, and every single person must deal with the situation in their own way. In the midsts of the chaos, Kee and her unborn child are a symbol of hope, as well as a lightning rod for political ideologues.

The acting is above par in most instances. All the main roles are flawlessly played out, but at times, supporting roles seem more like caricatures than people. Questioning the slights of over dramatic acting, two conclusions arise: bad acting or reasonable reaction. Considering suspension-of-disbelief was not broken because of this slight; conclusion is reasonable reaction. Who wouldn't go a little crazy when the end of the human race rides on one's own death?

Of special note is the Directing ( Alfonso Cuaron) and Cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki). Filmed in very abysmal greys and blues, the overall feel is of an oppressed world, a society on the edge of extinction. Adding to the realism is the hand-held camera work by George Richmond, which is superb and well thought out; it engrosses the viewer into the very moment. One could almost feel the placement of each step and sense the racing heart beats and desperation. While some shots are static to help maintain a focus on dialogue and exposition, many scenes take on a documentary feel. Although this technique has been done ad nauseum in recent years, here it is perfectly integrated into the film so as not to distract but to involve. The film also includes a few startling and impressively long scenes with no visible cuts, clever camera positioning, and subtle use of special effects.

Many of the actions done and topics mentioned may not be popular, and as a whole, no one will find Children of Men a fairy tail. The violence and the rational for the violence is not over the top and never hushed. The social commentary is also hard and unkind, but there's bits lightness and occasionally gentle gestures--quite fitting, coming from the children of men.