Sometimes watching a flawed movie can still be an uplifting experience.
I remember catching up with “Severence,” an imperfect horror comedy that skewered business mores and a few lovely lasses. The film’s flaws felt obvious, but I marveled both at the ideas on display as well as the craftsmanship behind the film. I made a mental note to keep tabs on the film’s director, Brit Christopher Smith.
Well, Smith’s follow-up features proved equally intriguing. “Triangle” is a mind bender of the highest order, a Rubik’s Cube gussied up as a feature film. I prefer my films a tad more literal, but “Triangle” reeled me in all the same.
Smith’s latest, the new to Blu-ray “Black Death,” shows the director maturing as a storyteller. It’s a satisfying yarn that blends social commentary with bare-knuckle thrills. The film follows a spiritually motivated knight (Sean Bean) investigating a remote town untouch by the bubonic plague.
It’s well worth your rental – or download – dollars. And put Smith’s name on your list of directors of consequence. He’s proven he belongs.
(Photo: Actor Sean Bean confers with director Christopher Smith on the set of “Black Death.” Magnolia Pictures)
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Directors to watch: Christopher Smith
Sometimes watching a flawed movie can still be an uplifting experience.
I remember catching up with “Severence,” an imperfect horror comedy that skewered business mores and a few lovely lasses. The film’s flaws felt obvious, but I marveled both at the ideas on display as well as the craftsmanship behind the film. I made a mental note to keep tabs on the film’s director, Brit Christopher Smith.
Well, Smith’s follow-up features proved equally intriguing. “Triangle” is a mind bender of the highest order, a Rubik’s Cube gussied up as a feature film. I prefer my films a tad more literal, but “Triangle” reeled me in all the same.
Smith’s latest, the new to Blu-ray “Black Death,” shows the director maturing as a storyteller. It’s a satisfying yarn that blends social commentary with bare-knuckle thrills. The film follows a spiritually motivated knight (Sean Bean) investigating a remote town untouch by the bubonic plague.
It’s well worth your rental – or download – dollars. And put Smith’s name on your list of directors of consequence. He’s proven he belongs.
(Photo: Actor Sean Bean confers with director Christopher Smith on the set of “Black Death.” Magnolia Pictures)
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