Excision (2012) - Richard Bates Jr.

Synopsis:

An awkward high school girl with delusions of a career of medicine also has a twisted blood fetish.

This is actually quite a funny and pleasant little insert into the life of a teen that just can't and doesnt seem to want to fit in, except it's filled with blood. Gallons and gallons of blood... and disturbing imagery. Twisted and disturbing imagery. Until the final act, despite the blood, it doesn't even feel like a horror movie at all but trust me, that scene will probably stick with you for a few days.

Rating:

★★★★

Les Misérables (2012) - Tom Hooper

Synopsis:

In 19th century France, Jean Valjean has been hunted for decades by the policemen Javert for breaking his parole. Valjean chooses to care for one of his deceased factory workers daughter. A decision that would change both their lives forever. 

Les Mis is responsible for the same crime as all full-runtime musicals; Its music is used lazily to explain the plot. It over-complicates its creation to return a simple product. The cast look to be going along with it with such conviction that it's almost like watching a deranged cult, the stars of the film riding their waves of enthusiasm trying desperately to prove themselves as cultured. Les Mis constantly skims over interesting sub plots and insists on bombarding you with prolonged solo performances. The dark and grizzly reality of the events are softened dramatically by the musical format and any chance of viewer immersion and sympathy are lost. The story does not flow but rather skips along through sections of the tale carelessly without thought. To pass up an opportunity to make cinema history in return for a sub-par musical production is baffling. When Sacha Baron Cohen is the only saving grace you really need to stop and take a long hard look at yourselves.

Rating:
★