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Finally someone came very close to capturing the original story. Del Toro has done an excellent job. Perhaps not for everyone, but I was enthralled. I wish it was playing in main theaters but I imagine they are worried the general superhero and monster movie crowd won't get it. Personally, this was very worth my time.

I just finished watching one of the most amazing movies I have seen in a long, long, time–Ana Lily Amirpor's "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night". Yes, I know, it only has a 7.1 currently on IMDb but, oh, this one could be a classic if it receives more exposure. Take a look at the trailer and consider watching it on Netflix or direct from Vice films.

Amirpor describes it as "Iranian Vampire Spaghetti Western" and I agree with the attribution if one also throws in Film Noir. This is not an egregious horror flick–it is subtle, subdued, and sexy. There is a touch of drugs, a touch of violence, and a big heaping dose of good story.

Strangely enough, with the soundtrack and underlying love story I found myself even thinking of Pump up the Volume. I know the comparison is a stretch since Amirpor's soundtrack is all Iranian artists but I draw the comparison in that both of these movies have introduced me to a host of new artists and expanded my taste.

The film debuted at Sundance in 2014 and is an extended version of a short film that won "Best Short Film" at the 2012 Noor Iranian Film Festival. Even thought it was filmed over just 24 days in California, this is an Iranian film (in Persian with subtitles) at heart and produced by an amazing new director whom I hope goes far. It has been making the film festival circuits and nominated at numerous ones. Hopefully it may make the jump to the mainstream. I was led to it from A Taste of Cinema's "14 Movies From The Last 5 Years That Have The Potential To Be Future Cult Favorites."

This film is an absolute must see for film aficionados. I really cannot write much about it without giving it away, but I will say it has made my personal Top Ten movie list. The only thing I could think to bump from my list to make room was Citizen Kane–yes, it is that good. This is ironic for it one the "Citizen Kane Award for Best Directorial Revelation" at the "Sitges" Catalonian International Film Festival.

I highly recommend this film.

Okay, no doubt about it, this film has some problems. But, for some reason over the years I have kept coming back to it. In its attempt to weave together the various Arthurian legends into a semi-coherent whole, it manages to create an enjoyable departure into fantasy and myth. It is also to see some of the actors (Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, Nicol Williamson, Cherie Lunghi, Gabriel Byrne) who later went on to fame in other forms as their early selves. It also set the stage for a host of genre movies to follow. And, provided enjoyment to all the fantasy buffs at the time who had little in the world of movies to turn to. I cannot help but give it a decent rating on my personal enjoyment scale.