The two films today can be streamed on Netflix. The Wonder is a serious, thought-provoking period film set in 19th century Ireland; while Violence Action is inspired by a popular manga that debuted in 2016.

The Wonder (Netflix - Ireland) - Based on the 2016 novel of Emma Donoghue, who also authored Room, The Wonder is set in 1862 Ireland, and takes on themes such as religious hypocrisy, the nature of miracles, and our journeys of redemption. The central character is Elizabeth (Florence Pugh) an English nurse who sails to rural Ireland to act as an observer, along with a nun, to a young girl who has not eaten for months, claiming she is well and good thanks to manna from Heaven. Something of a local legend, the people from around the area seek audience with the young girl, believing she is blessed and special. In a Catholic country such as Ireland, science and religion are strange bedfellows, and it would seem that the nurse and the nun are there to validate the young girl’s claim.

I’ve read the novel, so the first thing that I found markedly different is the prologue that’s set in real time, asking us to cast doubts aside and believe in the characters we will be introduced to. Sebastian Lelio directs, and he hails from Chile, having won an Oscar for Best Film in a Foreign Language for A Fantastic Woman. He also directed Gloria and Disobedience. He knows how to tackle challenging material, and prologue aside (I’m still not sure if I liked this introduction or not, as it is a departure from the novel), there’s much to admire in how he has handled the material. As for Miss Pugh, if she’s to be connected to two releases this year, I’m certain she’s far happier with her involvement in this film, over that of Don’t Worry Darling, a fiasco that even she could not save. This film may not be for everyone, but it is a strong film adaptation.

The Violence Action (Netflix Japan) - Based on the popular 2016 manga, written by Shin Sawada, with artwork compliments of Renji Asai, this live action film version is directed by Toichiro Ruto, and opened in Japanese cinemas in August of this year. Kanna Hashimoto plays Kei Kikuno, the heroine of the manga. Student of bookkeeping by day and enjoying life much like any other young girl of her time, she is a deadly assassin by night. And when we say deadly, let’s emphasize that with a capital D. This manga series was in the Top 20 for make readers in 2018, and it’s easy to see why as your protagonist checks the box for female in schoolgirl uniform, while the action scenes come straight out of Kill Bill and John Wick.

Posing as an elite call girl service, while physically occupying a languishing ramen joint, Kei basically works with her own Gang of Four, and the ramen manageress seems to be the boss, while a driver named Zura, wearing a ridiculous oversized Elvis-coiffed hairpiece provides the comic relief. There’s also a simpering, pudding-hair styled classmate of Kei who joins up to act as foil for the comedy elements. The plot has to do with two rival Yakuza clans warring and having both employed Kei. It’s caricature after caricature, and everything is over the top, including the choreographed action scenes. My only complaint would be how everything seems flawed and dated - flawed because the story never ignites, and dated because this would all have been fresh and interesting a decade ago.