STREAMING REVIEWS: Vampires and shape-shifters

The two films reviewed today are available for streaming on Netflix. One is a taut vampire-inspired political black comedy from Chile, while the second is an animated feature that tweaks genres with surprisingly effective results.

El Conde (Netflix Chile) - Pablo Larrain is a well-known film director from Chile. He is famous for his movies that tell the life stories of famous people, such as "Neruda" (starring Gael Garcia Bernal as Neruda), "Jackie" (starring Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy), and "Spencer" (starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana). In his latest movie, "El Conde," Larrain returns to his homeland to revisit the historical figure of General Augusto Pinochet, who appeared in his early films. However, this time, Larrain takes a unique approach by portraying Pinochet as a 250-year-old vampire tired of living and seeking to end his existence. This creative premise earned Larrain the Best Screenplay award at the recent Venice Film Festival.

Filmed in stark, dreamlike black and white, the film can best be described as a political black comedy/satire that relies on absurdity and surprise to make serious commentary about Chile, Pinochet, and how politics weaves itself into the fabric of social and family life. There are visceral scenes of vampiric activity, and you’ll appreciate how Larrain doesn’t rely on traditional folklore to achieve this. While familiar themes are covered, their compelling, provocative power can not be denied. If there is a fault in the film, I’d venture to say that once you get over the novel premise, there is a fair amount of stretching done, and the middle part of the film could have used some editing. It has a great beginning, a strong ending, and a cinema experience that may not be for everyone but whose power is unmistakable.

Nimona (Netflix USA) - Here’s an animated feature that can mess up genres and voice casts smartly to create effective dialogue and chemistry. It’s disarming, effective, and, quite honestly, surprised me. It’s set in the near future but utilizes knights' folklore to offer something new. Then it brings in the element of shape-shifters to further add to what’s on the table. It’s comedy and drama, visual pyrotechnics, and fun for the children watching, but also a complex narrative for the genre - which can keep the more mature audiences still invested in the narrative. There’s Ballister Boldheart (voiced by Riz Ahmed), a commoner aspiring to be a knight, and there’s Nimona (Chloe Grace Moretz), the shape-shifted who dreams of becoming Ballister’s sidekick - as she thinks he’s a villain.

What’s refreshing about Nimona is how, into all this layered story, it dares to add LGBTQ themes and does so without any doubts. There are hints of Wolfwalkers mixed with Despicable Me, but this time, a young girl is hoping to create a villainous reputation. And you’ll quickly appreciate the effort Chloe Grace puts into creating her Nimona; there’s something very Aladdin’s genie in the execution, and I must admit it worked for me. Her interaction with Ahmed as Ballister is sheer joy, as he plays straight man to her perpetual verbal jousting. Now, I know Chloe has been absent from the screen in big-budget films of late, but if this is anything to go by, she certainly hasn’t lost her acting chops, and I’m hoping she’ll be given better acting opportunities again.