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My surprise was based on my feelings towards Valhalla Rising and Bronson, both of which I loathed despite Tom Hardy's seminal role in the latter. Bronson was bloated with an agonizing mixture of pathetic pastische and unabashed attention-seeking (part of the character's persona, I realize), but Hardy's performance kept the thing from collapsing into full-blown Clockwork Orange fan-film. Valhalla was idiotic for the majority, Refn in desperate grasps at some trace ideas about violence and history but always managing to meander around them; parts were beautiful, but overall a big disappointment that made me want to avoid all his other stuff. Comments on Pusher trilogy make a little more curious.

Couldn't disagree more about Valhalla and, yes, Bronson is totally synched up with that character's persona and perception of himself. Refn is actually a little Walter Hill and a little George Miller. And with the masterful Fear X he is also quite obviously a little Lynch, drawing on those kinds of sources for inspiration but settling into a distinctive space all his own.

Fear X, for instance, finds its disturbances in its relentlessly, even aggressively enforced sedate surfaces (that's where the violence exists in that one). And that kind of oppressive atmosphere suggests much about the character (another career peak perf by Turturro in this case) as well as the environment it extends to. Similar to the first third of Lost Highway but, I would argue, more interested overall in the benefits of sustaining that particular tension and mining insights from it.

I would also rush to defend Valhalla Rising. A fascinating film which reminded me of a blend of Missing Link, Apocalypto and The Road! And the Pusher trilogy is excellent as well. I have a little more trouble with Bronson, but only because I can't help thinking of it being in the same posturing prisoner vein as Chopper, which is a very hard act to follow.

To my surprise, I noticed that local distributor has picked up Sleeping Beauty for late August release. Same company also distributes such films like The Expendables and Conan the Barbarian 3D. :-k