The Silence of the Lambs should be read from a variety of perspectives. The film is most obviously a psychological thriller that features a range of psychiatric and psychological themes. The film also functions as a police procedural because it is narrated through the point of view of a fledgling FBI agent and walks viewers through the process of capturing a serial killer. There is enough gore and suspense to qualify, at least marginally, as a horror film, and to take that notion one step further, the infamous Dr. Hannibal Lecter could be viewed as one of the more eccentric "monsters" in recent film memory. But the list shouldn't stop there.(read more...)

Writing a review lauding the merits of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is like writing an essay on why breathing is important. Or better yet, why sex feels good. Talk about begging the question. Anyone who watches Psycho brings his or her own insights, cinematic IQ, prejudices, fears, and collective memories into the interpretation. And like any classic film, Psycho resonates with new meaning every time one watches it. Perceptions change, interpretations mutate, and assumptions evolve. If one goal of a good film review is to recreate the experience of watching the film, then reviewing Psycho is the equivalent of reveling in cinematic ecstasy. So beware, here comes the swoon.(read more...)