‘The Signal’ is, hands down, the best horror movie of the year, and one of the better ones to come along over the past decade.

As the fifth annual Milwaukee International Film Festival comes to a close, cinema enthusiasts are left with a lot of frames to review in their minds. Here are two of the movies that will be worth checking out once they hit a wider release.

“The Signal”

A personal highlight of the festival was an amazing new horror film called “The Signal.” A psychedelic signal is released through every television, phone, and radio, leaving all those in the presence of these devices in a frenzied state of madness

The handheld camera work used throughout the film delivers a gritty realism much akin to “28 Days Later.”

The film is told in three distinct segments, each one directed by a different person. Transmission 1 consists of the initial outbreak of the madness through the eyes of a young pair of lovers.

The second part of the film takes a much more comedic look at the whole event by telling the story through the perspective of one of the infected. A great shot of dark humor arises when the frenzied man comes across a New Year’s Eve party that doesn’t really seem concerned with the fact that the world has gone to hell.

The third part of the film consists of a tragic collision between the characters that result in a depressingly beautiful final scene.

“The Signal” is hands down the best horror movie of the year, and one of the better ones to come along over the past decade.

“The Boss of It All”

The newest film from Danish director Lars Von Trier is a vast departure from his previous ones. Where his minimalist films like “Dear Wendy,” “Dogville” and “Manderlay” dealt with hypocrisy throughout the history of America, “The Boss of it All” tells a much lighter story.

“The Boss of it All” revolves around an inept president of an information technology company that foolishly hires an actor to play himself. Hilarious hijinks ensue that rival some of the best moments found on “The Office.”

The film is told cleverly through the use of a narrator who has hints of a Shakespearean Bard. As events unfold, the audience is asked to ponder what they may mean on a much deeper level.

The best comedies are always the ones that stay in your head long after you’ve left the theater. In true fashion, “The Boss of it All” lingers with the viewer long after multiple viewings.

These two films are just a few of the reasons that next September can’t come soon enough.

> Comments