Kinda saw that coming, didn't you? The title I mean. Yeah, the very subjective take on not particularly great film that threw around Joy Division references and "Means to An End" at crucial moments. I'm sold! If Styria had been made in the 70s its spirit and iconography it was trying to recreate would have been a memorable piece. Still, I kinda feel for the pure fanboyism for the film and music of that period this piece displays and am on board. Would I do the same, given the opportunity? You bet!Stephen Rea. Time to face the facts: greatest actor that never was! Loved this gent since Citizen X, but he just did not give his 100% here. Just kind of exists and wanders through this film hoping for it to be over already.Can't shake the feeling Styria was an ambitious project. What it lacks in story telling and filmmaking skills makes up in pure enthusiasm. Usually, it is not enough. Was enough for me though, at least this time. I'd "blame" it on predominant music choices, couple of lovely gals, Hungarian countryside and some brief gore. Captures that Gothic atmosphere quite well. So, mission accomplished, as far as I'm concerned. Means to an end. Yeah.

Wow, I haven't seen a movie like this in a long time. This is a classical Gothic experience, set in the 1980s. In Hungary. Dang it. Long story time: It's beautifully shot, especially considering the relative newcomer status of the Directors (there's two by the way). The script really shows the work that was put into it, that they worked it until it was the best possible version of the story possible. The story, by the way is an adaptation of Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. It's a vampire tale in the most classical of molds, though it's also a tale of modern youth (done so seamlessly that the fantastical elements could easily be the product of a troubled mind, though the mental illness aspect is still treated rather realistically). Actually it hands a certain problematic part of culture (cutting. I'll say it. The main character was a cutter) very well, not promoting it nor demonizing it. The acting is fantastic, Stephen Rea providing a decent performance as the distracted dad (ergo not in it very much but being focal to the resolution), Julia Pietrucha turns in a very decent performance as the seductive and mysterious Carmilla, but Eleanor Tomlinson is the eyes of the movie. She provides a character that is tortured, yet curious, enthralled, yet wishing for freedom. The location is one of a kind and provided a greater character to the scenes. This movie needs to be seen and supported, as film like this needs to be made. It's available on Amazon and Itunes as Angels of Darkness, so check it out if you have the chance.

I just saw this movie on Hulu Plus. I hadn't heard of it. But I love Stephen Rea, so I decided to see what it was all about. Needless to say, I was not disappointed! This is not your typical supernatural horror movie. It's a slow burn. But there's so much beauty in every image. And there are a lot of visual references and historical layers. I very taken by Eleanor Tomlinson's performance as Lara. And after watching I did some research and realized it is an adaptation of a novella called Carmilla. Now I know what I'll be doing this weekend! I wish more movies were made like this today, atmospheric, beautiful, and full of interesting details!

After waiting what seemed to be a lifetime to see this film, Styria was finally released on Hulu Plus. It was worth the wait. Everything about this film is designed to challenge your senses. The pacing, the art direction, the cinematography, the score, everything about this film is used to draw you in. The boldness that the filmmakers showed in modernizing such an amazing story was a gamble that easily paid off. If you took the best parts of Murnau's Nosferatu and Fukunaga's Jane Eyre and blended them together, this is the movie that would emerge. This is easily one of the best vampire films of the last 20 years. Sheridan Le Fanu would be proud of this adaptation.