Wes Craven's career is so damn weird.
but I'll eagerly co-sign on The People Under the Stairs love. Hey, you know what else is great?
The Illusionist, not the crappy Ed Nortan vehicle, but Syvain Chomet's animated adaptation of a unmade Jaques Tati script. Its at this point I should admit in the spirit of full disclosure that I've been aware of but never seen a Tati film, a mistake that I'm all to ready to fix.
Its about a stage magician who's unfortunate enough to have lived well beyond the vaudeville days and now plies his trade to an ever dwindling audience. Keeping his dignity while staying afloat he goes to a isolated Scottish village where a paternal relationship blooms with a young, isolated girl of the town. Its a beautifully made and subtle film, with lots of gentle humor, and sad parts about how people can be left behind by the changes of the world. Its all just so gentle and light, there's no huge LOL moments, there's no emotional blackmail-tear-inducing-scenes, all the same its as light as a feather and surprisingly affecting. If you cornered me, you'd get me to admit that I liked the director's previous film,
The Triplets of Belleville more, but on balance this is the better movie.
***1/2