5/4/2014 - Under The Skin (2013) - 7+/10

A strange, haunting, and visually intriguing conundrum of a film. It's not that the narrative is confusing, it is that it is so expressive without one.
I had actually been reading the novel before I saw this film. I was at about halfway when I had the opportunity to see this film. I don't know if it was better or worse going in with added knowledge about what the story was. Much of the novel is slow, monotonous and a bit dull. Light on genuine character and only caressing intriguing plot, up until about halfway when things start to ramp. The film centers much on the "slow burn" of the book, but with the alluring camera eye and added bizarre touches, it all takes on an ominously magical quality. Unfortunately, I, knowing elements of the book, was waiting for them to show up and was left without. I would assume the film would feel equal parts more tantalizing and infuriating by not reading beforehand, as the film's sparseness of explanation would add to it's Kubrickian ambiance while the questions and not having any of the narrative backing of the book might leave the viewer seeing the film as hollow, pretentious, and self-involved... This was no simple film but rather, captivating and unique, though certainly not for everyone.