Spider

Silence, depression, and muteness, and yet on top of that, half of the things are actually said. There is nothing so exhausting as watching an hour and a half of a fatally simplified story with only two features – Ralph Fiennes gaping and half-hearted flashbacks. Not even a mesmerizing movie star could have brought me closer to David Cronenberg's study of a damaged mind. No intimacy to speak of, in an unnecessary form. (04/06/2006)

I hate spiders, but I love this one. Ralph Fiennes confirms that he can play anything, but if his character is weird in any way, so much the better for him (and for us). Four strong stars after the first viewing, a clear five after the second. And the fact that I knew the point didn't matter at all. As a friend of mine once said - the film is like a popsicle. Chilling, but damn good. (10/31/2009)

Spider is a classic Cronenberg film, but it already had clear hints of what we see in his more recent work. A minimum of gore and a maximum focus on the human mind, which has reached a state that cannot be considered normal. Cronenberg continues his effort to shock, but in this case, it's through the story rather than what we see. At times, he is open, which is simply his trademark, but on the other hand, he is more turned inward toward the soul rather than the body. The truth is, though, that this more accessible style suits him as well, and in some respects, it’s no less depressing than his earlier, bloodier films. (11/22/2013)