Anamorph
Anamorph
R | 21 September 2007 (USA)
Anamorph Trailers

A psychological thriller based on the concept of anamorphosis, a painting technique that manipulates the laws of perspective to create two competing images on a single canvas.

Reviews
LouHomey

From my favorite movies..

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Afouotos

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

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AshUnow

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

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Erica Derrick

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

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thelastblogontheleft

A reviewer at the New York Post described this movie as "a serial-killer flick told like an art lecture" and wow, nothing has ever been more accurate.Stan Aubray (Willem Dafoe) is an increasingly alcoholic NYPD detective who is haunted by the serial killer case of "Uncle Eddie" from five years prior, one that involved some very intricately artistic crime scenes, and one that was closed after the death of the prime suspect during an attempted arrest. Now he's on the trail of an apparent copycat, unearthing not only clues but memories he'd rather forget.This movie disappointed me ultimately because the general idea is pretty fantastic and interesting — a killer staging his crime scenes so that they must be viewed from one specific angle to see his hidden message — but the rest of it was done in such a clichéd, boring way that it was tough to even sit through. Dafoe's character is a fairly typical, weathered detective… he has slight OCD tendencies and he's withdrawn and intentionally isolated from the world. There's friction between him and Detective Carl Uffner (Scott Speedman) that often centers around Uffner trying to get him to open up and talk to him about the previous case. But neither character is particularly interesting in their own right.The murder scenes were probably the coolest part of the movie. Each one was more intricate than the last — I mean, they must have taken the killers hours and hours to construct — and quite gory, honestly. But when the highlight of a movie is a bloody crime scene over the acting, the storyline, the music… well, that's not awesome. I just didn't FEEL much while watching it. It never gripped me, never pulled me in. It just skims the edges of being this fascinating murder-mystery but it never quite gets there, either story-wise or aesthetically (the super hard lighting did nothing for me). And then there's the super cheesy ending with his various faces… ooof. Nope.

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Robert J. Maxwell

Willem Dafoe is an NYPD office teaching at the Academy. He's a troubled fellow. While he stands in line at the supermarket check-out counter, he lines his purchases up in precise configurations so that they form a square or some other regular shape. The camera looks straight down at the arrangement to make sure we get it.It resonates with the rest of the story, although I wouldn't argue that the story makes a great deal of sense. Dafoe is called in to investigate a murder scene or, at any rate, a suspicious finding. The cops have occupied an apartment in which, if you shut off the lights, a tiny hole in the wall projects a bright image of a dead body in a queer pose. It's a camera obscura, used by some Renaissance painters to copy such objects as the doors of the Baptistry in Florence. (If I remember; I don't want to have to root around on Google looking up the details.) Similar murders follow, all observing the methods of a serial killer who took a slug in the middle of his forehead some years ago. "Anamorphosis" is brought in as an analytical tool by Peter Stormare as some kind of art fanatic who is Dafoe's acquaintance. Anamorphosis is forced perspective. Some artists painted an ordinary-looking picture, and inserted an odd-looking object somewhere in the display. If you look at the painting from the side, from a different angle, the object resolves into something recognizable. I think I saw one in a museum in Fort William, Scotland, of a distorted Bonny Prince Charlie -- again if I remember correctly. I don't want to have to root around in my long-term memory either.But it's a dark and bleak story. Dafoe is not just an obsessive but a loner. His partner tells him, "We've been on the same desk for five years and I don't know anything about you. I don't know if you're married or where you live, and we carry the same shield." Dafoe doesn't speak much. He rarely asks questions. He shows little emotion. He wanders through the film's dark rooms, flashlight at his shoulder, observing chopped-up bodies.The musical score is okay, but the photography is desaturated and in high contrast. It gets even more stylish during the flashbacks that show us why Dafoe is tortured by a guilt he refuses to confront.Almost all of these movies about serial killers leaving convoluted puzzles behind for the police to figure out are pretty silly. They've managed to drag in the Seven Deadly Sins, Alice in Wonderland, pentagrams, and copycats killings of other famous serial murderers. It can be done successfully, even if it remains silly, as in "Seven". But, man, this one drags. And all those chopped-up bodies. A diapason of anatomy. There are no violent murders, no, but who wants to witness an autopsy without getting paid to do it?

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board-5

William and the good screenplay are the real good things in this movie,but this movie was something new and strong,against it's box office page does not shows it's quality.I have not seen a movie ending like this in years,this was enough creative,and just leaves wondering the viewer.The story is not too difficult,and in this film this will really help the viewer,average users can follow what happening,also the acting is takes the attention,as it's really important for me.While this movie will not loved by all of the audience,this was a very personal story,as mostly successful films today,but with a clever message this time.Anamorph is very fresh and honest piece of USA film-making today,and I honestly hope movies like this will be profitable movies in the future,and all around the world.The usual basic situation when a cop wants to catch a serial killer,was not ever as creative as this time,cause the viewer gets answer in a very strange way,but it was not truly surreal,I mean the situation turns to something deeper,and more interesting.I do not want to tell you more about the story ,cause it will destroy your joy to watching this film Give this film a chance,only cause this film is something fresh all the way,and cause this is really a personal story.8/10-I do not give 10-points,but I'am still really recommend this movie for everybody who want to wonder,also for those do not understand for first time.

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P Allen Brown

This film is basically two hours of Dafoe's character drinking himself - nearly literally - to death. The only surprise in this film is that you didn't have enough clues or character knowledge to be surprised. It was just a grim, sad waste of time.Willem Dafoe is excellent actor. Peter Stormare is an excellent actor. But this film just sucked. Slow doesn't make the movie bad, it was just bad. The sketchy plot mixed with artistic ramblings of anamorphic detail aren't cohesively drawn together in a meaningful way for a plot except to highlight some gore which is illustrated from several perspectives, finally at the end. I really appreciate the artistic vision, but as entertainment, it put me to sleep. (Seriously, I fell asleep and had to re-watch the film - which was even more disappointing.)I generally don't like to make negative comments or reviews on the works of others, even when they suck, but this film warranted one. It's just too bad that these great actors were shamed with this end result.

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