The Viewing

The nice thing about Cabinet of Curiosities is that the shorts are pretty varied, but the quality is consistent. For an anthology, that's also a slight weakness though, as it means there isn't that much risk-taking going on. I expected a little more from Cosmatos based on his earlier work, but once I let that go I still had a lot of fun with The Viewing.

Four people are gathered for a mysterious event. They are driven to a unique mansion, where they meet the peculiar (and filthy rich) owner of the house. He brought them there because he considers his guests at the top of their respective fields, and he wants to show them something special. Before they get a glimpse of the item, they need to do some bonding over good alcohol and top-grade drugs.

Cosmatos' love for the 70s is on full display here, but it takes a while before things get going. The first half is all talk, and while he does a good job building up the tension, it means there's a stronger focus on dialogues, not so much on atmosphere. The finale is pretty awesome though. Far from his best work, but a good film for people unfamiliar with Cosmatos' other films.