We're not gonna lie, when we first heard the plot synopsis for this movie, we were stuck with a perma-arched eyebrow for quite a while: An alien crash-lands on Earth - in Scotland to be precise - and seduces and has sex with hitchhikers, before killing them.
Now, for anyone who has seen the god-awful yet all-too-enjoyable trash that was 1995's Natasha Henstridge-starrer Species, this may sound all too familiar. However, there are a few things that make this stand out from what might have otherwise been just another bottom shelf straight-to-DVD release, and why we recommend you go see it during the JDIFF.
First up, the alien seductress is played by none other than Scarlett Johansson. Yes, Scar-Jo is preying on men, sex-ing them up, and then killing them. Still though, if you're gonna die, there probably aren't many better ways than having a naked Scar-Jo involved in proceedings. Also, between this and Her, it's clear that she's looking to expand her repertoire beyond just Looking Good And Sounding Sexy, and 2014 is going to be a big year for her.
Secondly, it comes from director Jonathan Glazer. He's only got two films under his belt to date - the incredible Sexy Beast back in 2000, and the overlooked Birth in 2004 - and he has been missing from the big screen for the guts of a decade now. Glazer is a fantastic visualist, having directed some classic music videos for the likes of Massive Attack ("Karmacoma"), Jamiroquai ("Virtual Insanity") and Radiohead ("Karma Police") amongst others.
Thirdly, Glazer is going to be in attendance at the screenings itself, talking about the movie, his careers and answering any questions you might have. (Try to keep the Scar-Jo questions to a minimum, this is a film festival after all!)
Finally, we have Under The Skin to thank for this fantastic meme!
