‘Dogtooth’

Perverse and challenging, this early film from director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, The Lobster) is a highly original black comedy – or complete pretentious claptrap, dependent on your place on the pendulum.

A comfortably-off Greek family live in a rambling property on the edge of the city – parents and their three young adult children. Only the father (Christos Stergioglou – The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas, False Alarm) can leave the property. The others move around freely – the father even brings a female security guard from work to have sex with his son. But they never cross the threshold to the outside world and must occupy their time between themselves.

Intense, bizarre, outrageous, childish, ridiculous, disturbing – just how far will a father go to protect his family. A long way, according to Dogtooth – and it’s not a very pleasant experience.

Nominated for the 2011 best foreign language film Oscar.

Rating: 37%

‘The Lobster’

Absurd comedy – that, in spite of its strange premise, is original and, at times, startlingly funny!

Acclaimed, award-winning Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (Alps, Dog Tooth) makes his English-language debut with this commentary on relationships, love – even  ingrained social norms of ‘coupledom’ and social control.

Choosing to turn into a lobster rather than the more common dog should he not find love in 45 days sets Colin Farrell (In Bruges, Horrible Bosses) apart from the rest. But then he does not have a shared characteristic that leads to love, such as frequent nose bleeds (Ben Whishaw – Skyfall, Perfume – and Jessica Barden).

Flat, deadpan delivery and limited emotional range adds to the disconcerting oddness of The Lobster.

Nominated for 1 Oscar in 2017 (original screenplay).

Rating: 71%