Los cronocrímenes (2007)
Los cronocrímenes (2007), written, featuring and directed by Nacho Vigalondo.
Today this is cataloged as Timecrimes but I use the original Spanish title, which is how I first saw it.
Trying not to give too much away. If we are experienced film viewers and expect a mystery/horror time travel plot (it's in the title) then we are alert for little clues, results that happen before their causes, puzzles that will be explained later.
If we come to believe we are in one of those causal loop stories then we scrutinize even more closely: what about the paradoxes? Can everything be resolved consistently?
In this case they do a good job in linking everything up, although the fundamental inexplicable paradox remains: how does the loop even begin? My guess: when you turn on a time machine paradoxes appear automatically. Randomly or by some other design? That's a grim thought.
This modest low-budget picture delivers on that and develops in surprising ways, both sad and creepifying. Our hero goes through several stages:
Mostly innocent, but slightly guilty of voyeurism. His binoculars remind me of Rear Window (1954).
Uncomprehending terror.
Once he understands his situation, he tries to change nothing.
Then switches to changing.
Then accepts and participates in the tragedy.
A beautiful naked woman is integral to the plot. Got to sell tickets, I suppose. Hers is a sad story: a good samaritan, she didn't deserve what happens.
Some ominous score but also a lot of radio background. Blondie's "Picture This" becomes a theme.
Plans for an English language remake were sabotaged by fans from the future.
There were Blu-ray editions at one time; are they all out of print now?
