"Taxidermia" is one of the biggest surprises I've had with recent films. It has a blend of disgusting and shocking acts rendered poetic with absolutely beautiful camera-work and style. Even at its grossest, one isn't nearly as repulsed as they should be. And trust me, there's a lot of deviant behavior (including bestiality, masturbation, feederism, and vomit) on display here. Its all credit to director György Pálfi, who has crafted one of the most original visions in recent cinema. Its far from a perfect film, but its sheer audacity is refreshing compared to the safe and sterile cinema coming from all over the world today. Its a throw back to the 70s, when filmmakers had the guts to load the screen with offensive and politically incorrect imagery to force the viewer to think.<br /><br />Don't mistake this as being merely a shock value fest. There's a good amount of subtext and depth to the film in a manner similar to Takashi Miike's finest work. The acting is very good, and the performers manage to make their deviant characters oddly human and sympathetic despite the increasingly surreal nature of the film. The film is flawed (the middle section in particular lags pretty badly), but I'd rather watch an interesting if imperfect film any day than successful tripe. "Taxidermia" is a film I feel will become a cult classic in the years to come. Not for all tastes, but those interested will love it. (8/10)