Words cannot express just how much I love this film. It has everything I love in a good thriller - smart heroine, high stakes, and an ambiguous, head-scratching ending.
I guess when it was released it was a bomb but ensuing years have proven its worth and stature as a classic. As with most things of awesomeness, it took years to be appreciated but now has become a film to influence and entertain others.
The now-cliche "sorority girls in distress" originated here. The group assembles to party and ring in the holidays with booze and silliness when prank phone calls start arriving at the house. The girls laugh them off at first and go on about their business.
One girl, Clare excuses herself from the party early to head upstairs to pack. She is alone on the second floor when she hears footsteps. She goes to investigate. Soon, her screams echoes through the upstairs. Unfortunately, the party downstairs is louder and no one answers her.
The killer has claimed his first victim.
Another cliches, "the call is coming from inside the house", saw it's start with this film as well but it is so well done you won't care. It just worked.
Excellent film, check it out. But don't watch it alone!!!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Thursday, July 24, 2014
The Official "50 Shades" Trailer is Here
They released the official trailer for "50 Shades of Grey" this morning and it looks even worse than I imagined. I read the first book on the recommendation of a friend ( I used that term loosely) and managed to make it through 45 pages before I chucked it across the room. Lawdy. I'm still not sure why so many women lost their minds over that crap but taste is subjective.
I read erotica and porn on a semi-regular basis (don't judge) so my views are a little biased but the 50 Shades books were pretty vanilla if you ask me. Call it BDSM for the Walmart crowd, I guess.
If you like watching paint dry or if you simply want a good laugh here's the link for the trailer. Don't say I didn't warn you.
I read erotica and porn on a semi-regular basis (don't judge) so my views are a little biased but the 50 Shades books were pretty vanilla if you ask me. Call it BDSM for the Walmart crowd, I guess.
If you like watching paint dry or if you simply want a good laugh here's the link for the trailer. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Capturing the Friedmans - Review
So I first saw this one several years ago but a recent news article brought it back into my mind and I thought I would re-visit it and see if my opinions on it had changed. They did.
In the late 80s and early 90s there were a rash of child molestation cases hitting the news. For many of them, accusations of Satanic ritual abuse (see the McMartin preschool case) followed. And for most of them, the abuse accusations came to light when the alleged victim(s) were put under hypnosis.
Such was the case with the latter when it came to Arnold Friedman and his teenage son, Jesse. Children who took Arnold's computer classes in the basement of the family's home on Long Island were questioned extensively after some child pornography was discovered in Arnold's possession.
The kids were subsequently put under hypnosis and alleged they were raped and molested by the two men over the course of several months. Father and son claimed their innocence. That is, until further questioning of Arnold revealed that he had indeed molested "a few" boys over the course of his lifetime. But not, he insisted, any of the children making the current claims.
Under the circumstances, and to save his son from a life in prison, Arnold agreed to plead guilty to the crimes and was sentenced to prison. Jesse, who maintained his innocence, was found guilty anyway and sentenced to prison(he has since served his term and been released).
The first time I watched this film I was horrified at how poorly the investigation was conducted and how with nothing more than the word of some scared children an entire family's lives could be ruined (not only were father and son affected but also the mother and the two elder sons). The archival footage filmed by the family themselves allows us to watch the family fall apart right before our eyes.
Upon a second viewing, I felt these same feelings of horror but added to that a feeling of disgust. Arnold never shows any signs of remorse-- not for the children (neither those he molested nor those who accused him currently) and certainly not for his own family. The closest thing we ever see to a guilty conscience is when, after he is imprisoned, he commits suicide leaving the money from his life insurance to Jesse as the sole heir.
And even after two screenings, I cannot determine whether or not Jesse is innocent. At one point in the legal proceedings he claims his father abused him and he only participated in the abuse due to his fear and guilt over the abuse. At another point, he claims to have only voiced the abuse story in order to make a more sympathetic case to the jury. So was he lying then? Or is he lying now?
I recommend watching this riveting documentary with others and discussing the above. Ten years later, I am still scratching my head.
Watch for free at SnagFilms : Capturing the Friedmans
In the late 80s and early 90s there were a rash of child molestation cases hitting the news. For many of them, accusations of Satanic ritual abuse (see the McMartin preschool case) followed. And for most of them, the abuse accusations came to light when the alleged victim(s) were put under hypnosis.
Such was the case with the latter when it came to Arnold Friedman and his teenage son, Jesse. Children who took Arnold's computer classes in the basement of the family's home on Long Island were questioned extensively after some child pornography was discovered in Arnold's possession.
The kids were subsequently put under hypnosis and alleged they were raped and molested by the two men over the course of several months. Father and son claimed their innocence. That is, until further questioning of Arnold revealed that he had indeed molested "a few" boys over the course of his lifetime. But not, he insisted, any of the children making the current claims.
Under the circumstances, and to save his son from a life in prison, Arnold agreed to plead guilty to the crimes and was sentenced to prison. Jesse, who maintained his innocence, was found guilty anyway and sentenced to prison(he has since served his term and been released).
The first time I watched this film I was horrified at how poorly the investigation was conducted and how with nothing more than the word of some scared children an entire family's lives could be ruined (not only were father and son affected but also the mother and the two elder sons). The archival footage filmed by the family themselves allows us to watch the family fall apart right before our eyes.
Upon a second viewing, I felt these same feelings of horror but added to that a feeling of disgust. Arnold never shows any signs of remorse-- not for the children (neither those he molested nor those who accused him currently) and certainly not for his own family. The closest thing we ever see to a guilty conscience is when, after he is imprisoned, he commits suicide leaving the money from his life insurance to Jesse as the sole heir.
And even after two screenings, I cannot determine whether or not Jesse is innocent. At one point in the legal proceedings he claims his father abused him and he only participated in the abuse due to his fear and guilt over the abuse. At another point, he claims to have only voiced the abuse story in order to make a more sympathetic case to the jury. So was he lying then? Or is he lying now?
I recommend watching this riveting documentary with others and discussing the above. Ten years later, I am still scratching my head.
Watch for free at SnagFilms : Capturing the Friedmans
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
The Fault in Our Stars - Review
I really looked forward to seeing this film. I wasn't familiar with either of the two stars but that doesn't matter because I usually forget someone the minute I meet them anyway. I'll probably remember these two. Their performances were that good. (Ask me again next month and watch me draw a blank).
So Hazel is dying. She's got cancer and it sucks. She's had it for awhile and is used to the routine and the bullshit that comes with a terminal illness. At her mother's urging she begins attending a support group at the local church and she meets Gus, a cute boy who is there in support of his best friend and fellow cancer victim. Gus overcame leukemia and is in remission. He chats up Hazel and while she resists at first, before long she is smitten by Gus's goofy charm.
The two of them form a bond over their shared health problems and Hazel learns to embrace Gus's attitude of living life to the fullest. She ventures out of her comfort zone and begins to enjoy life more than she had prior to meeting him.
I won't spoil the ending TOO much although it is safe to say when you're seeing a film about kids with cancer SOMEBODY'S GOING TO DIE! True here. It's handled well and without the usual maudlin pining over the unfairness of life.
I found the film to be life-affirming and a reminder to life every day like it's your last. Not gloomy or depressing at all. Haters who say that it depresses them obviously missed the message altogether.
Glad it wasn't a "Love Story" 2.0 as I had originally feared. And even if you haven't read the book, you can still enjoy it.
The Rundown - Overview
Since this is the first post, I need to backtrack a little and give an overview of what I have seen so far this summer. The one thing that I'll share first is "The Fault in Our Stars" since it was new and made loads of money and is based on a book that you should have read by now. After that, I'll probably go back to reviewing old stuff (new to me but not the rest of the world). So, let's just get on with it, shall we?
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