Film Script's Top 7 - Horrorifying Movies

Okay, so shoot me for being obvious but it's Halloween and I felt the need for a new Film Script Top 7. And when the puzzle pieces fit together, I put one and the other together, thus...

The Film Script's Top 7 - Horrorifying Movies

I found it incredibly difficult to find true "horror" movies that were worthy of a Top 7 list for a couple reasons. 1) Outside of the Victorian-era period pieces, this is probably my least favorite genre. 2) In keeping with the first reason, I’m also missing a large amount of my film history in this category (never seen a Dario Argento film, likewise a 1930s Dracula or Frankenstein picture and only Land of the Dead from George A. Romero). And 3) Not a lot of movies really have an unsettling or frightening effect on me. Sure, some might get me to jump, but I jumped watching Once Upon a Time in America recently too and it was mostly because what happened was surprising, not frightening. For those reasons… this list might start to veer towards ‘thrilling’ over ‘horrifying’ but, whatever, I like what I like. And I’ve also included a list of the bottom of the barrel horror movies at the end, because I also dislike what I dislike…

7. The Sixth Sense
The ending was spoiled for me before I even saw it and it doesn’t ruin the film at all (well, maybe ever so slightly, damn you Jamie). Anyways, this is just a well done film… great story with terrific acting and a twist so good that it has imprisoned M. Night into repeating himself in every subsequent film.

6. Rosemary's Baby
It's eerie mostly because it's played so close to real life - this film could easily just have been about the pesky neighbors who infringe on the newly married couple. Instead, Polanski drops in a deal with the devil, murders, giving birth to the son of the devil himself, and a seriously short Mia Farrow hairdo to completely creep me out.

5. Halloween
The most clear-cut slasher flick on my list is there because Michael Myers is the quintessential horror villain. A demented-from-childhood killer who escaped a mental hospital, went on a murdering rampage and seemingly can never be killed. Also, it never aims to be artful or the mold for all horror films to follow… it just is. And that score. Damn, music can be a killer sometimes.

4. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
This movie is so good they can't stop remaking the damn thing, even in spite of the fact that Don Siegel's original is perfection. The birth of pod people and a communism allegory all in one.

3. Jaws
Spielberg had only done two films before this (Duel for TV and The Sugarland Express). Both were good. This is much more than that. And it earns points for keeping the shocking moments suppressed, for the simple perfection of its score and for focusing on a terrific (and terrifically straightforward) storyline.

2. Psycho
This list would have been overloaded with Hitchcock if I had considered Rear Window, Vertigo and Rope horror films as well. Hitch was king of the psychological thriller, but Psycho fits nicely into both categories and is one of his most purely horrifying films... it can't be left off.

1. The Shining
Truly the one film that totally freaked me the hell out was Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece (Seriously, how can Stephen King not like this adaptation?). Those twin girls, the Outlook hotel, Jack Nicholson's freakish stares and the sheer oddity that is Shelley Duvall. Just spooky as hell.

Honorable Mentions: Carrie, The Thing, Alien, Aliens, Misery, Silence of the Lambs, Basic Instinct, 28 Days Later..., 28 Weeks Later..., The Devil's Rejects, Shaun of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead (remake), Red Eye, Death Proof, Rear Window, Strangers on a Train, Rope, Notorious, Vertigo, Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Predator, The Exorcist, Duel (TV), Play Misty for Me, The Birds, Cabin Fever, Scream 2, The Ring

The Film Script's Bottom 7 - Horrorifying Movies

Honestly, these films are so bad and so arbitrarily listed that I could have put any other 7 on here from the runners-up list and been perfectly content, but as it is… here it is…

7. White Noise
6. Hide and Seek
5. The Ring Two
4. Alien vs. Predator
3. Cold Creek Manor
2. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
1. Hollow Man

Dishonorable Mentions: Godsend, Premonition, The Number 23, Hostel, Saw 2, Cry_Wolf, Dark Water, House of Wax (remake), Doom, Van Helsing, The Butterfly Effect, The Grudge, The Mothman Prophecies, From Hell, Domestic Disturbance, Don't Say a Word, Hannibal, Scream 3, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, The House on Haunted Hill (remake), The Faculty, Disturbing Behavior, Jack Frost, Urban Legend, Psycho (remake), From Dusk ‘til Dawn, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Children of the Corn, The Keep

Happy Halloween

In the Screening Room - Michel Gondry's Human Nature

Session 011 - Human Nature

Who saw it and what are your thoughts on it?

Gone, Baby, Gone (Ben Affleck, 2007)

When an actor steps behind the camera to direct for the first time, there should be a reason for it. Whether it's a personal story that needs to be told or a small budget film that would never get funding otherwise, something should be propelling that decision besides a career rut. So good thing for Ben Affleck, that although he fits in with the career rut crowd, there are also numerous other reasons he was the right choice for Gone, Baby, Gone.

This film is really in Affleck's wheelhouse. The Boston setting, obviously. The delving back into screenwriting (he did win an Oscar co-writing Good Will Hunting after all). The overload of cursing. The charming conceitedness of the main character. And his decision to put his brother Casey in that role. Former Sum of All Fears co-star Morgan Freeman coming along for the ride. The marvelous Mystic River as an outline and How-To guide...

So Gone, Baby, Gone is brimming with reasons why this would be the perfect place for Ben Affleck's directorial career to start. But honestly, when they started shooting this film, I still felt like it was a crapshoot as to what would result.


Then the trailer came out and I knew Affleck had done well by this film. It seemed to mimic Mystic River to the point of plagiarism (the film, however, does not). There are a few minor quibbles with how the storyline comes together - whose blame I lay more at the feet of Dennis Lehane's source material... but by the end, all is forgiven because of what really is a knockout finale.

Gone, Baby, Gone is also a great starring vehicle for Casey Affleck (the better actor of the two Afflecks) and boasts some beautiful imagery by John Tall, the cinematographer of The Thin Red Line and Almost Famous amongst others.

For 90% of its running time, Gone, Baby, Gone is a solid, enjoyable crime mystery... but this movie is all about it's final moments. They are the moments that linger and keep you questioning. They are the moments you want to talk about. They are the reason for...

Month of Movies: October 2007

First off, I realize this is horribly late considering there are less days left in the month of October than there are past. This article really needs to be posted within the first 3-4 days of the month and I'll try to get back to doing that in November.

Second, I've decided to break down the films I see that are of note into different categories in descending order of importance. Obviously "Must See - Theater" would be the highest all the way down to "Potential Never See - DVD." If there is a movie or two that I have left off that you feel warrants a placement here, let me know... maybe I just overlooked it.

Here goes --

MUST SEE - THEATER
Gone, Baby, Gone - My top spot goes to Ben Affleck's directorial debut. Honestly when I first heard about it I had my doubts (considerable doubts), but ever since seeing that Mystic River-ish preview, I've been sold. Comes out this weekend and I can't wait to see it.
Michael Clayton - Might seem like kind of a cheat to put it this high since I've already seen it, but there's a reason I went opening night... it was definitely high on my list. This is yet another one I haven't posted a reaction to. Doh.

POTENTIAL SEE - THEATER
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead – Honestly I know next to nothing about this except that Sidney Lumet directed it, it’s supposedly a return to form for him, plus it has Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke… and that’s enough to sell me on it.
We Own the Night ­­– With Better reviews this would have been a “Must See.” As it is, it got bumped down and I might end up missing it in theaters (much as I’ve so far missed out on 3:10 to Yuma, In the Valley of Elah, Eastern Promises and The Kingdom).
Reservation Road ­­­­- Another Joaquin film that’s getting mixed reviews and looked better before the critical reception came out. Plus it’s the director of Hotel Rwanda and the trailer had me intrigued. And Mark Ruffalo. Mark Ruffalo. Damn I wish it had gotten better marks.
Lars and the Real Girl – Now here’s one that’s gone the opposite way, jumping up the list as the reviews come in. Love Gosling, but the prospects of him dating a mannequin didn’t intrigue me all that much. Supposed to be a great feel good film though, so who knows? Maybe I’ll see it in theaters now?
Rendition – This probably would have been a “Must See – DVD” but since Kelly wants to see it, it goes up a bit and I’ll probably see it tomorrow night. The cast alone (Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Alan Arkin, Peter Sarsgaard, Jake Gylenhall) should have been enough to get me a spot in the theater but for some reason the trailer just never grabbed me. I wanted to see it, but I want to see it more now because of Kelly’s interest.

MUST SEE - DVD
Things We Lost in the Fire ­– Has Halle Berry finally returned to acting, after crapping all over her Oscar with Catwoman and Gothika (two films I can’t even bring myself to watch – although I did catch a truly horrendous Catwoman scene on TV the other night. Whoever programs AMC should be fired for allowing that film in the rotation, ugh). Plus, Benicio is getting Oscar buzz here.
Wristcutters: A Love Story – Indie film that has been jumping around the festival scene. It has Sam Rockwell. That’s usually enough for me to see it.
Funny Games – Naomi Watts. I know just about nothing else.
Control – From what I’ve seen, looks like an arty music film. And there seems to be a few of them coming out (Across the World, I’m Not There).
Sleuth – Jude Law and Michael Caine remaking the old Caine original? Kenneth Branagh directing. I’ll see it in spite of missing the first one… sort of the same way I saw Jude Law’s other previous-Michael-Caine-vehicle Alfie a few years back. Think Jude’s upset Sly already beat him to the Get Carter remake?

POTENTIAL SEE - DVD
Across the Universe – Rough reviews are keeping me from getting overly excited about this Beatles song lovefest. Nice concept though.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age – Still haven’t seen the first one, so I’d need to catch up with that one before even considering this one.
Lake of Fire – American History X director is back, finally, with a new film. This one’s a documentary… apparently so no actors will take away his final cut.
30 Days of Night – Josh Hartnett zombie film. I think Hollywood is overdoing this zombie fetish of recent years. Maybe a rental if there’s good reviews for it.
The Heartbreak Kid – Throwaway Farrelly brothers. I could take it or leave it. Ben Stiller hasn’t been winning me over with his recent work (Night at the Museum, Meet the Fockers, Madagascar).
Dan in Real Life – Sorry Ty, Evan Almighty was garbage. And this looks worse. If I see it, it’s only because I’m hoping Carell can somehow salvage it.

POTENTIALLY NEVER SEE - DVD
Bordertown – J.Lo film with absolutely no advertising. Looks like it’ll tank… probably for good reason.
Saw IV - I hate this franchise. Die already.
Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? – I’ll give Perry that his films make money… but they also tend to look like some of the worst crap in cinema history.
The Jane Austen Book Club – No buzz and sounds dull. Note to studioheads: Avoid putting ‘book club’ in your title… it’s not a selling point for a rousing theater experience.
The Martian Child – What is this?

In the Screening Room - Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal

Session 010 - The Seventh Seal

Who saw it and what are your thoughts on it?

MTTM (#3) - 1408

a film by Mikael Hafstrom

ONE SENTENCE SYNOPSIS
a novelist who writes about and discredits paranormal activity finds himself trapped in room 1408, where the supernatural might prove real

HER TAKE
Based on a short story written by Stephen King, 1408 follows jaded supernatural phenomenon writer Mike Enslin (John Cusack) as he attempts to discredit New York City’s Dolphin Hotel room 1408 as a site of paranormal activity. While the movie focuses primarily on Cusack’s Enslin, Samuel L. Jackson briefly shows up as the Dolphin’s manager who earnestly tries to dissuade him from checking into the room—and don’t get too excited; despite top billing, Jackson graces us with his presence for all of 15 minutes total and you quickly realize you’ve been bamboozled into watching this movie with only Cusack to entertain you the rest of the way. That’s a pretty tall order if you ask me.

To enjoy this movie, you must go into it completely accepting the premise: that there is, (in a classic Sam Jackson delivery—think Snakes on a Plane), “an evil [expletive] room,” in the Dolphin Hotel. Unfortunately, even if you do accept this, the suspense and terror that ensues is not enough to keep this film from digging its own grave, stepping in and shoveling dirt back onto itself. While it does maintain a slightly elevated level of suspense throughout, it does not achieve the thrills and chills it promises in the trailer. Cusack is cynical and tortured (before he even gets to the room) and provides a bit of comic relief with his snide and pessimistic comments. And that’s about as good as it gets with the acting.

The story is something all together different. The basic plot seems like it would make for good horror but it quickly feels like the tossed out first run version of The Shining. It feels very incomplete with no explanation of how the room came to be so evil and no solid indication as to its final state at the end. The bulk of the story isn’t even really story. It’s just sequence after sequence of Enslin attempting to escape. Some light is shed on why Enslin is so disillusioned with his life but it’s not compelling enough to warrant empathizing with the situation he got himself into. By the end, there is no great revelation about his character that makes you care one way or another what happens to him.

My recommendation for this film is that if you don’t like scary movies but want to give one a shot (Halloween is coming up…) this one’s for you. It’s safe to say you’ll be terrorized minimally and might get some thrills from the standard Hollywood horror gimmicks. If you are a die hard fan of horror though (or at least have seen so many you are desensitized—thank you, Hostel), take an indefinite rain check.

HIS TAKE
It had me. The hotel room setting. The atmosphere. The creepiness factor. It was all working. I was sitting uneasily in my seat watching the creepiest turndown service committed to film. It was even getting tension from a freakin’ clock radio.

Then it goes and shows us the ghosts and totally ruins everything.

For a good half hour, 1408 was the unsettling piece of filmmaking I was hoping for. It wasn’t The Shining… but it wasn’t Identity either. It was eerie and disturbing and mostly entertaining. There was a slow burn to the scare, with the director Mikael Hafstrom stifling all the urges he previously showed in Derailed to browbeat you with every twist and turn in the storyline.

John Cusack stars as Mike Enslin, a dispirited schlock ghost story writer who debunks the tales of ghosts and goblins that hotels use as tourist attractions. His doubting pessimism offers some of the best moments of the film – especially opposite a nearly cameo-brief Samuel L. Jackson appearance (playing ‘The Dolphin Hotel’ manager Gerald Olin) – while Enslin shoots down every ‘attempt’ to scare him early on as an act… like it’s all just a staged play for his benefit.

‘Stars’ is a very appropriate term for Cusack’s role in 1408 because for long stretches – think Cast Away long – the film is a one-man-show. Short of the one single effective scene playing off of each other, those hoping for a Cusack-Jackson acting session will be wholly disappointed. And only disappointed more-so because it’s the best scene in the film, it arrives merely twenty minutes in, and Jackson’s hotel manager delivers some great words of warning to Enslin not to stay in that “evil f***in room.”

But as is commonplace in this genre of films, Enslin has inner demons that cause him to question the reality of ghosts and spirits and fear nothing (no points for guessing those demons don’t stay inner throughout). Apparently it isn’t enough to just be a non-believer, he’s got to be a non-believer because his daughter died traumatically thereby crushing his ability to suspend belief.

Well, at least it worked for a while. Director Hafstrom starts ratcheting up the scares gradually, for the time being using the Jaws theory of terror (the less seen, the better) as he relies on a clock and what amounts to an invisible maid who likes to fix the bed and fold the toilet paper elegantly. It has an unsettling effect, and like Enslin himself says, “Hotels are a naturally creepy place... Just think, how many people have slept in that bed before you? How many of them were sick? How many... died?”

But apparently any restraint Hafstrom displayed early only acted like a rubber band being stretched and stretched and stretched to capacity… pretty soon that puppy’s gonna break – and when it does, look out. Because during that remaining hour Hafstrom burns, freezes, lives and drowns in excess. Anything even remotely scary he throws in. Walls closing in? Check. Walls bleeding? Check. Doors won’t open? Check. Windows close on themselves? Check. Ghost attacks and visions of dead people? Check and check.

Then there’s that ending. The original ending that was edited out for theaters because it was too much of a “downer” but was reinstituted for its DVD release. From what I understand of the alternate theatrical ending, it should have stayed that way (and I would have watched that version had I known the difference prior to viewing) because this one is just brutal. It’s not only a downer, it’s a cop out… totally negating any reason for explanations and rationale.

Oh well. It started off well. It just closes in a big fiery inferno of overkill.

HER REACTION
Well, I had no idea that there was an alternate ending. From the description of it, it may have resolved my issues with the confusion at the end but I'm still not convinced it would have made me any happier. I'm surprised it had you even for a minute. I mean, okay, there were moments of tension but it "had" you? Really? Ah well, we agree overall. That's the important thing.



HIS REACTION
Okay, so we took two separate paths to the same place. I went in with relatively high expectations, especially for a John Cusack movie (I’m not his biggest fan). But with the critical reception it received and the addition of Samuel L. Jackson to the cast… yeah, it had me hooked in for a little while. That is, until I realized I’d been duped into another blasé Mikael Hafstrom ‘thriller’, with only Cusack there as my guide and Sam Jackson having the good sense to bail out almost entirely by the twenty minute mark.

Side note: 1408 was based on a Stephen King short story, yes, but that short story was originally just a writing exercise for his On Writing novel. It was conceived to illustrate a basic “How to Write a Short Story” and has all the depth of that initial idea… it feels like an unfinished thought or premise.



written by Brian and Rebecca

Recent Watches: October 2007

Well, I intended to post the most recent "Married to the Movies" article today on 1408 but due to my own laziness, an I-95 delay, a late train arrival and my own ineptitude for leaving my portion of the review at home... yeah, that's been delayed until tomorrow.

So instead, here's the already terribly late "Recent Watches" category for everyone to throw their two cents in on. I've watched quite a bit more recently, including The Darjeeling Limited, Transformers, Singin' in the Rain, and City Lights that need talking about. Plus the leftover ones I never got around to discussing like The Brave One, The Dirty Dozen, The Groomsmen, Evan Almighty, etc. etc. etc.

Since that's a rather daunting list, maybe I'll break it into comment posts, 1 at a time? Who knows.

For now, I'll leave you with my thoughts on Transformers which I've already discussed my reaction on with Rebecca yesterday...

"Meanwhile, I watched about half of Transformers on the ride home yesterday (I've since finished it and still echo these sentiments 100%) and it was every bit the crapfest that I expected. Good lord who likes this stuff? And I used to be a Transformers kid too. I just don't get it anymore. Why is every guy excited for Transformers and 300? I guess it's the robots and loin cloths? I dunno. Wait, I've got it. The reason Transformers is worthwhile... it makes you feel like a freakin' genius while watching it (it's so stupid it's ridiculous). I did find it absolutely hilarious that even though this film is dumb as dirt (robots actually say "My bad" in it), they still find time to take a shot at President Bush (you hear what can only be described as a very southern voice as the president ask for some ding dongs... no freakin' kidding). Genius. Then the 'hot flight attendant' character in the next scene drops it on the ground and then proceeds to eat it. Yuck. Gotta love that quality of writing. Oh yeah, and a recent high school grad (the 'hot high school grad' character) is telling the NSA how to do their jobs. It'd be great camp if they weren't playing it so deathly serious. Ah... and one last thing, the whole thing feels like a big car commercial thus far. I wonder how much Chrysler and Cadillac paid to be a part of this film?"

Yeah, Transformers sucks. Shia is the only one who gets out without a scratch, everyone else needs to do some serious apologizing for this one... ugh.

In the Screening Room - Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow-Up

Session 009 - Blow-Up

Who saw it and what are your thoughts on it?

Your Completely Topic-Free Discussion Forum for Anything and Everything Entertainment-Related during October

Since I felt that we were getting a little too specific in our topics... mostly discussing a specific film at a time ("In the Screening Room" and "Married to the Movies"), I felt that we needed more of an open-forum area for discussion on whatever topic we so chose. A place for us to write about something that we feel like debating, whether it's completely off topic from the other posts or not. Thus the wordily-titled "Your Completely Topic-Free Discussion Forum for Anything and Everything Entertainment-Related during October."

And I'll start off the discussion this month with an example of how non-essential this topic can be taken... in the event that The Darjeeling Limited opens this weekend - and in the event it opens only in DC... I think we should get a roadtrip up there to see it. There are so many films I've been missing out on recently that I need to see (Eastern Promises, Into the Wild, 3:10 to Yuma, In the Valley of Elah thus far) that I don't want Darjeeling added to that list. When it opens, I'm all over it. I know Rebecca is up for it if we can work out a time. Let's get it together. Ditto The Assassination of Jesse James.