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San Francisco, 6:47 AM
Fri Dec 11
26 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of cylon_conspiracy cylon_conspiracy
    12/08/09

    In reply to The Lovely Bones: Hitchcock Meets Dali In Purgatory
    I can't read the review just because I don't want to be spoiled, but I have been watching Hitchcock films at a furious pace lately, so that has piqued my interest in this film. I would have seen it on DVD just because of Jackson but if it's really like a Hithcock film, that might convince me to see it in a theater. Was not aware Brian Eno was involved either.
     Reply
    Edited by cylon_conspiracy at 12/08/09 6:21 PM cylon_conspiracy was starred cylon_conspiracy was unstarred
    Image of Dresan Dresan
    12/08/09

    In reply to The Lovely Bones: Hitchcock Meets Dali In Purgatory
    I am waiting so very impatiently for this movie.
    I loved the book (so funny, so sad!) and basically it's the only movie I want to see in a while.
     Reply
    Dresan was starred Dresan was unstarred
    Image of MargaretMoony MargaretMoony
    12/08/09

    In reply to The Lovely Bones: Hitchcock Meets Dali In Purgatory
    I am so excited to see this movie!
     Reply
    MargaretMoony was starred MargaretMoony was unstarred
    Image of Lassus Lassus
    12/08/09

    In reply to The Lovely Bones: Hitchcock Meets Dali In Purgatory
    I probably won't see the movie - just not that interested - but I really want to give John Shirley credit for an excellent and well-written review, which is not that easy. A truly great read, thank you.
     Reply
    Edited by Lassus at 12/08/09 1:30 PM Lassus was starred Lassus was unstarred
    Image of korybing korybing
    12/08/09

    In reply to The Lovely Bones: Hitchcock Meets Dali In Purgatory
    You had me at "Hitchcock Meets Dali". I love visually-crazy movies, so I am very excited about this flick.
     Reply
    korybing was starred korybing was unstarred
    Image of CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard) CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard)
    12/08/09

    In reply to The Lovely Bones: Hitchcock Meets Dali In Purgatory
    I cant wait to see this. Ive liked Jackson before LOTR. I was a big fan of the Frightners, so im seriously looking forward to this!

    Also...anyone who lives near a cinema, with those seperate letters you put up to advertise a film. Please please please take off the 's' and put 'er'.

    'The lovely bone'er'...I know its pathetic, but come on!!
     Reply
    CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard) was starred CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard) was unstarred
    Image of Wookie1972 Wookie1972
    11/29/09

    In reply to "The Road" Leads to a Sentimental Post-Apocalypse
    1) The more I think about it, the more I think that this review just didn't get the point of the movie. I fail to see how the ending can be seen as "smarmy" at all. It's a warm moment, but at the theater I was at it seemed that everybody got the point of the final freeze frame: this isn't over yet, or rather it's over but it still won't end well.
    2) Also upon further reflection, I think Riddley Walker shouldn't be translated into a visual medium. It work best as a radio play, or (if you have to do it visually) an opera.
     Reply
    Wookie1972 was starred Wookie1972 was unstarred
    Image of Communist Pope Communist Pope
    11/27/09

    In reply to "The Road" Leads to a Sentimental Post-Apocalypse
    This part: "the father's love for his boy is simply too exalted, too idealized, to be realistic or even interesting." That's exactly the problem that I had with the book, which I consider to be McCarthy's weakest effort to date. (Still worth a read though; even the lamest McCarthy book is better than the work of most modern authors.) No plans to see this one in theaters, but that might change if it gets good word of mouth.
     Reply
    Communist Pope was starred Communist Pope was unstarred
    Image of VirusWithShoes VirusWithShoes
    11/27/09

    In reply to Awesome 1980s Retro Satanism in "House of the Devil"
    I watched this last night, alone, with headphones on and absolutely loved it. It's incredibly evocative in parts, and reminds me of John Carpenter at his early best.

    Jocelin Donahue made a lot of a character who didn't have much to say. Absolutely adorable in her mittens and scarf, not to mention the scenes where she's just "looking around" - which does sound inane, but if you see it you'll know what I mean. A mention should also be made of the score - sparse, wonderfully down in the mix during some periods, and full-bodied when it needed to be.

    I'll agree about the final act - it did seem a bit rushed, especially with the slow-burn torment of the previous two, but I'm willing to forgive that.

    Favourite parts for me; the feeling of isolation - on campus, in the hallways, in the house. The Walkman. The titles - gaudy yellow on a freeze-frame. The awful 80's dance moves. Tom Noonan. Seeing Dee Wallace again. The "Rosemary's Baby" feel. Jocelin Donahue channeling Margot Kidder/Karen Allen. Bad pizza.

    One of the few movies released this year I'll actually watch again.

    And thanks, Annalee - I probably wouldn't have heard of this if it wasn't for you.
     Reply
    VirusWithShoes was starred VirusWithShoes was unstarred
    Image of SeanGone SeanGone
    11/26/09

    In reply to Awesome 1980s Retro Satanism in "House of the Devil"
    i just watched this the other day and was entertained for the duration. a sleeper great movie for sure.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment SeanGone was starred SeanGone was unstarred
    Image of rabiera rabiera
    11/26/09

    In reply to Awesome 1980s Retro Satanism in "House of the Devil"
    Hmmm . . . your review makes the movie seem like as much an homage to Val Lewton as anything from the 80's.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment rabiera was starred rabiera was unstarred
    Image of Wayne Talbot Wayne Talbot
    11/26/09

    In reply to Awesome 1980s Retro Satanism in "House of the Devil"
    Saw this back in October at the Horrorthon in Dublin, Great movie. Tom Noonan for the win
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment Wayne Talbot was starred Wayne Talbot was unstarred
    Image of brainbite brainbite
    11/26/09

    In reply to Awesome 1980s Retro Satanism in "House of the Devil"
    I saw that snore feast at a festival. Nice 80s-looks but nothing happens at all in the whole movie!
    Real movies from the 80s actually delivered something scary in the end, and were not just showing off that their actors wear walkmans instead of ipods.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz approved this comment brainbite was starred brainbite was unstarred
    Image of jabber jabber
    11/26/09

    @brainbite: I agree. I saw this on VOD and nearly 70 minutes (of a 90 minute movie) nothing really happens. I understand setting up the mood and all but for 70 minutes? I don't recall 80's horror movie, even low budget ones, taking that long for a set up. Maybe I've watched too many of these movies but with 20 minutes remaining I pretty much knew how it was going to end.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment Edited by jabber at 11/26/09 7:58 PM jabber was starred jabber was unstarred
    Image of DuckofDeath DuckofDeath
    11/26/09

    In reply to Awesome 1980s Retro Satanism in "House of the Devil"
    Just saw this movie recently, and I am proud to say that such a great horror movie was partial shot at the College of which I attend. Oh and Annalee, Central Conn State U is mostly devoid of people even during Spring and Fall sessions, sadly.
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment DuckofDeath was starred DuckofDeath was unstarred
    Image of 0kami 0kami
    11/26/09

    @DuckofDeath: This was at Central Conn!!!!????
     Reply
    0kami was starred 0kami was unstarred
    Image of Allen_Richards Allen_Richards
    11/26/09

    In reply to Awesome 1980s Retro Satanism in "House of the Devil"
    You're review echos what a number of mainstream critics have been saying for the last 2 or 3 weeks, and I'm a bit surprised at all the positive word of mouth considering I don't think I was able to make it through 5 minutes of West's earlier film, THE ROOST. Check out Ebert's review if you haven't already, he has a great discription of Noonan's character.

    If anything, maybe all the positive press will get West's CABIN FEVER sequel released.
     Reply
    Allen_Richards was starred Allen_Richards was unstarred
    Image of SeanGone SeanGone
    11/26/09

    @Allen_Richards: CABIN FEVER! seriously one of my favorite movies, and most people i show it to stare at it like the tv has a dick growing out of the screen.
    'He's a professor of being a dog man.'
     Reply
    Annalee Newitz promoted this comment SeanGone was starred SeanGone was unstarred
    Image of Allen_Richards Allen_Richards
    11/27/09

    @SeanGone: CF is probably the one Roth film that I completely enjoy. But I have to believe there's a reason the studio is just sitting on West's sequel.
     Reply
    Allen_Richards was starred Allen_Richards was unstarred
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