Weekly Review -- Fear strikes back

Visiting Hours (1982) -- I first discovered this chiller a few years ago, but just managed to find a copy recently. Since I believe -- and I know I am not alone -- that hospitals are some of the creepiest places around, even without being utilized as locations in horror films, I thought that this movie would be a cool find. Journalist Deborah Ballin (Lee Grant) dedicates a lot of air time to battered women's rights and victims' rights in general. She inadvertently angers a misogynist psychopath, Colt Hawker (eternal baddie Michael Ironside), who attacks her in her own home one night, sending her to intensive care. Since he failed to kill her, Hawker sneaks into the hospital to finish the job... The movie provides plenty of scares and 'jump' moments, as well as a truly frightening and realistic villain. I am glad that the murderer is not your standard knife-wielding maniac; there are parts of the movie that reveal the origins of his blind and unjustified hatred, creating a three-dimensional psycho from what could easily have been a cardboard cutout. However, Visiting Hours also contains plot holes that are larger than its main location. First of all, why did Deborah not describe her attacker to the police? She was well enough to hold a press conference later, so the police knew that they were able to question her, but no, Hawker keeps roaming the streets long after the attack. Also, how could everyone just slip into the hospital undetected? I could not believe just how easily Hawker could walk in and out. At one point, Ballin's boss, Gary Baylor (William Shatner), says that "everyone is screened"; he obviously missed the first two thirds of this movie. Another aspect is simply implausible -- is there only one hospital in the city which was earlier identified as none other than Washington, D.C.? It seemed that every single imperiled character would end up in this particular one somehow. The gaps in logic go on and on, making the screenplay seem hurried and botched. Still, the movie is worth a watch, partly due to the tense cat-and-mouse game that ensues between Grant and Ironside's characters, and partly due to Grant's convincing portrayal of a woman who stands up for her beliefs and integrity. The psychology behind the lead characters' actions makes the suspense genuine and the movie effective; it is too bad that the actual script could not find enough common sense to back up its own ideas.

5/10

Death of a legend

I am sad to have learned that Stan Winston, the man who created visual effects for such movies as Aliens, Edward Scissorhands and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, passed away yesterday.

The world has lost a legend. Winston's visual effects have set a new bar for this branch of the industry. The legions of fans, as well as the four Oscars he has won during his illustrious career, only serve to highlight his achievements. The effects he created were beautiful, dark, twisted, animated, bizarre, raw, chilling... and life itself, made from vats of clay and plastic, from the imagination above all faculties, into the realm of cinema and into our world.

On a personal side note, I feel honored to have written The Thing review when I did. I feel that, in a small, yet maybe unwarranted way, I contributed to this man's legacy by doing so. All of us bloggers keep contributing by contemplating and discussing Winston's works. His creations live on in our cinematic memories and cyberspace writings.

So, the next time you see Aliens, think of the genius behind the alien queen terrorizing Ripley and Newt. When you check out Terminator 2 again, think of the brains behind T-1000 morphing into the chopper. And, of course, when Edward first lays his eyes on Kim in Edward Scissorhands, think of the imagination that conjured up the gentle soul hidden among the deceptive blades.

Never forget and think of the magic.

R.I.P.

Weekly Review -- Alien matters

The Thing (1982) -- One of the (literally) coolest horror films of the 1980s, this John Carpenter remake of The Thing from Another World is a marvelous cinematic exposé of fear and isolation. In an Antarctic research outpost, a group of employees -- among them, helicopter pilot MacReady (Kurt Russell) and scientists Childs (Keith David), Blair (Wilford Brimley) and Copper (Richard Dysart) -- confront a mystery when a Norwegian helicopter chases and almost shoots a dog, before blowing up in front of their research station. After mulling over what just happened, they are threatened by a parasite that takes the shape of the organism it kills. As paranoia and cabin fever sets in, there is no escape and the number of trustworthy colleagues is dwindling... The Thing benefits greatly from its atmosphere. As in many films that utilize locations to deepen the story's context and significance, the remote and menacing snowy locales are a character for themselves in this film, invoking a sense of deafening loneliness in the midst of an invasion. Carpenter is one of those rare directors that can do wonders with sparse settings and proves it once again here. The cast fit the story perfectly, bringing a sense of authenticity to the proceedings with very natural-sounding dialogue and their everyman, unpolished appearance. Russell is excellent as the reluctant leader, but David and Brimley are stand-outs, as well. The visual effects, which include contributions by legendary Stan Winston, are extremely raw and organic; they are incredible to look at and it goes without saying that they have stood the test of time. The film's pacing takes its time to establish tension and is essential to this particular story; however, it loses itself a bit around the middle of the film, making the narrative too slow and not meshing seamlessly with the increasing number of action sequences. This is only one minor gripe, though. The movie is a classic through and through, belonging a to rare breed of suspenseful masterpieces not being made anymore. I hear that a remake is in the works; needless to say, the filmmakers have their work cut out for them and very high standards to reach.

8/10

Summer Review #2 -- Sex and the City

One of the most highly anticipated small-to-big screen adaptations in recent years, the Sex and the City film is not only a perfect addition to the series, it also stands on its own as a witty and charming romance. There is passion and fashion, girl talk and intrigue... in short, every ingredient you need for the perfect cinematic summer cocktail.

As the series fans know, the show followed four New York friends -- romantic optimist Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), sex-crazed Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), traditionalist Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) and sarcastic and big-hearted Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) -- through their careers and love affairs. The film picks up four years after the show's finale, following the storylines that the last season opened the path for. While there is romantic bliss, there is also trouble on the horizon for a few characters and significant changes coming up in their lives. Throughout it all, a few new characters pop into the picture, and the girls' bond remains steadfast as ever...

Effervescent and bubbly are only two of the words one could use to describe the film's screenplay. With its focus being on the personal growth and the more mature exploits of the ladies, the sharp and funny writing manages to keep the light-yet-contemplative spirit of the series. I did not think some of the subplots, such as the one with Carrie's assistant (Jennifer Hudson) and the one with Samantha's new neighbor (Gilles Marini), were extremely necessary to the story; however, that is just a minor qualm, since these subplots were well thought out.

The acting is also excellent, highlighting the incredible chemistry the four leads share and building the effectiveness of the more emotional moments on this connection. Even though all the actresses are perfect for their roles, Nixon and Cattrall show again that they are the stronger performers. Nixon is capable of expressing all depths of emotion using just her eyes, while Cattrall should trademark the role of Samantha. Having said all that, Parker and Davis get some amazing moments to work with, and, well... they work them. The supporting cast is also excellent in exploring the different facets of their own characters and using these to the story's advantage.

This movie is a sweet and mostly light-hearted ode to friendship, womanhood and relationships. I would not be surprised if it also received a few Golden Globe nods next year, in the writing and acting categories. It is a great cinematic segue for the series and it is, above all, an entertaining film. Enjoy.

9/10

Weekly Review -- And now for the creepy stuff...

Them (2006) -- Based on my history as a critic and fan, I find that there is only a handful of newer horror films that can shock audiences. With many of today's genre entries exploiting every type of violence -- relishing every type of inhumanity, dissecting every body part and holding every drop of blood under the unforgiving camera lens just for kicks -- there is hardly a sense of primal cinematic fear anymore. Rarely anything is left to the imagination and rare are the times when there is actually a solid narrative putting the brutalities in context. However, there are gems like David Moreau and Xavier Palud's Them -- original title Ils -- that are capable of making a nightmare out of a simple and somewhat relatable story, favoring a paradoxically angry subtlety and volatile atmosphere in place of literal, corporeal shocks.

Novelist Lucas (Michaël Cohen) and his girlfriend, teacher Clémentine (Olivia Bonamy), live in an isolated country house. One night, after they have turned in, strange things start happening, indicating the arrival of uninvited guest(s). There is sneaking and creaking; bizarre sounds that seemingly come out of nowhere; unseen forces wreaking havoc around Lucas and Clémentine's one-time sanctuary. Unsure of where to turn, the couple try to defend themselves and flee, but how far can they run, and who are the mysterious attackers, anyway?

Them is an intense and unnerving movie, made even more shocking by its revelations and by the French filmmaking tradition of savoring each scene, using slow pacing and long shots. The scenes in the attic and in the menacing woods are deliberately dragged out, using tension as a Sword of Damocles that hovers above the audience, ready to strike at any time. The directing and camerawork successfully puts us in the main characters' shoes; we feel their disoriented fear, confusion and aggravation.

**HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD (please highlight to read)**

I did have a problem with some of the film's aspects. How come two adults were not stronger than a few young children? Lucas and Clémentine could have easily knocked the boys out and run for their lives. Also, why did they trust one of them in the first place? The possible answer is that, at this point, they would have done anything to save their skin; personally, however, I would have a tough time trusting someone who was watching me get tortured just moments ago.

**END OF SPOILERS**

Them makes the similarly-themed Panic Room look like Home Alone. It never lets up. The film is a merciless journey through the darkest subterrains of human psyche and treats its subject of home invasion with gut-wrenching boldness. I dare you not to think twice about this film the next time you turn the lights off in your home.

8/10