Last night was the big night. One of the thirteen cities showing "Paranormal Activity" was Tucson, AZ and four friends and I made the two hour drive to catch it.
I'll warn you now, there will be spoilers. There is no huge twist or big "reveal" but I know some people are sensitive to even the littlest things. Therefore, you have been warned.
The last movie that caused me to lose sleep was [REC] (which, on a related note, will have its sequel released October 2nd and the reviews so far have been great) and that was only because I dreamt of that creepy Medeiros girl from the last five minutes and woke up in a cold sweat. Prior to that nothing has scared me and that's a total departure from my youth. Just the commercials for "Child's Play" kept me from sleep; watching the movie would have probably driven me to a therapist ten years earlier. It wasn't until I played "Fatal Frame" that I discovered a deep love of muscle-tensing, nerve-teasing horror. That was about seven years ago and I haven't stopped since.
I get a lot of eye-rolls when I say this, but "The Blair Witch Project" is probably one of my top ten horror movies. Granted, I saw it when it was still purported to be "found footage" but after devouring a constantly growing number of horror films in its wake, I believe it stands up against the really huge titles that come out every year. "Paranormal Activity" is ridiculously terrifying for the exact same reasons and yet succeeds in all the ways "Blair Witch" failed. The key ingredient that 99.5% of the writers, directors and producers is REALISM. It's not just good acting, either, although nothing kills a film quicker than characters that act like characters; no, it's all about whether or not the audience can relate to the events. And "Paranormal Activity" has managed to take that ideal and run with it - lapping just about every other contender several times over.
This is one of those movies that it'll be hard to explain the fear it induces because, in all honesty, precious little happens. There are no lost limbs, no blood spewage, no objects crashing into walls or moving furniture (well, a lamp and door or two). You never even see what "it" is (not technically, at least).
The premise is very simple. Micah and Katie have been dating for three years and have recently moved into a home together. Not long after, things begin to go bump in the night and she tells him that she's had paranormal phenomenon follow her since she eight years old. Micah, wanting to play the white knight/PI, buys a camera, intent on capturing evidence of whatever is causing the disturbances. About half the film is Micah carrying the camera around, annoying Katie and making jokes. The other half is at night where the camera sits on tripod, pointed at their bed and open door.
And that, my friends, is when it gets under your skin.
There is no background music. Unlike a lot of "found footage" films, the editing looks very amateurish - as if it really was shot and spliced together by a twenty-something with no background in AV whatsoever - and the acting, unlike the "Blair Witch Project" is entirely realistic. Both the characters, Katie and Micah, are believable and though they have several faults as people, you really feel for them. Katie especially, who is the one targeted by the entity, is heartbreaking. Too often the protagonists in horror films are far too calm or willing to confront whatever the hell it is that's antagonizing him or her. I honestly loved the fact that we see Katie break down and sob like a child because nothing that's going on is under her control. She's strong because she has to be but clearly she'd rather just say, "fuck it" and move on.
Asian horror has succeeded in MY kind of horror for years and for that reason I've had a cynical attitude towards Hollywood in regards to scary flicks. South Korea had both the epic "A Tale of Two Sisters" and psychological "Phone"; Hong Kong, the graceful "The Eye"; and, of course, Japan's the forerunner (or WAS) with "Ringu" and, my personal favorite, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's heartbreaking and beautiful "Kairo". Every single one of these is so simple in their execution, so sparse in their cheap, "jump" scares and so careful in their cinematography that it's easy to push them aside as something other than horror. They aren't easy to consume and are generally better after repeated viewings because they're so chock-full you miss a good quarter of what went on. But what they lack in "pa nosh," they make up for in white-knuckle tension and nail-biting suspense. "A Tale of Two Sisters" has what I consider to be the epitome of this type of horror in the infamous dinner scene. Even when you know what's coming - they TELL you just minutes before it happens - they spend a good five minutes winding you so tight that you practically wet your pants when it finally comes.
No spoilers here but it's pretty damn intense in atmosphere:
"Paranormal Activity" is the same type of film. Slow pacing and rare jumps, but by the end you've put yourself in the characters place and it's easy to see why the situation is so terrifying.
If you possibly can, go see this in the theater. I am doubtful it'll hold up as well on a small screen (although I still intend to buy it).
I look forward to a wider release 'cause God knows I'm not driving another four hours.
"Paranormal Activity": worth the wait
MOAR HORROR: ¡Viva españa!
As you're all already aware, I'm on a quest for wet-your-pants-keep-you-up-at-night horror that reaches beyond the borders of this fair country of ours. To begin with I kept my search confined to Asia since it was with their cinema that I'd had the most success. Recently, however, I've branched out on the recommendation of several reputable sources into the Spanish offerings. And as it turns out, the Asians aren't the only ones showing us up in terms of teeth-chattering fear.
Of the three I watched, "The Devil's Backbone" was my least favorite. It's the story of a young boy, Carlos, left at a dilapidated orphanage during the Spanish Civil War. Being the newcomer, he's pushed around by the typical playground bully (Jaime) then chased out of the storage room by Jacinto, the caretaker, who shows unreasonable amounts of rage when that place in particular is explored. That stress is exasperated even more when the ghost of a former orphan, Santi, begins making his presence known during the night, making ominous statements about their inevitable death.
Perhaps I had my expectations too high after hearing it lauded over and over again but I simply didn't care for this, at least as a horror movie. The story was compelling (if unoriginal) and the setting of war-torn Spain unique, but in the end I wound up finding the side-stories more interesting than the main murder-mystery/revenge plot. It's hard for me to recommend this because of that. Perhaps if it had been presented as drama with a side of the supernatural, rather than straight-up horror,I wouldn't have been so bored. As it stands though I was expecting more fears and less tears and consequently found myself disappointed.
"The Orphanage" is a film I've wanted to see for awhile and, thanks to Netflix instant viewing option, I finally got the chance last week. Laura and her husband, Carlos, have purchased the orphanage that she grew up in with plans to reopen it as a home for special needs children. As the renovations wind down, their son, Simon (himself an adopted child with special needs) begins talking about an imaginary playmate named Tomas who seems to have spilled a few family secrets. Though unsettled, Laura believes it's only because of the displacement that Simon feels resentful and continues moving forward with the orphanage. But when Simon disappears during the grand opening party, Laura begins to see and hear things that make her suspect Tomas might not be imaginary after all.
Like "The Devil's Backbone," this film would be better billed as a drama with supernatural elements rather than straight horror. "The Orphanage," however, is much more fulfilling in both realms and I didn't feel nearly as disappointed when the credits rolled. The build-up to the climax is steady, with enough jump points to keep you tense and the big reveal in the last thirty minutes, while not wholly original, was still fitting and shocking in its own way. The story wraps up nicely (perhaps too much for my tastes, but not "badly") and it's probably the first horror movie that left me with the warm fuzzies. It's hard to say anything bad about it as a whole because it's an incredible film - but only an above-average piece of horror. Watch it for the superb acting and the intriguing plot but not for its effective scares because those are few and far between.
I'd stated previously that I was watching the handicam-style zombie flick "[REC]", thanks to generous Youtuber ShinRyuAniSuni (as far as I've seen, a subtitled version is unavailable on DVD). This is the original film that US filmmakers remade and released in the states as "Quarantine" (which I haven't seen and therefore will not comment on). In the same vein as "The Blair Witch Project," "[REC]" is presented as "found footage" documenting the outbreak within an apartment complex of a mysterious disease that causes the afflicted to go batshit crazy and crave the flesh of the living. Angela is a local reporter with her own reality-based news program called "While You Sleep" and finds herself and Pablo, her cameraman, shadowing two firemen (Manu and Alex) as they respond to a call about a trapped woman in need of assistance. Upon arrival, they find the police and a crowd of neighbors convened already in an unsettled state with very little information on what's going down. Things go bad when the aforementioned woman attacks a police officer (taking a huge chunk of his neck off in the process) leaving him close to dead. But it's only when they find out that they're sealed into the building by the outside law enforcement and unable to leave that the chaos really erupts. Given very little information and understandably pissed off, Angela insists that Pablo keep filming as slowly the truth unfolds about what exactly it is that's being contained inside the apartment.
The premise of this film (and so many others like it, including it's American counterpart) is a familiar one that, sadly, gets screwed up again and again and again. Rarely are "shaky-cam" or "found footage" flicks executed in such a way that they're not only terrifying but believable. More often than not, they're filled with unrealistic acting or bad special effects, or worse - over-explanation. As much as it get's mocked nowadays, "Blair Witch" set the bar by having underplayed scares that were subtle enough to hold a ring of truth. Couple that with the absence of ambient music to build tension, three very clueless "actors" and an ambiguous ending (without any resolution to answer your questions) and the effect was (in its' day) unnerving to say the least.
"[REC]" follows suit beautifully. The creators feed you just enough information on the "who, what, when, why and how" to keep you satisfied while still withholding enough details to ensure you're afraid to close your eyes at night long after you've left the theater. In a setting such as this, the introduction of one lone cameraman heightens the tension as you're only allowed to see what he sees, when he sees it. Because of this the gore and violence, while revolting in their manner (the first attack from the lady is particularly gruesome), are quick and not gratuitous by any means. Again, they give just enough to shock you but not enough to overdo it. All of the actors are phenomenal in portraying real people caught in an unreal catastrophe and reacting to the events as I think anyone (in their right mind) would. And while the entire film was full of tension and well-built suspense, the last ten minutes pack a pretty awesome punch that, again, is frightening in its believability. I guarantee that I'll watch "[REC]" again (it only took me two days to force it on my best friend, Amy) and it'll still scare the ever-loving buhjeezus out of me.
Reviews: "Inner Senses," "Apartment 1303"
So, last week C&C and I polished off "Inner Senses" and I watched "Apartment 1303" all alone (during a monsoon, which definitely added to the mood).
"Inner Senses" was definitely different in its own way. There is a definite distinction between the various Eastern countries' prefered way of portraying "horror". They;ve all mastered the art of heightening tension and suspense to the Nth degree (which, incidentally, is why I *heart* asian horror in the first place) and most favor the "long-haired female/silent child ghost bent on revenge" (or both, in the case of "Ju-on"), but the styling from each is very unique. "Inner Senses," like "Phone," straddles the line of "psychological thriller" and "supernatural horror" but manages to do very well in both. It follows a young woman, Yan Cheung, who finds herself rigidly and painfully shy because of her (alleged) visions of dead people. On the prompting of her cousin, she goes to see Jim Law, a psychiatrist (the last in a long line) who staunchily believes the spirit world is nothing more than tricks of the mind. After witnessing how badly these "visions" affect her and believing he can cure and thus make her life managable, he makes himself available 24/7. However Yan Cheung begins to take more than a professional interest in the doctor and, after assuming he feels the same, embarrasses herself by acting on those urges. Jim politely declines and severs the relationship only to realize weeks later that he'd grown fond of her too and that she'd managed to fill a void in his non-existent social life. The two reconnect and tentatively begin a rather sweet (and, oddly enough, believable) romance. Jim, however, becomes troubled when it seems that he's adopted her talent for seeing dead people.
This movie managed to surprise me with its turnabout. It wasn't chock-full of twists and shocks but the story was engaging enough that when it shifted its focus from the patient to the doctor in regards to ghostly visions, I was pleasantly intrigued. I won't say it was entirely successful - the ending, for example, teetered on the edge of melodramatic - but it didn't come across as a half-assed attempt at resolution either. Jim's past simply didn't get enough explanation until the final climax and I don't think there was quite the build-up it needed. But I really enjoyed Yan Cheung as a character and honestly cheered when she made the transition from depressing, reluctant medium to a more self-assured girlfriend who had the confidence to confront her new love.
As for scares, there were plenty of those, mostly in the beginning and the end. The middle part was dedicated to the changing relationship between the two main protagonists which I also really enjoyed. I was a little weirded out by the disconcertingly upbeat montage that played out to show their new romance. It was jarring in its positivity (and out-of-place, Pop-y background music) and such a drastic change from the overwhelming tension that had preceded it that I expected it to be some kind of surreal dream that took place in Yan Cheung's mind. Caroline and I found ourselves giggling at the bizarreness throughout the scene and I doubt that was the intended response.
Still, one of the better, more effective pieces of asian horror in terms of coherent, cohesive story-telling, genuine chills and believable characters.
"Apartment 1303" was pretty much exactly what I was expecting. And if you pick up the legal Tartan Asia release, you'll understand why. Touted (in large print) as coming from the author of "The Grudge," it's standard fare for anyone even remotely familiar with asian (specifically Japanese) horror. Long-haired young woman haunts a location, wreaking havoc on any soul unfortunate enough to step foot on the property. And while that doesn't make it bad, it does means it won't offer anything new, especially to those already familiar with the genre. It presents a good plot with few storytelling bumps and provides a good amount of fresh scares.
The plot is, as I said, familiar. A young woman, Sayaka, commits suicide unexpectedly (and in front of her friends) by jumping from the balcony of her new apartment. Unsatisfied with the police investigation (and after the urging of Sayaka's boyfriend), the victim's older sister, Mariko, decides to investigate the matter herself. With the help of a local detective who's been following the tragic fates of the previous tenants of 1303, Mariko discovers that years prior the six-month-old remains of a mother had been found in the closet of the apartment after the daughter had leapt to her death from the balcony. As anyone would probably guess, Sayaka was the not the first tenant to rent the flat who met their end in the same manner. And unless Mariko can unravel the mystery, she won't be the last.
While totally predictable, "Apartment 1303" was still pretty successful. There are some genuinely creepy moments; even the method of the ghost's killing is pretty unique and frightening (even if it can't escape the stigma of [another] "Ringu" wannabe). It's the kind of movie that understands exactly what it is - and what it isn't. The creators didn't even try to break new ground but rather took a tried-and-true formula and added their own signature. Because of that, it succeeds. It's a good introduction to asian (more specifically, Japanese) horror for those who might not know it. But if you're a jaded viewer looking for something other than just another "Ringu" knock-off, you won't find it here. If you're in the mood for a competent, enjoyable horror film that most people can watch without needing a primer in cultural and cinematic tendencies in Asia, "Apartment 1303" delivers.
moar horror pls
Despite my previous disappointment at Netflix disorganizing my queue, I was quite impressed with what they sent me. My friends Caroline and Chris have both joined in my asian horror hunger and I spent a good chunk of the weekend on their couch while their German Shepherds, Charlie and Sissy, licked my feet. It was nice to have the chance to dissect what I'd just seen with seemingly smart people rather than just go on my own gut. C&C are both intelligent (he's an engineer and she's a stock broker, so they reach far beyond my scope) and I stole many of their thoughts and opinions for use here. They can be a lot more eloquent than my own LOLspeak commentary.
"Voice" is the fourth installment (following the namesake "Whispering Corridors," "Memento Mori" and "Wishing Stairs") in the "Whispering Corridors" series and my second favorite of the group ("Memento Mori" was surprisingly moving, with great characters [albeit very little scares], and remains number one). The flicks are not a continuing story, but rather four separate stories with similar themes running through them (they all take place in all-girls schools, include incredibly tight-knit friendships that border on romance [or are blatantly so] and generally include a lot of revenge-fueled violence). "Voice" starts out generically enough but takes a sharp left within just a few minutes, leaving the main protagonist dead in the halls of the school. Unable to leave the main building as a ghost and only heard by her best friend Sun-min, Young-eon attempts to recall the events of her last night in an effort to solve her own murder.
The scares were present in "Voice," but nothing out of the ordinary. The story itself was what made it enjoyable but it's also what ultimately made it convoluted and unbelievable. Two-thirds through the movie the timeline is explained in mind-numbing detail as is the motivation and backstory. Aside from showing too much of the Man Behind The Curtain, the mode of explanation makes no sense and I was kinda disappointed in the "reality". I'm accustomed to asian horror being a bit abstract and so I don't expect a whole lot to make perfect sense by the time the credits roll, but this just seemed to fall short of being totally fulfilling. That's not to say it's a bad movie since it doesn't really fall short as a horror piece. I'm just not satisfied with run-of-the mill scares. I prefer my horror to be accompanied by a good story, too (which is why I'll continue to sing the praise of "Phone," "A Tale Of Two Sisters" and "The Eye").
"Seance" suffered in much the same way as "Voice," but it managed to accomplish a whole lot more and still fit in some incredible scares. In a lot of ways, "Seance" reminded me of "Acacia," in that the protagonists are thoroughly normal people with incredibly mundane lives that, through some bad choices, eventually become despicable. About the only thing out of the ordinary for the main couple, Sato-san (do we ever find out his first name?) and Junko, is that she's a medium who sees dead people and can contact the dearly departed. Several scenes in the first half-hour are so ordinary you almost feel a bit dirty for peeking into their day-to-day lives. It isn't until they get inadvertently involved in a kidnapping that things spin out of control, quickly.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa (no, not that one) made an incredibly effective horror movie. The believability of the Satos as average people who spiral downhill due to their own choices is remarkable. And while the "child ghost" isn't exactly breaking new ground, it's still used very well and, what I loved the most, always in broad daylight. The ending itself was a bit too ambiguous for my tastes but the ultimate fate of the protagonists isn't really the point of the film, I don't think. The moral of the tale deserves center stage far more.
Next up is "Apartment 1303" and (if Netflix gets my order right) then "Lovesick Dead". I've also swallowed my queasy fear and put "Suicide Circle" in the next half-dozen or so. I'm sure that'll warrant an entry all by its lonesome.
Aw, no Netflix!
I was all set to watch "Shibito no Koiwazurai" ("Love Ghost" is what they idiotically changed it to in English though apparently "Lovesick Dead" is the actual translation) and "Yee Di Hung Gaan" (...or "Inner Senses") but Netflix screwed up my queue and is, instead, "in the process" of sending me "Voice" and "1303 go Shitsu" ("Apartment 1303").
Sad face.
I'm disappointed. Both "Lovesick Dead" and "Inner Senses" are supposed to be good. "Voice" is another installment in the "Whispering Corridors" series and those have been disappointing in the horror department (although "Memento Mori" was really good), while "Apartment 1303" is by some of the creators of "Ju-on" and "Tomie" who, while having moderate success with those titles, have left me rather unimpressed with some of the stuff they followed them up with.
Still, I hope to have them knocked out by the end of the weekend. It'd be fabulous (and creepy) if we got a killer monsoon soon so I could watch with the blinds open and the lights off.
This past week I watched "Rinne" ("Reincarnation") and despite having high hopes, my expectations managed to be met fairly well. The "twist" was plotted adequately and the two storylines were woven better than I anticipated. The introduction of a creepy-ass doll was a welcome surprise and took the place of the traditional "long-haired lady ghost" as the top scare.
As per usual, there wasn't a whole lot of explanation to the story which, in places, marred my otherwise good experience. The theme of "reincarnation" was obvious from the get-go (not just from the title) and they throw in some weirdo stuff from the past having to do with the father and the studies he did... it was unnecessary and really just confused me.
Nagissa, the main protagonist, was... kinda silent. I'd be surprised if she said 30 words throughout the entire movie. And since she has a lot of screen time, she was consequently relegated to a whole lot of prolonged gasping and muffled cries. Not necessarily a bad thing - kind of refreshing, really - and she conveyed everything really well even without talking. It just got to be obvious by the finale.
All in all, definitely one of the better asian horror flicks I've seen. Some seriously scary moments, tons of tension that you come to expect from the genre and a cohesive, engaging story. A very pretty film to look at, as well.
I'm debating on whether or not my constitution can handle "Jisatsu Sakuru" ("Suicide Circle"). Not a horror movie as much as a psychological commentary, it's been compared to "Battle Royale" a lot in that it's thought-provoking and deeply disturbing in its themes. And if you've known me for any length of time, you've more than likely heard my praises sang in that direction, so my interest is obviously piqued. Even more than "Battle Royale," though, it's gory as HELL.
...Oh, who am I kidding. I'll watch it anyway and just cover my eyes like a complete puss.
This was long. Whew. But it felt good.
Horror whore
This is my last month of Netflix (at least until my income increases) and so I'm trying to work my way through the asian horror still in my queue because there's pretty much no real way I'm going to find 90% of these titles anywhere else.
I finally watched "Acacia" and found it absolutely terrible. Not in the sense that it was unwatchable or just an atrocious attempt at film-making, it was just... deeply sad and troubling. There is a scene towards the end that made me nauseated from the sheer mentality of the characters portrayed. I couldn't stomach watching this one again.
Then most recently I watched "Ringu 2" and "Ringu 0: Birthday". The former was a worthy sequel... up until the last 15 minutes or so. I know that Japanese cinema is known for being confusing and "artsy," and most of the time I can appreciate that and not ask for too many explanations. But Ringu 2 was just weird. It asked me to suspend my common sense a little bit too much. At the end of the day it was a competent horror movie with chills and tension and suspense, but not one I'd rewatch.
"Ringu 0," on the other hand, was outstanding. Definitely not your normal horror movie, it was equal parts drama and horror. It tells the backstory 30 years in the past of Sadako. A few years after the infamous demonstration that ruined her mother, Sadako joins a drama troupe on the urging of her psychiatrist. Though the other members don't know her sketchy past, they're skittish of her presence just the same. But she's not the Sadako that has become so familiar in parts 1 and 2. She's shy and timid; unsure of herself and woefully self-conscious until someone finally takes an interest in her. It's an effective and moving attempt at humanizing the character that the audience knew only as a sadistic murderer. There are a fair amount of scares, but nothing you wouldn't already know from the original; yet, still quite good.
I have "Rinne" or ("Reincarnation") at home that I'll probably watch tonight or tomorrow. It's one I hadn't heard of but it got fairly good reviews, so I'm excited.
