On this year's docket: two sequels and a foreign film (what does this say about the American horror-wood?)
Rec 2: the original is still in top ten scary movies of all time. Twisting plot, creepy cinematography, perfect ratio of loud and quiet moments. Do not be sucked in by the
US remake; watch the original. Having been foiled once already, I had been looking forward to seeing how they would wrap up the original. I must say, I was a wee bit disappointed. The characters weren't nearly as likeable (I was rooting for those teenagers to die) and the plot took a crazy turn and I was left wondering if I was even watching the same franchise. Not necessary to watch this in order to really enjoy
Rec.
Paranormal Activity 2: I know that there are mixed reviews for
Paranormal Activity. Personally, I loved it. It had everything a good horror movie should have; suspense, drama, unexplained phenomena and, the most important part, an invisible, untouchable baddie. It was one of those movies that forced you to watch the screen in order to find out what's going on and rewarded you equally with nothing or terror. PA2 is in much the same vein, serving as a bookend to the original story. There are even guest appearances by Micah and Katie! And this time, the protagonists seem a bit cleverer, taking lost of precautions and not leaving anything to guesswork. They even answer a few questions! (Don't worry, there are plenty of new ones by the time they're through). It's a great set-up to
PA3.
The Orphanage: or, El Orfanato. This was the movie I knew the least about, so I wasn't overly psyched - turns out to be the best movie of the night! I saw Guillermo del Toro's name in there and immediately got excited; this guy made me a believer after watching
Pan's Labyrinth. So, the Orphanage: a woman decides to buy her childhood home (the titular building) and make new home for disabled children, along with her husband and adopted son. After her son tells her about his five new friends, things go south when she's attacked by child in a creepy mask and her son goes missing in the middle of a party. Strange noises and creepy things begin happening. It's not long before she goes off the deep end herself. It's a wonderful bit of storytelling: a genuine mystery threads its way through gripping story that had me hooked. This has probably made it into my top ten.
Rec 2: the original is still in top ten scary movies of all time. Twisting plot, creepy cinematography, perfect ratio of loud and quiet moments. Do not be sucked in by the US remake; watch the original. Having been foiled once already, I had been looking forward to seeing how they would wrap up the original. I must say, I was a wee bit disappointed. The characters weren't nearly as likeable (I was rooting for those teenagers to die) and the plot took a crazy turn and I was left wondering if I was even watching the same franchise. Not necessary to watch this in order to really enjoy Rec.
Paranormal Activity 2: I know that there are mixed reviews for Paranormal Activity. Personally, I loved it. It had everything a good horror movie should have; suspense, drama, unexplained phenomena and, the most important part, an invisible, untouchable baddie. It was one of those movies that forced you to watch the screen in order to find out what's going on and rewarded you equally with nothing or terror. PA2 is in much the same vein, serving as a bookend to the original story. There are even guest appearances by Micah and Katie! And this time, the protagonists seem a bit cleverer, taking lost of precautions and not leaving anything to guesswork. They even answer a few questions! (Don't worry, there are plenty of new ones by the time they're through). It's a great set-up to PA3.
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