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Chronicle (2012)
Definitely Worth Seeting
Chronicle is a film about three high school boys who, after encountering a mysterious glowing object, develop the ability to move objects around them using only their minds. For a while, they test out their discovery, experimenting and pranking as boys tend to do; soon enough, the movie takes on a darker twist when the boys realize that if gone unchecked, their powers could be fatally dangerous.
The film is shot somewhat in the same handy-cam-found-footage style of movies like The Blair Witch Project, The Troll Hunter, Paranormal Activity, and Cloverfield. Fortunately, there isn't a lot of the shake-so-much-I-feel-sick sort of work
there is a little, but as the videographer (main character Andrew) improves his skill, the shots also steadily improve.
Some have noted that this is a "superhero origins" film, but I cannot say that, knowing it would share a bed with so many Marvel-based films
Chronicle is in a different league. Chronicle is a well-written, well thought out film, unlike the bulk of the superhero genre. The main characters progress very believably throughout the film, carrying their opening identity from beginning to end, and the actors, in my opinion, did a very good job of portraying the emotion their characters were struggling with, layering their socio-psychological issues deep into the mind of the audience.
And that's what set this film apart, for me
I couldn't just sit idly through it. Perhaps it was because I found myself identifying with the main character(s) so much
but isn't' that the mark of a great film?
Do not go into this movie expecting a feel-good, happy ending film. Do not go into this movie expecting to encounter superhuman philanthropists. Do not go into this movie expecting Hollywood-ized high school kids.
Go into this film expecting to see a deep struggle between self-worth and unbridled possibility, digging into the bowels of pain and fear experienced through the digital eye of a normal high-school outcast upon whom power and responsibility are suddenly burdened. I really think that is what this film is about.
The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
Overall, the film did a very good job of making me scratch my head
This is one of those movies I kept passing over and passing over, and I'm not really sure why... although the cover of the movie itself could be one of the reasons. Look at it. It's creepy!
This is another horror/suspense movie that did surprise me. It's a contemporary retelling of John Keel's 1975 book of the same name, which itself was "based" on stories of sightings in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in 1966-67.
I think the movie was quite well done. One thing that really struck me was the lack of computer-generated effects in many scenes; instead the clever use of camera effects... many times simply using a heavy blur on a silhouette... were very effective. The sound-scape throughout the movie was very convincing; director Mark Pellington added various sound bytes throughout the movie which only served to deepen the mystery... and creepiness... of the "mothman." The acting I felt was very hit-and-miss... some actors did well, others did not, and that division applies to almost all the characters, including leads. The sub-plot based around the relationship of two lead characters was a pleasant surprise... it didn't affect the main storyline very much, at all, and yet played an important part; a very classy move from screenwriter Richard Hatem. Each character was allowed to develop on their own, to play their own parts, without sacrificing storyline in order to force romantic scenes.
Overall, the film did a very good job of making me scratch my head, wondering what the heck is going on, who or what is this "mothman"? are these people sane or crazy? There is also a lot of detail in the movie that begs for re-watching... for example the times on clocks during certain events, odd reflections during "normal" scenes, barely audible sounds that when reviewed with more volume are quite thrilling.
I give it 4 stars ('really liked it" on Netflix and 7/10 on IMDb due to some shortcoming in tensity and a bit of poor acting. I believe the atmosphere of the movie could have been used a lot more effectively; it begged to be heavier much of the time. The actual manifestation of the "mothman" always feels fairly indirect, and so I almost always (with a few exceptions) felt a bit detached in those scenes.
La posesión de Emma Evans (2010)
This movie is nothing new to anyone who has ever watched a film about exorcism(s).
This movie is nothing new to anyone who has ever watched a film about exorcism(s). Throughout the movie we encounter the standard possession scenes. a demon (or spiritual entity) taking complete control of a person's body for any length of time, remaining dormant at other times. The movie follows your run-of-the-mill exorcism-movie progression
the demon at first seems to only manifest timidly, with more boldness as the film progresses, and finally stops bothering to hide itself altogether, along with a spiritual adviser to try and excise the demon.
There are a couple of things that set this movie apart from the others, though, and that was quite pleasing.
The first is the complete lack of "jump" scenes, at least from my perspective. There might be a few scenes where viewers are scared or grossed out, but not nearly to the standard found in most movies in the exorcism sub-genre. For me, I found it a bit disappointing
I honestly love shock scenes, and this movie needed a bit more excitement. It would be a good movie for those who are easily scared or unfamiliar with the concepts of possession, but has little else to offer as far as suspense. I might be able to watch this movie with my friends who are not horror or suspense fans, as it holds little of either.
Another element that is a bit different in this movie is the exorcist himself. We know little enough about him at the beginning of the movie, but as the movie progresses his character deepens towards the climatic twist; and the foreshadowing is there for those who watch closely. The reasons for events in and around the possession and exorcism are fairly unique; my kudos to the writer for (as far as I know) introducing something a little bit new into the genre, instead of completely recycling The Exorcist.
I didn't notice that the acting was bad; it really wasn't. The female lead Sophie Vavasseur did quite a good job in her role, especially in the demanding scenes where she must switch personalities between the teen Emma and the possessing spirit; both in attitude, body and facial expression.
Overall, I can't really recommend this movie to any horror/suspense fan unless they are looking for another cookie-cutter supernatural film to whittle away the time.
Black Death (2010)
A thought-provoking movie with enough action to keep it going
Black Death is a blunt, gritty film set in 14th century Europe revolving around, as the title suggests the "Black Death" more commonly recognized as the Bubonic Plague. It is a story of a group of Christian men mandated by Church leadership to find and capture a rumoured necromancer, whom they believe to be one of the evils causing the plague killing innumerable people around them, and the troubles that group of men face.
The movie deals with several other issues, however, as sort of sub-plots: predominantly there is a major theme dealing with criticism of the Church, attacking the ideals of some who would act merely on belief, without any real proof. Contrarily, a theme coincides, also arguing for faith. Character development is mainly portrayed through the moral progression of various lead actors in the film, particularly in regards to trials of guilt, killing vs murder, belief in the nature of God and the power of evil.
While I know little of the history of this time, the environment, accurate or not, was at the least very consistent. The violence was as much as I'd hoped for, and no more
no excessive gore, most of the really violent stuff happens off-screen. The language is decent, and the sexual content is very minimal, nothing you wouldn't come across walking down the street.
I loved this movie, and I might even watch it again, someday. I think that the movie really did accomplish what it set out to do: provide an insightful (although perhaps largely fictional) look into the social climate surrounding the Black Death, and causing the audience to consider some moral questions in the process, while maintaining a consistent atmosphere of mystery and suspense from beginning to end. The music score may have something to do with that; it was one of the first things I noticed within the film, as it immediately set a darker mood than the film clips would themselves portray to many audiences.