The Orphanage
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I haven't put reviews and stuff onto the individual threads, as I don't want to repeat myself from the blogs. However, as the blogs are coming down in a few days I'll add to the forum fires in the next few days. For now, suffice to say that The Orphanage was phenomenal: easily the best film of the festival, and probably the best film the Fest have ever run. Wonderful film-making.
Just astounding cinema, and a brilliant audience to watch it (especially once brought in line by Lupogirl! ) Deserves to be seen widely, at least twice and will make a fantastic double-bill with The Devil's Backbone, truly a most fitting way to end a superb festival!
"There is no Good, there is no Evil... There is only flesh..."
I've only been posting comments on the films I liked this year, but I'll make an exception with this one as it seems everyone liked it. Well I didn't. It was boring, didn't make good use of the great setting, only had one scare that worked on me (the cupboard door being closed quickly, though I suppose Thomas looked creepy in his mask), and I didn't care about the characters. And I just generally don't really like ghostie films, though there are exceptions.
Pan's Labyrinth it certainly was not.
Pan's Labyrinth it certainly was not.
Bring her to me, you bum. I'll take care of business.
I loved, loved, loved this film. The setting was perfect, the acting great, the story engaging and ultimately very sad, rather than creepy.
The true horror of the story is when you realise after she goes down to the cellar that all the banging was nothing supernatural - just her son banging to be let out after she inadvertently traps him in the cellar.
Although the part where she first sees Tomas in his sackcloth mask, with his head twitching and making that weird clicking noise is also incredibly creepy.
I couldn't sleep for ages after watching it, because every time I closed my eyes, images from it popped into my head, particularly how Simon looks when his mother finds him and realises he is dead.
The true horror of the story is when you realise after she goes down to the cellar that all the banging was nothing supernatural - just her son banging to be let out after she inadvertently traps him in the cellar.
Although the part where she first sees Tomas in his sackcloth mask, with his head twitching and making that weird clicking noise is also incredibly creepy.
I couldn't sleep for ages after watching it, because every time I closed my eyes, images from it popped into my head, particularly how Simon looks when his mother finds him and realises he is dead.
There were a couple of things about this one that bug jonbly.
Six months later? The mind boggles. By day two you'd be ripping that house and outbuilding apart...
The husband... your wife is showing definite signs of going crazy, and you let her spend two days alone in a house she believes is haunted?
Eh, but it didn't really matter. This film pulled off a powerful trick - it rose above the limitations of the haunted house clichés and really connected with its audience.
It moved people.
9.5/10
Six months later? The mind boggles. By day two you'd be ripping that house and outbuilding apart...
The husband... your wife is showing definite signs of going crazy, and you let her spend two days alone in a house she believes is haunted?
Eh, but it didn't really matter. This film pulled off a powerful trick - it rose above the limitations of the haunted house clichés and really connected with its audience.
It moved people.
9.5/10
There is nothing I can add to this thread but I can't let it go without saying how much I loved this film. Far and away my favourite of the festival, which I'd expected it to be based on the reactions from those that had already seen it.
Rawshark, shame on you :P
Rawshark, shame on you :P
When there is no more room in Hell, the dead can stay at mine.
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My favourite as well. It's quite moving in places, particularly the ending; the shock moments are magnificently timed, the performances are all fine, and even little things like that sack mask are just plain scary. The script is great as well.
This isn't just the best of this year's Fest, but one of the best they've ever shown. I think it's actually even better than Pan's Labyrinth. Indeed, it may well be one of the best films of the last ten years, full stop.
This isn't just the best of this year's Fest, but one of the best they've ever shown. I think it's actually even better than Pan's Labyrinth. Indeed, it may well be one of the best films of the last ten years, full stop.
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After a FrightFest which had felt a little "average" - nothing truly appalling, but nothing overwhelmingly brilliant either - I was really hoping the boys had saved the best till last. And The Orphanage didn't disappoint.
There were some plot elements reminiscent of other films (Saint Ange and The Dark sprang to mind), but they were used much better here. It was the only film of the weekend, apart from Cold Prey, to really build tension and time the shock moments effectively. And it was fantastic to see scenes which were still scary, even when you knew exactly what was going to happen (the children advancing across the room as Laura tapped on the wall).
Great stuff, can't wait for the DVD.
There were some plot elements reminiscent of other films (Saint Ange and The Dark sprang to mind), but they were used much better here. It was the only film of the weekend, apart from Cold Prey, to really build tension and time the shock moments effectively. And it was fantastic to see scenes which were still scary, even when you knew exactly what was going to happen (the children advancing across the room as Laura tapped on the wall).
Great stuff, can't wait for the DVD.
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Is Rob Zombie directing the remake ?
As much as I don't see the point of these "American Language" remakes, there have been some better ones of late, and Hollywood is completely devoid of original ideas, so at least this way they can get something worthwhile out.
(And we can keep the original).
As much as I don't see the point of these "American Language" remakes, there have been some better ones of late, and Hollywood is completely devoid of original ideas, so at least this way they can get something worthwhile out.
(And we can keep the original).
My livejournal Frightfest reports from days gone by (2004 to 2011)
http://surprisetruck.livejournal.com/tag/frightfest
http://surprisetruck.livejournal.com/tag/frightfest
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