- The doorbell rings, the cry goes out: Trick R Treat! But, wait. What s actually going on during this ghostly All Hallows Eve? Something eerie and unexpected. Something splattered and spooky. Something that brings ghouls, vampires and werewolves into the night. Answer the door a shocking surprise awaits. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:Â HORROR Rating:Â R Age:Â 085391176190 UPC:Â
There's something in this house...Something ancient and dark that remains still, hidden and silent. It can only wait, having been concealed in the shadows for years. In fact, its milieu is darkness. Only in it can it show itself and move. It even takes its name: DARKNESS. It's lived here since someone tried to call it, more than forty years ago. Because this house hides a secret, a terrible past, an inconceivably evil act. Seven children, faceless people, a circle that must be completed. And blood, lots of blood... But somet! hing went wrong. One of the children got away. The circle wasn't completed. That's why what lives here isn't finished. It's just waiting...It tries to carry out what it couldn't before, making plans in the shadows, to become complete, to be, to exist. A new family has just moved into the house. A small child. An unstable father capable of losing his temper at any time. A perfect target. The right place at the right time. The pieces only have to be put in place. And then wait. Maybe the family's daughter will be able to discover the truth; the dark secret of the past, the sinister conspiracy, the truth about what threatens them. Why is the father getting worse? What is her little brother afraid of? Why doesn't her mother listen to her? And why do the lights keep going out? It could be that nothing happens by chance, that everything has been worked out from the start. A devilish plan, precise and exact like a time-bomb. Her father's illness, the house, the circles, the childr! en. Perhaps she can foresee darkness' master stroke of play an! d the in evitable destiny that is closing in on her family. But maybe it's too late....A couple on the verge of a nasty divorce attempt to sell their empty love nest and move on with their lives, separately. After a successful open house, they are horrified to discover, days later, that a potential buyer didn’t leave their home. While Alice is being held captive in the basement, the unannounced houseguest moves in upstairs. She senses her capture is being kept a rebellious secret. She knows her only way out, if she can only get out alive.
Stills from Open House (Click for larger image) With a
True Blood-like poster featuring portraits of Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer hovering in front of a haunted house, one may mistakenly expect a vampire tale starring this popular horror-series couple. However,
Open House, written and directed by Anna's brother, Andrew Paquin, is a far cry from the hit TV series. Rather, it is a slow-paced horror film in which couple Josh (Moyer) and Alice (Rachel Blanchard) try to sell their home to prepare ! for divorce but encounter a hazard in the form of psychotic co! uple Dav id (Brian Geraghty) and Lila (Tricia Helfer), who steal the home and move right in, with deadly results. In fact, Paquin, as Alice's friend Jennie, and Moyer have mere cameos in
Open House. The bulk of the plot is devoted to David's conundrum as Alice struggles to stay alive in the basement. While
Open House is not overly gory, there are bloody moments. Overall, it is no
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, meaning that the film is not about gore in itself. The film is primarily a psychological investigation of a man who is torn between torturing and killing. This narrative has created some rich horror film territory--see any of Dario Argento's films, such as
Opera--but
Open House mines no new approach. A couple of odd, funny moments, like when David offers Alice a sandwich while he gets out his laptop to work despite her bruised, defeated appearance, hint at the contemporary edge, an ennui, that this film tries so hard to achieve. But it is mostly a f! luffy rehash of a story that horror films can only pull off if they have either style or script going for them, not to mention a captivating criminal character.
Open House lacks engaging characters or original vision. For a stronger horror film along similar lines, check out
Terribly Happy, a Danish movie with enough plot twists and curve balls that the crimes perpetrated convey not only dark humor but also a deeper social message. --
Trinie DaltonA FAMILY OF ORPHANED GEESE WHO LOST THEIR WAY. A 14 YEAR OLD KIDWHO WILL LEAD THEM HOME. TO ACHIEVE THE INCREDIBLE, YOU HAVE TO ATTEMPT THE IMPOSSIBLE.There are some filmmaking teams that invariably bring out the best in each other, and that's definitely the case with director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. They previously collaborated on
The Black Stallion and
Never Cry Wolf, and
Fly Away Home is their third family film that deserves to be called a classic. Inspired ! by Bill Lishman's autobiography, the movie tells the story of ! a 13-yea r-old girl (Anna Paquin) who goes to live with her estranged, eccentric father (Jeff Daniels) following the death of her mother. At first she's withdrawn and reclusive, but finds renewed happiness when she adopts an orphaned flock of baby geese and, later, teaches them to migrate using an ultralight. Sensitively directed and stunningly photographed, the movie has flying sequences that are nothing short of astonishing, and Daniels and Paquin (Oscar winner for
The Piano) make a delightful father-daughter duo. (Ironically, the digital video disc is not available in widescreen format, but the image quality is brilliant.)
--Jeff ShannonDustin Hoffman presents Diane Lane (MURDER AT 1600, JACK), Liev Schreiber (SPHERE, SCREAM I&II), and Viggo Mortensen (A PERFECT MURDER, THE LORD OF THE RINGS) in a provocative and sensual story about one woman's personal sexual revolution! It's the summer of 1969 and Pearl (Lane) is spending yet another vacation with her family when s! he realizes that the freedom of the times is passing her by. Following a chance meeting with a sexy, free-spirited young man (Mortensen), Pearl is soon doing the unthinkable: having a daring, passionate affair! Also starring Academy Award(R)-winner Anna Paquin (Best Supporting Actress, THE PIANO, 1993; SHE'S ALL THAT) in a powerful motion picture that's been called one of the year's best -- Pearl must ultimately decide between the love of her husband and children ... or the lure of her newfound desires!Although its tale of marital crisis unfolds a bit too cleanly,
A Walk on the Moon--which was coproduced by Dustin Hoffman--offers a welcome relief from the juvenile assault of skull-throbbing blockbusters. The story is gently involving, the characters are authentic, and, best of all, Diane Lane is given a chance to show why she's one of the most genuine and underrated actresses of her generation. Here she plays Pearl Kantrowitz, a devoted housewife on a routine vacati! on in the Catskills with her TV repairman husband Marty (Liev ! Schreibe r), 14-year-old daughter (Anna Paquin), and rambunctious younger son (Tovah Feldshuh).
It's the summer of 1969. Neil Armstrong has made his "one small step for man," Woodstock is about to happen nearby (leading to a barely plausible dramatic coincidence), and while her husband is away on business, Pearl is cautiously receptive to the seductions of "the blouse man" (Viggo Mortensen), a hippie salesman who offers the adventure and passion that Pearl sacrificed to young pregnancy and marriage. Once the stage for infidelity is set, A Walk on the Moon progresses predictably, but first-time screenwriter Pamela Gray stays true to the emotions of her characters, and actor Tony Goldwyn (making a smooth directorial debut) maintains precisely the right tone to downplay most of the movie's dramatic clichés. Add to this a sharp dynamic between Lane and Paquin, whose performances create a substantial mother-daughter relationship. Graced by stolen moments and fleeting expressi! ons that speak volumes, this unassuming little film is eminently worthwhile. --Jeff ShannonDustin Hoffman presents Diane Lane (MURDER AT 1600, JACK), Liev Schreiber (SPHERE, SCREAM I&II), and Viggo Mortensen (A PERFECT MURDER, THE LORD OF THE RINGS) in a provocative and sensual story about one woman's personal sexual revolution! It's the summer of 1969 and Pearl (Lane) is spending yet another vacation with her family when she realizes that the freedom of the times is passing her by. Following a chance meeting with a sexy, free-spirited young man (Mortensen), Pearl is soon doing the unthinkable: having a daring, passionate affair! Also starring Academy Award(R)-winner Anna Paquin (Best Supporting Actress, THE PIANO, 1993; SHE'S ALL THAT) in a powerful motion picture that's been called one of the year's best -- Pearl must ultimately decide between the love of her husband and children ... or the lure of her newfound desires!Although its tale of marital crisis unfolds a ! bit too cleanly, A Walk on the Moon--which was coprodu! ced by D ustin Hoffman--offers a welcome relief from the juvenile assault of skull-throbbing blockbusters. The story is gently involving, the characters are authentic, and, best of all, Diane Lane is given a chance to show why she's one of the most genuine and underrated actresses of her generation. Here she plays Pearl Kantrowitz, a devoted housewife on a routine vacation in the Catskills with her TV repairman husband Marty (Liev Schreiber), 14-year-old daughter (Anna Paquin), and rambunctious younger son (Tovah Feldshuh).
It's the summer of 1969. Neil Armstrong has made his "one small step for man," Woodstock is about to happen nearby (leading to a barely plausible dramatic coincidence), and while her husband is away on business, Pearl is cautiously receptive to the seductions of "the blouse man" (Viggo Mortensen), a hippie salesman who offers the adventure and passion that Pearl sacrificed to young pregnancy and marriage. Once the stage for infidelity is set, A Walk on the! Moon progresses predictably, but first-time screenwriter Pamela Gray stays true to the emotions of her characters, and actor Tony Goldwyn (making a smooth directorial debut) maintains precisely the right tone to downplay most of the movie's dramatic clichés. Add to this a sharp dynamic between Lane and Paquin, whose performances create a substantial mother-daughter relationship. Graced by stolen moments and fleeting expressions that speak volumes, this unassuming little film is eminently worthwhile. --Jeff ShannonA couple on the verge of a nasty divorce attempt to sell their empty love nest and move on with their lives, separately. After a successful open house, they are horrified to discover, days later, that a potential buyer didn’t leave their home. While Alice is being held captive in the basement, the unannounced houseguest moves in upstairs. She senses her capture is being kept a rebellious secret. She knows her only way out, if she can only get out ali! ve.
Stills from Open H ouse (Click for larger image)
With a
True Blood-like poster featuring portraits of Anna Paquin and ! Stephen Moyer hovering in front of a haunted house, one may mistakenly expect a vampire tale starring this popular horror-series couple. However,
Open House, written and directed by Anna's brother, Andrew Paquin, is a far cry from the hit TV series. Rather, it is a slow-paced horror film in which couple Josh (Moyer) and Alice (Rachel Blanchard) try to sell their home to prepare for divorce but encounter a hazard in the form of psychotic couple David (Brian Geraghty) and Lila (Tricia Helfer), who steal the home and move right in, with deadly results. In fact, Paquin, as Alice's friend Jennie, and Moyer have mere cameos in
Open House. The bulk of the plot is devoted to David's conundrum as Alice struggles to stay alive in the basement. While
Open House is not overly gory, there are bloody moments. Overall, it is no
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, meaning that the film is not about gore in itself. The film is primarily a psychological investigation of a ma! n who is torn between torturing and killing. This narrative ha! s create d some rich horror film territory--see any of Dario Argento's films, such as
Opera--but
Open House mines no new approach. A couple of odd, funny moments, like when David offers Alice a sandwich while he gets out his laptop to work despite her bruised, defeated appearance, hint at the contemporary edge, an ennui, that this film tries so hard to achieve. But it is mostly a fluffy rehash of a story that horror films can only pull off if they have either style or script going for them, not to mention a captivating criminal character.
Open House lacks engaging characters or original vision. For a stronger horror film along similar lines, check out
Terribly Happy, a Danish movie with enough plot twists and curve balls that the crimes perpetrated convey not only dark humor but also a deeper social message. --
Trinie DaltonVowing to move to Canada if John Kerry loses the 2004 election, fervent liberal John Logue (Breckin Meyer) suddenly finds himsel! f with no job, no girlfriend... and no country! Making good on his "campaign promise," Logue finds a traveling companion--a sexy, mysterious woman named Chloe (Anna Paquin)--and heads north. But Chloe is not all that she seems, and their journey takes more twists and turns than either could have imagined in this romantic comedy that's as poignant as it is "disarmingly fun" (Martin Kelley, CinemATL).
Blue State looks at just how far one young man will go to prove his point that the wrong candidate won the 2004 presidential elections. When John Kerry loses to George W. Bush, one of Kerry's campaign workers makes good on his promise to move to Canada if Bush is elected president. The disgruntled volunteer John (Breckin Meyer,
Clueless) is a borderline slacker who most likely would've been too lazy to move anywhere if his friends didn't remind him about his promise. Then, too, there's the invitation from a Canadian dating service that promises him a bevy of women t! o date if he heads north. Heading to a different country is da! unting ( and can be expensive), so John finds someone willing to share the expenses of driving from California to Canada. Chloe (played by Anna Paquin,
The Piano) is a lovely and somewhat mysterious young woman who challenges John's opinions and makes him think about why he believes what he believes. They bicker in the way that people do when they are attracted to each other. Chloe also has a few secrets of her own, some of which she hides behind ambivalence and a tiny bit of fear. Paquin, who also served as one of the film's executive producers, is particularly convincing in her role: Smart, sweet and cynical, she complements Meyer's endearing acting style. The filmmakers make no apologies for their political leanings; though this romantic comedy would like viewers to think about what is happening in U.S. politics, it doesn't bludgeon the point too often. Where the film falters occasionally is in the hefty dialogue between Chloe and John. Do people really talk like that? And ! if they do, shouldn't they stop for their own sake?
--Jae-Ha KimThe doorbell rings, the cry goes out: Trick 'R Treat! But, wait. What's actually going on during this ghostly All Hallows Eve? Something eerie and unexpected. Something splattered and spooky. Something that brings ghouls, vampires and werewolves into the night. Answer the door â€" a shocking surprise awaits. From producer Bryan Singer (director of X-Men and Superman Returns) and writer-director Michael Dougherty (co-scripter of X2 and Superman Returns) comes a multitale bag of wicked yarns, four cleverly interlocked stories built on Shocktober admonitions like always check the candy and don’t extinguish the jack-o-lantern before midnight. So answer the door now: Experience horror made for today's fright fan.
Trick 'r Treat, directed by Michael Dougherty of
Superman Returns fame, has a comic book feel but does a nice job of conveying the real things that can spook kids, making for a good Ha! lloween thriller. Composed of four intertwined stories that un! fold sim ultaneously, starting on the same block in Ohio,
Trick 'r Treat initially bears some resemblance to John Carpenter's
Halloween, in that it focuses on terrors experienced by teens and young, costumed children. As the short tales become increasingly violent and complex, one begins to see that many culprits are responsible, and that a general haunting of all neighborhood jack-o'-lanterns is the root cause of some gory crimes. For example, in one segment, Emma (Leslie Bibb), against the wishes of her husband, Henry (Tahmoh Penikett), blows out a candle in her jack-o'-lantern and pays dearly as her night unfolds. Meanwhile, Laurie (Anna Paquin of
True Blood), a young woman dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, goes to the woods to party with her sister and two girlfriends, attracting a stalker whose smile alone is creepy enough to startle a slumber party crowd. The two stories starring younger kids carry the film, however. In one, elementary-schooler Charlie (Br! ett Kelly) meets with the demented school principal, Steven (Dylan Baker), who assesses Charlie's love of stealing candy and thrashing pumpkins. At the same time, a witchy nerd named Rhonda (Samm Todd) is invited to join a young gang at an abandoned rock quarry and faces the mean gang leader, Macy (Britt McKillip), after a prank goes awry. "Earlier" or "Later" periodically flash onscreen in comic-book typeface, successfully directing the viewer through time and also relieving some tension that would've built through a single sustained story. In this, light comedy and some downright silliness shine through. All the kids are in great costumes, and the film, overall, has a festive goth look. By the end, one trusts that
Trick 'r Treat is really targeting the younger age group that it highlights, yet it contains enough spook to make adults jumpy as well. --
Trinie Dalton
