MOVIE REVIEW: SILENT HOUSE

IN THEATERS

SILENT HOUSE



Chris Kentis and Laura Lau (Open Water) return to terra firma for this remake of the "real time" Uruguayan thriller La Casa Muda. Their summer cottage vandalized by squatters during the off-season, Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen), her father, and her uncle begin the laborious process of cleaning the place up when noises from within hint they are not alone. Now the deeper Sarah ventures into the derelict building, the further the secrets of her dark past are dragged out into the light. As with La Casa Muda, Silent House was shot in one continuous take, a production style that allows the viewer to experience the swelling tension of Sarah's horror firsthand as she unlocks a diabolical mystery. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Laura Lau, Chris Kentis

Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer Stevens

Release Date: Mar 09, 2012

Rated R for disturbing Violent Content and Terror

Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Art House/Foreign, Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Silent House is a gimmick film, 2 in fact and they both do a solid job of making a mostly taut thriller that engages only to unravel in its final reel. Visually it’s edited to appear as if it’s one continuous shot following the story in real time. In reality these gimmicks make it feel a lot like a “found footage” film without the need to explain the ever present camera man. Regardless, it feels very similar and serves its purpose for the better part of the film. Directors Laura Lau and Chris Kentis, who directed the wonderfully effective low budget shocker Open Water, keep the tension high and wind the audience up like a top in the first 2 acts. Elizabeth Olsen is pretty much alone here and she delivers a frantic fragile and frazzled performance which is effective and believable. She’s strong enough to elevate some of the weaker portions of the film. Sadly, the script provides such obvious road markers about the coming turn that you are left hoping for an unambiguous ending. Instead, it heads into very some well worn territory which would have served the film and story better had they been left open to interpretation. It falls into the same pitfalls that The Last Exorcism and Insidious feel into, taking a strange and unnecessary turn in it’s finale, nearly destroying what it’d done so well beforehand.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: PROJECT X

IN THEATERS
PROJECT X



The Hangover's Todd Phillips produces this outrageous comedy from writers Matt Drake and Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), which follows three undistinguished high-school students who attempt to achieve popularity by throwing the ultimate party. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Nima Nourizadeh

Cast: Thomas Mann, Brady Hender, Alexis Knapp, Miles Teller, Peter MacKenzie

Release Date: Mar 02, 2012

Rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, nudity, drugs, drinking, pervasive language, reckless behavior and mayhem - all involving teens

Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Project X is the kind of film that comes around every few years. It’s a hodgepodge of The Hangover, any 80’s teen flick, and Animal House with a lot more fire. Nima Nourizadez uses the found footage technique which give the film an authentic feel initially but with Todd Phillips, who produces, things get exponentially more absurd and over the top. It borrows heavily from other films and doesn’t really deliver anything new or exciting but it’s still a fun little trip. The characters all feel familiar but each one makes for an interesting cipher even if we only scratch the surface. The film is more concerned with mayhem and there’s an interesting and almost gleeful approval of losing total control, if I listened closely I could almost hear Tyler Durden approving in the background. I have no doubt that this film will become this generation’s party movie, each generation needs one, and there’s an approving nod from the filmmaker throughout. Regardless, it’s disposable entertainment, quickly and easily digested and just as easily forgotten.

C+

Bluray quality; Video quality varies depending on the type of camera, it's spotty but decent; Sound is excellent with thumping beats during the party scenes which stand out.

I was hand-selected to be a member of Blu-ray Elite, a beta program from Warner Home Video which has graciously sent me this free Blu-ray disc.

[Trailer] Piranha 3DD

I have no shame in saying that I enjoyed the first Piranha 3D, gleefully gory and over the top, it was a fine redux of the Roger Corman original.

Still, I always felt it should have gone further, this much anticipated sequel seems like it’s really upping the gore and tongue in cheek camp, small concern over the director, should be a lot of fun for genre fans…..

[Official Trailer] Avengers Assemble

New name, new poster and new trailer, geekness levels rising……..

More footage is on hand it makes everything look appropriately fun and epic….

Peter Weyland's Viral Talk at TED2023

Viral marketing at it finest….

MOVIE REVIEW: THE ARTIST

IN THEATERS

THE ARTIST



Michel Hazanavicius' stylistically daring, dialogue-free comedy-drama The Artist stars Jean Dujardin as George Valentin, a matinee idol in Hollywood before the dawn of talkies. His marriage is far from perfect, and one day he meets ambitious chorus girl Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) and is smitten. Very quickly thereafter, sound comes to movies, and George sinks all his money into one last epic silent film, while Peppy becomes a star in the new era. John Goodman co-stars as the head of the film studio working with Valentin. The Artist played at both the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, RoviDirector: Daniel Espinosa

Director: Michel Hazanavicius

Cast: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller
Release Date: Nov 25, 2011

Rated PG-13 for a disturbing image and a crude gesture.

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Art House/Foreign, Comedy

Review:

By this point in time if you’ve heard of The Artist, you’ve heard all the buzz on it and there’s probably nothing new or fresh that I’ll be able to tell you about it. Quite simply it’s one of the most charming films you’ll probably see, working with a wonderful “meta” style. This silent film seems like it’d have a huge challenge trying to convey a full fledged, albeit well worn, plot with a dramatic arch. It does it with such ease that any reservations you might have had are quickly quelled and you fall easily and happily under its spell. Jean Dujardin’s smile lights up the screen but it’s just a small portion of his palatable charisma and charm. He doesn’t just deliver the lighter side of the film but traverses the film’s meatier and more emotional portions. A radiant Bérénice Bejo is more than capable as his female counterpart. Her performance as Peppy Miller is one of most enchanting and lovable performances I’ve ever seen. She gives her character and the film an earnest heart and its soul. Hollywood mainstays like John Goodman and James Cromwell turn in impressive supporting roles and the lovable dog, Valentin’s constant companion, deserves a special award. Director Michel Hazanavicius delivers a film that any movie lover should love. It touches on so much about the format that I love all the while telling a beautiful story, a lovely counter point to the current trend of louder larger and bigger.

A