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Reviews
Halloween II (2009)
More Trick than Treat:
I would have to call my experience of viewing of this modern 'retake' of Halloween 2 as sort of the equivalent of what you'd imagine a cinema experience if you were viewing on drugs might look like. I've sat through a number of films such as this, where the storyline invites you to keep guessing what's real and what's supposed to be imagination or fantasy and this story's atmosphere was extremely distorting and confusing even for me. Admitably the imagery will hold some appeal I'm sure, it's certainly ominous looking and detailed but it also has a tendency to distract from the story.
It's like watching a graphic novel or a dark morbid painting coming to life on the big screen. The constant visions of Michael's mother looking like a white witch, standing next to a white horse are such vivid iconic images, a comic book panel made flesh.
I personally thought they made some wrong choices with the direction of the series here. At this point they were free from the introduction baggage of the previous movie and as such I honestly feel that their aim should have been to go to different places with the stories they could tell with these established characters but they chose here to basically rehash things that had already been done within the original series of films, most notably the twist at the end. I felt the opening went on a little too long as well, especially since again, it's nature turns out to be another time worn-out oldest of the old horror movie film making tricks.
So I would have liked to see the remake series actually explore other established characters that were left originally untouched upon. For instance, I had heard somewhere that one of the original sequels was initially going to tell the tale of the kids who were baby sat by Laurie on the original film's 'the night he came home', Tommy Doyle and Lindsey Wallace all grown up and how everything had effected them. Now I would personally have preferred to see the remake series at least take that sort of premise and run with it as it would have been a fresh take on the established myth of the series and would have utilised areas uncharted and provided the opportunity of the reboot gaining it's own identity rather than rehashing the same basic plot lines over and over.
Michael Myers for example has been cost his unique appeal as both a genuinely terrifying villain and questionable force of nature. If ever there was a character who didn't need to be explained and probably shouldn't be it's him. Michael himself is the disturbed mute human being while his persona known as 'The Shape' represents his superstitious mystique, the powerful 'idea' of him, this mythic perception of what he supposedly really is, his being a boogie-man arch-type. In the original movie this remained up in the air and thus created an air of the unknown about him and anything scary is the unknown of something. Thus in these remakes he's become to comfortable, we know too much. His revamped look is a combination of emo and hobo, although actor Tyler Mane's sheer size is the sole plus factor in the presence department. I also didn't care for this take on the Dr. Loomis character. While I actually enjoyed Malcolm McDowell's performance in the first remake, here I find he's strayed too far from any recognisable traits; he may as well be an entirely different character. The 'fame going to his head' character arc they gave him was interesting on paper but I don't think it was so well executed in the development thus he comes off too straight down the line unlikeable and the supposed pay off in the climax doesn't really add up too much. I feel that even if he was going to cash in, as it were, he probably would have done it before he actually failed to rehabilitate Michael. He did after all fail by his own admission, in his own mind and it affected him so significantly that this now drastic a switch in gears is pretty much a one hundred and eighty, so how his character can supposedly carve this media hero status from the ashes of his career is puzzling. I also didn't get how he survived the first movie; I had remembered him being killed off in pretty clear cut fashion. Malcolm is a great character actor but Dr. Loomis is just one of those parts that the original actor, the late Donald Pleasance simply made his own and left too permanent a stamp on for me to be objective about I suppose. He embodied the character so well, you don't associate him with Donald all that much, you see him and think of the character, where as looking at Malcolm, you can't get past this sense of 'it's Malcolm doing his impersonation of an iconic role.' On the other side of the coin, I found the new Laurie very appealing, even if I wasn't always found of some of the aspects of her character development, particularly her direction by the end of this film.
But ultimately the difference between the modern and original films is the fact that it was like watching a live documentary where as the modern movies may be interesting to look at artistically, yet unlike the originals you won't be so draw-en in, that for moments you forget it's staged. The best thing I can say is that I'm sure some people may get an art form appeal from its imagery alone.
Are You Afraid of the Dark?: The Tale of the Dead Man's Float (1995)
Floats Above The Rest!
This was arguably by far the best episode this show ever produced! It basically had all the elements that ever made this show great on it's best days and took those elements to a level it never quite equalled. I have other favourites too but this one edges them all out.
First off the tank of ideas perhaps burst at it's peak with this episode. It came late in the game and washed away most of what was left to offer. Truelly the shows's finest hour.
The use of a swimming pool this time was one of the more unexpected places to turn the image of on it's head. They made very effective use of tieing the premise into the more typical fear some people have of the unknown of water in general. The makeup department etc really out did themselves with another of the show's best monster visuals. It's very as another reviewer so fittingly put it, similar to something E.C. Comics (of Tales from the Crypt fame) would think up. A sort of play on the creature of the blackmagoon. Even more impressive though is how the monster spends the bulk of the episode being built up in the viewers imaginations as an unknown quantity, which is so much creepier than if you saw what it looked like too soon. It's also given the rare special status of having actually a real death toll under it's belt. It's not the typical wishy washyness and it's history with the haunted Janitor character is genuinely felt. The actor behind said Janitor did a good gritty sad turn selling the hell out of the monster's legacy.
But the real icing on the cake that makes this episode the most memorable is that the characterisation was at it's strongest. The cast just felt more special than the average ones too, maybe the fact they were a little older than the usual brat packs played some part. Everything seemed to pull together nicely. The budding romance was my favourite verison, the duo dynamic. They kept it so much more true to life, from the extremely entertaining, pretty yet spicy Clorice character being initially resistant to the school nerd to how it takes an indirect challenge to lower her defences.
The afore mentioned lead, Zeke the geek is such a remarkable character for this show. Some of the other geeky leads were a lot of broad fun but this guy was undeniably the most well drawn, fleshed out and well rounded of all. On the surface he would superficially appear the paper nerd stereotype but there's just something about this guy. The actor to his credit manages to suggest a lot about him deceptively. He isn't just smart, he displays real guts and a sense of cunning. It's that cunning that gets him time with Clorise, I like how he realises the use he can make of the swimming pool he found and gets her attention through taking a clever chance. He must know full well the odds didn't look good and he tries anyway. His back story, the hole 'My leg got tangled up with weeds in water as a kid' thing is refreshingly convincing, hell it's actually happened to me. It's nice how it develops at just the right pace, the more they got to know each other, the more of a special balance they found they could get from each other. he softend her edges while she kind of helps him go from boy to man in a sense. The mini character arcs reach a fitting climax with Zeke's willingness to face his fears in an attempt to save Clorise. Both actors were simply a lot more raw and real than this show is used to. I hope both did well in whatever they went on to and would love to see more of them.
This will always be among my top childhood favourites that I treasure above all others. It forever floats on in my heart.
Are You Afraid of the Dark?: The Tale of the Quiet Librarian (1994)
Silence is Golden Indeed
Now this was one of the episodes where the shows's main themes of distorting the everyday places and situations we take for granted, truly came into it's own. Only when your forced to think about it can you really imagine just how creepy it would be to be locked in a place such as a Library over night. I've personally worked in several Libraries in my time and so I guess it's particularly interesting for me. So right away it's one of the best premise's.
This was also another of the rare episodes where they attempted to stretch their limits with how much of an edge they could give it. Sure the present day victims all get the usual get out of jail free card treatment, however it's a nice touch that they were also able to get away with suggesting between the lines, how there was countless souls of years gone by to free as well.
The titular 'Quiet Librarian' character is pretty darn creepy for as much as this show usually allows. She comes off a seriously wicked, wicked lady and her stealing people's voices idea is very ahead of it's time. She stands tall among the shows's best Villains and most lasting images of evil.
This could have been a strong enough foundation on it's own, yet they also pulled out the stops to make this one of their best character pieces as well. The ever familiar love/hate version of budding romances would otherwise be cookie cutter expected but it's actually so much more subtle and genuine than that in it's attempt. I dare say Harry Potter fans would be in for a treat, there's a distinct air of Ron and Hermonie about this plucky pair. They lend a nice bit of heart to this tale.
The episode is just a really nice mixture of fun dynamics, interesting ideas and underlining creepiness.
Now I think it's time you joined the Head Librarian back down stairs with all the other dearies...
Are You Afraid of the Dark?: The Tale of the Midnight Ride (1994)
A Headless Dark Horseman
The Bread and Butter of Are You Afraid of the Dark was it's original ideas and creative takes on everyday situations we're all familiar with. However the Midnight Ride was certainly not among the better examples of this. I'll admit it's the least of my four favourite episodes but it has enough strong points.
Sure, we've seen the hole headless horseman thing enough times before and admittedly this was a rather lazy and a frankly unfresh take on it yet the episode still managed to persevere and go on to leave it's mark as one of the better episodes. This is clearly because of the familiar ground of the issues with the characters and some rare particularly strong acting efforts. The characterisation carries the episode through.
Yes the budding romance set up etc is also nothing new, never the less, it's timeless themes that never grow too old. It's sweetly handled even if I've seen the show produce better versions and watchable enough.
The geeky new guy lead character, Ian especially stands out with one of the most sheer enthusiastic performances in the show's history. His various facial expressions are a pure riot to behold and he easily creates one of the most memorable characters they ever produced. A true champion of geek empowerment and natural rival to 'Night Shift's' eerily similar great uber goofball creation, I affectionately refer to as 'Corny Colin.' I really liked his character's almost foolhardy near boundless courage. Despite his disadvantages, he was willing to endure things that others would avoid. Despite his nerves, he didn't seem to let things get to him, he took chances with a dorky devil may care attitude to it all and stayed true to himself, thus he beat the odds. I enjoyed how his mouth was both his greatest ally and his worst foe. On the one hand, it gets him into constant trouble, it allows him to try too hard and on the other it pushes him to keeping trying and risk for more.
This episode is basically a would be contender for worst episode with least imaginative premise turned one of the best hidden gems thanks to a saving grace combination of an endearing well paced familiar basic plot-line, well drawn characterisation and stand out admirable acting effort.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Ledger's Last Laugh Takes Him One Final Step into Immortality!
I liked the previous movie, but this one blew me away. It actually strives to be far more clever than you'll see coming. It must take a lot of guts and balls to push ahead for some of the things they got away with. So props to Nolan for sticking to his guns and producing a movie that feels twice as much like one of his films than the last one did. I imagine it has to do with finishing the set up stuff and being established enough to trust his own vision more freely perhaps. The result is something far more interesting and much more adult.
What needs to be said about the rock solid backbone provided by the legends of Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman. Freeman can do those kind of parts in his sleep and yet he still brings an added twinkle in his eye, which suggests a lot in small amount of time.
I've always enjoyed Michael Caine and always adored his dynamic with Bruce and how he brings him back down to earth.
Gary Oldman embodies Jim Gordon so well, finally we see his evolution to Commissioner. From being baffled by his 'death' to being touched by the contrast of gentle family man and desperate hardened last of honest cops. He has a wonderful acting three way dance with Bale and Eckhart. He knows his role and how to serve it so well. He proves again why he's the chameleon of chameleons.
Maggie Gyllenhaal comes off more convincing than Katie Holmes, at the same time, the character is still the weak link. I get that shes tough but thats all I get about her character. So Alas her fate failed to get the desired emotion from me but it actually didn't seem to matter that much, as the pace didn't slow down enough for it too sink in and was too other wise exciting.
Christian Bale certainly brings the special brand of intensity to the table. Bale makes him so much more human but also isn't afraid to remind us of his unlikeable qualities too. Or too allow us to see just how freakishly unstable he looks when he's pounding criminals. His shining moment is probably his being perfectly happy to cripple in lieu of killing. You do see the ghost of the wounded boy he once was in rare moments of nice subtle quite acting. However he's not without flaws either. The prime one being that darn Batman voice he puts on, it's really cheesy and hard to keep taking seriously, especially when he insists on using it privately with people in the know.
The New boy Aaron Eckhart does an extremely admirable effort in a considerably layered turn as Harvey Dent. I needed to care about him and that I was able to do individually speaking. The makeup was fittingly gruesome and the transformation was careful enough. They didn't even really overdo the coin routine. I liked that he didn't compete with Joker, it was a good contrast. Two-Face is ruthless no nonsense stone cold aggression personified. It does get very intense the way he goes after Gordon's family and it's genuinely shocking how he becomes the catalyst for the ending's change of direction for the series.
Yes I've saved the best for last. The now late great Heath Ledger completely washed away any doubts I had, almost from the moment we see him in full stride. As a die-hard Joker fan, I must thank him for such a parting gift for cinema goers. I honestly can't remember the last time I've been so entertained by a single performance. He was literally everything he needed to be. Loved the crowish makeup and the idea that he carved the permanent grin onto his face. I especially liked that in such a serious love to hate performance, he still never entirely lost that sense of black charisma, he is after all in addition to whatever else he is, a black hearted entertainer in his own mind. The blowing up the hospital part was a prime example of just enough underlining humour for the audience. But best of all had to be all the little touches from the comics. The nod to Alan Moore's Killing Joke, the being an compulsive lier, how he changes his story of how he got his scars for each different victim. And yet whatever did really happen, thanks to Ledger's gritty acting, you really feel he's reliving something horrible in those moments. There you see the pathetic shell of a human being behind the Greece paint, the man who loathes the rest of the world for being emotionally stronger than he is, refusing to take the easy way out or to get the joke as he sees it. The ultimate twist on the tears of a clown. It basically shows in spades how much it must have took that uniquely dedicated an actor, willing to go to such extremes to dig up such a real performance. I have to agree with those who hail it among the rare special performances that don't roll round often. It must be said that he is indeed well matched by very accommodating writing. The use of school buses and mental patients who can't know any better really visualise the depth of his evil. Finally the sweetest touch was probably the sheer lenghs they went to in order to show us his intelligence rather than giving endless lip service to it. The opening with the build up's elaborate domino effect of double crosses tells you everything before you even see his face and is perhaps one of the best openings of movies in general.
A hell of a movie, it's told the rest of the summer offerings a big ol' "beat that!" So get yourselves back to those cinemas folks, you haven't a moment to loose, to your peoplemobiles away!
Are You Afraid of the Dark?: The Tale of the Night Shift (1996)
Vampires and Hostpitals, dinner by intensive care!
The Show's Original Era Shift Ends Here...Or should Have?
I don't know if this episode was exactly the final episode of the original era's run but it sure felt so, with the tieing together of the ongoing Gary/Sam angle and the pulling out all the stops for a far slightly edgier episode. I'd have expected the tank of ideas to be running extremely low indeed at this point, so it twas a nice surprise to see them seemingly ending on such a high point. Basically great premise and very engaging characters.
This show always cleverly took a page out of Stephen King's book, in the taking of everyday situations and places and putting them in a new context and this one was by far the last most interesting one they came up with.
Add to that the extra risks they took in how far the Villain (one of the most memorable make up jobs in the shows' history) could go, yes an actual semi-death toll the likes of which was rarely done as close to the line as this.
Along with another of the show's best genuinely grounded, endearing budding romances and you have quite the high note to seemingly end on. I see the actress who played the adorable workaholic, Amanda did rather well after it. The actor who played goof of goofs, Corny Colin was one of the most enthusiastic, animated, expressive and genuinely relatedly funny young male actors the show ever produced. He maybe even had a touch of Ashton Kutcher to him. His character's art of persistence was inspiring and well matched by his exaggerated comic timing, such delivery of lines like "Not anymore...he's like...really dead" must be seen to be believed. He is a true inspiration to geek empowerment.
All this stuff in the proverbial nut shell made for one of the last truly memorable episodes ever produced. This episode's shift will never be over in my heart. Hope You enjoyed the Hosp-bite-tilities!
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
When this Butterfly Flaps It's Wings, You Will Truelly Feel the Effect!
One of my all time favourite truly underrated gems, that deserved much better reviews than it got. Nothing in 2004 came close to this effort.
It was the best movie I'd seen in along time. The only movie I've seen in a long time that I actually had wanted to see more than once at the cinemas. There was a real heart to this movie, I really identified with the main character, Evan Treborn's quite personality and his reactions to crazy situations he finds himself in (with the exception of the painful past...and the supernatural element of course ) You really bare witness to this character's coming of age journey through this movie. You see his mistakes and watch him have to grow as a person and learn more about responsibilities as he screws with his time-line again and again forcing himself to learn some serious lessons in the process. I loved how he made all the same sort of mistakes that I or anyone else would probably make in that sort of insane situation and that he couldn't just figure it all out by the end, that they're were no easy answers, no case of a puzzle to be solved...you simply can't play god. It merely comes down to making the first choice that wouldn't benefit himself, there by demonstrating personal sacrifice.
I found the somewhat implications of brain damage if the time travel gets too excessive or reckless in use a very believable side effect to having such a gift. It made more sense to see him having to take risks and it being a painful process and having more at stake to loose than if he were capable of time travelling too easily or having no limitations to it.
The trailers could easily fool someone into thinking it's just another teenybopper or slasher type rubbish, as it did with my big brother but once you've seen it, it's not at all what you might think. This actually had some of the balls yest moves I've ever seen. A Deeply creative and innovative effort, featuring a near entire gauntlet of the not so pleasant aspects of real life horrors. It's genuinely shocking in it's realistic feeling use of violence and it created a hell of an audience reaction in my cinema showing. Not often had I experienced an audience that was gripped in the palm of a movie's hands as this was. The collective gasps at big moments was so spot on, it must have been a filmmakers wet dream. We're not talking typical Hollywood glorified violence, but rather the kind thats so suggestive in it's impact, it makes the most hardened of viewers cringe despite it being fictional characters. Just an unbelievable experience. Ain't pretty, not for the faint of heart, put the teenyboppers to bed folks.
The acting across the board faced quite the challenge too boot, with all sorts of different alternate versions of their characters to sink their teeth into. And all in my humble opinion rises to it as best they could with strong results all round. The kids were probably faced with the biggest mountain to climb. It being such heavy material and there being a curse on working with children but incredibly the casting gods so fit to shine down on the team with performances that arguably gave the adults a run for their money. Hell I actually found the kids playing one of the most psychotic child's I've seen in film, the Tommy character more effective than their adult counter part. Both the said Tommy character and his sicko father, a perfectly slimy revamp of former 80's heartthrob Eric Stoltz made for two truly disturbing Villains. While at it's core, under all the grittiness does lie a love story, lending a greater sense of presence to Amy Smart whom makes an admirable effort at breaking your hearts. And I can't say enough about how much I loved that they had the guts to go with a meatier ending rather than the obvious one everyone has to be expecting.
Finally Ashton Kutcher blew me away in his first dramatic performance with one hell of an Ernest showing. He has his odd morbidly funny moments but overall comes off a lot better than his critics would expect. I actually hadn't been predisposed to him as much as his adoring public who would like his blood, before seeing the movie. So I went in only knowing the name a little. I didn't go in with the baggage of knowing him as ' Mr. Demi Moore' or 'That annoying lanky prick who keeps punking people.' I merely went in knowing him as 'that guy from the 70's show' and had mercifully forgotten 'Dude Where's my car?' He ain't the greatest actor I've ever seen but he got the job done on this one and pulled off a hell of an endearing performance and I really digged the big black beard as well which helped with the image change.
Whether you like or don't like aside, props gotta go out to such an effort at something new and genuinely challenging.
Highly recommended.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Best of the Rest
I thought it was the best of all the movies so far. Probably because it can only get meatier now that they've reached the growing up, coming of age point. With the kids now teens and getting to do all that bumbling stuff over women that some of us can relate so much too.
I was glad to see my favourite HP character, the very familiar feeling and wonderfully named Ron Weasley getting more to work with and I'd actually agree holey with those whom may have felt that he started off from that first movie, at bit unsteady but with an excellent early gift for timing for one as young as he was. As the movies have gone on, he's really played on his strenghs and this movie has arguably gotten the best performance out of him yet. Same goes to the actors behind Harry and Hermione. I think Emma 'Hermione' Watson was always the strongest of the three right from the start but as time has gone on or be it catching up with them, the other two gradually developed more and more of a match to her. They had to raise their game a bit with this one and rose to the occasion.
It's also been a wonderful help, that the trio has always been surrounded by such a rock solid supporting cast and the bar was raised with them this time too, seeing some great new faces in tow. The eye guy, Mad Eye nearly stole the show, a brilliantly funny creation to marvel at. And yes, nice seeing the immortal Triggar of Only Fools & Horses, but actually you'll find he's been in many things, he's always been a great character actor so every time I see him, I rarely have to worry about whether I'll be half expecting an "ello Dave." The 'cracker' that is Hagrid had some lovely little moments too, loved his reply to Harry asking if he'd combed his hair, "As a matter of fact I have. You might want to try doing the same thing once and awhile." The great Alan Rickman ruled again as well with that ever so delicious delivery of his lines, the constant interrupting of Harry and Rons talk at lunch was comic gold.
The Villain front also made huge waves. It was excellent to finally see what Voldey looked like and I wasn't disappointed. He looked perfectly suitably creepy, as is fitting to a dark lord of that reputation after such extended build up. It was a great surprise to see how well cast he was, cause we all know how badly wrong those kind of shall we say theatrical heavy villains can go in the hands of lesser or legitably crazy in a bad way, actors. I supposed there was never reason to worry too much when in the capable hands of Ralph Fiennes. Just as impressive were his cronies. The rat like Wormtail in the form of the always reliable Timopthy Spaul and David Tennant with that incredible psychotic grin which made him such a visually good fit for the role of a certain iconic mad doctor were utterly freaky and suitably skin crawl inducing. The father of the bullying Malfoy has a wonderful Lex Luthorish slickness and sliminess to him. Speaking of his son however, he's never showed much of a presence to me, I've seen a long line of convincing bully characters in movies and I can't exactly put him up there with the greats, I'm afraid.
The ending was great with good meaning driving it forward. They managed well to get that sudden change in tone to come so naturally. I also thought that final scene was a very nice touch. The "things our never gonna be the same" and the "don't we ever get a quite year at Hogworts." It seemed a nice little way of balancing between being not too light and not too low a point to leave on. The first ones ending was the worst, far too sugar coated for my taste, although to be fair, it's naturally hard to work around it in the world of movies, considering the kiddie label that the series is branded with and ever valiantly fights to rise above. It sort of feels as though its evolved from the family films gendure. Like most of everything else, they've kinda gotten better with each new movie. They do seem to have now finally struck just the right balance.
Anyway brilliant movie, best of the rest.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Get Yourself a Oneway Ticket to Narnia!
I'd say it got almost everything right. Of course nothings perfect But all they really had to get right was being faithful enough to capture the essence of the story, most importantly it's sense of heart, which it does well enough. These characters had a hell of a lot more going for them in the rooting department than most more morden movies of these recent years and it carry's the movie and any flaws through. If they'd tried to attempt anymore then they'd have entered the "trying to please everyone" zone of impossibility.
Somehow I found both the personality trates in Peter and Edmund and their character arcs rang true. Edmund's selfishness, the little brother who can't seem to do anything right, who must learn the error of his ways by bitter experience, forced to grow up fast and Peter's struggle to live up to his responsibilities, the boy forced to be something that he isn't certain he can be, the boy who must become the man of the family. I understand how that stuff must feel rather well. Each felt very natural, clearly the makers worked hard to get such performances out of these youngsters. I hear they even deliberately looked for kids who matched the character's persona's which obviously helped.
I liked that nobody was just morphed into a mighty hero, that they remained consistently grounded and humanised. Peter not loosing his sense of humour. I loved how the actor delivered his reply to "They come in numbers far greater than our own," "Numbers don't win a war" with simply a "No...but I bet they help." I'm very warm to the underdog hero who faces insane odds and who can laugh at them self and use humour as a defence no matter how grave the situation.
Perhaps the only slight criticism is that the girls on the other hand were somewhat more underused, well the older one anyway. Lucy was note worthy.
The voice work guys played an absolute blinder! Ray Winston ruled! That cranky little East-End beaver nearly stole the show! Dawn French served her purpose well as a good compliment to the great Ray.
Aslan the mighty wise old Lion didn't disappoint me either, he looked magnificent and voiced to a tea by the master of such roles, the legendary Liam Neeson. Ah the wonders of the CGI age eh?
The Villain front didn't let the side down neither. I digged the taunting wolf, always great tension when a Villain knows how to mess with the heroes insecurities, especially when it's the best kind of hero, a humanised underdog kind of hero like Peter, whom is bursting with that kind of vulnerability. This lead to some fairly decent built up tenstion and suspense.
That was one creepy as hell White Witch, those eyes, it was all in the eyes and of course her shining moment came in that one all important scene, the scene that if they'd got wrong, the hole movie would have fell to pieces, yep the infamous stone table scene. And boy was it powerful stuff, no easy feat considering it was a puppet! It's A PUPPET!... oh sorry, no I wasn't possessed by British comedian Brian Conery for a moment there, I was checking your paying attenstion and of course mean't...puppet/CGI Lion.
All in all, a film thats refreshingly as character driven as possible for a big epic blockbuster.
Carnival of Souls (1998)
A Carnival of Potential
I've just recently seen Wes Craven's Carnival of Souls and I thought that it was pretty good, not great. It was marketed badly and shouldn't have bared the same title as the original as it's not much of a remake as it is its own tale. Although Wes Craven's name is shamelessly attached to the movie despite little to no involvement beyond seemningly giving his consent, ironicly the storyline actually has more potential than most Craven movies put together whether his own or just bare the name. And thats coming from a guy who loves Craven as much as the next horror buff.
The potential of the story itself is one of the two main positives which outweigh such negatives as dodgy special effects. It's sort of a complex psychological war fair tale with a touch of the Sixth Senses' style.
It appears to be about a tortured young girl whom is haunted by a tragic childhood where she watched as her mother was murdered by a guy whom had been a friend of the family and worked at a carnival as a clown and her evidence got him life in prison. Then of course years later he gets out and comes after her, but surprisingly in a struggle both seem to die and it seems as though her ghost is trapped in a land of the dead limbo where she appears to be living her life as normal in her mind yet the presence of ghosts and all the familiar faces of everyone in her life are trying to convince her to except her fate so she can pass over, everything they say and do seems geared to her situation, including a kind of guardian Angel figure who looks like he's stepped off a romance novel cover, which would fit with a young woman's creation of the imagination too. "Sometimes you have to face your demons before you can see the angels"
At the same time the demonic ghost of the clown invades her mind, tormenting her seemingly trying to keep her from being able to move on and except her fate etc, possibly to avoid passing over himself into hell as she ascends to heaven: "The Longer you hold on, the more we get to play!" or maybe he's a sinister form of her inner demons: "Funny thing about guilt Alex, it can haunt you as real as any ghost" All in all it seems really open to interpretation. There are many interesting possibilities. My personal view is that it's just a movie about letting go and moving on. certainly points must be given for such effort to at least attempt at something complex rather than just going with the usual typical horror movie traditional slasher formula.
The other biggest positive is the performances, the lead actress is convincingly haunted looking but particularly the serial killer clown character Lewis. He's quite effective in a distinctly well drawn role, which is wisely used sparingly and well portrayed by a cast against type Larry Miller. He has a great presence, is genuinely creepy and has a real sense of mystery to him. Larry Miller, another comedian character actor in an unknown, his performance was destined to be overlooked.
Just remember, don't be fooled by all you read, judge it for yourself.
Will you, won't you, join the dance?