Tag Archives: A

The Abandoned (2006)

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This is a film from the After Dark Horror Fest that is considered by many to be one out of the pack. It’s a film that managed to grow apart from the horror festival and that seemed like a good thing. Is “The Abandoned” as great as I’d heard? I had to find out. Nacho Cerdà’s supernatural thriller reminded me very much of “Silent Hill,” except Cerdà doesn’t solely rely on visuals to keep the audience watching. What’s behind “The Abandoned,” is a morbid and utterly unnerving tale about murder, torture, and our fear of being alone in the world.

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An Unfinished Life (2005)

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1661393hI wasn’t expecting much from “An Unfinished Life,” that much is true. Not even Robert Redford can turn a bad movie into a watchable one. But after I was finished with it, I liked it. It’s cheesy in some parts, and recycled, but in the end I’d enjoyed spending almost two hours with these characters. Hell, even Morgan Freeman, whose character Mitch is just another variation on his character from “Million Dollar Baby,” even was an interesting character. Freeman is able to be likable in basically anything he’s in and he’s become a rare commodity in Hollywood, which happens to be a damn shame. The man is too talented for narration, and appearing for five minutes as a mentor to someone.

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Altered (2006)

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These days many people just do not enjoy “The Blair Witch,” and that’s a shame. I still love the movie, and I still think it’s a frightening simplistic horror film about curiosity killing the cat. But in a day and age where gore is on the menu, it’s not hard to fathom why it’d be disliked. “Altered” is an admirable if flawed follow-up from the “Blair Witch” boys that is much different in every sense. Gore and guts are present, as well as a fairly simplistic alien carnage story. Ah, the joys of being a horror fanatic. “Altered” is a good old fashioned horror film, and one that relies on the conventions of typical claustrophobic horror fare to get us through.

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Altered by Elvis (2006)

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My common thought is that if you’re going to make a documentary, be sure to make it about something you’re passionate of. “Altered by Elvis” explores pure passion for the man known to many as “The King.” The title basically speaks for itself. Directors Jayce and Tiffany Bartok chronicle the lives of many Elvis fans, and not just fans, but hardcore diehard obsessed fanatics who possess an utter passion for the artist, and you can almost sense the love behind every minute of film. “Altered by Elvis” tackles the fan base with much grace and charm presenting likable and appealing fans of Elvis, while also never being afraid to show the frightening followers.

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Awaken the Dead (2007)

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51+6I always say, if you’re going to feature a priest as the center of your horror movie, however extreme or dramatic, make the priest a demon stomping hard ass and not some moaning pussy that holds the bible out in front of him at every chance. The hero Christopher is a little of both. A pacifist in some ways who is drawn into the front lines of battle, once evil comes a knockin’. “Awaken the Dead” is a mixed bag in terms of what it offers, but most of the time it hits more than misses. And for that, it deserves to be seen.

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An Open Door (2006)

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Yet again, I was sure I had this film pegged from the get go. It’s a wife struggling to hold on to her husband. Of course. It’s heartbreaking and tragic, but that’s life. And then director Jourdan completely and utterly sideswiped me, and I was breath taken. I admit that. What “An Open Door” is is an utterly gut wrenching display of a woman who simply can’t let some things go. It’s going to be very difficult to review this without giving some things away. The surprise plot twist is utterly fantastic and hard to sit through, but what “An Open Door” is is the portrait of the human psyche and its refusal to sometimes admit to certain things.

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Aquamarine (2006)

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It’s hard to really deny that Jojo and Emma Roberts have an interesting chemistry. Had the writers chosen to make “Aquamarine” a down to Earth glimpse at friendship with a mermaid, and turned away from the sickening fluff, there could have been something very emotional and clutching. But in the end, it’s really just a typical on-screen friendship. The girls are bubbly, and boring, and Roberts is your typical geeky character, etc. There’s one interesting sequence in which the two argue and bring about issues that are never confronted in the film. And I sat there wondering why the hell this was never brought up with a lengthier and complex scope. For a film that claims to be about friendship, it’s sad we didn’t see more of the depth available with the two main characters here. Jojo and Roberts’ chemistry is charming to watch, and I didn’t despise watching them yammer back and forth. Meanwhile, I could have done with more scenes featuring Arielle Kebbel as the obligatory bitchy character because… well, Kebbel is gorgeous. Need I say more?

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