Take 4: 4-H Review
The Pitch: No, not a review of movies that deal with Head, Heart, Hands and Health...nor four movies that deal with youth organizations. Simply, it's four movies in my queue that being with the letter "H"...only partially influenced by the fact that Hostel: Part 2 is in theaters now...
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What's Going On?: Two American friends, Paxton and Josh, decide to backpack Europe after graduating college, and, along with an Icelandic slacker they picked up during their journeys, they make their way to Amsterdam. The pot bars and brothels there don't really do it for them, but a local tells them of Slovakian city that houses one of the best undiscovered hostels in Europe...where the women, apparently, are the most beautiful in Europe and worship the ground that Americans walk on. Seems like paradise...but once they get there, their Icelandic friend disappears...as does a young Asian girl who was also staying at the hostel. What's happening to the rapidly disappearing hostel-dwellers? Let's just say it's not for the squeamish or faint of heart.
Familiar Faces: I didn't recognize anybody in this film except for Jay Hernandez (who played Paxton), who also played Carlos in television's Six Degrees.
IMDB Plot Keywords: Surprise After End Credits; Train Station; Throat Slitting; Surgery; Murder
Lessons Learned from Hostel: 1) Never visit hostels that aren't listed in certified travel guides. 2) Always carry bubble gum to bribe the local pre-teen gangs to do your bidding. 3) Don't play with chainsaws and ball gags. They aren't toys.
Curt's Take - Worth Considering: Like so many of the things I review on here, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this. I'd heard it was one of the most terrifying films of 2005...but not sure I agree with that. It was definitely bloody and cringeworthy, I'll give it that...there were a couple times I had to look away because of some rather graphic torture scenes. But between the brief moments of blood and gore, you've got a decent thriller. I mean, what do you do when you're in a foreign country, and your friends slowly start to disappear from around you...and you can't even be sure you can trust the authorities? A good deal of the mood in this film is built up by the slowly mounting helplessness of the characters. That having been said, Eli Roth (the writer and director), does a good job of sprinkling in small bits of humor throughout, so that keeps things interesting. In the end, though, you've got an interesting commentary on sex and violence that asks the question...what if certain establishments catered to violent appetites as well as sexual ones?
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What's Going On?: Nine strangers wake up locked in a strange building, not knowing how they get there. All they know are the rules, which were explained to them shortly after they all gain consciousness: one of them will win five million dolllars...the one person who remains alive amongst all the others.
Familiar Faces: Dennis Hopper plays an Irish priest, one of the nine locked up in the house. I didn't recognize any of the other actors, but I believe this is a British film...so I'll fall back on that as my excuse.
IMDB Plot Keywords: Voyeur; Dancing; Bag of Money; Audio Surveillance; French Accent
Lessons Learned from House of 9: 1) Always wear a belt...you never know when it will come in handy. 2) You can pretty much always trust a priest and a policeman. 3) Five million dollars isn't always the answer to life's problems...sometimes it's just the beginning.
Curt's Take - Worth Considering: This movie seemed like a hybrid between Saw 2, the Cube trilogy (for those of you who have seen it), and TV's Big Brother...only more artistic. And because those are all things I've enjoyed, it wasn't a big shock that I also enjoyed this. I was expecting a little bit more in the way of tricks and traps in the house, but with the nine people that ended up there, you really didn't need anything else to make the house a pain in the ass to try to survive in. Basically, this is one of those movies that has won me over at the premise...providing that the script wasn't completely botched (and I don't think it was). I also have to say, the "twist" of the ending was great...it left me wanting more. Finally, the soundtrack was pretty nifty...keep your ears peeled for some catchy tunes during the movie.
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What's Going On?: As far as I could tell, a young woman named Sophie angers a witch, who curses her with a spell, ageing her a good sixty year or so. Sophie departs her village to seek a cure, and meets up with a local wizard named Howl, and his mechanical, moving castle. Sophie, Howl, his young mentor (Markl), a turnip-headed scarecrow, and a trapped fire-demon named Calcifer (who powers Howl's castle...as well as his stove) get caught up in an epic struggle between rival kingdoms, the Witch of the Waste, and the curses that haunt their respective lives.
Familiar Faces: Well, this is an animated film, so no familiar faces, but there are some voices that might sound familiar: Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, Billy Crystal, and Jena Malone.
IMDB Plot Keywords: Self-Discovery; Young Woman; Humor; Vanity; Witchcraft
Lessons Learned from Howl's Moving Castle: 1) Fire-demons can make a swell breakfast of bacon and eggs. 2) Don't be too hasty to rely on magic to get the job done. 3) If you need a creepy cartoon made, you can always rely on Japanese animators.
Curt's Take - Not a Priority: I was pretty disappointed by this, actually. I'd heard about this last year, when it was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Animated Feature Film. Because of that, I had expected some great animation...which I didn't get. I'd also expected more of a clearly developed storyline, but like a lot of Japanimation, this didn't necessarily shine through (even though it was based on a British children's book). So, it wasn't visually engaging for me, I didn't get sucked into the plot...and it was two hours long. Those added up to something I probably could have just as soon not seen at all. That having been said, while it didn't interest me, it was up for an Oscar. So, the only thing keeping this from getting a "Don't Bother" is the fact that this could very well be one of those good films that just didn't click with me.
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What's Going On?: In this 2003 French import (Haute Tension) that Lionsgate brought to US screens in 2005, two young law students, Marie and Alexa, take a vacation to Alexa's parent's place in the country for relaxation and to study. While there, a mysterious killer, whose motives are unknown, terrorizes the family, forcing the young women to fight for their lives.
Familiar Faces: None...unless you are well-versed in French horror movies, in which case you might recognize Cecile de France and Maiwenn Le Besco.
IMDB Plot Keywords: Car Crash; Disturbing; Surreal; Axe; Blood Splatter
Lessons Learned from High Tension: 1) Psycho killers apparently don't know how to properly search under beds for people who are hiding. 2) Ditto bathrooms and bathroom stalls. 3) Some twists you never see coming...or, at the very least, you briefly consider them as possibilities, then promptly dismiss the idea.
Curt's Take - Worth Considering: Unlike Howl's Moving Castle, I didn't have high expections for this movie. In the end, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Word of warning, though...this movie is very graphic. We're talking decapitations, throat slitting and axes to the chest. And yet, in spite of all that...I rather liked this. I was surprised to find this movie dubbed, and had no idea it was French, but once you get used to the mismatched lip movement, you'll pretty much be on the edge of your seat for most of the film. If you've ever asked yourself whether or not you might survive a situation in which all those around you were literally losing their heads, this flick is for you.
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Hostel (2005)
What's Going On?: Two American friends, Paxton and Josh, decide to backpack Europe after graduating college, and, along with an Icelandic slacker they picked up during their journeys, they make their way to Amsterdam. The pot bars and brothels there don't really do it for them, but a local tells them of Slovakian city that houses one of the best undiscovered hostels in Europe...where the women, apparently, are the most beautiful in Europe and worship the ground that Americans walk on. Seems like paradise...but once they get there, their Icelandic friend disappears...as does a young Asian girl who was also staying at the hostel. What's happening to the rapidly disappearing hostel-dwellers? Let's just say it's not for the squeamish or faint of heart.
Familiar Faces: I didn't recognize anybody in this film except for Jay Hernandez (who played Paxton), who also played Carlos in television's Six Degrees.
IMDB Plot Keywords: Surprise After End Credits; Train Station; Throat Slitting; Surgery; Murder
Lessons Learned from Hostel: 1) Never visit hostels that aren't listed in certified travel guides. 2) Always carry bubble gum to bribe the local pre-teen gangs to do your bidding. 3) Don't play with chainsaws and ball gags. They aren't toys.Curt's Take - Worth Considering: Like so many of the things I review on here, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this. I'd heard it was one of the most terrifying films of 2005...but not sure I agree with that. It was definitely bloody and cringeworthy, I'll give it that...there were a couple times I had to look away because of some rather graphic torture scenes. But between the brief moments of blood and gore, you've got a decent thriller. I mean, what do you do when you're in a foreign country, and your friends slowly start to disappear from around you...and you can't even be sure you can trust the authorities? A good deal of the mood in this film is built up by the slowly mounting helplessness of the characters. That having been said, Eli Roth (the writer and director), does a good job of sprinkling in small bits of humor throughout, so that keeps things interesting. In the end, though, you've got an interesting commentary on sex and violence that asks the question...what if certain establishments catered to violent appetites as well as sexual ones?
--------------------------------------------------------
House of 9 (2005)
What's Going On?: Nine strangers wake up locked in a strange building, not knowing how they get there. All they know are the rules, which were explained to them shortly after they all gain consciousness: one of them will win five million dolllars...the one person who remains alive amongst all the others.
Familiar Faces: Dennis Hopper plays an Irish priest, one of the nine locked up in the house. I didn't recognize any of the other actors, but I believe this is a British film...so I'll fall back on that as my excuse.
IMDB Plot Keywords: Voyeur; Dancing; Bag of Money; Audio Surveillance; French Accent
Lessons Learned from House of 9: 1) Always wear a belt...you never know when it will come in handy. 2) You can pretty much always trust a priest and a policeman. 3) Five million dollars isn't always the answer to life's problems...sometimes it's just the beginning.Curt's Take - Worth Considering: This movie seemed like a hybrid between Saw 2, the Cube trilogy (for those of you who have seen it), and TV's Big Brother...only more artistic. And because those are all things I've enjoyed, it wasn't a big shock that I also enjoyed this. I was expecting a little bit more in the way of tricks and traps in the house, but with the nine people that ended up there, you really didn't need anything else to make the house a pain in the ass to try to survive in. Basically, this is one of those movies that has won me over at the premise...providing that the script wasn't completely botched (and I don't think it was). I also have to say, the "twist" of the ending was great...it left me wanting more. Finally, the soundtrack was pretty nifty...keep your ears peeled for some catchy tunes during the movie.
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Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
What's Going On?: As far as I could tell, a young woman named Sophie angers a witch, who curses her with a spell, ageing her a good sixty year or so. Sophie departs her village to seek a cure, and meets up with a local wizard named Howl, and his mechanical, moving castle. Sophie, Howl, his young mentor (Markl), a turnip-headed scarecrow, and a trapped fire-demon named Calcifer (who powers Howl's castle...as well as his stove) get caught up in an epic struggle between rival kingdoms, the Witch of the Waste, and the curses that haunt their respective lives.
Familiar Faces: Well, this is an animated film, so no familiar faces, but there are some voices that might sound familiar: Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, Billy Crystal, and Jena Malone.
IMDB Plot Keywords: Self-Discovery; Young Woman; Humor; Vanity; Witchcraft
Lessons Learned from Howl's Moving Castle: 1) Fire-demons can make a swell breakfast of bacon and eggs. 2) Don't be too hasty to rely on magic to get the job done. 3) If you need a creepy cartoon made, you can always rely on Japanese animators.Curt's Take - Not a Priority: I was pretty disappointed by this, actually. I'd heard about this last year, when it was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Animated Feature Film. Because of that, I had expected some great animation...which I didn't get. I'd also expected more of a clearly developed storyline, but like a lot of Japanimation, this didn't necessarily shine through (even though it was based on a British children's book). So, it wasn't visually engaging for me, I didn't get sucked into the plot...and it was two hours long. Those added up to something I probably could have just as soon not seen at all. That having been said, while it didn't interest me, it was up for an Oscar. So, the only thing keeping this from getting a "Don't Bother" is the fact that this could very well be one of those good films that just didn't click with me.
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High Tension (2003/2005)
What's Going On?: In this 2003 French import (Haute Tension) that Lionsgate brought to US screens in 2005, two young law students, Marie and Alexa, take a vacation to Alexa's parent's place in the country for relaxation and to study. While there, a mysterious killer, whose motives are unknown, terrorizes the family, forcing the young women to fight for their lives.
Familiar Faces: None...unless you are well-versed in French horror movies, in which case you might recognize Cecile de France and Maiwenn Le Besco.
IMDB Plot Keywords: Car Crash; Disturbing; Surreal; Axe; Blood Splatter
Lessons Learned from High Tension: 1) Psycho killers apparently don't know how to properly search under beds for people who are hiding. 2) Ditto bathrooms and bathroom stalls. 3) Some twists you never see coming...or, at the very least, you briefly consider them as possibilities, then promptly dismiss the idea.
Curt's Take - Worth Considering: Unlike Howl's Moving Castle, I didn't have high expections for this movie. In the end, though, I was pleasantly surprised. Word of warning, though...this movie is very graphic. We're talking decapitations, throat slitting and axes to the chest. And yet, in spite of all that...I rather liked this. I was surprised to find this movie dubbed, and had no idea it was French, but once you get used to the mismatched lip movement, you'll pretty much be on the edge of your seat for most of the film. If you've ever asked yourself whether or not you might survive a situation in which all those around you were literally losing their heads, this flick is for you.
posted by Curt at 10:23 PM
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