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Sanctum (2011)
Drowned In Melodrama
The script hovers around B-movie level; the characters are fairly one dimensional. That said, the leads do the best they can with the material. Roxburgh is the shining light in this dark cavernous movie. Relative newcomer Wakefield deserves kudos for getting through some physically grueling scenes while giving the stereotypical "son with absent father" some dimension. Gruffudds character rapidly deteriorates from charming daredevil to crazed selfish psychopath which is boring and predictable. He deserved better.
The old standby kills are easily telegraphed. "Sanctum" is particularly harsh to women. "Females best beware taking on the oh-so-manly task of cave diving; you WILL fail" is the message. The only moment of extreme gore is at the half way point. It was the only time there was much response in our packed theater. Do not expect to be moved or feel much connection with the characters or story.
On the upside, many of the underwater scenes are remarkable. The 3-D is not necessary but does add to the claustrophobia and disorientation the characters must battle. The cinematography and editing are fantastic and easily the best part of the film. Would have loved more panoramic establishing shots of the underground environment so that the audience could get a real feel for why these daredevils risked so much.
Many of the cave shots and renderings are breathtaking, but ultimately there is no heart and soul to either the characters, dialogue or plot. There is a reliance on bombastic music to force emotions, leaving "Sanctum" as cold and airless as the caves being explored. In the few scenes where the music was cut and all one could hear was water and breath, a larger sense of drama was invoked.
"Sanctum" is inspired by a true story. It would have benefited greatly from a more documentary perspective instead of spiraling into melodrama. The poor script and characterization are ultimately anchors that weigh the film down. "Sanctum" boasts Cameron, but this is no Avatar, it's more like the sinking of the Titanic.
Final Verdict: Skip this and see Cameron's superior "The Abyss" instead
The Haunting of Molly Hartley (2008)
Scariest thing about this movie is how bad it is!
My girlfriend wanted to keep it low key this Halloween and go catch a scary movie but we didn't want to go see the played out "Saw" series so we went to this expecting some thrills and good time "B-movie" fun. Sorely disappointed. I actually left the theater to see when Saw or anything else was playing instead, but no luck. The "scares" were too obviously telegraphed and there were none of the special effects teasers we see in the previews.In fact there were little to no special effects at all, the budget on this film should have allowed for at least one or two awesome makeup effects or cool plot devices.In addition there was an entire lack of psychological horror or tension!Everything was so dull and predictable we kept hoping something would turn around or at least show some sign of intelligence but no!Ladies, if you are going for Chase Crawford he is a mess here. Yeah he's an attractive guy but he is utterly useless in this and his acting is bad. The lead girl cannot hold anyones attention at all and I'm sorry but her acting is wooden and distracted.It all felt like 90210 (the new one) meets "Carrie" and and "The Omen" but doesn't hold a candle to those. The direction was lazy and cinematography so by-the-book that Ihonestly think that someone with NO film experience could have done a better job.Not worth it.Not even as a fun B-movie or cult classic! DO NOT SEE THIS FILM!You'll just end up saying you want your time and money back.Total waste.
The Dead Girl (2006)
"The Dead Girl" is full of life
Saw a screening at a film fest in Los Angeles last night and was completely blown away. The quiet intensity of the film draws out the audiences emotions without hitting them over the head with obvious messages. Everything in this film is complex and complicated- even the cooking of a T.V. dinner. The subtle direction and overwhelming combination of acting, cinematography and screenplay lets the film build mystery upon mystery drawing the viewer to its inevitable conclusion. Restating the plot would give too much away, but the lines between life and death and their definitions are definitely called into question in this film. The acting in this film is of the "Oscars all-around" caliber and not one performance is wasted or without passion and skill. Brittany Murphy and Kerry Washington are so incredible you wonder why these women aren't getting more attention. Murphy particularly shines here as a teenage girl trying to control the downward spiral of her life. Marcia Gay Harden is brilliant as usual giving us a multi-layered character that could easily have been overplayed. Mary Beth Hurt offers a stunning and revealing portrait of a deeply conflicted character. Giovanni Ribisi and James Franco give surprising support playing against their normal "type". The cinematography is lushly beautiful, yet also edgy and raw- all a perfect complement to the screenplay. The opening scenes featuring the desert are gripping and breathtaking. They mark a fantastic contrast to the rest of the film. Karen Moncrieff's direction deftly weaves the characters together, revealing small pieces of a mystery bit by bit, never stealing time from the actors and allowing this stellar cast to really shine. If you loved "In The Bedroom" this has a similar pace and feel. This film will knock you sideways while watching it and then will linger with you for days to come.