Love Actually, Ted
on Blog From Beyond (Rwanda), 11/Jul/2009 20:03, 34 days ago
I watched another couple of horror films last night:30 Days of Night, which I found highly disappointing. I mean c’mon, really, if you’re going to set-up a snowed-in scenario where something horrible comes to kill everybody you will never,everbeat John Carpenter'sThe Thing. I’m afraid that had the genre well and truly pegged. After that comesThe Shining. This– this didn’t even come close. Cheap-looking vampires and hammy acting, reminded me of a contemporary take onthe desastersthat were vampires inSalem’s Lot, adding a littleHouse on Haunted Hillhead shaking doesn't make it right.The second one was distinctly better:Untraceable. Good but predictable that she was in her own basement, he was in the back of the car and that Griffin would cop it. Sorry, spoiler. What I really didn't guess though, was that Griffin wasTom Hanks'son! Only when you hit hisIMDB pagedo you see the photos and realise it's unmistakable :op But on the whole a good film, nice concept. A while back I also watchedCleaner– that was good too, but again predictable. I guess withThe BrokenandThe Exorcism of Emily Rosethat even if you knew what was going on, the gruesome factor, the ways in which people died and the originality of some of the scenes just gave them an edge.Two scenes that particularly freaked me out:Broken: where dad’s on the phone and his own face comes out of the darkness over his shoulder.Emily Rose: where her friend wakes up in the bed alone and sees her contorted on the floor. Both of those were, to me, defining shots in the films. Although admittedly inBrokenthe shower scene is the one I think most people are likely to remember.Today I finally gotDefinitely, Mayberunning. My DVD player is a little selective about what it lets me watch and when, if it's not in the mood you can't push it. I think after the run of bone-chillers it was more than ready to play some light entertainment.First thing I notice? That bothMelissa George(30 Days of Night) andIsla Fisher(Definitely, Maybe) were both inHome and Away(sing it with me:hold me in your arms...). Now I was always more of aNeighboursgal, but I did occasionally switch over after, admittedly a bit later on when Gypsy and what’s-his-face were getting it on. A little after Angel’s time but definitely still in Shannon's. The Australian invasion of LA begins ;)Anyway, didn’t rate the film much. There were two main issues with it:It tried to be too clever for a romantic comedy. Stick to the age old format that works: girl, boy, tears, joy; bada bing bada boom. It really didn’t do it for me, although I thinkRachel Weiszrocks.Never, EVER, pick a lead man that looks likeTed Bundy!!! What. Were. You. Thinking!? Seriously guys. Watch the film, then tell meRyan Reynolds, especially with hisflat cut, doesn’t look way too much like thismass murderer. Puts an entirely different meaning on the term‘lady killer’.The entire time I was watching the film, when I could stop myself anticipating that the lead guy was going to bludgeon the lead girl to death with a kitchen stool, I just felt it was all a bit flat. Not enoughaaaaahfactor. But that’s okay because I re-watched Hors de prix (Priceless) last night and that has more than enough for several films worth.I’m all out of films now! There are a handful of really, really good ones that I keep and lend to trusted friends on the strict proviso they come back, and the rest Jasmine keeps or I donate to the office. But now I have nothing new to watch. I wonder what’s on the cinema back in the UK now? If it came out since late 2007, I’ve never heard of it :o/