Chloe

Chloe: "
Atom Egoyan is one of my favorite directors. "Exotica" still remains one of my favorite movies from the 90's.   I think he came up with a gem in this film. It could have gone very awry and ended up as a trashy sex romp. Instead it is a rather tight thriller with a great cast.

What kept it from giving it 4 stars is some of the major holes in the plot. I can often forgive some holes in the plot, but these could not be ignored. Still, if you want to watch a nice thriller with good acting, I highly recommend this movie.

The Joneses

The Joneses: "
I just finished watching this movie. I didnt know what to expect but I like David Duchovny so I thought I would give it a shot. I am glad I did. Its not great by any means but it was enjoyable with a somewhat original plot. My main complaint with the movie is that I think it could have been a lot better if it had been more dark in theme. As it is, I couldnt tell if the director was trying to make this a satirical film or a comedy.
I did end up giving it four stars instead of three because of the cast. The acting is fantastic."

Trick 'r Treat

Trick 'r Treat: "
This is one of the most underrated horror films in the last few years. Actually, I am not even sure if it is fair to call it a horror film. Sure, it has the gore, the menacing music, and the stereo type of characters but it also has great direction,production, and cast that is a cut above the average horror movie cast. And it is a smart horror film. It actually requires some thought at times to follow the plot.

What I like most about the film over anything else is the production. The sets are great as is the lighting. The atmosphere drips of being in that small town during Halloween. It reminds me of the movie "Sleepy Hallow" and how I felt when I watched that movie feeling like it was the middle of Autumn in the small New England village. Oh, I might add, the soundtrack is great. It is very original for a horror film such as this.

The plot is somewhat similar to most movies of this type but it does have some twists that are unique. And not the "guy is not really dead" type of twists. There is actually depth to some of the main leads and it shows up in the story. The girls aren't always screaming and the guys aren't always trying to be the hero. At times, the reverse is true. The cast does a decent job being believable in unbelievable situations. I got the sense that the director did work with them to understand the situation instead of just filming scenes unrehearsed.

Although I am sure this film was made on a tight budget, it does not seem that way when you do watch it.

This movie isn't for everyone, but if you are a fan of horror films, especially those centered around the time of Halloween, I strongly suggest you watch this. But wait until it is around Halloween . It will just add more atmosphere to watching it.

The Edge

The Edge: "
I rated this movie 3 stars only because the storyline and setup was full of holes. I won't go into detail, because it is a film worth seeing, but for me the end game just didn't pay off.

There are some very good things about the movie. The direction was very good and the scenery has some of the best I have every seen in a movie (and that was watching it streamed). Plus the interaction between Hopkins and Baldwin was intense.

As I said, it is a movie worth seeing. I just wish the story could have been better to match the good things about the movie.