BethanyEl Orfanato (The Orphanage) (LINK)
August 22nd 2008 23:10
Produced by Guillermo del Toro and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, this Spanish flick tells an atmospheric and chilly story.
Laura, her husband Carlos, and her child Simón move to the orphanage where Laura spent her childhood. Laura has the intent of re-opening the orphanage as a small group home for special children, and has the place re-vamped with this goal in mind.
Simón begins to have many imaginary friends, and a game that Laura plays with her young son leads to a revelation that changes Simón's attitude and makes him angry with his mother.
The opening day for the new home, Simón refuses to come down from his room. A strange child with a burlap sack for a mask attacks Laura, and then Simón cannot be found anywhere. And although there was some definite creep and crawl up to this point, this is where the movie definitely takes a turn for the heeby-jeeby side of life.
I found this film moody, atmospheric, and undeniably creepy. I actually had to quit watching it about halfway through and go do something else for a while, because the film just had me and I was thoroughly wigged-out. The atmosphere more than anything else is what makes this film, and the suspense that it builds is close to unbearable. I know other people might find differently, but I consider myself pretty immune to horror movies and I kept jumping and screeching every time Laura accidentally bumped into something. Check this bad boy out!
EDIT: Oh, booger, Horrorphile has a much better review here. Oh well, I stand by it- great atmospheric ghost-story, watch it.
Laura, her husband Carlos, and her child Simón move to the orphanage where Laura spent her childhood. Laura has the intent of re-opening the orphanage as a small group home for special children, and has the place re-vamped with this goal in mind.
Simón begins to have many imaginary friends, and a game that Laura plays with her young son leads to a revelation that changes Simón's attitude and makes him angry with his mother.
The opening day for the new home, Simón refuses to come down from his room. A strange child with a burlap sack for a mask attacks Laura, and then Simón cannot be found anywhere. And although there was some definite creep and crawl up to this point, this is where the movie definitely takes a turn for the heeby-jeeby side of life.
I found this film moody, atmospheric, and undeniably creepy. I actually had to quit watching it about halfway through and go do something else for a while, because the film just had me and I was thoroughly wigged-out. The atmosphere more than anything else is what makes this film, and the suspense that it builds is close to unbearable. I know other people might find differently, but I consider myself pretty immune to horror movies and I kept jumping and screeching every time Laura accidentally bumped into something. Check this bad boy out!
EDIT: Oh, booger, Horrorphile has a much better review here. Oh well, I stand by it- great atmospheric ghost-story, watch it.
| 50 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I loved the screenplay.
My only quibble was that her son would be a pile of bones by the time she got to him down in the cellar. But hey, poetic licence has a lot to answer for ...
Cheers for the props!
Comment by Bethany
Martian Movies
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Bethany
Martian Movies