Insidious

10/10 E.M.
7/10 C.E.

  For those of you waiting hoping for a scary movie congratulations here it is. I have had the fortune of not only seeing it once with just my brother and I in the theater alone which is by the way scary as can be but also seeing it in an audience to see if our earlier fear was justified. Judging from the fact everyone was screaming bloody murder most of the movie and especially the girls I'd say the fact that my brother and I were screaming too was justified. I have also been very fortunate in that I have seen the movie both in digital as well as in 35mm film. For those of you unfamiliar with this film is the more traditional form of a movie however nowadays most movie theaters have upgraded to new digital projectors that project a less flawed better quality picture. Now that you know the difference I want to make it clear that if you want the MAXIMUM scare out of this movie go see it in a theater that has it in 35mm film!! If you're not sure ask because it's worth it the picture will be darker and less crisp thus easily adding to the scare factor plus film just has a certain quality combined with it's imperfections that will make it scarier. If you're really really lucky the bulb the projector uses will be older and flicker thus adding to the ambiance of the film.

  Now that you've been pointed in the direction of how to view the film let's break down the acting. The chemistry between the characters is very good the movie allows us to see between/before the moments of fright the love between them all and warm moments that make the entire situation that much worse. Patrick Wilson who plays the father Josh does a great job in the role showing us realistically his skepticism and then determination. There were no moments when you didn't feel that his character wasn't portrayed genuinely. Rose Byrne also does a good job and shows us what it looks like to be hysterical with fear and yet not looking like some pansy girl who's freaking out in a horror film and you secretly hope dies.

  Lin Shaye who plays Elise not only fills a look very well but also plays her role well allowing her to become separated from a character type that you usually see in many of these horror films. Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson do a great job of playing the objective observers of the film helping to make the audience feel the danger is that much more real and frightening. They also provide some lovely comic relief and have an amusing dynamic between them that help put you at ease if only for a moment. Barbara Hershey did a good job in her role and is starting to show a strange knack as the mother with a dark side or secret in her films also showing a bit of it in Black Swan last year. I want to also just point out three little trivia facts that deserve kudos/pointing out- the old woman in the film is actually a man Philip Friedman so nice job to him and also if you look at the chalk board in one scene at the school you'll see Jigsaw from Saw and lastly if you stay till the very very end of the credits there is a little something for ya not much but something.

  The movie has a good plot that will definitely keep you interested. Just when you think it's gonna be predictable you will find it twist and turns into something that you don't always expect keeping it pleasantly but not entirely surprising. The scare moments in this film are great and will combine familiar scares with whole new ones. One of the best parts of it is you don't always know when you'll be scared and thus you may find yourself griping the chair most of the movie. I do wish to point out though at a point in the film the spirits cease to be scary and remind me look wise a lot of the ghost in the Eddie Murphy film The Haunted Mansion which is kinda lame. The music in this film is incredibly good and well timed playing a huge role in the scares of the film and honestly is downright creepy just by itself if you want to hear it during the credits. So if you're looking for a movie that will keep you up at night and is downright scary you're looking for something Insidious!