Isvand i blodet! – Ice to your blood! “Peer Gynt”

Swift shot: Demented and hilarious, surreal and somehow believable – Dead Snow shocks and demands a viewing.  You won’t be amazed, but you will not soon forget Dead Snow.  Simple concept from start to finish but the cinematography is unbelievably choice.  The pure white snow provides the perfect contrast to the carnage and carnal evil of the thick red darkness haunting Øksfjord.  I am going to follow all of director Tommy Wirkola’s stuff from now on, I am impressed!

Like many typical zombie Nazi flicks, this one starts off with a group of horny friends going to a secluded cabin in the middle of nowhere – but, unlike America, this is REALLY the middle of nowhere – I googled it, because I couldn’t remember if I hit Øksfjord on my NATO tour of Norway.  Turns out, I did, but that is all classified and shit.

Yes, you can hack this script at places as so cliched you will be looking for the Nazi zombies, or zombie Nazis (take your pick) to don hockey masks.  Still, where it isn’t cliche, it really serves up some hefty portions of meaty goodness.  In fact, the director pokes fun of this right off the bat, with this line,  “How many movies start with a group of friends on a trip to a cabin with no cell phone signal?” I loved that, because I don’t consider myself a real critic, just a lucky SOB who gets to share his thoughts with my overwhelming network of friends.  Also, I love when characters reference pop culture, because, hey that is the way real people talk all the time.

What is it about?

Eight friends have arranged to meet in the middle of nowhere at a family cabin way up near the border of Russia. (That isn’t classified, because such as the Iraq, and such as, people who have maps such as can find it)  If these crazy pop-ins of pop-culture are making you want to pop your eyes out with a cheese knife, I apologize – but the screenwriters used pop-culture throughout the film to help flesh out the characters a bit.  I mean, you want to see authentic Norwegian dialog, here it be.  And, goofy sweaters aside, they could be your friends down the road.

These particular friends are all medical students, and they have decided to take a breather from their studies and basically hang out, drink beer, reminisce and maybe get laid a few times – I love Norway.  But, each character has their own little quirks that make them stand out, and because this film is subtitled sometimes it is hard to really immerse yourself in a foreign film.

You have the two movie geeks, one is hot, Chris (Jenny Skavlan), and one is not, Erlend (Jeppe Laursen).  They quickly get reprimanded for movie quoting early on, which I loved – because I have had several friends say, Jesus, can’t you have a thought WITHOUT referencing a damned movie?  Martin (Vegar Hoel)  is a squeamish leader of the pack, a medical student who nearly faints at the sight of a drop of blood.   Hanna (Charlotte Frogner) is his girlfriend, and she has issues with tight spaces.  Liv (Evy Kasseth Røsten) is not Maria Bello, but damn she looks like her to me, and I couldn’t focus on her character much more beyond that – because the resemblance was weirding me out, watching Maria Bello speak Norwegian.

Co-screenwriter Stig Frode Henriksen rounds out the main group of characters with Roy.  Roy is your basic dude, doesn’t stand out much, except that you can tell he is a writer and not an actor.  Sorry man, but you know it too, ikke sant?  Vegard (Lasse Valdal) and Sara (Ana Dahl Torp) are the couple that put the whole trip into motion, the cabin belongs to Sara’s family and she insists in going through the woods cross-country skiing, literally.  Vegard is more practical, he has a badass snowmobile, which only becomes more badass throughout – and you will love his character.

When they get to the cabin, they soon encounter a creepy old guy who tells them about the Nazis at Øksfjord who unlike other places “didn’t get along well with the local population” – you know, because Nazis are always confused with playing well with others – so he had to clarify that point.  Turns out the Nazis stole a bunch of gold and silver from the locals before razing the entire area in a scorched earth campaign, but the locals didn’t go down without a fight – Viking blood and all that.  That is all you really need to know about what is it about, as you can guess the rest from there.

Colonel Herzog (Ørjan Gamst), leads the Nazi zombies, or zombie Nazi horde with a chilling demeanor.  I found out Ørjan Gamst shared a beer in Alta with a friend of mine from Stavanger.  I wish it had been me, because I would have asked Ørjan, wait, were you the leader of the zombie Nazis or Nazi zombies?  And, then I would have laughed as he caught the reference to the South Park episode, Pirate Ghosts or Ghost Pirates – right before he fed me my entrails and played with my eyeballs – just so I could watch him eat the rest of me – yea, on second thought – not so sure I would want to have a beer with that guy.

Why do I care?

The transformation of the key characters is fun to watch, as each faces their own little personal demons whilst battling and fleeing from the Nazi zombies.  Come on, don’t we ALL have Nazi zombie issues?  Isn’t there something eating at you?

The gore is wonderful to behold, it is very much like the Norwegian version of Shaun of the Dead . . . yet twice as fun.  The creative way people are killed was masterful in uniqueness.

The soundtrack was pure Norwegian, even the opening sequence booms Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King, you Americans will recognize it immediately – and now you have some culture thanks to Rick Swift.  It isn’t just for Needful Things anymore.

I liked that the violence wasn’t quick and simple, people and zombies take a long time to die, no cheesy sequences of people hearing a blast, clutching their chest and dropping like all of Lieutenant Dan’s dead relatives.   All the brutality in this film reminded me just how much violence the human body can take before it finally gives up and accepts death.  Not one of these characters died well.  One cliff hanging scene in particular left me holding my gut and exclaiming, Holy Shit!

I want to watch this one with all my friends, drinking pils and talking about the Simpsons and simpler times. It is a fun, fuck-it-all film for the audience to cringe with and laugh with and there is even a little twist thrown in to make things more fun for horror movie buffs.  So, if you have Netflix, watch it on instant view now, if you don’t, rent it – tonight!

The H-Bomb: This bitter/sweet film about a middle-aged downsizing expert who starts to question his profession and the priorities in his life has been a critical darling during this award season, but, does it really deserve all the praise that’s been heaped onto it? Read on…

Jason Reitman is quickly becoming one of my favorite up and coming filmmakers. I thoroughly enjoyed “Juno” through and through, despite some of its hokey dialogue, and while I must admit I haven’t seen “Thank You For Smoking” from beginning to end, I did like the portions of it I caught on TV. Now, after seeing his latest film, I’m completely sold on him. He’s a genuine talent who’s here to stay.

“Up in the Air” tells the story of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a man who travels all over the country laying off employees for companies who are too gutless to fire their own workers themselves. Ryan has been doing his job for so long, that despite going to bed in a different time zone almost every day, he’s practically perfected his routine to a T. He gets the V.I.P. from all the hotels, airlines, car rental agencies, and he’s very close to completing his main goal in life; to rack up ten million frequent flier miles so he can achieve an extra-special V.I.P. status.

Ryan also happens to be very good at what he does. He can sit there and have people scream “Fuck you!” into his face or listen to their sob stories about their mortgages and their children without batting an eye. He is often able to successfully turn it around by saying things like “Try to look at this as a new beginning for you. A new chapter in your life.” or “Here’s your chance to go chase your real dream.” Of course, despite sounding sincerely empathetic to the people he lays off, it’s all but completely impersonal to him.

In fact, Ryan has made it a personal lifestyle choice to not connect with human beings on any kind of meaningful level. He’s never been interested in marriage or children, has no real friends, and he has two sisters, with whom he has as little contact with as possible. He’s on the road 322 days of the year, and when we see his actual apartment, it’s even more generic and devoid of personality than the many hotel rooms he stays in.

Ryan’s a man who lives out of a suitcase, and real relationships are just excess baggage that he would just as soon not have to haul around. This starts to change when he meets Alex (Vera Farmiga), a fellow business traveler who he has a fling with one night, then arranges to rendezvous with in different cities around the country, whenever their schedules permit. His life is shaken up even more when he’s shackled up with Natalie (Anna Kendrick), an ambitious but naive new employee with a radical new idea that would change his job, and his life, completely. Needless to say, Ryan is not happy about it.

This really is an actor’s movie, and the three lead performances are pitch perfect. As Ryan, Clooney really shines. He truly is a leading man of the “old Hollywood” variety and he’s firing on all cylinders here. He’s engaging, charismatic, cocky, yet also insecure and discontent… even though he doesn’t realize it for most of the film. I would go as far as saying this is his best performance ever (with the exception of “From Dusk Till Dawn”, of course). Farmiga is spot on as Ryan’s casual sex partner and sort of kindred spirit. She’s cool, sexy, and really damn funny. As their relationship grows, we see Ryan do something he’s never done in his life, develop genuine feelings for another human being. Then there’s Kendrick, who starts off as an over-achieving tight wad, but who becomes more and more sympathetic as we get to know her. J.K. Simmons and The Hangover’s Zach Galifianakis deliver brief but very memorable turns as workers who are fired by Ryan.

The film starts off lightly, but becomes more and more dramatic as Ryan starts to really take a good hard look at his own life. In many ways it reminded me of the kind of film Alexander Payne would make; a film about a man who thinks he’s happy, but who deep down knows there’s something important missing from his life. It also recalls Payne’s work in how it brilliantly balances the comedy and drama.

My hat goes off to director Reitman who, much like he did with “Thank You For Smoking”, took a main character who would be detestable, yet made him sympathetic simply by making him human. He may not win an Oscar for this one, but he’s certainly cemented himself on my list of must see directors, and I will be looking forward to all of his future projects. This truly is an entertaining and moving film, and I would urge everyone to see it while it’s still playing in theaters.

“Murder changes everything”

Swift shot:  Magically disturbing and imaginative, The Lovely Bones redefines justice.  The emotions are palpable, the suspense is terrifyingly effective, and you will be screaming at the screen.  Immersion with this film is seamless, as you find yourself pulling for the characters on a gut level.  It was similar to What Dreams May Come and The Lady in White – both incredibly powerful movies in their dealing with death and the people who really suffer – the living. 

The effervescent Saoirse Ronan dons the knit-wool cap of Susie Salmon, a simple, yet passionate teen full of life whose curiosity is her ultimate demise.  Susie is stuck in a bubble of the in-between, with her love of family and growing desire for revenge keeping her trapped in her perfect world. 

With a passion for photography and life, Susie is a typical seventies teen, trying to gain attention and affections of her Moor, Ray (Reece Ritchie).  But, on the day she is given a poem by him, she is murdered by Mr. Harvey (Stanley Tucci) – such a  benign name for so terribly maleficent a character.  Harvey is a perfectionist, a savant who excels at two things, carpentry and murder – using his best tools, manipulation and misdirection to subdue his prey.

Stalking his victims is almost as much fun as killing for him, in fact, killing is the climax of a great passionate romance played out in his twisted mind’s eye where misery and torment keep him warm at night.  Tucci doesn’t need any special effects or a billion dollar budget to scare the hell out of you, just some blond hair and creepy contact-lenses transform him in a way not familiar in decades on film.

Susie is cleverly lured into his trap and after a painfully drawn-out sequence, where the loving family is juxtaposed with the snare set for her, she is destroyed, snuffed out, youth extinguished, in her prime.  Only thoughtless, evil, bane creatures terminate the pure.  Harvey will go down as one of the most reviled villains of the year.  There is a bathtub scene that will give several audience members chilling nightmares.  Well done, Jackson, I haven’t had an image burned into my psyche like that since Gollum - capturing darkness like that takes perverse desire, contrasting the darkness with the white light, remarkable.

The imagination of ideas to create Susie’s heaven and how it was portrayed on screen were defining moments for this film.  Some critics might find this was overdrawn and cheesy, but at times that is exactly what a story needs, a little fromage, n’est pas?  I particularly got emotionally invested when her father was destroying something that reminded him of his daughter in his world, and how that event played out in her heaven.  Anyone who thinks that was too cheesy isn’t a parent – I can tell you that.

I found the characters meshed well, but it was clear to me that the film probably had to trim several characters down to mere plot-movers because of time constraints.  Disclaimer: I haven’t read the book, nor did I know it even existed – as I have stated countless times, I am a viewer, not a reader, typically.  So, I can’t stand up and claim it was lacking in any way against the written form of the story.  But, really, that is the beauty of when a novel becomes a film – it is exposed to a whole new audience who might never have imagined such a creative way of exploring both justice and grief through the eyes of the murdered girl.

This one is going to raise some eyebrows, going to launch some careers and will be talked about for a long time for the pragmatic way it deals with justice versus revenge.  I would highly recommend seeing this film in theaters too, be warned though, the darkness from this film will follow you home – pray that Mr. Harvey doesn’t follow you home too!

“Let’s see Robot Chicken top this one.”

Swift shot: Star Wars and Family Guy lovers will be thrilled – Fox removed their censors this time – so, you actually get your money’s worth.  You won’t hear any beeps except for R2D2’s beep boop beep.  Using classic parody, creator Seth MacFarlane fires his own blasts at George Lucas in not so subtle criticisms of The Empire Strikes Back. Enjoy this one, you will.

What does the force mean to you?  To Seth MacFarlane it means watching the unrated version of Van Wilder with all the frat stuff in there – and knowing that Kathy Bates or the naked old ghost in The Shining were the worst on-screen nude scenes Hollywood has to offer.  Who is the best naked on-screen scene?  You will have to pop this baby into your DVD or Bluray player to find out.  Oh, sure, you could probably google the whole damned film – but that wouldn’t be much fun – and would clearly lead you on a path to the dark side.

So, the story begins a long time ago, when the gays weren’t all in your face about it.  The rebel alliance has set up shop on a distant planet hoping to evade imperial detection, but, you know this story . . . and if you don’t, what, you live in a cave that isn’t a cave?

What you don’t know is how much fun you are going to have watching this for the first time.  The whole menagerie of Family Guy cast members make an appearance in Dark Side – some cameos will flat out surprise you – I know they shocked me with some of the choices.  As with Blue Harvest (A New Hope parody), Mila Kunis as Meg has a minor appearance.  But, the rest of the primary cast are back with a vengeance.  Trying to guess which Family Guy character will portray certain Empire Strikes Back characters is fun too.

The attention to detail and the graphic representation and care shown to the original Empire Strikes Back is noteworthy at times and downright silly, or stupid, at others.  With  most comedies, I am always wary to point out what you will think is funny, because I don’t know you.  You could be a fucking lunatic clown killer or a closeted Amish butter churner stashing your laptop under your floorboards.  But, I can say without a doubt that you will enjoy all the little pop-culture references tossed into Dark Side.

At times you may find yourself rolling your eyes, and if you aren’t a fan of Family Guy to begin with, you may not get some of the more subtle or older referenced themes.  And, they do go back to some of the older material in Dark Side.

I don’t want to reveal too much in the review, because as with most Family Guy episodes the left-field references really drive the humor – and I don’t want to put a dampener on your experience. I watched it twice now, and the second time I watched it the comedy was a little flat, because I knew what was coming.  Though, you won’t.

And simply put, you MUST see this with a friend – watching it alone is like masturbating to Van Wilder on Comedy Central – yes, I went there – it’s 2010 – DEAL WITH IT!  Just enjoy this one and don’t you dare watch it censored!

Forcefully disturbing take on “Lolita”.

Swift shot:  This movie was NOTHING that I was expecting.  I rented it because of the title and because I like controversial themes - challenging the mind is never a bad thing.  Brilliant acting throughout the film and incredibly disturbing subject matter!  Be warned, this one is aptly labeled controversial - it isn’t just a marketing stunt!  Only the thick-skinned should view this one, seriously!

While the title implies this movie is about racism, it is really only the base of the film and merely used to bait the viewer.  While I normally detract “points” for that sort of manipulation, it was brilliantly pulled off in Towelhead.  From scene one, you’ll learn not to be so quick to judge the film, anymore than you should judge the characters.

With a Dickensian style to the story, a poor little blossoming outsider is kicked out of the house to go live with her megalomaniac father, who is really focused on everything else but his daughter – until his daughter disappoints him by choosing a member of the opposite race to date.  Never owning up to their racism, nor hypocrisy, both parents, Rifat (Peter Macdissi) and Gail (Maria Bello) need to be dragged and quartered for failing to provide emotional support for their daughter.  I guess my disgust for these characters is a credit to the actors, and I couldn’t find one actor (not even some of the kids) that gave mediocre performances.

Alan Ball is rapidly becoming my favorite director, his style appeals to me in a way I can’t share in writing.  While he mostly writes for the small idiot box, Ball certainly knows how to get results from everyone on set, surrounding himself with talented, passionate (bonafide) artists.  I think his real success must come from some stellar casting work, I don’t feel like any of the roles were forced and while the subject matter could end careers, the actors always seem comfortable committing their sins for Ball – almost like he put poppers in their PEZ! (That was for you, Ck)

Summer Bishil steals every scene, driving home the point that Jasira Maroun is just a little girl dealing with some incredibly mature issues.  Her child-like commitment to Jasira was as imaginative as it was disturbing.  Complementing her performance were Aaron Eckhart and Peter Macdissi who each took turns shaping her world-views in their own twisted ways.

Fantasy sequences serve to titillate and disturb, and fantasy sometimes falls short of the real thing – sometimes fantasy ruins reality too.  I’ll let you be the judge with that one.  Watching this film will leave a mark on your mind, might even make you wish you had never watched it in the first place – but, again, failure to confront the uncomfortable leads to failing to understand the uncomfortable.

For my part, I learned both lessons about pre-judging films (twice this month now) based on their titles and about the dramatic impact apathy can have on a child.  Towelhead has another title, but it is really quite lame and cowardly, “Nothing is Private” but they could have gone with this title, “How NOT to raise a child!” which would have been spot-on.

Little side-note, I did some quick research on Ball, apparently his sister literally died “all over” him when he was 13, on her 22nd birthday – they were in a terrible accident.  So, death and loss shaped him, artistically, at a very young age.  While Towelhead doesn’t really focus on death, the death of innocence is carried throughout – no doubt, a testament to Ball’s own loss of innocence.

My only real criticism of the film would be the pacing in some places made no sense, and sometimes the disjointed weaving of the story detracted from the pulse overall.  A few of the characters bored me, but again, real life is hardly all Megan Fox running around with robots, right Action Flick Chick?  I will continue to follow anything Ball touches, the guy has definitely gotten my attention for the long-haul now.

Whenever I receive an invitation to view a screening of a film I have never heard of I get a familiar thrill of being thrust into the unknown. I do no research and go in with no expectations. Typically, that means I at least won’t walk away disappointed. A few times, however, as is the case with my recent encounter with “An Education,” I discover a little gem of a film that I can’t get out of my head.

Lone Scherfig (“Italian for Beginners”) brings to life a story we’ve all heard before: a young girl falls for a charming older gentlemen and, in the process, goes through a coming-of-age trial. She does this in way that leaves no sentiments for the characters involved and has no problems showing all of their flaws, no matter how minuscule. Guided by a sharp screenplay scribed by Nick Hornby (“About a Boy,” “High Fidelity”), the story is as smart and charming as it is simple.

From the moment the film begins we are introduced to Carey Mulligan’s 16-year old “Jenny” character, who wears the weight of the film on her tiny shoulders and holds it like a seasoned pro. She is the perfect student with best the grades and the prettiest face. She is the perfect daughter. She is everything her parents and teachers could have asked for. For all of her perfection, though, she is still a child and shows this in the rash decisions she makes throughout the film. Sometimes you just want to scream at her naivete, but then Mulligan will just flash her girlish smile and warm your heart. This young reminiscence of Audrey Hepburn will catapult her stunning career with this film.

At home, Jenny is presided over by her parents Jack and Marjorie, played by Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour. They have decided that Jenny is bound for Oxford, where she is to read English, and they’ll do anything at their disposal to get her there. Her English teacher, Miss Stubbs (Olivia Williams) would also have her heart broken if Jenny strayed from her path. This is the perfect setup for the film. Like the whole story, it’s nothing new, but the setting of 1961 Britain and the spot on performances are spellbinding.

Just as we get to know Jenny and her world, David (Peter Sarsgaard) comes onto the screen. He is an affable and mysterious older man who takes an instant liking to Jenny. There’s instant chemistry on the screen and as youthful flirting slowly becomes something more, there’s no doubt that these two people could very well have come together naturally in the real world.

David has an air of mystery about him and at many points in the film the mood might even be described as dark or malignant. This polite man is obviously wearing some kind of mask, and it’s enjoyable to watch that mask get pulled off, again slowly, to reveal his true face.

We’re not to worry too much about Jenny, though. There are plenty of reminders about just how sharp she is, but also just how much of a child she can be. We end up wanting to see Jenny make a mistake so that she can learn from it and be the woman she should be. It might be a strange way to root for the lead in a film, but it’s the way of a concerned parent or older sibling and it’s a way that feels right.

Lessons are learned all around in the film. Jenny isn’t the only one who has to constantly re-evaluate her world (to the dismay of her teachers, in particular). Her parents, the headmistress at her school, David all face truths about themselves and others that they never did before. It should be stressed, though, that sentimentality doesn’t really come across, even if the lesson learned is a harsh one. It simply feels good to see everyone coming to a level-headed understanding. A rare feat in any film.

Having debuted in Sundance this year, “An Education” has already built a great fan base. It won the Audience Award as well as the award for Best Cinematography. When it hits theaters on Friday, it’s sure to get a sneak attack among filmgoers. With romance, intrigue, stylish socialite parties, and a crisp story,  “An Education” is sure to delight most people who see it.

When I got to the theater at 9:00 for the 9:30 screening of Michael Jackson’s “This Is It”, I was amazed to see that there was already a line of devoted fans waiting to see the midnight viewing of the concert movie.  I guess I shouldn’t really have been surprised, because it doesn’t matter who you are, or where you are from, you have somehow been influenced by Michael Jackson.

“This Is It” is a compilation of rehearsal footage recorded in 2009 for the concert tour that never happened, due to the untimely death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.  Throughout the almost two hour movie, we get to see what it takes to create a world tour. From the backup dancer auditions, to dance rehearsals, set design to special effects, we get a behind the scenes look at everything. Although this was all rehearsal footage, and therefore not polished to perfection, there was some finished material. For example, the video that was created for the intro to the song “Smooth Criminal” was amazing.

All the hits are covered, including “Wanna Be Startin Something”, “Beat It”, “Man in the Mirror”, and “Thriller”. This is the closest thing to seeing the King of Pop live, and it was fantastic.

And boys and girls, remember, even though this isn’t a “real movie”, it’s still a movie – which means keep your damned cake-hole shut!!  Yes, I am talking to the two people in the back of the theater that were beside me talking non-stop throughout the movie.  I really could have done without your distractions.

Bottom line:  a must for Michael Jackson fans (and let’s face it, who isn’t??).

The H-Bomb: Director Sam Raimi makes a long awaited return to the horror genre with this twisted tale of a young woman plagued by a curse. Was it worth the wait? Read on…

Christine (Alison Lohman) is a loan officer at a bank in line for a promotion to assistant manager. But when she sees that her chances of being promoted are threatened by a new, hot shot, kiss ass employee, she goes against her better nature and denies a mortgage extension to an old gypsy lady in order to get on her boss’s good side. As it turns out, she screws the wrong lady as the old witch places a damning curse on her. Now, Christine only has three days to undo the curse before she is literally dragged to hell.

Mr. Sam Raimi, we here in the horror nut community would like to say, welcome back! Yes, we enjoyed your “Spider-Man” movies (the first two, anyway), and we appreciated your non-genre work in films like “A Simple Plan” and “The Gift” (the less said about “For Love of the Game”, the better). However, it was an absolute delight to see you come home to the genre from which you came. While it doesn’t quite stack up to your deliciously schlocky “Evil Dead” trilogy, you have certainly shown us that you haven’t lost your teeth, and you’ve delivered one of the best horror films I’ve seen in recent memory. Bravo, sir!

Goddamn I got a kick out of this movie! This, for me, is the first recognizable Sam Raimi film since “Army of Darkness” (Evil Dead 3). While I enjoyed his more commercial outings, a part of me missed the audacious, outlandish style of his he showed when he was an up-and-comer. Well, with “Drag Me To Hell”, he’s proven that he’s still got a little bit of that wild spirit in him.

This is total retro-Raimi; complete with an inventive story (which he wrote with his brother, Ivan), crazy, creative camera angles, and some effectively spooky scenes, including one with people floating in mid air and speaking in demonic voices that will surely dig up pleasant memories of “Evil Dead II” for the fanboys.

Lohman is great and makes for a very sympathetic heroine, despite the fact that she does something really selfish at the beginning. I really wanted her character to pull through. (She more than makes up for her AWFUL performance in “Where the Truth Lies”).

However, as a critic, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t find something to bitch about. So here are a couple of complaints; the CGI was pretty hokey at times, I know Raimi was working with a limited budget, but c’mon, he had more convincing effects in the first “Evil Dead”. Secondly, Justin Long’s character is supposed to be a professor, and I just couldn’t buy him as one for a minute. Lastly, no Bruce Campbell??!! That is just unacceptable, Mr. Raimi. How the fuck can you finally make a horror film again and not find a role for “The Chin?!”

When all is said and done, though, “Drag Me To Hell” is a terrific return to form for a director who is worshiped as a god in horror circles. Despite strong reviews, this one under-performed commercially, which is too bad. Hopefully, it will find the audience it deserves on DVD. If you’re a in the mood for a good fright flick, rent this creepy puppy tonight.

Swift shot:  Excellent script, quick dialog and compelling characters, though flawed in the muddling of perhaps too many compelling characters.  Focusing around the kidnapping of a professor’s son who has just won the Nobel prize.  Sexy, stylized acting, with an edged delivery from most of the players.  This one will keep you interested and focused, and you don’t have to be a rocket-scientist to appreciate any of the subtle, and not so subtle ironies.

Starting off with a brutal attack at an ATM, Director Randall Miller sets the pace for violence and the casual application of that violence as an amped-up assault on the senses.  Violence in Nobel Son is matter-of-fact and applied with a lackadaisical emptiness, which makes the violence more authentic.

With a few incredibly talented old-school actors (Alan Rickman, Danny DeVito, Bill Pullman, Mary Steenburgen) peppered in with some up and coming, can hold their own, talent (Bryan Greenberg, Shawn Hatosy, Eliza Dushku) – you get a nice ebb and flow with the performances.  Nothing is really over the top, but nothing is terrible either – so it makes the characters feel believable, even though their actions are anything but!  I would have eliminated one character altogether, George Gastner (Danny Devito) the nosy, OCD tenant of Professor Michaelson who does hold an important piece to the puzzle – but it wasn’t so important that they couldn’t have just used his name, the direct exposition felt tacked-on and necessary to fill a role for DeVito.

This film should be watched with a few friends who like the whodunits, and the kinda people that will constantly interject their two cents throughout – only to look foolish in the end.  I used to be one of those people, but movies like Nobel Son have quite effectively shut me up . . . just sit back and enjoy this one, and if you hate it, at least it has Eliza Dushku.