#1 - Jonas's Big MomentjagnikjenNovember 18 2009, 14:39:30 UTC
Not sure which big moment you're referring to, but I'm going with the first one when Mary is dreaming and goes into his bedroom and slips her hand beneath the sheets...
My first thought was why is she wearing a slinky black nighty on a ghost hunt???
My second thought was, "Did he just say what I thought he said??!!!" So I had to rewind and rewatch and yes, yes he did say that. Whew...pant, pant...
Third thought was, while the scene was good, was it really necessary? Did they have to add gratuitous sex to a horror/thriller? And then, of course, there was the second love scene. According to my co-worker, Barker actually did include rather racy love scenes in the books, so it wasn't totally gratuitous.
I did think though, the second scene was sufficient to get the relationship across.
#2 - The General StoryjagnikjenNovember 18 2009, 14:49:11 UTC
I don't usually watch this genre of movie, but opted to watch to check out Jonas's hidden attributes.
I found the plot interesting and enjoyed Jonas's acting very much. The only part I thought was over the top was when he was sniveling and crying on the floor that one time and when Mary came in he was hanging all over her. My daughter thought it was probably because that was the first time he truly experienced something supernatural and was completely surprised/shocked/affected by it. Maybe so, but I really thought it was too much. I don't blame Jonas, though. I figure he was directed to play it that way. Plus I haven't read the book, so I don't know that it wasn't supposed to be that way anyhow.
Ah... you make me want to watch it, but horror movies are just not for me. I started watching it, but only got to like 15 minutes in or so before I already didn't want anymore lol.
Not lame at all! I avoid most horror films these days. (While I'll usually give something one viewing if it's got an actor I really like in it, I'll never watch Saw, even for Cary Elwes. And I've still put off My Bloody Valentine, despite the Jensen Ackles factor.)
Point 3: Special EffectsrailiseNovember 18 2009, 16:00:11 UTC
I don't think there was a poorly-done effect in the whole movie. I adored the really subtle ghost effects, and will probably have nightmares for the rest of my life about the girl-thing coming out of the closet (though I sort of have an unfounded fear of things coming out of closets, to begin with). The ones toward the end, I felt were more than a bit overdone, but it fit in with the spirit world that existed in the movie.
I still don't get wtf was up with the dragonflies. That either needed to be explained, or left out. I can guess what was going on, but with so much focus on them, I should have to just guess.
The prosthetics for Simon were fantastic. Other than the obvious, it was hard to tell when something was just a smaller bit of makeup, or when it might've been a more-encompassing piece.
Fountain of blood... meh. I could take that or leave it. Personally, I don't find it necessary, but I've come to expect things like that from horror movies.
Re: Point 3: Special EffectsqueerlyobscureNovember 18 2009, 16:17:55 UTC
You didn't like the blood fountain? I was drawing up plans to get one put in in the back yard.
The prosthetics were indeed fantastic, as were all the ghost writing effects. The bit where the ghost was using a piece of glass to write on him was really brilliant (in an "OH GODS I am so glad that's not me" way) in the way of effects, I thought.
Re: Point 3: Special EffectsrailiseNovember 18 2009, 16:21:05 UTC
Yeah, that was really good! The writing was awesome-- like I said the other day, I bet that would've been great fun to dress the set for the walls-and-ceiling-covered scene. :)
Re: Point 3: Special EffectsqueerlyobscureNovember 18 2009, 16:27:10 UTC
That was not the writing I meant (I meant when the ghosties were writing on poor old Simon, and you saw the words appearing), but the exploding words were also incredibly cool. I mean, I was mildly disappointed by the lack of fire and explosions, which everything needs more of, but I was placated by words that explode.
Point 4: Simon/MaryrailiseNovember 18 2009, 16:16:05 UTC
That relationship just felt... not really like a relationship. Maybe if it hadn't had some creepy overtones, but I just want to scream at Simon, "RUN! RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK!" pretty much from the get-go. And he's not exactly a pristinely-innocent character, to be fully identifying with
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Re: Point 4: Simon/MaryqueerlyobscureNovember 18 2009, 17:22:18 UTC
That was meant to be them falling in love? Movie people are weird.
I cannot possibly express how creepy it was to me. And I cannot pinpoint why, because I can't say I have a problem with the teacher/student thing in principle. At least, not at university level. I think it was the fact that Mary struck me as a nutjob. The worst part is it was oddly kinda hot, too, which made it even worse.
And I know what you mean about the solutions to insomnia. I am constantly surprised by the number of people who suggest warm milk.
Re: Point 4: Simon/MaryrailiseNovember 19 2009, 21:15:49 UTC
Yeah, I was taken aback when, in the making-of, I heard them talking about Mary falling in love with Simon. She seemed obsessed, imo, not in love; it felt very unhealthy from the start. And I never picked up on Simon being in love with her-- first he was conning her, and then when he was actually interested in her, I still didn't get love from their interaction. And, it was kinda hot, and yerp-- that didn't improve matters at all!
Apparently, even she realized that warm milk wasn't the best solution. But why tf she was thinking of that in the first place is something that boggles my mind... ;)
Re: Point 4: Simon/MaryqueerlyobscureNovember 20 2009, 00:13:53 UTC
But why tf she was thinking of that in the first place is something that boggles my mind... ;) Exactly. You fantasise about molesting your student and the first thing that you try is to offer motherly/grandmotherly advice? Weird.
Although part of me now wonders if that is what I have been doing wrong all these years.
And now I have just realised the euphemistic properties of the term "warm milk". Perfect sense is made now.
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My first thought was why is she wearing a slinky black nighty on a ghost hunt???
My second thought was, "Did he just say what I thought he said??!!!" So I had to rewind and rewatch and yes, yes he did say that. Whew...pant, pant...
Third thought was, while the scene was good, was it really necessary? Did they have to add gratuitous sex to a horror/thriller? And then, of course, there was the second love scene. According to my co-worker, Barker actually did include rather racy love scenes in the books, so it wasn't totally gratuitous.
I did think though, the second scene was sufficient to get the relationship across.
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I found the plot interesting and enjoyed Jonas's acting very much. The only part I thought was over the top was when he was sniveling and crying on the floor that one time and when Mary came in he was hanging all over her. My daughter thought it was probably because that was the first time he truly experienced something supernatural and was completely surprised/shocked/affected by it. Maybe so, but I really thought it was too much. I don't blame Jonas, though. I figure he was directed to play it that way. Plus I haven't read the book, so I don't know that it wasn't supposed to be that way anyhow.
I'll give 9.5 arrows!
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Especially where you're concerned
Did I say that?
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*is lame*
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I watched that movie Saw with friends once...stayed awake the whole night terrified, lol.
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I still don't get wtf was up with the dragonflies. That either needed to be explained, or left out. I can guess what was going on, but with so much focus on them, I should have to just guess.
The prosthetics for Simon were fantastic. Other than the obvious, it was hard to tell when something was just a smaller bit of makeup, or when it might've been a more-encompassing piece.
Fountain of blood... meh. I could take that or leave it. Personally, I don't find it necessary, but I've come to expect things like that from horror movies.
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The prosthetics were indeed fantastic, as were all the ghost writing effects. The bit where the ghost was using a piece of glass to write on him was really brilliant (in an "OH GODS I am so glad that's not me" way) in the way of effects, I thought.
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I appear to be a little rambly right now, sorry.
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I cannot possibly express how creepy it was to me. And I cannot pinpoint why, because I can't say I have a problem with the teacher/student thing in principle. At least, not at university level. I think it was the fact that Mary struck me as a nutjob. The worst part is it was oddly kinda hot, too, which made it even worse.
And I know what you mean about the solutions to insomnia. I am constantly surprised by the number of people who suggest warm milk.
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Apparently, even she realized that warm milk wasn't the best solution. But why tf she was thinking of that in the first place is something that boggles my mind... ;)
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Exactly. You fantasise about molesting your student and the first thing that you try is to offer motherly/grandmotherly advice? Weird.
Although part of me now wonders if that is what I have been doing wrong all these years.
And now I have just realised the euphemistic properties of the term "warm milk". Perfect sense is made now.
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