An American Haunting

Tonight I went out and saw An American Haunting with my sister and two of her friends, for some unknown reason, at 8 o’clock at night, on a Monday. Guess I was just in the mood for some nachos and a ghost story.

And boy did I get one.

An American Haunting is based on the true life event validated by the State of Tennessee of the only case in US History where a spirit or entity caused the death of a man. The Bell family of Red River Tennessee was terrorized from approximately 1818-1820 by some unknown spirit. They tried communicating with it through logical means, but to no avail. All they knew was that is was there to kill one of the family members; in the end it gets its wish with the mysterious death and illness of the father John Bell.

The movie actually starts of extremely slow, and I was pretty much bored for the first good 15 minutes. But it worked itself out in the end. But being a Donald Sutherland fan [who plays John Bell] I held in my initial disappointment, but I was wrong, oh so wrong.

I will not say this is the best horror movie I have ever seen in my life, but I will say that it is one of the most intriguing ghost stories I have ever heard, and had me jumping a couple times.

The acting was top notch, which to me is amazing to find in a horror movie, of course most of it came from the two I knew would, Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek. Surprisingly James D’Arcy who played the school professor Richard Powell and Rachel Hurd-Wood, who played Betsy Bell, came in a close second, at least in my book. D’Arcy had redeemed himself in my eyes, from his performance as Father Francis in Exorcist: The Beginning.

The only part I really didn't understand was, the movie was essentially centered around a young girl and her mother in present time, who has found a letter written by Lucy Bell to Betsy about the Haunting, the movie starts off with the girl running through the forest to home from some unknown entity. When she gets home she sees a young girl [who we later find is Betsy Bell… how this is, is even too complicated for me to explain] in her mirror and starts to scream. Moments later she wakes up, it was just a dream. The movie switches back to the mother reading the letter about three times, during different stages of the story. At the end of the movie, the mother sends her daughter off with her father, obviously divorced. The mother then sees Betsy’s ghost and starts running after the car screaming her ex husbands name.

Then the movie ends.

Twist? I don’t think so. The girl and her mother are obviously living in the old Bell house, and young Betsy’s spirit [Betsy did not die mind you] is still roaming around.

Does that make sense to you? If it doesn't than I suggest you go see the movie, and take a gander for yourself. I give An American Haunting a HEAPING 8.5/10 because I’ll be damned if I didn't enjoy it.

[Many many many Spoilers in this review]

Oh and I finally watched From Hell, it was as good as I thought it would be, a little far fetched but still good. Here’s a real quick overview. Johnny Depp plays Inspector Fred Abberline, a somewhat psychic inspector with a opium habit. See what I said, a little far fetched. Inspector Abberline is assigned to the Jack the Ripper Case. If you’re familiar with the case you will remember, that Jack the Ripper was a serial killer that terrorized the Whitechapel district of London, killing only prostitutes in that area, he removed their organs with a surgeons precision and seemed to strike at random; the film says that’s not it, that he was trying to form a pentacle star, the sign of the *gasp* Free Masons!

The plot is horribly confusing, and involves the Free Masons, a deranged physician, the Royal Family, The prince and a prostitute named Ann and their legitimate child whom would become the heir to the royal crown, its all a big cover up, the prince has a taste for hookers, and falls in love with one, marries her, she has his baby, he contracts syphilis, she is called crazy, given a frontal lobotomy and the child is hidden away… see told you confusing. a beautiful prostitute by the name of Mary Kelly from Ireland, and of course our opium addicted friend Inspector Abberline, who decided to quit after taking the advice of the royal surgeon Sir William Gull [Ian Holm], who surprisingly turns out to be…Jack the Ripper! *gasp again*

And to tell you the truth, I didn't see that one coming, I mean sure, Abberline went back to Sir Gull many times asking for advice on the case, but it seemed like he was just a nice old man who was helping him out.

I will suggest this movie to anybody, who likes somewhat gory, somewhat psychic, extremely sexy, movies with a sexy Johnny Depp and a very sexy Heather Graham. It gets a 9.5/10. I just love it.

- Jess

The Weekend

I finally got to to the video store yesterday, and it would be just my luck that I would have to come on the day that they were rearranging the store. Well I got 5/6 movies I wanted, sadly I could not find A Clockwork Orange and sadly I still don't own it. What a pathetic movie lover I am!

Well for what its worth I did rent:

• The Shining [Stanley Kubrick Editon of Course]
  
• The Devil's Rejects: Directors Cut
  
• From Hell [Which I've never seen strangley being a Johnny Depp freak]
• Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
• Grandmas Boy: Unrated
  

Now what would I be doing with Grandmas boy you might ask? Well its simple really, I friggin love that movie. Stoner jokes and... a Karate Monkey. Sometimes I can't help myself but love stupid comedies. [I guess I get that from my boyfriend]. Its a Happy Madision Production [Adam Sandlers Production Company] So if you're a fan of older Adam Sandler movies [who isnt in it] or things like, Little Nicky, Dumb and Dumber or Detroit Rock City, this is the movie for you. Plus who dosent want to see Doris Roberts Stoned or Shirly Jones all over some young nerd?

Now what really bothers me about my selection is that I have never seen From Hell, being that I don't remember hearing much about it, which is really strange., but it has three things that I love: Horror, Jack the Ripper, and Johnny Depp. The only notable names in the movie are in fact the two main characters, Johnny Depp as Inspector Fred Abberline and Heather Graham as Mary Kelly a prostitute.

[Plot Summery]

I havent read it yet, so not to ruin the suprize. I'm not big in to knowing everything about a movie before I watch it. I like to critique something depending on how I feel about it after I watch the movie, having predispositions, is never a fun thing for anyone.

I plan on watching The Shining tonight, one of my all time favorite movies, it may just be that I love Jack Nicholson, [even though I hate Shelly Duvall] or that I just love anything orignally thought of by that master of simulated LSD trips, Steven King.

Who knows, but I got a big weekend of movie watching to do.

-Jess

p.s. Check this band out. If you're a fan of weird indie bands, these guys are for you, and here you can see them live and in person, well in video version.

Random Facts

- A group of unicorns is called a blessing.
- Twelve or more cows are known as a "flink."
- A group of frogs is called an army.
- A group of rhinos is called a crash.
- A group of kangaroos is called a mob.
- A group of whales is called a pod.
- A group of geese is called a gaggle.
- A group of ravens is called a murder.
- A group of officers is called a mess.
- A group of larks is called an exaltation.
- A group of owls is called a parliament.

I'm sure that those are pretty boring to some of you, but damn if their not informative. [I got it from a joke website] As of late I've been sitting on a million ideas for a new blog, but havent been able to come up with one.

Before you ask:

Yes I saw Silent Hill on the 21st. Amazing stuff right there, I havent come up with a good post for it yet, but I'm sure all of you have all ready read enough praise and reveiw for the movie that you will know what I'm going to say.

i.e. "Best Game to Movie adaptaion Ever" "Great Visual effects" "Wonderful soundtrack" "What the hell happened to a script?"

Trust me thats the what every single fan reveiw I have read has said. The critics hated the movie, I mean HATED the movie, but us game, movie and horror fans are eagerly awaiting the next one. Hopefully this time, they might find some words and not ask Sean Bean [Lord of the Rings] back. (My god can that guy NOT act.)

Other than that:

Life has been a heactic playground of school, not looking for a job and a crazy family life. My online things have suffered and I'm not sure if I mind. The internet is a infinate source of information and entertainment, yet I find after a half hour I become utterly bored with it. Oh well, maybe I'll find something more, productive.

Until next time.
-Jess