MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!
The story could have been told so much better. The manner in which it was presented was difficult to follow and it lacked continuity. Even the geography of it was a stretch! Michelle, the college student is attending the University of MN. She is wearing short shorts with mega high heels.....sorry... MN college students don't dress that way! And later on in the movie when talking with some new friends, she says that it is cold here.... well then put some clothes on! This is just one example of the inconsistencies of the story line. The conflict surrounding the title of the house in which Michelle is staying is brought into the plot way too late in the movie. This conflict is the supposed reason for the house being "haunted". Sure would have been nice to know that sooner. The acting was marginal at best. Only a few characters actually seemed comfortable with their lines, Aunt Jessie and Michelle to name a couple. When Michelle is first shown to her room in the house, one is led up a series of staircases, presumably to the third floor of the house. In later scenes, the room appears to be on the first floor (look out the window!) Just too many inconsistencies to make this film believable.
Now, onto the photography itself, mostly done well. I especially liked the one scene where "Angelica" is a wise old woman who knows about "spiritual things" and is photographed entirely in close-up.... you see her profile and lips moving, taking up almost all of the screen. For me, that seemed to help personify her as "evil" and scary.
The music! The music in this movie was great! It kept pace with the movie. In fact, it tried to keep us informed as to where we were geographically: house, basement, hospital, Michelle's parents' house in DC.....etc....... even some Russian influenced music for the Russian's party near the end of the movie. Music was very well done, and the only reason I rated this a 4!
I think part of the problem with this movie is that most of continuity and presumably the very scary parts were left on the editing room floor (not literally, because I know it is digital, but that is a much better visual!). Overall, this movie was not scary,mostly confusing, and didn't haunt me at all.
The story could have been told so much better. The manner in which it was presented was difficult to follow and it lacked continuity. Even the geography of it was a stretch! Michelle, the college student is attending the University of MN. She is wearing short shorts with mega high heels.....sorry... MN college students don't dress that way! And later on in the movie when talking with some new friends, she says that it is cold here.... well then put some clothes on! This is just one example of the inconsistencies of the story line. The conflict surrounding the title of the house in which Michelle is staying is brought into the plot way too late in the movie. This conflict is the supposed reason for the house being "haunted". Sure would have been nice to know that sooner. The acting was marginal at best. Only a few characters actually seemed comfortable with their lines, Aunt Jessie and Michelle to name a couple. When Michelle is first shown to her room in the house, one is led up a series of staircases, presumably to the third floor of the house. In later scenes, the room appears to be on the first floor (look out the window!) Just too many inconsistencies to make this film believable.
Now, onto the photography itself, mostly done well. I especially liked the one scene where "Angelica" is a wise old woman who knows about "spiritual things" and is photographed entirely in close-up.... you see her profile and lips moving, taking up almost all of the screen. For me, that seemed to help personify her as "evil" and scary.
The music! The music in this movie was great! It kept pace with the movie. In fact, it tried to keep us informed as to where we were geographically: house, basement, hospital, Michelle's parents' house in DC.....etc....... even some Russian influenced music for the Russian's party near the end of the movie. Music was very well done, and the only reason I rated this a 4!
I think part of the problem with this movie is that most of continuity and presumably the very scary parts were left on the editing room floor (not literally, because I know it is digital, but that is a much better visual!). Overall, this movie was not scary,mostly confusing, and didn't haunt me at all.
