Thrillers!

Side note: I realize we haven't posted on here in forever. I have no good excuse. My bad.

Now that that's out of the way, it's time for a post about my favorite movie genre-thrillers! For those of you who are a fan of horror/mystery/thrillers, take a good look at the New Release wall-there are quite a few smaller movies up there that you might overlook that are definitely worth checking out (and some that aren't). Here's a guide to finding the perfect creepy movie for your Saturday date night!

Afterlife
Liam Neeson, Justin Long, Christina Ricci
I might as well start off with one you absolutely SHOUDLN'T watch. Christina Ricci plays a somewhat neurotic elementary school teacher who dies in a car accident after a fight with her boyfriend (Long). She wakes up in a morgue, only to find that she is dead and Liam Neeson is her mortician! He attempts to guide her "into the light", so to speak...but her boyfriend refuses to believe she's gone. Can he save her before she moves on?

Yes. It is as lame as it sounds. I have a crush on both Liam Neeson and Justin Long, and even that wasn't enough to keep me interested. Do yourself a favor and leave this one on the shelf.

Buried
Ryan Reynolds
I can't decide if I should recommend this one or not. The plot is interesting-Paul (Reynolds) wakes up in a coffin in the middle of the Iraqi desert. As his memory returns, he realizes that his whole company of truck drivers has been ambushed and killed, and he is the only one left alive-but not for long if he can't escape the coffin. He finds a bag with various light sources and a cell phone at his feet. He's got 90 minutes of oxygen and cell battery life left before he suffocates-will he find a way out in time?

This film is...stressful. It's definitely well done, and interestingly conveyed-the entire film takes place in the coffin. No flashbacks, no scenes of government agents trying to rescue him-nothing. Just a coffin. The only exposure you get to the outside world are the voices you hear him speaking to on the phone. I will say this-you won't be bored, and the films stays with you after it's over. But if you're at all claustrophobic, I'd stay away from this one. If tight spaces don't bother you, then definitely check it out-but be ready to come away from it slightly disturbed.

Case 39
Renee Zellwegger, Bradley Cooper
Renee Zellwegger plays a social worker who is given yet another case piled on top of her already-existing 38 active cases. As she investigates into the allegations of child abuse, she realizes that the case is nothing like it seems-and maybe she should have just stayed away.

This is actually a very entertaining film. The first half is full of surprises. However, the second half of the film is fairly predictable. Once the twist is revealed, the plot doesn't move forward a whole lot. But the performances are good, the deaths are gory, and the film is generally creep-tastic.

Devil
No Actors Anyone Has Ever Heard Of
The latest M. Night Shyamalan film*, Devil is about a group of strangers who get stuck in a high-rise elevator-only to discover that the devil himself is among them! One by one they start dying, and they only have until the next blackout to figure out who the culprit is.

This is a pretty good flick. It's creepy, but not too scary for those who aren't horror movie fanatics. It will keep you guessing until the end, and it's not too gory. Overall, it's a good, fun popcorn flick.

*Don't worry, he didn't actually make it-he just came up with the general idea. I promise it's better than anything he's done since Signs.

The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Also Nobody Famous
Alice Creed is the daughter of a millionaire who gets kidnapped for ransom money. Little does she know, not everything is as it seems, and her kidnappers might be out for more than just money.

This film is definitely worth watching, particularly for fans of crime drama. The beginning kidnapping scene is a little intense, but the film never crosses the line into disgusting or grotesque, at least not for my tastes. (There was a moment where I thought the movie might delve into rape or sexual abuse, but it doesn't, so don't avoid the film on that account.) The plot itself is very interesting-there is more than one "big reveal", and every plot twist is completely unexpected. Definitely worth checking out!

Exam
Once Again, No One Famous
A group of executives are put in a room and asked to take an exam as the final step in an interview process for one of the most powerful corporate jobs in the world. There is only one question they have to answer, and if they answer it wrong or break any of the rules, they are immediately disqualified and removed from the room. But there's just one problem-they don't know what the question is! Slowly the situation breaks down as it is revealed how desparate each one is to get the job.

This one is definitely a great thrill ride-it will keep you guessing, and has some great performances. The film is tense and fast-paced-with almost no violence, this is a good one for those who like mysteries, but don't like too much blood and gore.

The Last Exorcism
No One Famous, But The Lead Kinda Looks Like The Poor Man's Thomas Jane
Filmed in the documentary/mockumentary style, this film follows a hacky pastor who makes his living by cheating people out of their money. Eventually, he decides to quit swindling-after this one last exorcism. He goes through the ritual, including his hidden speakers with scary voices, buzzers hidden on the victim's bed to shock her, and sound effects-only to discover to his surprise that this exorcism might be real.

I really like this film, although I am the first to admit that I'm a bit biased-I love the exorcism genre. (The Exorcist, The Exorcism of Emily Rose-I love 'em all!) But what appealed to me most about this film is that although it is shot in documentary style, this filmmakers appear to actually understand what documentaries are supposed to look like. (In case you're wondering, Paranormal Activity isn't it.) They appreciate that documentaries aren't shaky and poorly made, and execute this film much in the same way. Also, it's kind of creepy and weird without being too intense. Overall, a good film for a night in!

-Posted by Colleen