100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 45: Oculus

Director: Mike Flanagan

Genre: Horror

Runtime: 103 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff, Rory Cochrane, Annalise Basso, Garrett Ryan, James Lafferty, Miguel Sandoval, Kate Siegel, Scott Graham, Michael J. Fourticq, Kate Parker, Justin Gordon, Bob Gebert

 

Description: Kaylie (Karen Gillian) tries to exonerate her brother Tim (Brenton Thwaites), who was convicted of murder, by proving that the crime was committed by a supernatural phenomenon.

 

Review: People used to think mirrors could capture your soul. After a death, they covered them up, afraid that the soul of the dead dragged the souls of the living into the afterlife. The mirror in “Oculus” takes lives by showing hallucinations. When leading character Kaylie is eating an apple, it’s actually a light bulb. Or is it? A scary image, a mouth full of blood, but the tension is there. And that’s why “Oculus” works.

The story starts with Tim Russell, who is being discharged from a psychiatric institution where he has been since he was 10. His father Alan tortured and killed Tim’s mom, and little Tim shot his dad. Tim’s older sister Kaylie remembers this differently. According to her an antique mirror drove Alan crazy. She has a plan to proof that the mirror has supernatural powers, but she needs her brother’s help.

“Oculus” is based on a short film “Oculus – Chapter 3: The Man with the Plan”, by director Mie Flanagan. Here a man is confronted with a demonic mirror. The short film was received well and Flanagan was asked to create a full length movie. He introduces two parallel story lines. One is set in the here and now, the other in the past. While Kaylie and Tim go back to their elderly house, you also see what happened all those years ago in the Russell family. This set up works very well. Although it sounds confusing, it really isn’t. it’s very easy to follow.

“Oculus” has some scenes that might shock you visually, but it’s more the threat then the gore that scare you. Because of the hallucinations, it’s sometimes hard for the audience to separate reality from hallucination. Both Brenton Thwaites and Karen Gillan, as Tim and Kaylie, do a great job. Rory Cochrane is also impressive, but it’s Katee Sackhoff that shines. Her role is not that big, but a memorable performance.

“Oculus” is definitely a horror movie worth watching!

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 14: Argo

Director: Ben Affleck

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 120 minutes

Year: 2012

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Chris Messina, Zeljko Ivanek, Titus Welliver, Keith Szarabajka, Bob Gunton, Richard Kind, Richard Dillane, Omid Abtaho, Page Leong, Farshad, Cea DuVall, Sheila Vand, Ryan Ahern, Bill Tangradi, Jamie McShane, Tate Donovan, Matthew Glave, Roberto Garcia Christopher Stanley

Description: Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent (Ben Affleck) launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1980.

Review: November 1979, Iranian students occupy the American embassy in Teheran, to enforce extradition of the Shah. Over fifty Americans were taking hostage and were released after fourteen days, after the Shah died. Six embassy staff members did manage to flee on that same day to the Canadian embassy. With a science fiction movie as a cover, they managed to escape after three months. In 1997, Bill Clinton released information about this mission, with a big role for CIA man Tony Mendez. This is a perfect story for a movie.

Director Ben Affleck choose Rodrigo Prieto as his cinematographer, who is known as the cameraman for Alejandro Gonzálex Iñárritu. This makes all the images authentic. This sets the film of to a good start and the thriller plot can develop. “Argo” looks perfect as a time period piece, with the characters constantly smoking, big glasses and televisions with buttons. In the second half of the film, the pace gets faster. This is a good thing. The movie is build slow and then picks up the pace.

“Argo” does have its weak points. Director Affleck is great, leading actor Affleck, who looks like Al Pacino in “Serpico”, doesn’t manage to convince you completely. As a CIA man he does, but the demons he has (drinking, failed fatherhood) don’t really reach the audience the way it should have. A strong opponent could have covered it up a bit, but the powerful performances are given by John Goodman and Alan Arkin, who have supporting roles.

I understand the success of “Argo”, it’s a true story about a heroic escape plan, and I liked it. The change of pace works well and Ben Affleck did a good job as a director. “Argo” is a good film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5