Insidious

Tags

2010's, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey, Horror, Insidious, James Wan, Leigh Whannell, Lin Shaye, Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Supernatural Horror, Ty Simpkins

Film Title

Insidious

Director

James Wan

Starring

• Patrick Wilson as Josh Lambert
• Rose Byrne as Renai Lambert
• Lin Shaye as Elise Rainier
• Barbara Hershey as Lorraine Lambert
• Ty Simpkins as Dalton Lambert
• Leigh Whannell as Specs
• Angus Sampson as Tucker

A creepy, unsettling horror movie with supernatural overtones, Insidious is nightmare inducing stuff that will have you sleeping with the light on for a long time after viewing it.

School teacher Josh Lambert and his songwriting wife Renai have recently moved into a new house with their three children; Dalton, Foster and baby Cali. Everything is going well for the family until one event sets in motion something very terrifying. Young Dalton falls while exploring the attic and is rendered comatose, with the doctors saying he might never come out of it. Devastated by this, Josh and Renai try to make their way through this unimaginable situation the best they can. But strange events soon take hold that can’t be explained; Renai hears strange whispers on the baby monitor but finds no one there, Foster recalls seeing his comatose brother walking around at night and many more creepy events soon occur. Terrified, the young couple moves house in an attempt for a fresh start. But it appears that whatever is causing these events has followed them or more specifically Dalton. It is here that Josh’s mother Lorraine begins to tell of similar events happening to her and that she knows someone who may be able to help. Enlisting the help of paranormal investigator Elise, and her team, the Lambert’s soon learn that something very sinister is afoot involving Dalton that links to the realm of supernatural and an unusual gift that the young child possesses. Having to overcome their fears, the Lambert’s attempt to get their son back from wherever he is before it is too late.

James Wan directs with a real flair for the material here, crafting uneasy tension, jolts of terror and slow-building menace. Rather than just hit us from the very beginning, he slowly but surely litters the proceedings with strange events, while also giving something of a heart to the story as we witness the parental concern and nightmare of Renai and Josh.I did feel that somewhere in the second half of Insidious, it ran a little out of steam with some of the supernatural stuff. But it still kept me riveted as well as terrified, as it had built up very nicely and had done a number of unexpected things. One such thing is the fact that Insidious could easily having been just another haunted house movie, but instead the family moves house and the evil follows. This little detail helped me appreciate the film for not falling prey to that genre trapping. The visual palette is one of muddy mauve, faded yellow and melancholy grey, that gives Insidious that feeling of dread and the blurring of what we know and what we are scared to know. There are genuine rings of emotion in Insidious, predominately from the reactions of the parents while trying to figure out how to save their son from terror. Thankfully this drama is balanced with the scare factor and the two mingle very well together, instead of overwhelming one another. A score of unusual sounds and sudden jolts of terror is effectively used throughout Insidious and males it very chilling and nail-biting.

Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne are immensely convincing as the devastated parents attempting to save their son from the harm of the supernatural and unknown. The two work very well together as we see their differing attitudes of what to do, but them being united in their battle to free Dalton. Lin Shaye is delightfully eccentric but full of warmth and knowledge as the medium Elise, who is brought in when every other avenue seems closed. Barbara Hershey is very good in her supporting role of Josh’s mother who knows a little bit about some of the supernatural events happening. In the pivotal role of the comatose Dalton, Ty Simpkins is exactly right in conveying the terror and providing some chills when supernatural events take hold. Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson add some comic relief as paranormal investigators under the command of Elise and armed with an arsenal of unusual gadgets.

Bone-chilling, unsettling and filled with terror, Insidious is horror filled with creepiness and startling images.

Marie Antoinette

Tags

2000's, Asia Argento, Biopic, Historical Drama, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Kirsten Dunst, Marianne Faithfull, Marie Antoinette, Rip Torn, Rose Byrne, Sofia Coppola, Steve Coogan

Film Title

Marie Antoinette

Director

Sofia Coppola

Cast

• Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette
• Jason Schwartzman as Louis XVI of France
• Judy Davis as Comtesse Anne de Noailles
• Steve Coogan as Florimond Claude
• Rip Torn as Louis XV of France
• Rose Byrne as Yolande de Polastron
• Asia Argento as Madame du Barry
• Marianne Faithfull as Empress Maria Theresa

Sofia Coppola’s third picture, loosely based on the life of the notorious French queen, is not the average historical drama/biopic we are used to seeing. If it’s cold hard facts you are looking for, turn away now as this takes liberties with history. But if you can accept the film as an MTV style, rock and roll story of a young girl stuck within the alienating boundaries of monarchy and pressure, then you may enjoy this sympathetic, visually sumptuous and ambitious account of the much debated Queen and her life.

At the beginning of the film the year being 1768, we are introduced to Marie Antoinette. She is the 14-year-old daughter of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and is charming, beautiful and naive. She is selected by her mother to marry the Dauphin, who will later become King Louis XVI, in an attempt to form an alliance between Austria and France. The young girl travels to France and meets the current king, Louis XV. After her marriage to Louis the Dauphin, who is nervous and not at all intimate with her, she is encouraged by those around her to produce an heir. This proves hard for Marie as there is hardly any passion within her union to Louis.The naive Marie is further alienated by her courtiers for being Austrian and for the fact that she hasn’t produce an heir yet. This leads to her feeling trapped and lonely within the many rules and customs of Versailles that she frequently dismisses as ridiculous . To ease her loneliness, she begins to spend large sums of money on fashion, gambling and throwing lavish parties.  This or so we are led to believe is one of the many reasons that the French people revolted against the monarchy and ultimately led to her downfall.

The first thing to note when watching the film is the visual appeal, which can’t be faulted. Making stunning use of Versailles, we are shown the lavish and equally decadent side to Marie’s lifestyle. Versailles, in the hands of Coppola almost becomes a pre-revolution high school, complete with gossip around every corner and scandal at every door. Differing from the conventional classical music of period pieces, Coppola lets loose with a soundtrack of 70’s and 80’s anthems, the results of which are sometimes interesting and other times intrusive to the narrative. Sofia Coppola’s script paints an interesting portrait of the controversial Marie, this time showing us a misunderstood young girl trapped within her new lifestyle whose choices incurred the wrath of many. I personally found this account an interesting one, there also were a few times in which events could have been expanded, but on the whole it was a curious spectacle nonetheless. One thing that can’t be faulted is Kirsten Dunst’s expressive portrayal of the eponymous queen. She captures the skittish, carefree and naive side to her whilst revealing a melancholy uncertainty arising from her loneliness and alienation. Jason Schwartzman is a hoot as Louis XVI who doesn’t often see the attractiveness of his bride and is initially unable to feel intimacy with her. Judy Davis ably stars as the lady in waiting who scolds Marie for her carefree attitude when it comes to the traditions of the French court. Rose Byrne adds a comedic side to the film as the money spending best friend of Marie who is one of the few people who amuses her in her life. In a brief but memorable role, Marianne Faithfull is icily imperious as the Empress who knows exactly what she wants. Look out for Steve Coogan as a witty diplomat, a stately Rip Torn as the ailing Louis XV and Asia Argento, delightfully sultry as the dishonorable mistress of the king.

I often thing that Marie Antoinette gets a lot of dissent because of its modern ideas and contemporary casting. But if you can handle a slightly revamped film that paints an original portrait of the monarch in question, Sofia Coppola’s ambitious Marie Antoinette may be the film you’re looking for. Yes it may have its flaws, but then again, history lessons where never as interesting and original as this.