the strangers

I hate horror movies. Sorry, but they are a genre that I just don't enjoy (and no, I don't understand why I'm apologising either).

Friday night, we decided, was a last night of freedom - we had the kids on Saturday, Sunday was nekkid Sunday, we had the kids for the rest of the week plus weekend. This was our last night of freedom for the foreseeable future. So, we headed across the border and decided to take in a film.

Decisions, decisions. Kung Fu Panda or Enter the Zohan. Neither! Which left...not a lot else. However, Maria had read a review of The Strangers. A review that told her it was a proper horror film. Not a slasher movie, a film with good characterisation, a good plot, good acting. A film where you cared about the characters - they didn't just get killed because they had disappeared down the cellar to have sex. But (big butt coming here), Maria has a past history with recommending films to me - or so she thinks. Whenever we see a bad film she takes it personally. She feels that it is her fault. Spider-Man 3 - her fault. Ratatouille - her fault. Iron Man - her fault. In reality, it doesn't take much to realise that the viewing of Spider-Man and Iron Man were my fault. The blame for Ratatouille can be passed to her kids. Actually, Maria's streak for picking good films is excellent.

So, we went to see The Strangers. A horror film. Did I mention that I don't like horror films?

And once again, Maria dragged me (screaming and kicking) into a film that I really enjoyed. True, it was a horror story but it wasn't a slasher movie. The way the story unfolded was well done. The actors (Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) gave credible performances. All in all it was a couple of hours well spent. I became involved, I became annoyed, I became frightened. There weren't too many of the jump-out-from-behind-the-scenery moments - in fact, which turned out to be even more scary, the protagonists slowly hovered into view and then disappeared, often without the main characters realising that they were there.

If you want to spend two hours on the edge of your seat, followed by four hours wandering round your flat, re-checking all your locks, this is a good film!

Comments

[(S)wine]

nice. duly-noted. coinKidintelly, i just watched a pretty intelligent "horror-type" film w/Speedman as the star called "Weirdsville." Cool flick, sort of meshes up zombie-horror-comedy-Guy Ritchie type stuff. shot in Toronto, so my better half enjoyed seeing some of her old stomping grounds.

i'm not a fan of the horror genre either, although i can point to Kubrick's "The Shining" as one of my faves ever in celluloid history. But that's about it for that. i also like "28 Days Later" but i'm not sure if that's "horror" or just "zombie" genre.

[Nancy]

The coming home and checking all my locks - I just can't afford, psychologically, to do that anymore. But I'm glad you and Maria enjoyed the movie.