Before Midnight DVD Review

Rating:
15
Release Date:
28th October 2013 (UK)
Distributor:
Sony Picture Classics (UK)
Director:
Richard Linklater
Cast:
Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick
Buy Before Midnight:DVD [Amazon]
Before Midnight is the 3rd film in the most unlikely film franchise ever made. It started with the tiny budget Before Sunrise and followed 9 years later with Before Sunset. Neither film were smash hits but were critically acclaimed universally. Before Sunset even got an Oscar nomination for screenplay. It’s credited as directed by Richard Linklater but it’s more of collaboration between the director and it’s leads Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, who are credited as screenwriters on the 2 sequels.

It all started with Before Sunrise, which came out in 1995 that concerns a brief encounter between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) in Vienne in their early 20s. They have a night together after meeting on a train and they wander aimlessly in Vienne and fall in love. They realise they will probably never see each other again and decide not to swap contact details.

The saga continued in Before Sunset, Jesse has written a book about their night together and it’s a bestseller. He Is on European book signing/reading tour and is in Paris and Céline pops by to say hi to an old friend. Jesse has a kid and is married but his love with Céline is rekindled and he famously misses his plane in the last scene.

Before Midnight is set 9 years after the events of the last film. Jesse and Céline have married and parented twin girls. Jesse’s son from his previous relationship is staying with them for summer in Greece but he has to fly home to Chicago to stay with his mother. Jesse has continued writing to great success but Céline is at a crossroads about her career and is debating to work for the French Government. The two of them go to dinner with some writer friends and they buy them a hotel for a night so they can have a night together. Jesse and Céline arrive at the hotel but tensions mount between the two and breaks into an argument.

The Before trilogy is one of the very few honest depictions of a romantic relationships on films. They are so often sentimental and unrealistic. The 1st 2 films are so hopelessly romantic so in the 3rd film they decide to see how is it to really live with the personal you are madly in love with. It’s perfectly acted by the two leads you buy into these characters, you care for about them and it’s works it’s strange magic over you.

Linklater has worked in all genres from teen comedies, scif-fi, dark comedy, more experimental works, crime etc. The one thing that is really his forte is the films within one day, which he has done 8 times now. Almost all of these films are his best films. It’s just a time frame that suits his aesthetic of films about people wandering and talking aimlessly about art, philosophy, films etc.

Overall Before Midnight is by the far the best cinematic romance you will see all year and the most real. It helps that Linkatler, Hawke and Delpy are such good friends for it not seemed forced which it could so much. I hope there will a 4th film in the series cause the ending definitely leaves that possibility. It’s about 100 minutes and you will hard pressed to find a more enjoyable 100 minutes of cinema this year.

★★★★★

Ian Schultz

What Doesn't Kill You DVD Review

DVD/BD Release Date:
2nd September 2013 (UK)
Rating:
15
Director:
Brian Goodman
Cast:
Mark ruffalo, Ethan Hawke, Amanda Peet, Donnie Wahlberg
Buy What Doesn't Kill You:
[Blu-ray] or [DVD]

The DVD cover for Brian Goodman’s Boston-based crime drama flaunts a dull collection of action stances: Ethan Hawke reloading a gun, a car on fire, and a swat team closing in on some kind of truck mid-explosion. All of this accumulates to present, what will surely be, a gripping slice of action thriller, a rollercoaster of cloak and dagger with cops and robbers. However, whoever put the packaging together deserves some severe words. It’s misleading marketing no matter what. At no point in the film does a car explode or swat team mobilise. This film is not an action thriller.

What Doesn’t Kill You is –however- an enjoyable, well-constructed, crime drama with a keen focus on story and character. If it is approached in that way then any viewer is likely to have a positive reaction. Goodman’s own experiences, as well as those of co-writer and star Donnie Wahlberg, provide the inspiration for a heartfelt and sombre exploration of the lives of two bottom-rung criminals desperate to climb the ladder.

Mark Ruffalo gives a fantastic performance here as a man stuck in a vicious loop: his neglect towards his family is enforced by his constant need to venture out and earn money to pay bills. As the pressure reaches an all-time high, Brian stumbles into drug addiction and gets closer and closer to hitting rock bottom. All the while Ethan Hawke seems to live it up as Jack-the lad type Paulie; womaniser and hot-head. Though Hawke is great and has an obvious chemistry with Ruffalo, his character can’t help feeling skimpy in comparison to Brian who’s near-ridiculous dependency on drugs and slowly slipping control make for striking viewing.

Beyond character study, it’s difficult to stay entirely engrossed at many points in the film, so you can’t help but wish there had been just a little more of the action promised by the posters. This is a film focused on showing the behind the scenes of crime and very rarely the actual act. It’s a film about the people involved in crime and its impact on their lives, rather than a glorified mess of bullets and chaos.

What Doesn’t Kill You plays out like Goodfellas crossed with Boondock Saints minus the action and humour.  Goodman does a great job of incepting a mood for Boston that carries on throughout, ensuring this is a crime film very much tied to its locale. Overall its shot in a formulaic manner, but there’s a few good moments that show an ability with image construction that should have been put to more use: one particular scene showing a night-time assassination is gruelling in its realistic apathy, but gorgeous in all its snow blown shadowy splendour. Still a lack of startling shots isn’t exactly a huge issue, Goodman is to be commended on an entirely grounded, unpretentious portrayal of crime.

Not a show stopping piece of film, but definitely a good one marred only by the false expectations riled up thanks to bad marketing. What Doesn't Kill You is a character film, driven by great writing and great performances; it’s realistic and feels like a confession of sorts, a man’s life story in all its sordid, unfortunate, but eventually hopeful sentiment.

★★★½☆

Scott Clark

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God DVD Review

In the wake of the Jimmy Saville revelations and Operation Yewtree, you’d be forgiven for thinking that old television personalities from the 70’s had a monopoly on committing shocking sex crimes. There is however an institution even older than the BBC with an equally chequered history when it comes to abuse, the Catholic Church. This record of abuse is the focus of Alex Gibney documentary Mea Maxim Culpa: Silence in the House of God which asks whether the set-up of Catholicism had an implicit part to play in the silence surrounding the multiple cases.

The cases themselves turn out to be numerous and spread worldwide but Gibney’s doc is centred in Boston and on the case of Father Laurence Murphy, the head priest at St. Johns school for the deaf. Murphy was a popular figure among the children there, a hearing adult fluent in sign language and able to communicate and establish a rapour with them – the first abuse of power we witness in this hard-hitting documentary. Via signed talking heads with former pupils of St. Johns we learn how this trust was quickly used by Murphy to establish a horrific ritual of sexual abuse and assertion of control across St. Johns. Narration informs us of the frequent and disturbing practices the priest embarked on throughout his time at the school.

Added to the horror of the revelations we hear are shadowy reconstructions of events, utilising religious iconography and imagery to heighten the terror – so prevalent they are in outright horror films.

Setting the film apart from the countless news articles used as source material, Gibney goes further to examine the complicit role of the church itself in hiding such scandals and therefore forcing those guilty to re-offend. Cases appear across America and the rest of the world and Mea Maxima Culpa goes right to the heart, turning their attention and their cameras towards the Vatican.

Established as its own state under the Mussolini reign, Vatican City is free from traditional Italian law and is instead governed under their established Canal law. This self-serving set of rules enables the church to deal with matters in house, often leading to a lot of sweeping under the carpet and hiding away from public scrutiny.

This sense of unravelling of the truth, under chapter-like headings such as ‘the whistleblower’ and ‘the reckoning’ and the use of sharp editing add a suspense to the film leading it to play out almost like a heist or thriller film and ensures it becomes more than the made for TV special it could be in danger of appearing. The sense of anger of pupils, victims and indeed those within the church who bravely stood up to voice their concerns prevails throughout and, while some are able to seek solace, the continued silence coming from the Vatican is deafening and the most frustrating element of all.

★★★☆☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: 15
DVD Release Date: 24th June 2013 (UK)
Director: Alex Gibney
Cast: Jamey Sheridan, Chris Cooper, Ethan Hawke

Watch First Trailer To Richard Linklater's Before Midnight

Greece is the word, no not another Grease film but the location of a big reunion as Richard Linklater reunites with Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy for Before Midnight now watch the trailer!

After the success of Before Sunrise, Before Sunset Jesse and Celine return which sees the now married couple head to Greece on holiday 20 years after the first time they met on a train inbound to Vienna. The pair now with children, in their middle age attempting to handle the challenges life throws in front of them whilst struggling to keep the romantic spark between them alive.

I've never seen the first 2 films however you could say jokingly this is could be 'This Is 40' but don't take that as a guide in what this film is all about as this is arthouse not comedy.Before Midnight has plenty of charm, a film that will please fans of Woody Allen, plenty of dialogue, humour, romance.If your worried  about the quality of the film, you just have to look back to this years Sundance Film Festival put your mind at rest as the reviews where nothing but superb, so check out the trailer now!

Synopsis
In Before Midnight, we meet Celine and Jesse 9 years on. Almost 2 decades have passed since that first meeting on a train bound for Vienna, and we now find them in their early 40′s in Greece. Before the clock strikes midnight, we will again become part of their story.

Before Midnight is out in UK&Ireland 20th June (USA 24th May)

Source: Yahoo

Sinister DVD Review

Of all the horror films to make it to the big screen last autumn, Sinister, starring Ethan Hawke and directed by Scott Dickinson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose), probably had the most attention. If you were to take one look at any respectable horror web site the stills, TV spots, trailers etc were proudly flaunted as if with some secret knowledge that this will be something to remember. Though the film isn’t exactly a deal-breaker, it’s definitely one of the most skilfully executed horrors seen in 2012.

The story follows Ellison (a top-form Ethan Hawke), a true crime writer who, for his new project, moves him and his family to a new home. Soon after arriving, Ellison finds a box of old films that show the brutal murders of numerous families by an unknown assailant. As he gets closer and closer to unravelling the mystery of the tapes his family are pulled with him into grave danger.

Sounds like a fairly standard horror tale, but it’s not. The thing that puts this film above most is its finely tuned understanding of its subject; the use of old celluloid pulls out a hundred references to voyeuristic horror, Peeping Tom and Psycho jump to mind, and then there’s the family under duress aspect which brings in just about any “haunted house” film you’ve seen. But under all this is the relentless beating heart of a genuine horror story. Take any sequence where Ellison watches the films and you’ll find some of the tautest in ages. From the second we lay eyes on the conspicuous black box of home movies, with their unassuming yet ominous titles, there’s a feeling of dread lording over all. All of a sudden, we want the family to get away from the house, but at the same time we really want to see those movies. Even after the first we want to know what the rest of those canisters hold. That’s where the voyeuristic guilt comes into play and we, the audience, are all of a sudden participants to something ghastly. Unfortunately it’s the film’s own ingenuity that really highlights how lazy it can be, particularly its jump-scares which leap-frog the suspense and capture a significantly cheaper thrill.

Derrickson’s tight direction and frantic style keep the film on track also lending a chaotic feel to some of the more brutal moments. Ellison’s slow-slipping sanity comes with the rapid cutting-in of super 8, an effect that in other hands might have been wasted but here gives a Shining-esque sense of schizophrenia. The speed of the film is important to its narrative: just as the characters very quickly become confused and assailed, the narrative flickers through “haunted house” past “serial killer”, and eventually spirals into a web of macabre beyond the isolated affairs of Ellison’s new home.

The film’s primary issue is one not unusual in modern horror: it shows too much. A lack of reserve in relation to some of the more terrifying concepts allows those concepts to become almost laughable through over-exposure. A scene which sees Ellison wake in the night to wander his creaky old house suddenly becomes an abstract ballet with ghostly children. Mr Boogie, a genuinely unsettling omnipresence, eventually becomes too familiar which is a shame considering he’s the reason you spend half the film wincing in terror and trying to burrow into your seat.

Special note has to be reserved for Christopher Young’s soundtrack, which doesn’t bother to come up with a specific melody; instead it focuses on blurring the lines between film and reality, which in turn leaks Ellison’s world into ours. The insect flickering of the finished celluloid film pops up throughout the film amidst abstract chanting and a host of other deeply unsettling sounds to illustrate Ellison’s mind state and keep us wondering whether he’s bothered to wake up (or fall asleep) once the films have stopped rolling. It truly is a masterful score to be put up there with Young’s work on Hellraiser.

Sinister may not be a film to induct into the canon, but it’s certainly a well-executed piece of nerve-shredding that will haunt you for some time, and it definitely has the potential to seriously disturb your kids. Don’t see it alone.

Scott Clark

★★★★☆

Rating:15
DVD/BD Release Date: 11th February 2013 (UK)
Directed By: Scott Derrickson
Cast:Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance , James Ransone , Clare Foley, Vincent D'Onofrio
Buy Sinister:Blu-ray/ DVD

Win Sinister On Blu Ray & Limited Edition T-Shirt

The “Genuinely terrifying” (5*, Daily Mail) box-office sensation that terrified cinemagoers and critics alike is shortly upon us; the Ethan Hawke-starring Sinister arrives on DVD, Blu-ray and Download February 11th through Momentum Pictures.

To celebrate the release of Sinister, we’re giving away a limited edition t-shirt and a copy on Blu-ray! Plus, one lucky runner-up will also receive a limited edition t-shirt.

#SurviveSINISTER On Valentine's Day! From 8.00pm Thursday 14th Feb press play and watch your copy of Sinister and join in the fun on twitter following the hashtag #SurviveSINISTER. Share the fear and win prizes. Our team will be online from 7.30pm tweeting from @Sinister_UK to help you get ready!

Desperately in need of a best seller to revive his struggling career, true crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke), moves his family to the scene of his most recent story; the unsolved, gruesome murder of a loving, happy suburban family.

Shunned by the local community and strained by his obligations to his family, the discovery of a batch of home movies in the attic offers Ellison shocking proof to the crime he is investigating. Ellison notices the same unidentified figure appearing in each of the 8mm films, leaving him convinced that all the incidents are linked by a truly bizarre connection. As his investigations uncover the terrifying truth he starts to lose his grip on reality and it soon becomes clear that he is placing his own family in harm’s way.

To win the Sinister prizes please answer the following question:

Q.Sinister Ehtan Hawke and Dark Skies (out April) Josh Hamilton In films that share same production teams both starred in a film together in 1993 name that film?

Deadline for this competition is Thursay 28th February (2359hrs), Must be 15 years or older to enter
Please label email Sinister, include answer, name, address only to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com
Pre-Order/Buy:DVD / Blu-ray

Terms & Conditions:1.This prize is non transferable.No cash alternatives apply.UK & Irish entries only.2.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and Momentum Pictures. have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice 3.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,Momentum Pictures employees 4.This competition is promoted on behalf of Momentum Pictures  5. If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead 6.To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, Deadline 28th February 2013 (2359hrs)7.Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com), any other entry via any other email will be void.8.If the above form fails please send the information required from the form email it to win [at] thepeoplesmovies [dot] com (label sinister) If any info required from the form is not sent in the email your entry will be void 9.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.10.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry.11.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 12.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control13.The competition is opened to Aged 15 and over.14. Majority of the prizes on offer will come from representatives of the distributor, no The People’s Movies &Cinehouse, when we do have the prizes we will inform you.15. Unless Stated Please Do Not Include Telephone Numbers, we don’t need them and if you include your telephone number Cinehouse and The People’s Movies are not responsible for the security of the number 16.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email or announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners.17.This competition is bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.18.By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
UK Competitions and Prize Draws at UKwins
Loquax Competitions
Free Competitions
ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

Can You Survive Sinister? Horror Hit Coming To UK DVD This February

From the producer of “Insidious” and “Paranormal Activity”, the horror box office smash that terrified cinemagoers and critics alike in 2012  When Sinister comes to DVD and Blu-ray. Can you, dare you #SurviveSINISTER in your own home?

Desperately in need of a best seller to revive his struggling career, true crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke), moves his family to the scene of his most recent story; the unsolved, gruesome murder of a loving, happy suburban family.Shunned by the local community and strained by his obligations to his family, the discovery of a batch of home movies in the attic offers Ellison shocking proof to the crime he is investigating. Ellison notices the same unidentified figure appearing in each of the 8mm films, leaving him convinced that all the incidents are linked by a truly bizarre connection. As his investigations uncover the terrifying truth he starts to lose his grip on reality and it soon becomes clear that he is placing his own family in harm’s way.

It’s like “8MM” meets “The Shining” meets “Insidious”. A supremely creepy horror, full of dread, shocking images and almost unbearable tension, this one is pretty much guaranteed to give audiences nightmares. It also features a superb central performance by Ethan Hawke.

So can you survive Sinister? Find out 11th February 2013 when the film arrives in UK&Ireland on DVD, Blu-Ray. Sinister stars stars Ethan Hawke , Vincent D’Onofrio , James Ransome, Juliet Rylance and Fred Dalton Thompson

• Extras: 
• Director's Commentary
• Commentary with Writers Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill
• True Crime Authors Feature
• Living in a House of Death Feature
•  Fear Experiment
• Trailer

Pre-Order: Sinister On Blu-ray / DVD

Win SINISTER Poster & Bag

We love to spoil you at Cinehouse and The People's Movies  with competitions and tomorrow a horror that's been living up to it's hype Sinister will be released in UK&Ireland. When great films come out we love to celebrate a great film by giving away some great prizes and our kind friends at Momentum Pictures have given us a  poster  for one lucky reader and as a extra bonus the winner will also receive a limited edition film bag to carry those spare trousers & underwear after you check Sinister out!

"The producer of “Insidious” and “Paranormal Activity” delivers a chilling horror like no other with a movie that is being hotly tipped as the most effective edge-of-your-seat cinematic experience of the year"

Desperately in need of a best seller to revive his struggling career, true crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke), moves his family to the scene of his most recent story; the unsolved, gruesome murder of a loving, happy suburban family.
Shunned by the local community and strained by his obligations to his family, the discovery of a batch of home movies in the attic offers Ellison shocking proof to the crime he is investigating. Ellison notices the same unidentified figure appearing in each of the 8mm films, leaving him convinced that all the incidents are linked by a truly bizarre connection. As his investigations uncover the terrifying truth he starts to lose his grip on reality and it soon becomes clear that he is placing his own family in harm’s way.

Sinister (Momentum Pictures) is out at UK cinemas on Friday 5th October. Read Our Review

To enter this competition please answer this simple question:

Q.Director Scott Derrickson directed whose Exorcism ?

a.The Exorsism of Emily Jane
b.The Exorcism Of Emily Rose
c.The Exorcism Of Emily Blunt

Send Your Answer, Name, Address, Postcode and 2+8-5= to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com, header your email as 'Sinister' , Deadline is Sunday 21st October 2012

Sinister is released in  UK& Irish cinemas from the 5th of October and you can find out more on both Facebook and via their twitter: @Sinister_UK.

Terms and conditions

• This prize is non transferable.
• No cash alternatives apply.
• UK & Irish entries only
  The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and Momentum Pictures have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice
• The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,Momentum Pictures employees
• This competition is promoted on behalf of Momentum Pictures
  
• If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead.
• The Prize is a signed Robert Cargill poster and limited edition Sinister bag
• To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, 2+8-5= Deadline October 21ST, 2012 (2359hrs)
• Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com), any other entry via any other email will be void.
• label your email 'sinister'
• automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned
• The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes
• Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control.
• The competition is opened to Aged 15  and over 
• Unless Stated Please  Do Not Include Telephone Numbers, we don’t need them and if you include your telephone number Cinehouse and The People’s Movies are not responsible for the security of the number.
• The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email
• This competition is bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.
• By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
UK Competitions and Prize Draws at UKwins
Loquax Competitions
Free Competitions
ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

Sinister Review

★★★★☆

Of all the horror films to make it to the big screen this autumn, Sinister, starring Ethan Hawke and directed by Scott Dickinson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose), has probably had the most attention. Take one look at any respectable horror web site and the stills, TV spots, trailers etc are proudly flaunted as if with some secret knowledge that this will be something to remember. Though the film isn’t exactly a deal-breaker, it’s definitely one of the more skilfully executed horrors we’ve seen thus far 2012.

The story follows Ellison (a top-form Ethan Hawke), a true crime writer who, for his new project, moves him and his family to a new home. Soon after arriving, Ellison finds a box of old films that show the brutal murders of numerous families by an unknown assailant. As he gets closer and closer to unravelling the mystery of the tapes his family are pulled with him into grave danger.

Sounds like a fairly standard horror tale, but it’s not. The thing that puts this film above most is its finely tuned understanding of its subject; the use of old celluloid pulls out a hundred references to voyeuristic horror, Peeping Tom and Psycho jump to mind, and then there’s the family under duress aspect which brings in just about any “haunted house” film you’ve seen. But under all this is the relentless beating heart of a genuine horror story. Take any sequence where Ellison watches the films and you’ll find some of the tautest in ages. From the second we lay eyes on the conspicuous black box of home movies, with their unassuming yet ominous titles, there’s a feeling of dread lording over all. All of a sudden, we want the family to get away from the house, but at the same time we really want to see those movies. Even after the first we want to know what the rest of those canisters hold. That’s where the voyeuristic guilt comes into play and we, the audience, are all of a sudden participants to something ghastly. Unfortunately it’s the film’s own ingenuity that really highlights how lazy it can be, particularly its jump-scares which leap-frog the suspense and capture a significantly cheaper thrill.

Derrickson’s tight direction and frantic style keep the film on track also lending a chaotic feel to some of the more brutal moments. Ellison’s slow-slipping sanity comes with the rapid cutting-in of super 8, an effect that in other hands might have been wasted but here gives a Shining-esque sense of schizophrenia. The speed of the film is important to its narrative: just as the characters very quickly become confused and assailed, the narrative flickers through “haunted house” past “serial killer”, and eventually spirals into a web of macabre beyond the isolated affairs of Ellison’s new home.

The film’s primary issue is one not unusual in modern horror: it shows too much. A lack of reserve in relation to some of the more terrifying concepts allows those concepts to become almost laughable through over-exposure. A scene which sees Ellison wake in the night to wander his creaky old house suddenly becomes an abstract ballet with ghostly children. Mr Boogie, a genuinely unsettling omnipresence, eventually becomes too familiar which is a shame considering he’s the reason you spend half the film wincing in terror and trying to burrow into your seat.

Special note has to be reserved for Christopher Young’s soundtrack, which doesn’t bother to come up with a specific melody; instead it focuses on blurring the lines between film and reality, which in turn leaks Ellison’s world into ours. The insect flickering of the finished celluloid film pops up throughout the film amidst abstract chanting and a host of other deeply unsettling sounds to illustrate Ellison’s mind state and keep us wondering whether he’s bothered to wake up (or fall asleep) once the films have stopped rolling. It truly is a masterful score to be put up there with Young’s work on Hellraiser.

Sinister may not be a film to induct into the canon, but it’s certainly a well-executed piece of nerve-shredding that will haunt you for some time, and it definitely has the potential to seriously disturb your kids. Don’t see it alone.

Scott Clark

Rating: 15
Release Date: 5th October 2012 (UK)
Directed by: Scott Derrickson  
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance , James Ransone , Clare Foley, Vincent D'Onofrio

New Red Band Sinister Trailer Will Intensely Disturb You

When it comes to film’s with such an amazing buzz I like to tread on safe ground and call it potentially great film but Scott Derrickson’s Sinister since it’s SXSW premier the buzz has been steadily been growing and tonight we have a new Red Band Trailer! Pardon my French but holy shit this is genuinely looking a scary film!!! This been a red band trailer so you’ll be expecting a few f-bombs,nudity your disappointment will become fear as what we get is some truly disturbing imagery and as no words are uttered it gives this trailer a truly atmospheric level of dread. Sinister is one Horror film even hardcore horrorphiles will have to admit we have a potentially scary film on the cards.

We are catching the film in just over a week’s time, but you can read the Frightfest review our friends at Blogomatic3000 gave us, You can catch Sinister on October 5th (UK, Ireland and USA) starring Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, Clare Foley, Juliet Rylance and James Ransone

Desperately in need of a best seller to revive his struggling career, true crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke), moves his family to the scene of his most recent story; the unsolved, gruesome murder of a loving, happy suburban family.Shunned by the local community and strained by his obligations to his family, the discovery of a batch of home movies in the attic offers Ellison shocking proof to the crime he is investigating. Ellison notices the same unidentified figure appearing in each of the 8mm films, leaving him convinced that all the incidents are linked by a truly bizarre connection. As his investigations uncover the terrifying truth he starts to lose his grip on reality and it soon becomes clear that he is placing his own family in harm’s way.

source Yahoo Movies

Frightfest 2012: Sinister Review

The “found footage” flick. Possibly the most derided genre of horror, even more so than the slasher movie these days. With film after film seeing light of day via DVD you’d think found footage films are heading for burn out. But then along comes Sinister. Playing on the “found footage” conceit, the movie is however less a found footage film than a film about found footage. If Paranormal Activity and Insidious captured the imaginations of cinema audiences everywhere then Sinister is surely set to do the same. With a similar “found footage meets haunted house” premise to the aforementioned films, the movie tells the story of true-crime writer Ellison who, desperate to repeat the success of his earlier work, moves his family into a home where a horrific quadruple homicide took place (footage of which opens the film in a stunning fashion). Of course Ellison doesn’t tell his wife and kids the truth about their new home, however it doesn’t take too long for them to find out… Discovering a box of ‘home movies’ in the attic, Ellison spins the Super 8 reels, sitting stunned as the gruesome murder footage plays out. As he comes to realise that the murder he is investigating goes a lot further than just his house, he also realises the toll his investigation may take on his family. When it comes to horror movies everything has already been done, from slasher movies to found footage films there really is nothing new under the sun. So it takes a lot for any new movie to feel refreshing and new. Thankfully Sinister is one such film. Directed by Scott Derrickson, who was responsible for the better than average The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister is a masterpiece film-making; not only playing on genre tropes but using them to spectacular effect. From the grindhouse style Super 8 footage of the grisly murders, to the creepy haunted house bangs and bumps, we’ve seen it all before but here it works – so much so that it made even this horror fan jump out of his seat a couple of times! Best of all the script, by director Derrickson and film critic C. Robert Cargill (aka Massawyrm from Ain’t It Cool News), doesn’t treat the audience like idiots. Characters spout lines that the audience are thinking and just when the events reach a terrifying crescendo Ellison moves his family out of the house! If you’ve ever seen a haunted house film you’ll know the feeling of shouting at the screen, almost begging the characters to movie out – here they do. It’s a very small thing but it’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the nuances found in the films fantastic script. Ethan Hawke gives an astonishingly strong performance as crime writer Ellison, a man whose behaviour is less than exemplary. He lies (and keeps lying) to his family about the house; he lies about why, as his family falls apart, he is really forcing them to stay; and he lies to himself about his real motivations – money and fame rather than trying to solve the crime. However despite all that Hawke manages to imbue Ellison with a likeability – after all deep down he’s a man who’s only trying to provide for his family the way he knows how. Hawke’s performance also goes a long way to convince the audience of the believability of the more supernatural aspects of Sinister. Speaking of which, the films “villain” Mr. Boogie, is on the surface yet another stereotypical movie boogeyman but between the skillful way in which the character is revealed, and later his true ideology, the cliche of a “boogeyman” can quickly been forgiven. Especially given the movies stunning final twist… Sinister really is one of the best, and scariest, American horror films I’ve seen in years. Someone give Derrickson and Cargill the greenlight to make another – I’ll be first in the queue. This was a review by Phil at Blogomatic3000 Rating:15 UK Release Date: 28th August 2012 (Frightfest) 5th October 2012 (UK&Irish cinema release) Directed by:Scott Derrickson Cast:Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Clare Foley, Juliet Rylance,