NEW BLOOD: KONG SKULL ISLAND

KONG: SKULL ISLAND

Warner Bros./Legendary
2017 color
120 Mins.
Action/Adventure/Horror
Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Samuel L. Jackson, Thomas Mann and John C. Reily star.
Written by Dan Gilroy and Max Borenstein
Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Rated PG-13 for language, violence and gore.

It always seems that when a remake/reboot comes out people have the tendency to compare that version to the last and in a few cases they view the new version favorably. I myself try and be as open minded as possible looking at each film as a completely independent experience. Like for example when Man of Steel came out people couldn't stop saying how much better it was than Superman Returns. But that prior film was a superior version of the material . Man of Steel was all plastic and showy whereas Returns had a lot of heart and a solid storyline. Now Kong has come out and people are loving it and of course bashing Jackson's version of 2005. Well I myself feel that Jackson's version shouldn't even be compared to this one because it's undoubtedly superior. First of all they are two completely different beasts. Jackson's version was emotional, heartfelt, action packed and driven by strong characters and great performances. This Kong is a muddled, showy, mostly funny but overly absurd popcorn flick.

 It's no doubt that the makers of the reboot are talented. The cinematography and special effects are breath taking. And there are some really unique action sequences. But the characters are all one note for the most part with the exception of John C. Reily and Thomas Mann who add some zest to their roles. Sadly Hidddleston and Larson are completely wasted as they glide through scenes looking like they are on a photo shoot.

Samuel L. Jackson's character is just annoying and reminds us just how hammy he can be at times. Really it's none of their faults as their characters are severely underwritten and unbelievable. Add that to the fact that there seems to be absolutely no believable rationale movie. The characters end up doing insane things for no reason at all and in the rare instance that's someone is given a few character moments they feel forced and unremarkable lost in a sea of cinematic dribble. It's no doubt that the makers here have franchise on the mind as they wish to reboot the character by making him sort of a Kaiju fighting other beasts. But this Kong has little personality just as his counterparts. Sure they all look spectacular, Hiddlestons pecs and seductive eyes and Larson's unbelievably styled, flowing hair, and Long's massive physique and confused expression. But in the end there is just no point, it's just one battle after another which tend to become repetitive and uninteresting after a while. And for a film with a 185 million dollar budget and this much action it should never be dull, but it is.

Sure there are moments a gory spider attack and an underwater beastie are especially impressive but since it's all fluff and doesn't make much of an impact either way. Also it's disappointing on the creature front. Jackson's version has a ton of nightmarish creatures (that bug scene still haunts me) and had even more in the super long directors cut. But besides a big squid and large spider we have some carnivorous birds and a slew of " skull crawlers" which are cool looing over sized lizard thingys. Plus after all the insanity in the 2005 version we got some city destruction. Here it all ends at the island in a supremely ridiculous fashion. I will say that I did enjoy the Apocalypse now homages immensely and visually the film is a tapestry of sheer cinematic beauty. Still though it left me perplexed as to why it was ever done to begin with. **.5/5

NEW BLOOD: GET OUT (SPOILER FREE REVIEW)

GET OUT
Universal/Blumhouse Tilt
2017 color
100 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keneer, Bradley Whitford and Caleb Landry Jones
Written and Directed by Jordan Peele
Rated R for language, violence and gore.

Beware! This one arrives on a ton of buzz. Currently it sits at 100% positive reviews on rotten tomatoes. Despite the freakish trailers and critical recommend I went into Get Out with very little expectations and thank god I did because it was disappointing. A lot of the times I find that when a horror movie is very highly reviewed it sometimes doesn't connect with the every day horror fan. And to simply put it Get Out barely qualifies as a horror film. It's not very scary, funny or entertaining. That being said it's not a bad film and does manage to touch on new subject matter for the genre. The subject of racism is a prevalent one especially in today's society. It is without a doubt a very real thing. And the film does manage to broach this subject and explore it with a fare amount of interesting subtext. The film centers on a young African American man who goes to his girlfriends house for the weekend. Upon arriving he begins to experience lots of awkward exchanges with her family and than while at a party, her family's friends. Of course there's some creepy African American servants who act in such a way that doesn't seem natural. Add in some hypnosis and creepy imagery and you have this film. In it's earlier scenes it does mange to explore some common stereotypes in a smart and satirical way.There is of course some twists along the way. All very predictable to anyone whose seen a horror film. I won't name which films this one steals it's plot from because if I did it would give away everything. Unfortunately there's not a whole lot of suspense here the characters are never developed in such a way that we care about any of them. Peele does however manage to create an atmosphere of genuine awkwardness. The film never is as clever as it could be. Lightly touching on subjects and never exploring them to fulfillment. It also seems to promise bigger revelations and a bigger finale but fails on both. In the end it all just feels to familiar and lackluster to register successfully on any level. It's definitely not a fun audience movie and it's definitely not for the indie crowd either. It doesn't even deliver on the standard horror movie tropes unless you think cheap loud noise jump scares and people either standing awkwardly staring or running at you are scary. I do wish I had more good to say about it but it just didn't work for me. I may in fact be missing something, lol. So I warn you if you must see it, ignore the buzz and try and go with an open mind. It's an interesting watch but would work better as a tales from the crypt episode. **.5/5

NEW BLOOD: A CURE FOR WELLNESS

A CURE FOR WELLNESS
Regency
2017 Color
146 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs, Mia Goth and Celia Imrie star.
Written by Justin Haythe
Directed by Gore Verbinski
Rated R for language, violence, gore, nudity and sexuality.

Do you ever feel like you're the last person to the party? When I first saw trailers for this film I was so excited. I thought it looked great. A genre picture with intelligence, new ideas and a budget to back it up, finally. But as the film's release drew closer negative buzz began to pop up. Still I kept my hopes up. I thought this may be one of those that critics just don't get . They are just missing the deeper meaning here. And than this weekends box office a paltry 4 Million. I was indeed only one of the few that actually went to see this cinematic dreck. Well I was obviously wrong. A Cure for Wellness is a big disappointment on every conceivable level.

The film starts off promising with a scene of an every day guy dying of a heart attack while at the office. This led me to believe that film would offer some deeper subtext about our daily lives and their misdirection. Well no such luck, because that scene really has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. As we move along we meet Lockhart played by Dehaan). A young ruthless sort of business personality who is assigned to go find the company's CEO who has given notice after spending the weekend at a spa in Switzerland. Once he gets there he discovers a creepy, stylish hospital in which all the residents seem oddly happy. He gets into a horrible car accident and awakens as a patient in the facility. Although he presses the subject of leaving he still wishes to speak to and bring back his CEO. When finally managing to grab some time with him, he convinces him to return to the city to sort out some business dealings. But upon leaving he discovers he has changed his mind. Lockhart of course stays there and begins to learn about the mysterious history that surrounds the facility and gets acquainted with a young woman who lives there all the while subjecting himself to their questionable medication and treatments involving a magical water supply. After long enough he discovers some horrific (but expected) truths and tries to flee but learns they have no intentions of letting him leave.

 I wish this movie had a blip of originality to it. Everything in the film seems stolen from other better films from Phantiom of the opera to shutter island to even Flowers in the Attic. Even  down to those stylish visuals you see in the trailers, so unimpressive in the final film. I'm not going to spoil what it's ultimately about. But I will say that anyone familiar with the genre will see it coming from a mile away. The cast is decent and does what they can with their underwritten roles. DeHaan, so good in Chronicle is wasted here. His Lockhart is a confusing man with confusing motivations that most of the time just seem so non sensical. 

Gore Verbinski the acclaimed directed of the Ring and Pirates has created one hell of an epic mess here. There's so many scenes that should have been cut and others that were obviously cut that could have made the proceedings just a bit more coherent. The film doesn't seem to know what it wants to be or what it's actually about. There are so many loose ends left on the table and others that come to fruition in such a complete unsatisfying way it's hard to even know what the makers ultimate intentions were. The film offers no subtext or social commentary and is in fact a very shallow view.

 Although I don't like the film I will say that it's not terrible. It seems as though there might be a good film buried in this unforgivably long 146 Minute mess with some editing and focus but the end result leaves much to be desired. In the end upon walking out I have to say that I just didn't feel much of anything. It was certainly wasted time but done so in a way that the proceedings felt surreal and so confusing without even a zest of passion that it was almost as I spent the time looking at a blank wall and imagining what could be. My advice stare at a blank wall it will be so much more satisfying.  **.5/5

THE RING FRANCHISE 2002-2017 RINGS(spoiler free review)

It's been quite a journey for the first Asian import remake film. The franchise started on a positive note directed by the talented Gore Verbinski but soon began to deteriorate with the second chapter. It's another example of Hollywood's recycled ideas and unimaginative concepts as reasons to make a quick buck. Instead of giving the franchise it's due and keeping up the quality. So now here's Rings a sequel that's been in the works for the last twelve years in which you would figure they would have come up an idea strong enough to reboot the franchise up again to his higher standards. But the truth is whether it's good or not twelve years is a long wait for a sequel and what was once scary and fresh now feels formulaic and irrelevant. Still the concept merits potential and the question is will it ever finally be executed properly.


THE RING: DreamWorks 2002 Color/B&W 115 Mins. Horror/Thriller Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Amber Tamblyn, Brian Cox and David Dorfman star. Written by Ehren Krueger Rated PG-13 for language, violence and gore. Box Office: $129,128,133=Domestic   $249,348,933-Worldwide


RINGS(Short film): DreamWorks 2005 Color/B&W 16 Mins. Horror/Thriller Ryan Merriman and Emily VanCamp star. Written by Ehren Krueger. Directed by Jonathan Liebesman. N/R contains language, violence and gore.


THE RING TWO: DreamWorks 2005 Color/B&W 110 Mins. Horror/Thriller Naomi Watts, David Dorfman, Elizabeth Perkins, Sissy Spacek, Ryan Merriman, Emily VanCamp and Simon Baker star. Written by Ehren Krueger. Directed by Hideo Nakata Rated PG-13 for language, violence and gore. Box Office: $76,231,249=Domestic  $161,451,538= Worldwide


RINGS: DreamWorks 2017 Color/B&W 102 Mins. Horror/Thriller Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Vincent D'Onofrio and Aimee Teegarden star. Written by David Loucka, Jacob Estes and Akiva Goldsman. Directed by F. Javier Gutirerrez Rated PG-13 for language, violence, gore and sexuality.


The Ring franchise began in 2002. I remember seeing it at a preview screening a week before it came out. I was a fan of Ringu walking in but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the material was adapted. The film was brilliantly stylish and suspenseful. With a powerhouse performance from Watts. I did however feel that Samara's big scene was less effective than the original film because it was a digital projection instead of a real person.  It obviously clicked with audiences though I remember people screaming frantically as she debuted.

That film was followed by a short too link the films together more effectively. Future genre star Johnathan Liebesman directed the 16 min short stylishly and confidentially touching on some interesting turns for the material. Centering on a sort of teenage cult mentality distributing the dreaded video.

Than came Ring two from Ringu helmer Hideo Nakata I was even more excited learning he was involved. Well the transition to his first American film was choppy at best but still managed to elicit some light thrills and interesting visuals. Plus the dependable Watts came back and who could forget that suspenseful last segment with killer final say "I'm not your fucking mother!" 

 Now we hit 2017 and after twelve years of waiting and two years of delays we have Rings. And guess what it just wasn't worth the wait(big surprise). I'd like to first say that it's not a bad movie for the most part and it's not a cash in. It centers on the whole mythology of the Rings video and surprisingly enough has the most in common with that short film. It all starts out with a semi exciting scene on an airplane with a stressed but still sexy Zach Roerig (who should have been the film's lead) as he experiences his last few minutes of his 7 days while in the mid air. It never quite punches the way it should but does offer up a new angle.  Than we cut to the less interesting story of the infamous video tape when a college professor gets hold of it and decides to conduct an experiment with students. Well things begin to change of course and a young woman goes in search of her missing boyfriend. When arriving at the college campus she learns of the bad juju and even experiences it first hand through a bathroom door. Soon after her boyfriend arrives and explains his involvement and she watches the tape to save him. But something happens, the tape is different as she discovers extra scenes not there before which leads her on a journey to connect the missing pieces before it's too late.

The film manages to extend the mythology in a mostly satisfactory way beefing up the backstory. But the creators run the concept into a dead end at the film's culmination making a once unique concept sadly generic. All the characters lack any real type of development but that especially goes to the film's lead Julia. In the film's earlier charming scenes with her boyfriend her backstory is touched upon but never goes anywhere from there. The performances are decent even if Julia played by Lutz's, accent shows from time to time and Roe makes for good eye candy. But this entry although interesting manages to feel like nothing really. It's not scary, it can be mildly suspenseful at times and it's void of any type of humor and worst of all Samara is barely in it and when she is it's same ol same ol but with a lot less effect. Mostly because they over explain the proceedings to a point where it looses any type of mystery. I'm just surprised that something this lackluster was green lit. Yes it does progress the story forward but into an unimaginative ditch. And the goods that made the original work so well, that sense of urgency with that impending timeline are gone here. This film doesn't even seem to have one. In fact it's confusing even knowing what day the characters are on. I wish Rings was at least a so bad it's good entertaining venture but it just takes itself way too seriously a good approach if the film could deliver on the creepy goods the other films supplied. As far as the visuals are concerned what was once inspired is now overused and schlocky and this film is filled to the brim with a ton of those ho hum go tos. From flocks of dark birds to creepy hallways and drab colorless churches. And as for Gutierrez, I've heard his Before the Fall is actually quite good, but the work he does here feels very by the numbers.  In the end sadly enough we just have another run of the mill reboot. That's only new twist is so contrived and overused it makes you wonder why we ever needed any sequels to the original film to begin with.

THE RING ****.5/5
RINGS (SHORT FILM): ***.25/5
THE RING TWO ***/5
RINGS **.5/5

NEW BLOOD: RESIDENT EVIL THE FINAL CHAPTER

RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER
Sony/Screen Gems
2017 Color
106 Mins.
Horror/Action/Sci-Fi
Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen, Ali Larter, William Levy and Ruby Rose star.
Written and Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
Rated R for language, violence and gore.

The Resident Evil franchise has been met with a lot of criticism since day one. Some of it warranted, no doubt. But despite the overall goofiness I've been a fan since day one. I consider the original film to be the best video game movie ever made (not a high bar) and with one of the most exciting cliffhangers of any movie ever made. It was followed up by an overly entertaining guilty pleasure in Apocalypse. Super action packed and filled with "game" dialogue and overly ridiculous characters. Apocalypse lacked the serious goods of the original but made up for it with spot on unintentional funnies. Extinction followed and brought the film franchise back with a gritty Mad Max edge. Extra gore with some bad ass action scenes and a truly unique cliffhanger. It had me jonesing for the next chapter. When I first learned of Afterlife and the fact that it was bringing back the original creator I was so overly excited. The film somewhat delivered on it's promise. It's certainly the most stylish of the bunch and loaded with tons of the franchise's best visuals. But the story and dialogue are lacking and the film only really works as a guilty pleasure. But that did nothing to tame my excitement for Retribution especially after learning some of the originals popular characters would be returning. Well I can honestly say that it was truly a wretched experience. Sure it looked great and the score is amazing but that god awful story line that doesn't move the franchise forward at all was pathetic. But in the end I was still excited for the next entry especially after learning it was the final chapter and they were ready to go all in. Well I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. 

This supposed final chapter gleefully ramps up the ante delivering explosive action set pieces, awe inspiring stunt work and bringing the franchise back to it's more serious, scary, intense roots. The film centers on Alice as she learns of an airborne anti virus that can rid the world of the T Virus and everything it's created. On one final mission she gathers a mostly nameless( mostly useless) group of rag tag survivors to face down the Umbrella corporation once and for all. The films stakes and beasties are amped up. There is actual suspense here in not knowing who will bite the bullet (although occasionally it is quite obvious).  And yes it is a generic setup but the film's twists and turns tie up the franchise's mythology rather well. 

Don't be mistaken as usual there's still a plethora of potholes but I think it's important remember what kind of film this is. It's entertainment for people who enjoy movies like this. They may seem shotty or silly to some but it works for what it is. It also doesn't try to be anything else. There's no hidden subtext or commentary, it's just gory carnage and bad ass characters.

 And whether it's intentionally or unintentionally goofy the film deliver's the bloody goods. As for the visuals there are some neat spots here and there but nothing on par with the others. In addition it is rather impressive knowing they managed to execute a film of this magnitude for only $40 million. What's on screen looks to be north of a $100 million easy. And as for Milla she's beyond being game. The gorgeous 41 yr. old actress gives a 110% in every scene leaving it all on the table with her best performance as Alice. When all is said and done fans of the franchise will be pleased with the finished results. 

It's not as good as the first or the third but falls into line after that. It's a sensational edge of your seat thrill ride with a surprising punch of emotion. It's hard to say goodbye but who knows if it will really stick. I'm crossing my fingers it doesn't but if it really is the end they went out on top. ****.25/5

NEW BLOOD: SPLIT

SPLIT
Universal/Blumhouse
2017 Color
117 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
James McAvoy, Haley Lu Richardson and Anya Taylor-Joy  Star.
Written and Directed by M. Night Shyalaman
Rated PG-13 for violence, gore and adult themes.

I've been excited to see this movie ever since the trailers dropped. I found the premise so intriguing and it looked to be executed stylishly in a creeptacular fashion and than Shyamalan's name dropped and suddenly so did my excitement. After being punished with cinematic atrocities such as The Last Airbender, The Visit, The Happening and the abysmal After Earth, all of which had cool trailers, I wasn't expecting much. And than as the film neared release a ton of positive buzz started to emerge. But despite the excitement I still had my reservations. Well I'm happy to say I was wrong. Not only is Split the best of Shyamalan's career it's also an amazingly original, disturbing and nightmarish cinematic experience.

 The movie centers on three young women who are abducted by a man with 24 multiple personalities. I don't wanna say too much as it will completely ruin the film for you. But an abundance of sweaty palm inducing, edge of your seat suspense is generated as it marches towards it's gritty, illuminating, surprisingly fantastic finale. Now I don't wanna hype the proceedings up too much, it's not perfect. I do wish they would have built up two of the young women who fell to the wayside and the twist ending is both awesome and slightly disappointing but only for me. However, there is so much to appreciate here in this amazing cinematic experience. The subtext of the film is powerful and unexpected bringing up issues of abuse and the effects of it not just on the individual but society. And the film's message about people who have gone through dark times being purer of heart than those who haven't is really something powerful that so many people can identify with. 

But don't get me wrong this is a horror movie and it's truly horrifying. In fact the way in which the subject matter is explored and some of the visuals are so disturbing it's hard to believe this film received a PG-13 rating. The film is a solid showcase of just how friggin talented James McAvoy is (so hot here btw). I believe this film will be a break out role for him and will award him and garner him the much deserved stardom he deserves. He seamlessly moves through each of  the personalities believably giving each one them their own mannerisms and traits. It's truly inspiring to watch.

 Also so good is Anya Taylor-Joy which makes three solid performances in a row from this exciting new actress (The Witch, Morgan). But the real surprise her is Shylaman. After a string of disappointments he seems to have reestablished himself as a major force. Now truth be told this film may be a fluke and I myself will still be hesitant when I see his name on something. But this is a magnificent accomplishment nonetheless which I'm sure will be celebrated by audiences for years to come. ****.5/5

M. NIGHT SHYALAMAN'S WORK IN REVIEW

M. Night Shyalaman is not a name synonymous with quality fare as of late. Some would say he started his higher profile career off strong, I would say it landed on the decent end. But after only a few edgier products he soon began to deteriorate, recycling ideas and offering up ludicrous twists that didn't register with audiences. I wanted to look back on his career in lieu of the fantastic looking Split( I will posting that review tomorrow) which has gotten a ton of great buzz and it's being said that it's his return him to form. But below is more than enough proof to leave audiences questioning if he ever had that form to begin with.

SIGNS: Written, Directed and Produced by him in 2002 the movie was a big hit. Centering on a sort of small scale alien invasion. A family find themselves questioning their sanity as something terrifying from the skies seems to be targeting their farm. Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix and Abigail Breslin star. Although the twist at the end was a little hokey it is his best film in my opinion. Although borrowed, his execution reflected a more classic feel of Hitchcockian suspense and left viewers both baffled and on the edge of their seats. ****.25/5 Box Office: $408,247,917 Budget: $72,000,000

DEVIL: Although he only wrote and produced this is by far one of the best film's he's been associated with. Taut and edgy, directed solidly by John Erick Dowdle the film came after a slew of bombs from in 2008 but still managed to find a small audience with solid word of mouth. Starring Logan Marshall Green (So good in The Invitation). The film centered on a group of people trapped in an elevator and a rising body count. ****.25/5 Box Office: $62, 695,489 Budget: $18,000,000

THE SIXTH SENSE: Many were blown away in 1999 by his first big feature. Powered by a very solid Haley Joel Osment it centered on a young boy who saw dead people. The movie in my opinion was too obvious, I picked up it being weird that no one was actually talking to Bruce Willis's character early on. I actually thought it was just bad directing. Still the film manages some solid thrills and well executed suspense. It made a huge impact with audiences and was the base to Shyalaman's career for better or worse. ***.25/5 Box Office: $672,806,292 Budget: $40,000,000

THE VILLAGE: I remember seeing this film opening night and the ending being booed by the audience in a packed theater. Released in 2004 the film had an intriguing premise about a colony of people back in the day unable to leave their village because of the monsters in the woods. None of the film's promises come to fruition and almost every turn is a let down. I personally called the film's twist a quarter of the way through because I felt that either the film had bad set decoration or they were living in modern times. Although not a bad film Village didn't inspire much faith in what he had to offer but did spotlight a strong performance from Bryce Dallas Howard in her film debut. ***/5 Box Office: $256,697,520 Budget: $60,000,000

LADY IN THE WATER: I know people really hate this film but although I didn't think it was good by any means I found myself marginally entertained by what was on the screen. I also found the film one of his most ambitious and original creations that although mostly falls flat deserves credit in that he tried something new. The film centers on a quirky group of tenants in an apartment building who discover they are part of a prophecy to protect a mermaid of sorts against some beasties hunting her. It's hokey but some of the dialogue is fun and at least it's unpredictable. ***/5 Box Office: $72,785,169 Budget: $70,000,000 (flop)

THE VISIT: He tried to make a comeback in 2015 and did a little with this insipid, slightly offensive found footage thriller about two kids at their grandparents house. The film sadly resorts to jump scares and making fun of dementia. It's only mildly successful when playing the concept up for laughs. Crude and unoriginal. **/5 Box Office: $98,450,062 Budget: $5,000,000

UNBREAKABLE: Although this film hit earlier in his career in 2000 I consider it to be one of the worst films I've ever seen. I know it registers with a good amount of people. I found the film dreadfully boring with unintentionally funny performances especially from Samuel L. Jackson as Mr. Glass. At one point I had made fun of the movie saying "what is he a superhero". Well  the joke ended up being on me as I suffered through the drawn out proceedings miserably. *.5/5 Box Office: $248,118,121 budget: $75,000,000

THE HAPPENING: Despite a string of bad choices I still showed up for this supposedly darker and more hardcore Shyalaman film with excitement mainly because of it's intriguing premise and R rating. Once again the joke was on me and boy was it a huge joke. The solid cast embarrasses themselves through this hokey, generic bargain basement horror film about Mother nature taking the world back from us polluting humans. Laughably executed with a ridiculous twist the film managed to do a little money at the box office but put the last nail in his cinematic coffin. */5 Box Office: $163,403,799 Budget: $48,000,000

THE LAST AIRBENDER: Ugh how he ruined the Avatar anime. Although what's on screen is pretty much what happens during book one. It's executed in the most garish, amateur, ridiculously bad way. White washing the characters, everything about this production felt insincere and desperate. Although it sports some solid effects it's one of the most unwatchable cinematic disasters of all time. .5/5 Box Office: $319,713,881 Budget: $150,000,000

AFTER EARTH: What is there to even say. This movie pretty much killed Smith's career and it is absolutely abysmal. Dreadfully boring and confusing with a generic premise that has no originality. 0/5 Box Office: $243,843,127 box office: $130,000,000


UNSEEN:

SPLIT: I plan on seeing Split tonight and have some high hopes for it. I've heard some great buzz and the critical reviews are solid at 78% on rotten tomatoes and the audience is favorable at 81%. Hopefully it's not a travesty but at the very least I can expect a powerhouse performance from James McAvoy and some creepy thrills.

WIDE AWAKE (1998): Something about a ten yr. old who goes looking for god after his grandfather passes away with Rosie O' Donnell. Count me out.

PRAYING WITH ANGER (1992): An alienated, Americanized teenager of East Indian heritage is sent back to India where he discovers not only his roots but a lot about himself.  Sounds interesting but reviews aren't great and it's his first piece of work, so I'm thinking no.