...to do this mundane short, but it helped it earn a few more stars from me. Mr. Coven is undoubtedly a fine storyboard artist, if his CV is any indication, but I'm sorry to say that his writing is straight out of E.C. Comics retread hell. As soon as Ms. Landau's provocative self starts telling her story, you know exactly where things are heading. If this had been tightened up to half its length, it likely would have been much better. I still wish I could have been Richard Irving, though.
4 Reviews
Yawn
germite3 December 2004
An 8-minute short that feels like 20 minutes, "Repossessed" (a horrible pun) features good cinematography and smart directing, as well as above-average performances from Juliet Landau and Jo Beth Williams, but is ultimately mired in a weak story. The movie takes 3 or 4 minutes to really get started, which isn't a good idea for an 8-minute movie, and once it does get into the story, it immediately falls apart, as the surprise is telegraphed minutes before it occurs, and the movie makes the same mistake as many other horror movies ... namely, in drawing out scenes, it aims for suspense, but only produces boredom. Juliet Landau looks wonderful, and does what she can with some silly dialogue, but she can't salvage this.
When the film makes me long for the Leslie Neilson movie "Repossessed" you KNOW it's bad.
movieman_kev1 May 2004
Tina (JoBeth Williams) shows Alison (Juliet Landau) around a house, Alison tells her a "spooky" story of the past couple who lived there. When Alison suddenly disapears, Tina gets worried. ooohhh scary (no, it's really not) I'm still of the mindset that JoBeth Williams has only been good in two movies (Stir Crazy & Poltergeist). Two in fifty-some films is NOT a good percentage. Juliet fares better acting-wise here, but having seen Direct Hit, that's NOT saying much. The film is contrived and unoriginal. Who thought a short merely 8 minutes could go on too long?? Thanks to this film, I do.
My Grade: D-
Where i saw it: Atom Films
My Grade: D-
Where i saw it: Atom Films
good intentions
Kirpianuscus24 November 2018
Something missing in this short film about haunting past. Not the performances, not only the story. But... the time. It seems too, too long against its 8 minutes. The motif - it has few good points but it becomes so easy boring, the last part being only not the most inspired repetition. So, only good intentions.
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