Reviews

The subject matter has been well covered in other reviews, but I just want to mention that the film making's use of conventional documentary tropes such as re enactments, voice over, interviews, and pans over letters, are somehow woven together in a mesmerizing fashion with absolutely beautiful cinematography and lighting of the re enactments, which are shot in the actual house. The shots linger over beautifully lit and composed scenes, without feeling slow. The voice actress that plays the crazy lady is really good. The music is subtle but creepy and melancholy and really adds to the atmosphere. Almost every line is a description of the woman by another person who starts out with the word "she", which at times is almost overwhelming though i'm sure that was the point. "she was this, she was that, she was the other, she did this she did that," imagine hearing sentences starting with the word she at least 200 times. Anyways the production values here really elevate this over the way this type of story is usually handled.

Its hard to say how influential this movie really was in that it's one of those things that's so original that nobody including the director has tried to really rip it off- However having watched this movie hundreds of times since it came out, the element of it that comes through to me more clearly every time I see it, personally, is the spot on social commentary. But there is so much going on here, and all so well balanced, you could focuse on a different aspect of it every time you see it. Often overlooked, the cinematography is really awesome, done by robby muller who went on to do a lot of work with jim jarmusch, it really elevates the material, as if it needed elevation.

you'll probably love this- it follows the mockumentary format excellently but ups the ante because its following a cast of actual (in the worldof the movie) vampires. (oh and some werewolves make a hilarious cameo.). But within the conceit of being a mockumentary its played totally straight.

The few special effects scenes are really well done for the budget and all the more powerful because they knew to do it sparingly.

total throwback to quirky 70s mid-budget flicks like dirty marry crazy Larry, with a nod towards Cohen brothers cinematography. Good dirty fun, simple but not stupid. The actors were all really good and brought more to their roles than was in their dialogue, its so rare to see that across the board in a film nowadays. Rated a 7 because I'm comparing it to the classics, compared to what's out now it's an 8.

That being said, the decision to have a lady in the lead role is very modern, especially since she is never sexually objectified.

Sorry feminists but here ya go. This has an all female leading cast and attractive girls beating each other up the lead is now a successful stunt woman fun to watch while wasted. There are many conversations between two or even 6 women that have nothing to do with a man, and then they kungfu fight each other. It's certainly not an A list Hollywood production but if you like seeing lots of cute girls beat each other up in a non anime/fantasy scenario give it a watch.

i'm writing this in 2017 and none of pixar's subsequent films have even tried to be this deep and artful. Which is a bit weird to me because it's not like wall-e flopped at the box office. Yet now they are making cars 3, based on their most insipid property. sigh. Honestly this is not a kid's movie. In the theater I saw this back when it was first out, children were crying and some parents walked out. But as an adult pixar fanboy it far exceeded my expectations. It's a true work of cinema.

I really just wanted to review andreasarslan's review of this, that is one of the most entertaining pieces of film criticism I have ever read, and I also thought your one other review of death note was amazing. I would love to read anything else you have ever written- grocery lists, whatever. Just read andreasarslan's review of the room, it sums it up better than I could ever dream of...

This is like the British version of "girls"- which is to say it's way better than girls. Despite having lived with these sorts of people in NYC, there is a big cross pollination with London, and i've been there too. That being said, I had no desire to watch more than one episode of this, whereas I lasted half an episode with girls. To the people who think these characters are unrealistic, the fact that they are totally realistic is the cringe factor some speak of.