Three Movies, Three Days

Last week I saw Paranormal Activity, Where the Wild Things Are and The Informant!

Paranormal Activity a low-budget, so-called psychological horror/thriller. It has been touted as the next Blair Witch Project. I was not expecting this to be great, but rave reviews had me believing that it would be scary – nightmare scary, or so I was told. The premise is a couple who start hearing things in their house late at night, so the boyfriend, Mika, buys a video camera to film the goings-on. His girlfriend, Kate, is really freaked out about the whole business, since apparently she heard these noises before in her previous house. The relationship between to two is fascinating to watch as it unfolds, as Kate becomes more and more disturbed by what is happening while Mika, who was unconvinced, becomes provocative. The strain on their relationship is equally compelling as they call in a psychic and employ measures to "communicate" (a failed Ouija board attempt entails), or at least figure it out. Many kudos to Mika - he's much more together than I would be in that situation, and is willing to source out the cause of any noise.

Having not seen Blair Witch (yet), I cannot compare. I was admittedly sceptical of the film’s potential, but was ready to be scared, having read the hype. While the downstairs frights are spooky, I wasn’t impressed, particularly when I’d been told this was a film that would give me nightmares. The premise behind the film, though – the idea that we might not be safe, even in our own beds – is quite powerful. However, the ending was quite disappointing, considering the film’s play on our imagination.

2 stars

***

Due to my unappreciative family, I was forced to go to Where the Wild Things are by myself if I wanted to see it. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I was curious as to how Dave Eggers would pad out this sparse, short children’s book which is largely illustration and imagination, but the back story was creative, touching and quite fitting. From the opening scene, which consists of little dialogue, in which Max builds an igloo of sorts and starts a snow fight with his sister’s friends just for someone to play with, it is clear Max is a lonely child who craves attention from his single, struggling mother. After a fight with his mother, he runs away. We can see from his handmade creations and blanket cave in his room examples of his vivid imagination. He crosses an ocean and discovers the Wild Things, who are glorious in their furry fury. Even on his imaginary island the Things are manifestations of his broken home; Carol, who becomes his closest friend, is just as needy and selfish as Max. The Things are in desperate need of a leader to unite them and crown Max their King. However, as Max soon realises, trying to please everyone pleases no one, and that family takes hard work. Despite repeated attempts to have fun, the Things seem dissatisfied. Carol and KW are the most dysfunctional of all the couples/relationships, and perhaps the most heart-breaking, for all Max's efforts to help them be together.

The Things are huge, wonderful creations. They seem quite large and overwhelming but really they’re just big and cuddly; the costumes are terrific. Not to mention the fabulous rough and tumble cinematography, which is only bested by the breath-taking scenary and sunsets.

I was, however, surprised by how dark and sometimes violent the film could be, considering it’s an adaptation of a children’s book. I'm not sure I'd be entirely comfortable with a kid under 10 seeing it. The ending is bittersweet, but Max finally realises what he has taken for granted.

4 stars

***

The exclamation clearly expresses the somewhat playful nature of The Informant! Matt Damon is not himself; he becomes Mark Whitacre, the man who – in real life – became a whistleblower on his own company to the FBI whilst embezzling massive funds from the firm. Whitacre is a complex, confused character who Damon portrays in a very sympathetic light – it isn’t until the last third of the film in which his double-crossing begins to unravel, and then the lies come out. But at the end of it all, you feel sorry for Whitacre, who seemed to sincerely believe that even after all he’d done to the company, that the board would understand and make him president once his higher-ups had been arrested. The erratic, often unrelated voice-overs are quite funny, and give us something of an insight into Whitacre’s twisted, bi-polar thinking. It becomes apparent that Whitacre is somewhat deluded, mentally, and perhaps a little unstable, but never does he come across as evil, vindictive, coniving or greedy, and never does it cross he mind that he could be any of these things. His wife, Ginger, is incredibly supportive throughout all of this, and even in life stayed with him. This is a hugely enjoyable film in which Damon is in his element.

3.5 stars

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JAG