Halloween Dvd Review: The Others

In our recent Halloween movie list post, I indicated that I would review a movie choice for you that was not on the list. There were two reasons for that decision. First, I really wanted to highlight the movie as the sneaker rental you should grab for Wednesday night. Second, just by inserting The Others into a category, I would have possibly given the entire plot away. Yeah, it's that transparent and would ruin the movie if you put 2 + 2 together too soon. Unspoiled though, this movie will creep the *&%$ out of you.

The entire movie takes place inside and on the grounds of a large manor house located on a British island shortly after World War 2 and the German occupation of said island. You know you really can't beat a manor house as a location for either an English murder mystery or an old school ghost story. Nicole Kidman heads up the cast as Grace Stewart, the mother of two young children with a serious illness left behind as their father went away to war.

It becomes readily apparent as we are introduced to the house, the new house staff, and the children that there is something very strange about it all. When we first hear the disembodied voice, and see the disembodied hand we realize this is a real ghost story. Usually the children in these sorts of movies always know more than the adults and this doesn't veer from that formula, but thankfully it adds all the necessary chills.

Kidman plays the lonely mother barely holding it together quite well. You truly believe that any moment she's going to absolutely loose it, and that's part of the pull. The children are excellent in their roles, alternately knowing and terrified when called on. Kudos to Alakina Mann as daughter Anne Stewart. She speaks with confidence and sass as she's the only one that seems to have a handle on things, but I want to go through the t.v. at times and slap her smart mouth. Sue me.

On the other side of that, James Bentley plays the young son Nicholas Stewart. He spends the film terrorized by his sister and the things she says. He resembles the boy who played Damien in the recent Omen remake, and frankly that just makes this movie more freaky.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the three new additions to the home which we meet at the beginning of the film. The staff which knocks on the door and sends the picture into drive. The cook, housemaid and gardener, who seem to have an alternative agenda, and are clearly aware of something that nobody else is privy too. This trio completes the package of a well done thriller.

In the end you may slap your head and say, oooooohhhhh! Believe me when I tell you that there could be worse ways to get to a climax. The last scene is haunting and when the last frame plays I want the film to keep going. What happens next? Give me some more, I want to see the next interaction.

Pick it up from the rental store on your way home today or tomorrow before the kids head off to raid the neighborhood. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Elijah

Look for a slew of reviews next week as the family goes out of town for a week. We'll try to mix the genre's around a little to keep you entertained.

Great response in last weeks poll! Rushmore took the win with 4 votes to Royal Tenenbaums 3, some scattered votes for other Wes Anderson films, and 2 votes asking who the hell is Wes Anderson.

STC’s Second Wind v1.0, The Rise of Jake: All Aboard The Darjeeling Limited

Hello everyone (Elijah and three others that read this blog), my name is Jake and I dig movies. Elijah, with his numerous commitments, can not find the time to post as much content as he would like and I’m here to fill the void. I try to get to about a movie a week, but as Elijah can attest, our work week (I unfortunately have to work with him, but thankfully we’re on opposite sides of the office) sometimes can dictate ungodly hours and the time available to catch a flick can be limited. However, I also have a Netflix account, HBO and Showtime, which can provide an awesome array of rental entertainment. So, prepare for Skip the Concessions’ Second Wind.

Last Friday afternoon, I popped over to the Fox Tower to catch an early afternoon showing of The Darjeeling Limited, Wes Anderson’s latest comedy installment starring Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody and Jason Schwartzman. I’ve been a fan of Anderson’s work since first seeing Rushmore and Darjeeling Limited did not disappoint.

The movie opens with a montage scene of Bill Murray in an Indian taxi, the movie takes place in India, precipitously navigating through a maze of traffic, merchant carts and the odd assortment of farm animals in order to catch the afternoon departure of the Darjeeling Limited. At the station, to Murray’s dismay, the train is just pulling out of the dock and he darts after the caboose to jump aboard. Murray can only muster a light jog and is surpassed by the far more youthful Brody, who, in spectacular slow motion Technicolor, leaps aboard. Unwilling to let go of his baggage (the underlying theme for pretty much the entire movie), Murray misses the train and is not to be seen again...

After a life threatening motorcycle accident, Francis portrayed by Wilson (we don’t get to see Luke in this movie) has an awakening and calls an emergency family meeting, asking his two brothers, Peter (Brody) and Jack (Schwartzman), to join him on a trip across India aboard the Darjeeling Limited. Up until their encounter on the train, it had been a year since either had seen or talked to one another at their father’s funeral. The lack of intimacy and trust creates an amusing backdrop as the train rumbles through central India. For their journey, the brothers have packed their belongings in various pieces of animal print luggage, all of which had belonged to their father.

Owen Wilson is fantastic as the eldest brother in a somewhat of stereotypical maniacal role but he’s much more subdued and quirky. Jason Schwartzman is a very under-rated actor, in my mind. Every project that he’s worked on, save for Sophia Coppola’s wallpaper piece Marie Antoinette, has turned to gold. He is also a talented musician, playing the drums for the now debunked Phantom Planet (Theme song from the O.C. – I watched it for the first three seasons then it turned into Beverly Hillbillies meets As The World Turns or just about any other day time soap you want to throw in) but his first solo project called Coconut Records is awesome. Of the three brothers, he is the most grounded but he has his interesting character traits as well. If you watch the film, pay attention to his feet throughout the movie; interesting imagery. Adam Brody’s character is the most complex but his performance was somewhat brushed aside by the strength of the other two.

Wes Anderson has a taste for spaces, a high school campus in Rushmore, a house in The Royal Tenenbaums, a submarine in Life Aquatic and for 80% of this film, the action takes place on…you guessed it, a train.

If you enjoyed Anderson’s previous films, you can add this one to the collection or if you feeling like heading out, it’s worth a trip to the theater, just don’t bring your kids. There are some sexual underpinnings but nothing overly graphic.

The odors coming from v1.0 of the STC’s Second Wind on The Darjeeling Limited are unsurprisingly pleasant, with a slight hint of green curry chicken and sweet tea.

Next in the Netflix queue is Letters From Iwo Jima and in the theaters, Noah Baumbach’s new flick Margot at the Wedding

Jake

Note from the editor:

I'm absolutely thrilled to have another reviewer join us behind the Concession Stand. More content on the site hopefully means a more enjoyable experience for the the three readers that Jake referenced above. I do have one other person on the fence that would cover direct to dvd and under the radar releases. Hopefully I can convince him to come on board, because he would have you in stitches constantly.

The Shining won our Halloween movie contest at 5 votes with a good showing by Poltergeist and Halloween tied for second with 3 votes each. The rest of the votes were scattered around the choices. Thanks for voting and make sure you hit today's new poll. As always, leave comments for our new reviewer at the bottom of this post.

Elijah

A Moment in History...

It was announced yesterday that Joey Bishop, last of the 5 main Sinatra rat packers, passed away at age 89. When today's 18 - 34 year old entertainment fans hear the words "The Rat Pack", they immediately think Sinatra, Martin, and Davis Jr. Hell, they may possibly even recall Peter Lawford. Rarely do they remember the name of the fifth member of the nucleus.

CNN.com had a wonderful write up yesterday (credited to the associated press) as his passing was announced. I paste it here for your reading pleasure:

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Joey Bishop, the stone-faced comedian who found success in nightclubs, television and movies but became most famous as a member of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack, has died at 89.

He was the group's last surviving member. Peter Lawford died in 1984, Sammy Davis Jr. in 1990, Dean Martin in 1995, and Sinatra in 1998.

Bishop died Wednesday night of multiple causes at his home in Newport Beach, publicist and longtime friend Warren Cowan said Thursday.

The Rat Pack -- originally a social group surrounding Humphrey Bogart -- became a show business sensation in the early 1960s, appearing at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas in shows that combined music and comedy in a seemingly chaotic manner.

Reviewers often claimed that Bishop played a minor role, but Sinatra knew otherwise. He termed the comedian "the Hub of the Big Wheel," with Bishop coming up with some of the best one-liners and beginning many jokes with his favorite phrase, "Son of a gun!"

The quintet lived it up whenever members were free of their own commitments. They appeared together in such films as "Ocean's Eleven" and "Sergeants 3" and proudly gave honorary membership to a certain fun-loving politician from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy, at whose inauguration gala Bishop served as master of ceremonies.

The Rat Pack faded after Kennedy's assassination, but the late 1990s brought a renaissance, with the group depicted in an HBO movie and portrayed by imitators in Las Vegas and elsewhere. The movie "Ocean's Eleven" was even remade in 2003 with George Clooney and Brad Pitt in the lead roles.

Bishop defended his fellow performers' rowdy reputations in a 1998 interview.

"Are we remembered as being drunk and chasing broads?" he asked. "I never saw Frank, Dean, Sammy or Peter drunk during performances. That was only a gag. And do you believe these guys had to chase broads? They had to chase 'em away."

Away from the Rat Pack, Bishop starred in two TV series, both called "The Joey Bishop Show."

The first, an NBC sitcom, got off to a rocky start in 1961. Critical and audience response was generally negative, and the second season brought a change in format. The third season brought a change in network, with the show moving to ABC, but nothing seemed to help and it was canceled in 1965.

In the first series, Bishop played a TV talk show host.

Then, he really became a TV talk show host. His program was started by ABC in 1967 as a challenge to Johnny Carson's immensely popular "The Tonight Show."

Like Carson, Bishop sat behind a desk and bantered with a sidekick, TV newcomer Regis Philbin. But despite an impressive guest list and outrageous stunts, Bishop couldn't dent Carson's ratings, and "The Joey Bishop Show" was canceled after two seasons.

Philbin remembered Bishop fondly.

"It was the thrill of my life to be chosen by Joey as the announcer for his talk show on ABC back in the '60s," he said in a statement. "I learned a lot about the business of making people laugh. He was a master comedian and a great teacher and I will never forget those days or him."

After the talk show's cancellation, Bishop became a familiar guest figure in TV variety shows and as sub for vacationing talk show hosts, filling in for Carson 205 times.

He also played character roles in such movies as "The Naked and the Dead" ("I played both roles"), "Onion-head," "Johnny Cool," "Texas Across the River," "Who's Minding the Mint?" "Valley of the Dolls" and "The Delta Force."

His comedic schooling came from vaudeville, burlesque and nightclubs.

Skipping his last high school semester in Philadelphia, he formed a music and comedy act with two other boys, and they played clubs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. They called themselves the Bishop Brothers, borrowing the name from their driver, Glenn Bishop.

Joseph Abraham Gottlieb would eventually adopt Joey Bishop as his stage name.

When his partners got drafted, Bishop went to work as a single, playing his first solo date in Cleveland at the well-named El Dumpo.

During these early years he developed his style: laid-back drollery, with surprise throwaway lines.

After 3 1/2 years in the Army, Bishop resumed his career in 1945. Within five years he was earning $1,000 a week at New York's Latin Quarter. Sinatra saw him there one night and hired him as opening act.

While most members of the Sinatra entourage treated the great man gingerly, Bishop had no inhibitions. He would tell audiences that the group's leader hadn't ignored him: "He spoke to me backstage; he told me, 'Get out of the way.' "

When Sinatra almost drowned filming a movie scene in Hawaii, Bishop wired him: "I thought you could walk on water."

Born in New York's borough of the Bronx, Bishop was the youngest of five children of two immigrants from Eastern Europe.

When he was 3 months old the family moved to South Philadelphia, where he attended public schools. He recalled being an indifferent student, once remarking, "In kindergarten, I flunked sand pile."

In 1941 Bishop married Sylvia Ruzga and, despite the rigors of a show business career, the marriage survived until her death in 1999.

Bishop, who spent his retirement years on the upscale Lido Isle in Southern California's Newport Bay, is survived by son Larry Bishop; grandchildren Scott and Kirk Bishop; and longtime companion Nora Garabotti.

The Kings are Dead!

Long Live the New Kings!

Aaaaahhhh, the many levels of horror...

I know that when this time of year comes around I start thinking about what Horror flick mood I'm in. I personally own a few hundred movies and t.v. shows on dvd, but very few would I consider horror movies. Perhaps thrillers or psychological mind gamers (family blog) would be the better terms to use. These few films would mostly be categorized as classics in any event. So, when I really want to see a horror film I run down to the local Hollywood Video (blatant plug) and rent the hell out of it.

Once again, the question at the rental store becomes what horror mood am I in. Some readers might not realize that there are different levels and categories of the Horror Genre. Well, I'm here to help you with your Halloween viewing questions. To help you find the one movie that will put the added lift to your wife/girlfriend/date (in some cases, husband's) jump from the couch to your lap. We're not trying to be an advice site on how to get some Halloween love here at the Concession Stand, but what happens happens and we love taking credit on anything.

So here are some short lists of labels and the movies you might want to catch when the party winds down, the doorbell stops ringing and the only people still hanging around are drunks making out in the pantry, and your true friends that feel bad about leaving you with a nasty cleaning job.

Starting off tame here with...The Classic Monsters:

Dracula (1931)

Frankenstein (1931)

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The Invisible man (1933)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

How about...Zombies:

Night of the Living dead (1968)

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

28 days later (2002)

Resident Evil (2002)

Serial Killers:

Helter Skelter (2004) - Charles Manson

Zodiac (2007) - Zodiac killer (unsolved)

From Hell (2001) - Jack the Ripper (unsolved)

Silence of The Lambs (1991) - Buffalo Bill/Hannibal Lector

Seven (1995) - John Doe

Thrillers:

Jaws (1975)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Signs (2002)

Sixth Sense (1999)

Psycho (1960)

The Birds (1963)

Stephen King:

Carrie (1976)

The Shining (1980)

Christine (1983)

Children of the Corn (1984)

Creep Show (1982)

Pet Semetary (1989)

Possessions:

Poltergeist (1982)

The Amityville Horror (1979)

The Exorcist (1973)

Child's Play (1988)

The Omen (1976)

Mass Murderers:

Friday the 13th 1-6 (skip the rest)

Nightmare on Elm Street 1-3 (skip the rest)

Halloween 1, 2, 4, and H20 (skip the rest)

Teen Horror:

Scream 1-3

I Know what you did last Summer (1997)

Candyman (1992)

Final Destination (2002)

Japanese horror rip-offs:

The Grudge 1-2

The Ring 1-2

Abbott and Costello:

Meet Frankenstein

Meet the Invisible Man

Meet the Mummy

Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

And the really scary sh*t that even I won't watch:

The Teletubbies

Barney

Pauly Shore movies

Carrot Top movies

Lifetime made for t.v. movies

There you have it. A long, fairly comprehensive list of movies that you may use to start a conversation. Use IMDB or Amazon to check out any of the above movies if you like. Obviously, I haven't included a lot of things that should be in there, or maybe you disagree with some of the choices. But, that is where you come in. Use the comments section to blast or add to the list. Is your favorite not there? Click on the comments section at the bottom of this post and add your opinion.

Elijah

Watching: a dvd movie not on the list that I will review for you.

T.V.: Heroes has gotten a little stale, but How I met your Mother is still rocking.

That time of year...

The most probable title for this post would have been "We're Baaaaaack". Alas, even I'm not that cheesy. I'll settle for just leaving it here in the body of the post. The last few weeks have been fairly busy with travelling and work related events, but we are getting back on track here at the concession stand, and vow to start the Oscar related film reviews immediately. Just not with this post.

This post is all about the season. The Halloween movie season. When I was a teenager, I loved horror movies. Ate them for breakfast. I'm fairly certain that I dressed as Jason Voorhees of Friday the 13th fame for approximately 3 Halloweens in a row. I built my own Freddy Krueger glove at age 16. Wisely, my mother wouldn't let me have any steak knives, so my blades were made of carved wood slats. Lame. Very, very lame. Still cool at 16 though.

As I think back with fond memories on horror films of the past, I'm reminded of the scene from Scream in which the "Rules of Horror Movies" are recited. Before I give you a list of movies you should rent for your holiday viewing, here for you reading pleasure is a recap of some Rules*:

1. When it appears you have killed the monster, NEVER check to see if it's really dead.

2. If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they should not speak, or if they speak to you using a voice which is not their own, shoot them immediately. It will save you the grief in the long run. *NOTE* It will probably take several rounds to kill them, so be prepared.

3. If you are searching for something which caused a loud noise and you find out it's just the cat, leave the room immediately if you value your life.

4. If appliances start operating by themselves, move out.

5. If you're running away from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are of the female persuasion. Also note that despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.

6. If your car runs out of gas late at night, do not go to the nearby deserted looking house to call for help.

7. If you are a woman, never strip and take a shower in slow motion.

8. The first woman to either lose or remove her clothing is dead meat. The guy with the testosterone overdose is also dead meat. Along with the guy that is always making jokes when you are searching a house.

9. If you are being chased, never lean against the wall when you think you lost him. He'll just pop through and kill you. Same goes for leaning against the window.

10. If you are a stoner among other stoners, be the quiet one or the lovable one. All the other stoners will be killed.

11. Never watch a horror movie while you're in a horror movie.

12. Never answer the phone when you are babysitting. Just get the hell out of there and leave the kids for dead.

13. A female should never wear a white shirt without a bra while escaping the monster. It will only increase your chances of falling and causing a freak rainstorm that will make your shirt transparent and result in your immediate death.

14. If you live in Maine and your hometown includes a clown driving a car he calls Christine with a large, rabid St. Bernard in the backseat, while residing in an old, haunted hotel near a strange Pet Semetary and hangs out with teenage girls with telekinetic powers....you're pretty much screwed.

The Scream Rules:

Never have sex.
Never drink or do drugs.
Never say, "I'll be right back."

If you DO happen to get killed, make sure it's in a cheap low-budget gore-fest with no plot, so you can come back and kick ass, no explanation needed.

*a big thank you to Urban Dictionary for most of the list.

coming next: your horror movie recommended viewing list.

Elijah.

Brave, indeed.

Here with your Box Office results for the last weekend. I didn't catch any of them this weekend, as it was finally a chance to catch BodyWorld 3 at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Here's a review on that: Shocking? For a second. Cool? sure, if you're into seeing dead bodies, organs and bones. It was worth seeing, but after about 45 minutes and about halfway through you realize you are seeing the same thing over and over again. Seeing the difference between healthy organs and cancer stricken organs is eye-opening, but nothing you didn't see in your freshman health class text books. Bottom line: if you are interested at all, see it. Otherwise, don't lose any sleep over it.

Back on subject:

Estimated ticket sales for Sept. 14-16
1. “The Brave One,” $14 million

2. “3:10 to Yuma,” $9.2 million

3. “Mr. Woodcock,” $9.1 million

4. “Dragon Wars,” $5.4 million

5. “Superbad,” $5.2 million

6. “Halloween,” $5 million

7. “The Bourne Ultimatum,” $4.2 million

8. “Balls of Fury,” $3.3 million

9. “Rush Hour 3,” $3.3 million

10. “Mr. Bean’s Holiday,” $2.7 million

Did anyone actually make it to the theater this weekend? I'd like to hear if anyone saw The Brave One. Thoughts?

As for the top ten up there, very happy to see 3:10 to Yuma in the #2 position. Still think they should have released it late October, but who am I? Frequent commenter Robo will be happy to see that Mr Bean continues to post top 10 results.

Frankly I'm more impressed that Balls of Fury made the list. Can't hold back the Christopher Walken fans! They've always got the fever!

Sorry. Had to.

Elijah

Go west young man. Catch the 3:10 to Yuma.

If you read last weeks blog you'll know that the weekend offering was a little thin with a couple of decently reviewed movies in the crop, but no stand out, have to see it movies. It is the beginning of September after all. The exact middle of the period between blockbuster popcorn movies and Oscar fare that will start to pop in October.

I'm here to tell you that there is at least one movie that opened this weekend that you should see. 3:10 to Yuma surprised me. It shouldn't have. You've got Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, two gifted actors, who know how to turn in a performance. Not to mention Peter Fonda as a grizzled bounty hunter. Why on earth was this movie being released in the dredges of September to be lost and forgotten? The reviews were positive. The story was there (it's a remake of a 1957 film of the same name). Why, I ask?

Before I answer that question, lets talk. When I thought about going to the theater this weekend I wasn't expecting much. After I saw the positive word of mouth coming back for a few of the openings I still wasn't buzzing, but I wasn't surprised to see Clive Owen getting good reviews for Shoot 'Em Up, or 3:10 to Yuma with that cast. The thing is, I wasn't in the mood to watch a cartoonish shooter/chase movie. But after Unforgiven brought a dark, gritty realism to westerns in 1992, I haven't had a problem getting off the couch to see something along those same lines. Open Range was the latest in the genre and it didn't disappoint in the least. That movie had one of the best gun fights I've seen in a long time. So in the end I was in the mood to see a western shooter/chase movie.

Let me set the record on this movie. It's more than a shooter, more than a chase. Oh, that's stuff is in this movie in spades, but what the trailers and t.v. spots want you to focus on is the fact that this might be a psychological thriller. I've promised myself that I would stay spoiler free on this site, but I've got to say, these two main characters sparring with one another might be right up there with Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lector. This movie is all emotion and tension, not just from the plot and situations.

If you've seen Christian Bale in anything, then you know that he commits to a role. Truly commits. Look at the transformation from his emaciated role in The Machinist to the ripped Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins. He allegedly lost 63 pounds to film one and then in eight months put it all back on and more in muscle for Batman. This man does nothing small, and his role as Dan Evans in this movie is the same big dive again, albeit emotionally for this go around. His hobled, Civil War Veteran persona is revealed almost immediately on the screen. As a father myself, I can feel some empathy for a man who only wants to do right by his wife and family, see pride in his children's eyes and do his best to survive the world. This movie sucked me into that battle within the first few minutes.

Enter Russell Crowe as Ben Wade. The type of man that westerns were written about and history tends to glorify. Despite the black hat that usually adorns the head of said man. In an indirect way this man could bring about all that Dan Evans needs to get back on track. And that as they say, is the rub. If I can fit in anymore cliched statements, believe me, I'll try.

Russell Crowe is cold. He doesn't play, he sends his minions to do a job and then he finishes the job. He's too cocky and that proves the downfall that spurs the story. You get the sense that even if he was surrounded by 20 lawmen, he'd still be in control of the situation. It's this feeling and the desperate struggle between the two main characters that makes this movie what it is. A true edge of your seat, who's going to win this battle of wits, movie. I wish I could say more but that would be giving too much away. This is a story you should not have spoiled.

Peter Fonda plays a bounty hunter hired to make sure the railroad's money is safely delivered. As the movie unfolds I found myself in the position of hating this character. But I think you're supposed to. He's thrown in to show the line of decency and righteousness is often very blurred. At least that was my take.

How good was Ben Foster who plays a supporting role as Charlie Prince? Well, I'll tell you this: he stole every scene he was in. Absolutely chewed it up. Most people will recognize him from his turn in Six Feet Under, or his slightly smaller role in X-Men 3. To me, this was his breakout role and I hope he garners leading roles from here on out. He takes this role and makes it was it is meant to be.

So why was this movie released in the middle of the dump zone? I've read an article since, which basically said that the producers wanted to get the movie out before the glut of oscar movies hit to build on and move it through the fall and winter. In general that is sound thinking. I'm worried that this may have been too early. Very few people are going to the theater currently. It's just that time of year. If nobody is going to the theater, how do you build word of mouth to support the movie for the next 4-5 months? Sure, a few of the right people in Hollywood might catch this movie, but everyone knows you need the media push for Oscar nominations. I hope that this movie doesn't get buried in the heap. I think it deserves a shot. If nothing else, Ben Foster deserves a nomination for supporting actor.

That's it for now. See this movie and if you find something about it you like, tell a friend. It deserves attention.

E

Watching - if you've been reading these posts you already know.

On deck - need to watch The Departed again.