Rating: Summary: One of the best films of the year! Review: The Others is a wonderful suspense film with an excellent cast and excellent direction. Nicole Kidman gives the best performance of her career as an obsessed mother taking care of her two photosensitive children in an old spooky house on the Jersey Islands after WWII. It was a very smart film that had you glued from beginning to end. This is definitely a film to see if you are sick of most of the crap that Hollywood has released this summer. The Others is a must see!
Rating: Summary: slow, boring,big let down! Review: After seeing the television ads for this movie, I wasnt very interested in seeing it, but after reading reviews on Amazon thought I would give it a chance......I should have gone with my first instinct, this is very slow , boring and for me at least, quite predictable. The climax of the film is just not worth waiting for,I have seen way better made for TV movies than this, I really felt I wasted my money on this one. I think one of the reviews I read compared it to "The Sixth Sense" and if you beleive this your in for a big let down.
Rating: Summary: Things That Go Bump In the Night Review: 'The Others' is set in 1945, toward the end of World War II, on the island in England known as Jersey. There is a massive mansion surrounded by fog. Living in the menacing abode are a mother, Grace, and her son and daughter. The husband/father is away fighting in the war, and is overdue for his return home. The regular servants have disappeared overnight, and in their wake have arrived three new servants, an old man and woman, and a young mute girl. They are creepy in their passive, haunting manner. Strange things soon begin to happen inside the mansion. Voices are heard, things start going "bump" in the night, and disturbing discoveries are made. To disclose much more would be to take away from the "fun" of watching this old-fashioned horror movie unfold, but suffice it to say, the plot takes many twists and turns, and the movie is never for a moment dull - though it *is* slow - be prepared for that. Nicole Kidman does a superb job as Grace. She is at the same time beautiful and malevolent, drawing sympathy as well as dis-like. She does a great job of helping to build the tension. The actors who portray the children are solid little performers. Their characters are allergic to light, so they are kept indoors, mostly in the shadows, and so this helps make the mood of the piece even more eerie. Fionnula Flanagan, a relatively unknown (here in the States) Irish actress makes good as Mrs. Mills, one of the new servants. The director also wrote the screenplay, and composed the music. He does a nice job bringing chills to the audience through the simple use of suspense and fear of the unknown. This is not a bloody horror flick, nor is it fast-paced. But it *is* good - very effective.
Rating: Summary: Bruce Willis was dead the whole time? Review: The plot of this movie was very interesting (although it seemed I was watching The Sixth Sense again). I was not impressed by Nicole Kidman's acting, although the other actors were convincing. But, the thing that ruined my whole movie experience was a scene in which Nicole Kidman is talking to the new servants (towards the beginning). As she is explaining about the house, the appearance of a microphone can be seen peeking from above. I saw that (according to the audiences' snickerings, it was appearant that they did too), and I thought that maybe it was just one mistake. However, that microphone made a cameo through that whole scene. I hate to sound so critical; however, I feel that this caused me to think poorly upon the movie.
Rating: Summary: Better than average Review: Admittedly, The Others is a gimmick movie from the beginning. Without giving too much of the movie away, the plot revolves around a family living in a "haunted house." Kidman plays the matriarch of the family, who denies the death of her husband to the War. Suffice it to say that the movie has enough twists to make heads turn. However, it's in these twists that make the payoff feel a bit too gimicky (i.e. more of a plot contrievance rather than a genuine "a-ha!" ending). With that said, the movie is still engrossing and wonderfully moody. The pacing is just right, although some have said it to be a bit too slow. It isn't your typical horror movie. The movie doesn't concern itself with the gross out chills or even with ghosts or ghouls running amok. Instead, the movie is thoughtfully paced, well acted, and unrelentingly creepy. It's more of a suspense movie rather than of the horror genre. It's better than your average horror movie...I liked it better than the 6th Sense. Worth at least a matinee.
Rating: Summary: The Best Thriller Ever! Review: Amazing! This movie was extremely well done! The suspense is excellent and you are terrified almost the whole movie without seeing any gore, which is a sign of a well made movie and a first-class thriller. Nicole Kidman was dazzling, I defintely think that she is one of the best actresses out there! It's amazing how she go from being a courtesan in 'Moulin Rouge' to a religious mother in 'The Others'. She is extremely convincing in this role! The others actors were great, I was also very impressed with the kids who played her two children in the movie, they were great! The costumes and effects were excellent! The set was perfect, foggy, dark, and mysterious, absolutely perfect for this movie. I won't be surprised if 'The Others' is up for a few Oscars, it sure deserves it! This is a shocking and impressive movie, go see it!
Rating: Summary: A tense, chilling ghost story Review: Did you like the Sixth Sense? Were you on the edge for the duration of What Lies Beneath? If good scary movies with plenty of ghosts, good acting, and plot twists are your cup of tea, you MUST see The Others! Still with me? Of course! It's hard to do a review of a movie like this, because I'm so very afraid that I'll give away the plot. And, much like the Sixth Sense, if you've had someone ruin the surprises for you....well, it sucks if that happens. Thus, it is your duty to see this movie BEFORE it has been analyzed and spoiled by every radio DJ in the United States. Nicole Kidman is superb and disturbed, and her children are quality, professional actors. The setting is spectacular, with the show stolen by the magnificent mansion itself in which the action takes place. Though a slow starter, this movie builds tension in the first 20 minutes and then grips you till the very end. I was in a movie theater crowded with people, and still had my fingernails dug into the arms of the chair and had my body slumped way down in the seat. And for you shock-value lovers, there are several good moments where you jump RIGHT out of your seat in surprise. Just ask the poor guy sitting in front of me who got a swift, involuntary kick in the back! Though not quite as good as the Sixth Sense or as scary as What Lies Beneath, it's definitely scarier than the Sixth Sense and more complicated than What Lies Beneath. It's one of those movies that I eagerly look forward to seeing again, so that I can say "Ohhhh yeah...so THAT'S why that happened!" See it!
Rating: Summary: ....heart-stopping.... Review: The Others is one of the most atmospheric and chilling pictures to be released in a long time. Nicole Kidman is completely convincing as Grace, a woman raising two small children in an isolated and dreary mansion on the Jersey Islands while awaiting her husband's return from France. Before long, three servants show up at the doorstep to help with the upkeep of the house. Who are these people and why did they just appear? Amenabar, who wrote and directed the film, has his subject well in hand. He is adept at revealing just enough to keep the viewer guessing without sacrificing any of the tension that is prevalent throughout the picture. His use of low lighting helps increase the scariness of the film without crossing the line into absurdity. The supporting cast, especially the children, is superb and they help make this an exceptional film. Part ghost story, part psychological thriller, this is one film you won't soon forget. It's heart-stopping, thrilling and terrifying. Don't watch this alone in the dark.
Rating: Summary: The Others: Beautiful, Moving, Scary, and a Classic Chiller Review: The movie was excellent- a horror movie that is scary, entertaining (if a bit slow), haunting, and deeply depressing at the end. It has a chilling ending and leaves you hoping shes forgiven. I thought the movie was tragic ghost story that has the dramtic depth and character that THE SIXTH SENSE had, this ending much more sad and the movie is much more elegant and wonderfully directed and stylized film- which ranks it over THE SIXTH SENSE(8/10), which I loved too. Definitely 9/10 or ***1/2. Go watch this symbolicly textured film (which can be taken in many different ways), or watch it for the beautiful Nicole Kidman, or to watch a classic ghost story thats SCARY! Nicole Kidman did a wonderful job portraying a character who needs such a wide range of emotions. The children are believable and the supporting cast is solid. Nicole Kidman is let to show her acting talent with a tormented character who gets your sympathy and then throws at you her secret that you hope shes forgiven for. The drama depth and symbolism is used wonderfully here. She truly loves her children- but the loss of her husband, her isolation, and her childrens sickness drives her to the edge. She is a deeply religious woman- where does she think she is? She truly loves her children and it is a tragedy to see everything shes gone through with the loss of her husband. Its scary as well and has the classic fog-ladden house and creepy bumps in the night. It is stylishly directed and every action scene is directed with such intensity (I loved the scene in which the the children wake up in the morning to discover- well, if you watched it, you should know). It reaches back into the classic horror stories of THE INNOCENTS and THE HAUNTING, who share a great deal with this film: the power and haunting and emotional depth as this film. I loved this movie and it is one of my favorites. It ranks with some of the best horror films and, besides all the script and deepness stuff, its a great thriller with some delightfully jump out of your seat moments and freaky scenes. The little kids are adorable and it is delightfully creepy. Watch, enjoy, and even tear up in this tragic story with character for the quality people, horror for the thrills. The last scene is haunting and beautiful. Go see it for Kidman's performance and the kids. 9/10 ***1/2
Rating: Summary: Nicole...get a Grip! Review: Unfortunately from the advertisements on television one would assume that Alejandro Amenabar's "The Others" is a re-hash of the recent deplorable "The Haunting" which was full of cheap theatrics and thrills. In reality "The Others" is as Amenabar is quoted as saying..."leaving something to the imagination is the essence of real horror." The year is 1945 and Grace, Nicole Kidman has a lot to be terrified about. Her children are allergic to the sun and have to be kept in almost complete darkness and her employees have recently departed en masse without an explanation and have left her to run an old, giant, creepy mansion to herself. Magically 3 former employees of the mansion arrive at her doorstep seeking employment. But there is still the problem of strange voices and movement in the mansion to be explained. Along for the ride are the powerful and sturdy Christopher Eccleston as Kidman's husband (excellent in "Jude" and "Elizabeth") Akima Mann and James Bently as her children and notably Fionnula Flanagan as her new housekeeper and confidant, Mrs. Mills. Kidman is vulnerable, high strung and intense as Grace, more like Lady Macbeth than Desdemona. This is a big departure from her role in "Moulin Rouge." Don't expect a "Scream"-like film as this is more in the psychological vein of "Rear Window" or "Vertigo." "The Others" is a slow moving adult movie and demands the experience and attitude of an adult to appreciate it. Amenabar directed "Abre Los Ojos" previously, a highly regarded Spanish film starring Penelope Cruz now being remade in English by Cameron Crowe with Ms. Cruz and Tom Cruise. "Abre Los Ojos" was an eclectic, unusual film while "The Others" is steeped in the 40's and 50's style popularized by Billy Wilder and Alfred Hitchcock. I cannot reveal much of the plot of "The Others" but it's safe to say that the teaming of Amenabar and Kidman is a triumph. Run... don't walk to your nearest theater.
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