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Hey TominAtl thanks for bringing this thread back up, it's been pretty quiet lately. I thought your review of The Social Network was excellent and very well-written. I do plan on seeing the film and now I'm even more excited after reading your review. I've liked Jesse Eisenberg since The Squid and the Whale and Cursed. What was the music like by Trent Reznor (I forgot the other man's name)? I'm very curious about the music. Anything like NIN?
I've always been a huge fan of Aaron Sorkin's, even when I wasn't a fan of the programs he was attached to. I remember his crowning achievements from the mid-90's, A Few Good Men and The American President. I thought The West Wing was exceedingly well-written but it didn't captivate me as entertainment. I know there are other Sorkin works that I've seen and heard but right now I can't remember them.
Thanks for the review!
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My Soul to Take (2010) -- 9/10
My Soul to Take was all that I hoped for and more. Let me start off by saying, Sirusjr and Goldsmithfan, the 3D did absolutely nothing for the film. I can't think of one shot that used it to any effect, until that is, the final credits. The first half of the credit sequence is actually quite inventive, with animation and presentation of the credits text in an impressive 3D style. The second half of the end credits, the traditional bottom-to-top movement of the credit list, was very exciting because on either side of the credit text showed the entire movie's storyboarding, in beautiful color 3D. In other words, the only thing 3D was good for in this movie was the end credits -- but what a technical marvel they were. I can completely understand audiences not wanting to shell out extra money when the 3D effects are so scant and practically nonexistant, and it does bother me too, but that's another discussion for another time in my opinion. My feeling is, the film itself was so good it was worth the $10 I paid.
3D issues aside, Wes Craven really knocked it out of the park with My Soul to Take in many respects. His script was actually very intelligent, a great mystery, unique and funny dialogue without being "cutesy" or annoyingly quirky. What I appreciated most about Craven's script is that he really took the time to flesh out the kids' characters, the Riverton 7. Most of the cast had interesting personality etchings and the performances by the lead young adult actors were commendable (Max Thieriot as Bug and John Magaro as Alex in particular delivered phenomenal performances). The interaction between the Riverton 7 kids was great fun to watch and they all had great chemistry. Also, it was interesting for a change that most of the cast/victims/heroes were adolescents, a demographic that rarely (if ever) are portrayed in horror movies like this. It made it more unsettling when they met their (often very violent) demises. I was glad after those meddling studios got away with a PG-13 Cursed that Craven wasn't restrained by censors in this film. It certainly earns its R.
Now my favorite thing about My Soul to Take. In my perception, this was an extremely unusual horror film. I only mean this as a high compliment -- its pacing, development, tone, and general plot are very unique and I honestly have never seen a horror movie like this one. I liked that the movie challenged me in that way...certainly it follows certain genre requirements and ideas, but overall it was a breath of fresh air. It is not like most "teen-slasher" horror films, it's just idiosyncratic enough to stand apart, and the story in particular is original enough and unfolds in its own style. The finale is probably the least original aspect to the movie, and it does echo the finale of Craven's original Scream in some regards, but overall I appreciate Craven's efforts to make the movie something different for both horror fans, supernatural fans, as well as murder mystery fans. Also, the movie was creepy and had wonderful moments of sudden shocks that come out of nowhere, keeping me on the edge of my seat.
Finally, Marco Beltrami's score was outstanding as usual, proving that he still has plenty to say in the horror genre, even after all these years and all these scary movies. There is a "twisted harmonica" effect that is used most often as Bug's theme, but is also bent in such a way that it is a regular chilling atmosphere-setting effect.
Nice to see Craven still has some really great, fresh ideas to bring to the horror arena, and with considerable originality and style, easily breaking free from the shadow of his most successful recent horror films, the Scream series. My Soul to Take is much more skillfully executed than Craven's Cursed, with a great deal more coherence and substance.
"Fear ye the Ripper."
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Seeing Bale in this reminds me of another overblown non-actor, Wah-Keen Phoenix, who was in over his head in trying to hang with the rest of GLADIATOR's cast.
