150 Days of Halloween: The Hole

So, a short aside before we jump into the movie. As I said in other posts, I hate the summer and the heat, so I naturally avoid the sun. More so, bright lights hurt my eyes and give me headaches, so I typically keep things dim. I actually enjoy hiking, fishing, and taking long walks outside, but I tend to do it on overcast days or the winter. Well, my body noticed these trends apparently, as my doctor called to tell me that I have vitamin D levels like some cave dwelling mutant. Now I need to drink 4 glasses of fortified whole milk a day or my bones will erupt into chalky dust when I least expect it. So that was a fun phone call! Now onto the movie of the day, The Hole!

Me? I'm afraid of child actors dialogue.

I had heard of this one before, but had never seen it. Even then I didn't really know much more then the name going into it. Imagine my surprise when it turns out to be a kids horror movie! This wasn't a bad thing, I loved The Gate growing up, even though I was watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and other adult horror movies before I even saw The Gate as a young kid. Joe Dante, the director of The Hole, also apparently saw The Gate as a kid, because it borrows heavily from it at times.

The movie follows two brothers, one a sulky teen and the other a typical perma-bored and hyper younger brother. They just moved into a new house with their single mother, having recently moved after having their abusive father imprisoned. Its typical young adult fare, the teen begins to pine for a hit neighbor girl, the younger brother feels neglected and bored with his brother never having time for him, and the mother is exasperated and unsure how to behave as a recently singled mother. Everyone is also on edge and emotional about her starting to date again, its basic family drama plot points.

"Alright, don't tell any adults about the death trap/rape pit in the basement."

The kids soon discover a hatch in the basement that has six padlocks on it, and this of course inspires curiosity as to whats hidden below. After some futile attempts to cut the locks, they stumble into a keyring in a paint can that opens the locks, so whoever thought it was important enough to lock six times obviously didn't think it warranted keeping the keys with him. Anyway, they find a bottomless pit that just descends into darkness. I will point out at this juncture that if I ever encountered a magical hole with n bottom that seemingly vanishes into what could be another world, I would jump in without a second thought. I basically lack any survival instinct and have an overwhelming need to explore stupid shit.

Soon the obligatory love interest for the teen joins in and they poke and prod the hole with lights and cameras and find nothing aside from strange and uncertain images on the camera. They get bored with the hole, as it clearly isn't a video game or cell phone, and return to being annoying kids. That's when ghosts of dead little girls, demonic clown puppets, and other such fun apparitions begin to terrorize and threaten the three of them. Its made for the younger crowd, so the mother, and any other adults for that matter, are of course away on business anytime this happens.

Obligatory creepy dead girl? Check.

Worried for their safety, but not worried enough to tell the mom or anyone, they seek out the former owner of the home. Thus enters the one expendable character in the movie, as I announced to my housemate sarcastically when the old crazy guy entered frame. He rants like crazy old men are want to do, and soon after dies in the dark, but not before telling the kids THEY will die and scribbling some pictures down into a notebook for no reason.

So the kids then face their fears, the younger brother gets to spend time with his older brother, the older brother gets the girl are learns to value family, and the girl resolves a random plot point from her past. Its a fun movie, and perfectly suitable for a younger siblings or child's introduction to the horror genre. Or as a general movie about facing ones fears and understanding the importance of family and sticking together. For an adult, its entertaining enough in a silly way, certainly fun to make fun of as its littered with plot holes that kids just don't care about. I would recommend it for the little ones in your lives, but I would also suggest following it up with The Gate, which does the same job but better. Its also a bit more eager to try and scare then The Hole, which is less willing to startle anyone.

"I'M THE BEST CHARACTER AAAAH!"

Tomorrow we go back to proper horror with the Korean horror movie A Tale of Two Sisters, made by Kim Ji-woon who made the movie we started the whole list off with, I Saw the Devil. I have only ever heard good things about this movie, so I'm excited. If you want to see the full schedule, and links to reviews for movies seen, check out The 150 Days of Halloween.

"Sweet dreams."

No work all play.

Today I had no responsibilities, it was rather nice. I could have done things that needed despite that, worked on my next project, or one of the projects that are in progress. Instead I relaxed some, unwound after a long stretch of frenetic business. It wasn't all sunshine and daisies, a good chunk of time was devoted to anxiety, but then I started to re-read A Game of Thrones.

Have you read this yet? If you said no, you should be ashamed of yourself.

I haven't read this book in years, and with the show currently being my favorite thing on the TV, felt it was a good time to pick it back up. Also so I can start the next book when it comes out in July with a good memory of the events prior to it. The Song of Ice and Fire book series is one of my favorite book series, it takes high fantasy by the foot and shakes it violently until all that remains is the core of it all. Instead of focusing on magical beings and impossible odds, we are instead presented with a world of political intrigue and very strong characters. Sure, the world has its magical aspects, but almost all of that is hiding in the backdrop of the world. Magic died out thousands of years ago, dragons haven't been seen for generations, and the world is enjoying a long summer. However, the motto for the Stark family is true, Winter is coming, and with it looms rumors of strange and forgotten things.

The whole world is just so incredibly realized, and when people talk their words drip with history and lore. The story is older then the events you are reading, half remembered events from the past are actively driving the present events, and when the lives of these characters are pulled apart you can feel unseen hands at work. Books rarely make their world feel as alive as this series does, or their characters as alive and vulnerable. If you are disinclined to read, the show is doing a pretty good job at these things as well, and Sean Bean demands you tune in or acquire it for viewing.

He is just thinking about how he will be killing you if you don't.

I am very impressed with just how well the show is handling the adaptation, particularly since so very much of the book isn't simple dialogue. Characters think about things a whole lot, making a switch to a visual medium tricky, but they are doing a great job. The source material means the writing is stellar, the actors are all fantastic, and the sets and costumes are beautiful. If that isn't enough to get you watching then just find a clip of Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. The man owns the role better then people own their clothes, he oozes personality and subtle cunning. Every scene he is in is just better because he is in it.

"I am awesome, aren't I?"

In other news L.A. Noir continues to be one of my favorite things, as that is what I did when I put the book back down. Also I will tell stories again soon, as opposed to musing of media, I promise. This weekend will see some incriminating stories told for your entertainment.