The Orphanage
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.81 You Save: $3.16 (53%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.21 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Orphanage
Movie Review: "El Orfanato (The Orphanage)": A Ghost Story
Summary: 5 Stars
"El Orfanato," is a tale of a woman, Laura (Belén Rueda), and her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and her adopted son Simón (Roger Príncep) who move to the orphanage where Laura grew up as a young girl.
While at the orphanage, Simón begins to make friends that nobody else is able to see. Then, the afternoon of Simón's birthday party, he disappears. Laura desperately tries to find him in a group of caves, where he claimed to see his invisible friends before, and soon believes that Simón's ghostly friends have taken him away.
Throughout the movie, secrets of the orphanage's past are revealed, a murderer is discovered, and the ghosts that haunt the orphanage are out for revenge. It's now up to Laura to unlock the secret of the orphanage's past, and finally discover the secret of what has happened to her son.
The plot of the movie is very terrifying and very original, and it is supported by wonderful acting by the main characters, and the lesser characters. There are very unusual aspects, such as the games Simón plays with his invisible friends, that make the plot very unusual, but make it that much more entertaining.
The acting in "El Orfanato" is some of the best stuff I've heard in a very long time. It's not cheesy, like many horror films that are currently in theatres. It's the kind of acting that makes you actually believe what the characters are saying or feeling.
What I adored most about this incredible Mexican horror film is the atmosphere of the terror. Most horror movies currently showing in theatres have that very tasteless climax in strings music that indicates whenever something scary is going to happen, and it begins to get very tiresome and very annoying after a very long time.
However, "El Orfanato" is one of the exceptions. There is no cheesy "horror" music to indicate when something scary happens. The thing that really scares you are the sudden noises in the eerily quiet orphanage, and if there is some of that climactic music, it's always very misleading.
The ending of the film is as heartbreaking as any ending can get. It's one of the most terrifyingly heartbreaking endings to a movie I've seen in a long time. It's actually very great, and very terrifying, and it fits wonderfully with the rest of the entire film.
"El Orfanato" was a chilling tale of love and a chilling tale of terror that will send shivers up your spine. Horror fans, this is a must-see, deeply terrifying film that will leave you speechless out of amazement and terror.
For those of you who are wondering, "El Orfanato" is in Spanish, however, it is subtitled in English. Hope this review has helped you with your decision of purchase. Thanks for reading! =)
Movie Review: "El Orfanato (The Orphanage)": A Ghost Story
Summary: 5 Stars
"El Orfanato," is a tale of a woman, Laura (Belén Rueda), and her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and her adopted son Simón (Roger Príncep) who move to the orphanage where Laura grew up as a young girl.
While at the orphanage, Simón begins to make friends that nobody else is able to see. Then, the afternoon of Simón's birthday party, he disappears. Laura desperately tries to find him in a group of caves, where he claimed to see his invisible friends before, and soon believes that Simón's ghostly friends have taken him away.
Throughout the movie, secrets of the orphanage's past are revealed, a murderer is discovered, and the ghosts that haunt the orphanage are out for revenge. It's now up to Laura to unlock the secret of the orphanage's past, and finally discover the secret of what has happened to her son.
The plot of the movie is very terrifying and very original, and it is supported by wonderful acting by the main characters, and the lesser characters. There are very unusual aspects, such as the games Simón plays with his invisible friends, that make the plot very unusual, but make it that much more entertaining.
The acting in "El Orfanato" is some of the best stuff I've heard in a very long time. It's not cheesy, like many horror films that are currently in theatres. It's the kind of acting that makes you actually believe what the characters are saying or feeling.
What I adored most about this incredible Mexican horror film is the atmosphere of the terror. Most horror movies currently showing in theatres have that very tasteless climax in strings music that indicates whenever something scary is going to happen, and it begins to get very tiresome and very annoying after a very long time.
However, "El Orfanato" is one of the exceptions. There is no cheesy "horror" music to indicate when something scary happens. The thing that really scares you are the sudden noises in the eerily quiet orphanage, and if there is some of that climactic music, it's always very misleading.
The ending of the film is as heartbreaking as any ending can get. It's one of the most terrifyingly heartbreaking endings to a movie I've seen in a long time. It's actually very great, and very terrifying, and it fits wonderfully with the rest of the entire film.
"El Orfanato" was a chilling tale of love and a chilling tale of terror that will send shivers up your spine. Horror fans, this is a must-see, deeply terrifying film that will leave you speechless out of amazement and terror.
For those of you who are wondering, "El Orfanato" is in Spanish, however, it is subtitled in English. Hope this review has helped you with your decision of purchase. Thanks for reading! =)
Movie Review: A classic multi-faceted ghost story
Summary: 5 Stars
The Orphanage is a ghost story in the classic tradition [at various times whilst watching this I was reminded of some of my other favorite ghost stories such as The Changeling, The Others, and at one point, even Dark Water, the Japanese version]. It is high on atmosphere [the imposing gothic mansion in a remote location, sinister looking people, mysterious noises] and has a riveting plot.
The story centers around Laura [Belen Rueda] who has moved into her childhood home, an orphanage, with her husband Carlos [Fernando Cayo] a doctor, and their 7 year old son Simon [Roger Princep] who like most children his age has an overactive imagination and an abundance of imaginary friends.
They settle in nicely into the old mansion until one day when they go down to the beach to play - Simon lingers in a cave and when Laura comes to get him, he claims he was talking to a 'friend' and even leaves a trail of seashells so that his friend, Tomas can follow him back to the house. At first Laura dismisses Simon's ramblings as the figment of his imagination but soon comes to fear a more sinister force at play as a game of 'find the treasure' seems much too elaborate to have been cooked up by Simon, revealing a secret that she wishes to keep from Simon.
The story gets truly going when a party to welcome the newcomers [Laura and Carlos had decided to take in about 5-6 children into their home, all with some sort of disability] results in the tragic disappearance of Simon [who had opted to play with his imaginary friend than join in the festivities]. The rest of the story centers around Laura's desperate attempts to find her son, even resorting to hiring psychics [one played by Geraldine Chaplin in a very credibly portrayed role] whilst her husband plays the role of the skpetic, refusing to believe in any supernatural explanation for Simon's disappearance.
There are some truly chilling moments in this movie - the sinister child with a sack over its face watching Laura in a darkened hallway, mysterious banging sounds that waken Laura at night,the psychic summoning and the discovery of some of the house's old secrets - all these add to the storyline and keep viewers engaged. Though the acting itself is not extraordinary, except perhaps for Belen Rueda's convincing mother in distress Laura, and Geraldine Chaplin's psychic, this is not an issue for the real pull of the movie lies in the subtle unfolding of the plot through a series of 'clues' that lead Laura to what she seeks.
A highly recommended ghost story that doesn't rely on any gore, sex or unnecessary special effects, but allows the natural light and atmosphere coupled with some very effective old school effects to tell a classic ghost story.
Movie Review: Horror with a lot to think about...
Summary: 5 Stars
Holly and I watched this last night and I wanted to give it a review piece to be a booster for it. Not many movies affect the dreams I have the night after watching them, but this one sure did. I don't want to give ANY spoilers as that is a good deal of the fun and terror of the film, but this debut film by director Juan Bayona certainly puts him on my map of promising film-makers. The script was by Sergio Sanchez and the film was produced by Guillermo Del Toro...who certainly knows his way around high-minded horror (The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth being my favorites).
The story focuses on a woman in her late 30s, Laura, who spent the first seven or so years of her life in an orphanage by the sea. As the movie opens, she, her husband, and their seven year old son have bought and moved into the house which housed that orphanage. Their intension is to create a home for developmentally disabled children. As preparations are being made, an old woman appears at the door on a rainy afternoon to tell Laura that she has found out some information regarding her son. Aaaaaand, we're off! There are many good suspenseful scenes and fun gotcha moments. And the movie plays fair, giving you hints along the way. What sets Bayona, Sanchez, and Guillermo apart though, for me, from other directors such as Shyamalan is the final scenes are shocking, but they feel real and meaningful. There is a lot more, psychologically, going on in this movie and THAT is what freaks out my dreams for a few nights.
I think the aspect of trying to help, and sometimes losing to horrible circumstances, special needs children...as that is a big part of my career...forced this story deep into my subconscious. It also plays on the part of a parent's brain that is always afraid something bad might happen to your kids. In my dream, I was actually working in the orphanage with the kids...talking about possible genetic etiologies for neurodevelopmental disorders and educational or medication treatments for delays or problem behaviors. And, being a geek, the orphanage then shifted into Xavier's school and I was advising Prof. X on how to handle Logan's anger outbursts. My mind is a very strange place.
But...I strongly recommend this film. It's an amazing piece of genre art and should be seen and thought about by as many people as possible.
I'm especially interested in what people think of the ending. It's either very bleak or amazingly uplifting depending upon your personal views and feelings.
Movie Review: A woman, A boy and A House.
Summary: 5 Stars
First let me say that I always research a movie before I buy it, even it that means just turning the case over and reading the back, Is it wide screen? Check. Is it English, or Spanish or German? Check, I do not just buy one because it's "supposed" to be "like" some other movie. Foreign movies offer us so much but so many people shun them because they cannot get past the subtitles "I couldn't read and watch at the same time" that baffles me, you can't drive and read road signs either? Or commercials with words? Not everything is in English, and let me give you a word of advice, listening to the dubbed versions is an affront to the movie makers and the actors in it. 90% of the movies charm and impact is in the voices, the sounds, the accents, open your mind a smidge and you will fall in love with foreign films as much as I have.
The Orphanage is not written by Del Toro, he is a producer. It is written by Sergio Sanchez and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona. Del Toros name is on the front, because he is a well known and well respected writer director and producer and the masses will identify that this movie has someone amazing backing it. You should not however think that this movie is supposed to be like Pans Labyrinth or Hellboy.
The Orphanage, La Orfanato is a skillfully made ghost/love story that is masterfully told and amazingly hauntingly beautiful. It's the kind of movie I wanted to see as a child, a story with everything!! It's not full of clichés, unless loving and losing a child is a cliché now? It's a ghost story, there is going to be similar aspects to other movies, but resist comparing it and begin to understand it better. God, it's so gorgeously saturated with grief and beauty and emptiness and longing and hope, I couldn't stop my heart from almost bursting.
I love when movies take back that frightening feeling with good old fashioned storytelling instead of fancy schmancy special effects like herky jerky motions and Computer generated craziness that you know isn't the least bit real. I would love to watch it in black and white one day!
Love the addition of Geraldine Chaplin as the Medium, Charlie's Daughter is a wonderful riveting actress!
So go rent this, buy it and I warn you don't watch it at night!