Ghanandrhin Reviews

The Visitors (I) (2005)

This film was "70's scary"

[29 October 2007]

I went to see a screening of this a while back, and I still think about this film when I get up in the middle of the night-- which is unfortunate for me because once my imagination gets going, it's hard to go back to sleep. So often directors show us too much, thinking that hitting the audience in the face with over the top gore is scary and what people want. Maybe some people like that, but for those who like that chilling sort of scare you get when you watch movies like The Shining, this is in the same vein. It really manages to strike an eerie tone and injects quite a bit of subtext into something that has no words and lasts for only a few minutes. As a viewer, you are left with that uneasy, nagging feeling that this could really happen. He also makes you wonder what's real and what isn't-- starting with childhood fears about the night transitioning midway into some very adult scares. An excellent short, which doesn't come along as often as you'd wish.

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

A great documentary that is a must see, especially for all Americans

[1 February 2006]

I got to see this at Sundance. Sometimes there are documentaries that have been accused of not being straightforward or factual, but this is not one of them. It's very fact based. It had some funny and touching moments, but they were never done at the expense of the integrity of the film. It's very science based but presented in a fascinating way (I have no science background). It was also done on a technical level that was superb. The situation presented on global warming is unsettling, but I appreciate that the filmmakers do end it with some hope. I gave it a 9/10, instead of a 10, because Al Gore (although I respect him more than ever after seeing this) is presented as a lone warrior type in trying to get the message out. I would've liked to have seen a more accurate portrayal of the community of people-- scientists, religious leaders, teachers, etc...-- who speak out for change every day. Still, it alone was worth the trip to Utah.