“A sadist never understands why others aren’t enjoying his sadism as much as he is,” says Margaret (Rebecca Hall) in the opening scene of Andrew Semans’ Resurrection. Margaret is talking to an intern whom she is mentoring for a biotech company. Naïve, inexperienced Gwyn (Angela Wong Carbone) has reached out to Margaret about a boyfriend…
The Night House first published by Movies on Weekends The Night House begins with a montage: a boat rocking against a jetty, a beautiful timber lakehouse above, and multiple shots mapping out the the house’s interiors. What unifies all these images is their emptiness. For there is no human presence in or around this house,…
The Awakening first published by Little White Lies “This is a time for ghosts,” states the text that opens Nick Murphy’s The Awakening. The time is 1921, shortly after war and influenza had killed many millions, and left survivors haunted. Yet the text is a citation (complete with authenticating bibliographical reference) from the book Seeing Through Ghosts…
The Gift first published by Sight & Sound, October 2015 Review: In the opening scene of The Gift, as Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) view a stylish house in the hills of Los Angeles, Simon peers in from the porch at his wife, their faces close but separated by a glass sliding door, and…
Review first published in S&S Aug 2012 Synopsis: Ambitious yet wide-eyed Tallahassee private dancer Beth sets her sights on becoming a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas – but is instead employed, despite her inexperience, by older, married professional gambler Dink. Beth takes as quickly to her new boss as to the work, until Dink, at…