I know this isn't exactly science fiction, but I'm going to suggest this movie to you all, anyway.
In a nutshell (and with as few spoilers as I can manage), this movie is about a man--a writer of all things occult--who visits spooky, haunted, and just generally creepy places and then writes reviews about them, rating them on a skull scale (for example, one place he visits in the beginning gets a five skull rating). He's not particularly successfull, but he gets by. At some point, he is sent a postcard picturing on one side NYC's Dolphin Hotel. On the other side is written, "Don't go in room 1408" or something along those lines.
The movie is based off of a novel by Stephen King, who, if I'm not mistaken, also wrote "The Shining." And one can see in a few places where this film/story borrowed from the classic horror movie. Wide angle shots turn quickly narrow and vice-versa. Muted tones and a constant fluctuation between low angle and birdseye camera work also add to the sense of paranoia and desperation that is so key to a good psychological horror movie, especially when there is virtually no blood and gore as a cheap substitute. From the minute our intrepid hero steps inside 1408, we witness the death of his (and our) skepticism and the gradual loss of his sanity. It is brilliantly timed, and the use of traditional scare tactics as well as more contemporary ones is excellent.
In terms of acting, John Cusack is amazing. He takes himself out of the flat character he ususally plays and shows us a man losing his mind. And yet, he is still able to provide the brief moments of comic relief that are necessary in horror movies so we remain hooked and hopeful. Samuel L. Jackson's performance, while brief, is a blast to watch. The manager of the Dolphin Hotel, Jackson's character is sincere (even forceful and sneaky) in his attempt to keep Cusack's character from spending the night in 1408, but is also as toned down and muted as the colors in the hotel, which ends up making his performance add to the tension.
I have to admit, I'm not a big horror movie person. That is, I'm about as jaded and skeptical as Cusack's character when it comes to ghosts, ghouls, zombies, wolf men, etc. I didn't take "The Ring" very seriously. "Saw" was just gross. I refuse to see Hostel or its knockoffs because it's just pointless violence. I have to say, though, that this movie had the hairs on the back of my neck standing at full attention nearly the entire time. A good successor to "The Shining," I'd say.
Oh yeah. And the ending: awesome.
I give this movie four skulls out of five.
I am going to go see this, thanks for the thumbs up
I saw this. I liked it a lot. It's not a GREAT movie, and I suggest the short story to all. But it definetly is a friggin scary movie. The friend I went with had a great point. They managed to cram every major phobia in the the movie. Heights, Water, Insects, Enclosed places, a couple others.
Cusack plays the role brilliantly, something I didn't realise till I said to myself, "He's basically alone the entire movie". Well, alone is a relative term, but you know what I mean.
Definetly see this movie if you like scary movies like The Ring.
I hope to see this one it looked really cool from the trailer. I think I will pick up the short story as well.. Which King book is it in?