THE OMEN
RYAN: So we just saw the special 6-6-06 devil worship edition of “The Omen.”
CAROLINE: I’d like my props now, please.
RYAN: Yes, props are due to Caroline. For she’s a jolly good fellow for seeing, that’s right, two – make that two horror films in one month.
CAROLINE: I have a policy, stemming from my youth, where I don’t really see horror movies ‘cos they scare me. But this one had such good hype and that 6-6-06 marketing ploy, it got to me!
RYAN: And you know, 6-6-06 happens but once a year.
CAROLINE: (laughs) That is indeed true. Tonight was a packed theater, sold out completely. We actually wanted to go to an earlier screening but couldn’t get in, it was sold out!
RYAN: And not only in this theater, but also in other New York City theaters and as we walked into this one, every evening show was sold out so we’re lucky we bought our tickets ahead of time.
CAROLINE: Yeah, and we showed up over a half an hour before the movie started and there was still a line of like 200 people ahead of us.
RYAN: Yes, but I slyly snuck my way ahead of the bunch and got the best seats in the house, you have to admit.
CAROLINE: Thanks to you, Ryan.
RYAN: So wow. For all that I enjoy going to scary movies, this is the first scary movie that really scared me in the theater in as long as I can remember.
CAROLINE: I’d like the record to show, your Honor, that I did not scream once whilst Ryan screamed like a little girl.
RYAN: I actually did. My throat is somewhat scratched and sore right now from screaming, and I love that. I love that I screamed.
CAROLINE: About twenty to thirty minutes into the movie, I was about to turn to you and say “This isn’t that scary.” And literally at that moment, something terrifying happened and I ate my words big-time.
RYAN: And then there were good frights from that moment on. I believe that one of the best things about this film was that it was shot really well, edited brilliantly and the scary bits were brilliantly done.
CAROLINE: Yeah, there was some really great art direction too. I could have done without Julia Stiles, she brought nothing to the role. But Liev was great.
RYAN: Julia Stiles looks like a soccer mom who is the skinniest fat woman I’ve ever seen. She’s thin but her face is so rotund…
CAROLINE: She has a moon face.
RYAN: Yes, such a moon face and I don’t care how skinny she is, she looks fat. She dressed like Jackie O throughout the whole film, with the pillbox hats and everything.
CAROLINE: Well, that’s not her fault.
RYAN: But the set design was amazing and red played a theme. Look for the color red in the film.
CAROLINE: It’s everywhere. And I don’t just mean blood.
RYAN: Liev was hot.
CAROLINE: Liev was hot albeit thin-lipped. But very good, I thought. Almost at times adopting a faux British accent, did you notice? I wonder if his Shakespearean training was coming out.
RYAN: Speaking of British, this film may have had the same casting director as the Harry Potter films because it had Professor Dumbledore and Professor Lupin and even Karkaroff from Goblet of Fire.
CAROLINE: Who?
RYAN: The head of Durmstrang. So there were three actors from Harry Potter.
CAROLINE: Trust me, people, where there’s a Harry Potter connection to be made, Ryan will make it.
RYAN: Yes.
CAROLINE: In other news, the audience was laughing a lot at the kid who played Damien. He was supposed to be scary but was actually really cute. He didn’t really have the scary face down.
RYAN: His eyes are beautiful.
CAROLINE: Now, true confessions, dear readers – neither Ryan nor I has seen the original “Omen.” I have an excuse, which is that I’m a big old scaredy cat and I rarely see horror movies. And the original “Omen” is evidently one of the scariest movies of all time. But now, I have to say, seeing the remake makes me want to see the original a little bit.
RYAN: We gotta give a little credit to Mia Farrow. Not only did she look absolutely exquisite –
CAROLINE: Slightly taut, but yes.
RYAN: She kinda had the face of nineteen year old, but she looked beautiful. But her performance was outstanding, she was great.
CAROLINE: She was very good. I mean, didn’t know what to expect as a non-horror movie person and I was kinda into this. It’s doable, it’s not so terrifyingly scary that you won’t live to tell. The original, I’m sure, is scarier by nature of the fact that it was made in the 70s and it’s got that creepy 70s feel. This one has obviously been modernized. But don’t get me wrong, there are some way freaky moments and a little bit of gore.
RYAN: Definitely, and it kept us on the edge of our seats and wasn’t very predictable at all.
CAROLINE: Oh no! It certainly wasn’t though neither of us knows the original ending, of course, so we can’t tell you if it ends the same way. But stay tuned, maybe we’ll rent it.
RYAN: Final thought?
CAROLINE: I’m pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it. I jumped in my seat. Julia and the kid didn’t do a ton for me but the rest of them were good enough. And it looked great – well done, director.
RYAN: Yes, well done. I was surprisingly frightened in a good way. Like, it’s gonna stay with me. This film should end Julia Stiles’s acting career. She was so stiff and boring. But overall, if you love scary movies, you cannot cannot cannot miss this one in the theater. This is one for the horror lovers.