SILENT HOUSE
RYAN: This is the new thriller starring the Olsen twins’ younger sis, Elizabeth, who gained a lot of buzz last year with Martha Marcy May Marlene.
CAROLINE: I’m so bummed I didn’t get to see this with you!!
RYAN: Wait… you actually wanted to see a scary movie?
CAROLINE: I know, it’s totally uncharacteristic of moi. But I’m really curious to see Lizzy Olsen in another role. And I’ve heard interesting things about this movie. For starters, it’s a remake of a Uruguayan movie. How random is that?
RYAN: Not quite, considering the screening I attended in LA featured a Q&A session with the directors after the film where they explained its origins. It’s also, get this, based on a true story.
CAROLINE: How is that even possible? Isn’t it a movie about a haunting?
RYAN: I’m not gonna give anything away because that’s really the largest delight of this film – it’s a horror/psychological thriller/mystery and the fun of figuring it out, or letting the plot unravel at the perfect moments is wonderful. It’s juicy.
CAROLINE: There were also some innovative technical aspects, right?
RYAN: The entire film – all 90 minutes – is just one shot, no editing, no cuts, etc…
CAROLINE: That is both ambitious and bananas!
RYAN: Where most scary movies rely so heavily on editing, this team had to be really creative to invent the jumps and the suspense since they could not create it in post, in the edit room. What they shot they had to keep. It’s fantastically risky in filmmaking but they freakin’ pulled it off.
CAROLINE: That is fascinating.
RYAN: Inherently, because of that style, it is a little slower moving, but I really didn’t care because it’s just such a brilliant achievement – and on top of that, they had to shoot in a 360 degree environment, moving from inside to outside and everything – and while never cutting, imagine the challenges that poses for lighting and all.
CAROLINE: I can’t even begin to imagine.
RYAN: Some aspects were explained by the directors after the screening and in many cases, in the dark house, the actors had to do their own lighting by strategically carrying their flashlights or lanterns in certain ways. It was so choreographed and clever; almost mind blowing.
CAROLINE: Sounds like a rave review.
RYAN: Well, the technical achievement is beyond and absolutely worth seeing for any true fan of thrillers. If that’s you, by all means go see this. If you don’t like suspenseful, scary movies, you won’t be into this – but for the movie buffs out there, you’ll really appreciate it.
CAROLINE: And how’s Lizzy?
RYAN: She’s really good and a better actor than her castmates; especially the actor who played her father… he was bad. I didn’t love the film until about half way through and then I just appreciated it on so many levels… even where it’s sometimes predictable, I still think the plot unfolded at the right pace. I dig this movie.
— RATING —
