see you at the movies

Director: Eli Roth
Starring: Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Eythor Gudjonsson, Barbara Nedeljakova, Jana Kaderabkova, Jan Vlasák, Jennifer Lim

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Hostel is the follow-up to writer-director Eli Roth's hit debut, 2002's Cabin Fever. It tells the story of two adventurous American college buddies Paxton and Josh who backpack through Europe eager to make quintessentially hazy travel memories with new friend Oli, an Icelander they've met along the way. Paxton and Josh are eventually lured by a fellow traveller to what's described as a nirvana for American backpackers – a particular hostel in an out-of-the-way Slovakian town stocked with Eastern European women as desperate as they are gorgeous. The two friends arrive and soon easily pair off with exotic beauties Natalya and Svetlana. In fact, too easily...Initially distracted by the good time they're having, the two Americans quickly find themselves trapped in an increasingly sinister situation that they will discover is as wide and as deep as the darkest, sickest recess of human nature itself – if they survive.

Hostel is depraved, sick and disgusting – which means teenagers would love it.

Review by : James O'Ehley
*

Director: Walter Salles
Starring: Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, Dougray Scott

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Dahlia Williams (JENNIFER CONNELLY) is starting a new life; newly separated with a new job and a
new apartment, she s determined to put her relationship with her estranged husband behind her and devote herself to raising her daughter, Ceci. But when the strained separation disintegrates into a bitter custody battle, her situation takes a turn for the worse. Her new apartment dilapidated, cramped, and worn seems to take on a life of its own. Mysterious noises, persistent leaks of dark water, and strange happenings cause her imagination to run wild, sending her on a puzzling and mystifying pursuit to find out who is behind the endless mind games. As Dahlia frantically searches
for the links between the riddles, the dark water seems to close around her. But one thing trumps all others in Dahlia's world: no matter what it is that s out there, she'll stop at nothing to
find it.

The gore-free Dark Water tries hard to establish a creepy atmosphere, but instead winds up being slow moving with not much happening.

Review by : James O'Ehley
**

Director: Neil Marshall
Starring: Nora-Jane Noon, Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? One year following a horrendous and tragic accident, six girlfriends meet for their yearly adventure
in a remote part of the Appalachians for a caving trip into the arteries of the earth. Deep inside the caves, disaster strikes again when a rock fall blocks their route back to the surface. The girls learn that Juno, the leader of the expedition who is always pushing herself that bit further, has brought them to an unexplored cave and that no one is coming to rescue them. The group splinters and each push on, praying for another exit. But, there is something else lurking under the earth - a race of monstrous humanoid creatures that are adapted perfectly to life in the dark. As the friends realise they are the prey, they unleash their most primal instincts in an all-out war against an unspeakable horror - one that attacks without warning, again and again and again.

This British horror movie may borrow the old Alien plot template of a group of people cut off from civilisation being killed off one by one by one by hostile creatures, but it manages to do something wholly gripping and unexpected with the material at hand . . .

Review by : James O'Ehley
****