Elizabeth and I saw Insidious 2 over the weekend and we both enjoyed it. No. We are not contrarians. Not on purpose anyway. I said to her (and Richard) that it is the sort of film that when someone (Scream Factory?) releases it in 15 years (in a Special Edition download, surely) people like me will be very excited. And perhaps some adults that will have caught it on cable as kids. I think The Conjuring's financial and critical success has somewhat kneecapped it. Shame, really.
UPDATE: When I said that The Conjuring's financial and critical success had kneecapped Insidious 2 I meant critically not financially. It made a boatload of money this weekend. Boatloads actually. Depending on the size of the boats they are filling with money.
I haven't seen any of James Wan's movies except for 'Saw' but based on everything you've said about him here and on the podcast I'll certainly be checking out the others. I need to start picking up some films I haven't seen for next month's inevitable horror spree and his sound like ideal candidates.
ReplyDeleteAh Simon!
ReplyDeleteAs you well know when you blog you put your opinion out there and hope that if people try out something that you recommended, they like it and you don't end up with egg on your face.
That being said I think that Wan with Dead Silence, Insidious, The Conjuring and Insidious 2 has put together a string of horror films that are only rivaled by Ti West with his The House Of The Devil and The Innkeepers as far as contemporary horror film directors go. (That is discounting anyone who made their horror film debut before, oh say, 2000. No Carpenter, Romero, Argento, etc.)
I'd say The Conjuring is the best horror film I have seen in a theater (going back to when I first became an unaccompanied by an adult theater goer in around 1994ish.) A James Wanthon, I'd hope, would be very satisfying to you.
Insidious 2 is like a horror funhouse. I stand by my enjoyment of it.
The Ti West comparison has got me even more eager to watch these now. As always though, I'll be sure to try and keep my expectations as reined in as possible. In fact, I'd say my philosophy towards watching movies is the same as a more general one that I like (picked up from an interview with Anthony Hopkins of all places): "I expect nothing and accept everything".
ReplyDeleteSadly, I missed the boat on watching 'The Conjuring' on the big screen, although seeing as I'm becoming such an irritable misanthrope as I get older (with less and less patience to spare for inconsiderate audience members), I'm more than happy to wait for the DVD/BR release. For some reason, cinema managers over here have had quite a few problems with screenings of it, in one case having to temporarily pause the movie while they reminded some of their more unruly patrons why they're there in the first place.
They are different style filmmakers but I think they are the best of the last decade or so. That sucks that you weren't able to see The Conjuring in the theater. It was actually still playing at the theater where I saw Insidious 2. I saw The Conjuring twice (and Elizabeth was ready to see it a third time) and folks got up and left in the first viewing. Wan doesn't do anything new per se, he just does it very well.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've heard, it sounds like (and this could be another point of comparison to Ti West's movies) 'The Conjuring' has generally played better with, shall we say, more horror literate audiences (though I hate how borderline pretentious that sounds) than your average group of cinema goers, but I'm sure there's been exceptions.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to say that your comment probably hits the nail on the head. Along with a horror literate crowd one that is somewhat imaginative is probably desired. Someone Elizabeth knows saw Insidous 2 and thought he would have enjoyed it even more had it not been for the restless teenagers and their incessant talking and annoying phone habits. Why pay good money for a film that you aren't going to pay attention to or are predisposed to not like to begin with?
ReplyDeleteI'm always asking the exact same question whenever I go to the cinema, and furthermore, it's one of the main reasons I don't go as often these days. Maybe they should set up separate screenings for those who prefer to treat the place as some kind of hang-out/youth-club as these kids seem to do... to be fair to em, I suppose it's not like they've got many other places to go, aside from maybe bowling alleys or McDonalds, but yes, it definitely isn't fair that their collective ADD should ruin the experience for others.
ReplyDeleteI'd imagine you are right there. But you live in England! Kids should be solving mysteries or doing magic or traveling to far flung places in police boxes and exploring haunted castles. Bowling alleys and McDonalds sounds like America. Sadly.
ReplyDeleteI really wish that was the case Brad, but yes, we seem to have become the 51st state. Who knows though, if we ever see an epidemic of LSD use break out with British teens, then maybe they'll start engaging in some of our more traditional pastimes, like those you listed above... One thing's for sure, they'd stay the hell away from McDonalds.
ReplyDeleteOh McDonalds! I definitely did not have breakfast there this morning. I did not.
ReplyDeleteThat's okay, I believe you... sounds sort of like how I definitely didn't have a "quick lunch" at the pub this afternoon, followed by three pints of beer for dessert. Honest.
ReplyDeleteI'd be drunk three days from now if I had three pints of beer for dessert!
ReplyDeleteYup, that's the plan... keep myself topped up till Friday :)
ReplyDelete'Topped up!' I love the British!
ReplyDelete