And now we present a new entry type we like to call:

INSTANT CASSETTE

Where in The Reel Deal gives abridged reviews of movies recently released on DVD.

Today's episodes:  The Uninvited, and Rachel Getting Married

The Uninvited

While this movie was still in theaters I had a conversation with a friend of mine about how it looked like it was packing more of a punch than the trailers really conveyed- it turns out we were right.

Unbeknownst to me when I watched it, The Uninvited is actually a remake of the Korea's highest grossing ever horror movie.  I've yet to see the original, but if it's offspring is any indication, I think I understand why it drew so many movie-goers.

The dysfunctional family at the center of the film is cast spot on, and rather attractively I might add,  but it's Aussie actress Emily Browning (Stranded) who ends up with the most gold stars.  She tugs at the heart strings as evil step-mom Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri Make a Porno) stays one-step ahead of her at every turn.  Banks's character can seem a little over the top at times, but in a movie told from the perspective of a girl who thinks she's the devil that makes sense.  

Pacing is another thing that really caught my attention about this movie.  It starts strong and doesn't lay off- an important factor in horror/thriller- but does so without having to stiff arm the audience into keeping up.

In the interest of expediency, INSTANT CASSETTE is going to have a very basic rating system, which I shall now explain:  Queue it?  Or don't do it?  Is the aforementioned movie worth my valuable Netflix Queue space?  OR would that space be better relegated to those Star Trek: Deep Space 9 volumes I've been eyeing?  Make sense?  Excellent.

The verdict on The Uninvited?

Queue it.  Definitely Queue it.  But watch it with someone to discuss it afterward.

Rachel Getting Married

...Okay so the truth is nothing really jumps to mind about Rachel Getting Married, which I think says a lot about my feelings on it.  It was watched back to back with The Uninvited, and definitely couldn't live up.  As emotional as the subject matter is- I never really felt like I connected to the story or it's characters.  Anne Hathaway (Passengers) gives a valiant effort, but comes up empty for me. 

The documentary style filming seems like it should draw you in, but somehow ended up pulling of the story time and time again.  The same could be said for the interesting yet ineffective approach to the background music, which exists entirely within the story.   I'm a stickler for soundtracks- I can admit that- so maybe I'm being a bit harsh... but even so I didn't feel it.

  This movie wanted to be all those buzz words that people throw around when they try to explain something feeling genuine: "Raw" and "Real" and "Visceral" etc.  But in the end the whole thing just felt a bit labored.  Even a good story can't bring you back when there's this much working against

it.

  Watcher X says:  "I didn't like the shaky camera." 

 

  So, Queue it or Don't do it?

  I have to say don't do it.  Watch SherryBaby instead.