Sinister

I was looking forward to another ghost horror movie modeled after Insidious but in the end, I was slightly disappointed. Basically, it’s not so much about the idea which is great, nor is it the filmmaking that’s obviously well-made. But it’s worse with its individual moments that didn’t make sense to me. The film just doesn’t explain some things to the viewer, so the film throws the viewers right into the center of the action and wants them to fight with it by themselves. Ethan Hawke moves into the house with his family and as it’s customary, finds old videotapes from the Super8 camera in the attic, which is the start of it all. The film doesn’t explain to us why they move into the new apartment or what he actually does for work. Even after the end of the film, I didn’t really understand what his character was actually doing. Did he write books based on real unresolved cases? It must be added that he did not write a single word for the entire film. Hard to say. However, the processing and the idea are good. There is nothing wrong with that. The rest is debatable. (26/10/2015)

Sinister is certainly no S(s)hining, whether I'm referring to the creative one or the brilliant and still-unsurpassed Kubrick horror, and Scott Derrickson draws material from perhaps every major horror title, starting with the aforementioned The Shining and ending with the amateurish Blair Witch, but it's still one of the best and most story-integrated horror films of recent years. The initial boredom caused great apprehension, but with the gradual unravelling of the murder mystery the film picks up the pace, the atmosphere thickens with each passing minute and I had to wipe the sweat from my brow as I wandered through the dark corridors at night. As it has been mentioned many times, Derrickson doesn't come up with anything new and his attempt to combine a classic spiritual horror with a dark thriller about a brutal serial killer may not be to everyone's taste, and it also squeaks at times, but at the same time, he keeps a close eye on the script, doesn't let it drown in the deadly waters of clichés, and with the help of a very convincing Ethan Hawke and well chosen interiors (another salute to master Kubrick), he plays with the audience's nerves. And if the climax is from the weaker barrel, the rest of the film makes up for it and there is really little missing for a full rating. For me, the best horror film of the year, without doubt. (02/12/2012)

Super 8 in the role of a powerful cult artifact and a gateway between worlds, a stray member of the band MAYHEM in the role of Mr. Bubák... Although is once again a case of recycling all of the known ingredients, their connection is not at all a forgettable and stupid. The motif of a writer obsessed with his former fame, who sells his soul and betrays the principles (we all know what come next...), the motif of a film that "drinks life from creatures", a sound component oscillating between an industrial and a radio breakdown on a Turkish minaret... It's too bad that Derrickson has to put few cheap "now the whole movie theatre will scream" moments in there, and that he does not just work with the long nervous atmosphere that escalates so beautifully. The motif for serial murder, which allows the viewer to watch the film in a way other than as "pure sinister adrenaline", is not at all useless. At least the "mystery" (no matter how ridiculous) managed to hook me solidly. As I don't tend to like US horror movies in general, this one is pretty good. (04/02/2013)

Along with Christopher Young, Scott Derrickson manages just as with The Exorcism of Emily Rose to create an impressive atmosphere – this time in a very distinctive way with the help of "music" (or rather, a cluster of sounds that are supposed to be some kind of soundtrack), the effects of which are hellishly depressing and not only fit the film as such, but even surpass its purpose in the end – and for a very simple reason: aside from the fact that it fashions the atmosphere (and at times even creates it from scratch), which is more than half the experience here, it really works as a stand-alone means of creating an uncomfortably vague tension (which with music alone is very impressive). The other aspects of the film are probably worth mentioning as well – Sinister is obviously a horror film, but a certain whodunit plot and a little family drama have a firm place in it. I'm not a horror fan or anything like that, so I won't analyze the scariness or believability of the story here, but a wise friend once told me that a good horror movie (depending on how we imagine or define good horror for ourselves, of course) is all about the characters. Ethan Hawke is quite believable in his performance as a father who internally struggles with his own selfishness and strong recklessness in his own desire for recognition (fame), while on the other hand trying to love and provide for his family as much as he can (I would add that I don't consider this to be the film's fulcrum, of course, but rather an integral part of the whole). While I'm not really a fan of the horror genre, what I do appreciate about this film is that it's suspenseful, scary, atmospheric, and has an interesting occult feel to it and an impressive ending (not unexpected or shocking, but impressive for sure) in which you also get to see a demonstration of the painter's distinctive artistry. A very pleasant surprise and proof that Scott Derrickson is simply a whiz at atmospheric scares. (14/12/2012)

Mr. Boogie and his collection of home movies, like “mowing the lawn" and “barbeque" in action. A wild soundtrack, then primarily an excellent atmosphere and a twist for all mystery fans. The couple of references to Stephen King are also very fine, the same applies to the actors. Ethan Hawke acts precisely in between nice guy/madman who never gives up and his wife and kid are also really fine. The high point of the picture of course was watching the movies filmed on Super 8. P.S.: The extended version is sometimes seriously better than the original. (11/11/2012)