The Mist

First, a disclaimer: I am a huge Stephen King fan. As in, I have read everything the man has written down to 2 books I am currently working on finishing. (The Stand is a behemoth, give me time!) So any Stephen King movie I review is going to be greatly biased.

That said, I do agree with the general opinion that most Stephen King movies are, well, crap. Something just doesn't translate to the big screen. I think it is the screenwriters'/directors' focus on the horror story, where Stephen King novels are pure humanity: character-driven, fleshed-out tomes with masterful passages that simply cannot be captured on film.

And that being said, I still enjoy most of the movies. Yes, "It" had an ending that was pure letdown, but the movie was still menacing fun. Sure, "Pet Sematary" was an exploitative gore-fest, but what is so wrong about that?

I was pleasantly surprised at the news that Frank Darabont, who has been a longtime Stephen King collaborator, and directed the horror-lite, drama-heavy, and critically beloved S.K. movies"The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption," was to direct "The Mist". And, for the most part, his movie does not disappoint.

"The Mist" holds pretty well to the Stephen King trademark tone. The characters are well-defined and much of their traits are retained on film. There is good build-up of creepy atmosphere, but I felt the movie somewhat fell apart once the creatures behind the mist started to be revealed. I like my horror a little more subtle, a little less creature feature-y. Still, for a Stephen King movie, this is a pretty good entry.

Rating:

El Orfanato (The Orphanage)

Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) presents this movie by fellow Spanish director, Juan Antonio Bayona. "El Orfanato" is, quite rightly, being touted as this year's "Pan's Labyrinth"; indeed, the atmosphere and camera work of both movies is similar, and each movie is crafted within a mythology.

Where "Pan's Labyrinth" paralleled Greek fairy tales, "El Orfanato" echoes the story of Peter Pan. "Pan's Labyrinth" was an amazing, visually sumptous and contemplative movie; similarly, "El Orfanato" leaves an imprint on the audience long after its viewing.

The creepy ghost story layer of the movie relies on subtle, quiet thrills, in the vein of "The Others". On the level of the Peter Pan story, actor Belen Rueda's turn as an aging Wendy, who enters Neverland to retrieve her Lost Boy, is heartbreaking and engaging.

Well-made, critically acclaimed, and true horror films are few and far between; I am a horror movie afficionado who recognizes that the genre receives little credit among critics' circles, if only because all too many horror movies today do not even take themselves seriously. 'Thriller' is not the same as 'horror', a fact that should be acknowledged by big budget blockbusters who label themselves the latter; likewise, critics should recognize that horror is a valid genre, not simply the realm of low-budget teen slasher films (although those can be fun). Movies such as "El Orfanato" may just get people to appreciate horror as more than a guilty pleasure. But enough ranting.

This film was amazing. I was terrified, with my hand over my mouth for half of the movie, and then uncontrollably sobbing at the end. This movie receives my highest rating and recommendation: 5 out of 5 skulls.