I don’t know what else I can say about Sulmoney’s #3 most anticipated pick of Sherlock Holmes, except that his massive mancrush on writer-director Guy Ritchie is reaching the point of self-parody. I’m not really sure what the discussion in the studio’s conference room sounded like when they decided to hand Ritchie the reigns to a Sherlock Holmes movie, but I’d imagine it went something like this.
“Ok a new Sherlock Holmes movie. Who’s gonna direct it?”
“Well, Sherlock’s British, so we should probably get a British guy.”
“British Guy? You mean like Guy Ritchie?”
“Actually I meant–“
Drag Me to Hell
Synopsis: A loan officer ordered to evict an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse, which turns her life into a living hell. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point.
Directed By: Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead Trilogy, Spider-Man Franchise)
Starring: Alison Lohman, Justin Long (the obnoxious “I’m a Mac” guy)
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a horror flick that really pushed my buttons. Actually, the last horror movie I remember thoroughly enjoying was probably 2002’s The Ring, and I’ve been desperate to rediscover that magic ever since. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of sitting in a dark, densely-packed room full of people who are on the edge of their seats with suspense one moment, jerking their faces away from the screen in terror the next and then finally breaking into nervous laughter when the dramatic release lands at exactly the right beat.
Horror isn’t the most respected genre among pretentious film buffs (they tend to prefer the watered-down and more socially acceptable “thriller” genre – see Sulsnobby’s #8 of 2008 pick, Tell No One), but the craft of building and balancing suspense with moments of levity and humor is a delicate art that requires a skilled hand. Although Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films never completely won me over, the best part of those movies was always the slightly-campy, old-timey throwback style Raimi brought to the table, which was the exact reason his Evil Dead horror-comedies remain cult classics. I can’t wait to see him bring the genre back to its old-school roots with a somewhat high-profile thrill ride that will put the Hostel/Turistas/Saw torture porn flavor of modern horror to shame, and if the early buzz on this movie is any indication, that’s exactly what Mr. Raimi has done.
Also, this is a movie about an old demon lady who curses a young banker for denying her a loan extension, and it features a sequence where the old demon lady loses her denchers and gnaws on Alison Lohman’s chin with her bare gums. That’s worth 8 dollars.
The Feature Preachers 