The Haunting (1999)
High Fidelity
House Arrest

You'd be wrong.

What High Fidelity is, I'm not sure I can adequately explain, but I'll try. It's a movie about a wallowing, self-pitying man who owns a record store and has just been dumped by his girlfriend. He tells us the audience (Yes, he actually speaks into the camera throughout the entire movie) of his 5 most painful breakups, and then goes on to both flashback about them, and then do a "Where are they now" segment on them. He also stalks his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend Ian (Tim Robbins) and basically alienates everyone around him. The "comedy", done mostly by Jack Black as the annoying Barry is anything but funny. There is a scene that, in the trailer, looks like it's funny -- but in context, is simply cruelty by Barry. I wasn't amused at all. Barry (And Rob, our "hero", who is played by John Cusack) is a music elitist. Anyone who doesn't like what he likes doesn't know nuttin' about nuttin'. I find that an offensive concept, and couldn't relate at all.

Rob's exploits similarly evoke no sympathy. Oh sure, his breakup with Laura (Iben Hjejle) is oh so tear-jerking (if watching a grown man throw a three-year-old's temper tantrum is your idea of tear-jerking), but his level of obsession is off the scale.

I do admit to having a small fraction of genuine fun with this movie, and that's more toward the end, once they finally get the story (what little story there was) moving, and I did very much love the appearance of Catherine Zeta-Jones as one of the Top 5 breakups he mentions from the first frame. Catherine's The Haunting co-star Lili Taylor also shows up as another of his past flames.

Some very good performances by the lower - billed actors (Zeta-Jones, Taylor, and Lisa Bonet especially), however, could not make me really really like this movie, which was mostly boring beyond belief. Though Cusack is supposedly one of the better actors out there (and I do love his sister Joan, who is also in this film), I was less than impressed.

Someone wake me when it's over.

This movie is rated R for lots of language and some sexuality.

SCORE: 4 -- In a word: Snore. I was very interested in seeing the movie, too. The fact that it was so boring (with the exception of a few scenes and actors) made it an incredible disappointment. Cusack constantly talking to the camera (thereby keeping me from being immersed in the film) didn't help either. I had hoped for so much more. Avoidance is the word of the day. Return to top

I admit it: I'm a sucker for ghost stories. That's why I absolutely HAD to see this movie! (That, and the fact that Catherine Zeta-Jones is in it.) There's just something about the paranormal that allures me, and if it's attached to a good story, all the better!

The story in The Haunting revolves around a "scientist" (Liam Neeson) studying "insomnia". He lures four unsuspecting subjects to Hill House, a scary looking mansion that the locals won't even come near. His true purpose is to conduct a controlled experiment in fear -- it's hinted that Hill House is reputed to be haunted. Through semi-contrived means, the initial group of six is dwindled to four -- the scientist and the three remaining subjects (the doctor's assistant seems semi-psychic, and the house takes her out nearly immediately. The sixth and rather unnecessary member of the group seems to be just a walk-on).

Neeson puts a fake backstory to the house (not realizing it's true), and soon some strange things begin happening, especially to Nell (played superbly by Lili Taylor), who they begin to suspect is going over the edge. Of course, I think you would too, if your pillow started talking to you! Nell decides to find out what's going on, and finds herself enmeshed in a horrific battle for her very soul. What results is a creepy movie that succeeds where most horror movies fail -- actually scaring me!

As good as the stars are in this movie (Neeson, Taylor, Zeta-Jones, and Owen Wilson), the true star of the film is Hill House itself. Let me take this moment to tell you that I want the production designer / set designer team people to all win some kind of award for their absolutely smashing imagery. My friend, with whom I always go see movies, commented that every time they passed through a room there was something new to see, from the subtle (and not-so-subtle), yet macabre touches of the "art" adorning the hallways, to the ornately carved staircases. Even the external shots of a great manor that is actually in England offered a new visual treat in each scene change.

The effects teams also deserve their kudos -- from the visuals to the SOUND! I have never been so creeped out during a movie. I loved the way that The Haunting didn't depend on the sudden jump movements to scare us silly (though that did happen a few times), allowing the mood and setting do do the job for us. One of the most frightening moments for me was the way the windows "stared" at Taylor at one point. I also applauded the nearly absent gore level. (There were a few scenes involving blood, but there was even MORE left to the imagination!) It's nice that a movie can be scary without being overly gory. (Though I do like gory movies too! *grin*)

Even if you end up not liking the storyline (the script is based on Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" and takes some extreme liberties), you HAVE to see this in the theater to get the full spookiness of the film. Even the best home theater systems, I think, would not offer the level of eerie that the theater viewing will give you.

I declare The Haunting a must for horror / ghost story fans!!

This movie is rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some violence -- I think there was even some language, but don't quote me.

SCORE: 9 One of the best -- and scariest -- horror movies in quite some time! The designers of Hill House did some excellent work, as did the effects teams. Though the actors were overshadowed by the house, they turned in some good performances. The ending seemed too "simple" to me, but is still sure to impress. Higly Recommended! Return to top

Okay, imagine this: You're a kid, and your parents aren't getting along that great. In fact, if you don't do something quickly, you can smell divorce on the horizon. So what do you do?

Do what Grover did. Kyle Howard plays Grover, who locks his parents in the basement on their anniversary in order to get them to talk to each other. Unfortunately for him, when his friends hear about what he's done, they bring their parents over, and lock them down in Grover's basement as well. Party time ensues, until Grover realizes that they can't keep the parents down there forever. He decides, instead, to have everyone talk out their problems and maybe find a solution to all of the home crises represented by the people in the basement.

I'll give you both versions of this review. On the one hand, it's a funny, kid-fantasy movie. What kid hasn't dreamed of locking their parents up until they're cured of "adultism"? Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Pollack do a good job as Grover's estranged parents. And the other parents, while charicatures, are fascinating to see interacting.

On the other hand, knowing that kidnapping is illegal, I found this movie to be highly improbable. I don't believe for one minute that those kids would be able to actually hold all those adults down in that basement for all that time, no matter how smart they are! (Suspension of disbelief or not!)

Another problem this movie had was that after the lock-up, there wasn't much else for anyone to do. In the basement there was the typical whining and in-fighting, and upstairs there was the typical "what next?" and in-fighting. After all, when the excitement all happens in the first 30 minutes of a movie, where do you go frome there?

There were a few good moments, such as when Grover discovers that his mother had drawn up some divorce papers--kudos to Kyle, there!-- and between him and Brooke (I Know What you Did Last Summer's Jennifer Love Hewitt, who sang the end credits song, by the way). I also liked the gradual transformations of the hostages, who eventually became friends, despite some setbacks (when Dad found out Mom had drawn up the papers, he went ballistic) and archrivalries.

House Arrest is rated PG for some language and what the MPAA terms thematic material. Appropriate for most audiences.

SCORE: 6 Somewhat entertaining and funny, but slow and luggish in places, as well as being a highly improbable premise. Good performances by Howard and the parents. One of my biggest reservations was this: What kind of message is this sending to today's youth? Not particularly recommended, but still a good view. Return to top