SYNOPSIS:
Documents one family's descent into darkness, using a compilation of found home-made footage. In the remote woods of upstate New York, the Poe Family lives a Norman Rockwell life. Perfect house. Perfect marriage. If only the children stopped stapling frogs to trees. Something is very wrong with ten-year old twins, Jack and Emily Poe. And, to stop them, their parents must enter the nightmare of their minds. The only question is: who will survive the night?
REVIEW:
As more movies flood the viewing circle, it's very likely that several will be filmed with the visual narrative of home movie cameras telling the story by process of documentation. What keeps them fresh is the ability to tell a story by doing so in ways that extend beyond the norm. The norm being the flooding of reality TV shows that entertain by showing us the interesting stuff in life as opposed to the mundane.
Home Movie an appropriately titled film, is one that cleverly tells its tale by using this idea without making it the primary focus. At least not at first. Our family of 4 consists of Clare (Cady McClain), David (Adrian Pasdar) and there 2 kids Emily (Amber Joy Williams) and Jack (Austin Williams). In other words..... meet the Poe's!
For those who are unclear where they recognize Adrian from, Adrian is one of our TV series "Heroes" actors and a primary actor from the vampire horror classic "Near Dark".
To give a little background, Clare is a Dr. of psychology and David is a preacher. David has a slight obsession with capturing the family's life on tape every holiday or special occasion. In fact, so much that every detail of the events are presented into the lens as David occasionally narrates into the camera himself. While this is not too out of the norm, we get our information in bits and pieces that construct the makeup of the film's premise. Ideally, the Poe's are painted as a perfect family with scenes of a romantic marriage, an active father that participants immensely in holiday events , comical family play, bedtime stories and a bunch of light hearted family fun. This is key to the direction that evolves before our eyes.
As we watch this supposedly normal family's life through the video world a strange thing begins to make it's way to the surface. Namely, that there is something seriously wrong with the children. It begins ever so slightly with camera moments that document their tantrums, unsociable behavior, fits, acts of violence and actions that are a bit odd for children to indulge in. This also escalates into crucified cats, animals being tortured and an uncomfortable moment or 2 that just doesn't fit the mold of our perfect urban family.
Home Movie has an indescribable notion of chills attached to it as the camera serves the audiences view point from a distance. When the children are questioned on their deviant actions, the silence and stillness presented are as equally disturbing as the actions themselves.
The irony of Home Movie is that the parents are a complete contrast to what their children should be. A loving family man and preacher father with an intelligent psychologist mother who begin to suspect that maybe the house is possessing the children with evil spirits. Even with attempts documented on camera to narrate the story, this idea is more disturbing when its discovered that the only real evil is the children themselves who have no basis for there actions or motives.
Directed and written by Christopher Denham, Home Movie is a horror film that comes at you in ways you don't see coming. By this process alone it makes the movie quite brilliant on many levels. From a production standpoint, it is as clever using its resources as Blair Witch or Quarantine. No fx, no cinematic magic, no lavish score....just a simple perspective of viewer to filmmaker story telling. In fact, though the world is clearly in motion the film only employs 4 actors in total. We don't need any hand holding on this one, as we get it in its simplicity. It also asks a question that is clearly defined.....Is evil influenced or can it just exist?
Needless to say , the story becomes more involved, more violent and more displaced up until the final frame. While the production is purposely kept minimal the film is a must see film of the year.
- BoneDigger
