Film preview Friday

Written by: loullamae

What to see at the cinema this weekend by Paul Antrobus.

TRIANGLE

“Groundhog Day but with screaming and guns instead of screeching and
Andi McDowell.”

Writer-director Christopher Smith’s third film (after 2004’s nasty
Creep and 2006’s underrated Severance) is a mind bending horror film
set aboard a deserted cruise ship.

Triangle begins with a strangely blank faced Melissa George setting
off on a boat trip aboard a friend’s yacht. After 15 minutes of
character setting banter a freak storm hits and the 5 friends find
themselves stuck in the middle of the ocean on an upturned boat.
Fortunately a cruise ship happens by (as they do) but after boarding
the group realise the ship is deserted. However, Melissa George’s Jess
soon begins to get the feeling she has been there previously…

Click through for full review and Popbitch’s guide to the best horror films of the decade…

Without wishing to give too much away (and this truly is one of those
films best approached with no foreknowledge) she soon finds herself
reliving the same events over and over again, sort of Groundhog Day
but with screaming and guns instead of screeching and Andi McDowell.

Melissa George is great, playing different versions of the same role,
yet we never lose track of who she is playing at that moment (you will
understand when you see the film).

Sometimes when you play back films like this in your head the plot
falls apart – this doesn’t make sense, or there was no reason for her
to do that knowing what we know now etc. That isn’t the case with
Triangle. It all ties together perfectly. And speaking of the end,
when we finally realise the reason for her numbed state at the
beginning of the film it elicits sadness not chills.

One to watch out for

Paranormal Activity

Out end of November, this ‘Blair Witch with ghosts’ has been a massive
word-of-mouth hit in the States.

The 5 best horror films of the past 10 years

The Descent

Nasty going on underground in one of the best horror films made (no
joke). A not-too-shabby sequel is due out in December.

Saw

Has launched 5 sequels in 5 years but this first of the torture porn
films is probably the most important horror of the past decade. Plus
it has REALLY fucking creepy masks in it.

The Orphanage

Not all horror films try and make you jump out of your seat every 5
minutes. Some go for the slow burn…(see also The Others).

The Last House on the Left

The best of the glut of 70s remakes. May not be as misogynistic as the
original but it is tenser, better acted and has characters you
actually care about. Let down a bit by a rubbish final scene.

Eden Lake

Brutal, British and believable. Could have been torn from the Daily
Mail’s headlines though what will stay with you are Kelly Reilly’s
great heroine, and the most gut-wrenching torture scene of the past
few years.

And the worst

The Unborn
Pile of shit.

Tags: andi mcdowell, christopher smith, Creep, Eden Lake, groundhog day, Melissa George, Paranormal Activity, Saw, Severance, The Descent, The Last House on the Left, The Orphanage, The Unborn, triangle
Posted in Film & TV |