“The Woman in Black” chills audiences

Tossing away his glasses and removing his scar, Daniel Radcliffe ("Harry Potter") shows a different side of himself in his latest film, "The Woman in Black." Filled with classic cheap scares and haunting silhouettes, this thriller comes across ascliché, but suspense levels rise, giving audiences white knuckles throughout the second half of the film.

In the early 1900s, Radcliffe plays ArthurKipps, a young solicitor called to a rural part of England to gather the paperwork for a recently-deceased woman's estate. As Kipps settles in to deal with the stacks of paperwork in this empty home, he starts to hear and see strange occurrences throughout the house. He quickly makes friends with local Sam Daily, played by CiaránHinds ("Road to Perdition") but this does not save Kipps from being frightened, tormented and endangered by the woman in black.

It takes a while for the movie to get going, but once it creeps in, the suspense stays for the long haul. Silhouettes are seen in doorways, mirrors and windows, causing movie-goers to hide behind loved ones awaiting a big scare.  Creepy dolls, eerie marsh lands and ominous settings help make it feel as if Kipps is alone and deserted in this mansion with nowhere to run and no one to hear his pleas.

Aside from the haunting woman and strange shadows, what really makes the film work is that its slow pace helps build the suspense almost perfectly. The scares happen a second before or after expected and send the audience leaping out of their chairs or cringing in fear. "Woman in Black" delivers all the same clichés expected from the genre, but provides enough surprises to catch viewers off guard. It does not reach the epitome of horror films, but certainly makes a leap for it.

Another key factor in this film is the period and location. Since this movie is set in the1900s, it eliminates many resources a character could use to communicate or escape. In recent films, a character can simply pick up a phone and dial the police, text a friend a warning or throw a rock at the neighbors' window to get their attention. Kipps is stranded in a mansion surrounded by marshlands and a lake. There are no telephones in the town, and it would take another 73 years for cell phones to be invented.  These two factors drill in the sense of being alone and trapped in a haunted house.

Radcliffe tries hard to shake off his wizarding ways in this movie and actually achieves it. His portrayal of a man who is somewhat lost without his wife and is seen as miserable even by his own son is spot-on. The fact that he is playing a father forces the viewer to see him as a young man instead of a boy. Although his acting abilities are still in their early stages of development, he shows that he can definitely act outside of the "Harry Potter" films, whether it is on Broadway or the silver screen.

Although "The Woman in Black" does not reach perfection, it takes the leap. Giving audiences a break from the gore-filled and demon-possessed films flooding theaters over the past five years, this film is a breath of fresh air. Even if those breaths soon turn to screams.

"The Woman in Black" receives 2 ½ out of 5 stars.

Originally posted HERE

“Touch” gives Fox a new hope

After trying his luck at bad-boy vampire and counter-terrorism expert, KeiferSutherland ("24" and "The Lost Boys) is taking on the role of a father. Sutherland stars in the new supernatural drama "Touch" on Fox . With one of Fox's biggest shows, "House," possibly ending its run after this season, the new series "Touch" shows some early promise for the network. Touching hearts at home with a wife killed on Sept. 11, 2001 and dipping its foot into the sci-fi pool, "Touch" is gliding down the right road for now.

"Touch" follows the story of widower Martin Bohm (Sutherland), whose wife died on Sept. 11, and his mute son Jake, played by newcomer David Mazouz. Jake has a knack for getting himself into strange and dangerous predicaments, which lead people to think Martin is a bad father. This brings a social worker named Clea Hopkins into the story, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw ("Larry Crowne").

The story centers on the scientific theory known as the "string theory" which describes subatomic "strings" that connect all things together. In the first five minutes, the viewer is bombarded by statistics that Jake spouts out. He pulls viewers in, assisting them in understanding the overall theme and feel of the show, which is connected, yet separated. Jake obsesses over seemingly random numbers, writing them down constantly. Martin sees them as a code which ultimately leads him to the home of Arthur Teller, a coincidental number theory expert played by Danny Glover ("Lethal Weapon"). 

Sutherland commands the viewer's attention with his demanding and powerful personality. Although Mazouz never says a word other than his narration, his expressions play a key part in this show. "He sees the world in a completely different way," is how Teller explains to Martin why Jake acts the way he does. When Jake is upset or confused, the expression he gives off and the body language he sends to his father really convey his emotions. Sutherland plays the role of a confused and desperate father trying to understand his son perfectly, and this helps carry the show from scene to scene.

Aside from solid performances from the two leads, the creator of the show is another reason why the program may work. Tim Kring, whose most recent work was "Heroes," created "Touch" and gave an old story a breath of fresh air. He allows the show to take place all over the world, in Japan, Baghdad, London and Ireland, but still brings the show back to its core, which is the relationship between father and son, Martin and Jake.

A looming fear is that the storyline of "Touch" could turn a bit stale with Martin trying to decipher a new code every week. Tim Kring also has a history of canceled shows. "Crossing Jordan" was canceled after six seasons and "Heroes" was canceled after four. However, "Touch" definitely shows promise, and could have a decent run if the story does not get lost in a world of jumbled numbers.

The pilot episode can be seen on Fox.com, and the show returns to television sets on March 19.

Originally posted HERE

“Underworld: Awakening” induces sleep

Bullet holes and blood cover the screen in the newest installment of the "Underworld" franchise. "Underworld: Awakening" is jam-packed with expensive action sequences and gore for days, but lacks when switching over to story mode.

The cold-hearted vampire Selene, played by Kate Beckinsale ("Van Helsing", "Pearl Harbor") has a new set of enemies on her plate this time around and they are human. This film takes place 12 years after the events that transpired in "Underworld: Evolution." Selene is taken captive by humans and is put into a cryogenic sleep. While held captive, she is experimented on in hopes to find a cure for the "diseases" of being a vampire or werewolf (also known as "lycan").. After she is set free, Selene finds out that her lover, Michael, is missing and a "cleansing" of lycans and vampires has nearly wiped them all out. Selene escapes and runs into a young girl named Eve, played by India Eisley ("The Secret Life of the American Teenager"), who turns out to be of extreme significance to ending the war.

The giant elephant, or lycan as it were, in the room throughout this entire movie is the confusing and low-quality storyline. Those who were pulled into theaters by the trailer or their significant other might get lost after the opening monologue explains the events that led up to this current film. The storyline is quickly shoved aside as heads begin to roll and blood starts to squirt all over the nearest wall, but comes crashing right back in when a sentimental scene flops into the picture. A somewhat touching moment is shared between Eve and Selene as their characters express their new found connection. But, the relationship seems rushed and forced in an hour and 45 minute movie.

Poorly-done CGI partnered with 3D elements added to the headache this movie seemed to cause. Over the years, the budget of the franchise has grown, and, with it, the amount of CGI effects has risen. The movie takes place mostly at night and has a cold blue color palette, like the previous films. This makes for a very murky and ugly 3D experience. When only Selene was fighting in a scene, it was easy to follow along with her and see everything she did. Unfortunately, when it came to trying to follow her, seven lycans, and dozens of vampires – including one wielding a silver embedded whip – it became a little over the top and clustered.

However, the excessive gore and wall-to-wall action do assist in keeping the audience's attention in a confusing and shallow plot. Selene goes toe to toe with those who captured her and shows them that they picked the wrong vampire to mess with. The elongated fight scene that snaps the audience to life in the opening scene is around five minutes long and packs as much death in as possible. The 3D definitely adds a bit of flare to these scenes, but does nothing more. Simply seeing the film in 2D would have been just as good.

Despite the fact that Selene definitely gets a little too in touch with her feminine side, she still manages to destroy a couple of bad guys in her fits of rage.  The dialogue may be better on mute, but the action definitely makes up for this lackluster horror-fantasy film.

"Underworld: Awakening" receives 2 out of 5 stars.

Originally posted HERE