Rate The Last Movie You Saw

I really liked it as well. On the Films That Made You Jump thread lynchian mentioned the scene with the cupboard and I decided I didn't want to be spoiled properly so I bought it and watched it. This is my reply to lynchian from a few days ago:

"Thanks again for mentioning this film – I watched it tonight and really enjoyed it.

Given your original post I became a closet-watcher for most of the film , and the bit you refer to certainly does pack a punch. The shock that I didn't expect was Jim Norton's 'rotting' proto-ghost appearing in the car, and the hissing noise he makes certainly makes it extra horrific. As a Father Ted fan I was pleased to see his name on the cast list along with the other three actors, all of whom I like very much. It's really Ciarán Hinds' film I think; he was outstanding.

It was very interesting for me that Aidan Quinn was involved as a few months back I saw him in the 1995 film Haunted, which also involves spiritualism, and is excellent. I had quite recently read Arthur Conan Doyle's story The Land of Mist, which I found very moving, particularly knowing Doyle's personal circumstances, and that film tied into those emotions as well.

I would also say that if anyone liked The Eclipse they should have a look at The Daisy Chain."

I hadn't heard of the film at all but knowing Hinds, Hjejle and Quinn, plus the subject matter I thought it would be good and it was. I arrived at 7/10 due to a few niggles.

I found the music sometimes appropriate but in other moments not quite as fitting for what was going on; even too much in some cases. Another complaint is the amount of uses of "****ing". It seemed odd to me that people who'd just met would wander round coming out with this sort of thing in casual conversation, and it also has the effect of merging all the characters into one writing voice. I'm not sure how successful Aidan Quinn was in his role actually but he certainly put over the dysfunctional nature of the character very well. Finally I found the film ended too soon and was miffed that there wasn't more to it.

On the really positive side, Jim Norton's part was short but extremely emotive and thought provoking – of course when I see him as the ghost in future I'm always going to think 'it's Bishop Brennan doing Father Jack'. As I mentioned above I was really impressed with Ciarán Hinds. I knew he was good but here I think it's the best I've seen him. The suicide scene, which reminds me of a scene in another film I won't mention due to spoilers, was also a really effective shock. In fact the idea of ghostly happenings predating the death of a character reminds me of another film which, again, I can't mention for fear of ruining the surprise!

I thought it was clever to leave the film so long before the first clear apparition as well. The idea of Michael seeing the ghost only in half-light when he's on the stairs was good, as it gave the sense it could have been a trick of the light. The subsequent visions are all very well done and in a funny way the appearance of Michael's wife is actually the most frightening. It struck me that there was something sinister about the lingering shots of the family photos even in the early scenes and I don't know whether that was intentional. You're sort of sitting there thinking "is that really his wife?" The fact that it is and she's appeared to give him support is a very emotional scene and reminiscent of The Land of Mist and another film that shall not be named.

This is certainly something I'm going to be watching again. One of the things I'm trying to work out is why there's a brief shot of Michael's daughter looking very strange and almost ghost-like that never actually leads anywhere.

And I do see a similarity with The Daisy Chain as I said above. It's very disturbing at times and a good modern horror idea. I'd also say Samantha Morton's performance is comparable to Ciarán Hinds in The Eclipse, so well worth a look.

I really liked it as well. On the Films That Made You Jump thread lynchian mentioned the scene with the cupboard and I decided I didn't want to be spoiled properly so I bought it and watched it. This is my reply to lynchian from a few days ago:

"Thanks again for mentioning this film – I watched it tonight and really enjoyed it.

Given your original post I became a closet-watcher for most of the film , and the bit you refer to certainly does pack a punch. The shock that I didn't expect was Jim Norton's 'rotting' proto-ghost appearing in the car, and the hissing noise he makes certainly makes it extra horrific. As a Father Ted fan I was pleased to see his name on the cast list along with the other three actors, all of whom I like very much. It's really Ciarán Hinds' film I think; he was outstanding.

It was very interesting for me that Aidan Quinn was involved as a few months back I saw him in the 1995 film Haunted, which also involves spiritualism, and is excellent. I had quite recently read Arthur Conan Doyle's story The Land of Mist, which I found very moving, particularly knowing Doyle's personal circumstances, and that film tied into those emotions as well.

I would also say that if anyone liked The Eclipse they should have a look at The Daisy Chain."

I hadn't heard of the film at all but knowing Hinds, Hjejle and Quinn, plus the subject matter I thought it would be good and it was. I arrived at 7/10 due to a few niggles.

I found the music sometimes appropriate but in other moments not quite as fitting for what was going on; even too much in some cases. Another complaint is the amount of uses of "****ing". It seemed odd to me that people who'd just met would wander round coming out with this sort of thing in casual conversation, and it also has the effect of merging all the characters into one writing voice. I'm not sure how successful Aidan Quinn was in his role actually but he certainly put over the dysfunctional nature of the character very well. Finally I found the film ended too soon and was miffed that there wasn't more to it.

On the really positive side, Jim Norton's part was short but extremely emotive and thought provoking – of course when I see him as the ghost in future I'm always going to think 'it's Bishop Brennan doing Father Jack'. As I mentioned above I was really impressed with Ciarán Hinds. I knew he was good but here I think it's the best I've seen him. The suicide scene, which reminds me of a scene in another film I won't mention due to spoilers, was also a really effective shock. In fact the idea of ghostly happenings predating the death of a character reminds me of another film which, again, I can't mention for fear of ruining the surprise!

I thought it was clever to leave the film so long before the first clear apparition as well. The idea of Michael seeing the ghost only in half-light when he's on the stairs was good, as it gave the sense it could have been a trick of the light. The subsequent visions are all very well done and in a funny way the appearance of Michael's wife is actually the most frightening. It struck me that there was something sinister about the lingering shots of the family photos even in the early scenes and I don't know whether that was intentional. You're sort of sitting there thinking "is that really his wife?" The fact that it is and she's appeared to give him support is a very emotional scene and reminiscent of The Land of Mist and another film that shall not be named.

This is certainly something I'm going to be watching again. One of the things I'm trying to work out is why there's a brief shot of Michael's daughter looking very strange and almost ghost-like that never actually leads anywhere.

And I do see a similarity with The Daisy Chain as I said above. It's very disturbing at times and a good modern horror idea. I'd also say Samantha Morton's performance is comparable to Ciarán Hinds in The Eclipse, so well worth a look.