This Weekend’s Film Festival – Scary Creatures

The title of this week's lineup has various meanings in the context of the films presented. 2009 had its share of creature features. In 9, burlap creations where tormented by frightening beasts formed by spare parts. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY scared people with the things that go bump in the night. DISTRICT 9 brought scary looking aliens to South Africa, but they weren't the scariest creatures in the story. To round out the Fest, there's another ghost and alien encounter tale to gives you chills and make you think. It's a unique way to bid the old year goodbye.

"Don’t let the animation fool you, [9] is the sci-fi actioner you’ve been waiting all year for," to quote my original review. Director Shane Acker's visionary animated adventure is set in a post-apocalyptic Earth where humans have wiped themselves out and all that is left is their mechanical creations kept in operation through spare parts. A scientist has made nine burlap creatures that hold the key to humanity's survival. They are tormented by skull-headed beasts and spider-like creatures with siren-like powers. #9 (Elijah Wood) was the scientist's last creation. He is naïve, but was the will to do the right thing no matter how dangerous. To #1 (Christopher Plummer), he is a threat, but to #2 (Martin Landau) he represents hope. Each of the creatures are well-defined from the follower #5 (John C. Rielly) to the daring warrior #7 (Jennifer Connelly) to the dimwitted muscle #8 (Fred Tatasciore) to the bizarre #6 (Crispin Glover). This mature animated film doesn't pull punches and surprises at every turn.

In my original review of THE INNOCENTS, I said, "The film is subtle, creepy and truly haunting. It’s one of the best ghost stories you will ever see." Miss Giddens, played perfectly by Deborah Kerr, is hired to care for two orphans whose uncle doesn't want to be bothered with. At first, things are simple when she's caring for the young Flora (Pamela Franklin), but events take a frightening turn when Miles (Martin Stephens) comes home after being kicked out of boarding school. In addition to being one of the best ghost films it's also one of the best creepy kids productions. Brought to life by Freddie Francis's cinematography, the candle lit hallways with their long shadows seem to be hiding ghosts. Director Jack Clayton uses perfect shot choices and subtle shocking moments to leave the audience haunted. Something always seems off and we wait anxiously for the apparitions to surface. Miss Giddens becomes increasingly frantic as she gets closer to the truth about the ghosts lurking in the estate. In the end, a kiss is will rattle one's nerves more than a scream.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY is another wonderful ghost story in the vein of BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. Made for $15,000 by first-time director Oren Peli, the home video style horror flick follows a couple (Katie Featherston & Micah Sloat) as they try to capture the activities of a demonic spirit on video while they sleep. With great patience, Peli establishes his characters and simple scenario. Katie believes she has been plagued by paranormal creatures from a young age and Micah thinks it's all a joke. As the bumps in the night get more frightening, the more strained their relationship becomes. Peli repeats one static shot of the bedroom as the characters sleep throughout the film until the final one comes and creates gut-wrenching tension. As I said in my original review, "When the lights are out and we’re dozing off, the bang in the next room sounds like an earthquake and makes our stomachs drop to our feet. This is a horror film that actually creates that same feeling."

PLANET OF THE APES is the flipside of DISTRICT 9. Humans travel through space and land in a world where their cultural understandings come in conflict with the intelligent apes that rule the planet. In this world, George Taylor, played with a provocative spirit by Charlton Heston, is an exception to the norm – he is a human that speaks and thinks. Scientist Zira (Kim Hunter) becomes his protector. She believes he proves that apes descended from humans. Her boyfriend Cornelius (Roddy McDowall) believes so too, but is afraid to speak publically because he knows their religious leader Dr. Zaius (Maurice Evans) could ruin his career for saying such blasphemous things. Dr. Zaius looks down on humans as inferior, so his contempt for Taylor is strong. Taylor threatens his place in society. It's easier to disregard humans than see their similarities. Taylor finds a common bond in the truth with Zira and McDowall. As I said in my original review, "Director Franklin J. Schaffner’s PLANET OF THE APES is a classic example of how sci-fi can be used to tackle controversial issues indirectly."

"Sci-fi has been used to talk about real world problems forever. Underneath the aliens and spaceships in DISTRICT 9 is a comment on refugees and their awful living conditions," to quote my original review. Co-writer/director Neill Blomkamp brings aliens from outer space to Johannesberg, South Africa. Twenty years ago a spaceship came to hover over the city and the aliens came to the surface where they were quartered off into slums and referred to by the humans as prawns. Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is a middle management hack from a multinational corporation tasked with moving the aliens from their slums to a new "better" camp. Through a genetic experiment gone awry, Wikus slowly transforms into one of the aliens and gets a chance to see how life is for them. He is helped out by alien Christopher Johnson and his inquisitive son. They have a way to get both themselves and Wikus back home. In between its human story and kick ass action, the film deals with the essence of complex issues in current Africa.

Get scared and entertained and provoke with one lineup by heading to the videostore, updating the Netflix queue, visiting HelloMovies.com for streaming sites, checking out Zap2It.com for TV listings, or buying the films on DVD and Blu-ray at the links below.