Tags
Alakina Mann, Fionnula Flanagan, Nicole Kidman, photo-sensitive, post-war England, Suspense, The Others
In her elegant, china-doll fashion, Nicole Kidman brings a certain fragility to Grace, a lonely mother in post-war England in The Others.
Simmering beneath that delicate porcelain exterior roars the ferocious heart of a lioness guarding her babies. Her husband, Charles, missing in action, the needs of her photo-sensitive children, Anne and Nicholas, leaves the little family cut off from society.
The large, stone, country estate they live in is haunting enough with long-echoing corridors and a permanent chill in the England air, but the need to block out the sun’s harmful rays adds a level of desperation to her loneliness. As Grace says, The only thing that moves in this house is the light.
And then, The Others come.
I love this movie for its rich plot, its stark setting and its slow yet determined build of Hitchcockian suspense. Before this movie topped my favourite film list, I didn’t much care one way or another about Nicole Kidman. Now, I hold her skill in high regard.
Alakina Mann, who portray’s Grace’s daughter, Anne, stands off against Kidman’s Grace with a mastery seldom found in adult actors, and pushes mother Grace and little brother Nicholas’ buttons to perfection.
And Fionnula Flanagan? As far as I’m concerned, all you need do is put her name on the marquee and I’ll be in a front row seat.
Cool. I’ve got to see this movie!
See it with your sweetie, you’ll need someone to hold on to. This is one of my favs. I love Nicole Kidman and this movie builds with tenacity. I don’t like a lot of the blood and gore horror, but this slow moving, believable, ghost story really does it for me. I think it’s because this is the way you feel in an old house. You feel something, but you don’t see it. It’s all just under your skin. Another great pick!
The Others really does have that Hitchcockian feel to it, doesn’t it?
This movie was my first date with my husband. It was intense and awesome, partly for the underlying suspense threaded through every scene–even when nothing obvious is happening. In the midst of one of those seemingly-innocuous scenes, my date jumped nearly out of his seat, startling not only me, but the entire audience. Screams and gasps erupted. (At 6’4″ and 280 pounds, he tends to garner a lot of attention.) Turned out his pager, set to vibrate mode, had gone off.
Oh, Maggie. ROFL! If you’re gonna bring a ‘vibrator’ on a first date, at least see an erotic film! (My DH’s phone is always around, blipping and burping between us like an insecure third wheel.)
Clearly it was a bonding moment. I hope Nicole agreed to be a bridesmaid.
T’was a good, suspenseful, movie. With a clever end I didn’t see coming.
I liked it too, I remember a twist at the end although I don’t remember what it was. Maybe time to revisit.
Sharon, Carole, the ending got me, totally. I didn’t know what was going to happen until the puzzle pieces started to fall in to place, about a half beat behind.
Haven’t seen it yet but now I must. Maybe I’ll save it to watch on Halloween, right after I’m done scaring the neighborhood kids with the Tunnel of Terror I’m going to build in front of my house. But I digress…
Oh, Tami! A Tunnel of Terror? You are a creative one. All I can manage is to put the candy in a bowl and light the lantern!
I loved this movie. The acting was great, but the ending was not quite as good as The rest of the movie. I love film with atmosphere, and this one had it in spades (as well as the rooms, and outside, and … Ok, you get the idea
Cheers!
Oh, Nigel, I shall begrudge you the right to an opinion, but does it have to be your own? LOL
The atmosphere was something, on that we can agree!
I saw this movie a long time ago, but I LOVED it. It’s brilliant.
Brilliant. Here, here!
I saw this movie so long ago I sort’ve forgot how fabulous it is until you so effectively rekindled my memory. Although they’re not really similar, The Others brings to mind The Forgotten. Maybe it’s because they share a similar vibe–lonely, beautiful country estate, children that aren’t “quite right,”shivery happenings you’re not so sure about until the ending. All the stuff I love best in a movie.
Oooo. Barbara, I saw a movie called The Forgotten, starring Julianne Moore. Very good movie, chilling, her son goes missing, but I don’t recall a country estate. Must be a different one, I’ll have to look for it, sounds great.
For the record, that’s all the stuff I love best in a movie (or a book), too!
Oh, no, no, what a boob! (Not you dearie–I’m referring to moi!) Honestly, but my brain has been acting very old and forgetful of late. The actual movie I refer too is “The Orphanage.” (Although I did get “The” right in the title.) It’s quite delicious. A woman (Belen Rueda), returns to her childhood home that just happens to be a MYSTERIOUS, SEASIDE ORPHANAGE! Love, love it. So much so that the title just rolls from my fingertips whenever I mention it
Oh oh oh! Is this a book as well? I recently marked a story like you’re describing as ‘to read’. Either way, sounds delicious!
You guys are so brave! I couldn’t bring myself to watch the trailer. Solid scary plotting.
You can do it, Megan. Go on. Watch the trailer.
Sherry, I do not give-in to peer pressure…unless it involves chocolate, ice cream, cake, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, candy corn— Oh sorry, I got carried away.
It looks so good, but I don’t watch scary movies. I already take too many anxiety (looney) pills. I want to know what the twist is dang it!!
Sorry, Hildie. No spoilers here.