Joshua (Joshua: The Devil's Child) (2007)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Cynthia S

  
  Rather strange movie. Really strange kid. This movie never really comes to a climax the way one might hope, and there are a some unanswered questions. It is pretty clear, however, that the child had a weird agenda all along. A really strange agenda to say the least...

• vieras e

  
  What a strangle little film. I think this is one of those films that needs to be watched a second time before you can fully appreciate it. Maybe. I've yet to find out.

• Emily A

  
  This movie moved WAAAY too slow for its own good. I know the director was going for that show-burn dread that I like so much in artful contemporary horror, but they payoff in this film was infinitsimal. There are so many interesting avenues this film could have explored, but it… More
  This movie moved WAAAY too slow for its own good. I know the director was going for that show-burn dread that I like so much in artful contemporary horror, but they payoff in this film was infinitsimal. There are so many interesting avenues this film could have explored, but it introduced then abandoned every one of them. Joshua and his grandmother's rabid religiosity, Abby's sever recurrent post-partum depression, the inherent tensions between Brad's homelife and career and Joshua's own emotional turmoil are all completely wasted here. I think that the shifting focus between the characters in this film was a mistake. First it's Abby, and she's quickly disposed of, then it would appear to be Joshua for a little while, and the plot finally settles on the unravelling Brad. Just when it looks like they're going to grant Joshua some depth, they flatten him out again. Which is the biggest shame in the film, because he could have proven to be a new breed of Bad Seed. Oh well.

• Luke B

  
  The kind of film where you wish every single character would just curl up and die painfully. The absence of supernatural elements is in the films favour. The acting and writing however are not. Joshua is played not as evil or disturbed but as a precocious irritating shit head that is… More
  The kind of film where you wish every single character would just curl up and die painfully. The absence of supernatural elements is in the films favour. The acting and writing however are not. Joshua is played not as evil or disturbed but as a precocious irritating shit head that is about to put his hands to his head and declare "Na-na-nee-na-na". He stands around a lot and waits for his parents to turn around so they jump. He's so awkward you wonder why his idiot parents don't take action sooner. Giving all his toys away, performing mummifications on them and so forth. Then we have the parents, the mother is played rather well and has a history of mental illness so her actions are mostly understandable as are peoples reactions to them. The father though is one big twat bag. He finds evidence that his son is evil, it's on tape. Should he show this to anyone? Naaaaaaaah. Just start acting like a weirdo yourself. Stare vacantly, dress like a tramp and smoke lots. Act calmly about your mother's suspected murder at the funeral. Why not? Even when everything does turn to shit perhaps the father will show somebody the tape, but no. The film does leave a lot to interpretation. No violent acts are shown on screen making it fairly interesting. Overall though the sheer annoyance factor weighs this down as a film to burn every copy of.

• paul s

  
  yes, we've seen this sort of premise before, but the cinemetography here makes it worthwhile - you get the sense that all is not quite right from the very beginning, and you keep wondering for the first half if Joshua is just a peculiar and brilliant child or something evil… More
  yes, we've seen this sort of premise before, but the cinemetography here makes it worthwhile - you get the sense that all is not quite right from the very beginning, and you keep wondering for the first half if Joshua is just a peculiar and brilliant child or something evil (until the point that you see his video where he tells his infant daughter "you'll never be loved" - which he later repeats to his father). The undercurrents of a dysfunctional family are subtle - it came as no surprise that the mother had post-partum after Joshua's birth, and while the father seems so gung ho, he somehow comes off as oddly distant (even though he seems to be always there and a somewhat attentive father). The underplay of religious overtones is the right measure and I enjoyed the way Joshua slowly ramped up the volume, first taking care of his mother (a revelation at the end that he had been tampering with her meds), then, when his attempt at getting rid of his sister is thwarted, he pushes his grandmother down the stairs instead. His end game play against his father was well done and the creepy final scene with his uncle sent shivers, as did the earlier scene where he innocently backs away from his distracted mother, causing her to move forward and into a field of broken glass.

• Lorenzo v

  
  Excellent work by George Ratliff steering a well-built ship from David Gilbert. Rockwell leads a highly talented cast, bringing new spontaneity to the everyman role, and he and Farmiga deliver riveting performances. Her depth of character allows us to feel every bit of the roller… More
  Excellent work by George Ratliff steering a well-built ship from David Gilbert. Rockwell leads a highly talented cast, bringing new spontaneity to the everyman role, and he and Farmiga deliver riveting performances. Her depth of character allows us to feel every bit of the roller coaster of emotion that is post-partum depression, and the rest of the cast finely displays the confusion that results. Jacob Kogan is a fantastic discovery. He lent a surprising focus to the role of the creepy kid, Joshua. This underrated film is highly recommended.

• Nani V

  
  PSYCHO!!!

• Dr Blood  

  
  Yet another rip-off of "The Bad Seed" which is supposed to make you think that children can get the better of adults. They can't. Just watch this movie and marvel at the stupidity of whoever thought it would be a good idea to even make it. Some of the acting is good… More
  Yet another rip-off of "The Bad Seed" which is supposed to make you think that children can get the better of adults. They can't. Just watch this movie and marvel at the stupidity of whoever thought it would be a good idea to even make it. Some of the acting is good but everything is far too slow. It really couldn't have been much slower without stopping altogether. This, of course, wasn't even a horror film. It looks like one to the casual observer but it's what they now call a "psychological thriller". Usually that means that you are supposed to think about it but there's nothing really to think about here. You already know that Joshua is a twisted little monster from the beginning and you know that one good spanking would cure him. It could have been made far more ambiguous as to whether or not he was doing anything. The most ridiculous part of the whole story is that Joshua's motivation is just that he wants to live with his gay showtune composing uncle instead of his parents. If you can stay awake long enough, you might find something to praise in this but I don't think it's going to end up on too many lists of favourites.

• Drew S

  
  It's tempting to write Joshua off quickly as flawed or overly convenient; I nearly did. But the more I think and read about this film, the more I realize there is a TON lying beneath the surface. Joshua is one of the most skilled family-based narratives I've seen in this… More
  It's tempting to write Joshua off quickly as flawed or overly convenient; I nearly did. But the more I think and read about this film, the more I realize there is a TON lying beneath the surface. Joshua is one of the most skilled family-based narratives I've seen in this genre, if not of any movie; there is so, so much to interpret and theorize about. This movie is an exemplar of the term "psychological thriller", which gets bandied about like a cheap whore even though no one truly understands what it means. This is NOT a horror movie. There are a couple of mildly scary parts, but Joshua is like fellow 2007 public pariah Bug: a slow dark drama whose frightful elements are used to mislead people into watching it. It's hard for me to discuss this at length, because most of it is spoiler material. Try overlapping the traits of Joshua's family members, parents and relatives alike, and some things will start to make a lot more sense. An intelligent but slightly devious father and a feverishly determined mother, specifically, seems to be the recipe to create a child who wants his way and knows many paths to get it. For added flavor, add fundamentalist grandparents and a sexually ambiguous uncle. Once you start taking apart the elements of his family life, some of the movie's gummier parts make a hell of a lot more sense, especially the jarring ending. And thus, Joshua is created. He is a pitiable character; not sympathetic, Lord no, but there were scenes where I felt pretty damn bad for the kid. He's completely miserable and the only way for him to fix that is to wreck a lot of people's lives. He is crazy, but he knows what he needs to be happy. If you don't understand what these needs are, pay close attention to certain scenes, such as the piano recital and the dialogue Joshua has with his dad about sports and being "weird." Kid's deeply damaged. Turning an eye to the rest of the family is just as rewarding; there is really a lot to be probed in these strange, miserable people. The success of all of these characters is 50% the brilliant screenplay by George Ratliff and 50% the equally brilliant performances by all players involved. Sam Rockwell is totally seamless as always, selling his part with an energy that is both intelligent and darkly comic. Vera Farmiga's something new: there is a raw, realistic quality about her acting here, which can make her seem a little off-putting, but she's just a lot less mawkish than the part seems to call for. One thing I'd change about Joshua is that I wish there was more for Abby Cairn to do aside from scream and cry, but that's...her personality, like it or not. Celia Weston is reliably great; Dallas Roberts sells a small part quite well. Jacob Kogan's performance is interesting, because the character he spins is profoundly awkward and you can never really tell if that was the purpose of his portrayal, or just amateurish acting. I give him the benefit of the doubt, simply because of a handful of absolutely chilling scenes that I can't see any other child actors pulling off. The last thing that I really loved about this film, surprisingly, was the cinematography. Joshua is an awesome-looking movie. The set design reflects the feel of the film immaculately, creating an apartment that seems well-worn but reveals itself to be totally sterile (which even the movie makes note of.) Camera tricks themselves are impressive, whether it's the sprinkling of jittery tracking shots or the evocative, lingering still images. It is really a treat to see a movie in this genre look so unique. I was sure I'd like this movie before I even saw it, because I read it for what it was - a slow-burning, evil drama about a screwy family. And that's what Joshua is. Not a horror film, not a slasher, not an Omen clone. A sleek, angry dissertation of one fucked-up kid and the tiny things wrecking him.

• Steve B

  
  They say it's "subtle". They say it's "unsettling". I say it's "boring".

• Rico Z

  
  This movie was a completely chilling experience. It was a shock to find myself be so surprised by a movie for which I had little to no expectations. I thought that maybe this would be a re-hash of the age-old creepy boy story: the Omen, meets The Ring meets Birth. But no. It was a… More
  This movie was a completely chilling experience. It was a shock to find myself be so surprised by a movie for which I had little to no expectations. I thought that maybe this would be a re-hash of the age-old creepy boy story: the Omen, meets The Ring meets Birth. But no. It was a completely new and, altogether, original take on the familiar premise. The story isn't so much about a deranged boy and his desire to wreak havoc; it's about a boy's desire to be loved. Take that desire and turn it into an obsession and you've got Joshua. I won't divulge much else about the story. But, suffice it to say, it's a very good film. The script is amazing and the score will haunt you and send shivers down your spine. The performance turned in by little Jacob Kogan is a knockout. It is a much more well-rounded and "human" approach to a character that has been played by seemingly mute child actors who must rely solely on their off-putting appearance in order to scare. In this movie, the very essence of who this little man is is why the movie is so haunting and permeating. Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga also bring gravitas to the film and brilliance to roles that could've also fallen in the same category of hapless victim (from movies like The Omen.) This movie manages to bring something new to the table and keeps you on the edge of your seat--all at once.

• Aaron N

  
  Brad Cairn: I think you're sick, Joshua. Joshua: I don't feel sick. A psychological thriller in the vain of The Bad Seed or The Omen, but with none of the supernatural stuff. There are a lot of different kinds of horror movies and thrillers. I really like watching them,… More
  Brad Cairn: I think you're sick, Joshua. Joshua: I don't feel sick. A psychological thriller in the vain of The Bad Seed or The Omen, but with none of the supernatural stuff. There are a lot of different kinds of horror movies and thrillers. I really like watching them, but don't get scared...except with creepy kid movies. I wouldn't say scared, but something about these creepy kids gives me...well...the creeps. The movie revolves around a wealthy New York family who have just given birth to their second child. Their first child, Joshua, meanwhile is developing creepy new qualities. Things start to mix more as the mother, played by Vera Farmiga, suffers from Post-Partum depression. The main problem with this movie lies in the fact that Joshua is never given a large reason to be evil, or at least the problem is not developed enough. Despite this, Joshua is played with all kinds of great creepy intensity that is believable. The other thing that makes this movie work is Sam Rockwell. Rockwell is cool in all of his movies, so seeing him play the father and having an all out battle of wits throughout the second half of this movie is worthwhile. Although it is a psychological character study, it works better as the twisted dark comedy involving Rockwell and Joshua. The movie is very dark, with a great amount of tension being built from subtlety, including the score. The movie doesn't necessarily do anything new with the creepy kid movie, but it is an effective creepy kid movie, and Rockwell is pretty awesome. Joshua: No one will ever love you again.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]In "Joshua," the first time Abby(Vera Farmiga) and Brad(Sam Rockwell) became parents, she suffered from a debilitating case of postpartum depression. Now nine years old, Joshua(Jacob Kogan) is precocious and fickle in choosing his interests. One day,… More
  [font=Century Gothic]In "Joshua," the first time Abby(Vera Farmiga) and Brad(Sam Rockwell) became parents, she suffered from a debilitating case of postpartum depression. Now nine years old, Joshua(Jacob Kogan) is precocious and fickle in choosing his interests. One day, he is interested in baseball and soccer; the next he is interested in playing the piano and ancient Egypt. This time, everything is going well for the parents and their baby daughter, Lily, until one night, she starts crying and cannot stop, driving Abby to distraction. Against all advice, she will not hire a nanny and insists on caring for her daughter herself...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]There is much to be admired in "Joshua" as an intelligent exploration of postpartum depression and a much needed deromanticization of parenthood. But the overall creepiness of the movie(so much so, that I was considering getting a vasectomy, just to be on the safe side) defuses some of that, pushing the film perilously close to Roman Polanski territory. I am also troubled that it aims some of the blame back at the parents as they have raised Joshua without religious instruction, which can be interpreted by some as a lack of moral guidance.[/font]

• Mike N

  
  We meet again, Oscar. And there's something I have to tell you... [img]http://www.constantgardenertrust.org/images/news1/oscar.jpg[/img] ...your head looks funny. [b][i][size=3]Best Picture[/size][/i][/b] [list][*]Atonement[*]Juno[*]Michael Clayton[*]No Country For Old… More
  We meet again, Oscar. And there's something I have to tell you... [img]http://www.constantgardenertrust.org/images/news1/oscar.jpg[/img] ...your head looks funny. [b][i][size=3]Best Picture[/size][/i][/b] [list][*]Atonement[*]Juno[*]Michael Clayton[*]No Country For Old Men[*]There Will Be Blood[/list][u]My initial take[/u]: Ah, the aroma of awards season snubbery is in the air! Actually, compared to the usual Oscar lineups, these are excellent nominations. The glaring omission is Sweeney Todd, but all nominated films are varying levels of :fresh:. The weakest, puniest, most girly-man nominee is definitely Atonement (what accent did you just use to read that?), but two of the best films of the year, critical juggernauts There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men, have not only ensnared noms, but are the frontrunners for gobbling the big Oscar pie. Michael Clayton was sort of the surprise nomination - a really good film, but I don't have strong feelings for it in the way I do for, say, Into The Wild *flexes feelings* Strong like bull! The darkhorse is indie darling Juno, which ages well in the mind. [u]My prediction[/u]: No Country For Old Men [u]My preference[/u]: No Country For Old Men [u]My personal favorites from the year[/u]: Top 27 of 2007 list will reveal this. I promise my loyal citizens of the Kingdom of Neum that this will arrive most expeditiously. *glances over at the unfinished dusty rubble heap of Top movie lists, from 2004 to 2007* [b][i][size=3]Best Actress[/size][/i][/b] [list][*]Cate Blanchett, 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age'[*]Julie Christie, 'Away From Her'[*]Marion Cotillard, 'La Vie En Rose'[*]Laura Linney, 'The Savages'[*]Ellen Page, 'Juno'[/list][u]My initial take[/u]: Kind of too much blehness in this group to get really excited for it. Blanchett's performance was devoid of fluid contours. It was kind of a spraining kind of hypernobility at times. Oh, it had plenty of good moments, too, but I felt she was trying to overcompensate for a crappy script. Plus, she was already nominated for her first Elizabeth movie. Without hesitation, I believe she should've been left out in favor of Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd). Laura Linney was an average kind of good for The Savages. The true gem in that film was Philip Seymour Hoffman's perf. Perhaps she could've been replaced by Marketa Irglova (Once). Ellen Page was spot on, and like the film, could play the upset queen. But the two powerhousers here are Julie Christie and Marion Cotillard. Christie is subtle but poignant, though I think a lot of the film's power came from her onscreen partner, Gordon Pinsent. Cotillard is closer to a tour de force (if not actually being one), and is probably more deserving. It will come down to these two, but recent awards have gone to Christie. [u]My prediction[/u]: Julie Christie [u]My preference[/u]: Marion Cotillard [u]My personal favorites from the year[/u]: - Julie Christie, Away From Her - Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose - Helena Bonham Carter, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Marketa Irglova, Once - AnnaSophia Robb, Bridge to Terabithia - Belén Rueda, The Orphanage - Michelle Monaghan, Gone Baby Gone - Amy Adams, Enchanted - Keri Russell, Waitress - Wei Tang, Lust, Caution - Naomi Watts, Eastern Promises - Katherine Heigl, Knocked Up - Dakota Blue Richards, The Golden Compass [b][i][size=3]Best Actor[/size][/i][/b] [list][*]George Clooney, 'Michael Clayton'[*]Daniel Day-Lewis, 'There Will Be Blood'[*]Johnny Depp, 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'[*]Tommy Lee Jones, 'In The Valley Of Elah'[*]Viggo Mortensen, 'Eastern Promises'[/list][u]My initial take[/u]: As per usual, a strong crop of noms. The surprise is Tommy Lee Jones, who really didn't receive much recognition at all the other awards ceremonies. It's also the only performance I haven't seen yet (the DVD just came out yesterday)... so, no comment. But, the buzz isn't very strong for it. He probably could've been replaced by Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Savages) or Gordon Pinsent (Away From Her) or even Will Smith (I Am Legend) without any fuss. Clooney is great, but my 3 favs I feel pretty strongly about_: Viggo, Depp, and DDL. Daniel Day-Lewis is a force of nature on the screen, chewing up every scene like the Cloverfield monster. Depp was throat-slashingly fantastic, too, and probably would've won any other year. Viggo is a relatively underappreciated actor who delivered a very raw, vulnerable, intense performance as a Russian mobster. I'm happy he was at least nominated. [u]My prediction[/u]: Daniel Day-Lewis [u]My preference[/u]: Daniel Day-Lewis or Johnny Depp [u]My personal favorites from the year[/u]: - Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood - Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises - George Clooney, Michael Clayton - Hae-il Park, The Host (the blonde-haired dad) - Mathieu Almaric, The Diving Bell & The Butterfly - Russell Crowe, 3:10 to Yuma - Christian Bale, 3:10 to Yuma - Christian Bale, Rescue Dawn - Emile Hirsch, Into The Wild - Glen Hansard, Once - Reece Thompson, Rocket Science - Gordon Pinsent, Away From Her - Nathan Baesel, Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon - Lou Romano, Ratatouille - Konstantin Khabensky, Day Watch - Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Savages - Philip Seymour Hoffman, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead - Ryan Gosling, Lars and the Real Girl - Will Ferrell, Blades of Glory - John C. Reilly, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - Jake Gyllenhaal, Zodiac - Brad Pitt, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - Richard Gere, The Hoax - K'Sun Ray, Fido - Denzel Washington, The Great Debaters - Khalid Abdalla, The Kite Runner - Will Smith, I Am Legend - John Cusack, 1408 - Don Cheadle, Talk To Me [b][i][size=3]Best Supporting Actress[/size][/i][/b] [list][*]Cate Blanchett, 'I'm Not There'[*]Ruby Dee, 'American Gangster'[*]Saoirse Ronan, 'Atonement'[*]Amy Ryan, 'Gone Baby Gone'[*]Tilda Swinton, 'Michael Clayton'[/list][u]My initial take[/u]: Slightly less of a mixed bag than the Best Actress category. I think Blanchett's role here is a thousand times stronger than her Elizabeth retread, and will probably garner her another Oscar. Really, aside from Elizabeth: The Unnecessary Sequel, she's chronically exceptional. Ruby Dee seems a stretch, but sometimes it can get hard to find strong female performances for this category (as evidenced by the past). Either way, I find dear old Ruby the weakest nom - it was really kind of a cliche role, and I saw no defining strength in the portrayal. I'm thinking her nomination is based solely on slapping Denzel in the face that one time. Feh. Saoirse Ronan was really fantastic in Atonement - perhaps show-stealingly so. Will she pull an upset? Doubtful, but...not as much of a stretch as one may think. Amy Ryan was really good, too, where at times I forgot she was an actress. Again, it was kind of an easier, lose-yourself-into-ridiculously-white-trash kind of a role calling, but still. Tilda Swinton is another exquisite actress, but her role in Michael Clayton was kind of an anybody-role. Perhaps there is nuance in there I may be underestimating, but it didn't have a distinctive wow factor going for it. Next time, Tilda: use pop rocks. [u]My prediction[/u]: Cate Blanchett [u]My preference[/u]: Cate Blanchett [u]My personal favorites from the year[/u]: - Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There - Saoirse Ronan, Atonement - Romola Garai, Atonement - Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone - Ah-Sung Ko, The Host (the little girl) - Kelly Macdonald, No Country For Old Men - Anna Kendrick, Rocket Science - Margo Martindale, Paris, je t'aime - Dana Fuchs, Across The Universe - Atossa Leoni, The Kite Runner - Adrienne Shelley, Waitress - Michelle Pfeiffer, Hairspray - Carrie-Anne Moss, Fido - Imelda Staunton, Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix [b][i][size=3]Best Supporting Actor[/size][/i][/b] [list][*]Casey Affleck, 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford'[*]Javier Bardem, 'No Country For Old Men'[*]Philip Seymour Hoffman, 'Charlie Wilson's War'[*]Hal Holbrook, 'Into The Wild'[*]Tom Wilkinson, 'Michael Clayton'[/list][u]My initial take[/u]: Probably the strongest category of the night, which is par for the course for ol' Oscar. Philip Seymour Hoffman's trio of awards season performances (this, The Savages, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead) definitely earns him something. Is this the right performance for the recognition? Probably not, but it was still good in its own right. Holbrook is a solid choice, probably more a nod to his cumulative work, but still likeable. I'd maybe replace him with Robert Downey, Jr. (Zodiac) or maybe Steve Zahn (Rescue Dawn), but I haven't yet been able to figure out how to rig these awards ceremonies - but it's a new year's resolution to figure it out. Tom Wilkinson delivered the best performance in Michael Clayton - he deserves the nom. The win? Well, when you toss in Bardem and Affleck, then no. Javier Bardem is quintessential villainy here, but not in a loopy cartoonish sense. It's a subtle, creepy, unhinged menace. He nailed all the tiniest of idiosyncrasies. But nigh equally difficult to discount is Casey Affleck, who maybe captured a greater range necessary for his role as "the Coward Robert Ford." His performance is practically a homerun, and sold a lot of the movie's power on his acting chops alone. This is a tough call, between those two. I can see Casey snaking a win, but the upset feels like it would more realistically come from Hal Holbrook. Still, I expect Javier will rock the win, flamenco-style. [u]My prediction[/u]: Javier Bardem [u]My preference[/u]: Javier Bardem or Casey Affleck [u]My personal favorites from the year[/u]: - Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men - Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton - Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War - Hal Holbrook, Into The Wild - Hie-bong Byeon, The Host (grandfather) - JK Simmons, Juno - Michael Cera, Juno - Sacha Baron Cohen, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Ben Foster, 3:10 to Yuma - Brad Garrett, Ratatouille - Robert Downey, Jr., Zodiac - Mark Ruffalo, Zodiac - Chris Cooper, Breach - Christian Bale, I'm Not There - Heath Ledger, I'm Not There - Ed Harris, Gone Baby Gone - Viktor Verzhbitsky, Day Watch - Seydou Boro, Paris, je t'aime - Alfred Molina, The Hoax - James Marsden, Enchanted - Adrien Brody, The Darjeeling Limited - Vincent Cassell, Eastern Promises - Armin Mueller-Stahl, Eastern Promises - Billy Connolly, Fido - Dylan Baker, Fido - Steve Zahn, Rescue Dawn - Geoffrey Rush, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Geoffrey Rush, Elizabeth: The Golden Age - Chris Evans, Sunshine - Jason Bateman, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium - Chiwetel Ejiofor, Talk To Me - Kurt Russell, Grindhouse (Death Proof) - Kevin Smith, Catch and Release There may be more to extoll upon these Oscars within other categories, but the night is late, so I'm going to wrap this sucker up with a perfectly justifiable "I could give a crap." Ah, feel the perfect justification.

• Jacob P

  
  A very strange movie. There were some parts in here that were a little shocking, I got to admit. The acting was good, especially from the little boy who played the role of Joshua. I guess it's descent enough to be a pretty good suspense flick.

• Andrew F

  
  It was okay... it could have definitely been better and scarier. I liked Rockwell, Farmiga, and newcomer Kogan in it.

• Duncan R

  
  Part of the reason why I was ultimately disappointed with this movie was that I was expecting a gripping psychological horror, which only came in the second half of the movie. Before it focused on the titular character, we were treated instead to a domestic melodrama about a new baby,… More
  Part of the reason why I was ultimately disappointed with this movie was that I was expecting a gripping psychological horror, which only came in the second half of the movie. Before it focused on the titular character, we were treated instead to a domestic melodrama about a new baby, a depressed mother, and a bright first-born who's jealousy of his new sibling can be seen seething underneath his blank, expressionless face. And, lest we forget, the happy go-lucky father who's blind to it all. The foreshadowing of the terror yet to come is peppered throughout it's first half, but it mostly focuses on the mother character, and the trauma her family causes her. After that's resolved in a rather chilling manner, the movie's focus shifts to Joshua, who is revealed as the cunning little monster he truly is. Another reason why I didn't like this as much as I thought I would was because it wasn't as disturbing as I was hoping it would be. On the plus side, the performances were fantastic from all involved, particularly Sam Rockwell as Josh's dad and Jacob Kogan as Joshua himself. The performances alone are why this is worth at least one viewing. Just don't expect anything gut-wrenching if you decide to see it. If anything, the movie feels longer than it really is.

• Joey N

  
  I didn't like this as much as I hoped I would. Pretty much nothing happens for the first hour. I did think it was more interesting than The Omen, by far. But that's not saying much. It was almost as if the focus was on Vera Farmiga's post pardum (sp?) depression.

• William G

  
  Tale of troublesome child supplies more camp than creeps.

• Daisy M

  
  <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i29.tinypic.com/ixguwl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Joshua tries to roll in the horrific glory which was once… More
  <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i29.tinypic.com/ixguwl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Joshua tries to roll in the horrific glory which was once Rosemary's Baby and The Omen, but this ends up like The Good Son instead. Sibling jealousy which was the basis of this movie tension, but there was no tension moments so far,however, the slow paste of this half-baked story begins to give an irritating feeling, climaxing with one of the worst end scenes in a movie. Mainly the scares failed because the lead character, this evil child whom we were supposed to fear, just came across silly and unrealistic in nearly every scene. Jacob Kogan was simply unequipped to deliver this role in convincing way. The script was so boring and repeated.. From the point to the movie starts, till the end not many events occur. You actually getting angry while watching because you can't figure out what's so wrong with these people. I thought it was good, cause most of the evil kids movie I've seen were good, I didn't think you could mess up such good story?I guess this director and writer did it. Not good.

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