My Favorite Movies

This was one of the best and bravest films to come out of Hollywood in long time. Everything about it was damn near perfect. The pacing was spot on in that it was reminiscent of the horror films from the seventies. It was slow, brooding and all about the characters. So when people died, you actually cared. This is not some crappy Saw type film with MTV editing and gore for the sake of gore, or twists for the sake of twists. Everything developed organically and felt right, even if it was incredibly depressing. Darabont's choice to have almost no score, except for a hymn at the end, was really brave and paid off. It gave the film a very cold and eerie feel, plus it made the final moments at the end when the hymn kicked in that much more powerful. But be warned, "The Mist" is not endearing like Darabont's other King adaptations, "The Shawshank Redemption" or "The Green Mile". Nor is it just scary fun like, "The Thing" or "The Descent". Instead it is a film that points out all the flaws in the human race, and that in itself is truly frightening. It should also be pointed out that "The Mist" is not a monster film, for the monsters themselves are not the real threat; it's the other survivors. The ending is also quite possibly the best I have ever seen. It's depressing as hell, but so damn perfect. Don't let anybody ruin it for you. And for all the King purists out there who preferred the more ambiguous ending to his book, you should know that King himself has gone on record saying that he prefers Darabont's ending.

I have trouble with my sequencing. So let me start at the end and work my way back up.

3) Do not miss this film.
2) Scott Frank and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are talents to be watched out for.
1) Refreshingly original.

"The Lookout" has to be one of the most inspired and refreshing crime dramas that I've seen in a long time. Instead of mimicking other successful heist flicks, Frank takes it in a different direction. He focuses solely on his main character's emotional turmoil and struggle to find his way back into a world that looks all too familiar, but no longer feels apart of. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is perfect as Chris Pratt, and seems to be turning out to be one of this generation's finest actors. He sure has come a long way from that young child actor in "Angels in the Outfield". As for Scott Frank, I truly look forward to what he does next. Do not miss this one.