The Messengers

Finally, a film we could enjoy! Not so fast. ha

I think it's well-known about me that I love ghost stories. They're my faves. This film, 'The Messengers,' tries to be a quaint ghost story, but ends up being Generic As Hell.

Plot: A very citified family from Chicago buys a farm and moves out into the country to make a go of it. There's the usual Father Who Failed at Some Business (Dylan McDermott; We never know quite what he did), the Mother Who Seems Like She Belongs in High Society (Penelope Ann Miller, way out of place here), and the Teen Who was a 'Troublemaker' (Kristen Stewart, aka Young Jodie Foster, aka The Girl Who Couldn't Be a Troublemaker if Her Life Depended on It). Oh, and something tragic happened to their young toddler Ben, and he doesn't speak as a result.

So they move into this house, complete with Creepy Neighbor Hick (John Corbett), and naturally, the Teen is the only one who sees ghosts, hears things, and knows something bad is happening. And, since Said Teen was responsible for Ben's muteness (something about a car accident, and she'd been drinking, blah blah), no one believes her.

In the end, Creepy Neighbor turns out to be more than coincidence, and we learn why there are ghosts of past residents in the house. Was this scary? No. Entertaining? Sure. Much of a ghost story? Not really. Pretty Generic and Predictable.

The director gets bonus points, though, for the 'Birds'-esque 'crow attack' scene. You read that right! Crows attack! It actually didn't look too fake and ridiculous, but it also wasn't scary and didn't have any excitement to it. Bean thought it was downright embarrassing. I kind of liked it, since I am a Hitchcock fan and 'The Birds' scared the Holy Hell out of me as a child.

So, here's hoping the next one on our Netflix list, 'Freedom Writers,' is more entertaining.

In other news, I've been checking out 'Alias' on DVD since there is nothing to watch on TV these days. What a great show! I miss Jennifer Garner. Terrific actress. I wish SHE was playing 'The Bionic Woman' this Fall. Have you heard this? There's a new 'Bionic Woman' coming on this Fall. As I loved the original, I'm interested.

Have a great day, then...

;)