June 10, 2016

Movie Reviews 101 Midnight Horror – Alone With Her (2006)

Director: Eric Nicholas

Writer: Eric Nicholas (Screenplay)

Starring: Colin Hanks, Ana Claudia Talancon, Jordana Spiro, Jonathon Trent, Alex Boling, Tony Armatrading

Plot: A quiet but disturbed young man puts the life of a woman he’s obsessed with under a virtual microscope when he installs hidden cameras throughout her house.

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

Verdict: Disturbing Thriller

Story: Alone with Her starts warning statistics about how every minute 3 people become victims of stalkers and how easy it is to become one. We start by following our stalker in question Doug (Hanks) who has rigged a bag to wonder around with a hidden camera. When Doug picks his victim Amy (Talancon) he enters her house to place hidden cameras around her apartment while she is on holiday.

With the cameras set up Doug learns all the ins and outs of Amy’s live while she has no idea but when Doug starts trying to get to know Amy in person he uses his own information about her to make a relationship happen, but when things don’t go to his plan things turn sour and we see just how dangerous Doug can be.

Alone with Her brings us a disturbing look at how far a stalker can go, it all comes off early that it is just going to be watching but then when Doug gets involved in Amy’ life we get to see how far it goes. To think this film was made in 2006 just think how this could reach new levels with all the new technology we have in the world now. This film could make you paranoid about everything in your life but by the end it ends up going in an easy ending.

Actor Review

Colin Hanks: Doug is our stalker he likes to follow people’s lives when he picks his newest victim Amy he sets up cameras all over her house while following her around her everyday life, when things don’t go to his plan he starts getting involved in her life showing how dangerous he is. Colin gives us a disturbing performance that will use his charming side before showing his darker side.

Ana Claudia Talancon: Amy is the single lady that becomes the object of Doug’s obsession. She is unaware of anything going on but tore between what she wants from a chance meeting from Doug leading her to putting her life in danger when she finds out Doug’s true motives. Ana gives us a brave performance where she has to go through a lot during the film.

Support Cast: Alone with Her only really has two supporting cast members with Amy’s best friend and a potential love interest, they do what they need to but get eclipse by the two stars of the film.

Director Review: Eric Nicholas – Eric gives us a terrifying look at how a stalker could operate, with it starting off with simple watching before turning darker as the film continues.

Crime: Alone with Her shows how a criminal stalker goes about his plans.

Horror: Alone with Her shows how things end up getting out of hand when someone is watching your every move without you knowing.

Thriller: Alone with Her keeps you guessing to what will happen next and how far Doug will go.

Settings: Alone with Her keeps most of the settings inside the house of Amy as we watch everything she does this all works because it brings the horror of terror inside his own house.

Suggestion: Alone with Her is one to try because it does have a good idea of horror but does start slow. (Try It)

Best Part: The fact it could be real.

Worst Part: Slow starting.

Believability: This could easily happen to someone.

Chances of Tears: No

Chances of Sequel: Could have one

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: No

Budget: $1 Million

Runtime: 1 Hour 18 Minutes

Tagline: Anytime. Anywhere. He’s watching.

Overall: Disturbing Thriller that will shock you with ow easy it is to become a victim of stalking

Rating

Beyond (2014)

Director: Joseph Baker, Tom Large

Writer: Joseph Baker, Tom Large (Screenplay)

Starring: Richard J Danum, Gillian MacGregor, Paul Brannigan, Kristian Hart

Plot: Follows the turbulent relationship of Cole and Maya as they struggle to survive in a world where the human population has been decimated by an extra-terrestrial attack.

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

Verdict: Slow, Disappointing and Boring

Story: Beyond starts with Cole (Danum) getting involved in a shoplifting at a small store, when he calls his friend for a drink he finds himself at a house party alone where he meets Maya (MacGregor). We here how an asteroid could be heading towards Earth but scientist are unable to confirm for sure. We later follow Cole and Maya as they seem to be struggling to survive before we see that an alien ship has come to Earth.

As the story continues we jump between the idea of an asteroid hitting Earth and the fact it was an alien coming to invade Earth and having to survive the situation.

Beyond tries to balance two story lines events with a bickering relationship between the situations. We literally have to deal with the two argue in nearly ever scene but then in the end the film tries to throw a big confusion factor into what is actually happening. Even if the end tries to make us think the first hour of an hour half film isn’t very helpful. (3/10)

Actor Review

Richard J Danum: Cole starts a relationship with Maya when the first reports of an asteroid coming to hit Earth appear, as it appears it could be nothing the two move forward and end up having to survive against an alien invasion. Richard doesn’t really pull off enough in the leading role. (4/10)

Gillian MacGregor: Maya gets involved with Cole and son becomes pregnant in a world which looks like it could end very shortly. As they deal with the situation in the pre invasion and post invasion we see how she deals with the situation. Gillian struggles to become a leading lady through the film. (3/10)

Support Cast: Beyond has a few supporting stars but they end up just being background characters.

Director Review: Joseph Baker, Tom Large – The pair struggle to pull us in during the first hour making the last 20 minutes which are solid missing. (4/10)