Saturday, August 22, 2009

It's funny, right? Downright amusing, actually.



I don't like clowns.
But I'm not one of those people who literally freaks out about them. I won't go ape shit in fear if I see one, okay?
If you are, indeed, one of those people - don't watch the following clip.
(The whole clip is worth a look, but it freaked me out bigtime about 7:35 in)




The movie Amusement (2008) came up on my Netflix queue so it was my friday night flick.
To be honest, it was a real mess of a film. Things were presented in a strange, non-coherent manner - which sometimes works - but not in this case however.

The real jist of the film is three girls (Shelby, Lisa, and Tabitha) are stalked by a former geeky classmate who is pissed at them cause they didn't like his grade-school, animal-torturing diorama. Seriously.
How they get to the ending is a weaving, rather absurd hodgepodge of a story. It's almost like a 'Creepshow' or 'Campfire Tales' type of movie.

When the movie opens, we are watching a couple traveling by car down a dark highway. They've decided to convoy with a trucker and another car for some reason, so when they all stop to fuel up, the trucker convinces them to go down a back road because there is apparently some kind of traffic jam. The girl (Shelby) is reluctant but the boyfriend convinces her it will be fine.
And of course, it's not.
It's really one of those 'slap the character silly' moments.

We then move on to another little segment, this one involving Tabitha, who is babysitting (of course!). It is her aunt's house, so she knows the two little boys well. When it's time to pack it in and settle down for the night Tabitha tucks the boys in then heads for the guest room, which is inexplicably filled with clown dolls. On the shelves, bookcases, bed, chairs, etc. Someone has quite a fetish. Creepy. Personally, there is no way in hell I'd be able to sleep in that room.
There is one clown that is extra un-nerving. A life-sized character sitting in the rocking chair.
Ok. I've seen Poltergeist, and that just about scarred me for life. Add to that the clown from 'It' and the very first thing I'd have done is get the hell rid of that macabre jester.



Tabitha is pretty freaked out, but is finally able to rest. Till the storm outside gets louder. Then the phone rings and she has to go answer it.
Cut to Tabitha in some sort of mental institution. Hmmm. Wonder what happened there?


Next up is Lisa, and her story is the weakest of the bunch. Basically it only involves her roommate who doesn't come home one night. Lisa convinces her boyfriend to go with her to a run-down out hotel (that actually looks more like the house from 'The Legend of Hell House' to be honest) to look for her cause the dude she was last seen with stays there.



Right.
Lisa's boyfriend works for the health department so he is able to gain access to the place (because the unusual concierge tells Lisa there is no room in the inn) and look around.
Things don't go well from there.
And finally all three stories come together in some semblance of a completion.

But it isn't really ever that good. The acting is actually pretty acceptable, its the plot that leaves alot to be desired. And the ending! Suffice it to say the three girls are trying to escape, and are running all over this expansive old dungeon-like insane asylum/prison/mansion with multiple floors and passageways- but when the inevitable one girl is left and escapes, the outside of the place is a little backwoods cottage.
I. Didn't. Get. It.

So anyway, there is a bit of disturbing imagery (see clip above) but other than that I'd have to say it's pretty random.

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