Quote:
Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop 
DREAM HOME - There aren't all that many credit crunch slashers. 'Dream Home' is about Lai-Sheung and her unwavering fixation on a des res Hong Kong pad with a harbour view. We find out what drives this obsession through a series of childhood flashbacks that mar the pace a bit, but, beyond the semi-novelty of a slasher doubling as socio-economic satire - which you sort of had in 'Driller Killer', for example - 'Dream Home' is really more about pushing home the gore after Lai hits on her scheme to drive down local housing prices by butchering their tenants(!) There's certainly plenty of vicious splatter; although I was more impressed by it the first time I saw it, it's one of those noughties nasties that stand out set against the comparative anaemia of the now.
OPEN GRAVE - I'm not overly big on zombie aftermath movies when they're just about the usual bickering survivors and ghouls who can run. 'Open Grave', on the other hand, lays on nice visuals, a thoughtful approach and downer vibe - I quite liked. Sharlto Copley wakes up in a pit full of corpses, not knowing how he got there or what lies ahead in the world beyond. He finds a house of similarly memory-impaired people, and together they try to piece things together whilst fending off the advances of wild eyed posthumans. It takes its time but manages to sustain tension by not laying down its cards all at once - we're as much in the dark as the characters. Even if it relies too heavily on the beats of its particular subgenre to transcend it, the mood of sunny dereliction cut through with rabid menace makes it seem more offbeat than the usual post- '28 Days' fare, at least until the typical finish. |
I keep wanting to rewatch
Dream Home as i loved it first time round and i don't want to not like it as much.
I also thought
Open Grave was a crushing disappointment. Although i have seen it and used to have the dvd i couldn't tell you a thing about it other than it takes place in woods.