two movies

Last night I watched Open Water and Wonderland. Here are my thoughts.

Open Water (2004) Synopsis from the Netflix envelope: "It's Jaws meets the Blair Witch Project when a vacationing couple on a scuba diving expedition accidentally gets left behind and must fend for themselves in shark-infested waters. Directed by Chris Kentis, the movie features unknown actors and was filmed on a shoestring budget, sans camera tricks or mechanical man eaters. The circling sharks you see are… real!"

I never got into this movie. The "vacationing couple" were flat, cardboard cutouts. Yes, I understand that Open Water isn't an epic drama, and I shouldn't expect deep characters who are driven by unconscious desires, but even in a low-budget horror flick the characters have to give you a reason to care about them; otherwise, why watch the movie? Two stars out of five.

Wonderland (2003) From the Netflix envelope: "The scorching summer of 1981 turns grisly when a number of murder victims are discovered in a mansion on Laurel Canyon's Wonderland Avenue. Were they victims of a drug deal gone awry? Or is the tale even more menacing? And exactly what role did fading porn star John Holmes (Val Kilmer) – who's torn between his teenage girlfriend (Kate Bosworth) and his wife (Lisa Kudrow) – play in the crime? Co-stars Josh Lucas and Dylan McDermott."

Contrary to the 35% scored on Rotten Tomatoes, I really liked this movie. Wonderland began rather sluggishly, and the opening twenty minutes suffered from over-stylized and unnecessary production, but the story soon straightened itself out. Val Kilmer is great (why isn't he in more films that showcase his skills?), and Eric Bogosian is perfect as sleaze-ball Eddie Nash. Make no mistake, Wonderland is crawling with seedy creatures from the netherworld, but there's something compelling about watching such people, well, live. Add the well-endowed porn star (and freebase addict) John Holmes to the mix and you have a train wreck of a tale worth watching. If you're a fan of true-crime programs like Dateline, 48 Hours and the like, check out Wonderland. Four stars out of five.

xx