JOSHUA (2007)

Brilliant! I thought it looked like another lame OMEN-type of movie but I was wrong. This is a very moody, creepy, and fantastically done horror film. I was in awe of how well put together it was. It has great atmosphere. I kept waiting for some letdown of an ending but the movie just got better and better as it progressed and the ending was perfect. This is one of the best films I've seen all year. It might be too slow and artsy for mainstream viewers, but I thought it was absolutely fascinating and highly recommend it to others. Hitchcock would be proud!

On a side note, I thought Farmiga's character was a real bitch. I know she suffered from postpartum depression, and to be fair a baby crying non-stop day after day would drive me insane, but still. She just didn't come off as very likeable. I felt bad for her husband. I really liked him and she treated him like shit, especially when his dog died. I do agree with her though on the mother-in-law over-stepping her bounds by taking Joshua to church and trying to brain-wash him. It wasn't her place.

9/10 (A-)

I still can't get over how awesome this was. What a classy thriller. It's brilliant in its simplicity. It is amazing how thrilling this movie manages to be while remaining so subtle. This is my kind of thriller and is for anyone who is intelligent and sick of thrillers insulting theirs.

B


It certainly carries on the tradition started with The Omen of young brats being much more evil than it seems. Brings nothing new to the genre either, yet is quite well-made with some good acting on Vera Farmiga's part and especially by Jacob Kogan whose Joshua I simply hated so much (and I believe that was intended too). If not for some unrealistic utter stpidity of some characters, the grade would have been higher too...

What an unexpected treat! I thought Joshua seemed like a lame Omen ripoff from the trailers, but it is actually one of the smartest, most thrilling entries of 2007. It's incredibly creepy thanks to the great direction and often chilling script. The characters and events are fascinating to watch and all of the actors deliver great performances. It is also incredibly thought-provoking and will certainly have audiences talking. One of the best horror films of the year. A-