The Shrine (2010)

An American journalist accompanied by her colleague and her photographer boyfriend travel in Poland to unravel the mystery about an american student that has been missing since his trip to a village in Poland. When they get there strange things start happening. They sight a strange cloud of smoke near the village woods and find the same statement mentioning the cloud in missing student's diary (which they recovered from the students mother before the trip) How original, right? Bla bla bla, Poland is a creepy, undeveloped dump, where poor americans find no shelter and are hated by everyone but children who seem to speak english although the village itself does not have electricity or any kind of communication to the rest of the world and therefore America. In spite of villagers warnings and threats not to go near the cloud, they of course, being Americans and therefore smarter than stupid South Eastern European people ignore these remarks and head out to solve the mystery. Little do they know how fucked they're going to be.

Reasons this movie sucks:
1. Poland is actually Canada (the movie was filmed in Canada)
2. they don't speak actual polish in the movie (there are some cardinal mistakes in the pronunciation)
3. that statue in the mist reminds me too much about something I already saw in another movie
4. If we omit the fact that this has a horrible and unoriginal story, the fact that stereotyping characters is one of the main thing the writer uses to develop them, it was enjoyable.

I liked gore moments, which were really innovative, how the movie obviously took inspiration from exorcist like movies and the surprising twist the movie exposed just as I thought of leaving the room. It's worth watching if you're really a big horror fan.

Also if you could somehow cut out the boring parts and only leave the ones where they kill people and exorcise demons that would be awsum!

Btw, haven't seen any other movies by this guy, but I'm thinking about downloading Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2007) .

The Woman (2011)

Now this movie is really something. Not sure what it is though, but it sure has a strong message whatever it's message is, cos I sure as hell haven't figured it out. The movie was directed by the all knowing indie director Lucky McKee which was first introduced to us trough his brilliant film May (2002). Like in May, in this movie too, one of the leading actresses is brilliant Angela Bettis who gives an outstanding performance. It also carries an eery atmosphere, which is brought out by a creepy family, isolated surroundings (the action is set mostly on the families ranch) and of course the synopses carried out in style of old school Wes Craven style horror. However, although this movie has a lot of potential and some really cool ways to deal with the lack of budget it lacks the proper character development and at times gets really boring. Also, it has one of the worst soundtracks I've ever heard in a horror film in my life. It's not the genre that bothers me, it's the total insignificance of the music to the scene that's currently going on. A major fail. Anyways, although it could use some corrections here and there, it certainly is a fresh story, and if you're a fan of McKee's work you won't miss this movie.

The movie tells a story about a family of five, a father whose aggressive outbursts endanger the whole family, a mother who represents a typical oppressed passive housewife, the oldest child Peg who obviously struggles with her own adolescent problems, a young boy who manifests his fathers behavior in the most sadistic way possible, and the youngest girl.
The father finds a wild woman roaming the woods, captures her, locks her up in the family cellar in attempt to "civilize" her, but of course like in all "psycho family" movies, it turns out to be a sick sadistic game, played out to satisfy needs of a deranged man. The way they carried out those first scenes of preparation for the arrival for the "guest" can clearly tell who's the mastermind behind this gruesome crime. As the movie develops we find out that the father isn't really that good intentioned as he claims to be. Any attempt to diminish his ways ends up in someone (preferably his wife) lying on the floor. At the same time, we can see the effects of his behavior on youngsters. Peg (the eldest one) becomes more and more withdrawn, the boy starts showing more interest in the locked victimized woman in the cellar to the point where he attempts to rape her. This triggers a series of events crucial to unfolding the story.
The Father, being the most important person in the film, manifests almost a caricature-like humorousness, that doesn't make such a good impact on the whole movie that is supposed to be sick and horrifying. Then again, given the fact that this is a Lucky McKee movie, everything is clear, it had to be done so :)
Basically it is a movie about victimization, objectification and oppressiveness of women, so if you're easily offended I wouldn't recommend watching this. Although if you stick with the film till the very end it will be satisfactory.
All in all, it's an average horror movie, nothing spectacular, and Mr. McKee can certainly do better.