House of Last Things

I decided to watch this film, on Netflix, with no prior knowledge about it. That probably about as unbiased as one can get.

Honestly, I do not understand how this film got a 6+ rating. I'm sure there's some kind of plot to this, but I didn't understand the film at all. I watched 40 minutes - didn't understand it, but I decided to give it a chance and finish the last hour, and it still made no sense to me.

Overall, it seems like a haunted house possession sort of thing. The writer/director just doesn't seem to have much grip on telling a good story, and I've seen better films with lower budgets. I'm not sure I want to see any more of this guy's work.

The only points I'll give are for some decent acting and creative imagery. 2/10

What makes a good genre film for me is if the director and writer, in this case one and the same, can immerse me believably into a world I haven't walked before, enough in fact for me to turn off my cell phone. This movie is very seductive in that it doesn't play out within the tired cliché of a creepy old house and keeps you guessing throughout, building something like a narrative maze not unlike the famous Kubrick garden maze in The Shining. However, I don't think it's really fair or correct to compare this director with his obvious linage, Hitchcock, Lynch, DePalma, etc. as mentioned by so many other reviewers. This is a director with a mind of his own, quite willing to go his own way inside a genre that has been sabotaged over the years by too many under-schooled directors flooding the screen with blood and gore indiscriminately. This one surprised me. Much better than I expected.

HOUSE OF LAST THINGS is one of those rare filmmaking triumphs where the audience is engaged via a near-perfect balance of the real and the fantastic. Director/Screenwriter Michael Bartlett certainly knows his references and his blending of those references with his own unique voice have produced a story rich in nuance and atmosphere, yet still sufficiently supernatural to satisfy audiences who are bent in that direction. Special mention must go to the fine performances of principals Lindsey Haun, Blake Berris, and RJ Mitte, but also to Diane Dalton as well, who wears her all-consuming grief like a layer of ash. Rene Berndt's art design is marvelous, and cinematographer Ken Kelsch's gorgeous photography seethes richness, luster and mystery.

This is a wonderful film.

When Sarah (Diane Dalton) returns home in Oregon from a mental institution, her husband Alan (Randy Schulman), who is a critic of classical music, tells that they will travel to watch operas in Italy since he will write articles about them. Sarah does not want to travel but Alan introduces the hot Kelly (Lindsey Haun) to her telling that she will be the caretaker of the house. When they leave the house, the small-time criminal Jesse (Blake Berris), who is Kelly's boyfriend, unexpectedly arrives at the house. Then Kelly's unintelligent brother Tim (RJ Mitte) arrives to stay with his sister in the house. Kelly had a love affair with Alan and feels comfortable in the house. Meanwhile Jesse steals Alan's convertible to sell to a dealer but he sees the boy Adam (Micah Nelson) alone in the supermarket and decides to bring him home to ransom him despite the protest of Kelly that seeks out his parents. Adam feels good in the house and soon they learn that the house is haunted but they surprisingly stay there. Meanwhile in Italy, secrets are disclosed about the past of Alan, Sarah and Adam and why Sarah had a mental breakdown.

"House of Last Things" is a flawed and weird film with a non- chronological screenplay that explains most of the mysteries and is worthwhile watching. The story is intriguing and disclosed like a puzzle but there is lack of explanation for many things, such as who is the bizarre lady that visits Alan and Kelly; or the reference to the Garden of Eden. The cast has great performances and the unknown Lindsey Haun is very sexy. The final transformation of Kelly and Jesse is certainly inspired in David Lynch. In the end, "House of Last Things" is an original film of haunted house. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

I got suckered in to it again.

Red some where this was a horror but IMDb says it's a thriller.

It is more accurate but for me it was a thriller that didn't thrill.

The effects where laughable and no way up to date to todays standards.

It is like 'the possession of Michael King' a whole lot of silliness,no real content and payed people saying it's something good.

I'm getting quite good at spotting these films so in the future I will be writing less of 'm simply because I don't wanna waste my time on them.

Besides it is also difficult to write 10 lines on a movie where nothing really happens.

It's not worthy to write a lot about it. having said that....