Film Review: INSIDIOUS I [ Cost to Produce: $1.5 million; Gross Rev: $95mm }



"Can you believe they left me out of the sequel?"  -- Lipstick Demon from "Insidous."

 Ahh, more Rosey Byrne, the once young and msmerizing blonde who co-starred with Heath Ledger in "Two Hands."  She reared her head in "Bridesmaids," perfectly cast ( with her flawless American accent) as the elite, new friend lined up for an inevitable clash with - uhn, what's her name - SNL girl- Twiig, I mean, Wiig ( see how Wiig dons the Luciferina one eye in "Paul," remember all films have a character with one eye - an homage to lucifer).

Then Rosie just burst onto the scene - becoming HW's most wanted, low-profile, cost-efficient actress.  From "X-Men 4" to the upcoming "Neighbors" with the no talent, and most annoying and un-funny man on earth, Septice Tank Rogen, where she does let her Aussie accent fly.

Here we enjoy Rose once again, cast alongside Patrick Wilson ( granted, "Little Children" is probabaly the best film he's been in, Wislon is hilarious in " Barry Monday," about a sex-a-holic who loses his balls and has to deal with a phone call from a wrectedh one night stand who informs him she is pregnant).

My zoom feature was down for this viewing - but I could tell Insidious is loaded with hidden images.  Most notable is the abstract, blue painting behind wilson when we get a flash of the demon.  Have a look at that painting again - zoom in - you'll see the answer to the greater enogmatical questions that exist in this realm.

On the the review, and this will be brief.  I enjoyed the demon - enjoyed Lin Shaye ( famous for playing the dirty land lady from "King Pin:"  "What is it about good sex that makes me have to crap?"  The Astro travelling to the Further was also unique - remember the Further Festival?  How about the band "Further" with Lesh, Weir and friends?  Now we know what their name means - a realm where tortured souls live - in hopes of entering a living vessel to possess , in hopes of living again.  This all great material.

An enjoyable film - loved the homage to "Poltergeist," when Shayes two bozo demon techs show up with their equipment to check out the house.. love it, absolutely love it.  You could tell they did not employ the use of giving us a chance to wathc the video, or the canmera footage because it would lend itslef too close to "Paranormal Activity," a film produced by the same team : Oren Peli and Co.  So that diminshed the films potentiasl and value as that would have been some great materia to observe/

The drawbacks were two-fold:  #1.  The Further tunred out to be the exact house they were living in, only with dim lighting.  It should have been a different realm completely , perhaps oroginating from the house - but it should have been expanded and existed as a larger, more complex realm itself.  We got gipped. (Uh-huh, I used that word, gipped." ;SIC" ;-) (smile).

#2.  Too few demons.  Loved the main demon,,, and loved his little cavern and the music he likes ot play, but there should have been more - much, much, much more.  Never limit a good thing is an important principle within the Gajonka Film Handbook. 


Epilogue/Wrap:  Fine casting...  fine directing and editing... some weak moments... cheap Further Zone and limited evil demons fracture this film... hoping the sequel can improve.

Score:  6.9990