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DVD 388 Arletta Avenue
 Run time: 87 min Rating: 4.9 Genres: Thriller Director: Randall Cole Writers: Randall Cole Stars: Nick Stahl, Mia Kirshner, Devon Sawa |
| Storyline James and Amy is a common couple that lives at 388 Arletta Avenue. Out of the blue, a mysterious stalker sneaks in their home and bugs it with microphones and cameras positioned in order to cover the whole house. When Amy vanishes and leaves a handwritten letter to James, he suspects that someone has broken in his home. He calls the police, but the police officer does not give credit to him. Weird things happen in the house and James becomes paranoid without realizing that his movements are seen by the stalker. His obsession to discover what might have happened to Amy leads the family to a tragic end. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
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| Plot Keywords: stalker, police officer, childhood friend, toronto ontario canada, framed for murder | |
| Details: Country: Canada Release Date: 10 November 2012 (Japan) |
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DVD 388 Arletta Avenue
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Finally, a film in the sub genre that actually works. I want to call this a found footage, however, it's not really, and maybe that's exactly why it works so well – there is no pretense that these events are "real", there are no ridiculous "shaky cam" moments that give you motion sickness.
Instead, Randall Cole gives us a solid bit of film-making, taking the POV genre to a new level with a well thought out storyline, excellent character development, and solid direction.
It's a story that could easily play out in real life, and Cole seamlessly takes us through the gradual break down of a relationship, one that he hints deliciously that has some deeper, darker demons in the past, but one we don't fully(or indeed need) get to see. The psychological turmoil faced by "James", brilliantly played by Nick Stahl, gets more over-powering as Cole takes on his journey into hell, culminating in a shocking ending that will leave you wanting more.
There's a definite feel of "The Poughkeepsie Tapes" about 388 Arletta Avenue, but this is a good thing, because whilst the Tapes has been around for several years, it's still somewhat unheard of and still a groundbreaking movie for what the story contains – 388 Arletta takes the premise and brings it right into your living room.
388 Arletta Avenue – unrelenting, unremitting. Unmissable.
8/10
This is a movie that rides on the trend of the whole found footage/hidden camera movie sub-genre. But is it doing anything new or interesting enough with it? Not really.
It's of course hard to come up with something new and remaining fresh and interesting, since most had been done with the concept already and there is only so much you can do with it, since it's a quite restricting concept. It's restricted with its settings and movements and it is hard to keep things interesting for about 90 minutes, without starting to repeat yourself. This movie however does become a bit tiresome after a short while.
It mostly becomes a tiresome movie since it maintains its 'mystery' for its entire running time. You don't know what is going on exactly, or what direction the movie will be heading at. This all sounds like some good and positive points about the movie but it's actually more sort of annoying, since basically everything can happen at the end, when the big 'reveal' comes. The movie doesn't drop any hints and stuff just happens, without you feeling involved with any of it.
I kept thinking to myself; there better be a good resolution to all of this by the end, that explains everything as well, to let all of the events make sense. But no, in my opinion the movie takes a cheap way out and it absolutely wasn't satisfying enough and it's the sort of ending that leaves more questions than answers, especially when you start thinking back about the movie.
It of course still could had been good and worked out all if the movie was a bit more tense. For a thriller it is surely lacking some good tension at times and doesn't ever gets you involved enough as a viewer, though the movie still tries to achieve this through its concept.
The concept and camera-position are supposed to place you in the mind of the stalker. It's a voyeuristic movie but again, since you don't know any of the motivations or reasons for the events, you don't ever feel involved with it. It just doesn't do a good enough job at making and keeping things interesting and fresh enough to keep you interested in the story, its mystery and to what will happen with its characters.
I did like Nick Stahl in his role, on a more positive note. He has to carry most of the movie entirely on his own and does a pretty good job with it. Too bad that the movie didn't really knew what to do with his character.
It's not the worst thing you will ever see but it just isn't exactly a good or original enough movie to recommend either.
5/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
James (Nick Stahl) and Amy (Mia Kirshner) is a common couple that lives at 388 Arletta Avenue. Out of the blue, a mysterious stalker sneaks in their home and bugs it with microphones and cameras positioned in order to cover the whole house. When Amy vanishes and leaves a handwritten letter to James, he suspects that someone has broken in his home. He calls the police, but the police officer does not give credit to him. Weird things happen in the house and James becomes paranoid without realizing that his movements are seen by the stalker. His obsession to discover what might have happened to Amy leads the family to a tragic end.
"388 Arletta Avenue" is a surprisingly effective low-budget thriller that gives a refreshing use to the washed-up formula of "The Blair Witch Project". The story could be shorter, but the tension increases along 87 minutes running time to a surprising and very creepy conclusion. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Avenida do Terror, 388" ("388 Terror Avenue")
388 Arletta Avenue is a solid little low budget film that brings the "found footage" trend to the thriller genre.
The movie stars Nick Stahl and Mia Kirshner as a yuppie couple being menaced by a voyeuristic stalker that enjoys playing elaborate mind games. Sound familiar? Well, in theory this is pretty standard thriller territory but it's given an unsettling realism as the entire film is seen through the stalker's elaborate camera system which he has discreetly rigged every facet of our hero couple's life with.
Watching the whole movie through slightly fuzzy, often awkward camera angles might become tiresome to some but I liked the overall effect. It makes everything seem so much more real, dramatic, and more disturbing.
Adding to the realistic tone of the movie is the great cast. The leads are played by Nick Stahl (Sin City), Mia Kirshner (The Black Dahlia), and Devon Sawa (Final Destination), who plays a loser Stahl's character tormented in high school who may or may not be responsible for what is happening now. All three have been great in the past and this movie is easily the best any have been in many years. I will mention that Stahl is the focus and he carries the movie brilliantly bringing an unassuming everyman quality to his stressed out character. I particularly enjoyed watching how he goes from a mild, mannered suburbanite to an erratic, paranoid mess.
388 Arletta Avenue is a short movie and it won't be to everyone's taste. As a film from the makers of Cube and Splice, it is also appropriately off kilter and original, an engrossing, character driven thriller that will actually creep you out if you have the patience to sit through a slow burn.
Incidentally, it reminded me a bit of My Little Eye, a ridiculously under appreciated horror movie from a few years ago.