House at the End of the Street (2012) Reviews

• What a house!

  coastdaze2012-09-28

  This movie was a pleasant surprise to me because I thought it was going to be more of a "horror" movie...I wouldn't call it that, I'd call it a terrific suspense thriller with good twists here and there. I liked the casting and the storyline. The actors did a good job, esp. the young college student male lead. This is a story that could have actually happened, imo. The music was a big part of the movie, too. Good soundtrack that, while I was aware of it, it did not take away from the scenes but built up my anxiety! It was like another character. Definitely worth seeing for all the right reasons. Very entertaining and kept my attention throughout. All this without "blood & guts" galore - made me think of the old Alfred Hitchcock-type thrillers that depended more on the viewer's anticipation and imagination. Lastly, I thought I had the plot figured out, but I was surprised at how wrong I was. Smiled on my way out of the theater.

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• Better than I expected

  Big_River2013-01-17

  I was a little bit skeptical about watching this movie and I came very close to not watching it. But, because I had a spare couple of hours with nothing better to do, I decided to give it a whirl. A lot of modern-day horror movies are made on a budget. The typical tell-tale signs which give them away is the use of poorly lit sets, very few filming locations and a very small cast of young and unknown actors. They like to follow the path of "The Blair Witch Project" and rely on heavy breathing to create the suspense. A pretty young lady starts to breathe heavily in the dark, something jumps out and gets her, right? Nowadays, this has become the norm and this is what we come to expect. Well, I'm pleased to say that "House at the End of the Street" is different and unique in its own right. Why? Because its actually got a storyline and it keeps you thinking! Just when you think you've figured it all out there's another clever twist that comes along and makes you think "Gee, why didn't I think of that". This is a movie which is always one step ahead of you! Also, the actors in this movie actually act. Don't get me wrong, it's not on the same page as an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but it is, nonetheless, very refreshing. "House at the End of the Street" turned out to be a little gem. I'm glad that I rented it.

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• HATES is a solid thriller

  denza-476-6927552012-09-14

  **Alert: Spoilers Included** I watched an advanced press screening for this film, and I have to say it was not the dead-girl-haunts-house horror story I was expecting, which turned out to be a very good thing. FYI: This one's more thriller than horror. There's no doubt that Jennifer Lawrence makes this movie. The rest of the characters are underdeveloped and one-dimensional and it becomes difficult at times to separate Jenn in this role from her role in the Hunger Games. For about half of the film, we're led to believe that the little girl locked away is a rabid serial killer. However, there is a HUGE plot twist at the end --one that is smarter and scarier than the standard horror fare we're used to. With that said, the first half of the film drags (do we really care about Jenn's rock concert practices?) but certain parts are mysterious enough for viewers to put in the effort to connect the dots. If you're a Jennifer Lawrence fan or love Criminal Minds/Law and Order SVU, check this movie out. If you're looking for a haunted house movie, you've clicked on the wrong flick. As for me, I was pleasantly surprised!

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• Not a horror film.

  wewatchedamovie12012-10-10

  So here we are with The Last House on the Left. Sorry, I meant House at the End of the Street. Whatever. Can we start by having a serious talk with the guy picking movie names? He is really slacking off. We are here with Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) and her Mom (Elisabeth Shue) moving from the big city to a small town looking for a new start. Of-course, the house next door was apparently the location of a double murder where a little girl killed her parents and then disappeared herself. The little girl's brother (Max Thieriot) still lives in the home despite the tragedy. The adults hate him because his presence keeps them from bulldozing the house and its drain on the local housing market and the teenagers hate him because his parents were murdered? There really is no explanation for this other than everyone in this town is apparently a jerk. (Just go with it. That's the best were going to get.) Elissa starts to fall for Ryan and also has a hard time understanding the massive hate he gets when her mom and the neighborhood object to their relationship. But whether it for protecting the good or serving the forces of evil, Ryan has secrets of his own and as the two get close things begin to get creepy. (Allegedly) Minus a few jump scares that I'm not afraid to admit made me drop my popcorn due to some sharp sound editing; this is no horror flick. HATES was advertised as scary business to get the target teenage audience' butts in the seats but is merely a Suspense/Thriller with young leads. With the exception of a single twist that will shock some and slightly nudge others everything is played rather straight. There's not much new to see here and there is certainly nothing to be scared of. Even after the true evil is finally revealed, there just doesn't seem to be much of a threat at any point. HATES is still indeed, watchable. That's mostly due to Jennifer Lawrence who shines bright amidst all the average. It's impressive how she takes something as boring as a high school girl falling for the "mysterious guy with a past", adds heart and makes it more interesting than it was written. When in danger she's believably strong willed and could be the perfect "Scream Queen" for a horror film deserving of it. Elisabeth Shue played the part of concerned mother well and Max Thieriot didn't detract either. The problems with the film are rather in its constant plot holes and lack of anything interesting, original or more importantly scary for a film that calls itself Horror.

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• Not bad but not good either...

  kevin-schotte2012-11-17

  I went to see HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET last night and didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. The story is dull and predictable and the acting isn't rocksolid!Jennifer Lawrence played her role well though, she "blows" everyone away in this movie BUT, on the other hand, and I don't want to sound too negative, this flick wasn't a very hard nut for her to crack! The story ; Elissa (Lawrence) moves into a new home together with her mom Sarah(Elisabeth Shue) and finds out that the son of a murdered couple, who lived next door, still lives in the house where his parents were killed. The surrounding neigbours complain about him and tell Elissa that the boy is bad news! She wants to find out herself though and steps into his life... It's a not a very bad movie but skip the theatre and wait for it on bluray/DVD.

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