Hide and Seek

[moviegroupie]

Stars Robert DeNIro and Dakota Fanning. I believe there's a sneak preview this weekend, who's interested? I sort of am, although I'm skeptical because it's -- January.

[Lazy Boy]

DeNiro continues to slump, Fanning continues to creep the hell out of me, and the movie looks like typical January dumping ground filler. Pass.

[Strider]

Wow. This looks terrible. It looks about as terrible as Robert DeNiro's last horror/thriller, Godsend. However, I might check it out. What for? I have no idea, perhaps DeNiro (although he's been on quite an umimpressive streak lately). You never know, it could be a good laugh. ;)

Strider

[MadsenOMC]

Doesn't look good, but could it really be any worse than White Noise? It certainly looks better than that piece of shit, which isn't saying much. A lot of horror/thriller/suspense movies to kick off the year, but will any of them actually be any good? White Noise wasn't. Boogeyman looks about as good as the abysmal Darkness Falls. Hopefully this one doesn't completely suck. At least it's R.

[ilovemovies]

Watching the trailer, that Dekota Fanning sure looks creepy.

I think this looks decent but I don't know if I can buy Fanning being able to kill a couple of people. She's so small!

[daddiefatsacks]

im with Madsen, at least its R


interesting to see what DeNiro can pull off in a january release....has he ever had a january release?

[Fisting Ackbar]

I seem to be getting less excited for this with every day going by. Maybe a rental but that's about it.

[Strider]

The R rating is quite surprising. When I first saw the trailer for the film, I thought it had PG-13 written all over it. But it's not, so maybe that's a good sign. I doubt it, though.

Strider

[Moviefan02000]

I actually think this looks good. Way better then The Ring Two, in my opinion. I'll see it.

[max]

Senior schmoe Maeljin_incarna had this to say about HIDE AND SEEK a week ago in another thread:

Hide and Seek 9/10

(I'd forgotten what seeing a truly good ghost story movie was like. Fanning is definitely going places.)

Gives me hope. I was looking forward to seeing it, but now I'm psyched.

[BakeTheMooCow]

If it stars Robert De Niro and came out at any point after 1997, you can rest assured it will suck.

[deppjolieperabo]

i really cant wait to see this!! it looks awesome!! :D

i hope its R here too.. no stupid kids allowed!!!

[SykkBoy]

R rating helps
Dakota Fanning gives me the creeps

they'll get my money for sure...

[Thiago]

I was also surprised by its R rating, but that's a good thing. I'll definitely check this out on the 28th!

[Tweek]

I read a spoiler that makes me want to see it.
I won't watch it with bells on but I might give it a chance

[B1rd_Po0p]

I'll wait and see what you guys say about it when you see it. I'm undecided. I do agree though - Dakota Fanning is creepy!

[Thiago]

Wow! This whole thing about Fox not distributing the film's ending to theatres until the release date certainly works for me! I want to see it EVEN MORE now.

[MadsenOMC]

Originally posted by Thiago
Wow! This whole thing about Fox not distributing the film's ending to theatres until the release date certainly works for me! I want to see it EVEN MORE now.

Tell me you don't by that carefully orchestrated studio bullshit? This is January. It's from the director of fucking Swimfan. If the movie is any good, you don't need to oversell it like this. White Noise is a recent example. "The most disturbing movie in years!" Right. If you're under age 10 and have never seen a movie before maybe. Same thing going on here. Fox knows it's a piece of crap and that business will plunge after the opening weekend. So they pull something like this and hope for the best. They really have nothing to lose. But don't buy it. The only advanced screening where I live is Thursday night at 10 PM. That has nothing to do with "preserving the ending" and everything to do with holding the inevitable negative reviews as long as possible.

[Mr. Fred Krueger]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC
Tell me you don't by that carefully orchestrated studio bullshit? This is January. It's from the director of fucking Swimfan. If the movie is any good, you don't need to oversell it like this. White Noise is a recent example. "The most disturbing movie in years!" Right. If you're under age 10 and have never seen a movie before maybe. Same thing going on here. Fox knows it's a piece of crap and that business will plunge after the opening weekend. So they pull something like this and hope for the best. They really have nothing to lose. But don't buy it. The only advanced screening where I live is Thursday night at 10 PM. That has nothing to do with "preserving the ending" and everything to do with holding the inevitable negative reviews as long as possible.

That or, you know, it could be a good movie.

No need to be so pessimistic.

[MadsenOMC]

And what do you think the odds of that are? That's hardly being pessimistic. That is playing the odds and being realistic. Not the same thing.

[Mr. Fred Krueger]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC
And what do you think the odds of that are?

About 50/50.

[MadsenOMC]

I'll probably catch a matinee on Saturday. If I'm wrong and it's good I will be happy to admit that I was mistaken. I'm not hoping that it sucks. But I will have low expectations.

[Jon Lyrik]

I was hoping for a little catfight there too, and a bit of mud...

http://sportsmed.starwave.com/i/magazine/new/catfight_cement.jpg

Well, seriously, the movie doesn't look that good, and I have problems trusting De Niro with his recent track record, but if it's as good as Incarna says it is...

[MartinGPB]

saw it tonight, and sad to say... it's crap

*mild spoilers*

it's not scary, the SHOCKING ending which fox is trying to keep under wraps is easily predictable and is about the 5th movie to use such a "twist" in the last couple of years... and for those excited about the R rating.. that's only due to an 'F' word and a bathtub filled with blood in the first 5 minutes... everything else is quite PG-13. more plot holes than you can shake a stick at and a subplot was obviously cut with brief hints at it left dangling.

the first hour or so is quite slow, then the film starts to build a little tension and 5 minutes later (literally) it blows its wad and reveals the groan-provoking "twist" deflating any possible suspense from the audience, and proceeds to go on for an additional half hour

while not as deadly dull as White Noise, Hide and Seek marks DeNiro's third failure in a row and reminds us how we should treasure a properly done genre film like "Identity" when it comes along. mark my words, 60% drop second weekend.

4/10

[kungfuchris]

What is the twist?

[daddiefatsacks]

im just go out on a limb and say someone is a ghost, or there is a ghost from the past, or i donno, i can't believe all my friends are 'scared' by the trailer. Deniro man? what the fuck happened?

[max]

Going to the sneak preview tomorrow and will let you know. I think I'm going to enjoy it. I don't know, but I feel like we've stopped being moviegoers and have all become critics. We go to movies to make fun of them rather than to have fun. We no longer just want a movie to entertain us, we want it to change our lives. For one thing, anyone who goes hoping a movie he's about to see would change his life probably doesn't have a life to begin with. Or he's a pretentious critic. Or both. Whenever a critic exclaims how important and powerfully moving a movie is, I just ROTFLMFAO. Give me a break. I go in, kill two hours of my time, walk out, go home, get laid or make love, or jerk off. The world stays the same. Hey, I'm all for "important" (aka Oscar-caliber) movies. Unfortunately, critics have taken the fun out of watching them by making them more important than they really are. And we've taken the fun out of them by listening to these assholes. It's just a fucking movie. SIDEWAYS became such a critical fave because it gave critics hope knowing that even assholes like them could get a beautiful girl in the end. But it's not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, imho. Neither is MILLION DOLLAR MOVIE with its manipulative "twist." Or THE AVIATOR, overlong and mostly boring. Jamie Foxx or Ray Charles' music can't save RAY for me. The best part about FINDING NEVERLAND is possibly knowing more about what Michael Jackson is thinking. Don't get me wrong, they're all fun to watch. I just wish they'd stop all these stupid award shows.

[edonline]

http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/story/0,1259,---24424,00.html

Final 'Hide and Seek' Reels Kept Hidden
January 26, 2005

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Twentieth Century Fox is playing "Hide and Seek" with the final reel of its horror film starring Robert DeNiro and Dakota Fanning.

The studio is shipping prints of the suspense-thriller to theaters nationwide without its final reel, which later will be hand-delivered separately under guard. As an additional security measure, each of the final reels will be numbered.

"'Hide and Seek' is a terrific picture with an ending that everyone will be talking about," says Richard Myerson, Fox's executive VP and general sales manager. "To ensure everyone's enjoyment of the film and to prevent 'spoilers,' we've instituted extraordinary measures. We think it's worth the effort."

"Hide and Seek" centers on a widower (DeNiro) who faces a terrifying turn of events when his daughter (Fanning) makes a creepy "imaginary" friend. The film, which also stars Famke Janssen, Elisabeth Shue, Amy Irving, opens nationwide on Friday, Jan. 28.

[MadsenOMC]

James Berardinelli has given it one star. Now that doesn't mean he's right, and I don't agree with him 100% of the time, but I find him to be a fairly reliable source.

[max]

James Berardinelli has given it one star. Now that doesn't mean he's right, and I don't agree with him 100% of the time, but I find him to be a fairly reliable source.

Like I said, which critic are you going to listen to? Michael Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune likes it: http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/movies/mmx-050126-movies-review-mw-hide.story

As a huge De Niro fan, however, I'm especially encouraged by what he says about De Niro's performance.

I'm seeing it tonight.

[max]

Read Berardinelli's review. It's just amazing how critics can view the same movie and have completely different reactions. So who's right, Wilmington or Berardinelli? I guess it's whoever agrees with me after I see it tonight.

[MadsenOMC]

Neither one is right. I hope I agree with Wilmington, but as of now the reviews are overwhelmingly negative.

[chinton]

once someone sees it tell me the twist. I want to know what it is but seeing Alone In The Dark. I want to see how bad it will be

[max]

Neither one is right. I hope I agree with Wilmington, but as of now the reviews are overwhelmingly negative.

I'm not surprised at the negative reviews. I think critics were predisposed to hating it. You've got Polson (SWIMFAN), De Niro (GODSEND) and Fanning in a not so critic-friendly kids-in-peril genre. Then Fox comes up with this dumb publicity stunt regarding the final reel. Anyway, I'm going in with an open mind.

[MadsenOMC]

I think most critics like Fanning. She got some serious raves for Man on Fire. But Polson inspires no confidence in me. Swimfan is an awful movie; laughably bad. De Niro hasn't been making good choices lately. And it's January. Then, you've got the stunt with the ending. Add it all up, and there's not much reason to be hopeful. But there's nothing like being proven wrong, and I hope I am.

[max]

I think most critics like Fanning. She got some serious raves for Man on Fire. But Polson inspires no confidence in me. Swimfan is an awful movie; laughably bad. De Niro hasn't been making good choices lately. And it's January. Then, you've got the stunt with the ending. Add it all up, and there's not much reason to be hopeful. But there's nothing like being proven wrong, and I hope I am.

Yes, Fanning is well-liked, but most of the reviewers mentioned how they didn't enjoy watching a young girl like Fanning kept in constant peril for 2 hours. As for De Niro, it seems hip nowadays to bash him. I don't get it. He's consistently good even in bad films. They need to lay off. He's given us more than enough and I fully believe there's greatness left in him (i.e. THE GOOD SHEPHERD).

[MadsenOMC]

Oh there is definitely greatness left in De Niro. No question about it. I actually thought he was pretty damn good in City by the Sea a few years back. But he sort of brought the criticism on himself. Godsend was awful and he was sleepwalking for a massive paycheck. The Meet the Parents roles aren't exactly challenging. Showtime was crap. Rocky & Bullwinkle was embarrassing. He's been pretty disappointing in terms of the roles he's chosen in the last five years or so. It seems like he will do absolutely anything if the price is right. In this movie, he seems more suited to be Fanning's grandfather, rather than father. I don't enjoy bashing De Niro at all, and I hope he is good in this. I'm with you, he still has it. He just needs to use it.

[MartinGPB]

to the elitist who said "we all have stopped being moviegoers and become critics".... i thought Sideways was the best movie of the year, but I'll always enjoy a good stupid movie... i thought Spongebob Squarepants movie was one of the funniest movies ive seen in a long time... anyway, anyone who wants to know the twist, IM me on AOL/AIM... AHorseFellOnMe

[max]

Sorry, SIDEWAYS was not the best movie of the year. The overrated MILLION DOLLAR BABY was better. Even better than both was KILL BILL 2. I also enjoyed FARENHEIT 9/11 and GARDEN STATE more. The best, imho, was BEFORE SUNSET.

[MadsenOMC]

Kill Bill Vol. 2 and Garden State are two of the most overrated pieces of shit in the history of cinema, but this is not the place to bicker about the best movies of the year. I have been guilty of getting off topic in the past and I am trying to reform my ways.

[Mr. Fred Krueger]

Originally posted by MadsenOMC
but as of now the reviews are overwhelmingly negative.

Films in the horror genre generally DO get negative reviews.


And the negative reviews are generally wrong, IMO.

[max]

Kill Bill Vol. 2 and Garden State are two of the most overrated pieces of shit in the history of cinema, but this is not the place to bicker about the best movies of the year. I have been guilty of getting off topic in the past and I am trying to reform my ways.

Ok, but they're not as overrated as SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, which a self-conscious non-elitist just called "one of the funniest movies" he's seen in a long time.

[Moviefan1234]

I think you guys are forgetting that all individuals have their own opinions on movies. Just because person A has a different opinion than person B doesn't make either person right or wrong.

Getting back to Hide And Seek, I had hope for it but it looks like the very vast majority of people don't seem to like it. A really wish De Niro could pick a good script sometime this decade. I pray The Good Shepherd ends up being as good as it sounds it could be.

[brodeurnumber1]

The new TV spot I think actually ruins the movie. Good job on Fox's part there.

[AwesomeJ33]

Haven't seen it, don't plan on ever seeing it, but it's a fun game to try to figure out the "whodunit" through the poorly executed trailers. It seems that Deniro flips his wig, makes up a doppleanger for himself named Charlie and offs anyone who gets close to his daughter. Save your money and donate it to "the save Deniro's last quarter of his film career fund", he needs it more.

[max]

Saw it last night and liked it. It's the kind of thriller I enjoy. It's an acting thriller. The thrill is in watching De Niro and Fanning do their thing. The suspense lies in whether the scene-stealing Fanning would upstage the master of understatement. It's the movie's biggest twist that she doesn't. De Niro doesn't only hold his own, he owns the movie like he should. Fanning is great, too. The music they create together is the scariest part of the movie. Even when the script lets them down, they never let up. Plot twists come a dime a dozen. And twists will always be twists: probably predictable or predictably improbable. Damn if you guess it, damn if you don't. I knew who Charlie was. There have been spoilers all over the internet. Even without them, I probably would've known ahead of time. But I didn't really care. I didn't think it really mattered. It's not what HIDE AND SEEK is really about. It's not about the final reel. It's about two excellent actors playing the game they know well to the best of their abilities.

[Watur2Phunk]

Got back from a late showing, I'm tired, forgive me, the thoughts thing could be very choppy. So I just saw it and everything is built up so well untill the final reel.

**SPOILERS**

I'd first like to say Dakota Fanning will win an Oscar by the time shes 16, the girl is such a great actress at the mere age of 10 and finally De Niro actually acts since when? The Score. The film is very very good, untill the final reel. The twist is so overdone which takes away from it. If Charlie ended up being a real old pedophile guy who carried a black bag around with him and wore pantiehouse on his head that would have scared the shit out of the audience, they could have established it early in the film and he could be communiicating with Dakota Fanning's character threatening to kill her by helping him out with his sadistic games. The film, falls flat using the "It was all in his head" twist which was in Secret Window, Fight Club Identity, Haute Tension, and so many more. But beside the ending the acting is great and the directing is quite good as well. I really enjoyed it, but it wasn't a masterpeice, heck it turns into the shining the last 5 minutes. Anyway, 7.5/10.

[chinton]

what was all in his head, could somebody tell me the twist.


And Garden State and Kill Bill Vol 2 were amazing. Had to get that in there

[Watur2Phunk]

SPOILER WARNING! COME ON!

*****SPOILERS FOR CHINTON*****

Robert De Niro has a split personality where he is charlie, a murderer, and Fanning just happens to have more fun with him. Charlie, kills his wife, and at the end he goes crazy and stays like Charlie. And then it becomes the Shining with De Niro tying to find Fanning and this woman, and the neighbors to kill them.

[Hannibal21]

I'll probably be seeing this the next week or so. Despite my disdain for Dakota Fanning, I'll see it for the atmosphere, a premise that sounds interesting, and Robert De Niro (I'll see anything he does, despite how bad the reviews are).

And this is gonna sound embarrassing, but I have to bring it up. I haven't seen the film but I've seen enough clips of it to know that a cat dies in the movie. If there's anything that I truly HATE in films, it's to see an animal die, particularly a cat (I don't care that it's not real, I just get squeamish at the sight of any animal brutality in films). So I just want to know if it's really graphic or gory, or does not much happen?

[chinton]

Spoilers!!!!




Im confused. So Fanning know s he ahs a split personality? Did she know he killed her mom?

[TheDeadWalk]

*** SPOILERS IN THE ENTIRE POST ***



Originally posted by chinton
Spoilers!!!!




Im confused. So Fanning know s he ahs a split personality? Did she know he killed her mom?


No. She didn't meet Charlie until they moved after the mom died. She doesn't figure out that Charlie killed her mom until the third act.


*** END SPOILERS ***

[TheDeadWalk]

Sorry guys, but I really hated this movie.

It's unoriginal, uninspiring, and failed to get me interested in any of the characters or the storyline. The dialogue seems to be rehashed throughout the film after every serious altercation.

The tempo, stress, and depression that should be executed never throttles, it merely sputters. I love watching all types of films, but I was really left bored with this one.

The characters are clichematic and paper thin, and it needed more than some top dollar actors to save it. I understand a lot of ideas will be rehashed from time to time, but this whole story and movie just sucks.

I did dig the director's vibe though. The cinematography was nice, but it was nothing ground breaking. The film never really got flashy, it kept long extended shots instead of bouncing around and trying to be fancy. However, by the third act it turns very cheesy. Arnold Schwarzenegger cheesy.

3/10

[MartinGPB]

Originally posted by max
Sorry, SIDEWAYS was not the best movie of the year.

wow, how much of a douche can you be? telling someone theyre wrong for having a favorite movie of the year

[Chile]

Poor Bobby Deniro! The crowd was cracking up at nearly everything he did during the final third of this movie. After Analyze That and The Fockers, an intense Deniro performance in a serious movie just seems silly. Self-parody may be all Deniro has left, sort of like Bela Lugosi after his movies with Abbott and Costello.

[MadsenOMC]

SPOILERS!!!

Sorry Max, but this movie is awful and De Niro is fucking terrible in it. He may not have played many single fathers, but it's not a challenging part and at times I was stunned by how laughably bad his delivery and emoting is. He is slumming it hard core here. He didn't add anything interesting to a poorly written role, and to say he half-assed it is a massive compliment. He just wasn't into it, and it shows on the screen.

As for the movie itself, for a while it's not bad. Not terribly good, but somewhat creepy and interesting. But then we are treated to what may be the worst "twist" in movie history. I mean come on. That is just ridiculous and stupid beyond all human comprehension. For me it totally ruined all that had come before it. Lots of cliches for us too, like Famke getting hit on the head and falling down stairs before getting up two seconds later before saving the day. Man the conclusion is bad. It's even worse than made-for-cable movies. What were they thinking? A halfway decent, if unoriginal, thriller becomes a train wreck. I will admit that there are a few creepy scenes, and Fanning is pretty good, but in the end this movie is garbage, and just what you'd expect this time of year. De Niro is a whore. Nothing he won't do for a paycheck.

4/10

[SkyNet]

SPOILERS


i must say the ending took me by surprise... for one reason only... i figured in todays movie world, writers, directors and producers would have fucking said "ITS BEEN DONE... LETS GET AN ORIGINAL FUCKING ENDING"! I mean... i LOVE Fight CLub... and i enjoyed Secret Window.. and im sure there are others... but in this "new Original" flick... how could they dumb down the ending to a simple split personality!

Leading up to the ending, i was bored with this movie... i cant stand Dakota Fanning... i dont know, i just DO NOT like her at all, but of course i love DeNiro, ,his performance was decent... just a run of the mill Creepy movie!

At least the sexy Famke Janssen and Elisabeth Shue were in it.. and Shue was wearin some low cut shirts, so we got to see some Cleavage!

And lastly.. why the fuck was this movie rated R???? This could have been PG13 EASILY! They only say FUCK once.. there are NO other curse words in the movie at all... the violence isnt even that bad

the SUSPENSEFUL parts seriously had me laughing, and i noticed my laughter ade others laugh... cuz they knew shit was funny... when DeNiro knocks Famke down the stairs, i was laughing!

I wonder if ALone In The Dark was any better? or maybe Boogeymen... i need a GOOD scary movie... Darkness looked decent, and White Noise wasnt too bad... but i need a GOOD actually FREAKY movie... and i may have to wait til The Ring 2 comes out for that!

[TheDeadWalk]

Originally posted by Mr. Fred Krueger
Films in the horror genre generally DO get negative reviews.


And the negative reviews are generally wrong, IMO.

I don't know man. I'm a guy who gives every horror related film a chance, and I thought this film was really bad. Of course its just my opinion, but I really felt there wasn't really anything to like in this movie.

[deppjolieperabo]

what a piece of shit!! this movie was horrible!! soo damn slow and everyone was laughing at everything that happened!

[sightless]

eh I guessed the ending and I didnt even see the movie..

[Mr. Fred Krueger]

Originally posted by TheDeadWalk
I don't know man. I'm a guy who gives every horror related film a chance, and I thought this film was really bad. Of course its just my opinion, but I really felt there wasn't really anything to like in this movie.

lol Well that's ok. Everyone has their opinion. I've yet to catch this film (and I probably won't until it's on video), but I still can't wait to see it.

My comment was mostly directed towards "professional" film critics' attitudes toward the horror genre. There's usually a bias against the genre for some reason or another, so I think it's pretty funny when people bring up quotes and reviews from these critics and say, "Here's proof that the movie's bad!" "Professional" reviews mean nothing.

[MadsenOMC]

I don't remember anyone bringing up a critic's negative review and saying "Here's proof that the movie is bad." I also think it's important to remember that there are different types of horror movies. Hide & Seek clearly aims for adult viewers and fancies itself as more of a psychological suspense movie than horror. So, it's fair to keep that in mind when reviewing something, what the aspirations are.

[TheDeadWalk]

Originally posted by Mr. Fred Krueger
lol Well that's ok. Everyone has their opinion. I've yet to catch this film (and I probably won't until it's on video), but I still can't wait to see it.

My comment was mostly directed towards "professional" film critics' attitudes toward the horror genre. There's usually a bias against the genre for some reason or another, so I think it's pretty funny when people bring up quotes and reviews from these critics and say, "Here's proof that the movie's bad!" "Professional" reviews mean nothing.

I can't say ALWAYS, but I have seen Ebert be pretty fair with some horror movies.

This was just one of the cases where I actually agreed with most of the critics. I do value their opinion on some instances, but I liken that to my feelings of when to be subjective and not pay an attention to some of their comments.

But in relation to Hide and Seek, this is the type of horror film that many professional critics could have, and probably should have had wet dreams about. They tend to look down at the high body count, titty flashing slashers and try to promote some Oscar worthy movie instead. But after a viewing of this, I bet they would all agree with me that you should immediately go home and rent a mindless titty flashing slasher just to wash the bullshit from your brain before this film seeps into your long-term memory banks.

[jaw2929]

The only thing I didn't get was this....

*POSSIBLE SPOILER/Who knows? :p*

Question: Why the FUCK did Dakota draw a floating/bodyless head next to "herself" in her picture at the end of the flick?

[TheDeadWalk]

Originally posted by Trail_Blazer
The only thing I didn't get was this....

*POSSIBLE SPOILER/Who knows? :p*

Question: Why the FUCK did Dakota draw a floating/bodyless head next to "herself" in her picture at the end of the flick?


*** SPOILERS ***

I had assumed that it had meant that she was going to have two faces, or two personalities... just like her dad did.

[cdmiller]

The problem I had with this flick is how I went into it.
If you go in for a horror/scary movie,you will be disappointed.It is NOT a horror/scary movie.It is a boorrrring drama with a "want to be" scary twist ending.Some twist endings are very cool and make sense,and really bring out the best in the movie, this just completly ruins the story.

But go see for yourself,this is just my opinion.

[max]

Sorry Max, but this movie is awful and De Niro is fucking terrible in it. He may not have played many single fathers, but it's not a challenging part and at times I was stunned by how laughably bad his delivery and emoting is. He is slumming it hard core here. He didn't add anything interesting to a poorly written role, and to say he half-assed it is a massive compliment. He just wasn't into it, and it shows on the screen.

I saw differently. I guess we all have our own ideas of what good acting is. Let's agree to disagree because nothing anyone says would change my mind. And vice-versa.

[max]

Originally posted by max
Sorry, SIDEWAYS was not the best movie of the year.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MartinGPB responds:
wow, how much of a douche can you be? telling someone theyre wrong for having a favorite movie of the year

What's your fucking problem, MartinGPB? You expressed your opinion and I expressed mine. Of course, in your mind I'm wrong and in my mind you're wrong. I didn't call Madsen a douche when he said:

Sorry Max, but this movie is awful...

[MadsenOMC]

And I appreciate that Max. There's no reason for name-calling around here. As for Hide & Seek, do you think maybe you're a little too devoted to De Niro? Pacino is my hero, but I refuse to see some of his movies because I know they are beneath his talent, and that his performance in them won't be very good (Simone, The Recruit). As much as I love the man, he isn't perfect, and I can admit that.

[max]

And I appreciate that Max. There's no reason for name-calling around here. As for Hide & Seek, do you think maybe you're a little too devoted to De Niro? Pacino is my hero, but I refuse to see some of his movies because I know they are beneath his talent, and that his performance in them won't be very good (Simone, The Recruit). As much as I love the man, he isn't perfect, and I can admit that.

I'm not obsessed, if that's what you mean. I do admit being disappointed by some of his performances, but they're only disappointing because I know he's capable of much more. But I don't agree with people when they say that he phones in his performances or he's just doing it for the money. I still see the same kind of focus and intensity even when he's "just" doing comedy. That's another thing. Why do people think comedy doesn't require real acting? I would love to see someone like Russell Crowe or Denzel Washington or Sean Penn or Anthony Hopkins or Morgan Freeman do more comedy. Anyway, back to HIDE AND SEEK. I thought De Niro did a good job. You complained about his line reading. It was fine. It was realistic. I think we tend to favor more theatrical line readings, the way Brits do it. They sound good alright, good for the stage, but a bit hokey on the big screen for me.

[MadsenOMC]

Good comedy isn't easy, but do you really think his roles in Meet the Parents/Fockers and Analyze This/That are challenging? I sure as hell don't. The quality of his work and the movies he's in have both fallen. I don't think you can deny that. Compare the last decade to his work in the '70s and '80s. There is no comparison. He takes big fat paychecks for shit like Godsend and this. I don't think Hide & Seek required much of him. I just didn't find him convincing. I didn't think he gave it 100%.

[max]

Of course there's no comparison. They don't make movies like they did in the 70's or 80's. He was younger then, too. He was more driven and more excited about the craft. He was also getting the kind of roles that are being offered now to the likes of Depp, Crowe, Penn, Norton, DiCaprio. I'd be curious to see those guys' body of work by the time they're 60.

[Mystique963]

I saw this last night and I must say that I wasn't impressed with anything accept the performances, especially Dakota Fanning. Man, that girl can act! DeNiro does well as always and delivers a good solid performance.

As far as the story goes, it had such potential that it killed me when it didn't deliver!

SPOILERS!!!










I thought that the movie could have been much more creepy if they hadn't tried so bleeding hard to divert our attention away from DeNiro. I mean, everything w/ the cave, the neighbors, etc was much more over the top than it should have been. There was a single part where the detail could have been good if they had stuck with it and it was the part when he sees the weird little spot on his hand. The other really good line is when Emily says that Charlie said that he would have satisfied her mom. Creepy!










END SPOILERS

Overall, I will classify this as a wait for video. The acting was enough to see it, but probably doesn't have to be seen in theatres.

** out of **** stars or C

[blacksnake]

Hide And Seek, is about a psychologist named David Callaway, who moves to a new town with his young daughter Emily, after his wife dies. Emily, is grief strucken and acts strange around many people. Soon she informs her dad that she has made a new friend named Charlie, who David soon finds out is an imaginary friend. But soon bad things start to happen and Emily, blames Charlie for all of them and soon David starts to worry for himself and Emily. Hide And Seek, starts out like it could be interesting but it turns more into a bore and gets a little repetitive after awhile and soon I just stopped caring. The film has a bad screenplay and really doesn't do anything new or exciting that other horror films haven't done before. The film is also not scary and stops be interesting after awhile too and soon I was just waiting for the film to end. It is too bad because you have a lot of talent behind this film such as the great cast but it starts out bad and goes to worse. A repetitive and un-interesting film.

[MadsenOMC]

For Max, from the current issue of Newsweek:

Career Intervention: Robert De Niro

One of the most influential actors in history seems to be just following the money now. Yes, we're talkin' to youNewsweekFeb. 7 issue - The Crisis: "Meet the Fockers" was the hit of the holiday season and has now grossed $250 million, but it only highlights the fact that Robert De Niro, two-time Oscar winner and star of culture-defining movies such as "Taxi Driver" and "The Deer Hunter," hasn't made a great film in ages. His latest, the wanna-be thriller "Hide and Seek," caps a five-year string of mediocre movies, including "Men of Honor," "15 Minutes" and "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle."

Making matters worse, he's now featured in a new American Express commercial, a move that surprised his fans. "It's just startling to see the greatest American actor become a shill," says one studio exec. Although De Niro's agency, CAA, denies it, another studio exec says the agency won't even send De Niro a script if the fee offered for the film is less than $4 million. "He's only making choices for the money," the exec says. "This is also known as Gene Hackman's disease." While no one begrudges the 61-year-old actor the right to earn top dollar, De Niro's decision to make only commercial films has begun to tarnish his reputation. "He's sleepwalking through these parts," says an indie exec. "His name comes up in casting discussions now and it's like, 'De Niro? Nah'." Adds another industry vet: "I no longer think of him as America's greatest living actor. I think of him as the American Express guy. How harsh is that?"

The Cure: De Niro's defenders say there isn't a crisis to begin with. "He reinvented himself in comedy, of all things," says one top agent. "I don't blame him at all for doing these big movies and getting paid. Look at the knuckleheads who are getting twice what he is per picture—and De Niro can act." And, says Universal chairman Stacey Snider, whose studio released "Meet the Fockers," "it's remarkable that he's repositioned himself and has found diverse parts to score in. He's become relevant to a new generation." (As for the American Express ad, it may be De Niro's way of giving thanks. The credit-card company gave $15 million to De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival in the wake of 9/11.) Still, almost all the industry sources interviewed for this story agree it's time for De Niro to dive back into deep water. "He needs to do a very serious drama where he doesn't chew any of the furniture," says one studio insider. "He needs to disappear inside a character again." De Niro may be ready. He's preparing to direct and act in "The Good Shepherd," a sweeping tale set within the CIA that he's been fighting to get made. "It's poetic and really haunting," says one agent. "It's 'The Godfather,' set in the CIA. It could be his magnum opus." Even if it isn't, at least one producer thinks the actor has earned the right to do whatever he wants: "I mean, come on. He's still Robert F---ing De Niro."

—Sean Smith

[someguy]

SPOILERS!


























Boring, cliched, predictable, bad acting from DeNiro(it's sad to see one of the best actors of all time be outstaged by a little girl)and a crap ass ending. 5/10

Funny story, as I was walking out these two girls were behind me and one said to the other "I think he had a split personality"

Goes to show how fucking stupid some people are.

[ilovemovies]

About the article:

I thought 15 Minutes and Men of Honor were very good movies. I also thought DeNiro gave one of his best performances just a couple of years in the highly underrated City by the Sea.

But I definately agree with the people in the article who say that DeNiro has earned the ability to whatever the heck he wants! I'd say leave the guy alone already!

[MadsenOMC]

I thought City by the Sea was decent, but Men of Honor is mediocre at best and 15 Minutes is pure garbage in my opinion. I'd say that De Niro has given people far too many reasons to criticize his career choices. Don't even send him a script unless the offer is at least $4 million?! Nothing good lasts forever.

[max]

I've read the article. There's only one thing about that article that's accurate. That is, De Niro can do whatever the fuck he wants because he's earned the right to. He's done more for the industry than most and continues to help through his other ventures like Tribeca. Even after 60 something films, he's still worth watching even in mediocre films. And I have a strong feeling he's going to kick ass as director and actor in THE GOOD SHEPHERD. I say, leave him alone and pick on those who have given us nothing but crap and are getting paid more for it. One more thing, it's only fucking movies. Don't they have anything more useful to write about?

[Moviefan1234]

Originally posted by max
One more thing, it's only fucking movies. Don't they have anything more useful to write about?

Come on max. I think Sean Smith and all of us here write articles, post on message boards, and watch movies because we have a passion for it. It's important to us. That's why it's worth writing about.

[max]

Come on max. I think Sean Smith and all of us here write articles, post on message boards, and watch movies because we have a passion for it. It's important to us. That's why it's worth writing about.

I know, but this whole De Niro thing's been beaten to death. He no longer makes Oscar-worthy movies, so what? He's not raping anybody. He's not killing anyone. He's only doing it for money, so what? We all do things for money. That's what America is all about. He's only getting paid to do what people pay to see. BOOGEYMAN will be the #1 movie this weekend, so what? It's going to be HITCH next weekend and CONSTANTINE the week after. All of them crappy, so what? Those are what people want to see. Dellamorte seems psyched about BOOGEYMAN being #1, so what? Does that make him dumb? I have more fun watching De Niro terrorize Fanning than watching a paraplegic who wants to die or a repulsive-looking, wine-loving loser who gets to fuck Virginia Madsen, so what? Does that make me less passionate about movies? MILLION DOLLAR BABY is going to win Best Picture, so what? One word: tsunami. Hey, there's nothing more rewarding than discovering a great movie. But if it isn't a great one, so what? A bad movie could be just as much fun to watch. Or I could always jerk off to vent my frustration. That's what I mean when I say it's only fucking movies.

[MadsenOMC]

Holy shit man. That was an impressive rant. I'm sure De Niro can handle the criticism. I don't see a problem with Smith's story. I don't think he was unfair in any way. And as a fan of De Niro I believe that his points are legitimate. But, I also agree with you, in the long run, it isn't a huge deal and nothing to lose sleep over.

[daddiefatsacks]

i think what were saying is, a lot of us have watched Deniro at his top game, and at one point that was all we knew of DeNiro, was to star in great films and play great characters, usually when you see the name Deniro you could be safe and expect a good film, now? nah man, its true hes just making a paycheck, i want the old bobby back.

[The Prowler]

I actually liked this movie quite a bit. I loved the creepy atmosphere and the little clues along the way. Fanning, I am a new fan of her's and can't wait to see her in War of the Worlds. Deniro was just fine, sure the screenplay wasn't oscar calliber but this movie was entertaining to me. I didn't find it boring in the least. I actually enjoyed all the characters and was getting a hard on over Elizabeth Shue:D Man the women still looks great after all these years. I loved the setting though, the small town with the upstate new york atmosphere. i guess I am a sucker for these flicks since I liked Cold Creek manor as well

8/10

[Lord Nikon]

Prowler, its ok for you took like this film. But I just want to let you know the movie actually sucked badly.

When they were making this movie I really think the director sat down with a bunch of different previous horror movies and said, "Ok, so lets see, what can we steal, and put together and make a new movie, with a bunch of different pieces from old movies". I mean come on! This WAS a TEXTBOOK "horror" movie. A girl who is spooky oooohhhhh, I'm scared. Doors are closed with someone behind it. Boo! Did I get ya? This was just so poor. And I went in expecting crap. And believe me, I wasn’t disappointed.

On a side note ***SPOILERS STARTING*** I wish Hollywood would choose to insult my intelligence as a movie goer a bit more. I really do. The main character has multiple personalities! I love it. Every fucking movie the damn killer/main character has a fucking multiple personality! Those little shits in Hollywood think that I don't notice this? It's in every god damn movie. I am not going to name em here, but I am definitely going to the ranting section after seeing this steaming pile of shit! DeNiro go back to doing movies with Scorsese. He is your only hope to do anything good every again. Hide and Seek - 3.5/10.***SPOILERS ENDING***

[Strider]

Hide and Seek (2005)

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/twentieth_century_fox/hide_and_seek/_group_photos/dakota_fanning1.jpg

Words cannot even begin to describe what an atrocious piece of cinematic garbage Hide and Seek is. Not only is this so-called "thriller" devoid of any thrills and suspense, but it's also devoid of even the slightest form of entertainment. If it wasn't for a moderately decent performance by Dakota Fanning, and a few glimpses of a very sexy Famke Janssen, I probably would have walked out of the theater. Speaking of Fanning, in terms of acting, she literally tears Robert De Niro apart, and outacts him in every single scene. De Niro gives one of his worst performances, if not the worst performance of his entire career. I was speechless to see De Niro act so poorly, and having his acting skills put to shame by an 11-year-old actress. It's pretty obvious that De Niro has hit a brick wall in his career, but that doesn't change the fact that he is one of the greatest actors of all time. Nevertheless, he is deteriorating right before our eyes, and I just hope he will return to greatness one day soon. Hide and Seek bored me to tears, and its conclusion (the "twist ending" 20th Century Fox doesn't want anyone to dare spoil for others) disgusted me with its predictability, and severe lack of originality or inspiration. The 2005 movie season hasn't even kicked into full gear, but nevertheless, I'll make sure to save a place for Hide and Seek on my bottom ten list once the year comes to an end.

Grade: 2/10 or */***** stars

Strider

[max]

i guess I am a sucker for these flicks since I liked Cold Creek manor as well

Prowler, you had me up until this point. COLD CREEK MANOR sucked. Sorry.

[MadsenOMC]

If Cold Creek Manor is worse than Hide & seek it must be pretty fucking terrible. Scary thought.

[max]

i want the old bobby back.

So do I. And he'll be back. He probably has more important things in his life than his career. THE GOOD SHEPHERD looks very promising, though. Maybe he was saving up his energy for this one.

[Fisting Ackbar]

SPOILERS











What the hell was up with Famke Janssen saying "Hide and seek" right before she shoots "Charlie". That moment could not have been any more stupid. Oh, and I guessed the big twist before even seeing the movie.

4/10

[chinton]

Hopefully hell be doing The Good Shepard. I really really miss the Old Bobby too. And The Good Shepard script is great

[ilovemovies]

SPOILERS!


I thought it was pretty good. DeNiro and Fanning are excellent. DeNiro is especially good towards the end. When he finds Elisabeth Shue's body and he panics and then when he turns into Charlie for the rest of the movie. This might be somewhat controversial for me to say, but I thought DeNiro was far more effective hear than he was in Cape Fear when he gave a slightly too over the top performance imo. And Fanning continues to amaze me with her talent.

On the down side, Famke Janssen is completed wasted in a nothing role. For that matter so is Shue. It's been a while since I've seen her something but this movie wastes her.


I thought the movie had enough red herrings that the movie did manage to surprise me. I wasn't totally surprised but I thought for a while it could've been the neighbor played by Robert John Burke (whom you might remember from RoboCop 3 and Thinner).

As a whole, I thought this was a pretty inolving and creepy movie that is anchored by strong performances by DeNiro and Fanning.

7/10

[Lord Nikon]

Fanning out performed DeNiro every step of the way. It was sad to see.

[max]

Fanning out performed DeNiro every step of the way. It was sad to see.

I totally disagree. I wasn't as impressed with Fanning's performance as some people were. She stared and talked in a monotone for the most part. Granted she did it well, but it was rather one-note: creepy. On the other hand, De Niro gave a controlled, layered and subtle performance. Fanning may have given the flashier performance, but when the movie's over De Niro's performance takes on a richer quality than Fanning's. Imho.

[MadsenOMC]

SPOILERS

Subtle? Layered? A richer quality? Excuse me while I spit out my coffee. He is comatose in this movie, probably feeling guilty about taking a massive paycheck for such a shitty piece of work. He sleepwalks through the role until he goes all crazy at the end. We got some hardcore De Niro bias here.

[ilovemovies]

SPOILERS!


I actually agree with Max. Unfortunately, I went in kind of knowing what the twist was because I accidentally read a spoiler. And I did find some sublte clues in both the movie itself and also in DeNiro's performance about the twist.

[max]

Subtle? Layered? A richer quality? Excuse me while I spit out my coffee. He is comatose in this movie, probably feeling guilty about taking a massive paycheck for such a shitty piece of work. He sleepwalks through the role until he goes all crazy at the end. We got some hardcore De Niro bias here.

We've been through this "bias" thing before so I'm not gonna bother. Maybe you and ilovemovies can have a less biased discussion.

[Lazy Boy]

Originally posted by Lord Nikon
Fanning out performed DeNiro every step of the way. It was sad to see.

Exactly, and I'm not even a big fan of Fanning. DeNiro apologists can make all the excuses they want. It's still a phoned-in performance in a half-assed movie.

[KLash]

****SPOILERS HERE IN*******

Was genuinely interested from the start as it had that creepy essence to it......just who could be this Charlie? he seems like a weird sort of bloke, playing mind games with a little girl.......but then we find out Charlie is just the alter ego of her damn dad (played legibly by Robert DeNiro) :o i mean you talk about non-sensical, but this was just a bad move that didnt make sense at all particularly!

Shame, as it did start well and i was looking forward to a thrilling climax as Charlie was revealed as either a.) some form of ghost/monster or b.) a weird freak from the woods or something.....but i guess we cant win them all grrrr Dad it is. And as for Dakota Fanning's perfromance sure she played the role well and was pretty creepy, but hardly the best acting perfromance ever, she says about 10lines in the entire film, most of her role is to look blankly at every person that tries to communicate with her.

4/10

^^mainly as the ending is dire



EDIT: sorry about that, got caught up in the moment without realising how much i had given away.

[ilovemovies]

Hey KLash, you might want to put spoiler warnings up.

[TheSharpshooter]

http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/2693/posters/poster1_full.jpg

(no spoilers)

LAME!

Thats the first thing I thought of when the twist came. It could have been worse, but we have all seen it done before. Who actually thought it would fool us? I think the problem is that they simply didn't try hard enough to fool us. They could have made it work.

I went in with low expectations and I had a feeling that I might surprisingly like it. I was terribly wrong.

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/twentieth_century_fox/hide_and_seek/dakota_fanning/hide1.jpg

Some positives: The acting was good. I enjoyed all of the performances. The first half built up the story very well (It's just too bad that the second half fell apart).

Hopefully what I'm saying is getting through to you guys. Just don't bother. Its not the worst movie, but its still not a good one at all. Its just a waste of money and time.

The Final Shot - Don't worry Hide and Seek, White Noise is still the worst movie so far this year.

1.5/5