So, this is the new Martin Scorsese/Leonardo DiCaprio film. It appears to be some sort of horror/thriller set in an island mental hospital and every time I see the trailer for it, I wage a long, silent, internal battle.
To understand this battle, we have to go back to my freshman year of high school. I saw The Ring in theaters; my friend and I spent the entire two hours in terror, clinging to each other as the horse jumped off the ferry, or that little girl crawled out of the TV screen (just as you thought it had all happily resolved, nonetheless). After the movie however, my friend forgot all about The Ring. I, on the other hand, spent a full month of sleepless nights, worrying that Samara was stealthily clawing her way across my bedroom floor. I knew then that I would pay $7.00 to laugh and I would pay $7.00 to cry, but I would not pay $7.00 to have bags under my eyes for the next 4 weeks. You have to draw the line somewhere. Until now, I have accepted my limitation - my inability to watch a movie scarier than Hocus Pocus - without regret. Saw looked too bloody, Saw IV looked too unoriginal and Paranormal looked too indie. So, why, after 7 years of avoiding the horror genre, am I so conflicted?
Two words: Leo Dicaprio.
Everything the man touches turns to gold. I don't even think I need to mention Romeo + Juliet or Titanic. I think his bone structure and the purity of his love for Juliet/Rose make it pretty clear why I would accept an on-the-spot marriage proposal from the man, no questions asked. It's his more recent movies, though, that make me want to break my scary-movie-boycott. He is obviously a smart guy, and he has reached that elite A-level tier where he can afford to choose the scripts that he wants to attach his name to. I just don't see him actively deciding to be in a bad movie. Add that to the fact that he is a great actor, and just about everything he is in seems bound for success (The Departed, Blood Diamond, Revolutionary Road...The Beach. Okay, maybe not that one.). I'm also (slightly) influenced by the fact that I really do like Martin Scorsese, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams and Emily Mortimer. And so...I'm torn.
Will you see Shutter Island? And more importantly, if I see it and it turns out I am not emotionally-equipped (as a 21-year old) to handle an R-rated thriller, will you answer terrified 2 am phone calls from me?
To understand this battle, we have to go back to my freshman year of high school. I saw The Ring in theaters; my friend and I spent the entire two hours in terror, clinging to each other as the horse jumped off the ferry, or that little girl crawled out of the TV screen (just as you thought it had all happily resolved, nonetheless). After the movie however, my friend forgot all about The Ring. I, on the other hand, spent a full month of sleepless nights, worrying that Samara was stealthily clawing her way across my bedroom floor. I knew then that I would pay $7.00 to laugh and I would pay $7.00 to cry, but I would not pay $7.00 to have bags under my eyes for the next 4 weeks. You have to draw the line somewhere. Until now, I have accepted my limitation - my inability to watch a movie scarier than Hocus Pocus - without regret. Saw looked too bloody, Saw IV looked too unoriginal and Paranormal looked too indie. So, why, after 7 years of avoiding the horror genre, am I so conflicted?
Two words: Leo Dicaprio.
Everything the man touches turns to gold. I don't even think I need to mention Romeo + Juliet or Titanic. I think his bone structure and the purity of his love for Juliet/Rose make it pretty clear why I would accept an on-the-spot marriage proposal from the man, no questions asked. It's his more recent movies, though, that make me want to break my scary-movie-boycott. He is obviously a smart guy, and he has reached that elite A-level tier where he can afford to choose the scripts that he wants to attach his name to. I just don't see him actively deciding to be in a bad movie. Add that to the fact that he is a great actor, and just about everything he is in seems bound for success (The Departed, Blood Diamond, Revolutionary Road...The Beach. Okay, maybe not that one.). I'm also (slightly) influenced by the fact that I really do like Martin Scorsese, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams and Emily Mortimer. And so...I'm torn.
Will you see Shutter Island? And more importantly, if I see it and it turns out I am not emotionally-equipped (as a 21-year old) to handle an R-rated thriller, will you answer terrified 2 am phone calls from me?
I first must empathize: to this day, tv screen static and any instance where the words "seven days" happen to be next to each other in a sentence bring back those chills. I, however, with the bravery afforded by a large group, mental preparation, and, if necessary, a large glass of pre-movie wine, am definitely planning on seeing Shutter Island. Now, I understand that any scary mental associations with these actors would be devastating -- if Leo's beautiful face calls up thoughts of insane half-dead Island inhabitants, my life will become less complete. BUT I feel like any negative connotations can be overcome due to the history of an a-list cast like this. If Mark Ruffalo is a bad guy, we watch 13 going on 30 until we learn the Thriller dance from Jennifer Garner herself. If, God forbid, Leo happens to be disturbing, I will take advantage of the excuse for a Romantic Leo marathon (Titanic, R&J, and -- dare I say it?! -- episodes of his guest spots on Growing Pains). Michelle Williams won't be scary. Not possible. But, just in case, there is always Brokeback Mountain, where we gain so much sympathy for her situation (perfect Heath husband in love with a man!) that we forget any Shutter Island Insanity.
ReplyDelete....Or, if the actual terrifying characters turn out to come from the depths of obscurity and this is their first movie worth watching, we watch Glee re-runs for a week straight. Ahhhh, the good kind of insanity. Your 2am phone calls will be answered a capella. :)
Susan - Genius. Count me in.
ReplyDeleteMichelle - I will definitely hold your hand... again.