The Host

[miker]

Anyone seen this? It seems to have bypassed the cinema in the UK.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/thehost/trailer/

[Xendar]

I saw the trailer awhile back and thought it looked pretty interesting. Is it out on DVD yet?

[GingeUK]

It did actually get a small cinema release. I remember catching it late last year. Great film.

[miker]

It's on DVD in the UK and I've ordered it on the strength of trailer and RottenTomatoes reviews.

[emjen]

The host is a great film. I love how you never know whats going to happen because its as if the director never heard of genres. Its more as if he just had a family, a monster, a river and made a story around it, instead of making a monster movie trying to eat a family around a river. It could be trimmed a bit though, I found it a bit long.

I also suggest you watch Memories of Murder, another film that completely forgets its a genrefilm. Youve got these policemen looking for a serial killer, but theyve got no fucking clue what to do. Changing genre rules is a very difficult thing to do but Park chan wook (thats his name?) pulls it off and he pulls it off well.

[miker]

Got my DVD and watched it last night. It's pretty good but I can't help feeling it's 15 years too late to be regarded as an "effects event" and it doesn't offer up anything particularly new. I'd agree it's a bit too long. I'd say it's more like Close Encounters than Jaws. I'd compare it more with Split Second but with a high budget.

Anyhoo, if you liked The Host (can't figure out why it's called that unless it's a purposeful bit of misdirection) then I suspect you'd like Returner which is to Terminator as The Host is to Jaws.