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Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Good Movies  |  Vacancy (2007) « previous next »
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Author Topic: Vacancy (2007)  (Read 8220 times)
Mr_Vindictive
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« on: April 30, 2007, 08:59:06 AM »




Went to the theater yesterday and there weren't any films that I really wanted to see.  It came down between Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Vacancy.  I ended up with Vacancy since I liked Nimrod Antal's previous film Kontroll, and since ATHF works in 11 minute doses, but an hour and a half.....I'd have to be drinking heavily for that to work.

The theater was nearly empty except for my wife and I, and a group of about 6 teenagers who decided they would spend the film talking loudly and using their cell phones.  That ended when my wife yelled at them in one of those moments when you really know why you love someone.

Anyway, Vacancy starts out like a bad melodrama.  We have a husband and wife, David and Amy (Owen Wilson, Kate Beckinsale) who are on their way home after being at the wife's parents anniversary party.  Apparently they dislike each other, and are getting a divorce. 

On the drive home, David decides to take a shortcut through a rural area after encountering a wreck on the interstate.  His wife wakes up from a "zoloft induced sleep", and is p**sed that they are in the middle of nowhere.  Not only that, but David just ran off the road to avoid hitting a raccoon....now the car is making strange noises.

They stop at a small gas station and the attendant (Ethan Embry) tells them there's not much wrong with the car.  They decide to keep going and break down about a mile down the road.  Lucky for them, there is a motel beside the gas station they just stopped at.

Up until this point, I was bored out of my mind.  The direction used in the film was very interesting, but the dialogue and the drama between the husband and wife was driving me nuts.  Actually seeing Embry in a major film eased some of the pain, but I was damn bored.  That is, until they get to the motel.

Upon entering the lobby, they meet the manager, played perfectly by Frank Whaley.  Whaley was the saving grace of this film.  As soon as I saw him, I got right back into the film.  I'm a fan of Whaley.  They guy disappeared for years, not in any real films in the last decade or so.  Now within the last year, I've seen him on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boston Legal (like 2 weeks ago), and Vacancy.  It seems that early in his career he was used due to his young looks, now he's everywhere playing whacked out characters as his looks have certainly changed.

Anyway, the manager gives them the honeymoon suite and that's when all types of crazy s**t starts happening.  They find, after watching tapes in the room that the manager and a few of his friends like to videotape murders in the room.  They are being videotaped and very soon they will be brutally attacked.  From there it's a battle between them and the group of killers outside. 

Antal was more than able to keep the suspense up throughout the film.  I rarely get "scared" when watching a film, but there were some scenes here that were downright unnerving.  Antal doesn't go the shaky-cam route or do any quick cuts.  The scenes in the film are steady, understated and a refreshing change from what we've been given in the past few years.

The film holds it's momentum and keeps itself fresh until the last 10 minutes or so when it turns into a normal thriller.  I wish the ending could have held up as well as much of the rest of the film, but it was not to be.  The ending is one you've seen a million times before.

Overall, I say it is well worth seeing.   Thumbup  It far exceeded my expectations, and it elicited a response out of me, which is very rare. 
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dean
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« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2007, 09:37:28 AM »


This one caught my interest the other day.  It's not out here yet, but the trailer was showing before Sunshine [great film btw] and it looked like it could be pretty good.  At least it seemed like a good concept.

I'll have to make a point to check it out.

On a side note, I figure those teenage goons figured they had the cinemas too themselves [apart from that Rad couple in the back] and launched into laughing contests of idiocy.  Sure I love a good laugh during the trailers, but to talk on a phone and to chat loudly during the film?  That's just plain blasphemous!  [the cinephile inside me is shuddering in rage]

Ah well, I've probably annoyed people in my time laughing at the wrong moments based on my own stupid sense of humour, so I really shouldn't judge...
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StackAttack
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« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2007, 09:46:40 AM »

i dont think i want to see this movie. it looks like its not intense enough to be Hills Have Eyes and too rednecky to be Hostel. it seems kinda interesting and i might rent it. thanks for your review skaboi!
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Mofo Rising
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« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2007, 01:36:03 AM »

I wasn't interested, but now I am.  Three reasons.

One: The international superstar appeal of Frank Whaley.

Two: For some reason, my source for world news, The Economist, reviewed this movie.

Three: I also enjoyed Kontroll, which I actually just saw yesterday.

Of course, I probably will wait until DVD to see it.
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Ash
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« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2007, 02:33:04 AM »

Saw this the other night and I was riveted!
My buddy got two single chicks he knew to come over to my place and we turned out the lights, popped some popcorn in the microwave, poured some drinks and put this movie on.

It freaked the chicks out big time!   Smile

They were clinging to us like their lives depended on it. 
(Hell yeah!  Thumbup)

It's a nice movie to rent for a night and I give it 3 stars out of 4.
The only problem was that I didn't care much for the main characters.
They could've been better developed.

Other than that, it's a first rate thriller.

Watch the trailer:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7jbsjNhmc4
« Last Edit: August 19, 2007, 02:45:58 AM by Ash » Logged
Mr_Vindictive
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« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2007, 11:58:37 AM »

Glad you enjoyed it Ash.  Like I said, I really enjoyed the film except for the end.  The last 10 minutes or so played out like a big cliche and just didn't sit well with me.  I have a feeling that was due to studio interference though....
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Mofo Rising
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« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2007, 08:02:42 PM »

I really liked Vacancy, mostly because it was a solid thriller that never tried to variate from its game plan.  You can compare it to a movie like Red Eye, which attempts the same thing but devolves into ridiculousness.

I find it amusing that Ethan Embry, like Frank Whaley, has moved on from playing the sweet, goofy kid to menacing psychos.  Check out Incident On and Off a Mountain Road to see him playing an overbearing survivalist.
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indianasmith
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« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2007, 08:22:19 PM »

I'm gonna be watching that one tonight  . . . . . sounds nice and creepy! TeddyR
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Mr_Vindictive
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« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2007, 04:08:20 PM »

I find it amusing that Ethan Embry, like Frank Whaley, has moved on from playing the sweet, goofy kid to menacing psychos.  Check out Incident On and Off a Mountain Road to see him playing an overbearing survivalist.

Mofo, I had actually forgotten about Embry being in that, until this point.  That was by far the best episode of the first season of Masters.
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"The greatest medicine in the world is human laughter. And the worst medicine is zombie laughter." -- Jack Handey

A bald man named Savalas visited me last night in a dream.  I think it was a Telly vision.
Susan
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« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2007, 06:34:39 PM »

I thought it was pretty good - one of those movies where you scream "WTF are you doing?! Don't go back in there!!" The ending left me hanging a little but it was a lot better than the other rental i had that weekend - "Lonely Hearts", ugh
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indianasmith
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« Reply #10 on: August 21, 2007, 07:20:44 PM »

I watched this last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I have stayed in enough nasty small hole in the wall hotels that it struck a nervous chord.  Great movie!
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« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2007, 06:29:19 AM »

I wasn't interested, but now I am.  Three reasons.

One: The international superstar appeal of Frank Whaley.

Two: For some reason, my source for world news, The Economist, reviewed this movie.

Three: I also enjoyed Kontroll, which I actually just saw yesterday.


four: kate beckinsale  TeddyR

it's a correct movie, far away from the stupids "horror movies" I know what you did when your uncle talked to his lawyer while they were playing checkers on the roof  style...it has a little of gore, and thrill, the end is quite previsible, but is good to see...
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IzzyDedjet
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« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2007, 11:50:24 PM »

It's funny that I find this post after posting this in another topic.

I finally got to see VACANCY last night.  LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!  TeddyR


Are you mad?  Put the crack pipe down man.  Seriously, the only thing good about this film was Kate Beckinsale.  I can't believe I went and blew about $25 on this.  2 adult tickets, popcorn, 2 sodas...

To each their own I guess.

This IS a site for bad movies, but in reality, there are limits.
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