rooprect
First what you should know up front: "Dream House" is not a horror flick. Also it's rated PG-13 which means it's pretty tame (no gore, no explicit violence, etc), so if you're looking for something along the lines of The Exorcist you might wanna stick with The Exorcist.In lieu of buckets of blood and terrifying demons, we get a really clever and tense story about a family in a remote house slowly uncovering the details of a bizarre unsolved mass murder that happened under their roof 5 years earlier. Strap on your seatbelt because the plot has more twists and turns than the Grand Prix, and there are a few total 180 turnarounds that might lose you if you're not paying attention. But overall I thought it was a great story.My only criticism is, due to it's somewhat tame PG-13 presentation, the film loses some of its edge. At times it can feel almost like a "family film" which is totally at odds with its otherwise creepy vibe. Imagine if The Exorcist had been directed by Steven Spielberg, and maybe you'll catch my drift. In fact, "Dream House" does indeed have a Spielbergesque quality to it (as in the original "Poltergeist"), which may be to your liking, but for a lot of horror/thriller fans it's too clean and perhaps ties things up in too neat of a bundle in the end.Acting is great all around, and I have to mention the GREAT job by the 2 sisters (and real life sisters) Taylor Geare and Claire Geare. They were ages 10 and 5 respectively and did a really convincing performance, particularly in a few scenes where they bring out an otherworldly element that's hard to describe.I recommend this movie for its original story which digs deep into psychology and the twists of the human mind. No chainsaws or blood drinking vampires here, just a really interesting thriller that should captivate any mystery fan.
horrorman1
In my review of DREAM HOUSE I have to say I enjoyed it more than I thought due to the trashing of this film. It is not a horror movie that will make you scared but more will make you think, WHICH IS BETTER? Good performances from CRAIG, WEISZ, give it enough credit to make it a worthy watch.
Alexander Garcia
This is a sweet, psychotic trip about a dad who was framed and who lives a schizophrenic second reality every time he's in his house, where there was a tragic accident, for which he was framed. It'll break your heart and make you think. This films draws a perfect picture that is heartbreaking and shows the extent of love, justice, and a broken, but beautiful love story.I loved this movie so much. It was so sweet and exquisite, like gourmet food, in the beginning and then the story folds out as you normally think it would, being a thriller; but there's an unexpected twist that is so freaking brilliant and the every event that follows will make you roll out one tear at a time. It's definitely worth a watch and I've already made plans to re-watch. With a bit of romance, mystery, and definitely suspense, this is one of the best films I've seen in the past twenty years. The casting could not be any better and with a plot that is just as freaking amazing, you have this amazing underrated film.
James N. O'Sullivan
First off, don't believe the official ruling - this is NOT a horror film. I don't know what exactly to call it, but it sure as heck isn't horror. It's not even that weird side of horror that's scary, but not typically. I would have loved some horror movie clichés in this film. No jump scares, creepy children, blood on the walls - I would've loved some of that in this film. Horror can't exist in a vacuum. I'm at a loss for words to pick a genre. It has slightly eerie elements of a horror movie, it has touching aspects of a family drama, even some comedy.And it's badly executed. The way the movie unravels is the only true horror element of it. The movie does not know where it's going. The plot ambles through, making a 90-minute movie feel long. So why is this movie enjoyable? The acting. Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and the whole cast deliver such a powerful, emotionally- charged performance, it almost makes up for the lack of horror and story. That's pretty much to say. The "twist" in the movie isn't a twist at all if you've seen any of the ad campaign. So see this movie if you want good acting and nothing else. I had a reasonably good time for seeing an hour and a half of basically nothing.
AD
