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What's the Story, Mornin' Glory?
Hide and Seek
(2005)
At two A.M. on the first day of the new year, David Callaway (Robert De Niro) wakes up to discover his wife Alison (Amy Irving) not in bed. He heads to the bathroom and sees her dead in a bathtub full of blood. Distraught, he tries to pull her out of the tub not noticing their daughter Emily (Dakota Fanning) standing in the doorway. After the death of her mother, Emily becomes withdrawn and almost completely unresponsive.
To help Emily recover from the shock, David moves them to the country in upstate New York. While settling in Emily goes exploring around the woods and comes back with an imaginary friend named Charlie. Unsettling occurrences begin to happen, which Emily blames on Charlie. Being a psychiatrist David thinks that Emily is using an imaginary friend to act out her anger and frustrations that are a result of her mother's death. David then thinks maybe their strange neighbors who seem too excited to have a little girl as a neighbor may have something to do with it. Is Charlie a real person or a figment of Emily's disturbed mind?
You Learn Something New Everyday...
 Ink on the hand is always in need to immediate attention.
The best time to bury a cat is at 2 AM.
If no one answers the doorbell, try knocking.
Zing!
No good lines. Oh well.
Survey SAYS...
When I first popped in the DVD is asked me what version of the movie I wanted to watch. I had a choice of FIVE different versions to choose from. I ended up watching the theatrical version because, well it seemed like a safe bet. After watching the movie (and the FOUR other alternate endings) I read this (taken from imdb.com):
For the first time in 70 years, 20th Century Fox shipped prints of Hide and Seek, without the final reel, which would be shipped separately. This was done as a security measure as so people wouldn't be able to reveal the final ending. To further ensure the safety of protecting the film's ending, security guards would hand-deliver the reel to theaters showing the film. Fox had individually numbered each reel as well as a final security measure. Fox executive VP and sales manager Richard Myerson stated it was "to ensure everyone's enjoyment of the film and to prevent 'spoilers', we've instituted extraordinary measures. We think it's worth the effort."
When I heard that Hide and Seek had this awesome surprise ending I honestly didn't think that they would go for the most obvious plot twist ever created. I really thought that they would more much more imaginative. For sure, they shouldn't have gone through all that trouble to make sure no one found out what the surprise ending was. If people hadn't hyped up the ending, but told me there was a surprise ending and then asked me what I thought it was going to be (after watching the first few minutes of the movie of course), I would've guessed it first try. Is it because I'm psychic? No. Is it because I'm a snobby film connoisseur? No. It's because I've seen tons of movies and usually when they say "surprise ending" that's the red flag that whatever you think is the biggest plot twist that YOU can think of is, that's probably it. The only difference between a good surprise ending and a "oh-my-god-I-totally-saw-that-coming" surprise ending is that they make you wonder if you're right until the very end. Really, since I was told it had this totally unexpected ending I kept an open mind about what it was going to be. For the most part I was thinking well it can't be THAT (which was how the movie really did end).
Watching Hide and Seek is like watching someone light a trail of gun powder that's leading to a barrel full of TNT, but before the fire makes it to the barrel the fuse burns out. For the most part this was a really good whodunit flick all the way till Charlie's identity is revealed. As I said before, it's totally obvious if you know how these things work. This movie would've been so much better if Charlie turned out to be anyone other then who they were. I found the ending stupid and not imaginative at all. Really, once you find out who Charlie is, the movie drags on and on. After that, I was just waiting for the movie to end, but it went on for another twenty minutes or so. I also dislike how everything resolves itself into a nice neat little package. How was no one emotionally damaged by the whole ordeal?
I watched the other endings and I wasn't very impressed with those either. Ending #2 just changes the painting in the end so that people who hate completely non-happy endings will feel better. Ending #3 elaborates on the original ending a little more for those people who needed it spelled out for them (like me!). Ending #4 even further elaborates on the original ending, but it's like beating a dead horse...if the horse was an explanation of what a picture means. Ending #5 was so unbelievable pointless I can't believe they even wasted the money to shoot it. When they say alternate endings perhaps they should include completely different endings, not 3 endings that are completely the same except one line is changed and one that is the happy ending version.
Anyway, a few things that bothered me... Why didn't Emily tell her dad who Charlie was? Even if he didn't believe her at least it'd be in the back of his mind. How come Emily doesn't realize what's going on isn't normal? How did Charlie come to be (besides the obvious reason that they show)? There had to be a precursor to his appearance. Yeah, it's sad when someone loses a child, but people know they can't just steal other people's children, right? What was up with the neighbors talking like David owed them admittance to see his child. Also, basic forensics would've made this movie entirely different. That's right, I watch Law and Order and CSI people, I know what's up. One more thing, why did David by such a huge house for only two people? Robert De Niro did a great job in this film, especially at the end. I also found Emily's character grating to the nerves. She'd never answer her dad's questions and would just stare when asked a question. It's hard to feel for a character when they're annoying. If you like...cat murders, imaginary friends, Shinning references, idiot sheriffs, and children who don't play well with others then this is the flick for you. As for us...we give Hide and Seek
That Wasn't so Bad Was It?
I was left Feeling: Annoyed
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