The Mist

Seeing as I copped-out of a Recommendation last week, I'm rebounding now with one of my favorite movies.

A heavy storm in a small town in Maine leaves residents scrambling to repair the damage. As many gather in the local grocery store, a strange, thick mist sweeps over the town. They soon find themselves trapped in the store by strange, nightmarish creatures outside, and by some initially unseen foes inside...

Stephen King movies seem to have a tricky adaptation record. For every awesome film, we get one or two stinkers. Luckily, this one falls squarely in the former category (why yes, Frank Darabont did direct this. How did you guess?), and aside from being one of the better adaptations out there, it's also one of the best horror movies of this decade.

A big part of this achievement lies in the acting. Though Thomas Jane (doing an all-around swell job), it's an ensemble cast delivering some very authentic performances. The usual mix of Darabont regulars are present (the man must have Jeffrey DeMunn on speed dial), along with a number of unknowns, or at least unknown to me. Every one of them acts entirely realistically and believably, and really makes you feel for them (especially stock-boy Ollie, who really becomes someone by the end).

Well, feel for almost all of them. I need to give special props to Marcia Gay Harden as the religious zealot Mrs. Carmody. As the people in the store become more and more afraid of what's outside, she starts bring down some Old Testament speeches, and soon has a very crazed flock doing her bidding. She's the real villain in this movie (seeming to channel one Janet Leigh from The Manchurian Candidate at times), the kind that's devastatingly effective in bringing other characters to her side, and someone you will love to absolutely hate. Hate will a passion. It's her that makes the people inside the store the real enemy (bringing flashbacks of the paranoia aspect of The Thing, which is referenced more than once).

But that's all inside the grocery store. Just what is it outside, hidden by the thickest fog around? Monsters. Creatures from another dimension. Lovecraftian-horrors of all shapes and sizes. Tentacles and razor sharp teeth (and many legs) abound, all set to do some very nasty things to people. The effects here are all CGI, and regrettably the low budget of the film shows sometimes in them. Several instances they seem downright cartoony. But for the most part they are remarkably well done, and still very effective baddies. The mist also helps hide some of their flaws, bringing up comparisons of the Silent Hill games with noises heard in the distance, and much wreckage to be found when wandering about.

That comparison also works because this is a damn creepy film. It's got atmosphere flooding in, and it will get under your skin. This is also a film where the DVD helps it out; it offers the option to watch the whole feature in black and white. An interesting thing, and one that is actually quite effective (certainly helps carry some of the weaker CGI moments). Definitely worth trying if you've already seen this but want to get a new perspective on it.

Overall, it's a nice blend of horror features. The creature feature and gore of the things outside, the paranoia and character development (for better or for worse) inside, all surrounded by some choice uses of the fog machine. It's also got an ending that... well, to call it a punch to the gut wouldn't do it justice. As I've said it's one of my favorite movies (both horror and all-around), and a perfect watch for this time of year.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-NF55EZ5tw