 | |
List Price: $26.98 | | Label: ANCHOR BAY
Salesrank: 13416
Released: February 19, 2008 |
| Our Price: $7.43 |
| Used Price: $3.38 |
|
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
AN ALL-NEW DESCENT INTO TERROR FROM THE DIRECTOR AND STAR OF HATCHETJoel David Moore stars with Zachary Levi (Chuck) and Amber Tamblyn (Joan Of Arcadia and THE GRUDGE 2) in the harrowing story of a shy and possibly disturbed telemarketer/painter his arrogant longtime friend and boss and the carefree new co-worker whose love may offer a portrait of normalcy. But in a life scarred by dark secrets can the truth be the most horrifying pose of all? Tricia Helfer of Battlestar Gallactica co-stars in this acclaimed psychological shocker co-directed by Adam Green and Moore that FrightFest hailed as almost unbearably tense a Hitchcock-tail of precision direction and startling imagery packing a final shock punch! System Requirements:Length: 91 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA UPC: 013131561593 Manufacturer No: DV15615
Description of Spiral:
A moody, low-key indie about isolation and obsession, Spiral marks a reunion of star and co-writer Joel David Moore and co-director Adam Green, whose previous effort was the spastic slasher tribute Hatchet. Moore is very effective as Mason, a withdrawn loner whose penchant for painting portraits of women may hint at a darker secret. An outcast at his dreary day job, he finds a sympathetic friend in a new co-worker (Amber Tamblyn), but Mason's peculiarities soon leave their mark on the relationship. As subdued and thoughtful as Hatchet was crass and loud, Spiral succeeds at creating an unsettling atmosphere (aided in no small part by the ceaseless gloom of its Seattle locations), and if the twist ending isn't terribly surprising, the picture as a whole is an admirable attempt at a thriller driven by psychology rather than pure terror. The DVD includes commentary by Green, Moore, Tamblyn, co-star Zachary Levi (Chuck), co-writer and producer Jeremy Boreing, and director of photography Will Barrett, as well as a making-of featurette and three behind-the-scenes promotional pieces filmed for the Starz Network. --Paul Gaita
Spiral Reviews:
Great study in descent 
2008-10-13 - This is a film with excellent acting, far above the usual serial killer, slasher teenage horror fare. Think of this more as a Hitchcock film than a mindless modern thriller. The visuals and emotional performance really stuck with me. Definitely worthy of you consideration, but not easy viewing.
Brilliant Acting. Brilliant Script. 
2008-08-24 - Spiral is the story of Mason (played by Joel Moore), a mentally troubled artist with a love for jazz. During a lunch break, Mason meets and is befriended by a manic depressive Amber (Amber Tamblyn), and the two proceed to draw close to one another during a series of painting sessions. It is here the the story begins to "spiral", leading Amber and Mason both a path which has a dark conclusion.
The acting in this movie is brilliant, and I do not say that lightly. The script is amazingly constructed, paced perfectly, and drawing you deeply into the lives of the main characters and their attraction for one another. You care about these people, and truly want the best for them. Few movies hold this power over the viewers, but Spiral does it masterfully.
Spirit is one of the top 5 movies I have seen this year, and one of the most memorable films I have watched in recent memory. Please take the time to watch this movie and judge for yourself.
One of the best in a while
2008-06-13 - I netflixed this movie on a whim, and I was pleasantly surprised! This film is great, I almost immediately bought it after seeing it. Expect to be surprised at the ending...even if you don't think you will be. This film has some Hitchcockian like tendancies.
The Ending Earned This One Another Star
2008-05-04 - This film was going to get a three star review from me. The office environment where the main characters work was totally unrealistic. The boss drinks on the job and flirts with his female co-workers to such an extent he would have been fired for sexual harrassment. Mason, the main character, is so strange and unattractive it is hard to believe that the woman he becomes involved with would give him the time of day. This film was very different from "Hatchet". It was slow, moody, and very restrained whereas "Hatchet" was all about excess. I have to say that I was never really bored but I was checking the clock a few times. Then, the last ten minutes of the film hit me and earned this film an extra star. The double-twist ending did pack a punch. I think that it saved this film from mediocrity.
Passable thriller undermined by implausibility 
2008-04-27 - Spiral is a passable thriller that has its bits of cleverness, but overall is merely average. The principal character (played by Joel David Moore) is a telemarketer by day and artist by night who, as the movie opens, has apparently committed a murder. I say apparently because we never see a body and it's clear from the get-go that this guy is not all there. Also implied is that the victim was a waitress he seemed obsessed by.
Into his life comes a co-worker (Amber Tamblyn) who takes an instant shine to him and becomes the model for his latest set of paintings. The two become closer as he repeats his previous cycle of paintings featuring the waitress; will it end as badly?
While competently directed, acted and written, the movie also suffers from flaws. The big one is plausibility: I could never buy Tamblyn's character pursuing this guy: he is just too antisocial, and she is too attractive (in personality and appearance) to have him as the only option in her life.
Then there is the big plot twist at the end, which I (and probably many others) could see coming a mile away, followed by a second twist that, while clever, still stretches the credibility problems. The good and bad in Spiral balance out, making this a three star flick: not good enough to merit watching if something else is available, not bad enough to be a waste of time if you did see it.
