(In fact, there isn't much gore at all until the end, and even then it's plausible, real-world kind of gore, not some kind of Grand Guignol over-the-top bloodletting.) This might be called the "Jaws" principle: The shark is scarier if we never show it clearly. Final Thoughts: "Session 9" is a genuinely creepy, tense horror picture that has strong performances and is very well-made. Some critics praised the film's dark, eerie atmosphere and lack of gore. | Psycho was a thinking man's movie; so was Memento and Donnie Darko. Metacritic Reviews. Ummmmm nope. Session 9 (2001) Movie Review. It stars Peter Mullan, David Caruso, Josh Lucas, Brendan Sexton III and Stephen Gevedon. After writing, editing, and directing more romantic-based projects, Anderson turned to horror to make this, another just as effective low budget outing. I had read a lot on Session 9 before going to see it and had certain expectations. Session 9 is edited in such a way that the revelation and the murders happen almost spontaneously. After reading the comment about what a chilling, suspenseful, truly awesome movie this was, all I can say is...you're kidding, right. Obviously I didn't watch the same movie that so many reviewers are raving about. KiramidHead 1,724 views. Directed by Brad Anderson. There's a professionally written musical score too, amplifying events, and an ending which allows a resolution to the mystery. Just be aware that if there is any distraction during the movie you'll have many questions about it. The psychology and personalities were what I found most interesting. Best Buy has honest and unbiased customer reviews for Session 9 [Blu-ray] [2001]. Session 9 Directed by Brad Anderson. I must admit I took a sadistic glee in watching those self-important little jerks degenerating into terrified, jibbering wrecks, whereas my heart went out to SESSION 9's protagonists). One review I read compared it to the Blair Witch Project. Crew chief Phil (David Caruso) is unhappy because he thinks 2 or 3 weeks would be more realistic, plus he doesn't think much of crew member Hank (Josh Lucas), the weaselly troublemaker who stole Phil's girl. Writer-director Brad Anderson allows each of the characters to be an individual, to develop and play off each other, so we become genuinely interested in who these guys are, and then he allows the horror to grow out of their personalities and the world that they inhabit. Well, now the list includes three films. Don't have an account? You have to watch the movie to know what I mean. Blu ray transfer is very clean and high quality. Then there's Gordon's wet-behind-the-ears, dark-fearing teenage nephew Jeff (Brendan Sexton III); in one scene, he's trapped in a hallway where each light goes out in rapid succession, making it look like the darkness is chasing the poor kid. Why did Mike drop out of law school?). It is one of the few psychologically affective movies that I've ever seen. I hope you enjoy it as much I as do every time I watch it! Some egghead want to be's think that because they don't understand the movie that it must be brilliant and wrongly classify it as a "thinking man's movie." Session 9 is a warning for grown-ups. "SESSION 9" (2001) (David Caruso, Peter Mullan) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons; Heavy Heavy Extreme Extreme ... (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). That's the fiendish beauty of SESSION 9: just when you think you've got it pegged as a haunted-asylum thriller or a revenge thriller or a cross between THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE or whatever, it confounds your expectations. Until recently only two films had managed to make me lie awake at night: Dario Argento's "Opera" and Tobe Hooper's "Texas Chain Saw Massacre". Horror fans and those who just plain enjoy a well-told story should thank the cinematic gods. Session 9 is heavy on mood and light on narrative substance, but the pervasive sense of dread that it sustains trumps the slightness of plot. Session 9, a spine-tingler directed with fierce finesse by Brad Anderson, puts an asbestos-removal crew (Peter Mullan, David Caruso, Stephen … I must say I was really disappointed with this movie. Stylistically, "Session 9" belongs to a class of films perhaps best exemplified by "The Blair Witch Project," that is, to a class of horror movies that prefer to suggest and imply terrible things rather than show them explicitly, trusting in the viewer's imagination to fill in the details better than an effects shop ever could. Share. Such an underrated movie as it's for the smarter people. Anyone with an ounce of interest in the horror genre should rent this little known gem. Unfortunately the characters are not as fleshed out as one would have hoped, so we are left with some unanswered questions (we would have liked to have met Gordon's family and Hank's girlfriend. With David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Paul Guilfoyle, Josh Lucas. Brad Anderson has made a movie that is subtle, and features actors playing everyday people who not only act and talk like real people (which means none of the usual horror atrocities of going off in the dark alone, etc), but also aren't killed off one by one according to their billing in the credits. This bat-shaped behemoth of a building is so remarkable that it feels like a character in its own right. Forgot your password? Session 9 is, most definitely, genuinely frightening. Since its release, Session 9 has gained a cult following. The movie received limited release and positive reviews from critics. Four asbestos workers are hired to clean the hazardous material out of an insane asylum abandoned 15 years earlier. Session 9 takes place in Danver State Hospital, a place that has sat abandoned for quite some time - fun movie fact, it’s an actual real place which they just dumped themselves in and did no set dressing, just used what the building gave them - a team of young men are brought in to remove the asbestos in an incredibly short amount of time, the pressure is on to get the job done. Dashboard H H Session 9 Assignment Trek Session 9.9 2020 (Review) Trek Session 9.9 is a well-proportioned bike that combines lightweight and precision for a memorable downhill experience. I've seen Session 9 sometime when I was in film school and the deepest in my Silent Hill obsession. In fact, Anderson has admitted that he had the setting for his film before he had a screenplay. | It was mentioned beside Jacobs Ladder as one of the most influential movies to the franchise so I searched it up and immediately fell in love. Downright Creepy.And it DOES MAKE SENSE!!!!!! They have this huge place to fix up, its gigantic, and they have 2 weeks to do, and through nine tenths of the movie everyone is goofing off or on lunch break, apart from that one dude who just listens to tapes. Honestly, there is no excuse not to see this one, folks. The film was Anderson’s first go at horror, having only directed comedy films prior to Session 9.Anderson had been inspired to pen a horror film when a local gruesome murder plagued his town back in the 90’s. It had all the makings of a scary horror film (from my point of view at least); old abandoned mental hospital with a history of medieval and brutal curing methods, one of the guys working there finds tapes with recordings of old sessions with a schizophrenic woman who seems to have been involved in a grisly murder, the freaky looking electric chair on the cover that is also seen by one of the main characters in the beginning of the movie, hey, this oughta be great, right? Desperate to get the Danvers job, boss man Gordon (Peter Mullan), a recent Scottish émigré to the U.S. and new father of a sickly, fussy baby, bids low and promises that he and his team can finish the job in one week. FAQ After the film was over, Vinnie likened it to HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, not only in its true-to-life feel and its raw intensity, but in that it shakes you up so profoundly that you can't bear to watch it more than once. Once inside the grim old complex, surrounded by peeling paint, water stains, graffiti, creepy old equipment, and the various patients' memorabilia from the old days, Hank finds a veritable treasure trove in the morgue's incinerator, Mike finds compelling audio tapes of a multiple-personality patient's sessions, and the place's overall eeriness begins to work everybody's nerves. View Session 9 quiz.pdf from BIO 203A at Colorado Christian University. Atmospheric chills and some solid performances ... keep the tension up for a while, until the nasty and disquieting finale. The ultimate problem is … This movie is nothing more than a bore fest that goes nowhere. FP rendered its monsters from the id in animation form, but SESSION 9 doesn't need to. Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer. 'Session 9' isn't your typical psychological movie; the creators ask a lot from their viewers. 44 Shares. Some people simply won't "get it" the first time around (explaining the 1-3 star reviews). House on a Haunted Hill (1959) is another example. Brad Anderson's supernatural thriller ''Session 9'' opens with a pair of working-class Bostonians, Phil (David Caruso) and his Scottish-born business partner, Gordon (Peter Mullan), making a … Those are for fans, and I don't consider them to be genuinely frightening. ...an asylum of all places, albeit a deserted one, and only one of them actually needs a time machine to go back to when it was a functioning institution so they can be appropriately lobotomised - you may need to as well. Session 9 is a highly atmospheric suspense yarn with a strong sense of place. W hen Brad Anderson’s Session 9 was released back in 2001, critics were unsure what to make of it. This was a very well executed movie, with a great cast and an even greater twist. User Ratings Well, this chiller lived up to their praise and then some! Those who liked "The Shining" will likely enjoy this film, as well. It's never cheap, but it's also never quite as scary as it thinks it is; the buildups invariably lead to letdowns. 'Session 9' arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Scream Factory. This movie is terrible. Builds up to a sad, tragic, and terrifying ending. I've never seen director/co-writer Brad Anderson's romantic comedy NEXT STOP WONDERLAND, but after sitting riveted and cowering in my seat throughout SESSION 9, I had a hard time imagining Anderson tackling anything even remotely lighthearted! All rights reserved. I hadn’t seen Session 9 and had little expectations. | Awards Well, I agree to part of that description: they were both awful. As budget-conscious parents of a young child, Vinnie and I could especially identify with Gordon; the writing and Mullan's poignant portrayal of a strong man slowly being overwhelmed by circumstances perfectly brought out the pressures of new parenthood and providing for a family. But is it that the building is in some way haunted, or are the guys really being haunted by their own demons? More akin to Nicolas Roeg's classic "Don't Look Now" than more recent horror fare with high body counts, director Brad Anderson effectively builds tension in layers of voiceovers and (mostly subtle) foreshadowing to build to a climax of madness, with sparing use of the cheaper horror devices. Moreover, I am really surprised that people are lauding this film with terms like 'genius' and 'fascinating' -- 'Session 9' is neither. But at least with the BWP you had some idea of what was going on. and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. Brad Anderson cria um forte clima de suspense e conduz o filme com segurança - até que, a 15 minutos do final, o roteiro entra em modo de auto-destruição. Horror doesn't get any better than this. Tensions rise within an asbestos cleaning crew as they work in an abandoned mental hospital with a horrific past that seems to be coming back. Session 9 (2001) Movie Review - Duration: 11:40. So most people know what I'm talking about when I say Danvers State Mental Hospital. Sign up here. It may appear to contain supernatural elements to us, the viewers, in that the objective is to take us along on a wild ride of Gordon's descent into madness, which, for a mentally healthy individual would seem supernatural indeed! Every member of the superb cast gets you rooting for them and sympathizing with their characters (even Lucas as Hank is engaging in his own sneaky, self-absorbed way), so their unraveling has real emotional heft (unlike, say, the snarky, cocky trio in THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. Good solid horror. If you want a movie that is challenging and thought-provoking, this is the one. Tries to be a back-to-basics thriller without the special effects, buckets of blood and evil dolls that talk. I couldn't write a spoiler about this picture for the simple fact that I never could figure out what the whole point of the movie was. Anderson described “Session 9” to Back Stage magazine as his response to the “vagaries of the industry,” a movie that he could shoot quickly and for a relatively low cost. Session 9 is directed by Brad Anderson who also co-writes the screenplay with Stephen Gevedon. For the most part, it draws its scares from the complexity and interactions of its characters, oftentimes, leaving viewers hopelessly lost. What is unique about Session 9 is that it takes place in a truly eerie place: an abandoned mental hospital. The sharp, sudden sound effects (passing cars sound like jets in this movie!) It takes place at a mental hospital that is legend where I live. Session 9 (Blu-ray Review) July 28th, 2016 by Brandon Peters . Although it is very well-constructed, the complications in its premise can be difficult to comprehend, especially after a single viewing. It is one of the few psychologically affective movies that I've ever seen. However, everything is so well-crafted and executed in this picture, from the writing, cinematography and acting to the use of sound and digital film, that it's a moot point. It's intelligent, well-written, it's completely unpredictable, it looks great (I didn't really notice until the second viewing how well the editing and the photography work together), and the soundtrack is downright creepy. The film makers took full advantage of the immediacy of video and ‘found' surroundings to sustain an atmosphere of unease, leading inevitably to terror - presumably reflecting both the proximity, and the success, of The Blair Witch Project (1999). But like it's famous predecessor, there's a sense of natural horror here, well handled for the most part, providing a similarly refreshing change from ‘studio' product. Read helpful reviews from our customers. USA Films has given the film a solid DVD edition, with good audio/video quality and fine supplements. Session 9 is directed by Brad Anderson, and written by him and Stephen Gevedon. :-) Basically, there are two kinds of horror films: 1) the rollercoaster thrill ride kind, usually with cool F/X and inventive violence, which manage to be both scary and exhilarating at the same time (such as JAWS or SCREAM) and 2) the moody psychological thriller, usually character-driven rather than F/X driven (think HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER or THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT). That's a pretty scary premise, which is what makes "Session 9" such a disappointment. I will tell you, however, that the protagonists are members of a hazardous materials removal team embarking on a job at the massive, imposing, long-abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital (a real place in Massachusetts, BTW. Session 9 evokes an older sense of place, while confronting today's struggles to reconcile with the past in the face of modernity via a haunted asylum. Definitely a must see. Session 9 is the creepiest horror film I've seen in years. There's a sense of dread from the very first frame, with an askew camera angle on what seems to be an electric chair in an otherwise empty, long-neglected room. Directed by Brad Anderson, Session 9 is a horror supernatural thriller. If ever a place needed a horror movie made about it, it is the abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital in Massachusets ... utterly chilling, and will stick with you for days. Even the shot-on-video cinematography looked great (with the exception of one or two exterior shots that had a hint of video look to it, most everything else was "filmic" and artistic). With a brilliant premise, "Session 9" is a slow build of genuine atmospheric creepiness. Unfortunately for “Session 9”, regardless of how great the first hour and a half is, the final 15 fifteen minutes forever sentence this film to being a mediocre thriller. The Session 9.9 is the latest iteration of this race-bred machine, with 29" wheels and a lightweight, full OCLV carbon frame that uses Trek's familiar-looking four bar suspension design. Having said all that, SESSION 9 isn't really a film about imagery, special effects, or gore. Letterboxd Link Purchase on Amazon . Session 9 is not only the scariest movie of the year, but also perhaps the … Major spoilers ahead. don't watch alone, but watch it in the dark, Here's a concept: a genuinely creepy, effective horror film, Brilliantly realised horror with weak ending, Points for tone and mood, but seriously weak plot, Definately worth seeing...not what I expected though, Once you understand that this is a psychological thriller and not horror, you will appreciate it more. Upon completion (and, perhaps, some deep reflection), viewers should come to the conclusion that the premise isn't supernatural at all. Peter Mullan is truly fantastic here, as indeed are the whole cast, the acting if first rate in this well made, unusual horror. This is a genuinely effective approach that recalls some of the more brilliant horror films of the past (The Shining, The Exorcist) before they were replaced by cheesy slasher movies and self-mocking teen horror flicks. 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