Insidious

I have a high tolerance for bad horror movies so my expectations weren't all great for Insidious. In fact, after suffering through an incoherent The Rite last week, my expectations were probably lower than normal. But even if my expectations had been higher, I think I still would have been satisfied with the unholy union of the Saw and Paranormal Activity creators. The movie was creepy. There was not a trace of torture porn. The twist to the haunting wasn't nearly as cool as The Others, but it was clever. The acting was more than adequate, especially Rose Byrne. There was just enough of the satanic in it to be compelling for a lapsed Catholic. It even presented "Tip Toe through the Tulips" as a demonic ballad. How could I not like it? But, best of all, it nods to my favorite subgenre, metahorror.

If I were writing a paper on it, I would focus on the ghostbusting Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who, for me, seemed to represent to the two creative forces behind the movie. They lightened the mood just enough and reminded me as a viewer how creepy it is for me to enjoy horror.

P.S. They're cancelling Men of a Certain Age? Isn't TNT supposed to save shows (i.e. Southland) not end them? It breaks my heart to know I'll never hang out in the diner with those three especially after such a perfectly balanced finale. Alas. I wonder what the campaign to get them would require?