Day 240: "I think there could be something wrong with Esther."

Nothing says Halloween quite like a good murderous child thriller.  Seeing one of those vicious little buggers go up against the adult world, while taking a few of them out in the process is always a good time.  Of course, Hollywood always cops out in the end and lets the miniscule murderer off the hook and alive to kill another day, but that's a topic for another rant.  Orphan is another in the long line of such films, but done very well and with a few twists and turns for good measure.  A married couple are looking to adopt a third child for their family, they visit a local girls home and encounter Esther.  She's intelligent, artistic, and, seemingly, the perfect little girl.  They wind up adopting her, and shortly after her arrival, bad things start happening and they escalate quickly.  One of the things I never understood about these movies was how the adults either A) are absolute dunderheads and ignore what's going on right under their noses, or B) are absolute dunderheads and ignore what their own children are seeing go down.  While there are several continuity issues (count the bullets, just saying), Orphan is a really good Halloween movie, assuming you're into the whole creepy kid thing.

Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga star as the misguided parents.  They are by no means stupid, but they make some really bad calls in the movie.  The real scene stealers are the children.  Jimmy Bennett, Aryanna Engineer, and especially Isabelle Fuhrman are great.  Fuhrman, who plays Esther, was amazing.  I had no trouble believing she had a murderous streak in her, as she let loose her inner insanity to bring Esther to life.  hands down one of the best performances by a child actor I've seen.

A smart thriller that just builds and builds to a whirlwind climax.  Methodically paced and written with the idea that the audience has half a brain, Orphan is worth seeing.  It is disturbing in several places because the filmmakers pull no punches showing children in a whole lot of impending and violent danger, but it's nice to see a movie that doesn't pull any punches.  7.75/10.

See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!