These movies don’t have much too do with each other besides the fact that I saw both of them in the last week and enjoyed them both. I guess the ominous tone and plot twists involving the supernatural being the essential cause of conflict in the movie also connect them, but really one is a classic and the other is just a respected thriller.

The Shining, which is directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick, has become a standard for horror movie fans. The movie chronicles the Torrance family as they move to the isolated Overlook Hotel so they could watch it over the Winter. The hotel has a dark spiritual presence and it slowly takes an effect on each member of the family, driving them against each other.

Stanley Kubrick, who is considered one of the best directors of all time, masterfully adapted this Stephen King book for film. I’m a huge fan of the book, and when I first saw this movie a few years ago, immediately after my first reading of the book, I was actually a bit disappointed. After rewatching it with a fresh mind, I was blown away by the fact that I had disliked it at one point.

Some things in the movie that I really enjoyed…Some of the shots in the early scenes of the car going to the hotel among the huge mountains with the creepy music in the background really helped the idea of isolation set in. Jack Nicholson’s performance was also really amazing, and he was really able to perfectly depict the transition into insanity. My favorite part, which I’m not going to go too deeply into because of spoilers, but the ending was amazing. Too put it vaguely for those of you who have seen it, the photograph…

The Devil’s Advocate was definitely a less appreciated movie, although I think it is underrated. Generally, anyone who hears mention of it will say, “Yeah, that was a pretty good movie,” but it is never really given so much appreciation, although I think it deserves it.

As I was watching the movie, I actually reacted while sitting alone on my couch, something that I rarely do when watching films. It starts off seeming like its going to be a typical law movie, almost like a ripoff of a movie like The Firm, but suddenly the plot twists, taking it a completely original direction.

Each twist completely turns everything that has happened in the movie to that point and completely changes it, and they don’t stop. Especially in the last half hour of the movie. I can think of about seven gigantic plot twists that occur in this time frame, including the very last moment of the film.

Although I am pretty strongly against Keanu Reeves as an actor, and found him to be pretty awful, the rest of the cast was very strong. Al Pacino is obviously…Al Pacino. No more needs to be said. Charlize Theron, who is an actress that I don’t have much of an opinion on to this point, actually really impressed me in her role as the troubled wife of Keanu Reeves’s character.

Overall, just two awesome movies. I would highly recommend either of them, but neither are for the faint of heart.