[psycho d]

After.Life (2009). This is a movie that could go either way for many people, and rightfully so. It really takes many liberties in the telling of this tale, and the viewer must allow for a somewhat loose script. But for those willing to side-step its faults, the director's message will be more than worth it.

Taking on the theme of death can be a cinematic death ray, but director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo does a fine job of questioning the afterlife. This move really leaves us with more questions than answers, and anyone that thinks it should have been the other way around is, well, kinda retarded.

The acting was exceptional, at least after Justin Long's chunky first appearance. After that the performances are all top notch. That Liam Neeson is extraordinary is almost to be expected. Christina Ricci's portrayal of transitional confusion was splendid. Child actor Chandler Canterury was also a positive in his role as a creepy adult in training.

What impressed me most about this flick was that it gloriously flouted any pretensions to a genre, but was its own type of movie. Though potently dark, it never felt like a horror flick proper. It keeps the viewer guessing down to the end, and even then it refuses to play nice in the arena of a movie catalog.

The technicalities were all spot on, with the camera effectively creating its magic without much fuss, but Mr. camera guy's flair does sneak out on occasion and much to our delight.

By the end, unless you are stuck in the realms of picking apart this movie for its flaws, the weighty subject matter of this one will keep your mind compliantly busy for some time.
d