A haunting thriller set in an isolated castle in 1950s Tuscany, Voice From the Stone tells the story of Verena, a determined young nurse who is hired to help the mute young heir within. But the more she observes him, the more Verena becomes convinced he has fallen under the spell of a powerful and otherworldly persona trapped in the villa's stone walls, one that seems to be rapidly entwining with her own. Xếp hạng và đánh giáStupid, dumb, boring - if I could think of more adjectives off the top of my head - they'd be here too. Grief takes on many forms, often revealing itself through sorrow, anger, withdrawal, or regret. But in none of its manifestations is it as tidy and meticulously arranged as in Eric D. Howell’s Voice from the Stone. The film spends such an inordinate amount of time wrapping up the grief of a child who’s lost his mother in stylistic window dressing and inchoate narrative conceits that it loses all sense of emotional immediacy and compassion for those effected by grief. The overly ornate visual flourishes, mannered performances, and deliberate, plodding pacing consistently undermine the thorny realities of the characters’ emotional turmoil and ultimately impede the film’s ability to plumb the depths of anything other than its own half-baked mythology about the mysterious power of stone from the local quarry. Following the death of his mother, Malvina (Caterina Murino), nine-year-old Jakob (Edward Georg Dring) awaits the arrival of another woman who, according to the family’s lore, will serve as his new maternal figure. After Jakob goes seven months without uttering a word, Verena (Emilia Clarke), a renowned children’s nurse, arrives at the family’s Tuscan castle to help the boy cope with his loss. Despite not being informed by Jakob’s father, Klaus (Marton Csokas), that Jakob believes his mother speaks to him through the stone in the manse’s walls, Verena devises a number of approaches to prove to the child that the voice he hears is all in his head. From here, Voice from the Stone begins to increasingly riff on Hitchcock’s Rebecca, which also focuses on the inextricable pull between the past of a large estate and the people living there in the present, but the film fails to adequately develop more than the vaguest conception of the potentially mystical powers that lie within the house and the stone from which it’s built. As Verena’s decisions seem to vacillate between being self-informed and driven by outside forces, she abruptly transitions from a well-mannered nurse to an impulsive woman willing to pose nude while Klaus sketches and sculpts her. Klaus’s passion is explained by his sudden realization that Verena resembles Malvina, but Verena’s impulsiveness is virtually inexplicable as there was previously no sexual tension or chemistry between the two characters. The context-free affair functions purely as a narrative conceit: to initiate Verena’s direct experiencing of the stone’s mysterious power, and confirming, for her, that Jakob was being truthful all along. While Verena’s actions from this point on are increasingly linked to the power of the stone, the nature of the connection between the two remains muddled and unclear. The film begins to hastily transform in its third act from staid period piece to Gothic-horror freak-out, and in the process further obscures the mythology it’s established. Rather than arising from a carefully constructed framework built within the film’s narrative, this late shift feels unearned and slapdash rather than an organic extension of the film to that point. But very little here feels carefully developed in the first place. From its paper-thin and bewildering characterizations to the various ill-conceived directions that its narrative takes, Voice from the Stone is a dramatically inert slog that leans much too heavily on its sense of atmosphere while never taking the time to examine any of the intricacies that lie within its slipshod narrative. You can’t squeeze blood out of stone, but unfortunately, this film can’t squeeze much drama out of one either. Score: Cast: Emilia Clarke, Marton Csokas, Caterina Murino, Remo Girone, Lisa Gastoni, Edward Dring, Duccio Camerini Director: Eric D. Howell Screenwriter: Andrew Shaw Distributor: Momentum Pictures Running Time: 90 min Rating: R Year: 2017 Buy: Video If you can, please consider supporting Slant Magazine. Since 2001, we've brought you uncompromising, candid takes on the world of film, music, television, video games, theater, and more. Independently owned and operated publications like Slant have been hit hard in recent years, but we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or fees. In the 50's, in Tuscany, the nurse Verena (Emilia Clarke) is hired by the sculptor Klaus (Marton Csokas) to help his son Jakob (Edward Dring) that does not speak since his mother Malvina (Caterina Murino) has passed away. Verena befriends the old housekeeper Lilia (Lisa Gastoni) and tries to connect to Jokob, but the boy usually hears his mother from the wall of the old family house. Along the days, Verena feels attached to Jakob and falls in love with Klaus, but she finds that Malvina is trapped in the house by Jakob. "Voice from the Stone" is a dramatic film with supernatural touches in a beautiful and cold atmosphere. The performances are top-notch highlighting the gorgeous Emilia Clarke. The dubious story is open to interpretation since Verena might have been affected by either madness or the ghost of Malvina. The cinematography is magnificent in a dreamlike environment. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): Not Available 110 out of 136 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Very Entertaining! It's a wonder why up and coming stars like Emilia Clark even risk doing movies in the horror genre, its viewers are the most difficult to please. Not only will people have high expectations because of her Game of Thrones Fan base, but psychological horror movies without blood and gore nearly are almost always labeled boring, or they're accused of doing the same old tricks that have been used before in several movies before it. It's almost impossible with a win as an actor or actress. I thought this movie was suspenseful,it kept me guessing throughout the entire film, and I thought Ms. Clark did an excellent job portraying her role.I'd certainly recommend this film! 41 out of 51 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Beautifully Shot Understated Ghost Story This is an old school Gothic, slow burn, ghost story in the style of 'The Innocents'. This movie is beautifully shot and the directing has a very confident hand. It's hard to believe both the Director and cinematographer are relatively inexperienced. Director, Eric D. Howell has the majority of his credits as a stuntman and the DP, Peter Simonite's are mostly in the production dept. The movie isn't as well written or executed as 'The Innocents' but it definitely deserves a better rating than what it's getting here. It's a very ambitious movie and while it does fall somewhat short, I would rather see a movie that aspires to be something more, than the brain-numbing, Michael Bay type, cineplex fodder that gets pumped out, today. There are some scenes that look like a work of art. The atmosphere is very rich and while the movie doesn't quite satisfy it's still engaging once you get used to the pace. I recommend this movie for what it tries to be more than for what it achieves. If you are fan of Gothic stories that may (or may not) have some supernatural elements then give this movie a try. 10 out of 11 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 3/10 Well that's a boring movie A thriller with Emilia Clarke? Sounds good to me. But after ninety minutes there was only deception left. There is no way you could qualify this movie as a thriller so I wonder why IMDb puts it in this category. It's a Gothic drama, and a boring one. It's all nicely shot and the acting isn't that bad but the story is oh so boring. You constantly hope something interesting will happen but let me spoil it for you, nothing significant to make the story better happens. Emilia Clarke is a delight to watch in Game Of Thrones but in this movie she can do whatever she wants, if the story is bad you can put whatever actor in it, it still is a bad movie. I thought about stop watching this movie after an hour but I sat it through in the hope something would change but unfortunately it didn't. Boring drama. 34 out of 52 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7/10 I am very picky, but I liked this one good enough Warning: Spoilers Personally, this movie had my interest through out. I think this film attracted people not accustomed to period drama's and hence the poor rating on IMDb. I love period dramas and this one was as decent as any other. Was it a perfect film? No, but it still entertained me. Bonus is I could not guess the ending, it had a good twist. Still not sure if she was entirely taken over or had to share her body with the soul of the boy's mother. Did leave me with a bit of a sinister feel, if that mother took entirely over the woman. 96 out of 124 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 3/10 Lovely to look at, but absolutely a bore to sit through I think this is being mis-marketed as a ghost story but it isn't. It isn't a homage to TURN OF THE SCREW, either. Yes, it looks great, has a terrific Gothic mood, but for 30 minutes, nothing happens. Then something sort of happens but it's not ghostly...and then nothing happens and then it ends. The ending is "nice" but an hour into this film's 90 mins, I really wondered if/when ANYTHING was going to happen. Again, lovely to look at, well-written and directed, but a bore to sit through. 62 out of 92 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 6/10 Stone hard ... or was it head Horror thrillers with twists are something that will entertain and keep some viewers in suspense while others may feel bored and annoyed. Especially during the parts of the movie that may feel slow. Emilia Clarke who came to fame with Game of Thrones is decent enough in this, but if you're not a fan, you might not even care for her character. Generally it is tough to connect with a lot of things happening and character decision taken. Since this is horror, it is to be expected, but still some will not like what they get served here. Overall a good effort with a nice twist towards the end and neat resolution (one might say) ... 3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink Don't listen As another reviewer stated, this is reminiscent of The Others, but without the atmosphere, mystery or characters that defined that film. I love Emilia Clarke, but even she can't create something out of nothing. Maybe with a different director who could tell a story and create a world this movie may have worked, but overall it's just boring and uneventful, and the film is so completely detached from the characters that their actions and situations come out of nowhere and go back there again with no explanation. Is it a happy ending or a sad ending? Who knows and ultimately, who cares? 35 out of 54 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 A good thriller Warning: Spoilers At the end, Malvina's soul comes inside Verena's body and hence the boy speaks. Captivating till the end. Beautiful scenery. Loved it! 4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 4/10 Could have been something, at least it has beautiful scenery. This could've been something creepy mysterious good but I don't know what just happened. Movie is overall slow, i like slow movies if they have content but this is just basically nothing going on for a good hour or so. Emilia Clarke is a good actor, at least she gave the movie some life and reputation and i am impressed with her Italian. Other than that, do not waste your time. This movie has absolute no content what so ever. Just some mysterious things happening here and there. In the end you end up feeling "was that it?". 49 out of 65 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 gorgeous Gothic Not a thriller/horror/mystery as it is billed, but a beautiful, luscious Gothic. Emilia is gorgeous and talented as always and the supporting cast does a very good job with their roles. Moody, atmospheric, lush period Gothic. If you engage and make it to the end, it will leave you thoughtful - as all the best gothics do. Daphne DuMaurier and the Bronte sisters would gobble it up! 22 out of 31 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 4/10 Nothing much going on Warning: Spoilers VOICE FROM THE STONE is yet another updating of the classic ghost story about a governess brought in to help a maladjusted child and his lonely grieving parent. This time around the setting is Tuscany, which is never really utilised to its full extent, although we do get some old-time Italian stars in support including Lisa Gastoni and Remo Girone. Sadly, the film is somewhat haphazardly written, never really getting going despite ample opportunity to do so. I don't mind slow burners but this has little atmosphere or depth to sustain it. Emilia Clarke does her best but still feels like she's acting, rather than fully inhabiting her role, while Marton Csokas has little to work with. 7 out of 12 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Achingly exquisite, poignantly mournful & surprisingly satisfying Warning: Spoilers Now, *this* was just lovely. Think a combination of Rebecca and The Turn Of The Screw in sort of general concept, but prettier - both aesthetically, and emotionally - by far. This is not a horror movie, so don't watch it expecting one. I am a horror buff, and watched it believing it to be that, and I admit that I got a real surprise; this is a film about grief, adjustment and ultimate redemption, not damnation. It's a testament to just how gorgeously executed it is, as a work, that my misapprehension did not lead me into frustration and disappointment when I twigged. I think Hitchcock would have liked this film; I don't he'd have *made* this film, but I think he'd have admired the person who did. It's hard to pick a standout element, between the compelling plot setup, the character growth from universally wounded beginnings, the swelling tension and ultimate payoff, the stunning score, and some of the loveliest physical backdrop I have seen recently, as the melancholy beauty plays out against a lavish Italian estate, Autumnal woodland and the slightly feral, vague threat of a craggy, high-sided flooded quarry. Each performance shows commitment and professionalism. Martin Czokas' brooding and tempestuous delivery really sells us on the portrayal of a bereft lover broken down by his grief, a lonely father at his wits' distinctly *bitter* end with how to break through to his stone-wall of a mourning son and entombed in a cold and unwelcoming home which has never felt less like his own, and a frustrated artist long-deserted by inspiration in the echoing wake of his muse' agonising departure. Emilia Clarke's wide-eyed but dreamily sombre ingenue turn sets her up as a young woman who has spent her life staring unblinkingly at the unendurable, and repairing the rifts in others' homes and families while having none of her own to claim or draw comfort from; her determination to do good, the near-*desperation* for it only barely kept in check by an air of dauntless dignity, cracks the heart of the viewer, and makes us fearful for her of what disillusionments may await. But perhaps the real star of the piece is young Edward Dring, whose fiercely lonely rejection of her outstretched hand (and heart , clutched within it) come across less as stricken and more as furious. He communicates, with a glance, a wealth of emotions - most common of them a certain simmering rejection of all influences but that of his loss, and his anger. His faltering softening, as the story progresses, reads less like a line and more like a cat chasing a laser pointer - from one scene to the next, he will be more or less approachable, available, tentatively interested, and then in others, of course, that fierce, prideful wall comes down and he turns his back on the world, and those within it...which is as realistic a portrayal of grief true-to-life, especially among the young, as any I have seen on the screen. And he does all this without a single line, marking him as a raw talent certain to go places. I shall be watching his career with interest. I even have to grudgingly acknowledge the soaring poignancy with which Evanescence's flagship member/chanteuse, Amy Lee, features in the soundtrack (don't take it personally, Amy, I'm just of the Theatre Of Tragedy end of goth-metal, and was old and cranky and vaguely gatekeep-y by the time you guys arrived on the scene). Would *I* have hired her? No. Would *I* have *considered* her? No. Can I fault the breathtaking requiem she delivers as though it's her last-ever performance and she wants it to be her imprint on posterity? I can not. I'm not saying it's a perfect work, but it's a very well-crafted and earnestly-delivered one. It feels like the director really *cared* about this movie. Perhaps that it is the one he had been wanting to make for a while; there's a real sense of love in the quiet sincerity with which each shot, each scene is offered up for the viewer's approval. I don't doubt that reviewers who don't specifically enjoy moody character dramas will have commented that they found it a bit slow (I haven't read any prior reviews, I was just keen to post my own while it was still fresh in my mind). Like all things when it comes to preference, the judgement of just how slow is too slow is a subjective one; I personally believe the pacing gave the story just enough time to unfurl in its full loveliness, and for the character developments to feel believable as they occur, in their increments, as real people's do. It is this strolling - I would not say "plodding", though I assume some will, and for them it would be true - pace which allows the attention to detail, that atmosphere that the director has so lovingly crafted in each in act, to shine. It is definitely *a* slow film, however, so if that's not your bag, I'd say cast your eyes elsewhere. I'd call it a charmingly aesthetic, reflectively atmospheric meditation on the nature of loss, and how it can trap us in time; the beautiful but crumbling ancestral home within which most of the movie takes place serves as a potent visual signifier, underlining this theme. Many elements are similarly symbolic, in a manner that feels open but never heavy-handed. Gosh, but I just enjoyed this one so much. Not perfect, as I said, but quite splendid in its own right, and all involved on the cast and crew can be proud of their work. A very solid 8, I think. I'm impressed. 12 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 4/10 Not what I expected, at all Before watching, I thought it would be an interesting horror or ghost movie. The whole time I was waiting for something "spooky" to happen but in vain. The film is calm, slow and maybe for some - boring. Nothing valuable happens. Of course, the atmosphere, the house they live in is very nice to watch, but still, I wouldn't have watched if I had known what to expect. the only thing that I liked was the feeling of misunderstanding that the movie left in me at the end. I didn't really get what happened. I am still in a doubt, I have two versions and I think I'll be looking for more reviews to help me solve the idea of the ending 50 out of 70 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Sweet, beautiful, intense, worth it Y-ui11 March 2019 I think this movie was sweet, kind of family genre. People might complained about how boring or slow it was but for me this movie was in perfect timing. I like how they build the story flows without rushing it. It gets pretty intense when it hit the plot twist and i do enjoy the way they reveal it. Although this was not a horror movie or thriller, i still feel the gloomy vibes from it and if you like a psychological movies, this movie is simply worth to watch 7 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7/10 Stylish, but a bit slow Verena, a rehabilitation nurse, tries to help the young boy who has fallen silent since the sudden passing of his mother, but it turns out she needs help just as much as him. Voice from the Stone is a handsome, old-fashioned film. Horror elements are kept to a minimum, so fans of haunted-house movies may be disappointed, especially since the trailer suggested otherwise. Emilia and Marton do great job portraying their characters, and Edward Dring (Jakob) is also really impressive in his complex role. 36 out of 50 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8/10 Gothic, supernatural thriller. Emilia Clarke, or Daenerys Targaryan from Game Of Thrones, loses none of her appeal as a nurse taking a new job of trying to get a boy to talk after his mother dies. She has travelled to Tuscany to see the father of the boy, in his castle that has been in his late wife's family for over a thousand years. Having briefly seen her, he employs her on the understanding that she can get his son to speak again. The camera loves Emilia Clarke, just as it did on tv for so many years. Beautifully filmed, she glows with sex appeal here as the camera caresses her face and body. It's in no way overt, filmed more like a beautiful painting. This is a complicated movie and if you don't pay attention, can overlook subtle clues to the outcome. It's slow and atmospheric, somewhat reminiscent of a 1940's classic, the sort of film that starred Joan Fontain or Deborah Kerr and Emilia Clarke's expressive face holds the attention very well. Perhaps this is a film suited more to an older generation that still has the patience for quality film making. The supernatural atmosphere is well handled by the director and cinematographer and I was sorry when it ended. 2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 5/10 Disappointing I don't know why the plot has to become so lame at the end. It starts with a very promising plot with lots of eerie and mystery clouding the characters. It looks like the director wanted to just wrap up the movie ASAP by not giving the right climax at the end. The ending is, Like your mom just burst inside your room when you were just about to have an orgasms. Very very disappointing ending. 12 out of 17 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 6/10 a cool setting Greetings again from the darkness. A painful death bed scene and a teary-eyed child saying goodbye to their beloved caregiver kick off this film that immediately downshifts to a deliberate pace after those two emotional peaks. The first feature from director Eric Howell is adapted by Andrew Shaw from Silvio Raffo's novel, and it excels in delivering atmosphere and visual unease created by the stunning setting of a fogged-cloaked Tuscan castle that is itself a key character in the film. Emilia Clarke ("Game of Thrones"), and those expressive eyebrows of hers, stars as Verena, a rehabilitation nurse who specializes in helping traumatized children. Verena is spunky and confident as she arrives at the Gothic-esque home of artist/sculptor Klaus (Marton Csokas) and his son Jakob (Edward Dring). It's been more than 7 months since the death of his mother (Caterina Murino, Solange in Casino Royale), and also since young Jakob last spoke even a single word. Verena expects to succeed where other nurses have failed. 1950's Tuscany is beautiful despite, or maybe because of, the dreary and minimal natural lighting and the mysterious elements of the ancient castle and surrounding forest and stone quarry. It's also a bit creepy and that allows the measured pace of the story to work – it comes across as we are going through the slow process with Jakob and Verena. Well, it works until it doesn't. The character shifts for Verena and Klaus occur too abruptly – almost as if pages in the script were skipped. Both transformations seem out of place with the film and are jarring to watch and not jarring in the way that we expect from a suspense thriller. Most won't be surprised at where the story goes, but just in case, no spoilers will be discussed here. It should be enough to state that the look and feel of this one should appeal to those who enjoyed such films as The Others, Rebecca, The Sixth Sense, Crimson Peak, and the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. The execution of the story might not be at that level, but the atmosphere and mood certainly are. Oversized sculptures, life-sized portraits, an untouched death bed, and even a grand piano allow for more texture than any cheap jump-scares. Gothic, romantic, supernatural suspense thrillers are pretty tough to pull off, but even getting close allows for some cinematic viewing pleasure. As an added bonus, the lovely score from Michael Wandmacher never screams at us, and Amy Lee (Evanescence) delivers a beautiful and fitting song "Speak to Me" as the film ends. 19 out of 47 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10/10 First Rate Ghost Story This is not a horror film, which many ghost stories are these days, hence, I think, some of the poor reviews, but if you like mystery and creepy goings on around a huge country mansion in an Italian forest estate, with a bit of romance, this delivers. I found myself engrossed, and the ending was nicely ambiguous. The production values are high, with excellent photography set all over numerous beautiful Italian estates. Emilia Clarke is a solid leading actress, convincingly sliding from "Pefect Nurse" through "too emotionally involved" then down into "haunted madwoman", and proves that she can headline a film. 4 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7/10 A Haunting Thriller with Romantic Undertones Go see this movie for Emilia Clarke's wonderful performance and the haunting atmosphere. Clarke proves that beyond her Game of Thrones fame, she has the acting chops to continue with a great acting career after GOT ends. I loved the atmosphere in this film. However, had the script been stronger, and the direction tighter, the film would have been outstanding. It seems this film will either please or disappoint; it's that kind of film. The moody cinematography sets the tone under mostly overcast Tuscan skies as the young, British nurse Verena (Clarke) comes to the ancestral castle of the recently-widowed sculptor Klaus (played by the excellent but underrated actor Marton Csokas), and his troubled son Jakob, who "hears" his mother's voice in the stones of the house. As this was Eric Howell's directorial debut, I think more credit should be given to what he has achieved; however, where this film falters is the script writing and pacing - perhaps due to the director's lack of experience. That being said, this movie will not be everyone's cup of tea. The slow pacing is deliberate and is an important part of the story, creating mystery and suspense. The history of the house and its somewhat bizarre traditions on which it was built adds a lugubrious tone to the film. As the film builds to a dramatic crescendo, the clever play between reality and fantasy, the sensuality of stone and candlelight, unexpressed desires and dreams, leaves the viewer wondering where reality ends and fantasy begins. I found the last third of the movie very suspenseful. However, the script and direction falter when the movie takes on a more romantic and sensual tone between Verena and Klaus. It could have been more believable had that relationship been better developed in the script as well as reducing one or two scenes between Verena and Jakob. I really thought the love scene was beautifully, sensuously filmed using ab interplay between flesh and the sculptor making stone into flesh. Verena struggles to help Jakob speak after many months of silence and the viewer starts to question whether the story is only about Jakob's struggle, or Verena's, or Klaus' pain - or all three of these elements: is she meant to "cure" Jakob or is she meant to be cured? Too many films nowadays leave you with more answers than questions. I liked that this film does not provide clear answers, which adds to the mystery and moody, romantic feeling that are its hallmarks. Is the ending a figment of Verena's imagination? Will she succumb to the "voice in the stone" ? - or is the ending real ? The viewer is left to make that decision for themselves. As a final note, it is nice to see Marton Csokas play a different role than the usual villain/killer types he seems to be often typecast as: He is an untapped talent, in my opinion and I hope bigger and better roles await him. Csokas makes the most of his lean dialogue and is very believable as the somewhat remote but bitter, grief-stricken Klaus - struggling to understand his silent, traumatized son. I give this somewhat uneven film debut two thumbs up for the acting and atmosphere alone. 13 out of 23 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 6/10 The less you speak, the more you hear Warning: Spoilers Verena (Emilia Clarke ) is a successful live-in nurse who has had good luck taking care of children. Her latest job is Jakob (Edward Dring), who has been mute since his mother died. We later discover Jakob believes he can hear his mother talk to him by listening to "the stone." The stone is the marble that was mined in the local quarry. Jakob listens in the quarry, in the house, and at her tomb. This was like an extended ghost story and you wait for something to happen, like Jakob saying, "pass the butter, please." The climax comes too near the end of a slow developing film. Guide: No swearing. Sex and nudity (Emilia Clarke ) 1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 5/10 Mediocre ghost story at best WARNING: rigged positive votes. (movie had average rating of 8 when i checked) Sadly most movie studios these days try to rig the votes in their favor. If you don't know already it's best to click on the 'number of votes' under the main score and watch the voting breakdown page. Here you can easily assess when the voting is rigged. When a movie is just released and already it has lots of perfect 10 votes you know it's fake! So don't fall for it. About the movie: it reminds me of 'the others' with Nicole Kidman only not remotely on the same level. Overall it's really slow and uneventful. The story a bit weak and predictable. The acting OK but not great. It falls into the category of seen it all a 1000 times before. Location and set pieces are nice but that's about it. definitely style over substance. 79 out of 179 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7/10 Ghost or Madness I feel like Voice from a Stone explores a story with two types of ghost, those that manifest themselves as remembrance of those we've loved or lost, and those that appear to us simply as impressions in the mind. As a result Voice from the Stone is a classic ghost story, but delivered delicately, free from action, jump scares and overt drama, but rather a gentle move toward a somewhat predictable end of a slightly slow story. I wasn't convinced of Emelia Clarke's acting or character early in the film, all too reminiscent of her most famous role, eyebrows waggling around like they have a mind of their own - but it felt like as the film grew so did her character. Marton Csokas played the typical brooding, morning, gruff and elusive male / father figure excellently and with support from other members of a small cast the film can only be described as well acted. I'm never too sure what to say about cinematography - all I can say is the parts of the landscape we do see, the house itself are magnificent. Tuscany is a most beautiful part of Europe, and the implied age of the location adds depth to the mystery that propels the story. Overall, I expect the film is not going to suit everyone, it's by no means a great - but never the less a good ghost story well worth a watch. |
