host
THE FLICK: Now that traditional “B-movies” have become “A-list” properties (superheroes, sci-fi, and sorcery ruled this summer once again), whatever happened to the good ‘ol fashioned monster flick? You know, the made-on-the-cheap, cast of unknowns, questionable special-effects quickie that gets rediscovered and re-appreciated twenty years later. Well, apparently, like everything else these days, they’re being made overseas. The Host is a Korean import that’s actually a great deal better than its “B-movie” description, sporting a truly unique and impressively realized CGI creature that rises from the banks of the Han River due to illegal chemical dumping. The film balances scares, spectacle and sentiment with a dexterity that’s a cut above most American product (I’m looking at you Sci-Fi Channel), focusing on the efforts of an eccentric family unit to rescue their youngest member from the monster’s underground lair. Part hostage story, part quirky family drama, part Godzilla, director ...