lavatch In the extras features of the DVD of "Marrowbone," there was a lengthy segment of deleted scenes. One of those scenes was the presentation of a birthday cake with candles from Allie to Jack. When he blew out the candles, he made a wish that in his imagination he was celebrating his birthday with his sister and two brothers. If restored to the film, that scene would have framed many of the film's complexities in the context of "our story," a kind of family album that memorializes the saga of four siblings.From the bonus segments, the viewer meets the actors, director, producers, and other film artists. Clearly, there was a substantial amount of talent collaborating on this well-photographed film. On the other hand, there was clearly the intent of combining so many different film styles, including suspense, romance, horror, and fantasy, that the film eventually became a hodgepodge, deflecting the momentum away from the human story of the Marrowbone family.Of all of the different goals of the filmmakers, the one that emerged more completely than the others was the romance between Jack and Allie. Out of the convoluted evolution of the Fairbairn family to the Marrowbones, one constant was the devotion that Allie felt to the various family members.In another one of the deleted scenes, there is a brief sequence where we learn that Allie herself was an orphan, raised by her aunt and uncle. The scene offered a rationale for how, as a displaced person, Allie felt a bonding with the Marrowbone clan. Late in the film, a psychiatrist finds it difficult to understand a life choice made by Allie, especially in the context of the theme of freedom that is so important to the Marrowbone children. But with that deleted scene, Allie's story comes more clearly into focus.Film viewers expecting suspense and chills from a horror film may be disappointed with "Marrowbone." Indeed, the filmmakers may have made a wrong turn in teasing the audience with elements of the supernatural. But the real strength of the film was not in its shock value, but in unfolding of a beautiful love story, supported by some magnificent location footage of an idyllic world.

educallejero What a way to waste such amazing performances (or in some cases, actors that just didn't have enough to perform). The movie isn't dumb, but the execution of what they do in it has been done before, and way better. We follow a family. Well, that's what the trailer promised us. But in reality, is the big brother that brings the whole story together. Anya Tayler is disgracefully wasted by being just one more of the cast and not a prominent part (Have these writers seen The Witch?). The movie has one great sequence at the start with the family working together and a nice score. After that is boring "character stuff" that, with the ending, is just a waste of time, really, and doesn't earn a second viewing. Being boring in a horror movie is one thing... but just to be clever? You're wasting my time.

martimusross A tight script, unexpected turns, well acted, a brooding menace. I liked this movie very clever script and beautifully shot.

Red-Barracuda A mother and three children flee an abusive patriarch and move to a remote rural home. While there, strange events begin to occur while dark secrets seem to hover in the background.This gothic film is one which I felt improved as it went on. By the finale, once the twist ending had slotted into place, it made you reconsider what you had just seen and realise that the fabric of the narrative was more complex and layered than previously realised. It later becomes apparent that the narrative is very fragmented and that the story is in a large part one from the perspective of the unreliable narrator. I like movies like this, which can be regarded as puzzles, with pieces not yet in place, or completely missing. Consequently, The Secret of Marrowbone is a very worthwhile film if you appreciate this kind of thing too.