The Ideal

I gave it a five just because, it was creepy and weird. BUT if the setting had been in Germany, I would have gone higher. They find a book from Germany (haunted, I guess). How did it end up in the US, in a school, that would be more at home somewhere in the Britsh Isles? Or as a mental asylum in the US, in the early 1900's. Can't say much more without being a spoiler. I was confused.

THE IDEAL is a terrible little indie shot in and around a high school. The story follows a couple of students as they are tasked with doing some special work for one of their teachers, but mystery soon arises at the school. This is the type of film that flirts with the fantasy and horror genres but never gives them a full-blooded exploration. Instead it's talky and endlessly dull, with the usual stilted acting and filler. If you want to see some genuinely spooky high school films, check out the excellent South Korean WHISPERING CORRIDORS series.

Come on! Who ever wrote that review is seriously lacking in viewer talent. That's right viewer talent! I give the viewer enough credit to understand good from bad. This movie had the potential to be good and the actors destroyed it. I never stop watching a movie once I start but I had to with this one..thats how bad the acting was. I have been acting for 20 years and am stoutly character and story driving in my tastes. The cinematography was great, i concede that, but the acting had absolutely no peaks and valleys, you don't care about the characters and what happens to them. Alas that is the whole point! When you have a story, yes, very much in the vein of the shining and very well shot in that respect as well, then put in a cast of characters you don't care about. Don't care if they live or die..you lose me and the audience. Look, when a story has an "unknown" entity lurking int the background, the characters MUST pick up the slack to heighten the storyline. They absolutely fail here. Please audience. Watch this film and tell me who's right!

It can cause drowsiness and lapses in consciousness. If you struggle with insomnia, watch The Ideal and be prepared for some serious snoozing. Rarely does a film create such a deep and unbroken monotonous boredom leading downward to an unavoidable state of comatose catatonia. It seemed as though even the actors themselves were drifting into intractable stupors from having to act in this hypnotic bit of sedative celluloid. I gave it one star as a film. I would give it 10 stars as one of the most effective sleeping aids I've ever encountered. Not to mention that Alex looked more like a 30 year-old CPA than he did a believable high school student. And how in the world was the actor who portrayed his father billed as? Loser farting father? Man alive!

The Ideal is a hauntingly marvelous film. With obvious inspiration from iconic films such as "The Shining," this film doesn't fail to capture the audience's interest and attention throughout the entirety of the film. The suspense is wonderfully accompanied by a hauntingly beautiful, original soundtrack that does not go unnoticed. The eerie feel of film is not only attributed to suspenseful soundtrack and plot, but beautifully juxtaposed with outstanding imagery of the intricate and well crafted, rustic architecture of the high school where the film takes place. The building resembles an old fashioned castle both inside and out, and its structure is a crucial component to the film that is expertly captured through the cinematography. The performances given by supporting actors Todd Murphy, John Dean, and leading role Dennis Brito will leave you satisfyingly spooked and wanting more. The Ideal successfully brings forth a reality of an extremely intolerant world driven by madness and does this by blurring the lines of past and present.

This is bad. Very, very bad. The story plays out as if written by children, with endlessly long and pointless scenes filled with wandering dialog and incredibly wooden acting. There is no atmosphere whatsoever, and no sense of plot, suspense, story arc, or any of the other most basic elements required of a film script. Yet as bad as the acting and story are, the lighting, camera work, direction, set design, and basically every other aspect of the production are worse. The lighting in particular is just awful. Every scene is difficult to look at. The reviews giving 8, 9, 10 stars are all written by people related to the film. Dead giveaway: every one of the fake reviews recites a list of credits. No real review would carefully note the names of some of the worst actors who will never grace the silver screen again. I challenge you to make it to the end of the film. I don't think it can be done. Truly terrible.

"The Ideal" is Wes Ciesla's cinematic masterpiece of horror from the opening of innocence to the horrifying climax that leaves you questioning your personal acuity. While it is based on the story written by the high school student, Ciesla's cinematography certainly brings it to the level of mainstream classics. When Julia and Alexander take the summer job at the vast and empty high school building to work for Mr. Zenidro, the mood takes viewers back to their own high school days. First scenes invite them for more comfortable chair position (I watched the film on the big screen at Anthology Film Archives in New York), but not for long. The high school building has a secret with a sinister life of its own which gradually invades main characters as well as viewers minds. Use of music specially composed for this film; along with sound effects meticulously enhance the horror. Most scenes were screened at night. Ciesla directing is brilliant; from camera angles and lightning to artistic and dramatic aspects of the film. The cast delivers performances that are uniformly outstanding. I'd definitely recommend seeing it on the big screen.

THE IDEAL is a terrible little indie shot in and around a high school. The story follows a couple of students as they are tasked with doing some special work for one of their teachers, but mystery soon arises at the school. This is the type of film that flirts with the fantasy and horror genres but never gives them a full-blooded exploration. Instead it's talky and endlessly dull, with the usual stilted acting and filler. If you want to see some genuinely spooky high school films, check out the excellent South Korean WHISPERING CORRIDORS series.

It can cause drowsiness and lapses in consciousness. If you struggle with insomnia, watch The Ideal and be prepared for some serious snoozing. Rarely does a film create such a deep and unbroken monotonous boredom leading downward to an unavoidable state of comatose catatonia. It seemed as though even the actors themselves were drifting into intractable stupors from having to act in this hypnotic bit of sedative celluloid. I gave it one star as a film. I would give it 10 stars as one of the most effective sleeping aids I've ever encountered. Not to mention that Alex looked more like a 30 year-old CPA than he did a believable high school student. And how in the world was the actor who portrayed his father billed as? Loser farting father? Man alive!