{"id":8828,"date":"2015-01-19T23:11:58","date_gmt":"2015-01-20T07:11:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/?p=8828"},"modified":"2015-01-19T23:13:04","modified_gmt":"2015-01-20T07:13:04","slug":"review-openwindows-bd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/2015\/01\/review-openwindows-bd\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Open Windows BD + Screen Caps"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Open Windows<\/em><\/strong>, written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, The ABCs of Death<\/em>, V\/H\/S: Viral<\/em>), is more or less an experimental film that\u2019s been done more than a few times with the entire picture taking place via a webcam, and although a nifty idea, the execution wasn\u2019t the best.<\/p>\n

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Open Windows<\/span>
\n(2014)<\/strong><\/p>\n


\nREVIEW NAVIGATION<\/strong><\/span>
\nThe Movie<\/a> | Special Features<\/a> | Video Quality<\/a> | Audio Quality<\/a> | Overall<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Genre(s): <\/strong>Thriller
\nCinedigm | NR \u2013 100 min. \u2013 $19.97 | January 27, 2015<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n <\/b>MOVIE INFO:
\n<\/span>Directed by: <\/strong>Nacho Vigalondo
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>Nacho Vigalondo (written by)
\nCast: <\/strong>Elijah Wood, Sasha Grey, Neil Maskell<\/p>\n

DISC INFO:
\n<\/span>Features: <\/strong>Featurettes, Trailer
\nDigital Copy: <\/strong>No
\nNumber of Discs: <\/strong>1<\/p>\n

Audio: <\/strong>English (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
\nVideo: <\/strong>1080p\/Widescreen 1.85
\nSubtitles: <\/strong>English SDH
\nDisc Size: <\/strong>NA
\nCodec: <\/strong>MPEG-4 AVC
\nRegion(s): <\/strong>A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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THE MOVIE<\/strong> \u2013 2.0\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Not much more that annoys me than gimmick movies and Open Windows<\/em><\/strong> is the latest, a film that takes place using computer cameras not unlike a recent horror film, The Den<\/em>, which by comparison to this as far better. It also had flavors of Getaway<\/em>, though I imagine there aren\u2019t many out there who saw that one either nor should you. Ever.<\/p>\n

The plot surrounding Open Windows<\/em><\/strong> is about a celebrity blogger named Nick Chambers (ELIJAH WOOD) who is in Austin, Texas to have dinner with movie starlet, and the subject of his site, Jill Goddard (SASHA GREY). But things take a turn when, via an ominous and anonymous voice simply named Chord over Nick\u2019s computer supposedly from the movie producer that the dinner was cancelled by Goddard herself. Chord proceeds to do some nifty tricks hacking into Jill\u2019s cell phone and allowing Nick to take a peek at the actress he\u2019s obsessed with.<\/p>\n

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As one would suspect, and for some reason Nick takes time to realize this himself, Chord has no connection with Goddard as he directs Nick to set up his camera, supplied by the voice prior, to face Goddard\u2019s motel room in the hopes of capturing a sexual encounter between Goddard and her secret lover (she\u2019s officially dating her movie co-star). All of this is just a tease as nothing happens, but the voice has more in store when the lover discovers he was being spied upon and goes to the room to investigate where upon, again at the direction of the voice, he\u2019s tased and tied up in the room.<\/p>\n

After this, Chord has Nick go to the parking garage and get into his car where he\u2019s told to follow a GPS to their next location: Jill\u2019s apartment which was supplied by the studio. Outside, Nick witnesses Chord\u2019s deviance, hacking into her computer and supplying a video link to her tied up boyfriend being laser shocked. Chord has Nick type in instructions to Jill including exposing her breasts and other indignities otherwise her boyfriend will not survive more shocks. The culmination of Chord\u2019s game has him kidnapping Jill while Nick tries to save her but, thanks to the police closing in, must elude the authorities in the process.<\/p>\n

Using some nifty technology \u2013 with the help of hackers who are admirers of a master hacker nicknamed \u201cNevada\u201d, believing Nick to be him \u2013 in the form of mini spy cameras \u201cNevada\u201d had with him, he\u2019s able to get a lock on her in the trunk of a car. The chase is on to save the girl before its too late…<\/p>\n

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Open Windows<\/em><\/strong> is the latest gimmick movie that on its surface isn\u2019t a bad idea but the execution was a bit lacking. What started off as a quasi-interesting premise became a little tedious and wore out my patience by the end in a film that probably could\u2019ve been 15-minutes shorter and fewer contrivances with the plot. That said, there is a moment at the end that at least explains away the main character\u2019s (played Elijah Wood) idiocy; it\u2019s an utterly laughable moment but does explain some things with his decision making.<\/p>\n

One of the more interesting tid-bits about this project is the casting of Sasha Grey as she attempts to break out of her adult (porn) career into the mainstream and honestly, she\u2019s not half bad but hardly gets anything to work against with stilted dialogue and a plot that became more inane as the film went on. I don\u2019t know if she\u2019s any good or not, certainly can\u2019t take anything away from this movie, however.<\/p>\n

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SPECIAL FEATURES \u2013 4.5\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The features are a tad light with only a basic Making of (15:51; HD)<\/span><\/strong> featurette with behind-the-scenes footage and cast\/crew interviews, a Visual Effects Reel (1:44; HD)<\/span><\/strong> breaking down the VFX used and the Trailer (1:20; HD)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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VIDEO \u2013 4.0\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cinedigm distributes Open Windows<\/em><\/strong> on Blu-ray presented with a 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. Because the film is entirely shown via what is supposed to be a webcam (or variety of webcams), it\u2019s kind of difficult to judge, but for the most part the detail levels are decent while colors tend to be muted especially since the bulk of the film takes place at night.
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AUDIO \u2013 4.0\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is a bit limited but still has clear dialogue levels but the bulk of the audio is held through the center channel with there was some narrow usage for the rear speakers. Although not great, it\u2019s still a fine lossless track suitable for a movie of this kind.<\/p>\n

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OVERALL \u2013 2.5\/5<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Overall, Open Windows<\/em><\/strong>, written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, The ABCs of Death<\/em>, V\/H\/S: Viral<\/em>), is more or less an experimental film that\u2019s been done more than a few times with the entire picture taking place via a webcam, and although a nifty idea, the execution wasn\u2019t the best. Elijah Wood and Sasha Grey are alright considering the material they got to work with but on the whole this is a one-and-done viewing.<\/p>\n

The Blu-ray released by Cinedigm is limited with OK audio and video while the bonus material is forgettable.<\/p>\n


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Brian Oliver, The Movieman
\n<\/em>Published: <\/strong>01\/19\/2015<\/p>\n

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Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers<\/strong>.
\nThese are only here to give an idea of the movie\u2019s video quality and may not be truly representative of it.<\/p>\n