One of the best "Ghost Stories" ever told.

Rating: Null/10 (19 August 2001)

Quite simply, The Others is a quiet & powerful film about ghost that occupy a house. Unlike the dumb teen-slasher flicks of recent years, "The Others" is not your typical horror movie, but rather an intelligent film that never resorts to the cheap scares of most films within the genre. Nicole Kidman has never been better in her career as her performance here is powerful & heartbreaking all at once. Though she probably won't, she is well deserving of an Oscar nomination. Her strongest scenes are with actors who play her children (Alakina Mann & James Bentley) who in terms of acting are right there with Kidman. Alakina especially is fantastic as the daughter who's more astute than her mother gives her credit for. The relationship between brother & sister is spot on as well. Director Alejandro Amenabar sets the tone of the movie immediately & thankfully never wavers. Much like "The Shining", Amenabar gives the house its own personality & feeling of danger that always remains just out of sight. In this 2001 summer of big budget FX popcorn movies, The Others reinforces yet again that a 200 million dollar studio film with 2-3 "Movie Stars" can never substitute for a fantastic script, great directing & powerful acting. The Others is the best films I've seen this year & is one of the best "Horror" films of all time. There are some movies that simply must be experienced to truly feel its impact...this is one of those rare treasures.