Artivels Undescribable Perfection

Dotsthavesp I wanted to but couldn't!

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Paynbob It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

cotysmith08 Yes, it was very accurate. I grew up in the church and this film is exactly how I remember my church years. I'm sure many are shocked and horrified at the actions and train of thought of the church, but I've been around it so long that I wasn't shocked at all by it. I think the reason why I didn't enjoy the movie is because it brought back a bunch of bad memories for me,but if I had never set a foot in a church before it likely would have fascinated me. With that said I was most intrigued by the fact that it seemed like these people were acting out their own fantasies. The guy whose wife left him was obviously writing out a fantasy in the scene he wrote where a woman is caught cheating and is then murdered was very disturbing because you could see some sort of sick wheels turning inside of his head while he watched the scene. overall, if you've never been to a church you'll enjoy it but if you've spent time in a church you'll likely just see it as the same old same old.

Anthony Pittore III (Shattered_Wake) More than any horror or exploitation film ever have, films like 'Jesus Camp,' 'The Most Hated Family in America,' and 'Fall From Grace' have terrified me to no end. I am not a religious man by any means and haven't been since I was a teen, but I do respect those who use their religion as intended: For good. However, if one uses their religion to scare others into faith, what good is it? Religion is meant to guide, help, and comfort. . . not to frighten and disturb. Well, not any more at least.'Hell House' joins the ranks of the above-mentioned titles as a truly frightening, shocking, and occasionally heartbreaking look at a church-run Halloween event in suburban Texas that specializes in showing thousands of visitors each year what their fates are if they continue on with their 'evil ways.' Featuring such scenes as a grotesque abortion, gang rape, the Columbine shooting, and drunk drivers, 'Hell House' looks to 'scare straight' their guests to keep them on the 'righteous path towards Salvation.' Right.Unlike documentaries like 'The Most Hated Family in America' and 'Jesus Camp,' this piece was done by the actual creators of the House and, therefore, done by those in favour it. What's ironic about this is that it truly scares any one not in this group of creators into thinking these people are just, purely and simply, nutcases.I can't fault people for their beliefs. . . but sometimes you can take it a step too far. Regardless, the film is entertaining and well done.Final Verdict: 7.5/10.-AP3-

wade-baron Wow. What a stunning documentary. I am quite literally stunned. In the stunning realm of all things stunned, I may indeed be King stunned!...or stupefied, or both, heck I don't know! Somebody show me the light, as I'm sure this cast would be more than up to the task of doing...being experts in ignorance and all.Where do I begin?...how about with the actual 'documentary' aspect of it itself: disappointing. I admittedly prefer a documentary that has something of an agenda, or at least a point, and none was to be found here. I understand letting the movie 'speak for itself' to deliver whatever message you choose to take away from it I really do. Unfortunately, even that seemed beyond the scope of this film. The people that were featured did NOTHING to effectively deliver the message of salvation and underscored hypocrisy on so many levels I'm sincerely having a difficult time organizing my thoughts here. As well, strangely enough, the only real intelligence shown by anyone in this film is the person we don't see, you remember her I'm sure, she's the one who met someone on the internet and made it out of the cult! (Hooray!) Perhaps my previous statements aren't quite accurate, maybe there was a clear message and I simply disagree with it...quite likely as I am a disagreeable sort, but the blind and unthinking devotion that is being commanded here is ENTIRELY based on fear...and here I thought all along that religion was based on FAITH! (Yes, me am dumb and naive) These people are going to bully you into believing along the same lines as them or condemn you to HELL (I refuse to even comment on their ultimatum where you have six seconds to decide on praying with them and saving your self or taking your chances, knowing what you know about yourself, aside from noting that it is the most blatant bullying I've witnessed since 3rd grade).Others have already fairly clearly and accurately commented on peoples perverse enthusiasm to be a part of this project. (Oh to be granted the privilege of being the 'rape-girl'! And what a fabulous little rape-girl you were sweety!) So I won't dwell too long on this...but possibly the scariest part of this film is how blind all of its participants are...all of them. Thinking that religion was supposed to be about faith, I suppose I wasn't prepared to see quite so narrow a view of the world. In their little world its reasonable for example that white people wouldn't feel comfortable being led by a black pastor (or priest or father)...and this is stated plainly and matter-of-factly in the film as though 'well you know what I mean' type manner. This type of ignorance continues through several social issues, all of which appear to blame the victims of some mis-deeds or situations they had no control over. The gay-incest-rape-rape victim afflicted with AIDS, the rave-rape girl, the teased-to-suicide boy, and lets not to forget my fave the ETERNALLY evil-'i-made-it-out-of-the-cult' wife. Heathens all!...right? Right.The misguided, heavily skewed, and just plain @ssbackward views that these people ARE frightening. Their hypocrisy is rampant and their position would be hard enough to defend had they showed some intelligence or at least independent thought. Sadly, they only appear as pathetic sheep that cannot cope with the world in which they live. They need the group dynamic that their relig...sorry cult has offered them in order to cope with the world. They need support to make sense of a chaotic and imperfect world, and they will follow their blind and beligerant ignorance regardless of the inconsistency that is displayed. They show no faith in their God or 'religion', only fear...fear of damnation, fear of eternal suffering, fear of the living hell that exists in their minds...and fascinates them.These people need faith...religion, but they are taking the long road going through Hell House to try and find it.

jdollak Hell House was a peculiar experience for me. I bought the movie on DVD at a small record shop, since I found the summary on the back intriguing enough. I'm glad I have it in my library. It's something that I know I will pull out when I feel like seeing something balanced. I'm willing to admit that I'm predisposed to a position on this sort of subject, although that does not cloud my judgment of what is actually a very evenhanded approach to this subject matter. In fact, I think I found myself more likely to get bored since they clearly aren't picking the best or the worst of each person's dialog. Some of the things that the subjects say are completely reasonable. We're all just a little clouded by the way we've chosen to view the world.In fact, the only viewer who would be truly bored by this movie would one who is not at all interested in the subject matter. On the technical end of the review, most of the others here have claimed that this has been poorly shot and edited. The editing could use a little tweaking, and I'd like some subtitles when appropriate, but other than that, I found nothing truly lacking in technical aspects.