The Dust Factory (2004)

The Dust Factory: Directed by Eric Small. With Armin Mueller-Stahl, Hayden Panettiere, Ryan Kelley, Kim Myers. The Dust Factory is an adventure about the love and friendship between two teenagers who help each other through a difficult time in their lives.

“Maybe Robert De Nirou0026#39;s doctor in Godsend (2004) went to the same medical school of horrors as his Dr. David Callaway in Hide and Seek, this yearu0026#39;s De Niro toss away film, from which he deposits his considerable paycheck along with cash from Meet the Fockers. Why he doesnu0026#39;t concentrate his fortune and connections (as Clint Eastwood does) to craft an artful small film that would allow his acting gifts is the only mystery for me from his prolific but arguably spotty career.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eYoung Emily Callaway (Dakota Fanning) has lost her mother (Amy Irving) to suicide. Psychologist dad moves her to an older, rambling house in the woods in upstate New York to start a new life. Not new are the abundant clichés of the horror film: the suspicious neighbors, whom director John Polson makes as creepy as possible; the questionable sheriff; the doors leading to scares; the mutilated dolls; Emilyu0026#39;s imaginary friend, Charlie, who appears to be causing numberless offenses in the house; and knives placed as objects of intrinsic interest; and a vulnerable girl friend, Elizabeth (Elisabeth Shue). I stopped counting, for the film is one extended cliché after another.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe interest for serious filmgoers might be the depiction of the psychological stat after a loss to suicide. Whatever the term might be such as u0026quot;post-traumatic stress disorder syndrome,u0026quot; the film does a credible job showing how difficult it is for Emily to lead a normal life after the loss of her mother (and for her father as well). While there are echoes of Stephen King (The Shiningu0026#39;s u0026quot;Hereu0026#39;s Johnnyu0026quot; comes to mind) and Hitchcock (think shower scene), there is no comparison in quality with those classics. The audience at the preview enjoyed some of the stock shock moments behind the many closed doors. Hide and Seek will titillate horror fans but disappoint discerning film buffs, who look for some believable edge and innovation.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMilton in Paradise Lost expressed the descent from happiness to despair: u0026quot;Farewell happy fields, Where joy forever dwells: hail, horrors!u0026quot; Hide and Seek is not a classic horror film; it is a classic underachiever.”