Sounds Like (2006)

Truly Dreadful Film

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

I've long thought that there was a great horror film waiting to be made about the horror of everyday sounds, and "Sounds Like" is the closest thing I have seen to date that qualifies as that film. An unrelentingly bleak episode, it probably will not be enjoyed by some, but the skill in display here is undeniable. Featuring strong performances across the board, a very well written script that maintains it's tension and integrity throughout and excellent cinematography, Brad has delivered one of the best chapters in Master of Horror to date. Many episodes have good moments interspersed, or fall apart at the end, failing to find a way to tell a story within the hour that feels complete without feeling padded or compromised. "Sounds Like" is an exception. Once seen, this episode will stick with you for a while, especially the disturbing "sound" of decay. Don't miss it.

As a parent, this episode made me sad. I couldn't help but feel for the parents who lost their son at such a young age, and to watch each of them fall apart in different ways was fascinating, especially since (I personally) would expect their reactions to be switched. I truly felt bad for the father, and I understood where he was coming from, feeling so isolated, with no one understanding. I didn't find it horrifying at all, but that's a good thing--it was still an excellent story. I got a sense of respect from the makers of the film for the original story, like they wanted to give a proper representation of it and not exploit it simply because it's being shown on a "horror series". Not having read the original story, I hope they did.

Brad Anderson has proved time and again with his previous chillers Session 9 and The Machinist that he is a new genre name to keep an eye on. Whereas most young directors are using shock, torture and gore to cover up their lack of voice, Anderson is going for broke with his quiet yet tense films. His episode of Masters Of Horror, Sounds Like, is yet another medal on his chest as this one is yet another winner. Anyone who is looking for an action packed gore filled episode better look elsewhere. Sounds Like has a slow build, but it is well worth the wait. While not a whole lot happens in the first 40 minutes of the episode, the tone of the proceedings and the plot help set the viewer up for the true horror that is to come. To put it quite frankly, Edgar Allan Poe would be very proud as this episode is a build full of atmosphere and tension to an ending that truly shocks. This is horror in its true form and with it Anderson earns his rank as a master of horror.

Sound. Thats the key subject of this episode. A lot of different sound techniques are used throughout to enhance and show the aural assault the protagonist is subjected to on a daily basis. He has ultra-sensitive hearing with such little things like knitting or kids skipping enhanced to a deafening level. Something is eating away at him and much like in The Machinist it starts to effect his everyday life.Thankfully Anderson does not ape his previous classic (too soon to call it a classic?) and the story wanders a different path. Wandering is the only fault with the episode though, spending too much time showing different sounds driving Chris Bauer's character mad rather than progressing the story. Still a similar dark atmosphere is created throughout and carries through to the last shot of the movie. Worth watching.