Session 9 (2001)

Few things are more sure-fire creepy than huge abandoned buildings, and Session 9 has one of the eeriest buildings you've ever seen. A hazardous-materials-cleanup company has been hired to eliminate asbestos tiles and other toxic material from a gigantic mental hospital that had been shut down in the 1980s. But as one member of the team starts to nose into old files in the office, he uncovers a series of tape recordings of psychiatric sessions--nine of them--related to a notorious sexual abuse case. Soon, toxic materials and dark spirits start to merge. Like The Blair Witch Project (and most horror movies, really), Session 9 is longer on atmosphere and dream logic than story--but the atmosphere is effectively unsettling. A strong cast (including Peter Mullan, David Caruso, and Brendan Sexton III) do an effective job of slowly cracking under stress and evil influences. --Bret Fetzer Amazon.com

scary, creepy, disturbing, effective.

one of the most effectively scary films I have ever seen, (and I love horror movies). This movie doesn't rely on blood and gore as such, but rather psychological tension for its thrills.

Good performances by David Caruso and Josh Lucas anchor this film and keep it realistic and believable. If you enjoyed "The Ring" and its atmospheric doom, then you'll enjoy this. Best watched with all the lights off in your house. May 12, 2008

for mature audiences

i concur with many of my fellow writers in that i think you've got to be smart and/or chronologically mature enough to appreciate just how brilliant this film is . one of the very best horror films of its' decade . try putting on the closed captions or subtitles if you struggle with the great britain character's dialogue . awesome film in any category . must see April 5, 2008

One Of The Scariest Movies You'll Ever See!!

I staretd watching "Session 9" with my cousin and sister at night. Midway through we stopped to make macaroni and cheese, and I was almost too scared to finish it. The reason "Session 9" was so terrifying is that everybody begins turning on each other, it takes place in a ridiculously large abandoned mental hospital (how freakin' scary is that???), and Mary Hobbes' voices (The Princess, Billy and Simon) are soooooo scary that it actually made me screanm, but mostly for The Princess.

What was even more terrifying is that it was so confusing. Everything was all jumbled together, and it was very weird, and made the movie very scary. Althought it was a bit confusing, it all pulled together in the extremely terrifying ending. The only thing that wasn't really explained were the coins that made Hank (Josh Lucas) disappear. That was the only thing that was left hanging.

Otherwise, "Session 9" is a ridiculously heart-pounding film. It is the next "Blair Witch Project," but minus all of the craze. It's a real shame that this movie doesn't have all the publicity that it probably should, because it is just so incredibly terrifying. It is probably ten times more terrifying than "The Blair Witch Project," and that movie scared me.

So, in other words, if you loved the classic horror movies that really scare you (i.e., Psycho, The Exorcist, The Shining), than "Session 9" is a must have. It will not disappoint! January 27, 2008

A decent movie, though I was expecting a bit more

A clean-up crew is commissioned to remove ceiling and floor tiles from a psychiatric facility that has been shut down for roughly 10 years. They're pressed for time, given only two weeks to complete the job. The old building is enormous and surrounded by woods. The internal atmosphere of the structure is chilling. There are rooms where patients had once been put in isolation. Rooms where questionable therapy had been administered. A hallway that runs underground. The crew shakes off the occasional pin-prickles of fear and tries to focus on the job at hand. Tensions between the men rise as the creepiness of the hospital thickens. And bad things begin happening...

Let me first say that, craving a good psychological thriller I hadn't seen before, I began a discussion in an Amazon forum asking for some help.
The response was overwhelming. Fellow lovers of this genre had many great suggestions, but the one recommended most was this movie. Which I excitedly bought, and watched, and felt let down.

If I had accidentally come across Section 9 late at night on t.v., I probably would have enjoyed it much more. I particularly expected the twist to be on a much larger scale. I liked watching it despite all, and would recommend it to lovers of its kind. It's slow-moving and somewhat quiet, so if you prefer fast-paced-with-a-lot-of-action, this movie is probably not for you.

January 11, 2008

Hello, Gordon. You know who I am...

I first heard about this film by catching the end of an episode of Ebert & Roper. Roper recommended it and Ebert hated it, which usually means that I would love it. I had forgotten the name of the film and it all but left my memory until, while home on college break a few years ago, I caught it in the middle of the night on Showtime. "Oh yeah. This is that movie. Nothing else is on, so I might as well watch it." I am so glad I did, and especially at that time! This was one of the best movie experiences I've ever had. Alone in the dark, and just on the brink of tired. Nothing will ever compare to that first time I saw it, but upon the subsequent viewings the film has still held up. The film, however, is certainly not for everyone. SESSION 9 typifies a narrative style that turns a good chunk of its audience off almost immediately. The film is not on the level of TIDELAND in its mystery and off-beat pacing, but it is along the same lines. We live in a "what have you done for me lately" society that has little patience for a film that demands attention with something other than pop and dazzle. SESSION 9 is a refreshing change and proves that the modern horror movie need not rely on blood spatter and boobies to be effective and noteworthy. Yeah. I'm looking at you HOSTEL. January 4, 2008

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