One Door Away From Heaven

Authors: Marcus
Location: Cleveland, OH

"One Door Away from Heaven"

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Adapted by M. Night Shyamalan
Based on the book by Dean Koontz
Score by James Newton Howard
Cinematography by Janusz Kaminski

Principal Cast:

Famke Janssen-Michelina Bellsong
Dakota Fanning-Leilani Klonk
Jimmy Bennett-Curtis Hammond
Nicolas Cage-Noah Farrell
Brendan Fraser-Preston Maddoc
Rosemary Harris-Geneva Davis
Jennifer Tilly-Polluxia & Castoria
Kathy Bates-Sinsemilla

Tagline: "Fate determines life"

Synopsis: Intertwining stories brings together a bevy of diverse characters.

Michelina Bellsong (Famke Janssen) is a recovering alcoholic who is staying with her Aunt Geneva (Rosemary Harris) at a trailer park. Aunt Geneva has a brain condition that makes her confuse her past with old movies. While staying with Aunt Geneva, Micky meets a deformed young girl with spunk named Leilani Klonk. Leilani has a unique viewpoint on life and many other things that make Micky think about herself. During their time spent together, Leilani reveals that her mother, Sinsemilla, (Kathy Bates) is an insane drug addict and her step-father, Preston Maddoc, (Brendan Fraser) is a serial killer who murdered her brother. Micky begins to fear for their lives. When Preston kidnaps Leilani & Sinsemilla, Micky is determined to find Leilani and bring her to safety.

A young boy (Jimmy Bennett) running from the same forces that murdered his mother, breaks into a house and steals the identity of another young boy names Curtis Hammond. A dog that he names Old Yeller follows him around after the family is murdered. After that, we follow “Curtis” as he goes to a café that is destroyed during an FBI invasion. He meets several different diverse characters including the twins, Castoria & Polluxia (Jennifer Tilly), who protect him and discover a dark secret he is carrying.

A private investigator, Noah Farrell (Nicolas Cage), is alive only because of his catatonic sister. After her death, he is depressed and suicidal, but his life receives new meaning when a young woman named Michelina walks into his office.

What the press would say:

M. Night Shyamalan does it again with this masterpiece of a film. He follows a string of mixed reviewed films with one that is sure to be a major contender at the Oscars®. One Door Away From Heaven tells a story of several characters who are brought together by nothing but fate. This film has M. Night Shyamalan’s blood all over it. His camera angles and aura of mystery has the viewer glued to his seat. Like Frank Miller’s Sin City, the film is taken directly from Dean Koontz novel. His intriguing characters and Tarantino-like dialogue will make the audience laugh, cry, and sweat with fear. Famke Janssen gives a career performance. She’s a likeable, but flawed character that is trying to redeem herself of the mistakes she made in the past. Janssen has great chemistry with Dakota Fanning. Fanning has proves in the past that she could hold her own with vets like Denzel Washington, Sean Penn, & Tom Cruise. She continues this streak with her beautiful performance as Leilani, a deformed & spunky girl with parents who endanger her life. Jimmy Bennett gives another great performance as a boy on the run from unknown forces. He doesn’t talk much, but his body tells the story. Brendan Fraser delivers his best performance as a philosophical maniac. This might be the 1st time that the Academy recognizes his work. Vets Nicolas Cage, Rosemary Harris, Jennifer Tilly & Kathy Bates make up the supporting who all have roles that allow them to show their talents. Cage is a depressed PI, Harris as a nice old lady, Tilly as quirky twins, & Bates as an insane drug-addict. James Newton Howard’s score adds sympathy, comedy, & fear to the scene at the right moments. One Door Away From Heaven is a beautiful film that will be on every critics Top 10 list & it’ll take the Golden Man in March.

Best Picture
Best Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Best Adapted Screenplay: M. Night Shyamalan
Best Actress: Famke Janssen
Best Actress: Dakota Fanning
Best Supporting Actor: Jimmy Bennett
Best Supporting Actor: Brendan Fraser
Best Supporting Actress: Rosemary Harris
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Tilly
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Score: James Newton Howard
Best Song: “One Door Away From Heaven” by Evanescence