I went with Dan yesterday to see "The Orphanage". The Ex. Producer is Guillermo Del Toro of Pan's Labyrinth fame. And it's the same gaggle of guys who did "The Others" with Nicole Kidman. So... yeah, it was good.
I don't want to say Oscar worthy, but it's up there as far as suspense movies go. That creepy I'm-not-sure-what's-happening feeling is palpable in many scenes (especially on the beach or when the mom's alone in the house), but it's also got that feel-good stuff like Pan's Labyrinth. Mom's unrelenting focus to find her son and strength during the last scenes are just breathtaking. Congrats to Belen Rueda - great performance!
Yes, there are some roll-your-eyes scenes (mediums doing a seance), but they don't take away from the overall themes of the movie, nor the genuine emotion of the characters. And I was pleasantly surprised by the writing. It didn't take itself too seriously, even though the movie was dealing with some heavy issues and emotions. It simply allowed those emotions to flow and not overpower the characters or the story.
Favorite scenes include: The sequence when Laura looks all over the house for her son, Simon - running through the garden with all the people wearing masks. The scene where Laura finds ... something in the shed's old oven. The final scene with Laura and the children, as well as the final look on her husband's face.