Sunday, November 20, 2022

Smile (2009)

After opening with a forensic photographer who shoots crime scenes using a Polaroid camera, we get a voice over from Clarissa. She’s a journalism major who carries a camera with her due to her obsession with taking pictures.  Maybe she should have been a photography major.

On the way to Morocco, Clarissa and six friends are almost hit head on when another vehicle crosses the center line. When the vehicle stops,   Clarissa runs towards it with camera, which is unfortunate since she doesn’t notice when a gypsy uses misdirection to steal her camera.  Later in Morocco, Clarissa tries to find a camera and stumbles on an  antique shop where the owner gives her an old Polaroid and a pack of film.

The next day the group travels to a forest rumored to be haunted.After getting lost, Clarissa asks a hunter butchering a deer if he knows how to get out.  The others think the hunter is creepy so Tommy takes his photo, just in case something happens. 

The hunter advises them to leave the woods, but since it’s late, offers to let them camp with him.  The next morning he sees their camera and tells them the camera kills anyone it photographers, before running away in panic.  The group thinks he’s a kook until people who’ve taken photos start turning up dead.  Tommy accuses Clarissa of trying to kill them, which is hilarious since others kept using her camera to take photos of themselves. 


Ridiculous dialogue:

I’m an aspiring journalist with a mania for taking pictures.

What the hell were you thinking? You’re not a real reporter!

What is a rare moment if you can not prove that you had it.

Hunter - Whoever that camera captures in it’s evil picture dies!
Clarissa - Why would he say that?! Why would he say that!

What I care about is why Clarissa used a dangerous weapon on her friends.

Clarissa’s web search which has no address in the browser
Polaroids are point and shoot. They don’t have focus rings.
Why are the forensic photographers crime scene
photos being published in the paper?


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