Rings (2005)

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

I saw this on YouTube and i thought it was a fan film, i was surprise it was an official release as a bonus o the sequel to explain the opening of the film.The idea was way better than the movies plot, it was simple and much more intense besides who's not creep-ed out by Aida anyway and we are supposed to care for him and he is more scary than Samara.Its sad ideas like this don't get the attention they deserve and the movie ends up by with a movie that probably was directed or written by a monkey, i recommend it to all fans of the Ring i wish they would fit Naomi Wattsin this some how, as a short film is great the premise is close to its end, check it out.

A short film that explores the back story of a couple of minor characters in Ring Two, and a potentially interesting way of expanding the Ring's story.Except it's migraine inducing and actually doesn't tell us anything especially new or important. It's got that annoying "flash cut till you spew" MTV throwback editing that makes everything feel a bit disjointed, so even though it's only 16 minutes long it still feels very thrown together and random rather than a tight little treat.Emily VanCamp deserves recognition though. She's an amazing actress who conveys warmth and vulnerability, and perhaps the only person you will find yourself caring for in this short film.What I do find intriguing is that when the characters are reintroduced in Ring Two, under the direction of Hideo Nakata, you are far more drawn into their story, despite considerably less screen time. Perhaps this is testament to his directing skills. or an indictment of Jonathan Liebesman's. It makes me a little concerned about Liebesman's prequel to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies- particularly as his previous effort "Darkness Falls" was less than inspiring.Still it's a 16 minute short, so there are obvious restrictions to storytelling here. It just makes me curious what the intention was here- to give audiences something interesting, or to sell a few extra dvds as a special feature?

This is the movie that The Ring Two should have been. It's the story of a group of young people playing a dangerous game with the videotape from The Ring. Each takes a turn watching the tape knowing that another member of the group will bail them out before their seven days are over. But no one appears willing to help out Jake when his experiences prove too frightening for the other members of the group. Jake has to find someone quickly, or he'll die.Although this short is less than 17 minutes long, it's packed with entertainment and more than a few scares. The whole concept of a group of young people essentially playing Russian Roulette with Samara and tempting their fates seems like a natural progression. A fleshed out feature length movie would have been great. More time could have been spent on Jake's experiences and his frantic efforts to find his savior.Instead, we got the mess that is The Ring Two.

After purchasing the collector's edition for The Ring, one of my all-time favorite films, I immediately popped in the bonus disc to check out the new features. I was treated to a bunch of cool new supplements including lots of cast interviews, trailers and much more. But the real main attraction of the disc was a short film entitled "Rings", which serves as a prelude to The Ring Two. I saved the best feature for last and eventually hit the play button."Rings" features Ryan Merriman as Jake, a high-schooler who becomes obsessed with the videotape and its strange new following. It seems as if the infamous videotape has become a cult following, with many people watching it, seeing how long they can stand to live after watching it and then finally passing it on to the next person, who does the same. They post their experiences online at a public website. People believe that it is a window that shows us either heaven or hell, and that the experience should be cherished and not feared. However, once Jake is introduced to the tape by one of these cults, he starts to unravel as he sees strange things and experiences horrors that no one should ever have to bear. The cult that supposedly had his back and his "tail" (meaning the person who he passes the tape on to) turn their backs on him, wanting to finally have a perspective on what happens on day seven. Also appearing in this short is Emily Van Camp, who plays Jake's classmate Emily. Both Merriman and Van Camp are featured in the upcoming sequel.This short does a great job of linking the two "Ring" films together. It is shot in a different style that works very well for it, making it both creepy and visually appealing. The script is well-done as is the direction by Jonathan Liebsman. The acting is fine as well. And just in case you were curious, Samara does make an appearance here. And just because this film is short doesn't mean it isn't scary. There are several creepy moments that echo the first film and many jump scares as well. The atmosphere also adds to the intensity.Overall, "Rings" is an excellent short film. It makes me anticipate the sequel even more than I once was, and was surprisingly very well-made. It was interesting, entertaining and scary as hell. Plus it ends with a cliffhanger that makes waiting for the sequel even more unbearable.This new DVD set is a must-buy for fans of the first film, as well as those who are anticipating the sequel. Get it now before the sequel comes out. You won't be disappointed.8/10 (A-)