romanticize their innocence, deify their pure potentiality, and self-sacrifice for their unconditional love. Given our biological and societal predilection/preoccupation towards nurturing our youth, could a parent possibly even understand or recognize that their child doesn't want their love? Instead of a child beaming with unconditional love and the positive youthful energy, Joshua is an empty shell devoid of anything resembling emotion – and the effect is a chilling abomination. As a final hook, the question emerges, Is the kid bad because the parents secretly failed him somehow, or is the kid just pure evil? "Joshua" kept me entranced to the final frame.The acting is monumental, especially Vera Farmiga who's battle with psychotic post partum depression is mind-blowingly realized. Jacob Kogan masters the thousand-mile dead eyed stare of the sociopathic titular character who steals every scene with a chilling, Mensa-like gravitas unusual in any actor, much less one so young. The music, mostly modern dissonant pieces played by Joshua on his grand piano, echoes Joshua's character: haunting and creepy yet perfectly composed and structured. The cinematography subtly changes as the film progresses, starting out colorful and normal, but then gradually growing darker, uglier and more claustrophobic, until the climax where the film looks like it was shot in Hell itself.Like Hannibal, I found myself rooting for the "bad guy" who is a fascinating paradox: charming, talented, brilliant and self-composed but flawed to lack even the most remote shred of human empathy. I've heard a lot of comparisons to "The Omen," "The Exorcist" and "Rosemary's Baby," but these films have nothing in common with "Joshua" except that they are horror films dealing with parenthood gone awry. The horror element here is psychological, not supernatural, and it's interwoven with a great deal of social irony that makes this film much more fun to watch. Also, unlike those other films, the "problem child" in this film emerges as a fully realized personality, not just a plot device – mostly due to the great performance by Jacob Kogan, who somehow accomplishes the impossible task of being lovable and hateful at the same time. The whole thing is directed masterfully by George Ratliff who steers the film between tension and laughter to achieve a thrilling and creepy film that is intelligent and amusing – and keeps us guessing - to the end.

in love with at the theater, watching it twice, just because I wanted to see the closing scene just one more time.This movie seriously reminded of a type of Exorcist but without the supernatural agency of evil and special effects which at times can confuse and reduce the art of film making to an amusement park theme. Joshua was just pure evil; no let me rephrase: If you ever wanted to know what pure evil is then Joshua represents the carbon copy definitive energy vibration of such a manifestation. Joshua, in time will be a cult classic, only its so dark I doubt if it will ever go mainstream, due to the fact that it utterly demonizes a certain group in our society, which I'm sure do not want the added label of masochistic & sadists.Truly one of the most vulgar movies I've ever seen. Jacob Kogan did a spectacular job. I cant tell you how many times I wanted to kick some anti rational sense into this child until love manifested; first rate acting - my blood ran cold. Kogan should do some pretty good work if he can keeps his personality and mind together through puberty; a truly wonderful recruit to the film badboys, yea, weze baby, bop bop bop! The psychological dynamics of this film is what I found most interesting. the fact that a child can learn just about anything in our society even Sun Tzu warfare and complete dysfunctional passionate obsession, but not love, is the one great symbolic message in Joshua which rings true and resonated on my psyche most after watching this film. My new cut off for viewing films is 6.1 on IMDb thanks to Joshua.

child and he's not really had enough experience in the world to know what's crossing the line between right and wrong. It also helps that his face is very cute but can easily be very scary at the same time. Like a little Cillian Murphy.When watching the film for the second time, I realized that it makes the parents out to be bad characters without them actually being bad. They are the reason Joshua wants out and the reason he's a little bit whacked. When he was born, it turned their home into a hellhole, driving his parents mostly the mother insane to the point of having him surrounded only by rage and anger. The mother is still pretty crazy and the father over-stressed and over-worked, and Joshua manipulates that to his advantage.All the performances are COMPLETELY believable, and only enhanced by the fact that none of the actors are recognizable and therefore seem more like someone you may meet on the street. Jacob Kogan's acting was on par with the intensity and believability of Haley Joel Osment's in The Sixth Sense. The intelligence of this film is beyond anything that I have seen before in thrillers of similar subjects, and moves the rest of them WAY down in rank.20/10. No question.

it was good thing." I know I haven't said much about the film, but that's the idea. I want people to go in not knowing anything. I don't think I've had this much fun at a film like this since... forever.

"wierd" genius Joshua. The film should play well with theater audiences in wide release.

slowly growing like a cancer.Sam Rockwell, one of the most likable and natural contemporary actors, and Vera Farmiga, one of the most unassuming and realistic up-and-coming actresses, are perfectly cast, unlikely to be choices for a typical psychological thriller as disturbing as this one, making their drama more dramatic and disconcerting, having to do with the easily miscommunication of feelings between parents and young children.Joshua's music score assists the the disturbing moments in this film with its brooding. The music young Joshua, a child piano prodigy, has a discernible penchant towards is very suitable dissonant classical pieces. Even the Dave Matthews song that closes the movie on its creepy, powerful final shot is a properly somber punctuation as the film leaves you blown away, having taken Rockwell's journey right along with him. George Ratliff is a very talented, promising new director who will hopefully follow up with a more appreciated film.

attempt to seem open-minded and understanding, his father tells him that it's okay and that he should just do what he wants without ever asking exactly what it is that his son wants . His mother just doesn't care as long as she's not bothered.Dark, disturbing, creepy, but occasionally sadistically humorous, events unfold slowly much to the dismay of people expecting shock after gratuitous shock proving Joshua to be a far more calm and calculating boy than originally perceived. Jacob Kogan's performance is reminiscent of Haley Joel Osment in A.I. if that character were a sadistic schemer . He is the only character who stands out and I believe this was intentional; the other characters can tell, right along with the audience, that the boy ain't quite right.This movie is certainly not for the impatient and/or those who need to be smacked in the face repeatedly to stay awake during movies. But if you want a movie that slowly and coolly toys with your mind until the very end, Joshua will likely deliver what you are looking for.

young kid as Joshua all give excellent performances. This is not a HORROR film in the sense of gore and supernatural crap. This is about a family swirling out of control with post partum depression, work pressure, meddling relatives, a disturbed child and a crying infant - and it is left up to us to decide what really happened. Slow, steady and ultimately, powerful. If you have patience and love well made, intense dramas - JOSHUA is for you.

his dad. Joshua skips grades while his dad did not. Joshua is a prodigy on the piano while his dad listens to pop music on his earphones and doesn't notice his playing, nor his talent.Thus he attacks his mother first, then his father. His grandmother was a means to getting his father who is emotionally tougher than his mom ; he will spare no means to carry out his revenge.Perhaps the only person who has not neglected and ignored his talents was his uncle, who is the only one spared by Joshua.Therefore Joshua's intelligence combined with childish revengefulness leads him to exact such a horrifying revenge. He doesn't take a knife and do bloody murder, no. He uses cold, cunning, stealthy plans to do damage. He never harms his sister, yet destroys his parents. Thus this is the cold, cunning mind of a killer in a child.This movie is thus partly about unrecognized genius in a child. About inferior parents not understanding their child.Joshua is a jealous kid. He knows his dad finds HIM 'weird'. He finds out he had been a troublesome baby, causing his mother great pain, this while his little sister is no trouble at all. The new baby was a relief, especially to his mother. Finally a normal child to negate the weird one.This movie is about regress from near perfection to utter destruction. At the start all is perfect: everyone is cheery, relationships are in tact. Then mother goes mad. Daughter-in-law swears at mother-in-law. Dad quits job, and lands up in jail for child abuse. Relationships are torn asunder skilfully and silently by Joshua. Perhaps all this is because Josh wants perfection but doesn't get it, therefore childishly reasons that, might as well everything be destroyed.This movie depicts civilised, educated society in its downfall. The Steinway was used by him as a tool of destruction. His knowledge of Egyptian mummies and gods fuelled his evil imagination. The book of Joshua in the bible -ironically- contributed to his desire to destroy.This movie is also about dysfunction in civilised society: people who can't take the pressures of perfection in civilised society. Dad wants to view pornography, and flirts with his colleague, because he cannot take it. Mom cannot produce milk because she can't take it. Dad's mom looks to religion for strength to take it.