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Black Mirror: White Bear 2013 ★★★★★
Holy shit, is this great writing.
The opening scene immediately has you hooked in a way not unlike some of the better horror films, with a character waking up in a 28 Days Later-ish setting. What is happening? Why is everybody filming her?
It then sets up a dystopian narrative, but – when you least expect it – pulls the rug from under you. Not once, but twice. Second time in the end credits. And in such a masterful way, my goodness.
Five stars well deserved.
Goodnight Mommy 2014 ★★★★
A movie about unheimlichkeit from the people who invented the word. That should be a conving tagline.*
The story is shrouded in a bit of mistery since we never get to see the actual accident, only the aftermath (which I'm guessing involves fractures and/or burn wounds to the face). Neither do we get to know who this mistery woman really is or what her goals are.
What we do get to see is a tense story about estrangement, about the horror of having to walk on eggshells in your own home. Afraid to set off your own mother of all people. And what's worse: the slightest thing can. Making for an atmosphere where you as a viewer are constantly on edge, discomforted in one way or the other. Like in the scene with the Red Cross volunteers, or the game scene where they unmask “Mommy”.
Also: how much is Mommy an imposter and how much of a sociopath/psychopath is in the boys?Because it would not surprise me if you could make a case for the second theory as well. From their mannerisms, body language and the way they speak once they gain the upper hand. Cold. Measured. Dare I say callous at times? Are they innocent boys going mad after unmasking their abusive “mother” or are they psychopaths (like Eve 8 and Eve 9) torturing their “innocent” mother?
Four stars. Well recommended.
*K.Brockman-voice: That oughta hold those SOBs.
The Tent 2019 ★1/2
The tent that... oh, ok. (pause) Wait, what?
This short's main problem is that it plays it straight. Turn this into B-movie style campy schlock in the vein of Slugs, The deadly spawn, Troma, fifties and sixties stuff and you have potential.
Now? Nah.
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