Weekend Horror Movie Review #2
Jun. 3rd, 2024 08:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
adrimettShaitaan (2024) - A vacationing family meets a charismatic stranger who suddenly starts commanding the family's teenage daughter, Janvi. He demands that the family give her to him. They refuse, and the stranger starts using Janvi's actions to torture her family, both physically and psychologically, until they give in. It's honestly pretty chilling at times and the early interactions between Janvi and the dark magic-practicing stranger made me think a lot of an abusive and oppressive relationship. I very much liked the happy-yet-revenge-happy ending, though. (Hindi, subtitled) (Youtube: trailer)
The Girl With All the Gifts (2016) - I slept on this movie for way too long! A fungus has infected most of humanity, turning them into mindless zombies, and yes, we've seen the whole "pathogenic zombie apocalypse" thing done a million times at this point, but this is absolutely one of the better ones. Some children, infected with the fungus in utero, retain their minds to a degree and are capable of what we define as humanity, despite still being incredibly dangerous and violent under the right circumstances. This movie is a fantastic example of the individual atrocities people are willing to commit in the name of the greater good. And maybe it's because I've been getting more into paleontology lately, but the idea of humanity dying because they're not longer suited to a changed world isn't so sad. It wouldn't be the first extinction event, and it won't be the last. Either way, I highly recommend this movie! (Youtube: trailer)
Umma (2022) - A movie about generational trauma. A Korean ex-pat has to confront the death of her mother and all the cultural aspects that she isn't ready or willing to face given that her mother abused her as a child. Only her mother's spirit is angry about not being paid proper respects, and goes on a bit of a rampage. I know this movie didn't exactly get rave reviews, but I found its take on the effects of generational trauma, as well as how they're often misunderstood by people experiencing them, to be pretty profound. Also the strong message of, "Just because life was cruel to you, doesn't excuse you being cruel to me.) Honestly, worth a watch, though with the caveat that this movie gets emotional sometimes and people who have experienced generational trauma themselves may find a bit of a mirror for some of their experiences. (English but with some Korean, which is subtitled) (Youtube: trailer)
Devil Beneath (2023) - Australian movie about two brothers who are considering either selling their family's land to a developer, or giving it to the local Aboriginal peoples as their grandfather wanted. Unfortunately, there's some sort of monster on the land that both parties have an interest in, for mysterious reasons. Really, this movie was just okay. It added things to the bunyip myth that I don't really think needed to be added, but twisting myths happens a lot in movies. It's not terrible, but most of the characters were annoying as hell, a few plot threads got introduced but never really followed up on, and it was overall fairly generic as horror movies go. Can't really recommend it as a good movie, but it's okay if you're not looking for something to get you very engaged. (Youtube: trailer)
Bed Rest (2022) - Pregnant woman with a history of stillbirth gets put on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. Unfortunately, it looks like her new house is haunted. And nobody believes her, especially when she says that the ghost of her dead son is telling her that danger is coming for his unborn little sister. As horror movies go, this one's fairly generic at this point but still an okay watch. It's got a similar vibe to 2001's The Others, but without as much creativity in its message. However, I'm sick to death of the whole "pregnant woman sees ghosts, nobody believes her, but constantly gaslight her into believing that it's all due to mental illness." Because pregnant women aren't to be believed about their experiences, and nor are people with mental health conditions, I guess. *eyeroll* Please, directors and screenwriters, get some new ideas. This one's both stale and insulting. (Youtube: trailer)
The Girl With All the Gifts (2016) - I slept on this movie for way too long! A fungus has infected most of humanity, turning them into mindless zombies, and yes, we've seen the whole "pathogenic zombie apocalypse" thing done a million times at this point, but this is absolutely one of the better ones. Some children, infected with the fungus in utero, retain their minds to a degree and are capable of what we define as humanity, despite still being incredibly dangerous and violent under the right circumstances. This movie is a fantastic example of the individual atrocities people are willing to commit in the name of the greater good. And maybe it's because I've been getting more into paleontology lately, but the idea of humanity dying because they're not longer suited to a changed world isn't so sad. It wouldn't be the first extinction event, and it won't be the last. Either way, I highly recommend this movie! (Youtube: trailer)
Umma (2022) - A movie about generational trauma. A Korean ex-pat has to confront the death of her mother and all the cultural aspects that she isn't ready or willing to face given that her mother abused her as a child. Only her mother's spirit is angry about not being paid proper respects, and goes on a bit of a rampage. I know this movie didn't exactly get rave reviews, but I found its take on the effects of generational trauma, as well as how they're often misunderstood by people experiencing them, to be pretty profound. Also the strong message of, "Just because life was cruel to you, doesn't excuse you being cruel to me.) Honestly, worth a watch, though with the caveat that this movie gets emotional sometimes and people who have experienced generational trauma themselves may find a bit of a mirror for some of their experiences. (English but with some Korean, which is subtitled) (Youtube: trailer)
Devil Beneath (2023) - Australian movie about two brothers who are considering either selling their family's land to a developer, or giving it to the local Aboriginal peoples as their grandfather wanted. Unfortunately, there's some sort of monster on the land that both parties have an interest in, for mysterious reasons. Really, this movie was just okay. It added things to the bunyip myth that I don't really think needed to be added, but twisting myths happens a lot in movies. It's not terrible, but most of the characters were annoying as hell, a few plot threads got introduced but never really followed up on, and it was overall fairly generic as horror movies go. Can't really recommend it as a good movie, but it's okay if you're not looking for something to get you very engaged. (Youtube: trailer)
Bed Rest (2022) - Pregnant woman with a history of stillbirth gets put on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. Unfortunately, it looks like her new house is haunted. And nobody believes her, especially when she says that the ghost of her dead son is telling her that danger is coming for his unborn little sister. As horror movies go, this one's fairly generic at this point but still an okay watch. It's got a similar vibe to 2001's The Others, but without as much creativity in its message. However, I'm sick to death of the whole "pregnant woman sees ghosts, nobody believes her, but constantly gaslight her into believing that it's all due to mental illness." Because pregnant women aren't to be believed about their experiences, and nor are people with mental health conditions, I guess. *eyeroll* Please, directors and screenwriters, get some new ideas. This one's both stale and insulting. (Youtube: trailer)