We're All Going to the World's Fair

 "We're All Going to the World's Fair" (2021, Jane Schoenbrun, Love In Winter LLC, Dweck Productions, Flies Collective) is a found footage/online footage, coming-of-age film.

Casey (Anna Cobb) is an awkward, lonely teenager who decides to complete an online viral creepypasta style challenge called "The World's Fair" on her video streaming channel. She carries out the ritual-like instructions and then continues to film her experiences to see what happens. Over the course of the film, a mysterious man going by the name JLB (Michael J. Rogers) contacts her apparently concerned for her well-being. We also see flashes of other streamers' experiences after doing the challenge. Primarily, we only really see the online content of the characters, which is clearly intentional as part of the narrative. We never truly meet 'Casey' or 'JLB' outside of their virtual worlds so our opinions of them are based on very limited information.

Full disclosure; I'm not overly fond of found footage films in general. Occasionally, one will really stand out for me and grab my attention (see "Hell House LLC", 2015 or "Death of a Vlogger", 2020), but they're not "my thing" as a rule. I think if you are a big fan of that genre, or even enjoyed the more art-house off-key surrealist tone of films like "The lighthouse" (2019) you might get more out of this film than I did.

Overall, I found the disjointed storytelling style to be distracting and dull. The film is more of a drama than a horror (which certainly isn't a bad thing), although there are a couple of small nods to a possible body-horror story being in there somewhere. I personally find watching the awkward footage of Casey dancing and the girl with the fingernails mumbling "sshhh, sleep" to be uncomfortable to watch and overly long, and not in a way that would make the film interesting or cerebral. I just feel like I stumbled onto that part of TikTok where I'm too old to really get it and too young to be blissfully unaware of it. And, considering I've been on the internet since my early teens (circa 2003), I don't think that's actually the case here. 

But, that's more my problem than the film's and a more contemporary audience might find this style strikes a chord for them. The biggest issue I have with it is that I was bored and by the time we reached the 'twist' I'd already lost interest and was just feeling grateful that the run time was a nice, old fashioned 86 minutes. 

That being said, as a genre fan, it's delightful to see a film of this kind getting so much attention. There's certainly a hype around this film right now, and I truly hope it delivers for others where it failed for me. I can appreciate a likely candidate for future cult classic when I see one.

There's a message in there about not believing everything you see online, about cultivating your own online reality, the temporary nature of many internet relationships and about being careful online etc... but I found it be a bit garbled on first viewing and this isn't a film I'd choose to revisit. 

Definitely worth checking out but likely to be a 'marmite' viewing experience.

[Image: Love in Winter LLC, et al]

Hani

The Stylist

"The Stylist" (2020, Jill Sixx Gevargizian, Sixx Tape Productions).

Claire (Najarra Townsend) is a lonely, awkward woman and a hair dresser. She wishes she could be someone else and, occasionally, she takes this desire to extremes...

When she is asked by an acquaintance, Olivia (Brea Grant), to be her wedding hairstylist, Claire finds herself invited into Olivia's life... and, what's more, she finds herself wanting Olivia's life...

A dark tale about obsession. We feel for Claire despite the atrocities she commits; she is awkward and intense, people don't know how to take her. She is obsessed with becoming someone else; being accepted. These obsessions lead her from gruesome act, to gruesome act in her unrelinquishing desire to become these other women. 

More of a thriller than a slasher, the film has a fairly slow pace that is punctuated by the violent and bloody murders Claire commits. She is methodical, determined and almost whimsical in her pursuit of becoming someone else. 

Her odd behaviour sets off red flags around Olivia's friends, but their catty remarks just spur the obsession further on and eventually this leads to Claire's crescendo in a final, shocking act that closes the film in a memorable way.

Beautifully acted and with some very nice and bloody effects.

Despite some slower pacing in the middle, The Stylist is a really interesting film and delivers a feature film that truly builds on the powerful 2016 short of the same name. 

Currently available to stream on the Arrow Player.

[Image: Sixx Tape Productions]

Hani

They Look Like People

"They Look Like People" (2015, Perry Blackshear, Signature Entertainment) is an independent psychological thriller about a man who is convinced that people are turning into evil creatures. He travels to stay with a friend in a bid to protect him.

Wyatt (MacLeod Andrews) travels to New York City to stay with his old friend, Christian (Evan Dumouchel). Both men have recently become single and Christian is tentatively seeing his boss, Mara (Margaret Ying Drake).

Wyatt is a withdrawn guy and it's slowly revealed that he believes that people are becoming possessed by some evil entity. He is seen to be stockpiling weapons in Christian's basement. Christian seems like a well adjusted guy, but he suffers from some insecurities and seems to be looking to find a purpose in life.

An arty film with a very slow pace and somewhat rudderless plot. It feels like it has a lot to say about mental health but the message, for me at least, was not particularly clear, and overall I found myself pretty bored throughout and have to admit that the film just isn't for me. The film likes to keep things unexplained, which can work in some ways, but in this case it just made the purposefully slow run time feel even longer.

The cast do a great job and the characters feel very human, but overall the styling of the film made my interest ebb after the first 30 minute mark and it felt like it was spending too much energy trying to be clever and not enough energy on actually being engaging.

For an early film from new film makers it's a good accomplishment and doesn't feel amateurish or badly made. Despite a low budget, the film uses the characters alone to build tension and does a good job of creating believable relationships between the characters; particularly between Wyatt and Christian.

If you're into slow paced, character-driven films this might be right up your street, but for me it missed the mark.

Hani

Cam

"Cam" (2018, Daniel Goldhaber, Divide/Conquer, Blumhouse Productions, Gunpowder & Sky, Seer Capital) is a technology-driven cautionary tale about identity theft online.

Alice (Madeline Brewer) is a camgirl working under the moniker Lola_Lola is on her way to her goal of reaching the top 50 girls on her porn website when her channel is suddenly hijacked by an unnerving doppelganger. Alice begins to dig deeper into this mystery, uncovering some disturbing findings...

A really interesting concept, we follow Alice as she starts to take her channel to new levels in her bid to improve her status and then watch as her carefully built empire and fanbase is taken over and taken out of her control.

A fun thriller that will pique the interests of any fan of "Black Mirror" or "Inside No. 9". "Cam" delivers an engaging story and a few twists with strong performances and an ambiguous, but not unsuitable, ending.

Currently on Netflix, it's definitely worth checking out.

[Image: Blumhouse Productions, et al]

Hani

Radius

"Radius" (2017, Caroline Labrèche, Steeve Léonard, EMA Films, Peripatetic Pictures, Title Media, Filmoption International) is a supernatural thriller.

Liam (Diego Klattenhoff) awakes to find himself suffering from amnesia after a car crash. He flags down a car looking for a lift only to find, to his dismay, a corpse within. Spooked, he walks on to a roadside diner to find everyone within also dead. Convinced that there is some airborne virus, he makes his way to his home (known to him because of his driving licence) to wait out the epidemic. Soon, however he finds that it is his own close proximity, and not a virus, that is the cause of the mysterious and sudden deaths. Things become even more confusing when a woman (Charlotte Sullivan) finds Liam who not only also has amnesia, but whose own close proximity to Liam stops his deathly curse. As the pair are hunted by the authorities, who are following up on the mass deaths, they begin to uncover more and more about their lives and how their stories are intertwined.

A really excellent yarn that was engaging, twisted and kind of beautiful. The film plays out the mystery at a good pace and we uncover the clues along with the characters. Despite their amnesia, we develop a link with Liam and "Jane" that makes the twists and turns of their journey that much more hard-hitting.

The deaths of the unfortunate humans and animals who encounter Liam's deadly radius are quick but chilling and the bloodless white-blue eyes were a haunting and stylish touch.

A film definitely worth checking out, "Radius" delivers its intrigue and its thrills in a steady balance and manages a couple of pulse-pounding scenes where our protagonists must fight to stick together or else doom those around them.

 

[Image: EMA Films, et al]

Hani 

A Dark Song

"A Dark Song" (2016, Liam Gavin, IFC Midnight) is an indy horror from Ireland centred around the Occult.

Sophia (Catherine Walker) is a grieving mother who goes to an isolated house in the Welsh countryside with occultist, Joseph (Steve Oram), in order to perform a series of rituals to summon her guardian angel and speak with her deceased, 7-year old child. However, any slip can lead to the ritual going awry, with possible deadly results.

A slow, quiet movie with a really effective soundtrack and a stylistic storytelling method that doesn't particularly grab you by the shoulders, but does build up ominously. The black magic rituals have an element of realism to them that make the scenes effective. The magic is hard, and dirty and gross. The pretty stuff is simple and limited and the things on the other side are not friendly.

The gritty realism of the occult elements really play well with the disharmonious relationship between the determined, desperate woman and her reluctant, angry, world-weary spiritual guide. Sophie's inexperience and desperate resolution goes up against Joseph's seen-it-all-and-sick-of-it attitude, and his brash rudeness towards her drives her to fight against him, making the already gruelling process worse.

The quiet, desolate story telling style is effective, but it does make the experience of the film quite slow-going. While there were parts where I was on the edge of my seat, there were certainly sparse areas where I was just waiting on something moving the plot forward.

An altogether gloomy piece with a haunting impact. Innovative, if a little slow to get started.

[Image: IFC Midnight]

 

Hani 

Get Out

"Get Out" (2017, Jordan Peele, Blumhouse Productions, QC Entertainment, Monkeypaw Productions, Universal Pictures) is a horror that explores themes of racism through the context of an interracial couple hitting the 'meet the parents' milestone of their relationship.

Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) head out to Rose's family home to introduce Chris to her parents. Chris is apprehensive about meeting Rose's parents because she has told him he is her first African-American boyfriend and he's not sure how her Caucasian family will react to him. Rose assures him that her folks are not racist and that they'll just be glad to meet him.

Upon arriving this does seem to be the case, although as the day goes on her parents make some awkward 'well intended' remarks that begin to make Chris uncomfortable. However, it is the black people he encounters that strike him as 'wrong' somehow, but he can't quite place why. As the visit becomes overlong, the couple are dragged into an odd family gathering and Rose's mother also offers to cure Chris' smoking addiction with hypnosis...

Things become slowly more and more unsettling and Chris becomes aware that this friendly, suburban setting may not be as safe as it first appeared...

A fantastically paced film that balances its social statement with good scripting, humour and character development. The acting is spot on with a strong lead from Kauuya who's both confused, but strong and an excellent antagonist in Rose's father (Bradley Whitford). The unsettling build up really makes the twists and turns effective and keep them from being hokey or too obvious. The film isn't just about blatant racism; it explores that smiling-cat, quasi-jealous, self-congratulatory kind of racism that is prevalent all over.

A really striking film that's definitely worth a try. The horror elements are more tailored to a chilling thriller than a straight up fright fest, but the true horror is in the message being portrayed.

[Image: Universal Pictures, et al]

Hani

Before I Wake

“Before I wake” (2016, Mike Flanagan, Intrepid Pictures, Demarest Films, MICA Entertainment, Relativity Media) is an innovative film about the dangers of having your dreams come true and the imaginative resilience of children.

Jessie (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Thomas Jane) are absolutely devastated after their son Sean (Antonio Evan Romero) tragically dies. After some time, they decide to adopt a young boy called Cody (Jacob Tremblay) who is the same age as Sean would be: 8. 

Cody is a polite and pleasant child whose mother died when he was only 3. However, Cody does not like to sleep, and Jessie and Mark are surprised to find out why. You see, when Cody dreams, his dreams become temporarily corporeal in the real world. Jessie begins to take advantage of this skill, but they all soon learn the downside when they meet up with one of Cody's recurring nightmares. And Cody's nightmares can kill...

This film has a lot going for it. Jacob Tremblay gives a fantastic performance as the haunted young Cody and both Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane create realistic and relateable parents. Jessie is consumed with her guilt and pain over the loss of her son, but Mark is determined to make the most of the new opportunity that Cody has given them, and his scenes are frankly adorable. 

The premise is so imaginative and beautifully realised with stunning imagery and a haunting premise. The monstrous nightmare creature is also very different and very creepy. The design of the creature is creative. I love the way it moves. The twists and turns in the plot were good, I found myself thinking about the film quite a lot later on. There are admittedly some leaps in reality at the end of the film, but the full movie comes together nicely. 

Director, Mike Flanagan, was also behind "Occulus", another film I found innovative and haunting to watch. I think we'll be seeing some more from Mr. Flanagan in the future. 

Suspenseful and creative, this film was refreshing viewing. 

[Image: Intrepid Pictures]

Hani

Hush

"Hush" (2016, Mike Flanagan, Blumhouse Productions, Intrepid Pictures, Netflix) is a psychological thriller/slasher/home invasion movie. 

Maddie Young (Kate Siegel) is a young, deaf author who is living alone in a secluded house whilst trying to finish her latest novel. She is targeted by a masked killer (John Gallagher Jr.) who soon notices that she cannot hear and tries to take advantage of this fact as he baits her.

A creative film for the genre, with some really good casting and smart, tense scenes. The action is gory and fast paced. Our protagonist is a strong lead, despite her lack of spoken words. Our antagonist is also pretty strong as the sick, twisted psycho who's motivation we are not truly sure of. And the few other supporting characters manage to create rounded, sympathetic roles despite a small screen time. "Hush" is a really excellent piece that breaks down tropes and keeps the viewer engaged throughout. 

Definitely worth your time.

[Image: Blumhouse Productions, et al]

Hani

Beneath

"Beneath" (2007, Dagen Merrill, MTV Films) is a straight-to-DVD thriller horror centring on a troubled young woman.

Christy and her elder sister, Vanessa (Carly Pope), are driving home from visiting their parents' grave when they are in a horrific car accident. Although both girls survive, Vanessa is severely disfigured by the accident and eventually dies whilst in the care of her doctor husband. Christy (Nora Zehetner) has a breakdown during the funeral, believing her sister to have been buried alive.

Years later, Christy returns to her home town where her little niece tells her that there is something dark living in the house. Christy, who is plagued by horrible visions and nightmares relating to her sister, tries to help the little girl investigate. As she digs deeper she reveals a more convoluted tragedy is lurking in the old house.

A really low budget film that suffers from a slow narrative, very little action and textbook plot. Although the film is very largely forgettable, it certainly isn't the worst one out there and manages a few genuine jumps along the way. But in the main, it doesn't break any new ground and seems a little hollow.

[Image: MTV Films]

Hani

Mindscape

"Mindscape" (2013, Jorge Dorado, Ombra Films, Warner Bros., Studio Canal, Antena 3 Films) aka "ANNA" is a fun and intriquing futuristic psychological thriller.

John (Mark Strong) is a detective with the ability to see into people's minds and memories. He's coming back from forced retirement after a traumatic incident in his own life.

John is given the case of 16 year old Anna to work on. Anna (Taiisa Farmiga, who you may recognise from American Horror Story) is a clever, odd and maniulative teen. It is John's job to enter her memories and decipher whether she is the victim of terrible sexual abuses or a scheming and dangerous sociopath.

A slow burner with a wonderful score and some really artistic but fun to watch 'memory' sequences. The plot keeps moving and growing, keeping the audience's interests piqued as we try to guess the next turn in the tale.

Excellent acting and a quiet but strong script makes this film stand out from other futuristic, mind bending thrillers out there.

[Image: Ombra Films]

Hani

The Return

"The Return" (2006, Asif Kapadia, Universal Pictures, Rogue Pictures) is a psychological thriller about a troubled young professional woman who begins to experience visions of the murder of a woman whom she's never met.

Joanna (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is a truck rep, making a name for herself in the industry. She heads to Texas to chase down a new perspective customer, when she begins experiencing the visions.

As her life begins to get a bit hectic, considering that she keeps passing out or daydreaming away the vital minutes, she begins to try to work out what the visions are and who they are from.

She meets a guy called Terry (Peter O'Brien), who's wife, Annie (Erinn Allison) had died several years ago.

As Joanna begins to piece together the strange visions and memories, she starts to realise that perhaps this woman's unfortunate and untimely demise is in fact linked to her in some way or another.

A nice slow burning thriller with some jumpy bits and not a lot of dialogue, "The Return" keeps you watching, waiting on more of the puzzle. SMG proves yet again, that she excels at deep and strong female characters, and can act without any need for words, as she works her way through this artistic piece.

While not a horror in the conventional sense, there are some jumpy bits and the bad guy (J.C. Mackenzie) is quite scary. Not to mention the fact that the 'memories' are really the ghost of the dead woman telling Joanna what happened in order to get her 'Rest In Peace'. Or, perhaps Joanna is no longer Joanna, and hasn't been for some time...!!!

Some spooky music and supernatural electronic disruption, ghostly visions and general spookiness allow this film to fall into the horror genre, although if you're looking for gore, go elsewhere.

A' horror' for those who don't really like horror, this film is entertaining and mellow. I really liked it!

Apparently there's an alternate ending, but like most American productions, only the Region 1 version gets the good stuff. Poor show!

 [Picture: Universal Pictures & Rogue Pictures]

Hani