Saturday 27 August 2016

Lights Out - 2016 ****

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Genuinely terrifying in my opinion, and I don't get easily scared by horror films anymore. I also found the storyline itself was highly original, which was another plus. Based on a short film of the same name, and a directorial debut no less.
Teresa is a ballsy, confident woman who lives alone away from her disturbed mother Sophie, who has a severe mental illness. Sophie spent a period of time in an asylum when she was a child and became friendly with a young girl named Diana during that time. Diana was a strange child, with a terrible allergy to light, and was also feared by other patients who thought she was evil.  
Teresa's younger brother Martin lives with her mother, but has begun to experience scary things whilst being there with her, such as seeing her have hushed conversations in the dark by herself and being unwilling to keep any lights on. Because of this, Martin has now developed insomnia which is heavily affecting his schoolwork. Teresa decides it's best for Martin to come and stay with her, but she hadn't planned for the terrifying ordeal they would both face.
I really enjoyed this, I found the pacing just right, the story on the whole was full of scares which I loved, and the acting overall was good. I was pleased with the ending as well, and glad it didn't go down the typical 'Hollywood' road.
 

(NOIR)( Dear Murderer - 1947 ****

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'Dear Murderer' is a surprisingly clever film from Gainsborough. I had heard very little about it before I started watching which is always a positive when it comes to film noir.
The film centres around an unhappily married couple named Lee and Vivian. Vivian is consistently unfaithful to Lee, and Lee is pathologically paranoid that she is cheating on him. Normally he can't find any proof, but seems to take it for granted that she will play away when he goes off on his business trips. One time however, he comes back early from his trip away, and finds several letters to his wife that solidify his fears. Confronting the lover, he persuades him to write Vivian a farewell letter before offing him, believing he has created the perfect murder. But in cases like this, there is always something that goes wrong...
Great acting for Eric Portman, Greta Gynt is beautiful and Dennis Price is suitably smarmy.
A little hidden gem in my opinion, with a cracking ending I wasn't expecting.