HORROR

Look Away: A Fascinating Film That Kept My Attention

Published

4 years ago

September 28, 2019

I’m everywhere where you are.
Whenever you see yourself,
what you really see is me.

There are large numbers of films in which mirrors play a crucial role. Just think of “Mirrors“, “Oculus” and “Candyman“. And when someone is standing in front of a mirror in a horror movie, you can be sure there’s something frightening behind him or her when the camera focuses back on that mirror. One of the many tricks that makers of horror films use. And when they properly apply this gimmick, you’ll be avoiding every mirror the next days. But what if your reflection suddenly begins to speak to you and offers you a way out of a hopeless situation you can’t handle anymore? Well, that’s what Maria (India Eisley) is experiencing. Maria’s alter ego Airam (I thought it was smart how they reversed her name. As a mirror image) proposes to switch sides, to put Maria’s adolescent life on the right track again.

Confidence lost.

Maria’s life isn’t exactly rosy. She’s an insecure and frightened little gray mouse. Although she has wealthy parents and radiates a natural beauty, she’s not exactly the happiest person at home. She doesn’t eat, looks pale and in a certain way unkempt. And confidence isn’t her strongest point. The cause is primarily due to her parents, Dan (Jason Isaacs) and Amy (Mira Sorvino). Dan is a successful surgeon who immediately notices any deviation on the scale of aesthetic beauty. Perfectionism is his dada. A terrible person whose disparaging remarks clearly have an impact on his daughter. When he offers some surgery as a gift for Maria’s 18th birthday, you can see Maria’s self-confidence slip away. And Maria’s mother isn’t exactly the person to restore this confidence. Amy is a woman who lives in denial and resolutely refuses to see that “being faithful in a marriage” isn’t a priority for her husband.

Maria’s life is full of sorrow.

And Maria’s school-time isn’t really pleasant either. She’s treated like a pariah. And of course, once again there’s such an annoying smartass who’s bullying her constantly (but well-known folk wisdom says: “Teasing girls, is asking for love”). Her circle of friends is also rather limited. Only Lily (Penelope Mitchell) seems to be a soul mate. Ultimately, this friendship appears to be superficial. In short, Maria’s social network is not really extensive. And despite her rich parents and appearance, social acceptance is nil. So, she doesn’t belong to the favorite girls’ club as known at American colleges. That’s why Mary’s alter ego is only too happy to take over her day-to-day life in such a way that she could correct these worries and injustices.

Don’t look away when you discover this film somewhere.

Despite the fact that “Look Away” has many points of contact with existing films and you cannot really call it innovative, I thought it was a fascinating film that kept my attention. The interaction between the two doppelgangers through the mirror is fascinating to see. That the story gets a “Carrie” -like touch after Airam takes matters into her own hands, was of course extremely predictable. However, don’t expect bloody situations. For that, the film is more a thriller than a horror. The only thing that can cause any suspense is the mystery of the bizarre ultrasound picture at the beginning of the film. That provides the necessary guesswork. Is a supernatural entity involved? An evil twin sister? Or is Mary mentally derailed after she discovered this picture? Is it a case of split personality? Well, the denouement won’t make you any wiser. And unfortunately, this ending was no surprise either. “Look away” has some great scenes. Maybe you shouldn’t look away when you come across it and give the film a chance.

My rating 6/10
Links: IMDB

FILM RATING

Related Topics:Horror Look Away REVIEWS Thriller

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HORROR

When Evil Lurks | Teaser Trailer — In Theaters October 6th, 2023

Published

1 week ago

September 18, 2023

Jacques van Zyl

When Evil Lurks Movie Poster (IFC Films)

The following piece was written during the 2023 Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie material being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Genre: Horror

Release Date: 6 October 2023 in theaters / 27 October 2023 on Shudder

Director: Demián Rugna

Writer: Demián Rugna

Distributed by: IFC Films & Shudder

Production Companies: Shudder, Aramos Cine & Machaco Films

Cast: Ezequiel Rodriguez, Demián Salomon, Luis Ziembrowski, Silvia Sabater & Marcelo Michinaux

Plot

The residents of a small rural town discover that a demon is about to be born among them. They desperately try to escape – but it may be too late…

When Evil Lurks Official Teaser Trailer (IFC Films)

FILM RATING

HORROR

Thanksgiving | Official Trailer — In Theaters November 17, 2023

After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the infamous holiday.

Published

1 week ago

September 18, 2023

Staff

Genre:

Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Release Date:

November 17, 2023

Director:

Eli Roth

Cast:

Patrick dempsey, Rick Hoffman, Gina Gershon, Addison Rae

Plot Summary:

After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the infamous holiday.

FILM RATING

HORROR

Talk To Me Delivers A Real Scare, Hands Down!

Published

2 weeks ago

September 16, 2023

Jacques van Zyl

Talk to Me Movie Poster (A24)

Plot

When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

Movie Review

The movie starts off with quite a shocker, leaving you with a few questions. It doesn’t take too long to get into the action and soon you realize you are in for quite a scare. In a nutshell, the movie is about a group of friends playing a timed game where the communicate with the dead using an embalmed hand, and allow the dead to speak through them, with the emphasis on timed. However, as with all rules, some end up broken, and when the game goes on a little too long things go south, resulting in far reaching consequences. The main protagonist in the story Mia plays this game of talking with the dead, while at the same time working through the loss of a loved one as well. As a viewer I experienced her feelings of grief and it felt real because her performance was just next level.

Both Sophie Wilde and Joe Bird‘s performance as Mia and Riley really grips you, making the feelings of fear on-screen real for the audience. The make-up and effects throughout the movie was really done brilliantly. The ending delivers a unique twist making you hungry for more action and story. The cast really brought life in a horror story focusing around the dead.

There is no post-credits scene, so no need to wait to the end. Trailer is amazing and delivers an even greater scare and doesn’t spoil any important parts of the movie. My rating for Talk To Me is 5 out of 5. Talk To Me is a bone-chilling supernatural horror that delivers a real scare on-screen, hands down. I’m all for seeing a possible sequel of Talk To Me one day, or even a prequel where the origin of the embalmed hand is unpacked. But the movie is still brilliant as a stand-alone movie.

Make sure to catch it at a cinema near you or watch online.