lucymull Reviews

Suspiria (I) (2018)

Exquisite

[10/10 · 27 June 2023]

This film was incredible. From start to finish, I was captivated.

I really believed initially that I was watching a film from 1977, and I was confused as to the presence of Chloë Grace Moretz. After a quick IMDB search I realised that I was mistaken. I'm glad that I began this film with no awareness and therefore no expectation of what was to come. Somehow, despite this established lack of expectations on my part Suspiria exceeded them.

The cinematography was superb. Never was there any doubt that these events took place in Berlin in the 70s. The set and props were curated with what seems great care and attention. I found myself wondering how there could be so many long shots of streets (including people, buildings and vehicles) with no telltale sign that filming began in 2016. Some of the special effects could have felt camp, outdated, or even cheap, but in this film they were transformed into something otherworldly and thrillingly disturbing. The body horror portrayed on screen here served to strengthen my bias against CGI. After some minimal research I have learned that CGI was used to enhance an effect in the climatic scene near the end of the film, which I can certainly recognise in hindsight, but to me it did not feel too fake or jarring. If anything I think this sparing use of CGI added to the disorienting, dreamlike nature of the scene.

The acting in Suspiria was excellent. Each role was cast perfectly, and each performance was as convincing as the next. I was particularly captivated by Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swindon as Susie and Madame Blanc, both of whom were magnets for my attention even in group scenes. This film served as a glaring reminder that acting truly is an art. The skill of the actors was such that their celebrity was eclipsed by the characters they portrayed. Through a combination of skilled performance and writing I found myself gripped by curiosity about the characters on screen and their relationships with each other, and my curiosity was never given chance to lapse.

I watched Suspiria from start to finish in complete darkness in my bedroom alone, and was not once tempted by my usual distractions. I watched until the credits finished rolling and the screen turned black. I don't believe anything I could write in a review could really capture my experience with this film. It's unlike anything I've ever watched before. I'm sad that I won't get the chance to watch it again for the first time, but I can see that there is value to be found in rewatching such a rich piece of media. I also plan to watch the 1977 film of the same title and to read Thomas De Quincey's essay Suspiria de Profundis which inspired the first film's director, Dario Argento.

I feel my life has been enriched by watching Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria, and I look forward to the world it has opened up for me to explore.

The Last House on the Left (2009)

Sexualisation of teen girls

[6/10 · 2 January 2023]

I would have rated this film higher if it wasn't for all the lingering shots of Sara Paxton's body. It was a relief to find out she was of age when the film was made, but that doesn't change the fact Craven portrayed a *teenage* character in this light.

I understand that as one of the main characters and the victim of such a brutal crime, it makes sense for Mari to get so much screen time. I also understand that a body is not inherently sexual and that teenage girls should be allowed to wear whatever they want and not be in danger. However, context is everything when it comes to this subject. There are other ways to portray Mari that don't include turning her into a sexual object. For example, Craven could have shown her swimming (which is central to the plot and also shows some of Mari's life and personality outside of being a victim) without a slow scene of her undressing - without shots of separate unclothed body parts. These shots of her body, both full and partial, combined with the fact that after she manages to get back to her parents she no longer speaks and barely moves, dehumanise her and turn her from subject to object.

It would have been just and satisfying for Mari to have been given more agency after she returned to her parents. Although it is of course understandable that she would be incapable of speaking or moving after what she experienced, through the lens of cinema this silence and immobility denies her the power her parents claim after they realise her attackers are the strangers staying on their property.

It was truly wonderful to watch the revenge Mari's parents exact on her three aggressors. It appears to me that this film could be viewed as a love letter from parents to their children. A depiction of the lengths some people will go to to protect and avenge their loved ones. More than just gratuitous violence, these scenes provide a sense of justice beyond law and bureaucracy. They scratch an itch in the subconscious; they satisfy a need to see a wrong exacted on a wrongdoer - an eye for an eye, so to speak. Of course, the murder of her attackers cannot change what Mari experienced or prevent her trauma, but it might help her rest to know that the people who hurt her can hurt neither her or anyone else again.

It was, however, an interesting choice to have Sadie murdered topless in only her underwear, while Krug, though topless, was allowed the dignity of. What's more, most shots of Krug in the final scenes (the ones in which he is topless) depict him from the shoulders up. There is a strong contrast between this framing of the male rapist and the framing of both his female victims and female accomplice. During the rape scene, both Mari and Paige (both teenage characters) are stripped down to their underwear and their barely clothed body parts are shot with close ups. These close ups include include frames of Mari and Paige being touched without consent. When Mari is raped, the assault is filmed in its entirety, sparing no detail. While there an argument could be made that the graphic nature of this scene shows the brutality of rape, it is undeniable that it also makes an object of trauma. It creates distance between the viewer and the reality of rape by stylising it. The close up shots of barely clothed body parts preceding the rape make the event seem disturbingly sexualised, and it's hard to believe that there might not be some viewers who draw enjoyment from that.

Even if one believes that in order to show the brutal reality of an event, no detail must be shared and the bodies of victims must be portrayed in their entirety - why is this same rule not applied to Krug? Whereas Sadie dies with her back against the wall, framed from the knees up with her breasts exposed, Krug dies with only his head and shoulders on display. In the scene when it first appears he may have died (after an altercation with both of Mari's parents) his full body is rarely, if ever visible, and when he finally does pass out all that can be seen of him is his torso and head as he lays face down on the floor.

All in all I do not know if I can say this was a 'good film'. The events were so violent and emotionally charged that cinematography took a back seat. The set was taken full advantage of during the fight scenes, and props (particularly the boat and the key for the boat) were central to the plot. Lighting was low throughout the most tense scenes of the film, which took place after Mari returned to her parents. This low lighting, alongside the storm that persisted until Justin, Mari and her parents' escape, added to the tension and made absolute concentration necessary so that details weren't lost to the darkness or the background noise of the storm. The plot was riveting, but in my opinion it would have been made more complete by an end scene of Mari and her family living their lives. It wouldn't have to be a picture of familial bliss, as this could detract from the trauma they experience, but it would show Mari as a person with agency. It would show any victims watching that life can continue after rape.

Senior Year (2022)

There was an attempt

[3/10 · 29 May 2022]

I think this film was trying to achieve something good. To send a message about not striving for something fake and unattainable. Being your authentic self. However, the message got muddled.

As always, the 'nerdy kids' are portrayed as having a desperate desire to be cool and popular, which isn't true to life and could be a harmful message to put out there. The main character's outcast friends still want her in their lives even when she is clearly not behaving like a nice person or a good friend (throughout most of the film).

Worst of all are the uncomfortable sexual undertones and the normalisation/ romanticisation of absurd age gap relationships. The main character is still a teenager in her head, but she is trapped in the body of a middle aged woman as a result of her coma. At one point she dances intimately with actual teenagers (twerking and grinding). While I understand the CHARACTER may not understand this is wrong, surely the cast and crew must realise that Rebel Wilson dancing like that with young actors is an idea that should probably have been thrown out.

The worst part of all of it though is the relationship between the main character and her childhood friend. As teenagers, he was in love with her, and it seems as an adult he still hasn't gotten over this attachment. All that would be fine if it wasn't for the fact that she is mentally a teenage girl. Seth even alludes to this more than once saying she "teenage tricked" him, which makes his attraction to her far more uncomfortable and inappropriate. He says he's aware that he's been using her the entire time to make her ex jealous, so why does he invite her on a date and play along with her lewd mime in the cinema scene? And why, for the love of God, do they kiss at the end of the film? Not only do they kiss, but everybody claps and cheers, and not a single person points out the moral and ethical issues with their relationship.

Equals (2015)

Underrated

[9/10 · 21 November 2021]

I can't say enough how much I enjoyed this film. And I can't explain why there were so many low reviews.

Brilliant cast. I could not think of a better fit for the two main characters. Story was a moving dystopian take on a classic Shakespeare play.

House of the Witch (2017 TV Movie)

Don't watch

[2/10 · 15 November 2021]

So bad. Just so bad. I had it on while I was doing something, and I frequently stopped my task in awe of how terrible this film was. I am usually generous in my ratings on this app, so the fact I'm rating this film two stars speaks volumes.

Parks and Recreation (2009–2015)

Started strong

[7/10 · 29 July 2021]

I watched this show with my boyfriend and we absolutely loved it from the start. We both became attached to the characters very quickly, who were, for the most part, loveable but flawed. The mockumentary style made it feel more real, but not in a cringey, uncomfortable way like the the UK version of The Office.

However, it started to go downhill for us at season 7. It felt forced and tired. Maybe part of the decline was due to the fact that the characters lives changed so rapidly with no time to adapt. Maybe it was partly due to the fact that my boyfriend and I weren't watching episodes as frequently. Either way, the show just seemed less compelling from then onwards. I didn't feel as invested; I felt like I was just watching it because I'd already watched it that far so I might as well finish it.

That being said, I don't want it to sound like the last season ruined the whole show; I just didn't feel it was necessary. The show was brilliant regardless, and I'm glad I watched it.

They Look Like People (2015)

Amazing

[9/10 · 27 April 2021]

Just amazing.

I saw that this film had been compared to Donnie Darko, which was a big selling point for me. Initially, I only watched about ten minutes and had to switch off because my attention wasn't on it. Having watched it in its entirety now, I actually think the film's similarity to Donnie Darko is limited. On the surface, they have similar themes, but the tone, acting and cinematography are miles apart. The ending of They Look Like People is also completely different, and in my opinion far less ambiguous than the ending of Donnie Darko. I wasn't left searching the internet for explanations and falling into rabbit holes after watching They Look like People the way I was after Donnie Darko. That being said, I certainly wasn't disappointed.

They Look Like People is a bit slow moving, so definitely not for everyone. Personally, I think this slowness adds tension and makes the film feel more real. It almost feels like you're watching the characters in real time at some points, though this obviously is not the case. I think it lends credit to the film that it is still so exciting while the pace is quite slow. The casting, particularly of Evan Domouchel as Christian and MacLeod Andrews as Wyatt, is brilliant.

The fact that for most of the film only three characters (Wyatt, Christian and Margaret Ying Drake as Mara) get the majority of the screen times adds to the sense of isolation and loneliness for Wyatt and Christian. At the same time, the camerawork and editing have an almost found footage feel which makes it feel like you are there with the two main characters. This illusion of being in the same space as Wyatt and Christian makes it easier to empathise with them. What's more, the plot keeps you in the dark the whole way through which places you in the same position as Wyatt - questioning reality itself.

I have a feeling that I will love this film even more after rewatching it, and I am excited to do so. If you do watch this film, I recommend making sure you have time to give it your full attention so that none of the atmosphere is lost.

Bliss (I) (2021)

Amazing

[9/10 · 28 February 2021]

This a truly incredible film that has been grossly under appreciated. It's not as advertised, but the twist - the reveal that takes it from the genre of sci fi/dystopia into tragedy and grit - is better left a mystery. I'm glad I didn't read the reviews on here before I watched it because watching the film was a whole journey of discovery. I think this is something that will stick with me for a while.

Ratched (2020)

The demonisation of Charlotte Wells

[7/10 · 3 October 2020]

I really loved this show. The cinematography was stunning and the acting was brilliant. It was also great to see a romance between two women that wasn't oversexualized. My rating would have been much higher if it wasn't for the demonisation of Charlotte Wells. Initially I was excited to see representation of dissociative identity disorder in mainstream media, but my anticipation soon turned to disappointment when Charlotte (or, more specifically, two of her alters) became a villain. It's lazy writing and a boring trope. I expected better from a show that for the most part succeeded in portraying the stigma attached to mental health conditions as something awful that should have stayed in the past. Can't believe no one involved in making this show objected to making the only character with DID violent and dangerous.

The Lodgers (2017)

In hindsight

[7/10 · 23 February 2020]

Initially I rated The Lodgers an 8 because I really enjoyed it and was actually creeped out by it. At one point I paused it to take a bath, and was glad of the break because I felt so tense. However, after reading some reviews and trying to explain the full plot of this film to my mam, I've realised it doesn't actually make a lot of sense. The cinematography is great. The music, mise en scene and lighting are incredibly creepy, and the acting is brilliant. I also love the concept for the film. It deals with a taboo in a way that is truly, quintessentially Gothic. It is this type of depravity that I personally find to be one of the most unnerving subject matters because it subverts our ideas of humanity and morality. However, there were plot holes that overanalysing will not allow me to ignore. I won't be explicit here because I don't want to spoil anything, but it pertains to basic rules that are established at the beginning of the film. It seems almost lazy that the writers didn't consider this obvious contradiction, or, if they did, didn't bother to explain it. It also seemed to me that one of the relationships in the film was perfunctory, or perhaps just disingenuous. It's possible that this was intentional and that it was used by one of the characters as a means to an end, but I found it to be slightly disappointing and underdeveloped. As I've mentioned my criticism arose after I had already watched the film. I had no issues with it whatsoever while I was viewing it, and actually got a lot of enjoyment out of it. For this reason I definitely think it is worth a watch, particularly if you can refrain from overthinking while it is on.

The Super (2017)

Super Disappointing

[3/10 · 23 February 2020]

Sincerely one of the worst horrors I've watched, which is saying a lot because I can usually draw some enjoyment out of objectively poor films.

Almost the entire film was just an excruciatingly long build up to a rather disappointing plot twist. Everything seemed very rushed. The characters were underdeveloped, the plot was underdeveloped, and it showed. Normally I can overlook weak plot-lines and lack of characterisation if there is a high standard when it comes to cinematography, or even when the acting is above average, but this film didn't have either of those qualities.

An hour in I realised I had made a terrible mistake and The Super was in fact super disappointing, but at that point I felt like I'd invested too much time not to at least wait for the ending. As I have already made clear, that was a mistake. The twist ending was poorly executed and seemed like a last minute decision, with some of the worst dubbing I have ever seen adding insult to injury. I'm honestly amazed that this film has a 6 out of 10 rating on here, especially when I've seen far better horrors scored 5.

Duck Butter (2018)

Underrated

[8/10 · 28 January 2020]

This film really is how Sergio talks about it at the start: 10 years in 24 hours. It was very frustrating because it was so realistic. Very raw and difficult to watch, but definitely worth the suffering.

Piercing (2018)

Amazing

[9/10 · 17 January 2020]

I actually cannot believe how much I loved this film. Lately I seem to have found myself watching a lot of average or sub-average films on Netflix, but this was like a diamond in the rough. The rating and reviews on here did not put me off, in fact, if anything, they spurred me on. Nevertheless, it was far better than expected. The acting was incredible, the cinematography was insane in the best way. Yes, the beginning was slow but for the rest of the film I felt like I couldn't breathe I was so fixated on the screen. I've been addicted to a puzzle game on my phone recently, but for the one hour and twenty one minutes that Piercing was on my television I didn't even think about it. The film reminded me of aspects of American Psycho, Trainspotting, and Requiem for a Dream without seeming derivative or overdone. I'm genuinely excited to watch it again.

Below Her Mouth (2016)

Underrated

[7/10 · 10 January 2020]

I really enjoyed this film and would definitely recommend it. In places it did seem a bit derivative, as does any romance film, but that didn't spoil my viewing. Despite what I've read in many of the other reviews, I personally liked the acting and dialogue. I think the chemistry between Dallas and Jasmine was clear from the start. The love between them actually made me cry at times. It was really refreshing to see sexuality portrayed on screen as something that is not black and white, and to see an androgynous main character. My only complaints are the beginning and the end. I think the affair escalated too quickly, with Jasmine's guilt seemingly disappearing in an instant, never to be mentioned again until she was caught in the act. And I think the ending jumped too quickly to happy ever after with no transitional period shown on screen. However, I can excuse the rushed start to the film as being due to time constraints or as a sign of the passion between the two main characters, and it was nice to see things end well for Jasmine and Dallas. I would definitely watch this film again.

A.M.I. (2019)

Not Entirely Unbearable

[4/10 · 5 January 2020]

This film is entirely ridiculous. Its one redeeming factor is that it is entertaining, but for all the wrong reasons. Even if you disregard plot holes and oversights, like the fact that acid strong enough to melt a human body can't be contained in a milk carton, the film seems almost ironically bad. If I hadn't been aware beforehand that it is supposed to be an actual horror, I would have assumed this fell into the category of spoof. The cinematography is at times so good that it seems out of place in the film, but then it returns again to the realm of the unimpressive. Moreover, the realm of the unimpressive seems significantly worse after an insight into what the film could have been. The acting is average at best. And perhaps more significantly, I really cannot overlook the fact that the only male love interest, who is supposed to be in high school, looks like a 40 year old man. If they intended to throw caution to the wind when it came to making this film seem realistic, they could have at least cast a 40 year old man with acting skills. All that being said, I did actually enjoy watching this film. I enjoyed the genuine disbelief it bestowed on me, and kept imagining how my favourite commentary YouTubers would respond to it. It's worth a watch for that reason alone.

Down a Dark Hall (2018)

Pas mal

[6/10 · 26 December 2019]

I really enjoyed this film, but I think the plot could have been more developed. I also really was not a fan of Uma Thurman's fake accent. I can never understand why directors don't just cast English people in English roles, French people in French roles etc. I love Thurman normally, but I just don't think she was a good fit for this film, and it felt like maybe they just shoved her in to get celebrity points. AnnaSophia Robb was brilliant, though. It was refreshing to see two powerful female characters survive, especially with one of them not being white. Makes a nice change for mainstream cinema, and for horror in particular.

Rattlesnake (2019)

Wasted Potential

[4/10 · 11 December 2019]

Disappointing. The only interesting parts of this film are what you see in the trailer. The acting is unimpressive. The cinematography is average at best. It's possible that the excruciatingly drawn out long shots of the scenery and close ups of the protagonist's face might have been intended to create tension and highlight the main character's isolation, but instead they came across as almost arrogant, as though the producer thought the film could be a success with minimal effort. The plot had a lot of potential, but the execution was a let down. This film could be okay if you're looking for something to put on in the background while you're doing something else, but other than that I'd give it a miss.

Residue (2015)

Residue's Resolution - or lack thereof

[8/10 · 18 October 2019]

This show was visually breathtaking. The colour palette in particular was incredible, and even without the intrigue of the plot I would have watched it for aesthetic value alone. I was drawn in by the characters and the grittiness of the setting and subject matter. In fact, this may have even been one of my favourite shows on Netflix. The only (and unfortunately significant) downside is the lack of a satisfying ending. I was genuinely upset when I reached the end of episode 3 only to realise nothing more would follow. Honestly can't remember the last time I was this attached to a show, sad to have to leave it without a sense of closure.

Our House (I) (2018)

Underrated

[8/10 · 17 August 2019]

Another underrated horror film. The acting is brilliant, particularly from child actors Percy Hynes White, and Kate Moyer. These excellent performances alongside the slow moving pace of the film (which I personally am a big fan of, though it is not always favoured in horrors) offers a moving depiction of the struggles they face, rendering it almost impossible not to sympathise with these characters from the start. The cinematography is also impressive from the beginning of the film, most notably so during Ethan's first lone EMF experiment where a repetitive clicking sound is combined with slow jump cuts and shadowy lighting to produce a hypnotic effect with the potential to fully immerse the spectator in the film. The use of lighting alters as Ethan's experiments alter; the light in the house grows dimmer as the siblings continue unwittingly on a downward spiral. As the film moves on, tropes begin to appear which are somewhat overdone and unoriginal. However, these tropes are not the focus of the film, and the overarching plot and the believable bond between the characters redeems it. Definitely worth a watch.

Don't Watch This (2018)

I Wish I Didn't

[3/10 · 17 August 2019]

I couldn't even make it through the full second episode and it's only a few minutes long. There's not a single element of the first episode or the small section of the second one that I made it through that could inspire fear in the spectator. It did give me chills, but for all the wrong reasons.