Dr. Sander's Sleep Cure

We found this film lacking in horror, but what it missed in scares, it made up for with an engaging plot and impressive visuals. The music was also a highlight-keep an ear out for the unexpected song at the end! We chose to watch this film after learning that the director himself holds a Guinness World Record for playing nearly 50 different roles. At some point, we lost count, but the experience was entertaining, and some of the stories stayed with us long after the credits rolled. Overall, I think it's worth 8 out of 10, if not for anything else, then for being quite different from other horror flicks that were watched this week.

I saw this fun little film at my local horror movie festival. That being said, there isn't terribly much horror to it (in the modern sense) except in a few parts. However it does show its horror anthology genetics and you do feel a sort of building anxiety through the frame narrative.

The collections of stories are great and deeply atmospheric. A nice mix of practical effects with a lot of CGI-- but it adds to the charm and feel of this being a one man show. That being said, Sander himself is not always the star and does a great job in the spot light as well as in the supporting cast. In fact, the whole crew did a great job.

It's a wonderfully odd mashup of tales-- it's like O Henry and the Twilight Zone mixed with just a bit of Hammer Horror across a multitude of periods. And with set dressing/production reminiscent alternately between Sky Captain/Sin City (at its most immersive and decadent), to 90s BBC, to minimalist single set indie film, to even something hinting at German Expressionism. And all with the through line of a dark sense of humor.

Some of the stories play out with predictable results, but then the Twilight Zone formula has spoiled us all on the "twist" ending. And I can't stress enough the charm of each piece, so even though you can kind of foresee the ending, you'll enjoy the ride.

All in all, a very fun watch and worth your time.

The cover for this 2024 movie from writer and director Mart Sander instantly caught my attention. And thus I opted to give the movie a view, since it was a movie that I hadn't already seen. Nor had I actually ever heard about the movie, not that it mattered as I believe in giving any movie I haven't seen a fair chance.

When I realized that the movie was written by Mart Sander, directed by Mart Sander and also starring Mart Sander, I have to admit that my expectations dropped down significantly. Movies that have one guy performing all those parts of a movie tend to be questionable affairs more often than not.

The storyline in the movie, however, proved to be a massive swing and a miss. The narrative was all over the place, but being nowhere all at once. And it was quite a struggle to sit through 102 minutes of this narrative.

I was under the impression that "Dr. Sander's Sleep Cure" was a horror fantasy movie, though the actual movie is way more of a fantasy movie than it is a horror movie. So don't get your hopes up for a horror experience, which I had done.

Needless to say that I was not familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list, which was actually something that spoke in favor of the movie, as I enjoy watching new and unfamiliar talents on the screen. The acting performances in "Dr. Sander's Sleep Cure" were fair.

I actually think this was my first foray into the Estonian cinema.

"Dr. Sander's Sleep Cure" failed to entertain me, and this is definitely not a movie that I would recommend you to rush out and get to watch. Nor is it a movie that will ever grace my screen a second time.

My rating of writer and director Mart Sander's 2024 movie "Dr. Sander's Sleep Cure" lands on a generous three out of ten stars.

Dr. Sander's Sleep Cure is one of the most original and visually captivating films I've seen in a while. It plays like a dream-sometimes comforting, sometimes bizarre, and always unpredictable. Mart Sander's performance is absolutely remarkable; playing 48 different characters isn't just a gimmick, it's an artistic achievement that keeps the film dynamic and engaging from start to finish.

The style feels like a blend of surreal comedy, experimental horror, and psychological drama. It's not your typical narrative-driven film-it's more of a hypnotic experience that pulls you deeper with each scene. The visuals are dreamlike, the tone shifts constantly, and the line between reality and imagination blurs in the most intriguing way.

This film isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy abstract storytelling and artistic risks, you'll be captivated. It left me thinking long after it ended.

I did like the movie.

It was fun.

And I like the short story genre, even if some of the stories are better than the others - it didn't really matter to me, as long as each one was unique, previously unknown and held its own meaning.

Variety was pretty rich, and some stories were quite nice, some even could actually help lead you into sleep.

Unfortunately, constant interruptions by the narrator's cocky demeanor and voice somehow kept breaking the tranquility.

I wanted to dive into the stories indeed, as there were many opportunities for that, but I really wish that narrator character would be more tone down and mysterious, instead of somewhat condescending and, dare I say it, annoying.

I really felt like that guy in the movie - tossing and turning. It is called 'A Sleep Cure', couldn't you just let me drift away for a bit?!

I would give it 8, if not for that narrator character feeling mismatched as per my taste.

Other than that, a fine film.

Would wish to see more of similar.

Thanks a lot!