annabates

This is a good film for a sleepless night. I found it on Amazon Prime at 2 AM today. It held my attention for the duration. Yes, it's low-budget, and yes, it's indie horror. I give it grades of A on both accounts. It defies noir conventions in nice ways, which kept me guessing even when I knew where the story was going. The acting and writing are actually good for this kind of film. The horror aspects are refreshingly creepy. No, it isn't going to keep you on the edge of your seat or make you scream. It's not that kind of ride. It will make your skin crawl and leave you questioning the value of human existence and pretty sure that most religion is malarky. It is worth seeing, and I for one will keep an eye on Owen Conway. He's got something here that is different enough from standard-fare indie horror to promise future good films, at least for insomniacs.

I watch a lot of horror movies, and it's rare that I see one with anything new to offer. This is an exception. Its cinematography alone is worth the viewing. The story builds slowly to an amazing crescendo. Without adding spoilers, it's difficult to describe. But know that the film's tempo draws the viewer deep into this stark post-World War I village nearly devoid of life. The living characters occupy a liminal space between their marginal lives and the land of the dead. The ghosts, and there are many of them, are complex and unpredictable. This is perhaps the best ghost story I have seen this decade. I recommend it highly.

The movie doesn't understand its main character. This is clearly a masculinist interpretation of a remarkable woman's ingenuity. I could give many examples but will settle on her portrayal as one who bailed on all of her dream projects, such as singing, kung fu, cooking, and so on, and barely holds herself together for survival. What the hell? She had a family and a business to hold together. It is as though the movie blames her for life being difficult, and then is amazed when she pulls it together. Women do that every day. The film is far more sympathetic to the husband, so befuddled by the amazing women around him he wants to bail with a divorce. I read that this story was originally written for Jackie Chan, with a male lead. Maybe that would have worked because the writers clearly don't understand women. Watch it for the acting. Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis are both amazing and deserve their accolades. And yes, the cinematography, costumes, and other technical aspects are excellent.