Immaculate: the flip side of Rosemary's Baby

Synopsis:

An American nun embarks on a new journey when she joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. However, her warm welcome quickly turns into a living nightmare when she discovers her new home harbours a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.

My thoughts:

Sydney Sweeney, who usually portrays highly sexualized characters (for obvious reasons), takes a detour from her typecast as a wide-eyed bride of Christ. The trope of an American embarking on a sinister adventure in Europe is not exactly groundbreaking, but the Italian setting is perfect for this thriller. The convent is claustrophobic powder keg with its own hierarchy and secrets. Rivalries and jealousies boil hot in a closed off all-female group. Whether you are carrying Satan's baby or God's, the end result is distressingly similar. 

"Heretic" - a crash course in comparative theology

Synopsis:

Two young missionaries become ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they knock on the door of the diabolical Mr. Reed. Trapped in his home, they must turn to their faith if they want to make it out alive.

My thoughts:

Not to be a nitpicker, but the title of the movie, "Heretic" is a bit of a misnomer, because the lead villain (or is he?) is more of a nihilist than a heretic. Technically speaking, heresy is a perceived deviation from the dogma, not dismissal of dogma. I realize that the term "heretic" is catchier and more marketable, instantly pigeonholing the film in specific genre. Most religious horror is flat and predictable, with a strong anti-religious message - or an "Exorcist" derivative. This particular film is admirably stimulating and challenging. Kudos to the screenwriters who managed to digest a lot of comparative theology to make it more palatable. If you have a lot of background knowledge in religion - you will find yourself nodding through some of the dialogue. If your knowledge of religion is very basic, and all customs blend into one, you will learn something new. 

 

A few words about the villain (or is he?) Hugh Grant aged out of his "dreamy bad boy" image. Now he plays a creepy old man. I was surprised that the sexual component was underplayed, despite the dynamic of a sinister older man holding two young girls hostages in his labyrinth of a house. There was no element of seduction/coercion. Thank you for leaving that predictable trope out of the equation. 

The Most Promising Cases: the story of Hans Asperger

 

Greetings, commies!

Here's what turned out to be a novella about Hans Asperger. A few months ago I posted here about potentially writing a piece of fiction. There was enough material for a novella. Published in the Bewildering Stories e-zine. Regardless of where on the spectrum you fall, how you personally feel about Hans, hopefully you take something out of this story.

http://www.bewilderingstories.com/.../promising_cases1.html

Darklands (1997): Wicker Man meets Mad Max

 

If you have seen "Wicker Man" and "Midsommar", you know the formula of folk horror. You do not expect any surprising plot twists. You kind of expect human sacrifice in the end. You expect the charismatic cult leader, the disgruntled populace that looks up to him, the one-dimensional female seductress. You expect the nosy investigator on the quest to walk into the lion's mouth. The originality of "Darklands" is in the setting and style. Instead of lush European countryside, the movie is set in a postindustrial, almost post-apocalyptic, urban wasteland, where old quaint churches and abandoned factories exist side by side. The esthetic is vaguely reminiscent of Mad Max. Overall, it's a worthy addition to your pagan horror collection. 

Strange Darling: a treat for the misogynist in you

Synopsis:

Set in rural Oregon, the film focuses on a man and woman who engage in a one-night stand that devolves into a cat-and-mouse game of murder. 

My thoughts:

If you are prone to misogyny, if you get a sinfully pleasant tingle when watching aggression towards women on screen, this film is a yummy treat, as most of your prejudices will be validated in a most indulgent way. I am sure there will be an ultra-woke reviewer out there who will interpret this movie as an act of justified "female rage" and "woman taking back agency", blah blah. If you dislike/mistrust women, covertly or openly, this flick is for you. I may be thinking too much into it, but it's no coincident that Oregon was chosen as the setting, a place where extremes co-exist. Radical liberals, doomsday survivalists, Native Americans and vindictive cops. Such a rich tapestry for a story involving a psychopath. The color scheme as well as out-of-sequence chapter structure will remind you of Lars von Trier. Strange Darling was shot on 33 mm film, resulting in a visual that throws you back to 1970s grindhouse esthetic. 

Separate kudos to Barbara Hershey, who reinvents herself in her mid-70s as the sinister old woman. 

The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971): Mean Girls for the 17th century

Synopsis:

When a mysterious corpse is accidentally dug up by a boy in a small town, a group of local teens starts acting very strangely. The adolescents, led by a girl named Angel (Linda Hayden), are convinced the corpse was once possessed. Hoping to get in touch with the devil through the body, the teens act out a series of demonic rituals that causes a stir among the townspeople. When word of the satanic activity spreads, certain parents start trying to lock up the kids behind the spooky stunts.

My thoughts:

For the fans of the original "Wicker Man", "The Witch" and "Midsommar", the 1971 "The Blood on Satan's Claw" is a must see. One of the themes in this folk horror gem is peer pressure among teens. A bit of historical context: adolescence was not considered a separate phase in a person's life. Once you reached puberty, you were married off and on your way to start procreating. What we see in this movie is a community of students in a church-based school. So we get some school dynamic with its hierarchy - not something you encounter often in films with a historical setting. The female antagonist and ringleader, a 17th century of Alicia Silverstone, uses her natural - and supernatural powers - to drive her peers into a satanic cult and sacrificing them one by one. One cliche comment from the critics that always makes me roll my eyes is that "men are afraid of female sexuality." Why does it always have to be male authority figures against demonic temptresses? Can we leave wokery out of sorcery for once? 

Pandemonium (2023): a peculiarly unfinished vision of hell

Synopsis: 

After realizing he has died at the scene of a car crash, Nathan descends into the depths of hell, where he is doomed to experience the pain of tortured souls along the way.

My thoughts:

In 2020s it's a challenge to come up with anything truly original when it comes to afterlife and hell. There are already so many nuanced, creative, subtle ways to depicting hell, that the only direction you can go is that of literal almost Medieval interpretation, with torture chambers and rambunctious demons. 

Pandemonium is a standalone horror film that almost feels like an anthology. There is a main storyline that ties several tangent episodes. I was surprised that the golden rule of 3 was violated and there were only 2 subplots. 

Despite its literal pseudo-Dantean depiction of hell, it leaves a little too much to the imagination. Some parts are fleshed out extensively, while others are truncated and end abruptly. It's one of those movies that ends abruptly, making you question whether the creators ran out of funds, energy drinks, protein bars?