Bring Her Back Review

Bring Her Back 

Dir: Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sara Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, and Sally-Anne Upton

1h 44m

Filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou's much-anticipated follow-up to the 2023 genre hit "Talk to Me" is a chilling domestic horror thriller that, while less structured than their debut, is still an undeniably effective second feature for two impressive storytellers. "Bring Her Back" explores themes of unresolved trauma and grief through an unflinching lens of violence, featuring a stunning performance from Sally Hawkins as a menacing foster parent. With "Talk to Me," the two directors crafted an unpredictable supernatural story, expertly composed with scares. "Bring Her Back" showcases the filmmaker's growth through a character-driven drama that evokes dread in more ways than expected.

Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sara Wong) are siblings who experience the trauma of losing their father unexpectedly. Andy, struggling with nightmarish visions of his deceased father, desperately pleads with the social worker (Sally-Anne Upton) on their case to stay with Piper, who is blind, until he can take custody of her when he turns eighteen. The siblings find themselves in the care of Laura (Sally Hawkins), a former social worker who cares for her son Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) and is trying to build a happy foster home, all while trying to recover from the unresolved pain of the tragic drowning of her daughter. Laura's true demented motivations come to light, and Andy and Piper must escape before it's too late.  

The mystery surrounding Laura's intentions, along with the constant dread seeping into the atmosphere of the film, establishes a story that builds towards a terrifying reveal. Whether a creepy cult ritual stored on a grainy video cassette or the odd behaviors of Oliver, who remains locked away most of the day, "Bring Her Back" patterns the film with a little bit of every horror characterization one could count. Children in peril, an evil parent, strange rituals, a possessed child, and a squirm-worthy scene of violence are just a few of the building blocks for this film. There are a few moments where all these inspirations come together successfully, but more often, many of these scare tactics get in the way of the fascinating characters. 

Sally Hawkins is the anchor for the entire film, delivering a performance that draws a strong comparison to the character of Annie Wilkes, played by Kathy Bates in the 1990 film "Misery." Hawkins has a kind smile, and early in the movie, the motherly gentleness of her character is a welcome contrast to the spooky happenings. Billy Barratt and Sara Wong have great chemistry as brother and sister. Barratt, whose character is manipulated throughout the film by Laura, does a great job of shifting between being self-conscious, stemming from the trauma of finding his father dead, and becoming self-aware of everything happening to his sister. Wong is charming and the sole vessel of what little humor is instated into the relationships between the characters. As the film builds to its bleak and cruel climax, it's these characters and their relationships that make the final moments so effective. 

"Bring Her Back" struggles to connect all the ideas it introduces. However, the composition of characters and the performances of the actors build emotional drama that makes the visuals of violence and ominous atmosphere more effective than they might have been otherwise. It is undeniable that Danny and Michael Philippou are voices to acknowledge and filmmakers to watch in the world of horror filmmaking. 

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

Frewaka Film Review

 

Frewaka Film Review

Halfway to Halloween Presented by Shudder

Sadly, Halfway to Halloween is coming to a close.

But, that just means we’re one month closer to Halloween!

Shudder’s line-up included 825 FOREST ROAD, SHADOW OF GOD and DEAD MAIL.

This final week brings you Irish folk horror, FREWAKA.

From Aislinn Clarke (The Devil’s Doorway), FREWAKA, a largely Irish-language film, follows home care worker Shoo, who is sent to a remote village to care for an agoraphobic woman who fears the neighbors as much as she fears the Na Sídhe — sinister entities who she believes abducted her decades before.

As the two develop a strangely deep connection, Shoo is consumed by the old woman’s paranoia, rituals, and superstitions, eventually confronting the horrors from her own past.

FREWAKA is a large metaphor for inter-generational trauma, specifically with women, and Catholic guilt.

Frewaka, a word taken from the longer Irish word “fréamhacha,” translates to “roots” which in this film includes Ireland's collective historical trauma around the Magdalene Laundries, inter-generational violence, birth and death.

All the above are wrapped up in Irish superstition and folklore with haunting scenes of goats, horseshoes, fairy trees and parading costumed villagers. But the religious imagery, specifically a neon cross, are more frightening than the possibility of fae looking to break into our world.

With vivid cinematography, superb acting, and eerie dissection into trauma, it’s hard to decide which factor hits home closest.

For me, it was the music and sound that lasted the longest post credits. I can still hear the neon red cross. It haunts me at night when I get up to our red nightlights. (Josh insists they have less blue light for less sleep interruption. I insist they’re creepy as hell.) I can still hear the recurring leitmotif (chattering percussion and loud droning).

FREWAKA is one of those films that purposefully gets under your skin. Grab your folk horror loving friend to watch and dissect this film together.

Sinners Review

Sinners 

Dir: Ryan Coogler 

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, and Delroy Lindo 

2h 17m

“Lord, it’s one kind favor I’ll ask of you / See that my grave is kept clean.” 

- Blind Lemon Jefferson (1927)

The blues is a cornerstone of musical heritage, an expression of cultural identity, and a statement of resiliency and resistance. The history of hardship and suffering, the rebellion and fortitude played and sang with heartbreak and sadness, pride and passion, all saturate every note and tune of the music. Blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist John Lee Hooker said it best, “The blues tells a story. Every line of the blues has a meaning”. 

“Sinners,” the new film from writer/director Ryan Coogler, tells the story of twin brothers Smoke and Stack, played expertly in both roles by Michael B. Jordan, returning to their hometown in Clarksdale, Mississippi, to open a juke joint in 1932. The blues, often called “the devil’s music,” is the heart of Coogler’s film, the soul that evokes the ears of evil on the club's opening night. Coogler’s storytelling here is filled with depth and complexity, an analysis of the Black experience told through heartfelt music and fascinating characters. “Sinners” is a bold and authentic genre film that bleeds delta blues and pays homage to the power of music for culture and community. 

Returning after some years of learning the business of gangsters in Chicago, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown in Mississippi with cash, booze, and a hustler’s mentality. Smoke and Stack buy an old sawmill on the edge of town and plan the opening night for their juke joint that same evening. The juke joint is a space for their people to be free after their hard day's work, a place to drink, eat, listen to, and dance to music. The brothers enlist the talents of their cousin, Sammie (an exciting introduction to Miles Caton), a young musician who sings the blues with a deep and soulful voice, the support of elder bluesman Delta Slim (the ever-interesting Delroy Lindo), and the guidance of Smoke’s longtime love Annie (a confident Wunmi Mosaku) who cooks and provides spiritual guidance. 

 The opening night brings out the entire community, ready for a good time. It also brings unwanted guests, a trio of musicians seemingly called in the night by the music played so beautifully by Sammie. The guests, who make it abundantly clear that they must be invited into the gathering, don’t just come for the blues; they have also come for blood. 

Ryan Coogler’s story of the factual and fictional horrors of the Jim Crow South is a remarkable intertwining of culture, history, and music told through the lens of genre film. The horror here revolves around vampires, a subgenre of horror so well-worn in film history that it resembles how blues influenced the landscape of rock n’ roll music. Coogler’s intent throughout “Sinners” is to craft a metaphor, evoke satire, and draw social commentary while creating a bombastic clash of imagery, music, and character. Whether the strong metaphor of Black musical artistry that is being preyed upon by outsiders who crave the soul of life experiences put to tune or the more subtle analogy of the lore of vampirism as a symbol of freedom and slavery. It’s all expert storytelling crafted in ways that will resonate differently with every viewer, just like blues music. 

 Michael B. Jordan, in a highlight performance of his career, plays Smoke and Stack as distinct yet separate characters. Each character's southern drawl, unique swagger, and costuming let Jordan ease into the personalities. Smoke is the leader; he is more confident and imposing but also tender and more in tune with the emotions of everything happening, especially his relationship with Annie. Stack supports Smoke’s leader, who is more impulsive and aggressive but charming with a hint of kindness that comes out with interactions with Sammie. Support characters like Delroy Lindo, who shines as the alcohol-influenced, harmonica and piano-playing bluesman, and Hailee Steinfeld, as the one-time love interest of Smoke who is adopted into the community family because of the kindness of her mother, round out the depth of the storyline. 

Ryan Coogler continues to impress with the skill behind the camera; the quality of the filmmaker's work here is singular in both its voice and vision, a true testament to the artist’s growth over the years. “Sinners” may feel familiar in its genre execution, but its story and characters are unmatched for horror films in recent memory. Watch it on the biggest screen because, just like the juke joint in the movie, this film deserves to be seen, heard, and experienced in a unique space with a community. 

Monte’s Rating 

4.00 out of 5.00