Bria Lou Reviews

  This was one of the more elusive films on the list. I hadn't heard of it before and I went in blind. This one wasn't for me. From the start of the film there isn't a lot of dialogue, which threw me. It took a long time to understand what was happening, who the characters were, or what situation we were being thrown into. It takes a while to really understand not only what we're watching, but why we're watching it. And even after seeing it and sitting with it I'm still questioning why. The whole film has a really weird overtone that definitely contributes to the horror. Even though nothing scary is happening, you're on edge just because of the way the characters look at each other or their lack of dialogue. The filmmakers have a way of making non scary things feel really unsettling. Another unsettling aspect is the music. In so many scenes it feels out of place and jarring, which just makes the atmosphere really uncomfortable.  It's not the most interes...

  Two sisters (Kara Young and Mallori Johnson) get more than they bargain for when they set out on a quest for revenge. I'd heard a lot about this film before it came out, and the vast majority of reviews were really positive, so I was looking forward to seeing it. I liked this film, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would, based on some of the reviews I read. I didn't know too much about the plot, but as the movie explains what the revenge mission actually is, I was invested - it was a really interesting and original plot. One of the best things about the film is the relationship between the two sisters, and the chemistry between the actresses playing them. The sisters are the heart of the movie and if their relationship wasn't as authentic as it is, the movie wouldn't work. I also loved their development as the movie continued. All of the performances are fantastic. A lot of the cast is supporting and only come in for a scene or two, but they all make th...

I'd never heard of this film, but it was one of the hardest to find on the list so that alone made me really intrigued about it.  I liked this movie.  The opening is very intriguing. We know nothing about the characters but we're immediately invested in the mystery. It does a good job of creating a character that we don't get to see. We feel like we know her based on the descriptions we hear. The story is well written and goes in a really interesting direction. Given the film is only short, it's great that it gets you invested from the very beginning. The actors all do a really great job with their characters. Their performances are authentic, which helps the audience become and stay intrigued about the outcome. This appears to be one of the only films on the bucket list that explores satanism, and the way it does this feel really original. We are forced to get to know the satanists as people before finding out who they really are and their connection to the mystery. Bu...

  Pinocchio, a wooden doll, will do whatever it takes to become a real boy. Even if his actions have deadly consequences. The newest instalment of the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU)! I get so excited each time a new film in the franchise gets released, and they're getting progressively better, which is a major plus! I liked this film for what it was - and every single person involved in making it knows exactly what it is, which is great! The design of Pinocchio is really interesting, particularly the progression of this, the way he changes as he experiences different things and how he becomes a horror figure. The story, as I'd probably say for all TCU movies, is really original and creative. Even the ones that weren't good had a starting point of taking these classic childhood stories and adding original horror twists to them. This one spent time developing and allowing the audience to get to know the characters, which is something that was missing from some of the previo...

I'd never heard of this film, and the premise didn't give too much away, but knowing the director and main actor, and reading about the controversies when it was initially released, I knew it would probably be a weird one.  I didn't love this one.  From the very first scene it's definitely shocking in a variety of ways, from the way it's filmed, to what actually happens. It's really interesting to think about how often grief is used as the main theme for a horror movie. It evokes such complex, varied emotions, which can make it the perfect backdrop to pair with horror - it's a form of horror in itself. The actors have great chemistry and play a believable couple. It's not the easiest film to get into or connect with. We're kept at a distance from the characters because of the closeness of their relationship, and so much of what happens feels unreal to the point that it's hard to connect to. There's a lot of fantastical, surreal imagery, which...

I'd probably heard of this film before, but I had no idea it was based on 'The Haunting of Hill House' novel, so that was intriguing. I didn't love the Netflix adaptation but that didn't make me feel apprehensive about this one. I liked this film a lot.  The opening is great. It does a good job of showing the house's history in a way that's interesting and compelling to watch. It's nice that we get to spend a bit of time with the characters before we get into the main plot. Speaking of the characters, they're well written and fun to follow. Eleanor in particular is fascinating and gives 'Janet Leigh in Psycho' vibes.  The way the characters interact is really fun to watch. Their personalities are so distinct and interesting that at times you forget you're watching a horror movie. The characters are at least as interesting as the story, if not more so.  The film does a great job of creating the horrors. We're in the same position as th...