HORROR. “Bones and All.” / “Hereditary.” / “The Witch.”

“Bones and All” (2022, Netflix) romantic horror. Set in the late 1980s, a pair of young cannibals develop feelings for each other on a road trip across the United States. Stars Timothée Chalamet, among other stars. 



       The subject matter is not easy to stomach, irrelevant of the romantic confection between the two leads. But this is director Luca Guadagnino's game. Bother, provoke, dare to swim in a pool of vomit spiked with blood (literally and figuratively). 

       I am not saying that Luca's work per se is awful, although I didn't like the last that I saw (“After the Hunt”). It is more a matter of the individual viewer's taste, mood, or (in some cases) “culture war” angst. Mr Guadagnino is pretty much aligned with Yorgos Lanthimos or Ari Aster, if you know what I mean. 

       Anyhow, “Body…” showcases the coolness swagger of a typical fine Timothee Chalamet performance. Yet the center of this movie is the relatively unknown Taylor Russell as Maren. Add that always-remarkable Mark Rylance, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloe Sevigny are here, too. 🎥💻📽


“Hereditary” (2018, Plex) supernatural psychological horror drama film written and directed by Ari Aster, about a grieving family tormented by sinister occurrences after the death of their secretive grandmother. Stars Toni Collette, Ann Dowd, and Gabriel Byrne. 



       This is Mr Aster's directorial debut, which made him indie biggie A24's topnotch filmmaker. With a production budget of $10 million, “Hereditary” hit a worldwide gross of $82.8 million. 

       The template is classic horror but Ari's crafty mix of cold-stare shock and snappy editing stays in you like a bad dream from hell. Only, that kind of hell is not stereotypical-hot but icy. Just weird.

       Thumbs up to the performance of Toni Collette as distraught mom Annie Graham, and Alex Wolff as his son, Peter. 🎥💻📽


“The Witch” (2015, HBO Max) folk horror. Set in 1630s New England, the narrative follows a Puritan family who are preyed upon by an evil force in the woods beyond their farm. This is Anya Taylor-Joy’s feature film debut. But that’s now why I clicked-watched this movie. The reason: Writer/director Robert Eggers.



       I was impressed with Mr Eggers’ “The Northman” (2022) and “Nosferatu” (2024). His films, set prior to the 20th century, blend elements of horror, folklore, and mythology and are noted for their historical authenticity. “The Witch,” his directorial debut follows the same track: The dialogue is early modern English. And BTW this is an A24-released gem so you indie followers know what’s up. 

       Visually mesmerizing, the horror here builds up like a spark set free in the bush. Although the story may seem “usual,” I am again enthralled by the director’s mastery in tone and texture. And I am not simply rambling here. This movie grossed $40 million against a $4 million budget. Critics praised it as “one of the best horror films of the 2010s and the 21st century.” 🎥💻📽


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