Reunion

Cinematically, it's a beautiful film. I felt like I was there in the room with them. And I'm a true Julia Ormand fan from day 1. The house was everything here - another review hit it on the head - the house IS a character. The film itself felt a bit disjointed at best. I wish we could have delved deeper into what the father and mother did in that "office" as well as the hidden laboratory space. Excellent acting all around. Not sure it's something I'd want to watch again, and yes it was a slow burn to a bit of a mashup ending. Over all I'm glad we saw it vs not seeing it. New Zealand is absolutely a favorite of mine for it's dynamic filmmaking!!!

This is actually not as bad as the rating. It felt a little cheaply made as if they lacked budget, but overall the story was pretty alright. It's not really a horror movie, more like a mystery-drama about a strange family. The house was really eerie and I enjoyed the atmosphere it gave the movie. The ending was a little rushed but the small twist wasn't bad. I feel like it just needed to run maybe 10 or 15 more minutes to properly flesh it out. Overall it's a decent, slow movie but with a great atmosphere and creepy setting, and a decent intrigue. The main actress was pretty good. Definitely not a bad movie, I liked it, just don't go in expecting something scary.

The film has a little too much mind bend for me to stick closely to the plot. Then it was all a bit to murky plotting for me to watch it closely enough as I didn't care as everyone was miserable. Then the story unfolded more clearly, leaving me somehow more confused. So didn't care.

If you like your horror with lots of blood, splatter. and quick cut frights, this film is not for you. This is a real slow burner. Within the first ten minutes you know there's something burning underneath. Clues are added in flash backs. Sometimes in conversations between the two protagonists. There it is, simmering away. You really want to find out. Annoyed because you want it to move on more quickly. In a nice way. It's a very well acted film. There are only three characters that are worthy of mention, Ellie, (Emma Draper/Gina Laverty), Ivy (Julia Ormond0 and Cara (Ava Keane). The two senior actors put in fine performances. Their shattered mother, daughter, relationship is built through out the film. Terminating in a final scene that sums up their relationship. The two young actors play their role more than competently and are worth keeping an eye open for in the future. The supporting actors are just that. They carry their small parts with aplomb but because of the shortness of the roles they don't have time to shine. The film is set in a mansion that appears to be in the countryside of New Zealand. There's plenty of light for the outdoor scenes. The indoor scenes are all dark. Not so dark that you don't know what's happening. Dark to make the place oppressive. It's nicely shot and manages to keep the gloom, conspiracy and feel of threat. This has made my list to watch again. If you want to spend 95 minutes working your brain and have pieces of horror thrown in. This is the film for you.

Clearly the goal here was to get someone to call it "arthouse" (a term I despise because it implies not all movies are art) and like so many before it, takes some ideas that sound fine on paper but collapses under the weight of its own ambition.

Major Persona and Eraserhead vibes: the former in the way that the visualization was pretentiously permitted to eclipse the subject in a way that was comedic (the screen warps likes its a well used VHS). The latter in how the line between dreams and reality are (admittedly quite admirably) blurred along a theme of maternity.

This theme is fact is really used to beat you over the head, I thought the intermittent slides and lectures ultimately added nothing and where just the writers' lazy way to try and push their own obsessions onto a story that really wasn't made to convey them.

There is a smart story here somewhere. While the main focus is on a family visit that totally reminds us why we don't go home for Christmas anymore, flashbacks gradually piece together a much more intriguing story of sororal jealousy and parental manipulation.

Often melodramatic and sometimes even soapy, I want to give credit to an audacious attempt to not just be another paint by number family drama or teen scream. It tries to sort of have elements of both but even the passion clearly put into this work was not enough.

Fascinating in its own way just as much for what doesn't work for what does, I suspect if you saw it with someone you could talk about it for a while.