Maria e João: O Conto das Bruxas

The only thing (apart from the title), I knew going into this, was that this was supposed to be trash. Now I like me some trash movies from time to time, so I was prepared for that. Turns out that's not the case at all. Actually this is more of an art excercise than anything else. Anything else also including the Hansel & Gretel stories we know - which the title switch of the names might be the first indicator of.

That's not all that is different - certain aspects seem to be as you may have seen them in other movies, but the majority of the movie dares to be different. In a lot of ways - character wise, story wise, setting wise, incidents wise ... Now that should answer the question some might have had, about the necessity of the movie: are there not enough of these already? Well apparently you can spin this another way - and it works.

Now having said that, it is surely not without flaws, yet the fact it goes places you probably don't expect it to go, handles horror in a way I personally prefer to the in your face jump scares (it is about mood and setting it) and how it is shot (visually) is quite exceptional! You have to be in the mood for this type of film and some may have issues with the pacing - but you can't please everyone anyway!

...because the only important thing is the atmosphere in every adaptation of a classic fairy tale. The story is familiar and it is almost impossible for director to give to the viewer his expected story version. And the film gives a honest perspective about a world who lives, from decades in ourselves, serves, in beautiful manner, difficult themes, propose the fair supports for reflection . I do not expecting a horror, a fantasy, a moral lesson. Only a new side of a fairy tale Not original but decent. And Gretel and Hansel is a good one.Because, in simple and precise way, gives the tools for understand yours stories. Because, more than a fairy tale, it becomes, scene by scene, a parable. Because the special effects is well used , the tension is delicate buided, the end is the fair one. And the performances are real good. A film of brotherhood , life purpose and black fingers.

There are many scenes in this movie that are very good, there are many images that are very creepy, and the overall story is one that feels somewhat unique even though it's based on a story that could date back to the 1300s, during the time of the Great Famine in Germany, and has been retold thousands of times, and recently too (remember "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters"?). This movie looks gorgeous- from production design to cinematography, everything is beautiful. It's shot in a smaller aspect ratio than normal (1.55:1), giving the film a squarer look. The way that Holda's home is designed, to look incredibly triangular, works amazing when shot in this aspect ratio, because it gives everything a more perfectly aligned look. There are honestly very few shots in this whole film that don't look gorgeously grim. The way that some of the dream sequences are shot are awesome too, and the hidden chamber behind the wall, where most of those dream sequences take place, is probably the most chilling use of minimalism I've seen in a PG-13 mainstream horror flick. It's there in that room that some of the gorier images arise, and also where a fair amount of the chilling sequences come from. If you like slower, more atmospheric horror films then this movie is a good way to kill an hour-and-twenty-five minutes, but if you're looking for a fast-paced, jump-scare-filled PG-13 horror flick aimed at teenage couples who want to squeal with delighted terror every time a loud bang is made, then look somewhere else; this movie isn't that at all. As a whole, I thought this movie was incredibly watchable, but it also had plenty of small flaws throughout.

This movie was beautiful, dark, and suspenseful. the cinematography is just... amazing. this movie isn't your ordinary the conjuring or IT type of movie, its a movie that will let you leaving the theatre with a lot of questions. if you love movies like the witch, midsommar, or hereditary, gretel and hansel will definitely grab your attention.

The lighting, ambience, color and soundtrack are spot on to being a dark fantasy. All the things are there for this to be a good movie. It's deeply creepy. It's delightfully pagan and devilishly witchy! I didn't know the rating of this when I watched it for the first time. I honestly thought this film was Rated R from just how unsettling, dreary and nightmarish some of the visuals were. There's no way in hell I'd go into a house that looked like that, resembling a witches pointy hat. NOPE! This movie will rattle your bones if you're an adult but I think the kids will think its just a traditional fable movie to watch on Halloween in the future!