The Eyes of My Mother

The black and white and the Portuguese fado really set a great atmosphere in this movie. It sets the stage for a horrifying and disturbing story.

But until near the end of the movie nothing actually happens, except for some background story. The few dialogues are monosyllabic, scenes are cut just when they start to get interesting, and the entire movie is interspersed with long dragging static scenes and exaggerated time leaps. Character development here is practically zero.

When the real substance of the plot begins, the movie is 20 minutes from the end.

The choices made here are confusing. The entire movie is about 75 minutes long, and although they abuse static scenes (making it feel a lot longer, by the way), they couldn't spare 3 or 5 more minutes to make a decent ending. The ending is clear to the viewer, but as with all interesting scenes, it is cut short just before the climax.

It has been a while since a film has truly disturbed me. 'The Eyes of My Mother' is a minimalist film with a foreboding sense of isolation that I haven't felt in a long time. As a massive horror fan, few films can cause me to have a sick feeling in my stomach, but this was one of them. Unique, concise and unsettling. There is nothing extra in this film; no fluff, the 1 hour and 16 minute runtime is perfect to accomplish all that is needed.

The limited dialogue and black and white filter give it a surreal aspect, and the POV being from the protagonist solely is quite effective. It invoked feelings of sadness, terror, and disgust while viewing. Ultimately, it was a glimpse into the macabre that we don't get from garden variety Hollywood Horror.

For people who are expecting a slasher or bloody and gore film then this isn't one for you...

Probably one of the best films of this year and the cinematography in black and white is brilliant and just adds to the suspense of the film throughout.

Personally I loved that this film made me feel uncomfortable the entire time never knowing what was going to happen.

It makes you feel sympathetic to the main character but also for the rest of the cast as well in a messed up way!

I am not going to let anything away with this film but for commercial horror fans this isn't for you.

Think the anti Christ without sex but with a stunning female lead who work solo through out and make us fall in love yet hate and also feel Sorry for her all at the same time!

A must see

Spellbinding tale of an unwell, isolated young woman who has no idea that she's unwell. Just a mesmerizing performance by Kika Magalhães in the lead, and shot in exquisite black and white. It's a very dark, off-putting movie, and it's definitely not for everyone. Director Nicolas Pesce makes great use of the film's short running time (under 80 minutes) and relatively claustrophobic atmosphere. VERY well done.

Incredibly well-made. Created with a confidence and assurance of the material, I was shocked to learn that it was from a first time director and writer. Saying that, I don't think the film goes as far as it needs to. I do feel like its very short running time is felt. It's not always the easiest film to watch, it's quite disturbing in a frighteningly quiet way. It's beautifully filmed and directed, with a stunning lead performance at its core. I'll see how it fares with me over time but as of now I like it quite a bit. 2016 has been a great year for horror and this only continues that tradition. I definitely recommend this for horror fans that want intelligence in their films.