When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural for... Read allWhen a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
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A creative new take on an ouija board with so much more to say !
I loved the concept of the hand it was so new and original , yet the movie still holds that idea of what can happen when u don't close "the door" .
I would highly recommend this movie to friends to see , it's majorly creepy but still entertaining and a gripping story . Everyone gives a pretty good performance but Sophie Wilde is really impressive in her role , it's role that would've required for you to have a lot of confidence and talent all of which she portrays on screen with such bold brilliance.
I believe she will be cast in a lot of movies in the future.
I also want to give credit to the directors.
Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou .
This was brilliant please make more movies !
I loved the concept of the hand it was so new and original , yet the movie still holds that idea of what can happen when u don't close "the door" .
I would highly recommend this movie to friends to see , it's majorly creepy but still entertaining and a gripping story . Everyone gives a pretty good performance but Sophie Wilde is really impressive in her role , it's role that would've required for you to have a lot of confidence and talent all of which she portrays on screen with such bold brilliance.
I believe she will be cast in a lot of movies in the future.
I also want to give credit to the directors.
Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou .
This was brilliant please make more movies !
Danny and Michael Philippou have truly made something special here and hope it gets the attention it deserves. Known by their YouTube channel "RackaRacka" They were able to pull off a great low budget horror film on the budget of $4.5 million Australian dollars that feels at least 20 million.
The cinematography and direction were all incredible with some expertly crafted scenes and a very dark and foreboding story that does have some originality to it despite being another supernatural, hell-demon, "other side" story. The scenes with the hand were legitimately scary and tense with a very unpredictable nature to it, the rest of the story was surprisingly unpredictable and unconventional, that also captures the modern Australian generation very well.
The acting in this movie was off the charts and really delivered every emotion these characters were feeling at any given time and their reaction to exactly what was happening, internally and externally. The movie does depict Australian Gen Zérs pretty well, me being one of them. They did use it to their advantage in this movie, with RackaRacka being Gen Z as well, they were able to nail their modern Australian characters to perfection.
The movie really did have an impactful effect on me, with me starting to feel a little ill by the end of the movie and me processing what all had just happened that I won't spoil in this review. Overall, the tone didn't just feel like shallow horror, but a legitimate one that actually has a foothold in Australian society that did feel somewhat believable in certain areas. The tension was soaring and ever present, the music was great too, there weren't many jump scares in this but the scary scenes themselves were clever and hard hitting.
The movie didn't just fly by either, it did feel like it did run a bit longer than just 90 minutes and I did appreciate how it held my attention the way it did. I did feel genuine dread from it, that I haven't felt from a horror movie like this in a VERY long time. If not ever. The only problem I had with it is that I wished the story was a bit more revelatory and not so secretive in a lot of areas.
Go see it if you're a fan of Horror and Modern Australian Cinema. I hope this brings nothing but success for The Philippou Brothers and the film has already gotten recognition by several popular horror directors including Jordan Peele.
The cinematography and direction were all incredible with some expertly crafted scenes and a very dark and foreboding story that does have some originality to it despite being another supernatural, hell-demon, "other side" story. The scenes with the hand were legitimately scary and tense with a very unpredictable nature to it, the rest of the story was surprisingly unpredictable and unconventional, that also captures the modern Australian generation very well.
The acting in this movie was off the charts and really delivered every emotion these characters were feeling at any given time and their reaction to exactly what was happening, internally and externally. The movie does depict Australian Gen Zérs pretty well, me being one of them. They did use it to their advantage in this movie, with RackaRacka being Gen Z as well, they were able to nail their modern Australian characters to perfection.
The movie really did have an impactful effect on me, with me starting to feel a little ill by the end of the movie and me processing what all had just happened that I won't spoil in this review. Overall, the tone didn't just feel like shallow horror, but a legitimate one that actually has a foothold in Australian society that did feel somewhat believable in certain areas. The tension was soaring and ever present, the music was great too, there weren't many jump scares in this but the scary scenes themselves were clever and hard hitting.
The movie didn't just fly by either, it did feel like it did run a bit longer than just 90 minutes and I did appreciate how it held my attention the way it did. I did feel genuine dread from it, that I haven't felt from a horror movie like this in a VERY long time. If not ever. The only problem I had with it is that I wished the story was a bit more revelatory and not so secretive in a lot of areas.
Go see it if you're a fan of Horror and Modern Australian Cinema. I hope this brings nothing but success for The Philippou Brothers and the film has already gotten recognition by several popular horror directors including Jordan Peele.
What drew my interest in this film was the high IMDb reviews, especially for the horror genre which is the most scrutinized. The plot is pretty basic.... evil and supernatural forces begin to manifest by touching an embalmed hand. I love horror films but I've always treated them like an amusement park ride. They don't need a sophisticated plot but certainly a good screenplay, creepy atmosphere, pacing, uncomfortable tension, and just plain scary. I'll get straight to the pros and cons:
Pros:
1. Good cinematography and quality of acting.
2. Because of the lower budget, the film wasn't flooded with CGI. Some of the scenes were pretty creepy. One scene had a dark atmosphere about it that reminded me of a scene from Hereditary.
Cons:
1. Way too much filler. I understand and appreciate setting things up for character attachment/development but the first 25-30 min was a snooze fest.
2. Screenplay was too disjointed and had a pacing problem. The scenes involving the hand were good but all the in-between segments with the characters were uninteresting for the most part. At times I was wondering with a particular character if this was horror or a drama.
3. Weak final act. When it's all said and done this movie is about a few entertaining and even scary scenes and a lot of messy writing all over the place. Are they trying too hard? Should they have focused on a different angle if the goal was to make this story deeper? You be the judge. Honestly I think this would have made a really good 12-13 minute short film.
Is this movie on the level of 2018's Hereditary? Heck no. Is it worth watching? Honesty yes. With great horror movies few and far between, you can get a few thrills out of it and appreciate the potential that could have been. Decent but could have been so much more...
Pros:
1. Good cinematography and quality of acting.
2. Because of the lower budget, the film wasn't flooded with CGI. Some of the scenes were pretty creepy. One scene had a dark atmosphere about it that reminded me of a scene from Hereditary.
Cons:
1. Way too much filler. I understand and appreciate setting things up for character attachment/development but the first 25-30 min was a snooze fest.
2. Screenplay was too disjointed and had a pacing problem. The scenes involving the hand were good but all the in-between segments with the characters were uninteresting for the most part. At times I was wondering with a particular character if this was horror or a drama.
3. Weak final act. When it's all said and done this movie is about a few entertaining and even scary scenes and a lot of messy writing all over the place. Are they trying too hard? Should they have focused on a different angle if the goal was to make this story deeper? You be the judge. Honestly I think this would have made a really good 12-13 minute short film.
Is this movie on the level of 2018's Hereditary? Heck no. Is it worth watching? Honesty yes. With great horror movies few and far between, you can get a few thrills out of it and appreciate the potential that could have been. Decent but could have been so much more...
Talk to Me is a stone cold classic of the horror genre. It feels fresh, thrilling, absorbing, and has a brilliant concept at its core.
The story follows a group of friends who play around with the occult, contacting the spirit world through a mysterious ceramic hand. As you might expect, things go off the rails quickly and insidious activity ensues.
The way the story is set up is superb, giving a fresh spin on a somewhat tired horror trope and bringing it into the 21st century with style.
It contains a strong collection of characters with great performances behind them all and solid writing that doesn't feel cliche or tired.
Stylistically I think the film is superb, with the direction on point. There are some neat creative flourishes and a brilliant use of sound, both of which really contribute to the overall atmosphere, which is one of constant suspense and unease.
I don't think the film is particularly scary, relying more on body horror and disturbing imagery, but it is very unnerving and tense nonetheless.
The only reason I'm not scoring this higher is that I think some of the concepts could have been taken a little further, and some of the horror dialled up a notch, but these are minor criticisms really.
Talk to Me is one of the most refreshing and engaging horror films I've seen in a while, and will be sure to be a treat for any horror fans out there.
The story follows a group of friends who play around with the occult, contacting the spirit world through a mysterious ceramic hand. As you might expect, things go off the rails quickly and insidious activity ensues.
The way the story is set up is superb, giving a fresh spin on a somewhat tired horror trope and bringing it into the 21st century with style.
It contains a strong collection of characters with great performances behind them all and solid writing that doesn't feel cliche or tired.
Stylistically I think the film is superb, with the direction on point. There are some neat creative flourishes and a brilliant use of sound, both of which really contribute to the overall atmosphere, which is one of constant suspense and unease.
I don't think the film is particularly scary, relying more on body horror and disturbing imagery, but it is very unnerving and tense nonetheless.
The only reason I'm not scoring this higher is that I think some of the concepts could have been taken a little further, and some of the horror dialled up a notch, but these are minor criticisms really.
Talk to Me is one of the most refreshing and engaging horror films I've seen in a while, and will be sure to be a treat for any horror fans out there.
A group of youngsters discover that by taking part in a small ritual involving an embalmed, ceramic hand, that they're able to contact spirits from the other side.
One of the better horror films I've seen for some time, when I compare to the other horrors I've seen in 2023, this rates as the best so far.
Talk to me has a degree of originality, it's loaded with jump scares, and has some genuinely memorable moments. The writing was rather good, everything pieced together nicely, including that pretty shocking opening sequence.
Quite graphic at times, it wasn't afraid to show a bit of gore, eyeball, that's all I'm saying, I had to look away. I loved that deliciously dark closing scene, it was such a strong, cohesive end to the film, it really worked.
There were a couple of clichés, and there were a couple of moments where you're left scratching your head, puzzling whether people would actually do the things that happened here, but those are minor faults, the only major gripe I had, was the rebirth of The Crazy Frog music (I thought our ears had been spared that years ago.)
They trailered Cobweb and Nun 2, will either of them surpass this one? Will have to wait and see.
A big thumbs up.
8/10.
One of the better horror films I've seen for some time, when I compare to the other horrors I've seen in 2023, this rates as the best so far.
Talk to me has a degree of originality, it's loaded with jump scares, and has some genuinely memorable moments. The writing was rather good, everything pieced together nicely, including that pretty shocking opening sequence.
Quite graphic at times, it wasn't afraid to show a bit of gore, eyeball, that's all I'm saying, I had to look away. I loved that deliciously dark closing scene, it was such a strong, cohesive end to the film, it really worked.
There were a couple of clichés, and there were a couple of moments where you're left scratching your head, puzzling whether people would actually do the things that happened here, but those are minor faults, the only major gripe I had, was the rebirth of The Crazy Frog music (I thought our ears had been spared that years ago.)
They trailered Cobweb and Nun 2, will either of them surpass this one? Will have to wait and see.
A big thumbs up.
8/10.
Did you know
- TriviaSix hands were made for the movie should any of them happen to get damaged or broken. Director Danny Philippou kept one of the hands.
- GoofsWhen the main character becomes possessed for the first time, at a party (20:41). The microphone of the film crew is visible in the lower right corner.
- Crazy credits"All filming with live animals was monitored by professional handlers, and animal action was created with special and visual affects. No real kangaroos were harmed and no real dogs were kissed."
- SoundtracksDucks in a Row
Written by Lucian Blomkamp & Jerry Ijale Agbinya (as Jerry Agbinya)
Performed by Lucian Blomkamp (as Lucianblomkamp) & Jerry Ijale Agbinya (as IJALE)
Published by Sony Music Publishing (Australia) Pty Ltd
Licensed courtesy of Good Manners Records/Sony Music Publishing (Australia) Pty Ltd
The 'Talk to Me' Directors Fight for 3 Minutes
The 'Talk to Me' Directors Fight for 3 Minutes
Twin brothers Michael Philippou and Danny Philippou discuss how they made the leap from YouTube to creating their first feature film, whether they believe in the supernatural, and more.
- How long is Talk to Me?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Talk to Me
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $4,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $48,299,436
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,431,720
- Jul 30, 2023
- Gross worldwide
- $91,959,188
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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