HERETIC : Tuesday 3rd December 2024

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'HERETIC' this week, and this American psychological horror film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods who jointly created the story for and Co-Wrote the post-apocalyptic horror film 'A Quiet Place' in 2018, and Wrote and Directed the 2015 supernatural thriller 'Nightlight', the 2019 slasher film 'Haunt', and the 2023 science fiction action thriller '65'. This film saw its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September, was released in the US earlier this month, has received positive reviews from critics and has grossed US$38M so far, from a production budget of less that US$10M.

Here then, two young missionaries Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) from the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, are on a mission to recruit new members into their church. Somewhere in small town America the two very properly dressed young women go about the business riding their bikes from house to house and knocking on doors. Eventually as the day draws to a close and the weather starts to close in with the heavens opening to thundering rain, they arrive at the home of a reclusive man, Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant). 

He invites them in, assuring them that his wife is preparing a blueberry pie in the kitchen out the back. After breaking the ice and engaging in some small talk, they begin to discuss religion, with Reed making several uncomfortable comments about their Mormon faith and the nature of belief. When Reed steps out of the room, Barnes realises that the smell of blueberry pie is from a candle. The women decide it is time to leave, but Reed has taken their coats and in the pocket of one of the coats is the key to the bicycle lock that they chained their bikes to up at the front gate of the house. The front door is locked, and they also have no phone signal, because of the metal cladding in the roof and the walls of the house which Reed alluded to when they first arrived.

They reluctantly follow Reed to his study, and plead with him to allow them to leave. He gives them a threatening lecture arguing that all religions are adaptations of one another, variations on a theme and claims to have found the one true religion, having studied multiple religions over the last ten years and taught theology at university. He gives the girls a choice of two doors to go through to exit through the back of the house - one if they still believe in God, and one if they disbelief. Barnes rebels, dismissing several of his claims. They enter the 'Belief' door, but discover both doors lead down to the same dungeon.

After fruitlessly searching for a way out, a decrepit woman appears covered in sack cloth carrying a blueberry pie. She begins eating it and within minutes is dead. Reed states that the pie was poisoned and further claims that she is a prophet of God and the pair will witness her resurrection. Church elder Kennedy (Topher Grace) arrives looking for the girls but leaves without hearing their screams for help. The prophet resurrects and briefly describes the afterlife. Barnes rejects the prophet's description, noting its similarity to common hallucinations from near-death experiences. When Barnes gives Paxton a signal to attack Reed with a letter opener she has stashed away while in his study, he slashes the throat of Barnes and claims that she will also resurrect. 

After Barnes bleeds out, Reed removes a two inch long metal pin from inside her arm, claiming it is a microchip that proves that Barnes was not real and the world is a simulation. Paxton recognises the object as a contraceptive implant, and realises that everything was planned by Reed - while the girls were distracted by the elder's arrival, a second woman hid the prophet's corpse, took her place and delivered the afterlife description as scripted by Reed, adding an unplanned comment - 'It's not real'. Reed's killing of Barnes and attempt to convince Paxton of a simulated reality was a ruse to cover the plan going adrift. Paxton discovers an underground ladder in which the Prophet's corpse was hidden and climbs down, with Reed promising it will reveal to her the 'one true religion'.

After pulling aside the bolts of various doors, eventually Paxton enters a chamber full of emaciated women in cages, locked with the bike lock she used before entering Reed's house. She realises Reed's conclusion - that the desire to control others is the root of all religions. Paxton stabs Reed in the throat with the letter opener, but Reed stabs her with a box cutter in the stomach as she tries to escape. Paxton runs through the house searching for a way out, and eventually finds herself back down in the basement, followed by Reed. As they bleed in the basement, Paxton prays, telling Reed that it is done to show kindness to others rather than to produce material results, as numerous tests have revealed. Reed prepares to finish her off, but Barnes, who was still alive, kills him with a plank of wood with three protruding nails to the temple before finally succumbing to her wounds in Paxton's arms. Paxton climbs out of a window and a butterfly lands on her hand having previously expressed a desire to be reincarnated as a butterfly that appears on the hands of her loved ones. It vanishes, leaving Paxton alone in the snowy bushland.

With 'Heretic' it's refreshing to see Hugh Grant playing against type in his first true horror film outing, and he is more than ably supported by Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher who also add weight to the collective performances. Grant chews up the screen with his sharp, at times witty and always on point dialogue that will have you guessing up to the end and pondering on religious matters long after the credits have rolled. Joint Directors Beck and Woods have crafted a lean, effective, original and surprising horror film that relies more on psychological thrills than traditional jump scares, and on that level the film succeeds in being right up there as one of the best horror entries of 2024.

'Heretic' warrants four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 28th November 2024

The 21st annual Marrakech International Film Festival takes place this year from Friday 29th November through until Saturday 7th December, in the city of Marrakech, the fourth largest city in Morocco, Africa. Founded in 2001, the Festival today is a place of expression and discovery that takes up the challenges of diversity, exchange and enrichment. It is also an opportunity for Morocco to welcome and pay tribute to great personalities of the world of film. The event attracts a large audience, both national and international, and benefits from a strong reputation and its prestigious image. The Festival is distinguished not only by the quality of its programming, but also by its editorial and artistic position, which provides a wide space for cinema, and it is further distinguished by its geographical location - Marrakech, whose history, values and international influence have long made it a destination city . . . so reads the official website.

The official selection features an international competition of first and second features dedicated to the discovery of filmmakers from around the world, as well as a wide selection of films of different genres from nations worldwide. The Festival’s several sections include Galas, Special Screenings, the 11th Continent—a section dedicated to bold and innovative films—a Panorama of Moroccan Cinema, Cinema for Young Audiences, and open-air screenings.

This years Jury presiding over the competitive strands include Luca Guadagnino as Jury President, Patricia Arquette, Virginie Efira, Jacob Elordi and Andrew Garfield. Those films in Official Competition, vying for the five awards which are The Festival Grand Prize where an award of US$50K is shared between the Director and the Producer; the Best Directing Prize; the Jury Prize; Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor, are :-

* 'Across the Sea' - from France, Morocco and Belgium and Directed by Said Hamich Benlarbi.

* 'Bound in Heaven' - from China and Directed by Huo Xin.

* 'The Cottage' - from Argentina, Brazil, Spain and Chile and Directed by Silvina Schnicer.

* 'Happy Holidays' - from Palestine, Germany, France, Italy and Qatar and Directed by Scandar Copti.

* 'Happyend' - from Japan and the USA and Directed by Neo Sora.

* 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' - from France and Directed by Laura Piani.

* 'Ma-Cry of Silence' - from Myanmar, Singapore, France, Norway, South Korea and Qatar, and Directed by The Maw Naing.

* 'One of Those Days When Hemme Dies' - from Turkiye and Directed by Murat Firatoglu.

* 'Perfumed with Mint' - from Egypt, Qatar, Tunisia and France and Directed by Muhammed Hamdy.

* 'Silent Storms' - from France and Belgium and Directed by Dania Reymond-Boughenou.

* 'Sudan, Remember Us' - from France, Tunisia and Qatar and Directed by Hind Meddeb.

* 'Under the Volcano' - from Poland and Directed by Damian Kocur.

* 'The Village Next to Paradise' - from Austria, France, Germany and Somalia and Directed by Mo Harawe.

* 'The Wolves Always Come at Night' - from Australia, Mongolia and Germany and Directed by Gabrielle Brady.

For the full synopsis of these films in official competition as shown above, together with a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://marrakech-festival.com/en/home/

This week we have six new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to home, launching with a psychological horror offering that sees two young religious women drawn into a game of cat-and-mouse in the house of a strange English man. Following on we have a sequel to a 2016 animated film that sees this curious girl of a Village Chief journey to the far seas of Oceania after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors. Next up is a RomCom horror offering that sees a soft-spoken Actress finding her voice again when she meets a terrifying but weirdly charming monster that lives in her closet. Then we turn to a French historical drama set in 1870 about a young woman born with her face and body covered in hair, which she shaves daily to stay safe and to fit in, until she marries an indebted bar owner. This is followed by a drama film that sees a family of refugees from Syria, an English teacher from Afghanistan and a border guard all meet on the Polish-Belarusian border during the most recent humanitarian crisis in Belarus; before closing out the week with an Aussie coming of age doco shot over seven years that charts the ups and downs of three skateboarders who go from childhood to adulthood as they pursue their Olympic dreams. 

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'HERETIC' (Rated MA15+) - is an American psychological horror film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods who jointly created the story for and Co-Wrote the post-apocalyptic horror film 'A Quiet Place' in 2018, and Wrote and Directed the 2015 supernatural thriller 'Nightlight', the 2019 slasher film 'Haunt', and the 2023 science fiction action thriller '65'. This film saw its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September, was released in the US earlier this month, has received positive reviews from critics and has grossed US$30M so far, from a production budget of less that US$10M.

Here then, two young missionaries Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) from the Church of the Latter-day Saints, become ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they knock on the door of the diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant). Trapped in his home, they must turn to their faith if they want to make it out alive.

'MOANA 2' (Rated PG) - this American animated musical adventure film is Produced by Walt Disney Studios and is the sequel to 2016 'Moana', which grossed US$687M worldwide off the back of a production budget of about US$160M, making this follow-up a no-brainer, and it won twenty-two awards and picked up a further ninety nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. This film is Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller in their feature Directorial debuts. Set three years after the events of the first film, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) receives an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors and forms her own crew, reuniting with her friend, the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson). As they journey to the far seas of Oceania to break the god Nalo's curse on the hidden island of Motufetu, which once connected the people of the ocean, they confront old and new foes, including the Kakamora and underworld goddess Matangi (Awhimai Fraser). Also starring the voice talents of Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House and Alan Tudyk, the film is released Stateside this week too.

'YOUR MONSTER' (Rated M) - is an American romantic comedy horror film that is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Caroline Lindy and is based on her own short film from 2019. The film tells the story of the soft-spoken Actress Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend Jacob Sullivan (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking less than rosy, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers that Sullivan is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Tommy Dewey) with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams, open her heart and fall in love with her inner rage. The film was released in the US on 25th October, has so far grossed US$724K and has garnered generally favourable reviews.

'ROSALIE' (Rated M) - this French and Belgian Co-Production is Co-Written and Directed by Stephanie Di Giusto in only her second feature film making outing following 2016's 'The Dancer'. Set in 1870's Brittany, France, Rosalie Deluc (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) is a young woman who hides a secret, she is a bearded lady. In an effort to not to be rejected, she forces herself to shave. Abel (Benoit Magimel), owner of a cafe and in debt, marries Rosalie for her dowry without knowing his fiancee's secret. The film saw its World Premiere at the May 2023 Cannes Film Festival, was released in France in mid-Aril this year, has so far grossed US$811K at the Box Office and has received generally positive reviews.

'GREEN BORDER' (Rated M) - is a Co-Production between Poland, France, the Czech Republic and Belgium, that is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Agnieszka Holland. In the treacherous and swampy forests that make up the so-called 'green border' between Belarus and Poland, refugees from the Middle East and Africa trying to reach the European Union are trapped in a geopolitical crisis cynically engineered by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. In an attempt to provoke Europe, refugees are lured to the border by propaganda promising easy passage to the EU. Finding themselves pawns in this hidden war, the lives of Julia (Maja Ostaszewska), a recently minted activist who has given up her comfortable life, Jan (Tomasz Włosok), a young border guard, and a Syrian family intertwine. The film competed for the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2023, where it won the Special Jury Prize amongst its total haul so far of twenty-four award wins and another twenty-six nominations, has so far grossed US$4.2M and has generated universal critical acclaim.

'QUEENS OF CONCRETE' (Rated CTC) - this Australian coming of age documentary film is Directed by Eliza Cox and was filmed over the course of seven years charting the trajectory of three young girls - Hayley (14), Ava (13) and Charlotte (9) who each had aspirations to join the Australian Olympic skateboarding team. Already nationally recognised as being among the best competitors in their age groups, they’re buoyed by the news that the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo will be the first ever to feature competitive skateboarding. Charting the trio’s highs and lows as they face the immense physical and emotional demands of daily training regimens, fraught relationships with coaches, and intensive preparations for high-stakes events. In the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, this documentary provides a gripping and at times devastating look into the challenges these girls must endure while navigating the complexities of growing up.

With six new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-