Hypnotic (2021)

A woman who begins psychotherapy discovers unexpected consequences.

'Hypnotic' is a psychological thriller with an interesting idea, but one that has been used before, not necessarily in better ways. The execution is not bad, but unfortunately the script fails to use the raw material in an effective, believable or memorable way.

Director:  Matt Angel, Suzanne Coote   

With: Kate Siegel, Jason O'Mara, Dulé Hill, Lucie Guest

Rating: 6/10

The Fall Of The House Of Usher (2023)

Roderick Usher talks to Auggie Dupin in his mother's house, telling him how he is guilty of the death of each of his children.

'The Fall Of The House Of Usher' is Mike Flanagan's latest (and last) miniseries adaptation in collaboration with Netflix. Based on the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, the series majestically combines several of his stories into a modern homage to the original Gothic style. Reimagined in a very original way, TFOTHOU will easily satisfy the need for the gothic in the life of the viewer and will turn the direction of their thoughts towards analysis and search for real "wealth". Visually it is grandiose, the deaths and their associated parallel stories are never rushed or treated superficially, and without ever forgetting the main narrative thread, the audience is treated satisfactorily with parallel development and an appropriate ending even when it is expected.

Director:  Michael Fimognari, Mike Flanagan   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Mike Flanagan     

Duration:  1 season of 8 episodes (~1 hour each)   

With: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Henry Thomas, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan, T'Nia Miller, Zach Gilford, Willa Fitzgerald, Michael Trucco, Katie Parker, Ruth Codd, Mark Hamill, Kate Siegel, Carl Lumbly

Rating: 8.6/10

Midnight Mass (2021)

A recovering alcoholic returns to his parents' house, on an isolated island, where the community is going through a lot of change with the arrival of a new charismatic priest.

'Midnight Mass' is a new miniseries made by Mike Flanagan, with no connection to 'The Haunting of Hill House' or 'The Haunting of Bly Manor'. It is again inspired by the supernatural, but it is merely a pretext to enrich a faithful and rich depiction of human nature when it's under the control of religious fanaticism and in a desperate need of new chances from life. Some stylistic but perfectly understandable choices (such as choosing young actors in older roles) will (probably) cause some accidental spoilers.

Director:  Mike Flanagan   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Mike Flanagan   

Duration:  1 miniseries of 7 episodes (7 hours and a half in total)   

With: Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Annabeth Gish, Henry Thomas, Hamish Linklater

Rating: 8/10

Hush (2016)

A deaf-mute writer living in isolation is attacked by a masked killer.

A horror film of the slasher/home invasion flavour that bears the signature of the man who gave us The Haunting Of Hill House and Gerald's Game. With well-constructed suspense and original ideas, its watching is not without frustrations related to certain choices the main character makes, imposed only for stylistic reasons rather than logical or viewer satisfaction. The film is a little disappointing because of the high expectations but overall a successful one that manages to be real without pushing the limits of plausibility.

Director:  Mike Flanagan    

With: John Gallagher Jr., Kate Siegel, Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan

Rating: 7/10

Gerald's Game (2017)

Un cuplu petrece un weekend la casa de vacanta, unde un joc intim ia o intorsatura neasteptata cand sotul are un atac de cord in timp ce sotia este legata de pat.

Un film oarecum horror, dar mai mult analiza psihologica, bazat pe un roman de Stephen King. Posibil mai eficient decat un film de groaza obisnuit datorita freneziei paranoice atat de palpabila, cauzate de sentimente umane atat de naturale intr-un context neobisnuit dar posibil ce forteaza personajul principal sa initieze o serie de etape introspective. Acestea au loc fie ca reactii naturale a statului in loc, fie sunt consecinte ale activitatii subconstientului animat de instinctul de supravietuire. Carla Gugino este minunata in rol.

Regia:  Mike Flanagan   

Cu: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Chiara Aurelia, Carel Struycken, Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel

Rating: 8/10

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