It was something with a tiny budget; it was 2019's Sator, and what a backstory it has:
Oh, these pretentious horror movies...
I had the “wise” idea to not only see a horror movie last night so it could be discussed on Friday the 13th, but I picked one out I only know of because it's on Shudder and someone on another platform whom I don't even know personally recommended it in a review. I should have looked further into the film and realized it belonged in a category I am not a fan of. Far scarier for some reading this than anything in the movie will be some film opinions that many will strongly disagree with, if not find downright blasphemous.
This follows a few characters who live in the middle of the woods (the rural areas of California they filmed in were quite lovely, at least) and are clearly traumatized, because... well, the movie unfortunately is never that forthcoming with information and that is one of its many issues. Two of them are brothers and their grandmother-played by the director's actual granny-believes in the legend of an entity, the eponymous Sator. It's a general sort of evil spirit, in essence.
I hate to rip on a director who also did most of the work behind the scenes; it took years to make and was a passion project for him. Be that as it may, this had nothing aside from atmosphere and some striking images. The story was a whole lot of nothing (along with some preposterous moments) and by the end when hardly anything ever happened I did not feel this was a rewarding journey in any way. In terms of the acting, think Robert Bresson or Yorgos Lanthimos, which is NOT meant as a compliment. Some directors I never need to see a movie from just from reputation. A bunch of people acting monotone and flat, no thank you and why would I be interested in such a haughty and arrogant mindset from a (possibly) insufferable director? If I wanted to offend many mutuals I'd ask why DO many people-and not just on Letterboxd-find that appealing to begin with?
Plenty of times before I've complained about “heightened horror” and other similar work that typically doesn't do much for me and that isn't even including the reviews themselves for the likes of The Babadook, It Follows or Hereditary. Thankfully, the **really** putrid stuff like that Suspiria remake is usually avoided by me. Many of those movies are quite overrated and the main one I actually do think is great is The Witch; if only my opinion was the same on The Lighthouse... for various genres but especially horror, this is why I try but am not always successful at avoiding pictures I probably think are twaddle & full of disdain, as why waste time and be irritated at the same time? To list a musical example, thank goodness I found out about an LOL and baffling decision that came concerning a key element in Annette beforehand... But anywho, it's a shame I did not like this a lot more, as the general idea could have resulted in a fun ride.
Then again, imagine my shock when I looked online after the film and discovered some facts I am surprised I've not seen in any reviews. The performance from the director's mawmaw managed to seem real, because... it was. Not only did she have dementia-she passed away before this motion picture came out-and spend time in a psych ward, but she actually believed she communicated w/ some entity named Sator since 1968! My eyebrows were raised at this revelation. How haven't I seen anyone note how it PERHAPS may be in questionable taste to have your own grandparent who has long-term mental health struggles and maybe even full-blown Alzheimer's present her actual beliefs to everyone on camera? I would have been more OK with making a more traditional story from that idea (and one that wasn't S-L-O-W) with a bigger budget where someone who may not be in full control of their faculties is in a movie.
Of course, YMMV on that aspect or if you found this more rewarding than I did. After all, many people appear to love a motion picture that includes Rooney Mara eating a vegan chocolate pie for like 10 minutes straight or whatever that scene is... God bless all the motion picture fans who dig such things—it is really not for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment