When I say Francis Ford Coppola, what do you think of? The most common answer is The Godfather movies. They are considered to be one of the, if not, the greatest movies ever created with its violence, dialogue and plot. He is synonymous with those films as well as other gems throughout his illustrious directing career. Roger Corman is also a legend in his own way. The man, according to IMDB, has produced almost 400 movies and directed over 50 films.
The man also gave us, to this date of writing, the only decent Fantastic Four movie ever created in Hollywood. The man is known for low budget exploitation and “indie” movies with low budgets and some questionable acting in some retrospect. However, when the man had a good script and a good cast, he was able to turn low budget schlock into some hidden gems that have appreciated and have gained cult status over time.
So, what do these greats have to do with each other? Well, Coppola worked with Corman on some films early in his career. With them finishing a movie, Corman had a small budget of $22,000 dollars left over and wanted Coppola to write and direct a movie with the remaining budget. Coppola complied and the movie is Dementia 13. Why is it called Dementia 13? I don’t know. However, this movie is quite fascinating. You have a small budget, a location from your previous movie in Ireland and a script written in only a couple of days. Does this movie have any lasting appeal that has long been forgotten or is this a film that is lost to the viewer for a reason? We’ll judge this movie based on story, acting and the violence factor involved in this film. Let’s sit back and delve into the psyche of a messed up family and review Dementia 13.
The story of Dementia 13 focuses on the Haloran family in their castle in Ireland. We learn that there are three brothers and two wives in the family. The mother has written her will and is leaving all of her inheritance and money to charity in name of Kathleen (who is the deceased sister of the brothers who tragically died years ago). The first woman we meet is Louisa, who is the wife of the eldest son. She is vindictive and very manipulative. When learning of a deceased sister, Louise gets an idea of tricking the mother into believing that Kathleen is channeling from the afterlife through her. The main goal? She wants all the money.
However, things become more complicated and when we introduce an ax wielding murderer to the scenario and a lifeless looking body in the fold, the family starts to unravel more secrets and our wonder who is the murderer. Without giving away spoilers and events to the review, this story is a little complicated just because of the dialogue and scene and character choices. I can understand that this script was written very quickly because some of the dialogue and false flags throughout the movie doesn’t really make any sense and when we see it on screen, it just leaves me scratching my head and making me rewind the movie thinking I might have missed a key element in the plot. Overall, if this movie had maybe a couple more weeks of flushing out the imperfections in the story and gave a better red herring in the story, I think the movie would have been treated better than it is currently perceived as.
The main characters in the movie are the mother, Billy (the youngest), Richard (the middle), Louisa (wife of the oldest), Kane (Richard’s fiance/wife), and the family doctor. The mother acts like a shrew. She is cold toward her sons’ wives and doesn’t want anything to do with them. She is very superstitious and goes through some dementia when it comes to the coping of her lost daughter. Richard is the main brother that gets most of the screen time. He gets these violent outbursts and tends to just want to be by himself when he gets stressed or frustrated with the family. Billy is the quiet one who keeps having flashbacks playing with his deceased sister. He doesn’t seem out of the ordinary and blends in with the background.
Louisa acts like a gold digger who is stubborn and wants inheritance money from the mother. She is cutthroat and is extremely manipulative and strategic. Kane is the sweet lady who loves her fiance and is trying to understand the families backstory and wants her fiance to leave the castle and its haunted backstory and legend. The family doctor is very straightforward, persistent and also very no-nonsense. When dealing with the legend of the fallen daughter, he immediately results to finding out who is behind the trickery of messing with the mother. Each character has their own flaw and their own motivation. However, we’re being introduced to each of them and we want to get to know who each of them are and it feels like it all fell short. I like each character is unique but with creating suspense in the movie and introducing an ax murderer, I wanted to know more about these characters and plant seeds for potentially being the killer and fleshing out the idea of inheritance and an endless supply of financial gains. Overall, the characters were easy to differentiate but I didn’t really get to a point where I actually cared whether one of them lived or died and if they were the killer. We needed a little more character depth and maybe less random acts of murder.
The violence in the movie, for the time period, is actually pretty decent. They show beheading with seeing the heads rolling down, drownings, some splatter from the ax murderer’s swings and debris from an old building collapsing on the mother. I like some of the angled the camera gets with some of the killing as well as some underwater scenes in the pond. The suspense is the main thing that kept my interest in the movie. The black and white contrast and the eerie music as well as dark shadows all play for the effect of something foul is afoot. Coppola does a great job with the suspense using his location and set to his advantage. If the suspense and the eerie feel fell short and didn’t keep me invested, I would’ve just stopped watching and try and find another movie to watch instead. With all the flaws of the movie, this is the shiny spot in the rough. For a movie made back in the 1960s, this movie effects and camera shots were done with precision and a good amount of effort. For that, it made the movie bearable to watch.
Overall, this movie could have been great or a classic if it just had more time. It needed some proofreading, some tweaks on the dialogue and more suspense with unraveling more of the backstory of the family and who could be the murderer. This movie feels incomplete and maybe like some scenes might have gone missing from the movie even if it’s just 15 minutes of script. The suspense elements were the bright spot and helped make the movie watchable. The dialogue was almost unrealistic, the characters needs more flushing out, and we need a more concise backstory and more information with inheritance. The movie is view-able but would go well with watching with a group of people with some riffing in the background.
Cobweb had limited theatrical release in July 2023 where it was immediately swallowed up by the cultural juggernaut that was the summer of ‘Barbenheimer’. Released onto Netflix in September 2024, presumably in preparation for spooky season. It is an interesting watch.
Cobweb weaves its creepy tale around Peter (Woody Norman) a reserved eight year old boy. Peter lives with his mum; Carol (Lizzy Caplan), and his dad; Mark (Antony Starr), in a decrepit house. Peter is kept awake by strange knockings on his bedroom wall during the night. Both his parents dismiss this as Peter’s overactive imagination yet Mark enlists Peter’s help to put down poison for suspected rats.
Peter is quiet at school with no friends which inevitably attracts bullies. We see that Peter’s problems fitting in at school could be attributed to the odd behaviour of his parents. Despite being set in the modern era their house lacks a TV or seemingly any technology bar a landline phone in the kitchen.
The knocking on Peter’s bedroom wall turns into a female child’s voice asking for help then claiming to be his sister whom his parents have locked away, her name is Sarah. The disembodied voice claims the parents are “evil”. The parents bizarre behaviour turns to abusive when they lock Peter in the basement for drawing the attention of his teacher to their home.
Peter’s sister in the wall eventually tricks Peter into poisoning his parents with the rat poison and setting her free. Sarah turns out to be an evil spider-like monstrous being. She gleefully rips through people with her elongated nails while taunting Peter. Peter is eventually rescued by his teacher Ms Devine (clearly from the Charles Dickens school of character naming) and Sarah is locked back into her cage in the basement. Sarah warns Peter that the night will haunt him forever and that they are “family”.
But is all as it seems with this twisted tale? The outlandish ending left many scratching their heads at what began as a pretty grounded movie. Fans and critics alike took to social media to share their theories and thoughts on this underrated horror.
I enjoyed the story. The acting was superb, particularly Norman who sold his role as an anxious child who slowly begins to understand his own strength and resilience. Special mention of course goes to Antony Starr. His wide smile and Patrick Bateman-esque eyes upped the creepy factor significantly. When Sarah crawled out of her prison behind the wall while talking to Peter in her death rattle, I had to mute the film because I was so creeped out!
Many viewers commented that the third act is vastly different from the rest of the movie. Was this simply a rushed production deadline or COVID related problems? Or was the film alluding to something different altogether? There are many fan theories scurrying around the interweb regarding the origin and meaning behind Peter’s, apparently, demonic sibling.
Here are a few of my favourites:
Sarah is Just a Figment
Throughout the narrative we are reminded that Peter has a big imagination. He’s also lonely, he has no friends at school and spends recess helping the teacher. It also becomes clear that Peter is being abused by his parents, their behaviour becoming increasingly more erratic. Seeing a young child being locked in a basement is far more terrifying to me than any ghost or ghoul. When he’s finally allowed out of the basement his mum brings him a tray of cupcakes to celebrate his freedom and bathes him. In typical abuser fashion Peter is made to apologise for his behaviour. Is it any wonder this little boy conjured himself an imaginary friend? Maybe even one with a familial bond? He would at least have one family member who doesn’t abuse him.
The majority of the story takes place at the family home. Its very noticeable that the outside of the house doesn’t exactly match the layout of the interior (and not just because one is a sound stage). Every shot is so beautiful that we have to believe this was deliberate. Despite the house being colonial in design, the inside is spacious with the use of wide shots. Everything feels so big, is this because we are seeing through a small child’s eyes? In this large, sometimes scary house maybe Peter’s damaged mind build up a fantasy around the sounds of actual rats scratching the walls. Imagining a sister he could run away with and start a new life.
This theory is supported by the almost nonchalant way Peter’s parents treat the whole situation. They have sealed their daughter in the walls of their house, did they not ever think she would maybe try to communicate with their son? Carol doesn’t even seem particularly alarmed when Peter starts talking about hearing sounds coming from inside the walls.
Maybe an abused little boy would fantasise about his magical imaginary sister tearing his bullies limb from limb. Not only that but his favourite teacher arrives in time to rescue him from the massacre.
Did Peter invent a fantastical scenario to escape his abusive parents?
Sarah is Peter’s Subconscious
This is related to the first theory. A Redditor pointed out that in the style of Jungian psychology there are many dream-like ‘hooks’ in the movie. A hook in a dream is something non-sensical to let the dreamer know they are dreaming. There are many of these in Cobweb. The family inexplicably have a beautiful pumpkin patch in their backyard. Very atmospheric but why? Are they selling these pumpkins? They don’t like Halloween. Some viewers think the soup the family ate (every night) was pumpkin soup but looked to me to be the wrong color. Not just the patch but there is a child’s swing hanging from a tree right in the middle. Why would you encourage a child to play in the middle of delicate fruit he could tread on? Or if we lean into the dream theory; the swing in the pumpkin patch could represent Peter’s life from his perspective. Trying to play and be a normal child but with one wrong move he could destroy everything and anger his parents.
Keeping with the narrative Sarah becomes Peter’s subconscious or shadow self, all the repressed thoughts and feelings that are not acknowledged in daylight. The walls of Peter’s bedroom are covered in pictures and drawings except the wall through which he talks to Sarah, which is completely bare.
Sarah encourages Peter to stand up for himself against his bullies and the next day he pushes one down the stairs injuring the bully. Sarah eventually convinces Peter to poison his parents, she warns him they want to kill him. Even Sarah’s appearance; starts off initially creepy with Sadako’s spiderlike movements, long matted hair filled with spiders, and long lethal nails. When we finally see her face the CGI is admittedly awful. The rest of the film has seemed so deliberate with every shot is the CGI deliberately phony looking? Sarah has a too-wide mouth with sharp teeth and shining eyes, basically how a child would draw a ‘scary face’. Sarah taunts Peter, Evil Dead style, from beneath the grate in the basement saying he is just like her. So are they one in the same? Peter seemingly rejects his shadow self, leaving her to rot in her cell. But is that enough after he killed his parents? Is cute little Peter a burgeoning psychopath and this is his origin story?
And They Were Demons!
This is a fun one. While Sarah is locked in her cell she pleads with Peter saying that “it is in our blood”. What exactly does that mean? Sarah is not a normal girl if the walking up walls didn’t give you a clue. How could these outwardly normal-looking parents have birthed such a monster? Unless they are monsters too. It would explain Mark’s sinister attributes. During Peter’s nightmare, his mother has shining white eyes just like his sister.
So is Peter some kind of demonic being? During the movie, Peter shows no outward supernatural abilities. Some have argued he shows super strength when pulling Sarah by her hair or it may just be plot convenience. However, eight-year-old Peter thinks to use the rat poison to poison his parent’s dinner. He even thinks about cutting the phone line so they can’t call 911. That’s extremely evil behaviour to put it mildly. Is this Peter’s demonic genes?
This theory also explains why Peter’s parents are so strict with him. Why did they overreact when Peter pushed the bully down the stairs? They knew what happened with Sarah, she almost got them found out.
Will Peter start to mutate like his sister? Ideas for a sequel maybe?
Even without these theories, Cobweb was a fun ride while it lasted. For an hour-and-a-half film, I personally fell into a virtual world of critiques and fan theories. Perhaps it is best to think of it like a modern fairytale, certainly more Grimm than Hitchcock!
His Three Daughters, Netflix’s emotional family drama, explores the strained relationships between three estranged sisters who are reunited by their father’s terminal illness. Set in a small, intimate family home, the film follows Katie, the eldest daughter and caretaker, Christina, the rebellious middle child, and Laura, the youngest, who carries the weight of family expectations. As they come together to care for their ailing father, old wounds resurface, leading to intense confrontations, moments of reconciliation, and ultimately, the rediscovery of familial bonds.
The narrative is a slow burn, focusing on the sisters’ personal journeys as they grapple with their father’s decline, unresolved issues from the past, and the impending loss of their patriarch. Director Azazel Jacobs captures these emotionally charged moments with precision, delivering a raw, honest portrayal of sibling dynamics, grief, and love. The performances are gripping, with each actress bringing depth and vulnerability to their roles, making the audience feel the weight of their complicated relationship.
The house, almost a character itself, is filled with memories, secrets, and tension. As the sisters sort through their father’s belongings, they also untangle their own emotional baggage, confronting their fears, regrets, and hopes for the future.
His Three Daughters is a powerful character-driven story that captures the complexities of family ties and the inevitability of loss. The film shines with its strong performances, subtle direction, and poignant dialogue. While its pacing may feel slow for some viewers, those who appreciate emotional depth and character development will find this drama deeply moving. The film’s realistic portrayal of sibling rivalry, grief, and reconciliation makes it relatable and impactful.
Rating: 4/5 – A deeply affecting family drama that hits all the right emotional notes.
Kingdom
What could be better than a beautifully realized Joseon-period K-Drama, starring the excellent actor Doona Bae, fresh off her grand success in Netflix’s ‘Sense8’? All of that, but with zombies!
Oh this is a great one ya’ll. Adapted from a webcomic known as The Kingdom of the Gods, the show addresses the huge gap between the high and low classes plaguing (sorry) our Kingdom and of course has several engaging mysteries running throughout, but also happens to be a monster mash in the fantastic new zombie way reminiscent of Train to Busan! The show got not one but two well deserved seasons and even spawned (very sorry) a Netflix special, Kingdom: Ashin of the North, that yes, spoilers, features a zombie tiger. And it is absolutely amazingly rendered too.
Kingdom on Netflix gives us a breathtakingly possible story from long ago, both lovely and terrifying in equal measure, that should get a view from everyone!
Goblin: The Lonely and Great God
Whatever other great supernatural romance KDrama you think is awesome, Goblin did it first. Also known as Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, the show graces us with outstanding performances from Gong Yoo as our Lead and Lee Dong-wook as the Grim Reaper, and is a romance with a supernatural twist for the ages. Like, literal ages. So Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), a bubbly high school student despite her tragic family history and her ability to see ghosts, who knows diddly about fate and the machinations of destiny, is skeptical in the beginning. But as the supernatural of the Goblin and the Grim Reapers and the search for a destined bride across space and time catches everyone in its clutches, love in all its messy, gloriously alive splendor may just save the souls of everyone involved!
Catch Goblin or Guardian whatever you want to call it, on Amazon Prime now!
Squid Game
This choice is obvious, though honestly it’s kind of sad at the same time. The main reason most of us enjoyed Squid Game quite that much, was because it was entirely possible, for pretty much all of it, to happen tomorrow. The show was so engaging in its many different portrayals of the lowest, pettiest, and darkest parts of humanity that were given to us by these actors like it was pulled out of their very souls and offered up to us the audience on a platter, and we ate, we consumed, with relish. Hell, we demanded a sequel series, which should be coming out soonish.
It says a fair bit about us as a species as we watch these poor, both literally and figuratively if you think about it, people participate in what are actual Games of Death. The show launched another wave of interest in large-stakes games, Korean culinary culture (ask me about the dalgona crack!), and became iconic with the jumpsuit and the blank mask with a shape on it. Have you seen the tinies who wear the jumpsuit and shape-mask to go trick-or-treating? They’re five years old. Did you let them watch the show?! Wow.
We all know Squid Game is a Netflix show, right? Right.
Tale of the 9 Tailed
Plenty has been said about the kitsune, the magical Japanese 9-tailed fox, while the Korean version is known as a gumiho, and is similar-ish in nature and magical powers. Like their other Asian counterparts, the gumiho is known to be otherworldly and long-lived, snarky and arrogant when it comes to humans, unless the prospective human love interest happens to come entangled in the threads of fate and destiny. … Well, guess what!
Celebrated lead Lee Dong-wook is our Korean fox main character Lee Yeon, former mountain spirit and guardian who now spends his earthly time carrying out missions from the Afterlife Immigrations Office while looking for the reincarnation of his former love, the exiled 7th daughter of the former King of Joseon, she who carries the fox bead, Yi Ah-eum, or Nam Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah) as she’s known here in the modern era.
We’ve got Spirits of Darkness, shamans and Dragon Kings, shapeshifters and turning-humans-into-trees type curses, long-standing grudges and the binding if not choking ties of fate and destiny, all bound together with great love that spans lifetimes! Chase those nine tails of the gumiho on Netflix!
Bulgasal Immortal Souls
This is a hard one ya’ll – featuring pretty constant violent death-and-rebirth, a craptastic ton of guilt everywhere, actual physical and emotional abuse from trusted authority figures and family, no sexual abuse but it sure is strongly threatened and implied, and the equivalent of a vampire crossed with a demon for the supernatural element to tie it all together, Bulgasal Immortal Souls is not for the faint of heart, or stomach.
However, the show is a gorgeous read and wonderfully shot, finding beauty in the (eventual) redemption of its characters, but boy do they take awhile to get there. And the constant, if unintentional, betrayal can start to get on your nerves. And they do, the characters do manage to find their way across fate and lifetimes to be together for a few precious moments, which is great. Be warned though, Bulgasal believes in playing things out to the final, often very bitter but in theory deserved, very end. Treasure those few precious moments, the show says, they will be gone before you know it. Not only a great horror, the show also works as an anti-valentine’s day Bulgasal Immortal Souls on Netflix now!
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Top 5 Korean TV Horror
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