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Horror Movie Metaphors

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As a genre, Horror is arguably the most scoffed at for its gratuitous violence and gore. Not to mention the abject sexism of female sexuality being ultimately punished or having severe consequences. If you look beyond the cheap jump scares and corn syrup blood; horror (when done right) has the ability to be the most creative and thought-provoking lens in which to view the human experience. With the added suspension of belief, Horror has more scope to get creative with its messages and metaphors. 

The creators may hint at their intentions with the movies but the majority of this discourse is fan theory and opinion. 

Here are a few of my favorite metaphors in horror movies:

10: NOPE

Jordan Peele is a horror director known for exploring social issues in his movies. 2022’s NOPE may not have the obvious hints of sociopolitical commentary as his previous movies; Us (2019) and Get Out (2017). Yet NOPE still contains a culturally relevant metaphor many fans and film critics agree on. NOPE is generally considered to be a metaphor for fame. The siblings (played by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer)  in the film even work on a ranch training horses for use in Hollywood films. The gargantuan alien entity in NOPE picks up its prey, such as humans and horses, and spits it what it can’t digest. Much like the way fame picks up aspiring performers; takes what is useful to it, spits out the rest then quickly moves on.

NOPE also heavily features the use of cameras and photographic imagery. In the world of NOPE you can’t stare at the alien or it will notice you then proceed to eat you. The film’s heroes cannot look directly at the monster. This could be likened to actors ‘spiking the lens’ or looking directly into a camera and breaking the fourth wall which is usually discouraged. Peele himself has remarked that NOPE’s central theme is exploitation, particularly the historical exploitation of people of color.

9: Hereditary

The clue is in the title. Ari Aster’s 2018 masterpiece is widely recognized as a metaphor for generational trauma. The machinations of Ellen, the grandmother of the family portrayed, effect not only her daughter Annie (played by Toni Collette) but her grandchildren too. The trauma is reimagined as Ellen’s worship of the demon king; Paimon. This worship has corrupted the family through the generations culminating in its absolute destruction.

The movie cleverly shows how our identities and fears are shaped by those who came before us.

8: SMILE

Much like Hereditary 2022’s SMILE reimagines demon possession as something that can be passed on from person to person. The demon in question symbolizes how the cycle of trauma continues following victims around like an evil faceless entity. Hurt people hurt people and they pass the entity (of abuse) on until it becomes a chain. In the narrative of the film, we are told that the unnerving smiles (which denote the presence of the demon) can appear on the faces of people you know, loved ones, or even strangers. Does this symbolize how anyone can cause you trauma? It has to be noted that the faces the demon wears when haunting the film’s protagonist Rose, are mainly the faces of her loved ones. It is a universally accepted fact that you are more likely to be attacked by a loved one than a stranger.

In psychological terms, trauma can only really be processed and ‘beaten’ when it is confronted and dealt with. SMILE mirrors this by having Rose take control and face her demons, both metaphorical and supernatural.

7: Candyman

Candyman is an extremely recognizable horror movie icon. The role was immortalized by Tony Todd in the 1992 original. In the 2021 reboot, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes up the mantle of Candyman and changes the trajectory of the franchise.

Candyman is a metaphor for extreme racism. The original Candyman was an artist by the name of Daniel Robitaille, who was mutilated and tortured to death for his relationship with a white woman. All the anger and hate that caused this atrocity manifested itself into the sinister supernatural killer. 

Candyman in both original and reboot discusses gentrification and the ghettoization of predominantly black, low socioeconomic areas (Chicago’s Cabrini-Green). In 2021 Candyman, The Candyman is summoned to stop the gentrification of Cabrini-Green. 

Candyman fans have criticised the reboot as it paints the Candyman as some kind of hero or dark knight when in the original he was the unquestionable villain. Although the original hinted at social issues the reboot has been accused of being too preachy and allowing the message to trump the story. There are many nods to current movements such as the 2021 protagonist Anthony creating an art show called ‘Say My Name’. This echoes one of the war cries of a modern movement; ‘Say Their Names’ for the victims of police brutality. Despite these discrepancies, Both versions are an allegory for how racism and racially motivated hate crimes echo throughout history to the modern day.

6:Rosemary’s Baby

1968’s Rosemary’s Baby has multiple interpretations but one of the most common is that the movie is a metaphor for misogyny and coercive control. Rosemary’s husband Guy Woodhouse wants to succeed in his acting career, and to do this he strikes a deal with his Satanist neighbors (as you do). Guy agrees to provide Rosemary as an incubator for the antichrist, unbeknownst to Rosemary. The married couple decide to have a baby and one night Rosemary is drugged by the satanic neighbours. With Rosemary incapacitated Guy and the neighbors summon Satan who rapes Rosemary and impregnates her with the antichrist. 

The next morning Rosemary notices scratches on her back and Guy claims they got drunk and he had sex with her unconscious body (know it was the 60’s but my god!). Guy clearly sees Rosemary as an object and part of his property that he can ‘rent’ out. Rosemary is gaslighted by pretty much every character in the film. Her male doctor (also a member of the cult) even dismisses her fears when she confides in him. The doctor sends her back to her abusers. Reminiscent of women’s pain being dismissed by the medical community for centuries.

5:Drag Me to Hell

Sam Raimi’s 2009 film Drag Me to Hell has the most interesting fan interpretation. Many fans believe the film is a metaphor for eating disorders. 

The film’s protagonist Christine (Alison Lohman) is a perfectionist and people pleaser which are personality traits known to be susceptible to eating disorders. The opening shot of the film has Christine looking longingly at desserts through a shop window with a pained expression on her face. At one point in the movie; a slice of cake develops an eyeball and stares at Christine.

Both vomit and Christine being vomited on is a big component of the film to the point of being beyond gratuitous. We also find out that Christine used to be a heavy child and had a traumatic childhood with her father dying and her mother succumbing to alcoholism, this type of upbringing is prime for developing an eating disorder. In the movie when Christine is upset she eats ice cream because she ‘doesn’t care anymore’ despite telling her boyfriend she is lactose intolerant. 

In a broader sense, the film’s narrative has Christine being stalked by a demon wanting to (you guessed it) drag her to hell. Many sufferers reimagine their illness(s) as monsters or demons as a coping mechanism.

4: The Babadook 

The Babadook (2016) monster is believed to be the representation of the mother Amelia (Essie Davis) grief and depression over the loss of her husband. The Babadook is a monstrous accumulation of all the negative feelings and memories Amelia has been repressing since her husband’s death. Her seven-year-old son asks her not to let Mister Babadook into the house and not let the bad feelings in. Ultimately the mother and son discover you can’t fully get rid of the Babadook (bad feelings, bad memories) so they lock him in their basement and feed the monster dirt and worms once a day. Worms and dirt can represent death and decay like Amelia is accepting the death of her husband. Amelia has also opened a literal can of worms by letting these feelings into their life. Grief and depression don’t just disappear, you need to acknowledge and accept them and sit with them even if it’s just once each day.

3: The Witch

Like Rosemary’s Baby, The Witch (2015) is open to many different interpretations. But the most common is the fear of female sexuality.  New England Puritan society was the ultimate patriarchy. The Puritans believed women to be not only lesser but more susceptible to evil. The film’s protagonist Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) grows up in this belief system. Thomasin’s age is not explicitly stated anything between 15 – 18. Old enough that her burgeoning sexuality would be considered a problem by her family. Her younger brother even lusts after her as he has never been in contact with other females. Thomasin is blamed for all the families ‘sins and problems to the point where her parents discuss selling her into servitude. 

Puritan women could look forward to a life of household labor, childbirth, and being blamed for pretty much everything. During the Salem Witch Trials ‘witnesses’ attempted to use spectral evidence to condemn the women. Having dreams about the women coming into their bedrooms and trying to ‘tempt’ them. Which is basically just blaming the condemned women for their own sexually charged dreams and/or fantasies. Women essentially died because men fantasized about them. In The Witch the family’s sins are projected onto Thomasin the same way Puritan society projected their sins onto innocent women. 

Thomasin is liberated from this life by Black Philip (Satan in disguise) and becomes a witch. Why when she is levitating in the woods she is laughing, now she can live deliciously. 

2: X

Ty West’s 2022 offering X could be a commentary on the fear of growing old, particularly women; losing their looks and perceived sexual power over men. The character of Pearl is jealous of Maxine’s youth, beauty, and freedom. When the two meet Pearl’s old and frail hand is seen longingly stroking Maxine’s bare back. The movie could also illustrate the struggle to combine your past and present selves. Both Pearl and Maxine are played by Mia Goth. In one scene Pearl is seen brushing her hair and doing her makeup similar to that of Maxine’s. Pearl even gets into bed with a sleeping Maxine. 

The film also explores the loss of sexual virility and desire. It is fitting as Maxine and her group are trying to covertly film an X-rated movie on Pearl’s farm. Pearl and her elderly husband rectify this cognitive dissonance by having sex in Maxine’s bed with Maxine hiding underneath.

1:IT Follows

IT Follows (2015) is a fantastic subversive look into the meta world of a brilliant horror movie. IT Follows is so expertly nuanced that fans have been debating over its meaning. A sexually transmitted monster could be easily translated into multiple metaphors. Everything from an STD metaphor to rape culture, even a pandemic.

The metaphor I find the most compelling is the monster being a metaphor for death. It has to be said most horror movies are in some way a metaphor for death but IT Follows explores it in such a unique way. The young female protagonist Jay (Maika Monroe) has sex and inherits the monster from her partner. Sex does not open the door to self-actualization and adulthood as young people expect. Instead life becomes scary as you are stalked by a faceless monster. The young cast in the film are made aware of their own mortality and all they can is have sex and pass on the monster.

Like SMILE the monster borrows faces from strangers and the protagonist’s loved ones. There is no rhyme or reason to why and when the monster chooses which faces. Much like death, we try to make it logical but no one understands it. Ironically there is a French phrase ‘la petit mort’ meaning a little death or brief loss of consciousness during sex. In the movie having sex is the only thing that keeps the monster away however briefly. The world of IT Follows has no exact time period. There is a mix of past, present, and future technology and styles. This could represent the fact that Jay’s realization spans across human history. 

Jay stares at screens, tries to eat, and spends time with her friends to try and distract herself from the slow trudging monster following her. She doesn’t know where and she doesn’t know when but it’s coming. Fans have commented that many of the casts conversations in the movie are very mundane and so unlike the manufactured conversations of movies. It’s argued this is a commentary on how we are all just sitting around waiting to die.

And on that cheerful note!

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Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom: The Game-Changer Marvel Desperately Needs?

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In a move that has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, Marvel Studios has officially announced that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU—but not as Iron Man. Instead, he will take on the role of Victor Von Doom, a.k.a. Doctor Doom, one of Marvel’s most iconic villains. This unexpected casting has ignited speculation: Is RDJ’s Doom the key to saving the Marvel Universe?

Ever since Avengers: Endgame (2019) closed the book on the Infinity Saga, the MCU has struggled to find a clear direction. While there have been occasional successes (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), the franchise has faced box office disappointments (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels), lukewarm fan reception, and behind-the-scenes issues (the Jonathan Majors controversy affecting Kang’s future).

With Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars approaching, Marvel needs to regain fan excitement. Bringing back RDJ—this time as a villain—could be the bold move necessary to reestablish its dominance.

RDJ’s portrayal of Tony Stark turned him into the face of the MCU for over a decade. His charisma, screen presence, and ability to balance arrogance with complexity made Iron Man one of the greatest cinematic superheroes. Now, that same energy could be channeled into a very different kind of character—one who could redefine the MCU’s villain landscape.

  1. A Much-Needed Powerhouse Villain

Since Thanos, the MCU has lacked a truly compelling antagonist. Kang was supposed to fill that role, but uncertainties surrounding Jonathan Majors have left Marvel scrambling for a Plan B. Doom is a far more beloved villain in Marvel lore, and with RDJ portraying him, the hype would be off the charts.

  1. A Villain With Depth and Charisma

Doctor Doom is not just another world-conquering maniac. He’s an intellectual, a strategist, and a ruler with a sense of nobility. RDJ’s ability to blend charm with menace could make Doom an unforgettable villain, perhaps even rivaling Thanos in impact.

  1. A Connection to Iron Man’s Legacy

Fans will inevitably draw parallels between Tony Stark and Victor Von Doom—both are genius inventors with massive egos. RDJ’s return as Doom would be a poetic way to continue Stark’s influence on the MCU, this time through his greatest ideological opposite.

  1. Boosting Secret Wars

In the comics, Doom plays a massive role in Secret Wars, becoming one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse. If Marvel is setting up Secret Wars as their next Endgame, having RDJ as Doom leading the charge could be the blockbuster moment they need.

  1. RDJ’s Star Power Can Revitalize the MCU

Let’s face it—Marvel’s recent projects have lacked the larger-than-life appeal that defined its peak years. RDJ’s return, even in a villainous role, would restore some of the MCU’s lost prestige and bring back casual audiences who have checked out.

RDJ has been synonymous with Iron Man for so long that some fans may struggle to see him in a villainous role. However, this could work in Marvel’s favor—Doctor Doom, like Tony Stark, is a complex character with layers beyond just being evil. If RDJ leans into Doom’s tragic backstory, intelligence, and ruthless ambition, he could redefine how audiences see MCU villains.

With Marvel at a crossroads, RDJ’s return as Doctor Doom feels like a masterstroke. It’s unexpected, exciting, and exactly the kind of shake-up the franchise needs. If handled correctly, this could elevate Doom to the top-tier villain status he deserves and give the MCU a new, compelling narrative direction.

What do you think? Is RDJ as Doom a genius move, or should he have stayed retired from the MCU?

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Is ‘Call Me By Your Name’ Really A Romantic Movie?

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I would like to start with one of my usual prefaces; this is one of my favourite movies so I am loathe to criticise it. It is also not the type of film I usually gravitate towards (my back catalog on this site will show you as much). Despite thoroughly enjoying the book the film is based on, I have to say the film is better.

Not only is Call Me By Your Name a juggernaut of queer cinema it is also the film where the world fell in love with Timothée Chalamet. It’s hard to imagine it now, but he was an unknown at the time (2017). However, his sincere acting ability, kaleidoscope eyes, and aerodynamic hair won the hearts of many.  Chalamet plays 17-year-old Elio Perlman a young musician. Elio is an extremely talented pianist, well-read, and bilingual. You would really hate him if he wasn’t played with the heart-rending vulnerability Chalamet brings to most of his characters. 

While this cinematic masterpiece earned Chalamet his first Oscar nomination at the tender age of 23, it was the film’s second leading man who was truly surprising. Armie Hammer plays Oliver (no surname) the 24-year-old American graduate assisting Elio’s father, a professor in archaeology, at their holiday home in Lombardy, Northern Italy. This role was before Hammer effectively torched his career with certain accusations which I won’t go into (we literally don’t have the word count). However, at the time Hammer’s portrayal of Oliver proved that he was more than just a cookie-cutter Hollywood handsome hunk.

At the time of the film’s release, there was plenty of discourse about the age difference between the two young men. In both the book and the film there is 7 year age gap between the pair. At certain stages of life, this wouldn’t be a big deal. In fact many argued that in so many romantic films the age difference is somewhat questionable (for example; in Titanic, Rose is 17 and Jack is 20) it only seems to be a problem when the relationship is not heterosexual. Under Italian law at the time of the film being set (1983) Elio and Oliver’s relationship is not illegal, but is it moral?

I have watched the film numerous times but this time I decided to watch it with an eye for Oliver not in fact being a charming foreign student who sweeps young Elio off his espadrilles, but instead being… predatory. 

As stated Elio is 17; Chalamet with his slight figure and elfin features can easily pass for a teenager despite being around 21 at the time of filming. Elio is a prodigy and spends his time reading, transcribing, and composing music. The only child of two academics Elio seems somewhat sheltered. He is doted on by his mum Annella (who is low key goals) and even curls up in his parent’s lap to be read stories while his father refers to him as “Elly-Belly”. A deep thinker Elio is all too well aware of his downfalls. He even states to Oliver that he knows very little about “…the things that matter”. 

In contrast, Oliver is a self-assured student who has essentially traveled across the world to spend the summer with relative strangers. Everyone is beguiled by Oliver’s good looks, Annella even refers to him as a ‘movie star’ and is endeared by his brutish Americanisms. 

It doesn’t help that Hammer was around 30 at the time of filming and between his impressive height at 6 ft 5 and even more impressive body hair, looks every one of his three decades. Elio is not short but is dwarfed in every sense of the word. 

Much like the audience, Elio can’t figure Oliver out. The student switches between friendly and standoffish with alarming frequency. I won’t pretend to know the intricacies of flirting between two men but Elio is extremely unsettled. Particularly during a game of volleyball with Elio’s friends where Oliver attempts to give Elio a shoulder massage because he is ‘tense’. Oliver later tells Elio that this is to show Elio that he ‘liked’ him. On this viewing, I noticed the imprint of Oliver’s fingerprints on Elio’s pale bicep from where he was grabbed. 

Call Me By Your Name is described as a coming-of-age film and Elio does lose his virginity to his girlfriend Marzia during the film. An embarrassing fumble by a lake for their first time after which Elio becomes remarkably more confident for their second. As the audience we can only wonder what brought on this drastic change. Was it knowing he had captured the attention of an older man? His sexual awakening? Suffice it to say Elio is experienced before ever doing anything sexual with Oliver. 

Both the book and film are from Elio’s POV so we can only glean Oliver’s thoughts and motivations from his actions and facial expressions. Oliver barges into Elio’s room whilst knocking where Elio happens to be touching himself. If that’s not enough he tries to make Elio go swimming with him whilst Elio is trying to hide his erection. Was Oliver toying with Elio? In the book, Elio’s anguish over Oliver’s moods is more poignant. Elio even tries to anticipate Oliver’s daily moods by the graduate’s color choice of bathing shorts. Clearly trying to harness any kind of control over the situation, no matter how tenuous.

When Elio finally admits his feelings for the other man Oliver tells him they can’t discuss “such things”. Then shortly after Oliver initiates their first kiss then abruptly tells Elio they need to stop and haven’t yet done anything to be “ashamed of”. 

Oliver also initiates their first sexual encounter. After days of silence, Elio can’t stand it anymore. We get a peak into Elio’s journal where he chastises himself for being ‘too harsh’ towards Oliver and worrying that Oliver hates him. He slips a note under Oliver’s door pleading to talk. Oliver answers in kind with a note left on Elio’s desk telling him to ‘grow up’ and that he’ll meet the young musician at midnight. Is Oliver being facetious by saying ‘grow up’? Or does he genuinely want Elio to age about 5 years before midnight? 

At midnight the two consummate their situation. And Oliver does ask Elio’s permission to kiss him. The next morning Elio appears maudlin. He rises out of Oliver’s bed without meeting the man’s eyes, ignoring inquiries about his well-being from a nervous-looking Oliver. Elio requests they go swimming. Elio looks extremely vulnerable and young in his oversized jumper. None of the confident swagger after his first time with Mariza. Without being too blunt can we ascertain that this is because Elio was the one who penetrated this time?

Oliver handles this situation by telling Elio to check if he can still get “hard”. Whether this is to assuage any notions Oliver might have about Elio regretting the sex, despite asking for verbal confirmation in a later scene that he doesn’t.

As much I love Elio’s parents in the film I do end up questioning their judgement. They know their teenage son is carrying on a clandestine affair with someone they opened their home to. They then encourage Elio to go on a trip with Oliver to Bergamo (a nearby city) for a few days where Oliver will board a train to begin his journey back home to New England. I know Elio’s parents are bohemian academic types and I know it was the 80s when everyone went home when the streetlights came on and drank hose water by the gallon. But they are sending their teenage son away with someone with someone who could be a serial killer!

Oliver and Elio exchange a tearjerking goodbye at the train station and they don’t speak again for a few months until Winter. Over the phone, Oliver tells Elio he is engaged to be married in the Spring. Oliver also has the nerve to ask Elio “Do you mind?”! How is anyone meant to answer that? Let alone a teenager? We do get a slight insight into Oliver’s family when he says that if his father found out about his relationship with Elio he’d send Oliver to a “correctional facility”.

This all culminates to the iconic final scene which probably earned Chalamet his Oscar nomination; Elio crying in front of a roaring fire. 

The cinematography, acting, score, and direction of the film are perfect despite the problematic premise. There are moments that are truly touching moments that make you think that maybe Oliver truly did care for Elio. Or maybe he left a trail of broken-hearted boys and girls across Europe? It is a film to be feasted upon, not unlike the numerous peaches that litter the film’s premise (read into that what you will). I just hope I haven’t ruined it for anyone, or indeed myself! 

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 Captain America: Brave New World delivers on its title

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Director: Julius Onah

Writers: Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford

Music Composer: Laura Karpman

Rating: 7/10


Where to start? Captain America: Brave New World delivers on its title, introducing audiences to a shifting world order in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Anthony Mackie steps into the Captain America mantle with a performance that balances self-doubt and leadership. His portrayal of Sam Wilson still grappling with the weight of Steve Rogers’ legacy adds a grounded, human element to the film. However, his mentorship of Joaquin Torres, played by Danny Ramirez, provides an engaging contrast. Ramirez brings just the right mix of comedic relief and eager ambition, making their dynamic a highlight of the movie.

Harrison Ford’s take on Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross is nothing short of phenomenal. The film explores Ross’s internal struggle—trying to turn over a new leaf while still being haunted by his past. This tension builds effectively to the long-anticipated reveal of The Red Hulk, a moment that delivers on both spectacle and narrative weight.

The film’s pacing and story flow maintain an epic feel, successfully laying the groundwork for future installments in the Marvel Cinematic Timeline. And for longtime fans, Liv Tyler’s return as Betty Ross may just be the biggest Easter egg of all—one that teases exciting possibilities for The Hulk’s future in the MCU.

While not a flawless film, Captain America: Brave New World does its job in expanding the MCU and setting the stage for what’s next. A solid entry with strong performances and thrilling reveals.

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