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The Age of Commercialism

That was an excellent one.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

A promising premise that didn't deliver. From a technical pov, I believe the movie was really well shot and directed, with some nice cinematography. The cinematography enhanced the setting of the terrifying woods creating a tense atmosphere. The use of light and darkness for suspense was quite clever and I founf myself holding my breath in specific scenes. Unfortunately when it comes to the plot, the movie feels quite flat, unoriginal and repetitive. While the initial setting was promising, and I certainly appreciate the effort to make the characters tridimensional and highlight their emotional bond. The acting is pretty good, Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine certainly have chemistry on screen, which made their mother-daugther relationship very real. However, the movie falls apart on its way to the third act. I don't feel like the movie exploited the symbolism as much as it could, so much wasted potential, it did end up falling in a lot of horror clichés.Would I recommend it? I don't know, if you're looking for a good family drama-horror mix, with all its problems The Babdook is far more satisfying in most aspects.

The kind of movie that you yell at the screen because the actions of the characters are so dumb. Great idea - terrible execution

6 1/2Two distinct souls coexist in the same movie : we have the complicated relationship background between mother and daughter, which is very touching and wisely built, and the horror/slasher counterpart, that is definitely less thought out, rougher and conventional. All in all, they tend to mash up pretty well, converging in the end in a cathartic epilogue, but there's some flaws along the way that kinda lower the level.

This is a monster movie in the same way that Pan's Labyrinth is a monster movie; there's a horrible beast in it, but it is only secondary to the plot.The trailer and description of this movie do it no justice. This is a movie about the relationship between an alcoholic abusive mother and her daughter, and it is at times difficult to watch because of the raw intensity in the scenes. I found the emotions and actions to be very realistic, and the love/hate relationship from both sides - but especially the daughter - is written perfectly; fans of child psychology will eat this up.OK, so the monster is there. It is done very well, and the tension derived from the horror aspects are well handled too. With only a few jump scares, the movie relies more on the darkness and mood to cause you unease. There is some action around the monster that is too light in treatment, but remember, this is not a movie about the monster. And in that sense, the cursory treatment makes more sense.The symbolism is obvious in retrospect, but it is a bit more literal than fantastical, unlike Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. You can very much take this movie at face value; as if the action is really happening. But there's an entirely other level to it if you want to take the leap. We all have demons, and these two characters have their fair share that manifest themselves in a few ways on screen.I really enjoyed this movie and was moved to tears. It is bittersweet; at the same time horrifying, raw, and very dark in soul, but yet leaves you with a sense that one can still go on, despite enormous trials and tragedies. For those who've had difficult relationships with a family member, or have faced incredible loss, it is especially touching. It's a rare movie that can stir a full range of emotions. It's not perfect, but the talented cast and crew put together something that will stick with me for a long time. Kudos to them all.