DrDarkness

I'll just start by saying that, after seeing this, the original Beetlejuice will continue to be the one and only movie that exists for me. I will never re-watch this hot garbage again, and I'm really sad to call it that but I just can't find a more fitting description.

The reason why the first film worked was because of there was so little of the actual Beetlejuice. Yes, I can very well understand that everyone wanted more, but it just doesn't work. His character shouldn't be in the spotlight for too long, because... well, this movie answers that.

There was so much going on, seems like the team was just throwing ideas one night and when they asked "well, which ones should we include?" someone just replied "yes".

I mean, if the audience forgets who the main antagonist is when the the third act begins, I say something's done very, very wrong.

Baghead is a refreshing experience amid a sea of clichés. Although not many of the plot twists are particularly surprising, the overall viewing experience was far more entertaining than many recent films that have claimed to be the scariest.

Baghead might not come any closer to earning the title of the scariest film than those others, but what sets it apart is that it feels like it was made with love.

The film introduces us to Iris, who is living hand-to-mouth when she unexpectedly learns of her father's death. Having been estranged from him for years, Iris inherits a centuries-old pub from her father, with an unusual tenant residing in the cellar. It soon becomes clear that this creature has the ability to temporarily bring dead people back to life, as long as certain rules are followed. Struggling with financial difficulties, Iris sees an opportunity for quick earnings.

As a big fan of slow burns and atmosphere building, I tend to cringe at cheap jump scares. Fortunately, Baghead spares us just the right amount of those. While it can't quite be classified as a slow burn, given that the plot gets to the point rather swiftly, this turns out to be a good decision. It allows time to explore and explain the creature without making anything feel rushed.

This one is a solid 6/10.

This film felt like looking at a student-made adaptation of a campfire horror story.

Directing seems a bit off at times, so does delivering the suspense. Overall, the acting is okay, a bit weak maybe due to the script which feels off quite often. In more cases than just one or two, the characters' behaviour is weird and goes against your common sense. Several times I found myself asking "why would you say/do that, what's your motivation".

Because of these, the film made me think the majority of the cast is just awful people. And, without the emotional bond being built, I found it hard to care what happens to any of them.

The leading actor, Carolyn Bracken, plays both of the identical twins, Dani and Darcy. This is fine, but Darcy's character is also blind.

While I would imagine playing a blind person being a formidable challenge to anyone, it certainly feels like reaching too high for Bracken. Her movement doesn't make me believe she's blind for one second; her navigating the spaces and finding stuff with her hand is too precise. Of course, I thought that this could be explained by her psychic senses... Until this theory fell through.

I will say that some of the scares were good, well-made, and I appreciated a couple of subtle things. But, without a proper script and character arch, they have a cheap undertone that's hard to ignore.

In addition, it's been a while since I've seen a film with as many plot holes as Oddity. At least the ending was entertaining - despite being dragged, it managed to make me snort slightly.