Oddity
Having made a name for himself after his spooky directorial debut Caveat in 2020, Irish director Damian McCarthy returns with another spinetingling, supernatural tale that's suitably taut with unbearable tension and suspense.
Yes, it seems that horror is McCarthy's genre of choice, and Oddity secures his place as one of the top directors to look out for in years to come as he expertly weaves a befuddling tale bubbling with mystery and intrigue.
Set largely in the claustrophobic confines of an old rural house, we're introduced to Dani who is busy renovating the property while her husband Ted works at a psychiatric unit close to their new home.
One fateful night, Dani's fate is sealed when one of Ted's patients knocks at the door and begs her to leave the house, as he believes someone has broken inside and wishes Dani great harm.
Fast forward one year later and we discover Dani died under mysterious circumstances that very night. Unable to find peace with Dani's untimely passing, her twin sister Darcy steps in to solve the mystery, albeit with the help of a very sinister, life-size wooden doll.
Blind and claiming to be clairvoyant, Darcy experiences visions when she touches any object connected with her sister's death, and she is determined to find out the truth of what happened to Dani on the anniversary of her murder.
They say the devil is in the detail, and McCarthy certainly has an eye for painting a suitably dark and foreboding atmosphere. While certain set-ups and plot points may come across as a tad predicable, the familiarity doesn't stop you from enjoying this superbly creepy jaunt into the heart of darkness.
The excellent Carolyn Bracken steals the show here, playing both Dani and Darcy, delivering an eerily focused performance that draws you in completely and compliments the dark, grim and stifling setting.
A must-see for all the horror aficionados out there, you'll not regret giving this homegrown Irish horror a go this weekend.
Afraid
With a particular emphasis on the 'AI' in its title, Afraid is horror studio Blumhouse's latest foray into tech-inspired terror.
Have you ever thought that you may be becoming a little too reliant on your Amazon Alexa or Google Home digital assistant? Well, director Chris Weitz exploits those fears by giving us a digital demon that would give HAL from Kubrick's 2001 a run for his money. Starring the ever reliable John Cho and Fantastic Beasts' Katherine Waterston, this tells the story of the Curtis family who think they've struck it lucky when they are picked to test out a brand new digital assistant called Aia.
Planting Aia in all the family's devices and in every room in their house, the family rejoice when all of their annoying life admin is sorted with the efficient programme taking control. But it’s not long until the family realise there is something seriously sinister going on with their new digital pal.
Suitably creepy with plenty of subversive chills, Blumhouse delivers another spooky gem – give it a go!
