Post by thebtskink on Feb 27, 2021 20:44:01 GMT -5
The past few years, as I've geared up for Dracula 's thread, I make a list of movies nominated for the Golden Globes or the Oscars of movies I must watch to create my own list, and I'll throw in the top 10 from the AVClub and The Ringer. I don't recall how or why After Midnight got on my radar, but after signing up for a free trial of Shudder to see La Llarona, I saw this there and decided to give a watch tonight.
When we first see Hank (writer/director Jeremy Gardner), it's within a flashback. He's introducing his girlfriend Abby (Brea Grant) to his rundown family house in Barlow, Florida on her birthday. The film establishes a witty, flirty repertoire between the two, and her effervesence sells you on their relationship from the first minute. In the present, we see Hank rustled out of his drunken dream on the couch barricading his front door pounding from the something that wants in. Abby has left a note on the door that she had to leave, and it's clear that the relationship in the present is on hiatus or done; the monster has been showing up nightly for the weeks since she has left.
Gardner's script here is amazing at picking apart what a relationship is perceived by different people. Hank's recollections are of the initial passion 10 years ago, or of the glow that Abby has while they're travelling through a vineyard. It's only a little into the movie, after his friends and townsfolks have refused to believe his monster stories that his recollections show the first signs of strife with Abby. Getting progressively drunker and more desperate nightly, Hank comes off as crazy to his police friend who shows up to investigate stories of him firing off his shotgun at a car passing by. As the film progresses, we see one fantastic 13 minute centerpiece scene where the perceived slights and grievances boil over in his and Abby's relationship. We only ever see the monster in shadow, and we're not even sold that the monster is real. Never does the movie beat us over the head with the metaphor, we're allowed to naturally make the connection as viewers.
I won't give away the ending here, but I don't think I've seen a movie quite like this in some time. It's adept at blending the supernatural element with a believable romance story, and the bits of comedy sprinkled throughout help to make the 83 minutes go by even faster.
Definitely seek this out.
9/10
When we first see Hank (writer/director Jeremy Gardner), it's within a flashback. He's introducing his girlfriend Abby (Brea Grant) to his rundown family house in Barlow, Florida on her birthday. The film establishes a witty, flirty repertoire between the two, and her effervesence sells you on their relationship from the first minute. In the present, we see Hank rustled out of his drunken dream on the couch barricading his front door pounding from the something that wants in. Abby has left a note on the door that she had to leave, and it's clear that the relationship in the present is on hiatus or done; the monster has been showing up nightly for the weeks since she has left.
Gardner's script here is amazing at picking apart what a relationship is perceived by different people. Hank's recollections are of the initial passion 10 years ago, or of the glow that Abby has while they're travelling through a vineyard. It's only a little into the movie, after his friends and townsfolks have refused to believe his monster stories that his recollections show the first signs of strife with Abby. Getting progressively drunker and more desperate nightly, Hank comes off as crazy to his police friend who shows up to investigate stories of him firing off his shotgun at a car passing by. As the film progresses, we see one fantastic 13 minute centerpiece scene where the perceived slights and grievances boil over in his and Abby's relationship. We only ever see the monster in shadow, and we're not even sold that the monster is real. Never does the movie beat us over the head with the metaphor, we're allowed to naturally make the connection as viewers.
I won't give away the ending here, but I don't think I've seen a movie quite like this in some time. It's adept at blending the supernatural element with a believable romance story, and the bits of comedy sprinkled throughout help to make the 83 minutes go by even faster.
Definitely seek this out.
9/10
