the were witch project

Us (2019) Rating: 15 Running Time: 1:56:00

Rent/buy on: Google Play | | Amazon Prime

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II   

What is it about?

Us is the second release from comedian-turned-director Jordan Peele. Despite critical acclaim, Peele’s 2017 debut film Get Out left audiences confused about its genre. Because of this, he decided that his next film would be an outright horror movie. Peele worked alongside renowned scare-artist Jason Blum to produce Us and let’s just say that it did not disappoint us horror fans. The story follows Adelaide Wilson, played by Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Black Panther), and her family. The Wilson family head to Santa Cruz for a beach vacation but things get scary pretty quickly when they are attacked by a group of terrifying doppelgangers known as ‘The Tether’d’.

Spoiler-free review:

In an interview with Universal Pictures All-Access, Peele describes the Wilson family as an “archetypal foursome”, with Adelaide as the leader, husband Gabe (Winston Duke) as the fool, daughter Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) as the warrior and son Jason (Evan Alex) as the wizard or magician.

As you find out more about their Tether'd lookalikes, you start to feel just as afraid as the Wilson family are. With lots of twists and turns, Us is a creepy game of cat-and-mouse, that will have you on the edge of your seat ‘til the very end.

The movie also features some of our favourite horror tropes, including a haunted funhouse and bad guys that move in an unusual and contorted way.

Much like Peele’s first film though, it breaks some of the boundaries of the genre by including some kick-ass action and dark comedy. There is definitely a deeper commentary on the human experience and class difference that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Composer Michael Abels (who scored Get Out) wrote the score for Us and it really works. For 90’s hip-hop fans, it features a brilliant-yet-chilling remix of “I Got Five on It” by Luniz.

(Side note: We also found out that Peele is involved in the new Candyman remake, so we’ll definitely be watching and reviewing that when it finally gets released!)

For fans of: Get Out, The Village, The Visit, The Strangers

Our rating: 9/10 A must-see.

Midsommar (2019)

Rating: 18 Running Time: 2:27:00

In cinemas now

Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren and Will Poulter

What is it about?

Midsommar is the second feature-length horror film from director Ari Aster. Set at the time of the summer Solstice, a group of Americans travel to the remote Swedish province of Hälsingland for a festival. At a first glance, the Hårga seem to be a peaceful community, but as the bizarre events of the celebration begin, the group find themselves in way out of their depth.

Spoiler-free review:

If you’ve seen Aster’s first film, Hereditary, then you’ll be familiar with his style. Unsettling doesn’t quite cover the use of graphic, gory imagery and disturbing sound in Midsommar.

As the tourists arrive and are welcomed by the parishioners, the viewer too feels a sense of acceptance and comfort. However, this is quickly destroyed with off-piste camera angles, guttural wailing and disturbing scenes. All of which create a feeling in your stomach where you’re not sure if you’re enjoying this movie, or you want to be sick. (At one point I had to put down the popcorn.)

Midsommar is gripping, tense and very distressing but a must-see for those with a strong stomach. With most of the scenes being shot in broad daylight, and beautiful visuals of flowers and robes, it provides a refreshing contrast to your typical horror. Whilst there isn’t necessarily a ‘lead’ character, a combination of good writing and a notable performance by Florence Pugh mean that Dani is the one to watch.

For fans of: Hereditary, The Sacrament, The Ritual, The Wicker Man

Our rating: 8/10 A must-see (unless you’re squeamish). 

#CurrentlyReading: The Demonologist by Gerald Daniel Brittle 🕯️🖤

This book takes a closer look at the extraordinary career of Ed and Lorraine Warren - two incredible #paranormal investigators and authors who claimed to have handled over 10,000 cases during their career.

The Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research, authored numerous books and have lectures about the paranormal 👻👻

Stories of ghost hauntings they investigated have since been adapted into films, TV series and documentaries including the Amityville Horror and Conjuring films 🎥

The Ritual (2017) Rating: 15 Running Time: 1:34:06

Stream on: Netflix

Rent/buy on: Google Play | YouTube | Amazon Prime

Starring: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, Sam Troughton

What is it about?

The Ritual is a British supernatural thriller/horror directed by David Bruckner (The Signal, V/H/S). After the violent death of their friend, four men decide to undertake a gruelling hike through Sweden in his memory. When they try to take a shortcut through the forest, the lads stumble across an ancient evil which tries to hunt them down one by one. The film was released in 2017 and is based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Adam Nevill.

Spoiler-free review:

Many horror fans are quick to criticise the supernatural sub-genre for its scare tactics and sometimes goofy-looking monsters. As part of a hugely saturated market, it takes a lot for a film like this to stand out and yet The Ritual was executed well enough to do just that.

The film maintains an unsettling undertone of fear throughout. Much like popular Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House, it toys with the dualism of psychological vs physical fear, alluding to the animalistic nature of man as the true monster. Having experienced the trauma of losing someone close to them, the group of men have a shared vulnerability - it’s impressive to see a film like this handle male mental health as part of the subject matter. This theme is actually manifested in the way that the film’s supernatural adversary plays with each of the subjects, torturing them with the contents of their own mind. We are reminded that sometimes, the most powerful threat comes from our own thoughts. 

Both the soundtrack and cinematography in the film (particularly in the opening and final scenes) invoke a sense of real dread, keeping you on the trail with the main characters, until the bitter end.

For fans of: The Blair Witch Project, The Wicker Man, The Forest, Evil Dead (1 and 2), Dog Soldiers

Our rating: 7/10 Definitely worth a watch. 

Our first post is from Knowlton Church in Dorset. The ruins are surrounded by a Neolithic earthwork or henge, and we noticed they have quite a melancholy aura 💀⛪

Built in the centre of a pagan place of worship in the 12th century, the Christian church was once full of worshippers. In the late 15th century, the Black Death struck the village of Knowlton and the remaining residents moved elsewhere. They did continue to congregate at the church for many years, but the roof collapsed in the 15th century and now the abandoned site is said to be haunted by several spirits.. 👻

Groups investigating Knowlton Church have reported a phantom horse and rider passing through the church 🏇 as well as a weeping woman who some describe as a nun, kneeling outside.. 🌌 Some have also reported sightings of a ghostly face peering out from the tower and a tall figure dressed in black has frightened multiple visitors to the site..