XX
(2017/Magnolia/MagNet Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: B Film: B
XX
(2017) is a new horror anthology film is comprised of five shorts,
all directed by women, and each one with its own unique twist on the
genre. These talented filmmakers include Annie Clark (making her
debut here), Karyn Kusama (Girlfight),
Roxanne Benjamin (Southbound),
and Jovanka Vuckovic (The
Captured Bird).
The wrap-around segment is a bizarre stop motion animated piece by
award-winning animator Sofia Carrillo (La
Casa Triste),
that is reminiscent of the works of Henry Selick (Coraline)
and Tim Burton and very experimental in nature.
XX
stars Natalie Brown, Melanie Lynskey, Breeda Wool and Christina Kirk.
XX
starts with a bang with Vuckovic's The
Box -
a creepy short that tells the story of a family that is plagued when
a young boy encounters a crooked-eyed man holding a red ''present''
on a subway train. In a Lynchian moment, this mysterious man opens
up the box for him and what the child witnesses changes him
dramatically - and other members of his family follow. Definitely
the most elegantly shot segment, it has some narrative flaws and an
ending not to unique.
Clark's
The
Birthday Party
is an almost comedic tale where a mother must dispose of a body in
the wake of her daughter's birthday party. The weakest of the four
entries, its ending is both funny and morbid, redeeming the less than
great buildup.
Benjamin's
Don't
Fall
is the next and my favorite of the bunch, as it's a creature feature
that is uniquely shot and features some great practical special
effects and sound design. Packing more action than the other
installments, it seems to go by in a breeze while others tend to drag
a bit at moments. One reason being its focus on blood and guts, as
opposed to some of the more surreal ideas the other's try to portray.
And
finally, Kusama's Her
Only Living Son,
which is a demented 18-year-old who has a powerful purpose and a
mother who is trying to protect him. Reminiscent of Polanski's
Rosemary's
Baby,
this segment has some pretty fine acting and a great reveal that
leads into its third act.
The
Blu-ray transfer of XX
is in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.39:1
and a clear DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless track. Considering
the low budget of the shorts and overall film, the cinematography is
one of its strongest assets, with visual styles shifting slightly
film to film. The score is appropriately creepy, with a huge loud
orchestra strikes that bring some extreme moments to life.
No
digital copy.
The
Special Features are vast and include:
The
Making of The Box
XX
Set Visit in 360 Degrees: BTS - The Birthday Party
Birthday
Party BTS Photo Gallery
Don't
Fall Stunts and Special FX
BTS:
Her Only Living Son
Interviews
with the Directors
Better
than most recent Horror anthology films I've seen admittedly in a
while, XX
is pretty fun and well made from a filmmaking perspective. Defiantly
recommended!
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
