Directed and co-written by Antonio Campos, The Devil All The Time is a new drama/thriller starring Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Sebastian Stan and Bill Skarsgård.
Set in the 1960s after World War II, in Southern Ohio, the story is set in a time when compelling, bizarre, and mentally disturbed people suffer from the war’s psychological damages.
I’m in for the incredibly creepy character played by Pattinson, the interesting premise and because this trailer looks very promising indeed.
Harry Melling, Haley Bennett, Riley Keogh, Eliza Scanlen, Mia Wasikowska, Jason Clarke, Douglas Hodge, and Abby Glover also star.
Swallow, the story of Hunter, a housewife compelled to swallow dangerous objects (a psychological condition called pica), is a well-acted film, especially thanks to Hayley Bennett’s performance.
I watched this one hoping to understand the cause of Hunter’s very unhealthy compulsion. The good news is that writer/director Carlo Mirabella-Davis does offer an explanation. However, the way the story is told and edited made Swallow feel incomplete to me.
As the movie played, I kept thinking, ‘Something’s missing here.‘ And honestly, I’m not convinced ‘psychological thriller’ is the right label. Psychological? Yes. Thrilling? Not quite. I didn’t feel the film went deep enough into its characters or its themes, and the ending felt rushed. For instance, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the final actions of the live-in nurse. I simply wasn’t shown enough to believe it.
As a body-horror film, Swallow definitely gets gross and uncomfortable at times, not only because of what you see, but because of what you’re forced to imagine. It reminded me how grateful I generally am for how well my insides work.
Beyond Bennett’s performance, I enjoyed the cinematography: the beauty of the couple’s home, the surrounding nature, the colours, and Hunter’s wardrobe.
At the start, I found myself frustrated by Hunter. Her repression felt more like something from the 1940s or ’50s. But compassion kicked in once it became clear she was suffering on multiple levels.
Swallow is one to watch if you’re especially curious. It might even be the kind of film you didn’t know you needed. For me, though, it wasn’t quite that.
Directed by Carlo Mirabella-Davis; starring Haley Bennett, Austin Stowell and Denis O’Hare, Swallow is the story of a pregnant housewife who finds herself increasingly compelled to consume dangerous objects.
Soon enough, she’ll have to confront the dark secret behind her new obsession.
Wow.
It feels right that this movie is partly categorised as horror. Particularly since this version of self-harm is so very scary to me. I’ll be watching for the ‘why‘ and the ‘how could one even…?’
Elizabeth Marvel, David Rasche, Luna Lauren Velez, Zabryna Guevara, Laith Nakli, Babak Tafti, Nicole Kang, Olivia Perez, Kristi Kirk and Alyssa Bresnahan also star.
Innew war drama/biography Thank You For Your Service, starring Miles Teller and Hayley Bennett, a group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq are struggling to integrate back into family and civilian life.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is interesting, and my two favourite war films – American Sniper (2014) and The Hurt Locker (2008) touch on the subject to a degree.
In Thank You For Your Service, PTSD is the main focus, and so I must watch. The other reason for me to see this is Teller, because of his memorable work in Whiplash (2014).
Lastly, I’m curious about Bennett. I’ve seen her in a number of trailers, but I’m yet to watch one of her movies.
Directed by Jason Hall; Joe Cole and Keisha Castle-Hughes also star.
The Movie My Life 