my Movie

Movie Details

Title:   The Witch
Director:   Robert Eggers
Year:   2015
Genre:   Horror
Times Seen:   1
Last Seen:   09.29.15

Other Movies Seen By This Director (2)
- The Lighthouse
- The Northman

Notes History
Date Viewed Venue Note
09.29.15Alamo South LamarThis Screening is part of event: FantasticFest 2015
Or should I call it "The VVitch" as it's written in the title card. This is like colony-era America where a family goes off to live on their own and gets tormented by a witch.

So... Some movies in the fest I found that I liked less than most. High-Rise might be a good example where I recognize that it's unique and good but I didn't really enjoy myself in it. This movie is the opposite. From what I heard from my friends and those around me, most everyone thought it was good not great. Some of them were coming out of Green Room (the audience favorite of the fest) so that might be a factor. I really liked this. I mean I REALLY liked it.

There's a limited cast of fantastic actors (including a few Game of Thrones vets), absolutely stellar production design and black and white photography, and a straight-forward story that was really effective in communicating the isolation and fear that came with living out in the wilderness back then. If I had one complaint it was that the music was mixed a bit loud but it was used well and thoughtfully and not too heavy-handed.

I LOVE that there's actually a witch in this. It's not some bullshit twist or turn, not some fog-like abstract presence represented by stupid satanic whispering or jump cuts of women blinking.

And those twins. Ugh. The whole film unfolds beautifully. I didn't find it slow or dragging at all (I don't know why, it is deliberately paced but for some reason I was into this unlike most of the other films at the fest). The main girl gives a great performance, and the end is FANTASTIC. Man, I really loved this.

I also now get all the Black Phillip jokes made at the feud.

Jump to the fence post
Running in the stall
Black Phillip, Black Phillip
King of all.

Toward the end of the fest, someone posted a poll: Black Pepper vs. Black Phillip. Hard choice!


Today was probably the highlight of the fest since I really liked all four movies I saw. That's a great day.