Isn't that their thing, to find the more obscure horror plots and let them have the limelight? They find indie films and distribute them worldwide. I kinda love them. They obviously take some profit and make some of their own films, but mostly just find the niche ones and put them on the market. It's a great concept and they seem to be doing brilliantly ☺️
He's brilliant in this role. Possibly his finest performance. It reminds me of Matt Dillon in the house that Jack built, a typically 'nice guy' character actor giving a fully unhinged villainous performance. This is the Hugh Grant villain era and I'm all here for it.
So I’m still LDS and I served a mission and I honestly loved this movie. I think it’s important to question your own religion and find what grounds you are really standing on and why. I totally know what these debates are like and it’s interesting that he brings up so many points I’ve heard before, but to put it in such a horrifying context was great. I don’t think the movie wanted to take the stance of hating on the church, but just at least that it’s good to question it so I appreciated it.
I’m also a member and I was always taught growing up that the church was founded on a question and that teaching has helped me a lot. The debate was also very similar to conversations I would have on my mission
I was waiting for Chris to talk about this. It must've felt somewhat personal to him. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are not too distant from each other. Young religions that were founded in the same century with very strange beliefs (most religions do anyways), and are offshoots of Christianity during a troubling time in the US. Joseph Smith's strange history would require a long essay to cover. Regardless, this film proves a smart script works great in any genre. Filmmakers need to remember this.
@@thedarkmike12your both right the foundation is similar but there's a lot of Differences too it's like Judaism and Christianity are similar Yes but No
Im also am EXJW, and ive been looking forward to this movie for a while. Hearing you say that it was made for you is probably the highest endorsement this movie could get for me!
As an ex Mormon who came home early from an LDS mission, 10/10. It was so psychologically disturbing and relatable, and horrible, and compelling. I’m blown away. Loved it.
@@Choppa-yc7gqyeah. Traveling the world, learning a new language, experiencing a different culture than your own. So much sinister manipulation and time wasting!
I saw this movie on Thursday and honestly thought it was a really strong horror/thriler not in the traditional sense, but how it tests the limits of what we believe in order for Mr. Reed to basically manipulate these two Mormons like a chess player on a board. Hugh Grant is entirely amazing in it too as I’d honestly say it’s worth seeing the movie for him alone. The third act does lose a bit of steam due to devolving into some Saw-level “so this is what actually happened,” but overall I still largely enjoyed it from start to finish.
Just saw this movie last night and had a BLAST!! Probably the best purely dialogue driven horror movie I've ever seen. No explosions, no special effects, no monsters, just intelligent writing that keeps you tense and on edge... Absolutely the most simple premise ever, but you can tell that they put alot of thought into this movie. And absolutely spot on in the religious discussions. Fucking awesome movie... 💯
And NO stupid, pointless jump scares but the thing that really got me is no matter how much older he is and polite seeming you always felt if they tried anything he would get violent with them.
I don't even feel like Mr. Reid as some angry skeptic who really believes that religion is evil. The scene where he is crying during Sister Paxton's prayer proves that he is just a broken man looking for something to believe in despite being let down by a cruel world and less than kind people in it.
I had the same feeling. He was desperately looking for "something" from the beginning and by the end he realises that her faith is something he will forever be barred from. It's another reason why he's such a good villain, I think, because in other films he wouldn't have that nuance. Such an interesting character!
You said it perfectly. I’m not a filmmaker, but inspired was exactly how I felt walking out of this movie. A masterclass in screenwriting, directing, acting, editing… you name it. One of the best of the year.
i’m so happy and grateful for the horror-spearheaded resurgence of mid-budget GOOD, INTERESTING movies that has been building and building over the last few years
As a former missionary/ex-member of the Mormon church, seeing my favorite critic’s review of this film and knowing his background is such a unique pleasure!
I was never a fan of Hugh Grant in his posh English twit phase, but I have to admit, since 2020 every single role he's been in, he's been killing it. I love the new 'reinvented' HG.
Enjoyed this one… Hugh Grant was incredibly charming and uncomfy. Movie made you think and was definitely a trip. Is it my fave A24 movie? No. Was it still awesome? Yes. I’m glad we still have movies like these swinging for the fences and making you think in a world with sterile, mass marketed scary movies pumped out for a money grab.
I love the first two scenes with the 3 main actors, but once the girls go in the basement...that's when the film starts to very slowly deflate. But Hugh Grant's performance makes this film super entertaining. I like the film but I was a bit dissapointed at the same time. So deffo a 7/10. 😊
For me it was the opposite. I loved it as soon as they went into the basement. All the discussion REALLY seemed to drag on, lots and lots of exposition whilst sitting in the same room with 2 girls looking very uncomfortable. Acting was solid, and Hugh crushed it. For me it got better when the weird shit started happening
I really loved this movie but felt like the last act was a bit rushed and didnt play out in a satisfying way. It almost felt like they had a plan for it, used up most of their budget in the first half and had to cut stuff down in the second. I still think it was an amazing movie and loved the premis and the actors, I just was a bit disappointed by the ending.
Went to see this with some friends the other night. Completely absorbing from start to finish. Highly recommended. I do love that Hugh Grant is clearly established and popular enough that he can basically do what he wants it seems. Iterations!
It's very "talky" in the same was "Conclave" is very talky. And yet both films are thrilling and edge-of-your-seat gripping moviegoing experiences. I recommend both if you like to think during your movies.
I wish Chris would still give A+ grades or at least put those A+ worthy ones into his existing play list so we can know which are at the peak level of those prior.
@@latp9567 We should beware stereotypes of outgroups whether it be ethnicity, religion, or whatever. I'm religious and I welcome challenges to my belief in God.
Dude. I was Mormon and even a missionary. And I loved it for the all the same points you make here. I think it's one of my new favorite movies. God... It's so good.
My favorite horror movies this year: 1. Terrifier 3 2. The Substance 3. Smile 2 4. Speak No Evil 5. Heretic 6. Alien: Romulus 7. Longlegs 8. It's What's Inside 9. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 10. Abigail 11. A Quiet Place: Day One 12. Strange Darling 13. Oddity 14. Late Night With The Devil 15. The First Omen
1. The Substance 2. Alien Romulus 3. Terrifier 3 4. Smile 2 5. Long legs 6. Late night with the devil 7. Abigail 8. Oddity 9. A Quiet Place Day One 10. The first Omen If heratic and speak no evil are as good as people are saying my list is subject to change.
@ exactly! Totally dialed the rest in. And what a shame to waste what could’ve been totally captivating (especially with HG) and just let it wheeze out any breath of creativity left on more unseen, skinny, dirty girls in cages. I mean, how many missionaries can go missing from one town in the first place? 😂
Ex JW myself. I felt the same things for Heretic. My spot light on this film is the dialogue, the slow burn (I almost never like), the charm and the intelligence of this film. Not to mention how cinematic it is! Really brilliant movie. I’m sorry to see my theater starting to phase it out. I hope to see it a second time before it’s off the big screen.. because like you, this had a very personal piece connected to it for me. I hope that Hugh Grant continues down this genre. i’d happily watch him dominate horror/psychological movies! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This movie was super entertaining. My theory about the ending (spoiler alert) they both die. Last girl dies from her stab wound in the stomach and hallucinated her near death experience of her friend coming back alive to save her, and escaping. Then we see the butterfly land on her finger and vanish. Just throwing it out there, just because corporate religions are corrupt, doesn’t mean there isn’t a creator. Just because we humans haven’t figured it all out doesn’t mean there isn’t a God. There was tons of the usual satanic symbolism in this movie as there is with every other movie ever. Just corrupt people selling you an idea that they wanna make you think is your own ;)
I have my own path from atheist to "what the heck?". So we are left with the questions: Where/when? How? Why? But the scientist in me also tries to specify where exactly these strange thing happen. In cells we can see how all molecules are very specific and extremely organized. Beyond any technology that we can even make. In biology everything is self-organizing. And that is the opposite of the randomness that we see in chemistry and physics. The same is with how neurons are organized. It is not random at all. And in simulations and AI computers can not make any decisions without human intervention. Modern AI is just a statistics over all decisions made by humans. And with my perception, I can also feel that life has life-energy. In the cultures of east-Asia it is called "chi" (China) or "prana" (India). One can easily train to feel a bit, and I became very sensitive. I think that is just a small part of what is there, which also causes confusion in these cultures. Some experiments show indeed that this chi can organize chemical reactions. (10 experiments of Yan Xi) The why is a while different story. Why are we living? Why is there life? And an explanation could be that life is evolving from life-energy alone to an experience of life in a substance. Did this life-energy originally come from a "higher being"? It could be.
did you ever experiment with certain... chemicals? they can show you a lot, but will likely prompt you to only ask more questions - questions of a more spiritual nature, than scientific
@@360.Tapestry No. Not a chemical person at all. Don't even like alcohol. My experiences have grown with meditation, and are similar to people who had Near Death Experiences. There are some recent investigations in this phenomenon that point out real experiences, because the brain was completely shut off.
@@zyxzevn oh, i never touch alcohol or any other recreational drugs. and most have found it helpful in their efforts to quit those. for me, i just knew nihilism wasn't how i wanted (or was meant) to live out my life. you can look into it, there is a lot of renewed research in the realm of "therapy" and "mental health," but spirituality is a much more appropriate and accurate way of describing its use case. although, i'm sure many who fancy themselves modern rational thinkers might erroneously have an allergic reaction to the terminology
@@360.Tapestry The Taoist way of thinking is a bit like Socrates. And I think that approach can be combined with rational thinking. They combine like Yin and Yang. Or intuition and ratio.
I was already planning to see this but didn’t realize it was out already! I was only 1:30 into your vid when i got my ticket haha as someone who left the Pentecostal church, im interested to see how it impacts my viewing experience
I gotta be honest; when I saw this trailer I was worried it was just gonna be a bad horror movie making fun of religious people and overly atheistic people at the same time, but I’m glad it’s a good movie
Just saw this yesterday, so enthralling challenging the idea of faith and religions. That was the biggest horror throughout and I wish they kept on the topic all the way to the end, definitely very interesting
yea I've never been so engaged especially considering half of the movie's "just" dialogue. If it weren't for the ending feeling rushed and heavy on the shock factor and confusion, this movie's a 9/10. I'd still give it an 8/10 though. It's an experience for sure
I’ve always felt Chris Stuckman was me but in a different generation. Born into a Jehovah witness household. At the age of 14 I fell in love with movies and inspire to become a film maker. And I’ve fallen in love with content creation. I remember thinking that I was so excited to see his review and here I am geeking out with everything he pointed out. Much respect Chris you’re the man
That it reinforced your faith is a good thing, and I agree. However, I don't think that a creator is unbelievable in any way. It was a very well done movie!
I'm an ex-mormon and had a hard time finding a theater here in Southern Utah where I could watch it because the big theater chain in my area has boycotted showing it. Ended up driving half an hour to another theater and it was well worth the trip. Such a great movie, very thought provoking and beautifully well done. I appreciated the care and attention to detail that went into portraying the Mormon aspects of the movie in a way that felt authentic and genuine.
They kept getting on my nerves when they went further and further into his house. As soon as they saw the front door was locked and they couldn't leave they should have started a plan to jump him as soon as he came back in the room.
Sending young women to strange homes in the middle of nowhere, right before a violent storm…seems like exactly the kind of against-all-reason thing nutcase religious beliefs do to people.
Love Chris's take on this movie. I haven't seen it yet, but look forward to every eyebrow twitch and grimace appearing on Hugh Grant's face signalling diabolical menace. As so often is the case, reviewers have been saying the initial promise fizzles in the second half. Some day I'd like to see a movie that DOESN'T fizzle in the later stages but takes you somewhere unexpected and intriguing. Movie-makers, you don't have to do the conventional, full-on horror escalation in the final act. Please surprise us!
I'm an atheist myself, I didn't grow up religious or in any church and neither of my Parents were religious. That said, I've always found religion interesting. To me it was always just a combination of philosophy and myth. Philosophy in the sense that most religions lay out a way for someone to live their life, a code of ethics if you will, and myth because some religions use myths and old folk lore to tell their stories and teach their lessons. As an atheist who loves a good story and good characters, the stories and what people take from them was always the part I was interested in. All that said, I thought this movie was AMAZING. The performances, the twists and turns... I thought everything about it was amazing. A24 is quickly becoming my favorite film studio besides Marvel Studios
I’m a very religious person and I loved this movie. I don’t think you can really have faith unless you confront these questions. Deconstruction isn’t a dirty word, it’s a necessity step to reconstitution.
I was excited to watch Sophie Thatcher in another film. She's so charismatic in everything she's- as is Hugh Grant! I can see Chloe East reaching into more horror films in the future, she did a great job in the second half with those tropes ☺️ and reminded me a lot of Melissa Benoist's supergirl in the first half
Just came from a showing and honestly my head is spinning. I loved it so much but feel I’m going to have to rewatch it a couple times to really appreciate it. I don’t want to spoil anything but thinking about how certain elements were slowly built upon and even mirrored from beginning to the end suggests that a LOT of thought went into the story and structure, not to mention the encyclopedic dialogue. Great movie!
I was eager to hear your take on this movie, and I was not disappointed at all! I left the Mormons in 2019/2020, but they still had me scared to watch ex-Mormon content. Then your video about being a Jehovah’s Witnesses changed my mind about that and enabled me to find community among my fellow ex-Mormons!
I'm excited to see this even more now, I really was hopining it won't just be a hit piece against religion, I'm not religious myself, I'm agnostic so I really want to see both sides battle it out without a negative spin one way or another. I'm hoping thats what this movie will be! Looks really fun and exciting too. 2024 horror has been great this year.
ExJW here. LOVED the dialogue and the premise. Wouldve loved another level to his game that he was playing with them cuz it all felt like it amounted to that one level of meeting the prophet.
If that one level is them seeing the prophet, wouldn’t the next level be that the idea of the prophet was represented as a hoax, or a criticism of these religious ‘prophets’? It felt like the idea of belief/disbelief was still prominent at that point, not so much at the very end with all the stabbing
i think anyone who has been cursed with the dark sides of their religious backgrounds and upbringings can definitely touch a part of themselves with watching this film.
Fellow horror fan exjw and YES a million times yes! This movie has some compelling dialogs and captivating visuals and I also love that some of the horror of the movie is the existential dread of the "too much informations my brain is about to explode" when you wake up from a high control group. The inner dialogs that goes through your head, the panic and bargaining, the false two options "either it's true or it's not/belief-disbelief" , the moral layers, the literal descent all of it. I also like that like you said it's not just Hugh Grant being brilliant and obliterating two young girls faith (it would have been so disappointing and patronizing) and for that I also enjoyed the last few minutes of the movie. Great review as always
Saw this last night, great movie. I went in thinking it was going to be more like Saw and Escape Room but was pleasantly surprised when it t was more of a mental thriller almost like The Perfect Host. It had a big impact on me as I live in Salt Lake City, was raised LDS, stopped as soon as I could, but had a friend serve a mission in CO where this movie takes place. Loved the Monopoly references.
When I first saw this trailer I got excited and then seeing A24 (at least for now with their current record) makes me more excited. Also Hugh Grant I feel like goes in and out of the lime light for brief moments and it wasn’t till The Gentlemen that I really acknowledged him and he is truly an incredible actor! Happy to hear good things from Chris, who is still my most trusted review source for years now, and I can’t wait to go see this!
I was raised Mormon and went on a 2 year mission when I was younger, then later left the church and became an atheist. To say this movie was made for me and other ex-mormons is a gross understatement. It's very understandable that it vibes with you for some of the same reasons. So suffice it to say that I LOVED this movie. So much so that I went back and saw it again the next day, and may go for a third while it's still in theaters.. 🤔
Hugh Grant simply amazing in this picture. Pure evil and charisma. I totally share your view on this. As a former catholic and now atheist, I was deeply impacted by this movie and the discussion between the protagonists. Several strenghts in the set: the casting, the dialogs and the characters. For me the best aspect : the sisters who are fighting til the end and do not stay as naïve victims of the villain. The open end is also very interesting and contribute to résolve the question : what is the best religion.
Maybe a great idea for a new horror movie: "I don't know if god exists, but I know that the devil is real". That was a statement made by a monk in the middle ages. (according to a magazine I bought years ago).
Why do I feel like this could be on your top ten list for the year? Going to see it this weekend and I'm extremely excited. Always loved Hugh Grant but Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are both rising stars, have loved most everything they've both done so far.
I'm so curious what you think of this! Your background as a JW is similar to mine as a Mormon and I am excited to go see this, but first I wanna see what your take is!
all 45 years of my life: all my self esteem and sense of self worth, has been raped out of me Three principle functions of the nervous system: - SENSORY INPUT (nervous system senses the spider on your leg) - INTEGRATION (nervous system processes the input, and decides what should be done about it) - MOTOR INPUT (hand shakes off the spider, a response that occurs when the nervous system activates certain parts of the body) --- CENTRAL nervous system - brain - spinal cord --- PERIPHERAL nervous system - SENSORY DIVISION (afferent) - picks up a sensory stimuli - MOTOR DIVISION (efferent) - sends directions from your brain to muscles and glands - SOMATIC nervous system - voluntary (skeletal movement) - AUTONOMIC nervous system - involuntary (heart, stomach, lungs) - SYMPATHETIC - sends the body into action - PARASYMPATHETIC - relaxes the body Neurons have huge appetites. They need a lot of oxygen and glucose. About 25% of daily calories are consumed by your brain. NEURON STRUCTURE: - Soma - cell body - Dendrites - listeners - Axons - talkers
I’m a little surprised we haven’t seen a Joker 2 review from Chris. I’m very interested to hear your thoughts on that film. Awesome review yet again can’t wait to watch this film.
Don't miss your chance of watching this, the movie is so thrilling. I also would like to mention their dialogues, something new. I love everything about this movie.
Alhamdullilah. I was waiting for this movie to say something negative about Islam but it kept it accurate and perhaps safe lol when they mention that Muslims dont believe Jesus (pbuh) resurrected. I think faith prevails in this movie.
The only issue I had was with him killing the first girl. Like how was that consistent? He knew there was no prophet, his intention was to keep subjects and use them as part of his labyrinth…so why did he just kill her?
The feeling I got was that she was becoming too much of a threat, maybe. It also felt like she hit a nerve and he lashed out in the moment but I also had the same feeling.
A big part of her death was the birth control implant; Mr reed notices it at the beginning, is noticeably bothered as it goes against her own religion, and after he kills her he tries to explain its why she won’t come back (even though she ultimately does)
Chris, it sounds like this movie cathartic was, is, and will be cathartic for many individuals who have a shared background. Great review! I can't wait to see how the film will end.
this movie gotta be for mormons because theres just christian tropes and cliches. it doesn't consider that other faiths don't interpret religion the same way
I enjoyed 2/3rd's of the movie but once a certain character/body appears in the movie the wheels came off for me. They never explain who these women are-possibly other missionaries (but it seemed too far fetched). The acting in this film is brilliant. Not just Hugh Grant but the 2 young girls especially. It is a tense movie experience but not exactly horrifying.
I didn't really find the villain sympathetic. By the end, it's clear he's a pervery obsessed with "control" and all the theological stuff is him justifying it to himself.
I enjoyed this movie and I enjoyed Hugh Grant even more. The actresses were great too. The directing, the script...it was just overall good especially since I went in with hardly any idea what the movie was about. I hope some Oscar nominations coming their way.
As an ex-LDS member, and now a reformed Christian .. I can understand both points of view. But I will say Hugh Grant was just so compelling in this movie. I want to see him in more serious roles now.
Not going to lie, Hugh Grant doing creepy is AMAZEBALLS! He is an actor with existential possibilities. From bumbling fool, to hopeless romantic, cheating spouse, to gangster and now, sinister and creepy - heretic 😮 Well done, ole chap! 😉
Just saw this yesterday. After seeing Hugh Grant take on this kind of role, I think a lot more stars that never did horror should do horror movies.
He was also good in Lair of the White Worm. It's not a villain role but yeah.
Yes, let’s start with Dave Chappell!
@ now that would be interesting.
Have you seen _Extreme Measures?_
@@dnasty312 thats sam jackson, not chapelle lol
Saw this yesterday, easily an 8/10.
Hugh Grant nailed his role, gotta love a villain who exhibits critical thinking 🙌 2:12
He's so disarming then again that could be because he's British and older and good looking. He's like a UK Ted Bundy if he were in his 60's
@ Ha! I agree. And don’t forget his willingness to serve freshly baked pie.
Hey! No rating movies allowed!
@@homelesshannah50He is so good, I thought. The charm works.
What films do you rate 10/10?
I feel like A24 is the only studio around that understands how to make movies these days
That and Neon.
Isn't that their thing, to find the more obscure horror plots and let them have the limelight? They find indie films and distribute them worldwide. I kinda love them. They obviously take some profit and make some of their own films, but mostly just find the niche ones and put them on the market. It's a great concept and they seem to be doing brilliantly ☺️
They were doing good until this one.
A24 doesn’t make movies
They got a lot of duds now, but I appreciate them taking risks on original films
A horror movie starring Hugh Grant? I'm already hooked.
Hughked
He's brilliant in this role. Possibly his finest performance. It reminds me of Matt Dillon in the house that Jack built, a typically 'nice guy' character actor giving a fully unhinged villainous performance. This is the Hugh Grant villain era and I'm all here for it.
waiting for this review after AJS mentioned it
Me too!
🤦♂️ same comment in every trailer
So I’m still LDS and I served a mission and I honestly loved this movie. I think it’s important to question your own religion and find what grounds you are really standing on and why. I totally know what these debates are like and it’s interesting that he brings up so many points I’ve heard before, but to put it in such a horrifying context was great. I don’t think the movie wanted to take the stance of hating on the church, but just at least that it’s good to question it so I appreciated it.
I’m also a member and I was always taught growing up that the church was founded on a question and that teaching has helped me a lot. The debate was also very similar to conversations I would have on my mission
I love you Mormons, your so nice 😊
East coast progressive Mormon here, absolutely same
Have you encountered any creepy dudes like Hugh Grant?
@@RobertWF42 haha well definitely not THAT creepy but yeah there are a lot of creepy dudes, especially to sister missionaries
I was waiting for Chris to talk about this. It must've felt somewhat personal to him. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are not too distant from each other. Young religions that were founded in the same century with very strange beliefs (most religions do anyways), and are offshoots of Christianity during a troubling time in the US. Joseph Smith's strange history would require a long essay to cover. Regardless, this film proves a smart script works great in any genre. Filmmakers need to remember this.
They are PRETTY distant and have completely different beliefs
@@thedarkmike12your both right the foundation is similar but there's a lot of Differences too it's like Judaism and Christianity are similar Yes but No
I'm also an exjw and I've been looking forward to this movie for a while. I'm excited to see his take on it!
They’re both cults, so that’s something
@ that’s just your opinion man
Im also am EXJW, and ive been looking forward to this movie for a while. Hearing you say that it was made for you is probably the highest endorsement this movie could get for me!
xjw here as well
It’s nice to see Chris enthusiastic about movies again
He only ever talks about films he is enthusiastic about
As an ex Mormon who came home early from an LDS mission, 10/10. It was so psychologically disturbing and relatable, and horrible, and compelling. I’m blown away. Loved it.
Tell us more about your experiences James !
Lds mission??? Are people still manipulated to waste their life with this sect called Mormons???
More relatable cause we know from experience…dude!
@@Choppa-yc7gqyes
@@Choppa-yc7gqyeah. Traveling the world, learning a new language, experiencing a different culture than your own. So much sinister manipulation and time wasting!
I saw this movie on Thursday and honestly thought it was a really strong horror/thriler not in the traditional sense, but how it tests the limits of what we believe in order for Mr. Reed to basically manipulate these two Mormons like a chess player on a board. Hugh Grant is entirely amazing in it too as I’d honestly say it’s worth seeing the movie for him alone. The third act does lose a bit of steam due to devolving into some Saw-level “so this is what actually happened,” but overall I still largely enjoyed it from start to finish.
Just saw this movie last night and had a BLAST!! Probably the best purely dialogue driven horror movie I've ever seen. No explosions, no special effects, no monsters, just intelligent writing that keeps you tense and on edge...
Absolutely the most simple premise ever, but you can tell that they put alot of thought into this movie. And absolutely spot on in the religious discussions. Fucking awesome movie... 💯
And NO stupid, pointless jump scares but the thing that really got me is no matter how much older he is and polite seeming you always felt if they tried anything he would get violent with them.
Lazy writing . Villain's character is a copy of a old Russian Communist movement .
@@johndavid4072snowflake
Yea, High Grant was “magnetic.”
I love this movie.
The two girls were dope as well!
Highly recommend.
To each their own but I was bored and felt like they could done soooo much more
Can't wait to meet his sibling, Low Grant.
I don't even feel like Mr. Reid as some angry skeptic who really believes that religion is evil. The scene where he is crying during Sister Paxton's prayer proves that he is just a broken man looking for something to believe in despite being let down by a cruel world and less than kind people in it.
I had the same feeling. He was desperately looking for "something" from the beginning and by the end he realises that her faith is something he will forever be barred from. It's another reason why he's such a good villain, I think, because in other films he wouldn't have that nuance. Such an interesting character!
You said it perfectly. I’m not a filmmaker, but inspired was exactly how I felt walking out of this movie. A masterclass in screenwriting, directing, acting, editing… you name it. One of the best of the year.
i’m so happy and grateful for the horror-spearheaded resurgence of mid-budget GOOD, INTERESTING movies that has been building and building over the last few years
As a former missionary/ex-member of the Mormon church, seeing my favorite critic’s review of this film and knowing his background is such a unique pleasure!
I'm seeing it tonight. I only trust your review to not spoil anything
I was never a fan of Hugh Grant in his posh English twit phase, but I have to admit, since 2020 every single role he's been in, he's been killing it. I love the new 'reinvented' HG.
He was good in the gentleman.
@ Yep, which I thought was 2020 but it was 2019. You get my drift.
Grant was always a good actor pigeon holes in rom coms. Maurice (1987) was the movie that convinced me that and it was his first proper movie.
Totally agree he has seems to excel in his roles lately
Enjoyed this one… Hugh Grant was incredibly charming and uncomfy. Movie made you think and was definitely a trip. Is it my fave A24 movie? No. Was it still awesome? Yes. I’m glad we still have movies like these swinging for the fences and making you think in a world with sterile, mass marketed scary movies pumped out for a money grab.
Great review!
I love the first two scenes with the 3 main actors, but once the girls go in the basement...that's when the film starts to very slowly deflate. But Hugh Grant's performance makes this film super entertaining. I like the film but I was a bit dissapointed at the same time. So deffo a 7/10. 😊
For me it was the opposite. I loved it as soon as they went into the basement. All the discussion REALLY seemed to drag on, lots and lots of exposition whilst sitting in the same room with 2 girls looking very uncomfortable. Acting was solid, and Hugh crushed it. For me it got better when the weird shit started happening
I’m watching it a second time. ❤ You’re on the edge of your seat the entire movie. Guaranteed
I really loved this movie but felt like the last act was a bit rushed and didnt play out in a satisfying way. It almost felt like they had a plan for it, used up most of their budget in the first half and had to cut stuff down in the second. I still think it was an amazing movie and loved the premis and the actors, I just was a bit disappointed by the ending.
Went to see this with some friends the other night. Completely absorbing from start to finish. Highly recommended. I do love that Hugh Grant is clearly established and popular enough that he can basically do what he wants it seems. Iterations!
It's very "talky" in the same was "Conclave" is very talky. And yet both films are thrilling and edge-of-your-seat gripping moviegoing experiences. I recommend both if you like to think during your movies.
I wish Chris would still give A+ grades or at least put those A+ worthy ones into his existing play list so we can know which are at the peak level of those prior.
It was amazing! As a Christian, I thought the script was incredibly smart without being sacrilegious or preachy
Did you leave questioning some of it after dudes entire talk?
@@LycanVisualsprobably not bc why would a movie someone entire belief system.
@@LycanVisualsI did. I still believe in God, but can't stand religion
@@baileyrowe15
Because you can't afford to question it, you won't even dare to listen to something that would make your house of cards ♦️♠️
@@latp9567
We should beware stereotypes of outgroups whether it be ethnicity, religion, or whatever. I'm religious and I welcome challenges to my belief in God.
Dude. I was Mormon and even a missionary. And I loved it for the all the same points you make here. I think it's one of my new favorite movies. God... It's so good.
My favorite horror movies this year:
1. Terrifier 3
2. The Substance
3. Smile 2
4. Speak No Evil
5. Heretic
6. Alien: Romulus
7. Longlegs
8. It's What's Inside
9. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
10. Abigail
11. A Quiet Place: Day One
12. Strange Darling
13. Oddity
14. Late Night With The Devil
15. The First Omen
Oddity was interesting.
It's a great year for horror.
Should I watch the Speak No Evil remake if I've already seen the original? Does it change much?
1. The Substance
2. Alien Romulus
3. Terrifier 3
4. Smile 2
5. Long legs
6. Late night with the devil
7. Abigail
8. Oddity
9. A Quiet Place Day One
10. The first Omen
If heratic and speak no evil are as good as people are saying my list is subject to change.
Beetlejuice 2 isn't horror and it Sucked and The Substance is better than Terrifier 3
This movie had much potential, AND THEN THE WRITERS TOTALLY BLEW IT!
We gave them a chance, and they BLEW IT! They blew it…
I mean it was fine until that hag appeared, then boom right off the rails into oh-brother land.
@ exactly! Totally dialed the rest in. And what a shame to waste what could’ve been totally captivating (especially with HG) and just let it wheeze out any breath of creativity left on more unseen, skinny, dirty girls in cages. I mean, how many missionaries can go missing from one town in the first place? 😂
Ex JW myself. I felt the same things for Heretic. My spot light on this film is the dialogue, the slow burn (I almost never like), the charm and the intelligence of this film. Not to mention how cinematic it is! Really brilliant movie. I’m sorry to see my theater starting to phase it out. I hope to see it a second time before it’s off the big screen.. because like you, this had a very personal piece connected to it for me. I hope that Hugh Grant continues down this genre. i’d happily watch him dominate horror/psychological movies! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This movie was super entertaining. My theory about the ending (spoiler alert) they both die. Last girl dies from her stab wound in the stomach and hallucinated her near death experience of her friend coming back alive to save her, and escaping. Then we see the butterfly land on her finger and vanish. Just throwing it out there, just because corporate religions are corrupt, doesn’t mean there isn’t a creator. Just because we humans haven’t figured it all out doesn’t mean there isn’t a God. There was tons of the usual satanic symbolism in this movie as there is with every other movie ever. Just corrupt people selling you an idea that they wanna make you think is your own ;)
I have my own path from atheist to "what the heck?".
So we are left with the questions: Where/when? How? Why?
But the scientist in me also tries to specify where exactly these strange thing happen. In cells we can see how all molecules are very specific and extremely organized. Beyond any technology that we can even make. In biology everything is self-organizing. And that is the opposite of the randomness that we see in chemistry and physics.
The same is with how neurons are organized. It is not random at all. And in simulations and AI computers can not make any decisions without human intervention. Modern AI is just a statistics over all decisions made by humans.
And with my perception, I can also feel that life has life-energy. In the cultures of east-Asia it is called "chi" (China) or "prana" (India). One can easily train to feel a bit, and I became very sensitive. I think that is just a small part of what is there, which also causes confusion in these cultures. Some experiments show indeed that this chi can organize chemical reactions. (10 experiments of Yan Xi)
The why is a while different story. Why are we living? Why is there life? And an explanation could be that life is evolving from life-energy alone to an experience of life in a substance. Did this life-energy originally come from a "higher being"? It could be.
did you ever experiment with certain... chemicals? they can show you a lot, but will likely prompt you to only ask more questions - questions of a more spiritual nature, than scientific
@@360.Tapestry No. Not a chemical person at all. Don't even like alcohol. My experiences have grown with meditation, and are similar to people who had Near Death Experiences. There are some recent investigations in this phenomenon that point out real experiences, because the brain was completely shut off.
@@zyxzevn oh, i never touch alcohol or any other recreational drugs. and most have found it helpful in their efforts to quit those. for me, i just knew nihilism wasn't how i wanted (or was meant) to live out my life. you can look into it, there is a lot of renewed research in the realm of "therapy" and "mental health," but spirituality is a much more appropriate and accurate way of describing its use case. although, i'm sure many who fancy themselves modern rational thinkers might erroneously have an allergic reaction to the terminology
@@360.Tapestry The Taoist way of thinking is a bit like Socrates. And I think that approach can be combined with rational thinking. They combine like Yin and Yang. Or intuition and ratio.
I was already planning to see this but didn’t realize it was out already! I was only 1:30 into your vid when i got my ticket haha as someone who left the Pentecostal church, im interested to see how it impacts my viewing experience
Definitely one of your best videos yet!
I gotta be honest; when I saw this trailer I was worried it was just gonna be a bad horror movie making fun of religious people and overly atheistic people at the same time, but I’m glad it’s a good movie
So glad you still review movies, this the first notification i got from your channel in a while.
Hey Chris, have you seen Conclave yet? It's pretty good, and I'd love to hear your take on it specifically
Exactly. You hit the nail right on the head. I'm going back to see it again this weekend. I've been thinking about this film for a week straight!!
Gonna check this out tomorrow night with a Q&A from Beck and Woods! Very excited!
"The one true religion...." Loved this movie! Watched and waited for the answer to that DEEPLY profound question.
It's been a great year for big stars appearing in horror. Hopefully this will change the genre perception for people who look down at horror films.
Just saw this yesterday, so enthralling challenging the idea of faith and religions. That was the biggest horror throughout and I wish they kept on the topic all the way to the end, definitely very interesting
Do you question how silly religion is now?
@@pdcdesign9632i just found religion because of this movie. So excited for my new life
yea I've never been so engaged especially considering half of the movie's "just" dialogue. If it weren't for the ending feeling rushed and heavy on the shock factor and confusion, this movie's a 9/10. I'd still give it an 8/10 though. It's an experience for sure
@@pdcdesign9632Did you like the Lenist Communist brainwashing rhetoric ? So dumb thinking that you're so smart 😂😂😂😂 .
@@pdcdesign9632 Do you think its silly?
I’ve always felt Chris Stuckman was me but in a different generation. Born into a Jehovah witness household. At the age of 14 I fell in love with movies and inspire to become a film maker. And I’ve fallen in love with content creation. I remember thinking that I was so excited to see his review and here I am geeking out with everything he pointed out. Much respect Chris you’re the man
As a former JW, your review sold me on going to see it 👍🏻
The film reinforced my faith, relating to the 2 girls and their ultimate justifications for why they believe something so unbelievable
That it reinforced your faith is a good thing, and I agree. However, I don't think that a creator is unbelievable in any way. It was a very well done movie!
0:54 I liked the movie Hugh Grant makes a great villian,is pretty good although is not a horror film
I'm an ex-mormon and had a hard time finding a theater here in Southern Utah where I could watch it because the big theater chain in my area has boycotted showing it. Ended up driving half an hour to another theater and it was well worth the trip. Such a great movie, very thought provoking and beautifully well done. I appreciated the care and attention to detail that went into portraying the Mormon aspects of the movie in a way that felt authentic and genuine.
A movie that makes you think... quite a lot! 😮
They kept getting on my nerves when they went further and further into his house. As soon as they saw the front door was locked and they couldn't leave they should have started a plan to jump him as soon as he came back in the room.
Sending young women to strange homes in the middle of nowhere, right before a violent storm…seems like exactly the kind of against-all-reason thing nutcase religious beliefs do to people.
Couldn't stop thinking while watching about how perfect this movie is for deconverts like us
Yes!!!! I was sat up in my seat & then instantly on the edge my seat the entire time.
Didn't go door to door, but I am an ex Christ-slave. I 100% intend to watch this movie.
@Lemiwinks55 Dude my handle on some social media used to be SlaveofChrist 👀
@@Lemiwinks55Keep on getting brainwashed by these atheist Commie writers . Go admire Stalin . That was all his philosophy .
Yes let these Eastern European Bolsheviks rot the Western Civilization . Keep on getting brainwashed .
Love Chris's take on this movie. I haven't seen it yet, but look forward to every eyebrow twitch and grimace appearing on Hugh Grant's face signalling diabolical menace.
As so often is the case, reviewers have been saying the initial promise fizzles in the second half.
Some day I'd like to see a movie that DOESN'T fizzle in the later stages but takes you somewhere unexpected and intriguing. Movie-makers, you don't have to do the conventional, full-on horror escalation in the final act. Please surprise us!
Hugh Grant is amazing in this but , it holes, silly dialogue moments and moments I definitely did not understand. Really dragged it down for me
I'm an atheist myself, I didn't grow up religious or in any church and neither of my Parents were religious. That said, I've always found religion interesting. To me it was always just a combination of philosophy and myth. Philosophy in the sense that most religions lay out a way for someone to live their life, a code of ethics if you will, and myth because some religions use myths and old folk lore to tell their stories and teach their lessons. As an atheist who loves a good story and good characters, the stories and what people take from them was always the part I was interested in. All that said, I thought this movie was AMAZING. The performances, the twists and turns... I thought everything about it was amazing. A24 is quickly becoming my favorite film studio besides Marvel Studios
It's written by Democratic Socialist that espouses Communist rhetoric . Nothing new but very old .
I’m a very religious person and I loved this movie. I don’t think you can really have faith unless you confront these questions. Deconstruction isn’t a dirty word, it’s a necessity step to reconstitution.
Love it! Great acting and in movies, need great dialogue! Love these challenging movies!
I was excited to watch Sophie Thatcher in another film. She's so charismatic in everything she's- as is Hugh Grant! I can see Chloe East reaching into more horror films in the future, she did a great job in the second half with those tropes ☺️ and reminded me a lot of Melissa Benoist's supergirl in the first half
Just came from a showing and honestly my head is spinning. I loved it so much but feel I’m going to have to rewatch it a couple times to really appreciate it. I don’t want to spoil anything but thinking about how certain elements were slowly built upon and even mirrored from beginning to the end suggests that a LOT of thought went into the story and structure, not to mention the encyclopedic dialogue. Great movie!
Ex JW …. Ty ✌🏽
I was eager to hear your take on this movie, and I was not disappointed at all! I left the Mormons in 2019/2020, but they still had me scared to watch ex-Mormon content. Then your video about being a Jehovah’s Witnesses changed my mind about that and enabled me to find community among my fellow ex-Mormons!
I'm excited to see this even more now, I really was hopining it won't just be a hit piece against religion, I'm not religious myself, I'm agnostic so I really want to see both sides battle it out without a negative spin one way or another. I'm hoping thats what this movie will be! Looks really fun and exciting too. 2024 horror has been great this year.
ExJW here. LOVED the dialogue and the premise. Wouldve loved another level to his game that he was playing with them cuz it all felt like it amounted to that one level of meeting the prophet.
If that one level is them seeing the prophet, wouldn’t the next level be that the idea of the prophet was represented as a hoax, or a criticism of these religious ‘prophets’? It felt like the idea of belief/disbelief was still prominent at that point, not so much at the very end with all the stabbing
As someone who grew up as and around a lot of christians and became atheist, I’m rlly interested in this movie.
i think anyone who has been cursed with the dark sides of their religious backgrounds and upbringings can definitely touch a part of themselves with watching this film.
I was touching myself for sure!
This was a gorgeous film in every way
Fellow horror fan exjw and YES a million times yes! This movie has some compelling dialogs and captivating visuals and I also love that some of the horror of the movie is the existential dread of the "too much informations my brain is about to explode" when you wake up from a high control group. The inner dialogs that goes through your head, the panic and bargaining, the false two options "either it's true or it's not/belief-disbelief" , the moral layers, the literal descent all of it. I also like that like you said it's not just Hugh Grant being brilliant and obliterating two young girls faith (it would have been so disappointing and patronizing) and for that I also enjoyed the last few minutes of the movie. Great review as always
Saw this last night, great movie. I went in thinking it was going to be more like Saw and Escape Room but was pleasantly surprised when it t was more of a mental thriller almost like The Perfect Host. It had a big impact on me as I live in Salt Lake City, was raised LDS, stopped as soon as I could, but had a friend serve a mission in CO where this movie takes place. Loved the Monopoly references.
I was brainwashed by the J.W. cult as a child and now have to watch this movie! Thanks for the breakdown!
When I first saw this trailer I got excited and then seeing A24 (at least for now with their current record) makes me more excited. Also Hugh Grant I feel like goes in and out of the lime light for brief moments and it wasn’t till The Gentlemen that I really acknowledged him and he is truly an incredible actor! Happy to hear good things from Chris, who is still my most trusted review source for years now, and I can’t wait to go see this!
I was raised Mormon and went on a 2 year mission when I was younger, then later left the church and became an atheist. To say this movie was made for me and other ex-mormons is a gross understatement. It's very understandable that it vibes with you for some of the same reasons. So suffice it to say that I LOVED this movie. So much so that I went back and saw it again the next day, and may go for a third while it's still in theaters.. 🤔
Don’t give up on Christ. He will never give up on you. Follow the only faith that can directly be traced to Him (it is not Mormonism).
My daughter and I saw it yesterday and it’s the best film of 2024! Hugh Grant’s performance as Mr. Reed will be talked about for many years to come👍
Hugh Grant simply amazing in this picture. Pure evil and charisma.
I totally share your view on this.
As a former catholic and now atheist, I was deeply impacted by this movie and the discussion between the protagonists.
Several strenghts in the set: the casting, the dialogs and the characters. For me the best aspect : the sisters who are fighting til the end and do not stay as naïve victims of the villain. The open end is also very interesting and contribute to résolve the question : what is the best religion.
Maybe a great idea for a new horror movie: "I don't know if god exists, but I know that the devil is real". That was a statement made by a monk in the middle ages. (according to a magazine I bought years ago).
Why do I feel like this could be on your top ten list for the year? Going to see it this weekend and I'm extremely excited. Always loved Hugh Grant but Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are both rising stars, have loved most everything they've both done so far.
A24 just keeps delivering 10/10 movies, simply amazing 👏🏽
I'm so curious what you think of this! Your background as a JW is similar to mine as a Mormon and I am excited to go see this, but first I wanna see what your take is!
If its A24 Horror movie
It will be +A movie.
all 45 years of my life: all my self esteem and sense of self worth, has been raped out of me
Three principle functions of the nervous system:
- SENSORY INPUT (nervous system senses the spider on your leg)
- INTEGRATION (nervous system processes the input, and decides what should be done about it)
- MOTOR INPUT (hand shakes off the spider,
a response that occurs when the nervous system activates certain parts of the body)
--- CENTRAL nervous system
- brain
- spinal cord
--- PERIPHERAL nervous system
- SENSORY DIVISION (afferent) - picks up a sensory stimuli
- MOTOR DIVISION (efferent) - sends directions from your brain to muscles and glands
- SOMATIC nervous system - voluntary (skeletal movement)
- AUTONOMIC nervous system - involuntary (heart, stomach, lungs)
- SYMPATHETIC - sends the body into action
- PARASYMPATHETIC - relaxes the body
Neurons have huge appetites.
They need a lot of oxygen and glucose.
About 25% of daily calories are consumed by your brain.
NEURON STRUCTURE:
- Soma - cell body
- Dendrites - listeners
- Axons - talkers
So what do you believe happens when you die?
Are you going to review Look Back? It's such a wonderful movie that deserves every shred of attention and appreciation
Grant deserves an Oscar nomination for this performance.
This movie is amazing it doesn’t matter what religion you are what your beliefs are this movie is a must watch 15/10
Loving the new camera used Chris
Loved the first third.
Really liked the second third.
Liked the final third.
Great break down! Based on your experiences, your perspective is valued. I agree with all your points - really cool movie.
I’m a little surprised we haven’t seen a Joker 2 review from Chris. I’m very interested to hear your thoughts on that film. Awesome review yet again can’t wait to watch this film.
Chris isn’t allowed to make reviews that would anger his paymasters!
Can't wait to see this one.... but of course it's not Hugh Grant's first horror movie. He was one of the stars of Ken Russell's Lair of the White Worm
Don't miss your chance of watching this, the movie is so thrilling. I also would like to mention their dialogues, something new. I love everything about this movie.
I love that there is now officially a trilogy of Hugh Grant villain movies. Paddington 2, Dungeons and Dragons, now this
Alhamdulillah for Islam, when a religion makes absolute sense absolutely nothing could argue against it.
Alhamdullilah. I was waiting for this movie to say something negative about Islam but it kept it accurate and perhaps safe lol when they mention that Muslims dont believe Jesus (pbuh) resurrected. I think faith prevails in this movie.
A masterpiece. Loved this movie. Couldn't recommend it enough
The only issue I had was with him killing the first girl. Like how was that consistent? He knew there was no prophet, his intention was to keep subjects and use them as part of his labyrinth…so why did he just kill her?
The feeling I got was that she was becoming too much of a threat, maybe. It also felt like she hit a nerve and he lashed out in the moment but I also had the same feeling.
A big part of her death was the birth control implant; Mr reed notices it at the beginning, is noticeably bothered as it goes against her own religion, and after he kills her he tries to explain its why she won’t come back (even though she ultimately does)
Absolutely blown away by this film. Unique cinematic experience.
Chris, it sounds like this movie cathartic was, is, and will be cathartic for many individuals who have a shared background. Great review! I can't wait to see how the film will end.
this movie gotta be for mormons because theres just christian tropes and cliches. it doesn't consider that other faiths don't interpret religion the same way
@@asifchowdhury8005 you'll never get a fair representation in the main stream media
I enjoyed 2/3rd's of the movie but once a certain character/body appears in the movie the wheels came off for me. They never explain who these women are-possibly other missionaries (but it seemed too far fetched). The acting in this film is brilliant. Not just Hugh Grant but the 2 young girls especially. It is a tense movie experience but not exactly horrifying.
I've heard some really good things about this movie. I can't wait to watch it soon. Great review 👍
Apparently Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher were brought up in the Mormon church. This adds a whole new dimension to their wonderful performances.
I didn't really find the villain sympathetic. By the end, it's clear he's a pervery obsessed with "control" and all the theological stuff is him justifying it to himself.
Hugh Grant deserves an Oscar for this movie
Saw this last night. The cinematography was on point!
It's good, no where near what I thought it would be, but still good
I enjoyed this movie and I enjoyed Hugh Grant even more. The actresses were great too. The directing, the script...it was just overall good especially since I went in with hardly any idea what the movie was about. I hope some Oscar nominations coming their way.
As an ex-LDS member, and now a reformed Christian .. I can understand both points of view. But I will say Hugh Grant was just so compelling in this movie. I want to see him in more serious roles now.
Not going to lie, Hugh Grant doing creepy is AMAZEBALLS! He is an actor with existential possibilities. From bumbling fool, to hopeless romantic, cheating spouse, to gangster and now, sinister and creepy - heretic 😮 Well done, ole chap! 😉