Well, thanks to Uncorkd'd Entertainment I got to screen a film that's coming out March 2, 2018, called The Lullaby, which is a South African psychological horror film. I gotta say when I read the description of the movie I wasn't sure what I was in for. It sounded like it could be either really good or be a complete bust. However, between the story and the cast, The Lullaby turned out to be really good and the story kept me guessing up till the very end.
The Lullaby is a ninety-six-minute horror that was directed by Darrell Roodt and written by Tarryn-Tanille Prinsloo. It's rated UR (unrated) but has language and violence in it. The story is about a young woman, named Chloe, that is overwhelmed by the birth of her first child. Unfroutnaly, the stress is getting to Chloe and she's starting to see things. Like a scary looking old woman in a black dress popping up around the house and then there are the horrid visions of things happening to her baby. Is any of this real, is Chloe's baby in danger or could all of this just be the stress of being a new mom? Like I said, I wasn't sure if I was going to like the story or not. A new mom is either stressed after having a baby and is having a breakdown or is being haunted by something, which isn't really a new storyline. However, the way Roodt and Prinsloo laid things out, the story turned out really good. Between the backstory of the town and the way everyone acts towards each other, the whole story is set up to consistently keep you guessing what's really going on. I usually don't like movies that end leaving things still up in the air, but for The Lullaby, the ending was a perfect fit that carried the mystery of the story to the very end. One of the things that stood out to me was how the writers leave you in the dark for a lot of Chloe's backstory. It opens with Chole having her baby, but as the movie progresses the writers start to fill in the blanks of Chole's past to help us understand what she's truly going through in the present.
I really dug the playthrough. The pace is a slow burner, which fits perfectly with the story. I liked how you never really know what's coming around the next corner. It could be a simple jump scare, a full out "something" getting you or a build up to nothing. I enjoyed seeing the mix of the different techniques and how they were used to keep you guessing on what's real or not.
Some of the cast is Reine Swart (Z Nation), Thandi Puren (Dead Easy), Deànré Reiners (Dis Koue Kos, Skat), Brandon Auret (Chappie) and Dorothy Ann Gould (Friend Request). First off, Swart did an amazing job with her character. Throughout the movie, Swart is constantly having to display all of these different emotions while questioning everything that's going on around her and I thought she did an outstanding job with all of it. Puren was good, but she was mainly used to help push the story along. Now, I'm not sure where I stand with Auret's character, Dr. Reed because he keeps such an oddly calm demeanor throughout the movie, you never get a real feel for what his deal is, which helps add even more mystery to the overall story. You never know for sure if Dr. Reed knows what's going on with the woman in black or if he genuinely what's to help Chloe in her time of need.
I thought the special effects looked good, but they weren't great. I will warn you, there are some scenes that might be hard for some people to watch. The visions Chloe has about her baby being harmed can get a bit graphic at times.
Side note: For anyone looking to catch The Lullaby it'll be opening across the U.S. and available on VOD (video on demand) March 2, 2018. If you're wanting to catch it in the theater then here's a list of places showing it. Phoenix - Valley Art, Los Angeles - Laemmle Music Hall, Philadelphia - PFS Roxy Theater, Chicago - Facets Cinematheque, Atlanta - Plaza Theater, Dallas - Texas Theater, Cleveland -Cedar Lee Cinemas, San Francisco - Roxie Theater, Miami - Cinema Paradiso and Denver - SIE Film Center.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Lullaby. So, when you get the chance, you should check it out.
Well, thanks to Uncorkd'd Entertainment I got to screen a film that's coming out March 2, 2018, called The Lullaby, which is a South African psychological horror film. I gotta say when I read the description of the movie I wasn't sure what I was in for. It sounded like it could be either really good or be a complete bust. However, between the story and the cast, The Lullaby turned out to be really good and the story kept me guessing up till the very end.
