It is with a contagious energy that the brothers Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou came to present their first feature film in Canadian premiere at Fantasia. The new movie from A24 surprised audiences at the Sundance Film Festival in January and with good reason. Remember this title because it will be one of the best horror movies releasing this year!
There is a new trend in town and it is a scary one. After seeing a viral video of possession on social media, teenage grieving mother Mia (Sophie Wilde) tries the challenge at a party with friends. Just hold the so-called embalmed hand of a clairvoyant and say “Talk to me” to experience a temporary possession experience by some spirits. If the young ones have fun at first, they will learn that when you open a door to the afterlife, you have to make sure to close it.
One of the best things you notice when you start Talk to Me is that it’s a teenage movie, but without clichéd characters. All the actors are doing a great job, especially Sophie Wilde who has the potential to be a future horror star. The screenplay is well written. We go from horror to drama with sometimes a bit of comedy and everything is fluid and connects perfectly. The editing is also a strength of the film. The dynamism of the scenes captivates the viewer from beginning to end. Even the die-hard horror fans will be frightened at some time. The practical effects are mastered to perfection and the makeup is also very destabilizing.
During the possession scenes, the camera movements accentuate the terror experienced by the characters and leave us breathless. A lot of effort was put into the soundscape and it created a very effective atmosphere. There are some jumpscares but real ones, not like the cheap kind with high volume sounds. That is not scary but Talk to Me is. The movie is a rollercoaster of terror and emotion and you don’t want to miss the ride. It will be a classic and the Philippou brothers will have great careers for sure.
Talk to Me will hits theaters July 28. Don’t miss it and don’t forget to tell the spirit “I will let you in”.
4.5/5
