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Marionette
Repression
Netherlands / Luxembourg / UK 2020
produced by Burny Bos, Claudia Brandt, Elbert van Strien, Frank Klein (executive) for Accento Films, Black Camel Pictures, BosBros, Samsa Film
directed by Elbert van Strien
starring Thekla Reuten, Elijah Wolf, Emun Elliott, Sam Hazeldine, Dawn Steele, Rebecca Front, Bill Paterson, Peter Mullan, Pearl Chanda, Brigitte Urhausen, Luc Feit, Martin Donaghy, Craig McDonald-Kelly, Elisabet Johannesdottir, John Scougall, Jochum ten Haaf, Matilda Gordon, Marnie Baxter, Geoffrey Newland, René van Asten, Kern Falconer, Julian Nest, Joseph Black, Jay Newton, James Carroll Jordan, Gemma Stroyan, Merryn Benson
written by Ben Hopkins, Elbert van Strien, music by Han Otten, Maurits Overdulve
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Available on DVD! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat (commissions earned) |
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Having just lost her husband Josh (Sam Hazeldine) in a car accident,
psychologist Marianne (Thekla Reuten) decides to relocate from the US to
Scotland, to work at a prestigious clinic for children there. One patient
especially intrigues her, Manny (Elijah Wolf), who mostly just paints dark
pictures, and claims whatever he draws he will make happen. This of course
sounds like a child's over-imagination, until scenes from Manny's very
dark, sometimes borderline apocalyptic, drawings to come true. Now this is
especially troubling as some of the drawings concern Marianne and her new
boyfriend Kieran (Emun Elliott). Marianne manages to track down Josh's
former psychotherapist, Dr. McVittie (Peter Mullan), who has since been
institutionalised in an asylum himself and who has tried to burn himself.
Dr. McVittie only confirms what Marianne already fears, that Manny can
make things happen, almost God-like. Things go bad when Manny draws
Kieran's death, and a short time later he does die in a boating accident -
but what's worse, Marianne is implicated to have killed him. Ultimately
she takes Manny captive and wants to force him at gunpoint to make things
again like they were. Thing is, the police is already in hot pursuit ... Granted,
the plot of this movie does sound far-fetched - but it comes across as
totally relatable as it plays on some dark and primal fears, including
loss of control over one's own life, and tells its story in an engaging
way. Plus, the events that make up the after the seeming finale are sure
to catch everyone off-guard. And while a very solid cast keeps things grounded, the impressive
Scottish locations and landscapes do their part to give the whole thing
just the right atmosphere, while dynamic camerawork keeps things lively
while the film keeps things on slow-burn. And all of this makes for a
rather excellent genre piece.
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Thanks for watching !!!
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Robots and rats,
demons and potholes, cuddly toys and shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill Your Bones to is all of that.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to -
a collection of short stories and mini-plays ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle,
all thought up by the twisted mind of screenwriter and film reviewer Michael Haberfelner.
Tales to Chill Your Bones to
the new anthology by Michael Haberfelner
Out now from Amazon!!! |
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