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TIFF Review: ‘Saint Maud’ is an Enthralling Slide into Obsession

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Saint Maud

For her feature film debut, writer/director Rose Glass comes out swinging with Saint Maud. The stage is set for a tense tête-à-tête between the film’s two lead actresses, each bringing their A-game to the battlefield. This psychological horror has an intense slow burn that explodes with one of the best final shots I’ve seen on film. 

Saint Maud follows a troubled young nurse who takes a position as the at-home care for Amanda (Jennifer Ehle, Zero Dark Thirty), a former dancer and choreographer. Maud (Morfydd Clark, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) is devout in her religious beliefs and believes that — with Amanda’s cooperation — she can save her soul. A toxic obsession develops and threatens to consume them both.

Maud is coming fresh off the heels of a traumatic experience at her last job posting, leaving her ostracized and disgraced. To move past her tarnished name, Maud has reinvented herself, and when she meets Amanda, she sees a second chance.

Amanda is fascinated by Maud and begins a delicate dance of friendship. When Maud upsets their collaborative balance, Amanda is quick to knock her back into place. Thus, Maud’s world shifts and their fates are forever entwined.

The two leads are captivating as they weave through complex emotions and subtext. Clark delivers a compelling performance, leading the audience on an intensifying journey. Ehle oozes confidence and sexuality; even in her declining state, she’s the cat that caught the canary. 

Maud’s relationship with sexuality is left open and exposed. It’s a cold, raw look at desire and lust in women, and the socially imposed feelings of shame that come when we indulge in those fantasies. She views her needs as indiscretions that must be punished; her piety is held above all else. 

Scenes of a sexual nature are shot in a way that feels very intrusive, emphasizing Maud’s feelings of shame with isolated sound and an unflinching focus. Each moment is dripping with that awkward feeling that comes from a regrettable one-night stand. It’s extremely effective. 

This effect is heightened by the harsh realism with which these scenes are shot, contrasted with other scenes that hold an almost dreamlike quality. It creates an imbalance that reflects Maud’s mental state, highlighting her isolation.

The use of sound and lighting is exquisite. The lack of sound echoes through tense moments, while visceral sound effects are used as punctuation for intensity. Some scenes are basked in shadow and others flooded with light, perfectly reflecting Maud’s perception of events. It draws you into the action and emotion of the film, creating a naturalistic experience right to the shocking conclusion.

Saint Maud is a study of fanaticism told from the perspective of someone who is deeply lost in their own madness. The audience is left to question what is real right up to the final, explosive moments of the film. 

Glass has crafted a tight and powerful film that will stick with you long after the credits roll. Each moment we spend with Maud is an unravelling of her character — a discovery of her deepest, darkest nature. Saint Maud is a slow burn in the best possible way, raising the tension and stirring a sense of unease until it boils over. It’s an enthralling and fascinating film, and it’s an experience you won’t soon forget. 

 

For more from TIFF, check out our reviews of The Lighthouse and Blood Quantum.

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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