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Reviews
Little Erin Merryweather (2003)
Feminist Horror
I appreciated how smart this independent film is. It literally switched every gender role on its head. There is a feminist bend to Little Erin. In fact, I would put this in the category of feminist horror. You have a strong female, front and center who preys on handsome young men.
Vigdis Anholt as the femme fatale is superb. At times she invokes sympathy and at other times, she is down right terrifying. Not easy to pull off. Her portrayal of someone with a split personality who suffered from sexual abuse as a child is most convincing. The movie racks up creativity points by coming up with a new character in horror who dresses up as a creepy beauty doll to look like Little Red Riding Hood. She also disembowels her victims and replaces their insides with stones. This is novel. It simply hasn't been done.
For once, we have a final boy in David Morwick's character, Peter. Morwick brings the right mix of humor and sensitivity. At times, it's like watching a romantic comedy but then it all changes when he is sobbing in fear as his friends go down. Erin picks off all the alpha males and it may be Morwick's shyness and sensitivity that saves him in the end. For me, the film is woefully underrated. Despite a limited budget, the filmmakers don't resort to blood and naked bodies. Rather the film showcases stylish photography with great color contrasts and fanciful artwork. The original soundtrack is excellent and conveys a deeply sad message which runs throughout the film.
Alone (2020)
Great Cat and Mouse Thriller
Jules Wlcox is excellent as Jessica. She is strong, determined not to let this awful creep get her. The simplicity in which the story is told has the viewer razor focused. The photography is really good and showcases Portland, Oregon's wilderness. I thought Marc Menchaca was beyond unnerving. I don't know that people realize how many women are abducted and how few escape with their lives. It's nice to see a strong woman character carry the film.