Possum

worth a watch

I was pretty impressed by this. The puppet was especially creepy but never felt overused, there were genuine scares here but even when it wasn't actively scaring me it had a tense, otherworldly atmosphere that never let me get my bearings. Both actors were really good but Harris was the better of the two for sure. Fantastic music really hammered the tone home. Can be a little hard to follow but that felt intentional, layering weirdness onto its disturbing--but all too real--plot and themes.

Drawn out sequences that don't tell you anything, cryptic, terse dialogue that leaves you scratching your head; that's 98% of the movie. At some point, you realize the movie has no intention of answering the two dozen questions on your mind, and you will be absolutely right. It's impossible to be invested in the mystery when you're given so little to work with. The ending might give you the gist of what's going on, and that nebulous, last minute account is all you'll ever get.

The material is certainly stretched thin but the all-encompassing atmosphere never dwindles. Sean Harris gives a truly excellent lead performance in Possum after impressing with many supporting roles over the years. The film is rich in tone, soundscapes, and subtext. I hope to see much more from Hollness both in front of and behind the camera.

The detachedness largely makes it feel more like a contemplative character drama than a horror piece. The protagonist is constantly in terror, sure, but the viewer assumes a more voyeuristic role than sharing in the terror. The uncle character and murder events almost feel a little extraneous when the best scenes are between just the protagonist and his repressed emotions, as represented by the possum.

Creepy but not really my thing

I’ve said it at least 19 times in reviews here but good lord I just get so freaked out by dolls and puppets. Pure nightmare fuel. Kinda dull movie tho given all it was building towards

Atmospheric and truly creepy, but ultimately a bit slow and uneventful.

I do like surreal but this one is just not a good movie. You must make a big effort to see the whole thing.

Not much here besides creepy arthouse vibes, except it's not very creepy when there's nothing relatable about the barebone cast. Like a live-action tool music video with maybe a little too much aimless wandering through woods and marshes.

What’s with all of the low ratings? This is one of the most horrifying movies I’ve ever seen. At no point did things feel okay. The protagonist is strange, the small town setting and run down house is odd, the imagery is unsettling, and the “thing” is absolutely horrific and will likely be stuck in my head forever. Holness did a phenomenal job with this, never showing too much or too little, and the last act was excellent and deeply disturbing. Tapped in to one of my fears and gave me a new one.