The Invitation (2015)

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While attending a dinner party at his former home, a man thinks his ex-wife and her new husband have sinister intentions for their guests. (imdb)

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Directed By: Karyn Kusama

Written By: Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi

Starring: John Carroll Lynch, Toby Huss, Tammy Blanchard, Michiel Huisman, Logan Marshall-Green, Mike Doyle, Lindsay Burdge, Michelle Krusiec, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Jordi Vilasuso, Karl Yune, Jay Larson

Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Horror, Mystery

Country: USA

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The Invitation belongs to 22 collections

1. Sitges: Best Film (collaborative: moderated by Tostadora)

2. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 12 stars)

3. Cults (collaborative: moderated by djross - 9 stars)

4. Female Directors (collaborative: moderated by djross - 90 stars)

5. Psychological horror (collaborative - 4 stars)

6. Tom & Bitches' Infinite Watchlist (collaborative - 1 star)

7. Mumblegore (collaborative: moderated by mattburgess - 3 stars)

8. Horrors 2013< (collaborative: moderated by neurophate)

9. Fantastic Fest 2015 (collaborative)

10. Horror (public: fruititself - 4 stars)

11. 89th Academy Reminder List (2016) (collaborative: moderated by cowfrappe - 1 star)

12. Vulture's 13 Best Horror Movies of 2016 (collaborative: moderated by jeff_h - 2 stars)

13. Netflix USA (public: mpowell - 8 stars)

14. Dreadit's Top 20 Films of 2016 (collaborative: moderated by justineann)

15. Horror (public: horrorjames - 4 stars)

16. Mini Reviewed (public: Adds)

17. Fiumabe (public: Schmidiator)

18. NZIFF 2015 (public: adwilson)

19. Top 3000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 5 stars)

20. Best by different standards (public: sesito71 - 6 stars)

21. Djross feature films I've seen that are directed by women (public: djross)

22. Arthouse Horror (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 8 stars)

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All Ratings | With Reviews

Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
5	schnofel	77 _87th
The final shot really puts this traditionally handled thriller up a notch, mainly because it implies that the pain of these characters is universal and that our new age remedies could become dangerous.
5	Kojiless	70 _75th
A nifty little slow-burn thriller that uses the dinner party conversation setting well. Everybody is just slightly messed up in some uncomfortably awkward ways, creating this sticky sense of uneasiness which you won't be able to wash yourself clean of until the 3rd act when all shit breaks loose. Recommended for viewing with friends you want to kill.
5	caiman	62 _25th
I appreciated how well the themes were fleshed out (loss, grief, mercy killing, etc), but it ultimately didn't do enough to surprise me. I grew anxious to know what the big mystery was, but looking back on it it was all pretty run of the mill and, dare I say, predictable. The build up grew tiresome, especially during the second act when things really dragged. I liked the last shot, but the overall payoff didn't justify the impatience I felt throughout.
5	KasperL	55 _39th
A quite excellent Marshall-Green carries the film which is very nicely shot. The last act was pretty weak, however, but I was engaged and ready to sing the movie's praises up until then, so I will definitely be seeking out whatever Kusama makes next.
5	doughbaron	72 _53rd
The Invitation has a few great ideas, but doesn't have the courage to fully explore them. Instead, we're left with something entirely predictable. Thankfully, it's executed really well.
4	Barthalen	70 _55th
It wasn't hard to guess what the main reveal would be, but the road up to that point was pretty effective. I guess I enjoy that feeling of something-seems-wrong-ness, in this case strengthened by moody lighting, camera angles, a creepy location and an effective cast. Once the thrills are over, a sense of 'so I guess that was it' is hard to avoid, but a feeling of unease has stuck with me since my viewing and that's worth something too. [Slowly turns into paranoid hermit]
4	eCitizen	60 _59th
A group of friends reunite after a few years for a dinner party, but it's no party any of them are expecting. Logan Marshall-Green was excellent in the role. The suspense was terrific and it did a good job of keeping you guessing until the end. A quality production with excellent music. Slow but good pacing. The ending was not handled nearly as well as the build up to it, missing many opportunities to be better. The final scenes was a nice touch.
4	Paxton	77 _82nd
I didn't think the film was nearly coherent enough...BECAUSE IT REMINDED ME OF COHERENCE! Oh, for fun. If you had told me that the guy from Prometheus and Devil was going to carry a movie that I enjoyed I would've guessed that it somehow involved an enormous beard and I would've been right.
3	deaddilly	60 _27th
PSA: Don't bring your new girl to your ex's house for a reunion.
3	Jerky	55 _58th
******************SPOILERS********************** "Hobo" Tom Hardy and "Discount" Eric Bana butt heads over issues with "Coked Out" Liv Tyler. Drew Carey's brother plays another bad guy. Sprinkle in boring LA stereotypes for no reason. Obvious cult is obvious.
2	Moribunny	70 _75th
Starts with a particularly hateful cliche, and for the first twenty minutes I didn't think I was going to like it. It picks up and becomes a disturbing little film. Logan Marshall-Green does a good job in the lead.
2	terrymac	67 _50th
Builds some nice tension and uncertainty throughout, and the cast do a decent job even if the script makes it seem a bit "improv" at times. The final segment and ending were alright in the grand scheme of things, but resulted in some minor eye-rolling on my behalf. This felt well-handled even if it felt like it could be sharpened up at points - Kusama definitely has skill. Interesting. Doesn't Tammy Blanchard look like Michelle Monaghan?
2	Duder	60 _40th
I went through 6 different endings in my head throughout the whole movie. And it took me from here to there. A well made, unnerving film, never jump scares but always keeps you on your toes. And ıt decently pays off, not amazing but good.
2	Calexico	80 _66th
No more parties in LA
2	xacviant	82 _58th
A group of friends are invited to a dinner; on the surface all seems amiable, but the ex-husband (Logan Marshall-Green) of the hostess (Tammy Blanchard) is suspicious of her intentions, and the events of the evening only deepen his paranoia. Some self-conscious writing and acting and a mildly weak resolution aside, this is a potent thriller, genuinely suspenseful and elevated by Kusama's precise direction and editing.
2	torbern	75 _47th
It suffers some shoddy acting, and some questionable plotting up to its second act, but the quality of the filmmaking here is something to admire. Every camera angle works to stir the film's cauldron of dread; every nervous glance is made to gleam like a knife edge. The payoff, while not at all what I expected, left me feeling wrung out in that good way that only some thrillers can.
2	yug	50 _36th
Although it looks forced at multiple places, there is a decent suspense build up and few moments are fairly unsettling. Too many flaws. Predictable but uncontrolled. Good camera work.
1	AFlickering	2 _18th
(SPOILER ALERT) a lesser version of THE GIFT right down to the political allegory; here the stereotypical progressives (the diversity, liberal attitudes to sex/drugs, driving a hybrid, euthanasia etc) fail to reject the obvs insane conservatives (religious fanatics who bang on about 'family', with locks on their doors and guns in their home) due to their obnoxious levels of tolerance/politeness, with fatal consequences, and a twist that suggests GUYS WAKE UP THIS IS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS AMERICA!
1	Suture Self	3 _25th
If you go to a dinner party with a bunch of yuppies you might get killed. Don't do it. Stay at home like I do. It's safer. Surf the internet. Give your girlfriend a massage. DON'T GO TO DINNER PARTIES WITH YUPPIES.
1	Koalafish	60 _30th
After abortion due to excessive boredom on the first watch I gave it a second chance persuaded by the many praises this movie gets for its allegedly great ending. While the finale wasn't bad, it was hardly surprising...what else could have happened?
1	WWallce4prez	70 _46th
A solid exercise in tension building. The reveal is not too difficult to figure out and its conclusion is a bit lackluster. Still, the suspense is an impressive feat.
1	wetwillies	40 _2nd
Viewed April 26, 2016. Merely about building up to a foregone conclusion in a frustratingly uninteresting manner. Yes, it's jarring and gruesome, but it's never actually suspenseful. There's no push-and-pull. The loud noises, the rack focuses, the heavy-handed flashbacks, Logan Marshall-Greene's torturous brooding, the overwhelming sense of misanthropy - these things only give the illusion of suspense. It's more of a sound effect than an actual movie. I really don't want to grow up.
1	Cinema_Asia	65 _42nd
A film that builds and builds and builds suspense and tension but wastes it on cheesy misdirection. Would have been much better as a shorter film. There is also a bit of miscasting here since Michiel Huisman just screams Game of Thrones merc dude the entire time. A lot of the script comes across an acting improv set with Hollywood C-listers. The film itself has its moments but it follows a well worn path to get there.
1	Syntheseizur	63 _16th
Hits notes familiar to films like 'Compliance' and 'The Celebration' in that its unrelenting sense of suspense is drawn from oppressively uncomfortable situations. As successful as it is in that respect, the movie retains the flatness of similar thrillers with thin characters, stilted dialogue, and the tendency to undermine its own muddled message throughout the film. An interesting ensemble study with a generic sinister cult backdrop that succeeds on the basis of its nerve-wracking tension.
1	Superargo	79 _81st
Layered, creepy, joltingly original. I won't say anything else about this insidiously constructed, crackerjack horror chamber piece for fear of ruining it--I didn't know a thing about it prior to going in, and trust me, it works like gangbusters that way. Don't miss it, but fair warning: you won't be in too perky of a mood afterwards.
1	guy piranha	60 _40th
apart from the little cat and mouse mindgame that kusama sends you on, the first and second act are a real pain in the proverbial ass. that is why i aborted early on first try with a buddy, you definitely need to be in "wait for it"-mode to get through. what follows is an improvement, but hardly worth the wait, because let's be honest: it all played out in underwhelming and foreseeable fashion, even the "praised" final scene, which made no sense by the way.
1	damil	60 _43rd
There's a lot of build-up, but I didn't think the big reveal really justified it and it was all a little anti-climactic in the end. I did really like the very final shot though. It was directed competently, and it looked and sounded fine. But I don't know, the characters didn't really work for me. Part of that was the performances, of which a few weren't very believable. It seemed to have a lot of the right elements for a movie I'd enjoy, but it didn't come together.
1	Sadman	80 _62nd
Is Logan Marshal-Green the prince of great low budget genre movies? With this and Upgrade, I think he has a good claim. Everything here comes together for a really effective pot of boiling tension. The acting and dialogue feels natural (until it explicitly doesn't) and narrative twists are well placed. I was always guessing and second-guessing the validity of the protagonist and by extension, myself. Not sure how I feel about the ending shot, felt a little "written" unlike the rest of the movie.
1	bof	63 _46th
Excellent creepy ambiguous buildup that unfortunately leaves itself nowhere to go once they have to pull back the curtain and show who's crazy and who's just paranoid. But good performances by Marshall-Green and Huisman, and California designer homes haven't looked this creepy in a long time.
1	Ryan Lueders (ReelRyan)	85 _73rd
I'd probably cancel the RSVP on this. The party may have gone pretty badly, but the movie itself is great. I thought it had an excellent slow-burn leading up to a pretty bat-crazy experience at the conclusion. I also loved its use of foreshadowing, which is even better than jump scares in these types of films. All the acting was really good, but the leading man took the cake. I liked his stoic attitude and his genre-saavyness... [Full Review]
1	mattorama12	63 _43rd
Very nicely directed--tense, atmospheric, and claustrophobic. And Marshall-Green is a stand out. Other than the very last, none of the surprises were really surprises, though. And that very last reveal was nice, but also feels noticeably more implausible than the whole movie leading up to that point.
1	Barraoc	80 _85th
Masterfully made suspense thriller, with an engrossing premise, and some odd characters in just the right places. Logan Marshall-Green is spot on as the lead.
1	PUNQ	40 _58th
While I can enjoy an occasional bloodbath, I found this dinner invitation to be overall lazy. Don't get the hype....
1	kjetting	78 _65th
While anyone could see the reveal coming a mile away, it's the road that leads there that matters. Slow burning, building tension and exploring the characters. Marshall-Green plays his part perfectly, distant, emotionless and sceptic.
1	okayfrog	70 _75th
For those that have seen The Gift, expect a similar movie here. A lot of misdirection and wondering of what exactly is going on. The lead role does very well in making the viewer wonder whether or not he is paranoid. This is labeled as a horror, but remember that horror can be a feeling of unease. This movie definitely gives you that feeling. Now whether or not that unease is justified is something you'd have to see for yourself.
1	Ippei	55 _20th
Does a decent job of keeping up the mystery and intrigue throughout the film, and Logan Marshall-Green is pretty great in his lead role, but there were a few plot points that were a little uneven. It also ultimately descends into a fairly typical ending, which is a little disappointing given the build up. Worth a watch but nothing to write home about.
1	barisyasar	78 _37th
Although it's slow paced, the first and second arcs of the Invitation are building up the tension phenomenally, while creating believable characters and relationships. However, the reveal is disappointingly obvious and the finale falls short with no real payoff at the end.
1	Quintonjamin	60 _50th
It starts slow, but it builds tension pretty well and the last bit of the film is quite enjoyable.
1	doyler29	80 _64th
This is a really well-paced, taut thriller that legitimately keeps you guessing as the protagonist's paranoia seems justified at times ... and then maybe just a symptom of his unresolved feelings about his divorce.

Average Percentile 46% from 1384 Ratings