Superhost

Wow. Just wow. What an effective, intelligently made suspense horror movie. I was hoping for good, and I got outstanding. I am shocked at how much I enjoyed this and how the twists and shocking moments really caught me. The premise is a vlogger couple who do reviews of homes for rent on an AirBNb-style service. Their views and subscriber counts are falling, and it’s taking a toll on their relationship. The guy is planning to propose on the trip, and makes mini-videos about it. But the owner of the house is … weird. Overly sweet, prone to weird breaks in her speech that make her seem like she’s had a mental 404 error. As the couple notice the cameras in the house, and the parade of things going wrong, alarm belle start going off. The way suspense is built up is fantastic. You know there’s something wrong with the owner, but you’re not sure what. It’s watching the characters come to the realization, and how it comes about. It’s drip fed at just the right pace, and with some great technique too. There’s one shot during one of the mini-videos the guy is doing where, in the corner, you see a silhouette standing in the window. It’s barely noticeable unless you look, but it’s great blocking and framing, making the scene serve two purposes. I love the acting in this. Teddy, the boyfriend, loves making the videos, but more importantly, loves Claire, and all he wants is to be with her. He is a true romantic at heart, and has a silly sense of humor about the videos. Claire loves Teddy too, but she’s consumed by the business side of their channel, and it’s taking a toll on her. The way this affects their relationship makes for a good through line. And then there’s Gracie Gilliam as Rebecca, the owner of the house, and LORD HELP ME, this is a performance for the ages. I won’t say anymore, but man, this is her movie. You will remember Rebecca, by God. There’s a couple plot points that are a little annoying (how come they can’t get phone service but they get their email without issue?), but the pacing, acting, and the way the tension builds in this movie, I don’t care. This is among the best horror movies I’ve seen this year. It’s lean, mean, and pulls no punches at any point.