This decade has seen the release of critically-acclaimed neo-horror movies such as “The Invisible Man,” “Barbarian,” “Titane,” “Watcher” and “Possessor,” but A24 has an upcoming film that is set to join their ranks.
Twin filmmaking duo Danny and Michael Philippou's “Talk to Me” completely subverts the clichés of the genre. Yes, there are some first-timer mistakes here and there, but these boys have vision to spare.
A24 has just released a second trailer for “Talk to Me.” It’s an improvement from the last one, and it does the job in creating atmosphere and intrigue. The film currently has a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes with an 8.0 average score.
The twins are known as the YouTube duo RackaRacka, where they produce horror videos with a comedic twist. I never heard of them until this movie, but I’m now listening. Watching “Talk to Me” felt like the time I discovered David Robert Mitchell’s “It Follows” at Cannes. On-paper, it didn’t sound like anything fresh or original, a low-concept idea, but watching the film is a whole other story.
A24 nabbed the rights to the film at Sundance, supposedly paying a handsome seven-figure sum, and it’s probably going to be worth every penny for them.
The film stars Sophia Wilde as teenager Mia, who, on the anniversary of her mother’s death, gathers for a “calling” seance with her friends. They conjure up spirits using an ancient embalmed hand, and become temporarily possessed. The catch is that they must exorcise the spirit within 90 seconds, or it will try to stay.
The thin line between reality and spiritual collapses in this film, as Mia is haunted by supernatural visions, but are they just all in her head? It amounts to a very distinctive vibe — the atmospheric dread is one thing, but parts of this film feel damn-near surreal.
“Talk to Me” is slated for theatrical release on July 28, 2023. You’ll be hearing a lot more about this one in the weeks and months to come.