Shutter

i often find jump scares to be cheep since there are many movies that heavily rely on them to be the scary part and call it a day. its usually ineffective because of this And because i know the horror movie formula very well so me knowing when to expect them doesn’t really work for what their purposes is. but when a movie like this builds up a haunting atmosphere so well and uses jump scares as an addition to elevate the existing mood it’s just so good…  there were so many scenes that stuck out to me.  first, the red room when we first see the ghost as she slowly creeps up from the sink. god what a perfect way to introduce a ghost. that very first jumpscare with the door surprised me and i was shocked i actually jumped. and something about wet haired ghosts (?) is just so scary. (And i see this in asian horror a lot ?) the second is the one where it plunges us into darkness as tun gets his own picture taken. as he fumbles in the dark of the studio and the screen gives this effect of a camera shutter and lights up my room in a way that has me disoriented just as he is (this movie is best watched in the dark!) and then she shows up !! beautiful.  lastly, the very end scene when he finds out why his neck has been so sore. i literally got goosebumps.   there are slow shots of the characters moving around in their space. there isn’t any music during this, the sound effects are mostly used for jump scares and emphasizing the photos shown, but the silence adds to the eerie atmosphere and builds up the feeling of anticipation much more effectively than an escalating score would. i really didn’t expect to love this as much as i did.  the overall vibe is cold and moody and just tragic. the concept of a mother carrying her daughters dead crippled body back home and laying her to bed and letting her rot in her home is devastating. the connection between tun and natre wrapped everything together. he treated her so terribly, and had a hand in her suicide and sexual assault. (the face she made when she realizes he wasn’t going to help her made me cry.) then he basically killed her again by telling his girlfriend to drive away from the crash scene ! it sort of turned a typical ghost story into a revenge story. the recurrence of the preying mantis was perfect. the female eating the males head as they mate and the way he suffered what i assume is a brain injury at the end.. perfect. being haunted would feel like being preyed on wouldn’t it?  the hauntings near the end were executed so perfectly. the scene of her crawling down the ladder was chilling as was the photos of her pointing jane to the bookshelf. the ghostly makeup is absolutely gorgeous and the way she moves and creeps around as she suddenly shows up is terrifying. the way she bends reality and messes with his head really sets the tone for the movie with all the twists and turns it has as the story unravels along with the nightmare sequences. it really makes us question what’s real and what isn’t for a moment. just a super fun watch and totally worth it ! also. that dude ran out of the bathroom without wiping his ass :/