Possession

“we are all the same. different words, different bodies, different versions. like insects! meat!” i think this is a perfect film to log on friday the 13th (besides obviously the friday the 13th franchise, but i already did that last year and really can’t be bothered to watch them again) i just watched wuthering heights in the cinema (which unpopular opinion, i kinda liked) but watched this like a week ago and just never logged it, so i just thought i’d put this first (and i also just really want to talk about it). when i first watched this movie, earlier last year, probably one of the first movies i logged on letterboxd, i loved it, but just wasn’t in the right state of mind to properly enjoy it. i’m not gonna lie, the first watch i fell asleep at the end (not because this movie is boring by any means, probably just because i didn’t get enough sleep). so yeah, this was definitely on the top of my rewatch list. and obviously, when i could process what was going on, and also understand the surreal themes a lot more with a second watch, but yeah probably a wrong film to pick on movie night (both of my parents hated it lmao). i think this easily gets bumped up to full stars, not only that but i genuinely think this deserves a spot in my top four, as it’s everything i’d want in a movie, plus more. it’s hard to pinpoint one key feature that i’d class as the ‘best’, but the acting is definitely a place to start. isabelle adjani truly blew me away with her completely unhinged performance, and i would consider this as a contender for one of the best performances seen in film, probably caught second by björk in dancer in the dark. the constant screaming matches, and her maniacal miscarrriage scene: with purely grotesque, raw, spasmodic energy that really just grips your attention at how she’s basically putting her entire soul in this portrayal of a character, and i’m also pretty sure the complete intensity had a massive toll on her mental health. sam neill is also great, with probably his best performance (contrary to what my family says, as they kinda thought his acting was iffy). he really puts himself in the crumbling husband role, as he witnesses his ex-wife completely change within days. this is also just a perfect allegory of divorce, a once loving relationship that results in offspring has now eroded into nothing. from the screaming matches, to the monstrous octopus creature thing that is basically a manifestation of a ruined relationship, using intense body horror as the octopus destroys anything that goes near, and just gets more outraged and furious by the day. the cinematography was something that i adored, and the camera is used in such an interesting way, almost used as a mirror that follows them while in extreme distressing states, its shot almost like a nightmare, and feels fully personal as it gets close to whatever character is on screen. the visuals are also really amazing, the lightings quite dreary, but everything just looks so surreal, so dream-like. the setting reeks of urban decay, with some cold war subtext, as the wall is used metaphorically to separate characters. the practical effects are gorgeous, fully realistic. it’s also just a complete nihilistic fever dream. everything is totally up to interpretation, and that’s just the best way a film can go down. is it a demonic possession? or a shared psychosis? the options are endless, and the idea that both characters cloned and the better one of each character is both insanely tragic, but also a unique, inspired way to conclude. first time watching possession in 2026, and probably won’t be the last time.