The Lodge
ah yes, my favorite christmas movie ever. idk why, but there’s something about this movie to me.
i was reminded earlier today of its existence, i remember i watched it on the fateful night of february 29th 2020 and it’s stuck in the back on my mind for the rest of time, waiting to rewatch it and be reminded of how i felt and i guess i really wanted to feel that dread again tonight. it feels truly sinister and devastating, and i can’t help but sit here on the verge of tears as i write this review and as the strings of the credits play over my living room, i feel empty. the horror in this movie is truly intriguing and uncomfortable to watch, like most psychological horrors, but the terror with this one really sticks to me. people might like to joke in other reviews about “never have kids” but i can’t help but sympathize with them, no matter how fucked up they are, especially poor jaeden. these characters are all met with an incredibly awkward position, all haunted by the presence of the opening scene. it takes a bit to get going, especially from this new point of view after already watching, but every beat felt like it was crawling into my skin. the actors, especially the children, are all phenomenal, you can see every little crack that starts to show in grace as her past takes her back over, and you can really see the regret in the children as the situation gets out of hand. the silent atmosphere and architecture of the lodge in question, topped with all its creepy religious imagery, it truly makes you believe there’s no more hope for these characters and it makes you believe this narrative and the ending lingers with the question “what happens after death?” but again, i’m just a 17 year old film nerd, not a philosopher. idk what im talking about, i just love this fucking movie, and i’m probably not sleeping tonight or i’m gonna have to try in silence. it really is one of those movies where it makes me embrace the actor part of me and enables the mindset in me like a drug where i want to be apart of a movie that makes me feel this amount of dread, okay anyways goodnight yall