Smile

I first watched this movie with a group, but when I rewatched I was alone in my room in the dark and I honestly considered turning it off several times and waiting until I could watch it with someone else. I made it through, but I did end up turning on my light about halfway through. It’s just a tense movie, my nerves were fried by the end of it. Somehow it was made even worse by having already seen it and knowing what was going to happen. This is just a really great horror movie. The number one indication that this movie was going to be good is that Kyle Gallner is in it because every horror movie he’s in is a fucking banger (except the Nightmare on Elm Street remake but he was still the best part of that dumpster fire). Her fiance on the other hand was such an asshole, but then again he is A-Train so that’s not a huge surprise. There’s so many good, terrifying scenes. The birthday party scene is so traumatic, god that poor kid. I should dock this one star for the cat dying, but I’m not going to. The ending is what really does it for me, though. The Monstrosity would kick The Mother from Barbarian’s ass. She’s so scary. At least on the rewatch I didn’t cry from pure terror at the end like I did the first time. This movie is like It Follows on steroids. I like that movie but I always felt like they could’ve taken it a step further. This movie is that step further. I do feel like there are some cheap jump scares in it, though. I don’t mind jump scares, but have them when something actually scary is happening, not when a car is honking or a glass is breaking. Like, of course I’m going to jump when the quiet scene is interrupted by a loud ass sound, but then the pay off is nothing. For example, I think the scene where Rose is in the car and her sister comes running up to her is a perfect jump scare and resulted in something that actually scared the shit out of me. Still a great movie though. t’s rare these days for a movie to genuinely scare me. I was sitting there with my ears covered, peeking out of one eye, hands sweating, and muscles cramped up. Love it.