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Fantasia 2019: ‘Door Lock’ is a Tense, Terror-Fueled Thriller

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Door Lock

Korean cinema has mastered the art of the killer thriller. Films like I Saw the Devil and The Chaser manipulate their audience with a combination of tension and action that pulse through the screen and elicit a strong reaction of fascination and disgust. Door Lock continues this incredible trend of terror with a tech-infused twist. 

The film follows Jo Kyung-min (Kong Hyo-Jin), a quiet and unassuming bank teller who lives alone in a studio. One evening, coming home, she finds the cover of her door lock left open and changes the code. But that night, before she goes to bed, she hears a terrifying sound: “Beep, beep, beep… You have entered the wrong code.” She repeatedly calls the police to alert them that an intruder has come rattling at her chamber door, only to have them downplay her concerns, essentially gaslighting her into the belief that it’s nothing to be worried about. 

via Fantasia Fest

Of course, there is plenty to be worried about when it comes to her personal safety. Kyung-min is haunted by this night stalker; it becomes an obsession that gradually takes over her life. Door Lock is technically a remake of Jaume Balagueró’s Sleep Tight (a phenomenal film on its own), but the two are so dramatically different that they hardly bear comparison. There are certainly parallels, but they hold their own as separate, unique films. 

While Sleep Tight focuses on the villain, Door Lock has a firm focus on its protagonist. Not only does this create a mystery within the story – a “whodunnit”, essentially – but it also allows the audience to empathize with Kyung-min, who must navigate this threat as a young woman in a world filled with overbearing men. 

She is expected to be polite, agreeable, and delicate; a passive woman who makes no fuss and smiles along through awkward flirtations. She sets up her apartment to look as though a man lives there with her, just in the interest of her own safety. After yet another condescending dismissal from the authorities, Kyung-min — feeling her concerns are not being properly addressed — takes matters into her own hands to try and solve the mystery. 

Violence is woven through the film, but it’s not gratuitous; it acts more as a warning of the danger that follows Kyung-min. It amps up the tension and keeps the audience on edge, knowing the horrific fate that lies before her. Visually, the cold, harsh urban scape is alienating, reflecting the isolation that Kyung-min feels.

The door locks in Kyung-min’s building are mechanical, so anyone with the proper code or key fob could gain access to her home. This concept is pretty terrifying; you don’t know who could have your code without your knowledge. Physical keys are harder to copy, but any observant individual could easily learn or guess your combination. This tactic conveniently allows for some astute detective work on Kyung-min’s part, driving the story forward and into some dark, dangerous places. 

via Fantasia Fest

Door Lock preys on the idea that any interaction you have could be misconstrued by the wrong person. What starts as an infatuation can flourish to a full-blown obsession with dangerous consequences. According to a study by the University of Gloucestershire, stalking behavior has been identified in 94% of murders; it’s a sobering statistic. 

Brilliantly directed by Kwon Lee, Door Lock prickles with anxiety; it strips away the safety and comfort of your own home and paints the walls with the worst case scenario. It’s a captivating and compelling film that brilliantly explores the dark and unpredictable side of human nature. The scariest thing about the film is that you could easily see it happen to you; if you live alone, it’s downright terrifying. 

If you’re interested in a good creeping, chilling thriller, definitely check this one out. And don’t forget to lock your doors. 

Door Lock is playing as part of Fantasia Festival’s 2019 lineup. For more films, check out their website or keep an eye out for our reviews.

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Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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Part Concert, Part Horror Movie M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Trailer Released

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In true Shyamalan form, he sets his film Trap inside a social situation where we aren’t sure what is going on. Hopefully, there is a twist at the end. Furthermore, we hope it’s better than the one in his divisive 2021 movie Old.

The trailer seemingly gives away a lot, but, as in the past, you can’t rely on his trailers because they are often red herrings and you are being gaslit to think a certain way. For instance, his movie Knock at the Cabin was completely different than what the trailer implied and if you hadn’t read the book on which the film is based it was still like going in blind.

The plot for Trap is being dubbed an “experience” and we aren’t quite sure what that means. If we were to guess based on the trailer, it’s a concert movie wrapped around a horror mystery. There are original songs performed by Saleka, who plays Lady Raven, a kind of Taylor Swift/Lady Gaga hybrid. They have even set up a Lady Raven website to further the illusion.

Here is the fresh trailer:

According to the synopsis, a father takes his daughter to one of Lady Raven’s jam-packed concerts, “where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event.”

Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. The film is produced by Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock and M. Night Shyamalan. The executive producer is Steven Schneider.

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Woman Brings Corpse Into Bank To Sign Loan Papers

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Warning: This is a disturbing story.

You have to be pretty desperate for money to do what this Brazilian woman did at the bank to get a loan. She wheeled in a fresh corpse to endorse the contract and she seemingly thought the bank employees wouldn’t notice. They did.

This weird and disturbing story comes via ScreenGeek an entertainment digital publication. They write that a woman identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes pushed a man she identified as her uncle into the bank pleading with him to sign loan papers for $3,400. 

If you’re squeamish or easily triggered, be aware that the video captured of the situation is disturbing. 

Latin America’s largest commercial network, TV Globo, reported on the crime, and according to ScreenGeek this is what Nunes says in Portuguese during the attempted transaction. 

“Uncle, are you paying attention? You must sign [the loan contract]. If you don’t sign, there’s no way, as I cannot sign on your behalf!”

She then adds: “Sign so you can spare me further headaches; I can’t bear it any longer.” 

At first we thought this might be a hoax, but according to Brazilian police, the uncle, 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga had passed away earlier that day.

 “She attempted to feign his signature for the loan. He entered the bank already deceased,” Police Chief Fábio Luiz said in an interview with TV Globo. “Our priority is to continue investigating to identify other family members and gather more information regarding this loan.”

If convicted Nunes could be facing jail time on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and desecration of a corpse.

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