Oddity

Oddity

Give us a clear HD view. WTF is 173MB? That poor view would damage my sight. 😡😬😬

source: Oddity

This film felt like looking at a student-made adaptation of a campfire horror story. Directing seems a bit off at times, so does delivering the suspense. Overall, the acting is okay, a bit weak maybe due to the script which feels off quite often. In more cases than just one or two, the characters' behaviour is weird and goes against your common sense. Several times I found myself asking "why would you say/do that, what's your motivation". Because of these, the film made me think the majority of the cast is just awful people. And, without the emotional bond being built, I found it hard to care what happens to any of them. The leading actor, Carolyn Bracken, plays both of the identical twins, Dani and Darcy. This is fine, but Darcy's character is also blind. While I would imagine playing a blind person being a formidable challenge to anyone, it certainly feels like reaching too high for Bracken. Her movement doesn't make me believe she's blind for one second; her navigating the spaces and finding stuff with her hand is too precise. Of course, I thought that this could be explained by her psychic senses... Until this theory fell through. I will say that some of the scares were good, well-made, and I appreciated a couple of subtle things. But, without a proper script and character arch, they have a cheap undertone that's hard to ignore. In addition, it's been a while since I've seen a film with as many plot holes as Oddity. At least the ending was entertaining - despite being dragged, it managed to make me snort slightly.

Legit nothing scary happened in this movie other than one maybe two jump scares for some. The movie is not clever, not witty. It tries to be tense and atmospheric but really it fails miserably at all of it. There is too much time spent on pointless conversation and fluff material. Once again, another movie that has been hyped by too many and I don't understand why. It's not scary, the story is not original and the characters are not likeable. They shouldn't have even made the twin blind and really- what's the point of the trap door? Why don't they have any lights on in the house? What's with the wood? I'm done.

Campy fun with one of the scariest 5 minute sequences I have ever seen in a movie thrown in, Oddity doesn't take itself too seriously. Why not.....? The film's first hour is so tense; Mc Carthy puts a perpetual lump in my throat through some unnerving shots. He's clearly taken some cues from Hereditary as far as the cinematography, and, in conjunction with a great premise, its quite effective. Absolutely loved the house and its use in shots; frames like the empty door frame are very well executed. Nearly every minute of Darcy's visit puts the viewer on their toes. Its just such a slow burn, and in between some of the most terrifying sequences I have ever seen was nothing but gaping anxiety. For nearly an hour I got no relief from a foreboding and uncertain tone that seemed to swallow me- I loved it. If the payoff to the opening sequence doesn't terrify you I don't know what to say. Unfortunately, Oddity transitions from unnerving to campy after losing its best character. It seems to answer all its questions too quickly, and, being aware of this, throws in some admittedly well-executed humor to drag out its runtime. I almost can't complain, the cannibal scene is so nerve-wracking and sinister until 'mmm, feet'. The shot of the bell hop is hilarious. If the whole movie was like this I wouldn't have a problem, but Oddity's first act is so genuinely terrifying I hated such a sudden transition. The two different tones don't fit together for me, and I hate that I can go to one point in the movie and say 'this is where it fell apart'. As soon as Darcy falls down the trapdoor, Oddity falls apart. It eats itself with self-awareness. Further, the second act really puts a spotlight on a lukewarm performance from Ted Timmis. A film of peaks and valleys, Damian Mc Carthy's sophomore entry has some seriously stunning peaks. A great first act presents a compelling and terrifying vision I wish could have been fully realized. In spite of marked inconsistency, its nothing if not entertaining; Oddity is a truly wild ride. 6/10: Flawed but entertaining.

Oddity

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I just came home from watching Oddity, Damien McCarthy's followup to Caveat. So interesting how Longlegs, last week's much-hyped, promo'd and buzzed-about indie-horror has had an abundance of chatter all over Reddit, TV, etc. (well-deserved, IMO), yet Oddity has barely been mentioned online in promotions! Thoughts on my viewing today of Oddity: -The movie has a simple plot, but with tons of frightening jump-scares in its back-half. I haven't experienced this many jump scares in a single movie in a long time! -Oddity's creepy mannequin is in plain view for most of the film and really creates a visceral sense of dis-ease and Hitchockian tension whenever it's on screen. -Praise for a few funny lines, which are well-timed and not over-the-top at all. "Have you seen my keys?" made me genuinely LOL. -I really enjoyed the range showed by Carolyn Bracken, the lead actress in Oddity! She is fantastic. Overall, this movie is a real treat! HIGHLY recommend viewing in a theater if you have one showing this in your town!