The Cleveland International Film Festival is upon us, and I got to experience a nice mix this year. Truthfully, I would have liked to have seen a lot more, but my schedule would sadly not allow it. Here’s what I did manage to fit in, though!
Sleep – Woah. This South Korean film was so cool! I was interested firstly because it was one of the last things staring Lee Sun-kyun, but the premise was very intriguing. Not too long before a couple are due to have their first child, Hyeon-soo’s husband starts sleepwalking with some detrimental outcomes. After seeking medical attention with no change, Hyeon-soo believes her mother is correct and that her husband is being possessed by a ghost. Wikipedia sells this as a black comedy horror mystery thriller film, and that’s accurate! The scares come first, but there are some ridiculous moments that I couldn’t help but laugh at. I don’t want to divulge too much, because the ending could be interpreted in two very different ways. I know which way I’m leaning, but I would love to know a wider audiences’ views. I hope this gets a wide release soon!
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person – The name alone was enough to snag me when I first saw it as part of a film festival down in Australia. Sadly, at the time my schedule wouldn’t allow it, so I was really excited when I saw it listed in the CIFF program just a month later! In this film, Sasha is an empathetic vampire who can’t stomach seeing people killed. That’s kind of a problem when that’s the only way you can get food. In an effort not to coddle her any longer, her parents send her to live with her cousin to learn how to finally hunt. Sasha still doesn’t take a shine to it, but she is intrigued when she meets the deeply suicidal Paul. He’s ready to die for Sasha’ cause, but she insists he lives out his ideal last day. This film was way more fun than I was expecting it to be.
Your Monster – I didn’t know what all to expect from this Sundance entry, but it was one I was bummed I couldn’t access virtually, so I made sure to put it at the top of my CIFF list. In this film, Laura has just beaten a lengthy battle and surgery with cancer, but her longtime boyfriend dumps her just before she’s released from the hospital. What’s meant to be a celebratory time is sought with many tears until one day she meets a monster in her closet. Turns out he’s been her monster for her whole life and he got used to living in her home without her or her mother there, so he demands she moves out. In between her eviction timeframe, the two really bond, and unsurprisingly fall in love. He encourages her to go out for the show her ex promised her, but the ending was so surprising that there is no way I’m spoiling it. For the theater nerds out there who like a little bit of silly horror, this it totally for you!