Table of Contents
Movies of the Day
We’re Not Safe Here
Star Rating: 3 out of 5
We’re Not Safe Here is essentially a chamber piece about telling stories. Neeta and Rachel work together as teachers in the same school, but Rachel has been absent long enough for people to begin worrying. Rachel calls Neeta one night and asks to come over. So, concerned for her acquaintance, Neeta lets her into her home. Rachel proceeds to tell Neeta a disturbing story related to something that happened to her as a child, and which has recently come back to haunt her. As Neeta hears the story and watches Rachel acting oddly, she starts to get scared. Fear leads Neeta to investigate, but she might already be under the influence of whatever is troubling Rachel.
Most of the first fifty minutes of We’re Not Safe Here is dedicated to Rachel telling her story to Neeta. That kind of thing might put some people off, but I enjoy a talky movie when it’s done well. For me, the storytelling portions of this movie are done quite well. As Rachel, Hayley McFarland does excellent work delivering her story in a way that is chilling, and that conveys the fear and pain Rachel is holding in. There are some spooky moments that break up the story at the right moments, and it all works well. The sound design is especially good. The sounds in this movie are unnerving.
However, I do think the final scenes might not have enough substance. Certain questions are answered, and others are given enough clues to piece together. However, it’s all rather simple. Simple isn’t bad, it just seemed like the story was building to something more revelatory. The main revelation in the movie is the premise itself which I can’t fully explain without spoiling the ending, but you might figure it out earlier as Rachel is still telling her story. It’s a good premise, but the simplicity of it might be more suited to a short film or an episode of a TV series. I enjoyed the long storytelling parts the most though, so I wouldn’t cut any of that out. I do recommend We’re Not Safe Here, and you can rent it on Prime Video.
Lilly Lives Alone
Star Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Lilly Lives Alone is a movie about grief. Grief is the focus, and it’s the driving force behind everything we see in the movie. The story focuses on Lilly, a woman whose daughter died ten years ago. Lilly hasn’t been able to overcome her anguish for the past decade, and the anniversary is pushing her past her mental limits. Taking place mostly during a single night, we watch as Lilly begins seeing and experiencing unsettling things around her house, and as she interacts with people who may or may not be trying to help her.
The movie poses many questions. Is what Lilly experiences really happening, or is it in her head? Are her neighbors harassing her? What are the circumstances surrounding the death of Lilly’s daughter, and why do people think she’s responsible? They’re good questions, but the way they’re handled doesn’t lead to much character building. Many parts of Lilly’s life are kept hidden from the audience until late in the movie as a way to build towards a grand revelation. The revelation is good, and the final fifteen minutes of the movie are quite compelling. However, the previous hour and twenty minutes are tough to get invested in. It’s like a series of vignettes with a few mild scares, and some slight drama that doesn’t have strong characterizations to help with any potential emotional impact.
I can only give Lilly Lives Alone a very slight recommendation based on the ending, but you might want to wait for a lower rental price. It’s currently available to rent on Prime Video.
Birthdays
Jeramie Rain was born on August 23rd, 1948. Jeramie is best known for her role as Sadie in Wes Craven’s The Last House on the Left (1972). The name of her Last House character is likely a reference to Sadie Mae Glutz of the Manson family. Before appearing in Wes Craven’s film, Jeramie played Sadie Mae Glutz in an off-Broadway musical about Charles Manson.
Bolaji Badejo was also born on August 23rd, in 1953. Bolaji’s only film credit is Alien (1979) in which he played the Xenomorph. His height (6’10” according to CNN) and body shape made him perfect for the tall, slender alien. Bolaji wasn’t an actor, but he took mime classes as a way to help him achieve the graceful movements Ridley Scott wanted for his film. In 1980, Bolaji moved back to his home in Nigeria where he opened an art gallery.
Events on This Day
You’re Next was released in US theaters on August 23rd, 2013. This violent home invasion movie was written by Simon Barrett (Dead Birds, Blair Witch) and directed by Adam Wingard (Blair Witch, Godzilla vs. Kong). You can watch You’re Next on Tubi.
Pieces was first released in Spain on August 23rd, 1982. Though the film was in international co-production with a story set in Boston, it was primarily filmed in and near Valencia, Spain. The movie is about a series of murders perpetrated by a giallo-esque killer stalking a college campus, and it is quite bloody. Various releases of the movie have suffered from heavy censorship, but the full version has been widely available for years. You can stream Pieces on Shudder.
