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https://nerdist.com/article/oddity-horror-film-fantasia-fest-2024-review/
My absolute favorite thing about the state of horror movies in 2024 is how many filmmakers are going real weird with it. Killers, vampires, ghosts, and especially zombies feel incredibly passé on their own. We need a little uncanny strangeness with our scares, and some existential dread. Yum yum yum, I eat it up. The most recent movie to fit this bill like a glove is Damian McCarthy’s Oddity, which has made the festival rounds and which I saw through Fantasia Fest 2024. Oddity is not lying; it’s a very weird movie, but the scares are plentiful, the imagery creepy, and the story strangely satisfying.
McCarthy’s previous film was Caveat, an intensely grimy little movie about a man who takes a job watching over a psychologically disturbed woman in an abandoned house on an isolated island. While that movie didn’t light the world on fire, it did provide some upsetting concepts and imagery that made me curious to see what he’d do next. Oddity takes much of what worked in Caveat and makes an altogether more approachable, “conventional” movie that lulls the viewer into thinking they know what’s going to happen. They might, but probably not.
Dani (Carolyn Bracken) moves into a very remote house in the Irish countryside with her husband Ted (Gwilym Lee), a doctor at the nearby mental asylum. One night while Ted is at work, a creepy stranger (Tadhg Murphy) knocks on the door and tells Dani that he saw someone, or something, enter the house and that she is in grave danger. Now this presents Dani with a predicament. Believe this man, or not. What she decided, and what actually happened is part of the movie’s fun, so I won’t spoil it.
We then cut to some time later, Dani is out of the picture, and Ted’s new girlfriend Yana (Caroline Menton) is about to move into the house, under duress. Arriving at just the wrong time is Dani’s vision-impaired twin sister Darcy (also Bracken) who plans to stay the weekend. It isn’t just an unwanted relative. Darcy, who owns a shop full of occult and folklore oddities, brings a human-sized wooden homunculus with which she plans to get to the bottom of what happened to her sister.
Oddity is one of those horror movies that refuses to adhere to any usual story conventions. It keeps you guessing all the way through, which in and of itself builds tension. The laws of the natural and supernatural bleed in interesting ways, keeping viewers on edge. I found so much to like about it, especially to do with the unique location. We go other places, but the majority of the action happens in the remote house. It’s beautiful and welcoming, but the lighting at night plus some large, shadowy areas make it sinister in the best way. Similarly, the mere presence of the weird homunculus, and Darcy’s other cursed objects, leaves us wondering when and how they’ll come into the story. When they do, it’s supremely satisfying.
This is a movie where you aren’t sure what you’re watching at times, or why, but everything comes together by the end. Not necessarily how you think it would, or maybe even should, but that’s literally in the name. Oddity is scary, mysterious, upsetting, and effecting and I had a big grin on my face when the credits rolled. Definitely worth your time.
Oddity ⭐ (4 of 5)
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.
The post ODDITY Is a Creepy, Delightfully Weird Horror Film (Fantasia Fest 2024 Review) appeared first on Nerdist.
My absolute favorite thing about the state of horror movies in 2024 is how many filmmakers are going real weird with it. Killers, vampires, ghosts, and especially zombies feel incredibly passé on their own. We need a little uncanny strangeness with our scares, and some existential dread. Yum yum yum, I eat it up. The most recent movie to fit this bill like a glove is Damian McCarthy’s Oddity, which has made the festival rounds and which I saw through Fantasia Fest 2024. Oddity is not lying; it’s a very weird movie, but the scares are plentiful, the imagery creepy, and the story strangely satisfying.
McCarthy’s previous film was Caveat, an intensely grimy little movie about a man who takes a job watching over a psychologically disturbed woman in an abandoned house on an isolated island. While that movie didn’t light the world on fire, it did provide some upsetting concepts and imagery that made me curious to see what he’d do next. Oddity takes much of what worked in Caveat and makes an altogether more approachable, “conventional” movie that lulls the viewer into thinking they know what’s going to happen. They might, but probably not.
Dani (Carolyn Bracken) moves into a very remote house in the Irish countryside with her husband Ted (Gwilym Lee), a doctor at the nearby mental asylum. One night while Ted is at work, a creepy stranger (Tadhg Murphy) knocks on the door and tells Dani that he saw someone, or something, enter the house and that she is in grave danger. Now this presents Dani with a predicament. Believe this man, or not. What she decided, and what actually happened is part of the movie’s fun, so I won’t spoil it.
We then cut to some time later, Dani is out of the picture, and Ted’s new girlfriend Yana (Caroline Menton) is about to move into the house, under duress. Arriving at just the wrong time is Dani’s vision-impaired twin sister Darcy (also Bracken) who plans to stay the weekend. It isn’t just an unwanted relative. Darcy, who owns a shop full of occult and folklore oddities, brings a human-sized wooden homunculus with which she plans to get to the bottom of what happened to her sister.
Oddity is one of those horror movies that refuses to adhere to any usual story conventions. It keeps you guessing all the way through, which in and of itself builds tension. The laws of the natural and supernatural bleed in interesting ways, keeping viewers on edge. I found so much to like about it, especially to do with the unique location. We go other places, but the majority of the action happens in the remote house. It’s beautiful and welcoming, but the lighting at night plus some large, shadowy areas make it sinister in the best way. Similarly, the mere presence of the weird homunculus, and Darcy’s other cursed objects, leaves us wondering when and how they’ll come into the story. When they do, it’s supremely satisfying.
This is a movie where you aren’t sure what you’re watching at times, or why, but everything comes together by the end. Not necessarily how you think it would, or maybe even should, but that’s literally in the name. Oddity is scary, mysterious, upsetting, and effecting and I had a big grin on my face when the credits rolled. Definitely worth your time.
Oddity ⭐ (4 of 5)
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.
The post ODDITY Is a Creepy, Delightfully Weird Horror Film (Fantasia Fest 2024 Review) appeared first on Nerdist.
Howard University announced the cancellation of its Homecoming Tailgate Party, to the disappointment of many.
The university, located in Washington, D.C., is celebrating its 100th homecoming since the school’s founding. The weekend will not lack activities. According to Howard’s official website, “Student Fashion Show, Greek Step Show, Yardfest, Homecoming Parade, Young Alumni Day Party Brunch and Alumni Jazz Brunch” are just a few of the scheduled events. The centennial celebration for past and current Bison will look a little different this year. The Tailgate, a Bison family reunion of sorts, will be notably absent.
On November 27, 1924, Howard University’s first Homecoming was simply a football game against Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. This year, from 10/13 – 10/20, we’ll celebrate the Centennial in true Bison fashion. Learn More: https://t.co/scA1Q177KO pic.twitter.com/AJnmvVaPYG
— Howard University (@HowardU) July 31, 2024
Howard claims the removal of the official Tail Gate Party comes from the desire “to create a more unique and family-friendly experience on Saturday.”
David Bennett, senior vice president of Development and Alumni Relations, wrote, “Each year, Howard Homecoming appeals to students, alumni and members of the local community and, this year, we are confident that an even greater level of enthusiasm will be had by people as we celebrate 100 years of Homecoming,” Bennet continues, “It’s our intention to create a week of events that appeal to everyone – past, current and even future Bison.”
Howard, affectionately called “the Mecca” by its Alumni, is one of the nation’s leading HBCUs. Not only is the institution renowned for its education, it is also known for its impressive list of celebrity alumni. The Howard Halls have been graced by current Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris, Oscar winner Samuel Jackson Jr., and late actor Chadwick Boseman.
YES @KamalaHarris!
#WhenWeAllVote #Vote2020 pic.twitter.com/iOU3duBAcA
— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 11, 2020
The campus is considered a bastion of Black culture and is attended by Black people from all across the diaspora. The Tailgate Party is a much-anticipated event that allows past and present Bison to network and fellowship,
Ok Howard tailgate go off! pic.twitter.com/zKJGdJ5mrq
— Farnan (@farnan4dc) October 22, 2022
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