May had an interesting lineup of movie releases. It was a big month for horror, with indie films such as Obsession, Exit 8, and The Backrooms all released in the span of a few weeks, flooding theaters.
Obsession, directed by Curry Barker, follows a man named Bear. After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, the hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price (IMDb). Both a romance and horror, Obsession draws the line between love and hate perfectly; it is called a soon to be classic.
Exit 8, based on the indie horror game turned Roblox sensation, was directed by Genki Kawamura. The main character- who remains unnamed but is referred to as “The Lost Man”- is trapped in a Japanese subway station and forced to confront deep psychological fears such as fatherhood and guilt. If viewers had played either of the games, they know that to reach exit 8, they must spot a series of anomalies that become increasingly harder to find. The movies’ complicated twists and turns keep moviegoers glued to their seats, either out of fear or intrigue.
By far, the most popular movie that has gone viral over social media is The Backrooms. Directed by Kane Parsons, the debut film features many online references which watchers of the trailers have picked up on. Parsons, originally a short film YouTuber, was the first to release a short film called “The Backrooms” after seeing an online forum of a liminal space that turned into an urban legend. While the movie releases in theaters on the 29th, buzz about the movie online is exponential, with some picking apart the trailers frame by frame to find out more. The movie stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, most known for 12 Years a Slave and The Martian. The film also features Mark Duplass, a popular actor from the indie found footage horror movie Creep.
May also featured new releases of The Devil Wears Prada 2, Hokum and an animated comedy remake of Animal Farm. All movies have received mixed reviews, with Animal Farm getting the lowest- a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes. Other significant events in the cinematic world include the 25th anniversary of Shrek.
