Censor

Very, very good!

'Censor' features a great premise and it turns out to be one that is executed excellently. The feel of the film throughout is near perfection, with the tone all right and the 1980s aesthetic seemingly on point. It's paced ideally, with zero moments of drag.

Niamh Algar puts in a super performance as lead. I recently watched her also impress in television's 'Deceit' - which was broadcast within a week or so of this production's cinema release, there are actually some (minor) similarities between the two; a set of dark roles for Algar, that's for sure! She's the clear standout, though props to the support cast too.

Looking at a few other reviews, it seems to come down to how effective the ending is to you. For me? I think it's a great conclusion.

Coming in with high expectations, it didn't disappoint. _Censor_ is a psychological horror film about Enid, a film censor who has a troubled past and one of the film she evaluate triggers her past memory and pushes her down into the rabbit hole. There are some interesting ideas and elements that works really well with video nasties as part of the aesthetic of the film. It's filled with dread and tension with uncanny atmosphere. It's not all gory and full of scares but it focuses more on exploring how the main character deals with her past that soon disconnects herself from reality. It's one of those films that demands multiple viewings because there are a couple of moments that leave questions. The lead performance is terrific! I really dig the visual style. Even more impressive considering it's a directorial debut. It's shot incredibly well. There are some great lighting and color choices. The transitions between scenes are stylish and the score used fits well with the picture. I wish it explores its themes a bit deeper but overall it's a fantastic journey!

Not gonna lie this movie gave me a massive headache. I guess thats good for a horror movie.
Great movie though loved the aesthetic

[Sitges FF] The director revisits nasty movies after her short film "Nasty" (2015) to propose a reflection on the hysteria about violence in cinema, in an England that repressed striking workers. Interesting metalanguage about the image and its representation, although it seems that it doesn't have much to contribute to the debate. There is an exceptional visual aspect in the protagonist's journey to hell.

I actually thought it was pretty good. You could definitely feel her madness.

The film somehow lands on both sides of the censorship debate! Its pretty good, and will resonate with anybody who remembers the video nasty debates that echoed throughout the 80s.

In Thatcher’s England, there was a lot of hysteria about how horror movies on home video - Video Nasties - could potentially find their way into the hands of children and the working class to “deprave and corrupt” them. No mention was made about how, if this were the case, the people who watched and censored them would avoid becoming depraved and corrupted themselves. This movie satirises that whole situation. It’s aesthetically beautiful, anchored by a great lead performance from Niamh Algar, with lots of creepy and funny bits along the way.

Anyway, the whole video nasties scare was a political beat-up by the Tories to distract from their horrific policies and if you watch this movie you should also watch the documentary Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape, which tells the whole story.

This was an interesting movie. The visual style was good, exciting to watch. I don't know if this was a realistic view of the life of a movie censor but wow - how bleak. And the horror aspect of this movie was well told.

How I rate:
1-3 ❤ = seriously! don't waste your time
4-6 ❤ = you may or may not enjoy this
7-8 ❤ = I expect you will like this too
9-10 ❤ = movies and TV shows I really love!

This is the movie I think of whenever I hear the phrase "all style over substance". It's visually striking, has an interesting premise and incredibly intriguing..... but unfortunately the terrible ending ends up poisoning the entire thing. This movie is a mystery along with being a horror movie and unfortunately the mystery aspect becomes a train wreck because absolutely nothing is resolved due to its extremely ambiguous and artsy ending. If you watch this movie do not expect any payoff.

I'm somewhat torn on this one. On one hand it starts out very grounded and focused on presenting a moody mystery vibe, but on the other it gets a little out there when it goes down the artsy, ambiguous path for the climax. Stylistically it was great, but I felt somewhat empty at its conclusion.