Mama (2013)

Simply A Masterpiece

As Good As It Gets

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

I watched this movie because it is the It director's movie. I intend to watch It this weekend so would like to see first how he worked with his old movie, after all they are the same horror genre. I must say I am disappointed with Mama. It is just an OK movie. There were so many CG involved and it made the story unconvincing. Hopefully, he has already improved his directing skill with It. Let's see.

Some movies progress from a cartoonish style into realism – think of the animated flashbacks of Krampus or Harry Potter. This movies does the opposite. In particular, the fiend looks like a fuzzy version of Snow White's evil queen, and we see more and more of her as the movie progresses. It is no surprise that Del Toro produced this movie and was set to direct it. The last scene, with its heavy CGI and exclusively blue color palette seems to have been lifted from Pan's Labyrinth. In other movies, stylization shows how the memory transforms the past into legend. Or how one mind disconnects from reality, like in Pan's Labyrinth. Here there is not much reason for it. It works to the movie's advantage however, as it elevates what threatened to sag into a classic scary girl story into a more memorable fantasy show.

Guillermo del Toro presents this spine chilling thriller directed and co-written by Andy Muschietti. After personal disaster and trauma, two young girls are left alone to survive in a decrepit cabin in the woods. Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lilly (Isabelle Nelisse) are found five years later by their Uncle (Nikola Coaster-Walau) and his girlfriend (Jessica Chastain), who take them in and try to introduce the girls to a normal life. Victoria and Lilly claim they survived because of the care given them from "Mama".This is a scary tug of war thriller with the supernatural. Very young children probably should not see this one in spite of the lack of violence, blood and brutality in most other movies. There will be times for jumping out of your seat and wringing your white knuckles. Top notch photography and atmosphere. More than enough scary situations with a thin line between mega-goosebumps and nervous laughter.Don't insist on checking closets or under the bed soon after seeing MAMA.Others in the cast: David Fox, Julia Chantrey, Daniel Kash, Jane Moffat and "Mama" is Javier Botet.

I'm a horror movie junkie, and I must say that my current favorite is Martyrs, just so you know my taste. (If you haven't seen Martyrs, it is a MUST see, I give it 10/10!) I really enjoyed this movie and went in with medium expectations, and I must say I was not disappointed. It didn't "scare" me, but it definitely has a creepy vibe. It also features one of my ALL-TIME favorite creepy scenes, with one of the little girls scurrying across on all fours (I know it doesn't sound creepy, you really have to see it to appreciate it). If you don't think it's worth watching the whole thing, DEFINITELY search out youtube for that specific scene! The CGI work of "Mama" took me out of it quite a bit, but definitely still worth a watch in my opinion. The pacing is quite good and there were never any moments when I was bored. I watched it with my boyfriend, and we actually ended up watching it lol, which says something!