May 2024 Review: The Best Movies I Saw Last Month
May was a pretty rough month. With only watching 11 films for the first time and re-watching one, there wasn’t a lot of great films seen. Thankfully, there are a few that did rise above the tide that are worth mentioning. Here are the best films of the month!
Re-Watch Highlight: None
BEST #4) Wolfen (1981); Director: Michael Wadleigh; United States
In New York City, a series of brutal deaths stun the police department due to mystifying elements of the cases. One cop takes the lead and finds himself falling down a rabbit hole after each lead reveals something stranger than the last. Wolfen is a curious film. Borne from the 80s with grit and grime, Wolfen merges the supernatural with a police procedural to create a truly unique horror film. Not quite a werewolf film but following enough conventions to lump it in with the rest, Wolfen suffered from comparisons to its better received contemporaries: An American Werewolf in London and The Howling. Overall, it is a solid film with plenty to appreciate even if its story meanders and its horror is rather lite despite its concept.
Overall Score? 6/10
BEST #3) To Let (2006); Director: Jaume Balagueró; Spain//Australia/South Africa
A young couple are in a bind after selling their apartment. Needing to find a new space quickly, they find themselves viewing a rundown building far from the busier streets of their city. Once inside, they find themselves compelled to stay by the building’s overbearing supervisor. To Let is a strange little Spanish horror film that packs a punch despite its constrained runtime. Its strong cast elevates the odd dialogue and wacky script to deliver something truly unique. Sure, there are some plot holes and conveniences that make it work fully, but To Let nevertheless delivers some surprising twists that make it worth watching.
Overall Score? 6/10
BEST #2) It Lives Inside (2023); Director: Bishal Dutta; United States/Canada
Sam has all but thrown away her Indian American identity in an effort to fit in with the kids at school when she is approached by her former best friend, Tamira. Tamira looks tired and terrified, babbling about a demon in a jar. Sam doesn’t believe her until Tamira disappears. Distraught with her disappearance and determined to make up for disregarding her in her time of need, Sam works to uncover what entity latched on to her friend, and to Sam’s surprise, herself as well. It Lives Inside is an enjoyable supernatural thriller that is memorable from its unique cultural angle. It plays out like any film of its subgenre but does so with enough flair to stand out from the crowd. It won’t set the world on fire, but It Lives Inside is a fine film to throw on if you are in the mood for something familiar with a different perspective.
Overall Score? 6/10
BEST #1) I Saw the TV Glow (2024); Director: Jane Schoenbrun; United States
