When I started this segment I had an idea in mind. Every horror fan has gone through this dilemma at one point or another. The dilemma…..
What to watch?
Most of us have had that night where we’re cruising through the endless lists of movies, trying to find that diamond in the rough. I myself, have even sat and scrolled through films trying to decide which one to take a chance on. Then I look up at the clock and almost an hour has gone by and before I know it, it is bedtime. Night wasted.
That’s where my idea came in. I decided to say, FUCK IT and Bloody Streaming Roulette became a reality. I know this isn’t a new idea or even a wise one. Hell, even I know I’m setting myself up for failure. I know there will be bumps in the road. But there will also be underrated and hidden winners. If this roulette game segment does anything, it may just steer some of you guys clear of the downright dreadful and point you to that winner. That one flick you wouldn’t otherwise have taken a chance on.
SO LET’S PLAY!
Where did I land this time?
Darling (2015)
The film follows our darling. Tasked with the job of house-sitting a building that is supposedly haunted. Completely alone, we follow along with her as she descends into the throngs of madness. Filmed in black and white, the movie clocks in at 78 minutes. Where does the madness lead?
The movie is shot very well. Very artistic. Very stylish. But when it comes to art. Being artistic isn’t always a good thing. The black and white look, was very film noir. Which was a nice touch, harking back to the crime films of a sometimes forgotten era. 
At the beginning of the movie, the plot reminded me a lot of Ti West’s throwback film, The House of the Devil (2009), which is a film I truly adored. Where a naive co-ed babysits a house with a mysterious presence to it. Then the similarities come to a screeching halt. Then the film begins to feel like a love letter to Roman Polanski’s Repulsion (1965), but not in a good way.
Yet, all negatives aside, the third act was quite chilling. The schizophrenic camera shots were truly jarring at times and made me feel unease. The frantically-paced scenes really drove home the character’s swift pit fall into madness. Darling, was played by Lauren Ashley Carter. She did a truly phenomenal job with the script she was given (or lack thereof).
But I do feel a little cheated with this one. The film had so much going for it. Ambiance, tone, musical score were all top notch. But there was no character development to speak of. No reasoning. There is no explanation to the film. Just take it as it is. Maybe that was the vision of the director, Mickey Keating… The lack of development though, I think was it’s downfall. The ending was predictable, which is always a downer. This was a film that seemed at first, like it had a lot to say. But it didn’t quite follow through and speak up loud enough.
So did my gamble pay off this time?
It pains me to say it, but tonight I’m a LOSER. Stay tuned next Friday and see if I can get my winning luck back!
IMDB: 5.5/10
ZombiSurvivor: 5.8/10
Darling is currently streaming on Netflix!
Check out the trailer below and prove me wrong!
As Always thanks for reading!
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STAY SCARED!!!!
-ZombiSurvivor
