Slapface

I've been waiting for this and I'm not disappointed. This monster horror film offers a completely unique story that carefully explores the themes of grief, bullying, and child abuse. The opening of this film is pretty intense as we see this young boy and his older brother playing this game that immediately raises questions, they slap each other's faces pretty hard as a way to deal with their inner hurt. The film focuses on their life after their parent's death. The thing that really make this works so well is the great performances, especially from the child actor. They portray two different coping/grieving situations in a very relatable way and the abusive relationship feels so real and heartbreaking. The film tackles the boy's grief and anger, personified in a murderous old witch. Though I have to say the 'witch' looks very silly and I keep thinking about the Creepshow monster whenever it shows up, but it's still a terrifying film, aching with a strong emotional core.