HOUSE OF DARKNESS MOVIE REVIEW

When a review starts with a long, deep sigh from one of the Squad, you know you’re in for some harsh commentary. And that’s how Rose, Kimberly, Lewayne, and T.C. kick off their review for this new gothic horror mystery. After Hap (Justin Long) meets Mina (Kate Bosworth) at a bar, he offers to drive her home, which ends up being an impressive estate far from the city. Hap is just a regular dude looking to score, and he’s pretty sure he’s gonna make that happen with this his beautiful, mysterious date. She invites him in. She offers him a drink. She lights a fire. The mood is clearly being set, but she’s not making it easy on this average Joe. While getting acquainted, their flirtation goes from playful to sexy to downright strange. Doors creak and lights flicker, the electricity goes out, but that doesn’t stop Hap from his advances, even when unexpected occurrences offset his attempts at a physical connection. The guy just wants to get lucky, but this coy mistress is more interested in the game. But, does this movie hold any of the Squad’s interests? Well, as said, this review starts with a heavy sigh. So, at least one or more of the gang wasn’t having what this movie was offering.

OFFICIAL TRAILER

DIRECTED BY: Neil LaBute

STARRING: Justin Long, Kate Bosworth, Gia Crovatin, Lucy Walters

 

YOUR REVIEWERS

 

T.C. De Witt (Screener Squad)

T.C. De Witt is a multi-awarded writer/director originally from Wisconsin and now based in Los Angeles. His life has been devoted to the arts since he was a child. He’s been a stage performer, playwright, stand-up comic, film and television actor, radio DJ, podcaster published author, recorded musician, and comic writer/illustrator. He is now a professional screenwriter and has been thriving for the past decade, regularly offering his talents to production studios in LA, Chicago, Milwaukee, and internationally in Sydney and Poland. He’s provided content for Amazon Prime, Netflix, and several YouTube partners. His films have screened internationally, and his stageplays have been performed across the country. In the last ten years, he has directed 57 films, 23 episodes of his series The One Minute Rewatch, 300+ episodes of podcasts, and his multi-award-winning short film Screen: Righter screened at the Festival de Cannes in 2016. He has released two feature films, The Princess Knight and A Christmas Sunset. He thrives on collaboration and the thrill of sharing stories in all forms.

 

 

Rose Mattox (Screener Squad)

Originally hailing from Austin then Houston, Rose has been an avid movie and TV fanatic pretty much since birth. She spends spending her days watching Star Trek reruns, 60’s spy fiction, and Audrey Hepburn movies with her beloved minion (see: dog Riley). She also occasionally dabbles in comedy, screenwriting, as well as graphic and interior design. Rose has been contributing to One of Us since 2019 as a member of the Screener Squad, as well as making regular appearances on Eye on the Prize during awards season. She can be found on Twitter at @nightattheopera.

 

 

Kimberly Brown (Highly Suspect Reviews)

Kimberly wants to live in a world filled with blue telephone boxes, speedsters, and ice dragons but through an ironic twist of fate, she’s stuck in this reality where these wondrous things only exist on page or film. Kim’s perpetual desire to consume sci-fi and fantasy media as a teen led her to the study of illustration/design at university to better understand its creation. Currently an Austin transplant, when she’s not wearing her critic hat you can find her pretending to like hiking, fielding questions about her hair or maybe even enjoying a local brew at the nearest dive bar.