Marrowbone (2018)

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

From my favorite movies..

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

All though there was bits where I got scared over all this film is more off a dark thriller. Really enjoyed the film & loved the twist!

Screenwriter Sergio G. Sanchez makes his directorial debut with a chilling and devastating ghost story following a family on the run and in hiding. Sanchez is best known for writing The Orphanage (2007), and his first directorial effort shifts not too far from his most iconic work. It shares a similar aesthetic; a familiar eeriness. Jack (MacKay) is left to care for his three younger siblings after their mother passes (a secret they are forced to keep if they are to remain together), all whilst a malevolent presence lingers throughout their home. One could guess just by looking at Marrowbone manor that its walls are haunted. Jack is careful to ensure that every mirror in the house is completely concealed, and the attic has been mysterious bricked off to prevent anyone from ever entering. As Jack keeps their secretive unit together, he forms a romantic relationship with local librarian Allie (Taylor-Joy), who inches closer and closer to discovering the secret of Marrowbone. Those who are familiar with The Orphanage will most definitely feel familiar ground being revisited in Sanchez's directorial debut. Undoubtably tied together both thematically and tonally, The Orphanage & The Secret of Marrowbone would make a fitting double bill. Sanchez orchestrates some genuinely chilling moments, although they are few and far between. First and foremost, the film is a family centred period drama. Sanchez takes the time to develop the relations between the siblings to ensure we connect with them, and their bond is built upon strongly from the get go, resulting in a tight-knit cast of characters we can root for. Those expecting a relentless ghost story will be disappointed, but as Sanchez shifts gears leading into the final act, the tension increases and a surprise shift in the narrative makes the slow burn build up throughout the first two acts entirely worth it. One of the films strengths is the subtlety in the details, and The Secret of Marrowbone is a tale guaranteed to become a different viewing experience second time round. This is a promising directorial effort from Sanchez. Although it treads familiar ground from his past work, there is enough here to demonstrate him to be a skilful talent behind the camera. In equal parts chilling and devastating, The Secret of Marrowbone is a quietly underrated gem that is worth seeking out.

'The Secret Of Marrowbone (2018)' is full of good ideas, most of which are unfortunately executed slightly poorly. It isn't until the flick's finale that any of these ideas conflate into something worthwhile, something that provokes a genuine - and even guttural - reaction when it occurs, but even this is marred by a certain feeling of unoriginality, if not quite predictability, and an incredibly silly conceit, the absurdity of which is especially evident in retrospect and takes away from the initial proper horror of certain elements involving it. The eponymous 'secret' also falls apart slightly because of its representation and, to a degree, the execution of its reveal, as opposed to its concept or even necessarily its wider implications. To be fair, it does liven up proceedings - essentially paying you back for your previous 'good faith' during the piece's duller moments. It adds another layer to a picture that constantly toes the line of being too generic to stand apart from the crowd, giving it that special something to compound its 'worth' and make it feel like it was, at least, worth your time. Ironically, it makes it seem like it's trying to ape a certain subsection of its genre (one filled with many better, and inevitably more original, films) in the process, though. Some moments of the feature also fail to live up to scrutiny in retrospect and the final message is mixed, to say the least, even if the movie would have you believe it is an entirely positive one. Still, at least the picture is interesting. 6/10

The Secret Of Marrowbone: A family flees to the US leaving behind a dark past. They arrive at Marrowbone, the isolated ancestral home of the mother. The mother dies shortly afterwards and her death must be kept secret until Jack (George MacKay) is 21 or the family will be split up. Sam (Matthew Stagg) who is 8, sees ghosts, Billy (Charlie Heaton) 17, undertakes dangerous tasks and Jane (Mia Goth) 16 mediates between Jack and Billy on what to do as well as tutoring Sam; Jack goes to the local town for supplies.There are several secrets of Marrowbone, the past the family fled, the walled up room in the attic, the stain on the ceiling, the strange noises. The house itself is a star of this Gothic Horror/Mystery, in a state of partial dereliction, creaky boards, rats and raccoons in the walls. A strange mansion which was just made to contain dark secrets. The mirrors are covered so that Sam won't see ghosts, they have a makeshift hide to which they retreat when ghosts appear. Jack has fallen in love with Allie (Anya Taylor-Joy) a librarian who lives on a nearby farm. A local lawyer, Tom (Kyle Soller) is also interested in Allie and things get complicated as he handles the family's legal affairs.Some great shots especially of Billy on the roof and of the eerie interior of the house, filmed largely in washed out tones for internal shots. A complicated script by director Sergio G. Sánchez with some flashbacks and plot twists demands careful attention but in the end supplies a coherent narrative. The Secret Of Marrowbone mixes several Horror styles and tropes and is up to the standard of The Orphanage, also written bt Sánchez. 8.5/10