#319: STARRY EYES

2014
Directed by Kevin Kolsch & Dennis Widmyer

Psychological Horror, Body Horror, Slasher

Now this was a real breath of fresh air! I don't keep up with modern Horror films as much as I would like to, but quite frequently when I do check out a new Horror film that is being hyped up, I often end up disappointed. Yes, even It Follows didn't hit the sweet spot for me! I was browsing the Horror menus of Netflix and after reading the premise of this film and seeing it had a high average rating, I decided to give it a go! THANK GOD!!! Starry Eyes hit all the sweet spots. The first discussion point, is that it is quite an original premise. A struggling actor working a crummy, demeaning job is so desperate for a role in a Horror film, but is she willing to do absolutely ANYTHING to land the role?

Starry Eyes starts off like a regular movie, but it isn't until leading lady Sarah goes on her audition that things start to seem a little odd and unsettling. Without giving too much away, this is a film that escalates in creepiness and gets more fucked up as it goes along. There are some surreal touches along the way that add to the creep factor, and the film never misses a beat. The performance of the leading actress Alex Essoe is fantastic throughout, giving a very physical performance. The cult like film producers are also excellent. Starry Eyes is quite a unique idea for a Horror film. The closest film I can compare it to is Black Swan, not only because it is about a woman pushing herself too far to land a role, but it has a lot of messed up Body Horror elements, and a similar duality of good an evil sides of one person. Starry Eyes is also a great satire of the Hollywood system. I really don't want to give too much away about this film, but it is very creepy and very intense the longer you get into it. If you want something fresh and exciting from modern Horror, this is it! 8/10.