‘Talk to Me’ has emerged as one of the biggest horror phenomena of 2023. The twisted tale – which marks the directorial debuts of YouTube stars Danny and Michael Filippou – made a strong debut at the Sundance Film Festival before making a theatrical run success in the dog days of summer. The success proves that its first-time directors are anything but a gimmick — and a sequel has already been announced. If that wasn’t enough, the Australian film has won the praise of New Zealand’s greatest genre director, Peter Jackson.
The Lord of the Rings director — who cut his teeth making terrific indie horror films before turning his attention to Middle Earth and restoring documentary footage — released a statement praising the film for its value and intensity (via NewsHub).
“Talk to Me is not just good – it’s very very good. The best, most intense, horror film I’ve enjoyed in years,” Jackson wrote. He added that the film is “relentlessly scary and disturbing — in the best possible way.”
“Talk to Me” is the latest entry in a long line of clear hits in the horror space for A24. In addition to Jackson’s praise, the film has enjoyed impressive box office strength amid strong reviews.
“A bundle of taut nerves stretched to their vomit-inducing breaking point, ‘Talk to Me,’ the feature directorial debut from Australian brothers and YouTube stars Danny and Michael Filippou, is the kind of horror film whose the effectiveness stems from its unnecessary simplicity. ,” wrote Robert Daniels in his IndieWire review of the film. “He asks: What if ‘Flatliners’ were rendered as the monkey’s foot for the teenage audience that feeds today’s viral videos? What would be the consequences, other than personal shame (and a little embarrassment), for these fame addicts? The film’s answer to these questions is astonishing, if not an excruciating nightmare.”
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