Mr Icelandia

A moody piece. A slow movie contemplating what it means to just survive and be alone. And it’s very well done. Don’t go in expecting a big zombie apocalypse/ got to survive the zombie hoards / got to make it to the safe zone movie. It is all those things but toned all the way down and just focuses on how one man deals with it within the relative safety of his (mostly) empty apartment building.

This is The Black Exorcist! This movie was Great! From the rooter to the tooter (a black(?) phrase). And, based on a true story. It concerns a black family plagued by a demonic spirit. It also concerns a mother trying to raise 3kids by herself. A minor red herring concerning a cat and a pointless subplot about the kid’s grandmother’s love life don’t detract. It spirals a little bit toward the end in that I’ve never heard of a demonic spirit being that forward and blatant IRL. But, the spirit is dispatched not in a Catholic way but in a down-south Bapti-costal kinda way. Though, you’ve got to be filled with the Holy Spirit, not drinking and cursing and whatever to send a demon on its way. The average person not going to be able to do it. But, Great movie! Much swearing but it fits the story. The two leads are great. Glenn Close!! Figure that! And Andra Day were great in the lead roles. Mo’nique was a standout. Even the kids were good.

Frodo the Cat shouldn’t have lived. Yes. Cats are quiet. Yes. Cats can be cool under SOME duress. No. Cats are not calm under water… (twice). No. Cats do not stick around (like a dog would) when all hell breaks loose. Enough about the distracting cat. Lupita Nyong’o gave her usual stellar performance. As did Djimon Hounsou in limited screen time. The effects were good. The story was good, but… Her backstory should have been built up some more. The whole beginning of the story should have been more involved in her to become properly invested in her character. I did like the plot device of falling water that was used to allow some dialogue that was telegraphed earlier in the movie. I think that was the best part in the movie. Anyway, the flick was somewhat maudlin but generally it was ok.