I loved it for the same reasons. It reminded me a lot of 'A Cure For Wellness' with the breathtaking locations, eeriness, sound designs and the use of empty spaces to enhance the feeling of isolation and loneliness.
years ago i saw an interview with hunter schafer where someone asked her what’s a movie she’d seen around that time that she loved and she said Luz! that’s cool that she got to work with the director of that movie on this film!
The way they momentarily let you bask in "maybe Gretchen is crazy and sad" and didn't hold your hand in explaining anything was very welcome for me. The bike chase was a fantastic bit of originality. Wholeheartedly didn't know where the movie was going and I appreciates that
I agree on enjoying that everything wasn't explained. The vast majority of films are so clear either throughout or by the end of what exactly happened and why, I really savor the ones that just leave you guessing just like the main character is.
I will always love catching up with your reviews a few months later. Happens all the time. I was super impressed with Cuckoo, from the visual flair to the unique story. I’ll always thirst for more lore, but this still had me chirping like a baby chick!
One of my favorite parts of this movie was when hunter shafer talks about how her little sister ate her “ twin “ in the womb … the little sister looks exactly like her step mom yet apparently she’s not biologically related to her . I found it fascinating the idea that the step mom was pregnant with her own child and the cuckoo at the same time I think her child absorbed the cuckoo , so she actually is human just with some of the cuckoos abilities . I think Gretchen definitely knows this bc that’s why she says to the ex cop “ I don’t think so “ when he tells her that her little sister is not human . I really love that part it was so well thought out to me .
there were actually two cuckoo hybrids in the human mom. twins come from the same egg, not two. so basically alma has x2 hybrids in her, which is why even at a young age she can already freeze people like the adult cuckoo.
@@spookyastronauts I really liked it when I saw it, but more than any film I've watched this year, I keep thinking about it. Little subtleties of acting, sound design, etc. I quite liked Luz, but this was a really good step up even from that. Also my first time seeing Hunter Schaefer, and she was amazingly good at navigating a difficult character.
Personally, I loved the film but had a few issues with it which also puts it in the 7/10 spot for me. *** SPOILERS *** * * * * * * * * * * 1) I wish the Cuckoo mother had a better design. It would have been so much scarier if it was some weird folk creature that came out of the woods instead of bald tall lady. I know the argument is that they are mimicking humans but does it really matter? Once you're hypnotized by it's call you're not getting away until you're dealt with / inseminated. Also the transformation doesn't seem to occur until the child comes into contact with the mother anyway. Not sure if the final payoff of Gretchen overcoming the loss of her own mother as she kills the Cuckoo is worth the goofy creature design. 2) What the hell was up with the parents in this movie?!?!? Especially the father. His responses to Gretchen were so unrealistic I thought he was in on it with the dr. But no he was just that horrible/clueless? 3) The dog just straight up disappears from the movie after the first car ride scene :( 4) The final shootout scene was pretty stupid and drawn out imo
The dog not showing up for the rest of the movie made no sense, I had forgotten about the dog until someone pointed that out and it appears the filmmakers had as well.
Not going to lie, some parents are just either willingly ignorant assholes or even are aware they're being douchebags so the "unrealistic" nature of the parents, particularly the father, didn't feel unrealistic to me as much as it just felt tragic. The rest I agree with though. The creature was mostly frightening due to her vocalizations, could've done a lot more with her aesthetic but then again maybe that would've been confusing as far as why the children would look so human? But yeah the dog???
i'm sorry maybe i've just seen a lot of movies but to me it was obvious that Gretchen's mom and dad had been split up since she was little and she had just recently moved in with him and his new family because of her mom's recent death. he says out loud "you're almost 18 for god's sake" like they make it so obvious that he doesn't care because he favors his younger daughter over Gretchen and basically sees Gretchen as an adult already and not his problem soon
I really enjoyed this movie in the theater. My boyfriend takes me each month to see a new horror movie to support the genre…..I loved this. We also saw Strange Darling in a vintage theater. The same theater we saw In a Violent Nature on a date in ATL… which is a wonderful way to have a horror date night. It’s the same theater they use for Rocky Horror each year…..this is the best year for horror for me personally. Each month has had several highly rated horror movies. I’ve turned my bf into a horror lover & the quality the past few years has helped
Plaza Theater off Ponce? I think they do such a great job rotating offerings. Saw John Carpenter's The Thing there in January, which was perfect bc that's my comfort January rewatch but i'd never gotten to see it on a big screen!
It was OK. The plot didnt really excite me BUT the visuals and the amazing acting kept me hooked. The same goes for the directors earlier film "Luz". Amazing directing and acting but didnt make sense at all, just like this one. Hunter and especially Dan were top notch! I
I loved this film! One of my favourites of the year. It communicates such a sense of dread, even before you have any idea what is happening. Apparently banal scenes have an unsettling atmosphere. I think more or less everything is explained by the end (though, of course the explanation is bizarre!). Here in the UK it had a (limited) theatrical release, so I got to see it in the cinema, which was great.!
The scariest part of this film for me was getting lost in the dark my first time at a new cinema, instead of exiting I wandered in to the projection room where I saw, how can I put this politely...one of the cinema staff vigorously engaged in self love. Thankfully they were so engrossed in their activity that I managed to back out without them noticing me because the only thing that would have made that situation more awkward would have been eye contact. With that being said, nice cinema, did a great job with the refurb....will not be buying popcorn there though. The Substance AND Strange Darling coming out here on Friday, cannot wait. Going to double feature them then come back and rewatch the Spooky reviews. Then next week they are showing Terrifier 1 and 2 back to back so I'm going to see those. And I'm having spag bol for dinner. Jesus that's a lot of words, I guess my point is that I'm happy to be alive at this point in history.
Yay, I was looking forward to your review! I really, really loved this one. I went in completely blind, all I knew was that it was directed by Singer and that it had Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens in it. And I had such a blast haha You are right though: It is also sad and I hated how the father character treated Gretchen.
Yay!!! You finally got a chance to see Cuckoo!!! I still don't get why some films are only released in certain countries. Here in the UK we still haven't got "Strange Darling" yet the Blu-Ray release it already up for pre-order. Glad you enjoyed this Em x
9:32 Love him in Legion, Legion series is so underrated! Never heard anyone talk about, tho I know people have, just stumbled on it, was surprised it’s actually a Marvel ip as well. The color schemes, soundtrack +sound mix, is soooooo fire!! I watched it a 2nd time with a headset and it blew me away!!! 9.5/10
I was just disappointed. I'm all for movies that push the boundaries as long as it feels cohesive within the movie and feels complete by the end, and this just didn't. I felt like I had to go look up a bunch of theories and subtext afterwards, and that's rarely ever a good thing.
Glad I saw this at MIFF, and on the Astor screen. I liked that it not only had both heart and weirdness, but a healthy amount of gallows humor to balance out the horror. I gave it 8/10, and would happily revisit down the line.
One day ONE DAY I need a whole video of your love hate relationship with Dan Stevens 😂 I enjoyed this films!! It has plot points that bothered me but it was a fun time.
Without spoiling anything(?) I thought there was an interesting theme re: the family you choose vs the family that you're born with: there's only one member of Gretchen's family that cares about her at all and the movie turns on her having that realization.
Quite similar to Vivarium. Awesome movie and concept! Probably my favorite horror movie of the year. But we’ll see, some other very interesting releases are still coming in 2024.
Hehe I knew you would eventually track this movie down. I thought Cuckoo was meh - it just didn't really grab me. Why is below hidden for spoilers OTOH, and unrelated, I finally caught Red Rooms recently (it just got a USA theatrical last week) and thought it was terrific. My gripes: - Why it was SO important that this ancient cuckoo creature be reborn was never explained and I didn't really care in the end. Compare Cuckoo's ending to Hereditary or The Wicker Man where all the stuff that is happening is part of a bigger grand plan. - Gretchen had no problem ditching her sister and running off to Paris with that girl earlier in the movie, But later in the movie Gretchen is all out to protect her. I didn't buy the character shift at all - just never really saw the progression from petulant brat to mother figure. If others did fine but not me.
bro were you asleep during the scene where Gretchen, sobbing over her mother's answering machine, hears her little sister's voice-to-text app asking her mom to come visit because she loves her big sister and wants her to be happy and realizes she's been selfish thus triggering her fight to protect her from being killed? like sorry she didn't barrel the camera lens and say "my little sister loves me unconditionally and i was too absorbed with my own grief and pain to notice until this moment" damn man pay attention
Just saw it. A Cure for Wellness meets Immaculate, pretty much. I don't hate it. (Spoilerish? going forward) I wish we'd gotten a better background on the creatures and where they came from, they felt kinda thrust out of nowhere.
So glad you finally got to review this! I agree I thought it was so somber at times, I was getting so emotional during the scene with the sisters at the end.
I really love that you made a review on this movie. I don't care waiting for them, cause, sometimes i can't watch some of your videos because the release dates here in mx are horrible, so, i feel you. Great review, it opened my eyes to the lonely journey of Gretchen.
The vibe of the movie was cool but honestly it felt like things just kept happening that didn't make a whole lot of sense as the movie progressed. Some of the things that happened leading to the ending were just so goofy I found it hard to suspend my disbelief.
I find cuckoo different to other horrors out at the moment it stands out to me because of how different it is I will say it is in my top 5 at the moment
3 месяца назад+12
ah, emma, i've just watched it. i didn't like it unfortunately. i love dan stevens and hunter schafer, but this was not good.
respectfully, i feel like people who thought this movie was boring should get tested for ADHD cause if you pay attention it is really not that hard to follow the story lmfao i fucking loved this movie i saw it twice in 24 hours, i loved the Euro Horror But With an American Final Girl feeling of it. i thought the choice to make Gretchen explicitly queer was brilliant considering how the nuclear family and male control of reproduction was such a heavy theme in this movie, and i loved how it respected the audience's intelligence by not having the characters explain themselves out loud but instead relying on the actors performances. ngl we americans are not beating the stupid allegations anytime soon considering some of the reactions to this movie i've seen lol
I gave you a hard time not reviewing Cuckoo, not knowing you didn't have it down there, so just wanted to thank you for reviewing it. I really liked it, and it sure seems like a sequel or prequel could come in the future. Salem's Lot October 3rd!
I absolutely loved Cuckoo! Loved the strangeness of it and the cinematography. Hunter Schafer’s performance was amazingggg. And it also made me cry a little 😅
I loved this! Although I found the main character hard to deal with, I feel that this is a good old-fashioned creature feature with artistic and psychological overtones. The mood was cool, the acting was great, the implications are charming and chilling.
I really enjoyed this film. To me the chase scene with the bike is the creepiest bit of all the horror films i've seen this year. Of course I'm seeing The Substance this weekend so that might change. 😀
I watched this movie last week! Didn’t know anything about it. Saw the trailer and was intrigued. I enjoyed it. Actually got me to jumpscare twice. The surroundings were great as well.
I was lucky enough to go into this one without seeing any trailers as well. I had the one sentence synopsis that was like "Girl moves to kinda strange place in the alps, things get a bit odd". And the theatre that I frequent had it listed as thriller so I had no idea that it was gonna be this type of horror movie at all. Gonna have to see Luz now at some point.
This sounds really interesting for me. I just watched a couple of films where EVERYTHING was explained, so no mystery was left. Cuckoo sounds like it goes the other way. Thanks!
Had to skip the detail of your description & go straight to your scoring as I'm trying to go in as blind as I can. On my watch list for Friday night. Thx Emma!!!
Watched it last night. All I knew about it was what I gathered from seeing various promotional images. No trailers. So...basically I had no idea what I was in for. I have to say it's been quite a while since Ive watched a movie that took so long to get an idea of what the movie is even trying to be. It's just so weird. And I love that. Also.....I had the exact same thoughts about the time loop. Haha
I loved this film . Mix of Cosmic horror and folk horror but in a whery artistic way . in my mind im wishing that some one would make a rebot on the body snachers buth with the same kind of layers as this movie weaving in mystic and psychological thriller.. im definitely going to follow this producers trail .. i havent watched all youre reviews .. does i have i liked. You mentioned Luz that im going to watch now right away... Cheers . Excuse me for bad spelling in English
I felt confusion when watching Cuckoo, like I didn't fully understand it. I'll need to watch it again but definitely not too close to bedtime. I agree with you, it's def not a movie that will keep you up.
Really enjoyed this film, it reminds me a whole bunch of old Jallo style suspense and horror from the 70's. The main character was kinda unlikable/annoying in the beginning and middle but it works because it's very difficult than Hollywood stuff.she becomes a complete babyface by the third act. I was really expecting her to puncture her own ear drum (s) during the bookcase scene. Great movie! 4 stars , Joe Bob should check it out!
@@spookyastronauts ugh, that sucks. Any people wonder why we sometimes revert to illegal streaming. It was a very weird film which I THINK I liked. It was certainly a unique concept, well acted and well shot with some suspenseful moments
this movie was mad confusing but ewally intriguing. sometimes when your lost it ends up being better that way. after thinking and reviewing it from others it all make sense. if you like mind fucks and movies that bring u in, you will like this.
I really like this movie but made the mistake of watching "Strange Darlings" right after and later that night watching "My Soul To Take" on Prime liked both better and highly recommend
I saw this movie in the theater and I was genuinely horrified by the "creature". But overall it was okay. I wouldn't recommend going to the theater and just catching it on rental/streaming.
didn't that very particular sound that is heard repeatedly, remind you of that iconic screech in the soundtrack of "the ring" when the video is playing..? my mind immediately went there, the first time you hear it in the movie..
What???? Objectively Cuckoo was umm sort of not that great. Not bad. I would give it 6/10. I kind of think that the movie is actually about being a younger queer/lesbian through a modern horror movie experience. Also how is the main actor supposed to be 17. Looks 25-30 lol. Seems like a lot of people liked it and thats great
I’d also have to say my 2 fav movie studios is currently A24 (obv for horror fans it’s the easiest choice) & NEON now is in 2nd….we don’t even include BlumHouse cause gurl… TRASH 🔥
This is my favorite horror film of the year. I’m sorry you found it so low on the scare meter, but that bicycle scene was a recreation of an actual nightmare I’ve had, especially the shadow on the highway.
I stumbled upon this movie online a few weeks ago. I felt like it shouldn't have been there, but it was so i watched it! :) It was a good film but did not leave a lasting impression on me.
Ok, rented before your take on movie, I didn’t get Luz, lol, but I enjoyed this, yes, loneliness, great acting, strange plot for sure, but ok! yes, fantastic scenery too. Keep up the great analysis
Thanks Emma! I will try it again. Tried once but found myself "WTF" moments, but it could have been my gummy (oops). But you always have the BEST reviews.
*SPOILER* I totally believe dad was 100% in on it. There are so many shots in the movie where his interactions with Dan Stevens have a weight reflected in his face. Like he knows he's complicit in his actions but is gonna go through with them anyway. My only question is what happened to him and the step mom?
Loved the setting and cinematography, but did not find it interesting at all after the 2nd act. The 3rd act was a drag for me. I appreciate neon coming out with horror though and I'm hoping they continue to give us horror. This one was just a miss for me surprisingly.
i don't know if i'd call it somber... or sad. i thought it's sense of humor was straight faced, and never really calls attention to it's humor. i wouldn't call it wacky, either. i found the ending really optimistic and hopefull.
Could you do a comparison review of SurfShark vs. NordVPN? 😂 JK, I loved Cuckoo, especially Hunter’s performance… and yes the sound design! The brooding bass line in that one scene… great film and rewatchable!
I was very excited to see this movie it seemed like it was going to be very interesting…unfortunately it wasn’t. I found it odd, & not in a good way. I couldn’t take the cuckoo “species” seriously because they looked too human; I felt like maybe this was done to them. What’s their purpose? Why are they here? How is Dan Stevens’ character able to control them with that flute device? Watching the “bleating” I guess of the neck as I believe the mother was the only one doing that (where are the others & what about the teenage looking young girl in the beginning) was cringe. Cool but once was enough for me. Watching the lead actress run around injured but strong enough to punch ppl & avoid all this danger with one arm….um ok. That would NOT fly with ppl on any other movie. Ppl talk about movies not making sense & “a character wouldn’t do this or that” all the time, but it’s interesting when it’s accepted or overlooked in indie movies. M. Night would get roasted if he had this concept for a movie, I’m sure of it. I’m over the “moody, rebellious, pissed off” teens trope in movies. The lead character made this movie exhausting for me. In my opinion, Dan Stevens saved this movie, he made it tolerable for me. It didn’t connect with me. Very interesting concept, I just didn’t like how it came out & if I had to choose watching this or Trap again, I’d choose Trap, sorry 🥺
* Accidental Spoiler In the Non-Spouler part... I think? I don't think we knew that her mom had passed away until later in the film. I remember it being a really emotional reveal. Am I misremembering? I saw it like a month ago, I think.
@@filmfangirls9163 thanks I'll have to re-watch. I have a palpable memory of thinking she was calling her mom for, like, the first two calls, and then finding out and feeling the weight of that moment. I guess I'm like Pullman in Lost Highway on this one. I don't necessarily like remembering things the way they actually happen. Because I like the way I remember it better. Thanks for the clarity
I LOVED the earlier scene where she’s on her bike and you see the woman’s shadow getting gradually closer to grabbing her! Shivers!!
I loved it for the same reasons. It reminded me a lot of 'A Cure For Wellness' with the breathtaking locations, eeriness, sound designs and the use of empty spaces to enhance the feeling of isolation and loneliness.
It reminded me of A Cure For Wellness as well.
years ago i saw an interview with hunter schafer where someone asked her what’s a movie she’d seen around that time that she loved and she said Luz! that’s cool that she got to work with the director of that movie on this film!
That is really cool! Hunter is amazing in this film to be fair.
The way they momentarily let you bask in "maybe Gretchen is crazy and sad" and didn't hold your hand in explaining anything was very welcome for me. The bike chase was a fantastic bit of originality. Wholeheartedly didn't know where the movie was going and I appreciates that
I agree on enjoying that everything wasn't explained. The vast majority of films are so clear either throughout or by the end of what exactly happened and why, I really savor the ones that just leave you guessing just like the main character is.
Cuckoo is so far my favorite of the year! I’m so glad you finally got to see it.
I will always love catching up with your reviews a few months later. Happens all the time. I was super impressed with Cuckoo, from the visual flair to the unique story. I’ll always thirst for more lore, but this still had me chirping like a baby chick!
One of my favorite parts of this movie was when hunter shafer talks about how her little sister ate her “ twin “ in the womb … the little sister looks exactly like her step mom yet apparently she’s not biologically related to her . I found it fascinating the idea that the step mom was pregnant with her own child and the cuckoo at the same time I think her child absorbed the cuckoo , so she actually is human just with some of the cuckoos abilities . I think Gretchen definitely knows this bc that’s why she says to the ex cop “ I don’t think so “ when he tells her that her little sister is not human . I really love that part it was so well thought out to me .
there were actually two cuckoo hybrids in the human mom. twins come from the same egg, not two. so basically alma has x2 hybrids in her, which is why even at a young age she can already freeze people like the adult cuckoo.
@@lyrayu9631twins don’t always come from the same egg, twins can also come from when a woman ovulates and releases two eggs at the same time
Godzilla really likes these come chill with me videos because he can put his hair up and take a lil bath. It’s like a lil treat.
Thus far, I think this is my favorite film of the year. Not just horror, but movies period.
Oh that’s amazing
@@spookyastronauts I really liked it when I saw it, but more than any film I've watched this year, I keep thinking about it. Little subtleties of acting, sound design, etc. I quite liked Luz, but this was a really good step up even from that.
Also my first time seeing Hunter Schaefer, and she was amazingly good at navigating a difficult character.
We are judging u lol
Personally, I loved the film but had a few issues with it which also puts it in the 7/10 spot for me.
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1) I wish the Cuckoo mother had a better design. It would have been so much scarier if it was some weird folk creature that came out of the woods instead of bald tall lady. I know the argument is that they are mimicking humans but does it really matter? Once you're hypnotized by it's call you're not getting away until you're dealt with / inseminated. Also the transformation doesn't seem to occur until the child comes into contact with the mother anyway. Not sure if the final payoff of Gretchen overcoming the loss of her own mother as she kills the Cuckoo is worth the goofy creature design.
2) What the hell was up with the parents in this movie?!?!? Especially the father. His responses to Gretchen were so unrealistic I thought he was in on it with the dr. But no he was just that horrible/clueless?
3) The dog just straight up disappears from the movie after the first car ride scene :(
4) The final shootout scene was pretty stupid and drawn out imo
The dog not showing up for the rest of the movie made no sense, I had forgotten about the dog until someone pointed that out and it appears the filmmakers had as well.
My friend and I felt the same way!! Afterwards we were like "what happened to the dog????"@stephanieg9089
Not going to lie, some parents are just either willingly ignorant assholes or even are aware they're being douchebags so the "unrealistic" nature of the parents, particularly the father, didn't feel unrealistic to me as much as it just felt tragic. The rest I agree with though. The creature was mostly frightening due to her vocalizations, could've done a lot more with her aesthetic but then again maybe that would've been confusing as far as why the children would look so human? But yeah the dog???
i'm sorry maybe i've just seen a lot of movies but to me it was obvious that Gretchen's mom and dad had been split up since she was little and she had just recently moved in with him and his new family because of her mom's recent death. he says out loud "you're almost 18 for god's sake" like they make it so obvious that he doesn't care because he favors his younger daughter over Gretchen and basically sees Gretchen as an adult already and not his problem soon
I really enjoyed this movie in the theater. My boyfriend takes me each month to see a new horror movie to support the genre…..I loved this. We also saw Strange Darling in a vintage theater. The same theater we saw In a Violent Nature on a date in ATL… which is a wonderful way to have a horror date night. It’s the same theater they use for Rocky Horror each year…..this is the best year for horror for me personally. Each month has had several highly rated horror movies. I’ve turned my bf into a horror lover & the quality the past few years has helped
Yeah their has been a few really good horror flicks recently. Can't wait for Terrrifer 3.
Plaza Theater off Ponce? I think they do such a great job rotating offerings. Saw John Carpenter's The Thing there in January, which was perfect bc that's my comfort January rewatch but i'd never gotten to see it on a big screen!
@@Emma-se5wm yes that’s the one
It was OK. The plot didnt really excite me BUT the visuals and the amazing acting kept me hooked. The same goes for the directors earlier film "Luz". Amazing directing and acting but didnt make sense at all, just like this one. Hunter and especially Dan were top notch! I
Poor Gretchen, she was both physically and mentally put through the ringer. As a mom my heart went out to her so much!
I loved this film! One of my favourites of the year. It communicates such a sense of dread, even before you have any idea what is happening. Apparently banal scenes have an unsettling atmosphere. I think more or less everything is explained by the end (though, of course the explanation is bizarre!). Here in the UK it had a (limited) theatrical release, so I got to see it in the cinema, which was great.!
The scariest part of this film for me was getting lost in the dark my first time at a new cinema, instead of exiting I wandered in to the projection room where I saw, how can I put this politely...one of the cinema staff vigorously engaged in self love. Thankfully they were so engrossed in their activity that I managed to back out without them noticing me because the only thing that would have made that situation more awkward would have been eye contact. With that being said, nice cinema, did a great job with the refurb....will not be buying popcorn there though. The Substance AND Strange Darling coming out here on Friday, cannot wait. Going to double feature them then come back and rewatch the Spooky reviews. Then next week they are showing Terrifier 1 and 2 back to back so I'm going to see those. And I'm having spag bol for dinner. Jesus that's a lot of words, I guess my point is that I'm happy to be alive at this point in history.
that is WILD!
DAMN
False. NT.
While it's not all that "scary" I LOVE the environment/vibe, and it's still my overall favorite horror film of 2024 so far.
Yay, I was looking forward to your review!
I really, really loved this one. I went in completely blind, all I knew was that it was directed by Singer and that it had Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens in it. And I had such a blast haha You are right though: It is also sad and I hated how the father character treated Gretchen.
Yay!!! You finally got a chance to see Cuckoo!!! I still don't get why some films are only released in certain countries. Here in the UK we still haven't got "Strange Darling" yet the Blu-Ray release it already up for pre-order. Glad you enjoyed this Em x
9:32 Love him in Legion, Legion series is so underrated! Never heard anyone talk about, tho I know people have, just stumbled on it, was surprised it’s actually a Marvel ip as well. The color schemes, soundtrack +sound mix, is soooooo fire!! I watched it a 2nd time with a headset and it blew me away!!! 9.5/10
Legion is amazing!! That cast, too... Such a trippy, entertaining, dark, funny, thrilling show
What did Dan Stevens do to incur your wrath? 😄
I was just disappointed. I'm all for movies that push the boundaries as long as it feels cohesive within the movie and feels complete by the end, and this just didn't. I felt like I had to go look up a bunch of theories and subtext afterwards, and that's rarely ever a good thing.
wasn't a big fan of this one personally but happy to see neon getting some recognition!
Glad I saw this at MIFF, and on the Astor screen. I liked that it not only had both heart and weirdness, but a healthy amount of gallows humor to balance out the horror. I gave it 8/10, and would happily revisit down the line.
Thank you for not making this a patreon exclusive review.
yay finally!!! this is my movie of the year
btw, i think the car at the end was called a bluebird.
One day ONE DAY I need a whole video of your love hate relationship with Dan Stevens 😂
I enjoyed this films!! It has plot points that bothered me but it was a fun time.
Without spoiling anything(?) I thought there was an interesting theme re: the family you choose vs the family that you're born with: there's only one member of Gretchen's family that cares about her at all and the movie turns on her having that realization.
Quite similar to Vivarium. Awesome movie and concept! Probably my favorite horror movie of the year. But we’ll see, some other very interesting releases are still coming in 2024.
Hehe I knew you would eventually track this movie down. I thought Cuckoo was meh - it just didn't really grab me. Why is below hidden for spoilers OTOH, and unrelated, I finally caught Red Rooms recently (it just got a USA theatrical last week) and thought it was terrific.
My gripes:
- Why it was SO important that this ancient cuckoo creature be reborn was never explained and I didn't really care in the end. Compare Cuckoo's ending to Hereditary or The Wicker Man where all the stuff that is happening is part of a bigger grand plan.
- Gretchen had no problem ditching her sister and running off to Paris with that girl earlier in the movie, But later in the movie Gretchen is all out to protect her. I didn't buy the character shift at all - just never really saw the progression from petulant brat to mother figure. If others did fine but not me.
bro were you asleep during the scene where Gretchen, sobbing over her mother's answering machine, hears her little sister's voice-to-text app asking her mom to come visit because she loves her big sister and wants her to be happy and realizes she's been selfish thus triggering her fight to protect her from being killed? like sorry she didn't barrel the camera lens and say "my little sister loves me unconditionally and i was too absorbed with my own grief and pain to notice until this moment" damn man pay attention
This has quickly become one of my fav youtube channels
Just saw it. A Cure for Wellness meets Immaculate, pretty much. I don't hate it. (Spoilerish? going forward) I wish we'd gotten a better background on the creatures and where they came from, they felt kinda thrust out of nowhere.
So glad you finally got to review this!
I agree I thought it was so somber at times, I was getting so emotional during the scene with the sisters at the end.
Hope you do a deep dive, spoiler filled review, ripe with theories. This is EXACTLY the type of film that deserves it.
I really love that you made a review on this movie. I don't care waiting for them, cause, sometimes i can't watch some of your videos because the release dates here in mx are horrible, so, i feel you.
Great review, it opened my eyes to the lonely journey of Gretchen.
The vibe of the movie was cool but honestly it felt like things just kept happening that didn't make a whole lot of sense as the movie progressed. Some of the things that happened leading to the ending were just so goofy I found it hard to suspend my disbelief.
I find cuckoo different to other horrors out at the moment it stands out to me because of how different it is I will say it is in my top 5 at the moment
ah, emma, i've just watched it. i didn't like it unfortunately. i love dan stevens and hunter schafer, but this was not good.
respectfully, i feel like people who thought this movie was boring should get tested for ADHD cause if you pay attention it is really not that hard to follow the story lmfao i fucking loved this movie i saw it twice in 24 hours, i loved the Euro Horror But With an American Final Girl feeling of it. i thought the choice to make Gretchen explicitly queer was brilliant considering how the nuclear family and male control of reproduction was such a heavy theme in this movie, and i loved how it respected the audience's intelligence by not having the characters explain themselves out loud but instead relying on the actors performances. ngl we americans are not beating the stupid allegations anytime soon considering some of the reactions to this movie i've seen lol
I gave you a hard time not reviewing Cuckoo, not knowing you didn't have it down there, so just wanted to thank you for reviewing it. I really liked it, and it sure seems like a sequel or prequel could come in the future. Salem's Lot October 3rd!
I'm so excited for this movie! Also, your hair looks sooo good!! I'm so jealous!! 😂❤
I absolutely loved Cuckoo! Loved the strangeness of it and the cinematography. Hunter Schafer’s performance was amazingggg. And it also made me cry a little 😅
This and Longlegs both share the cuckoo bird behavior theme
Dan Stevens' name gets its own edit lol ....This one sounds unique! :)
Dan Stevens is the only reason I want to watch this. How could you possibly have beef with him?!
One day she will tell us 😂
I loved this! Although I found the main character hard to deal with, I feel that this is a good old-fashioned creature feature with artistic and psychological overtones.
The mood was cool, the acting was great, the implications are charming and chilling.
Loved this one and saw it opening weekend. Commented here before the Ads were done and then closed video. Hope you liked it.
This setup is nice! Definitely makes the video better for lack of better words.
Girl, I'm so happy you finally got to watch it!!!! I'm really glad you liked it. 😊
I really enjoyed this film. To me the chase scene with the bike is the creepiest bit of all the horror films i've seen this year. Of course I'm seeing The Substance this weekend so that might change. 😀
Really disappointed by Cuckoo honestly. But glad you enjoyed it!
I saw this trailer for the first time right before I watched Longlegs. Which was weird and confusing since the first line in Longlegs is “Cuckoo”
I watched this movie last week! Didn’t know anything about it. Saw the trailer and was intrigued. I enjoyed it. Actually got me to jumpscare twice. The surroundings were great as well.
I was lucky enough to go into this one without seeing any trailers as well. I had the one sentence synopsis that was like "Girl moves to kinda strange place in the alps, things get a bit odd". And the theatre that I frequent had it listed as thriller so I had no idea that it was gonna be this type of horror movie at all. Gonna have to see Luz now at some point.
This sounds really interesting for me. I just watched a couple of films where EVERYTHING was explained, so no mystery was left. Cuckoo sounds like it goes the other way. Thanks!
I can’t wait to see it, but I won’t pay money to see it. Thanks! ❤
Had to skip the detail of your description & go straight to your scoring as I'm trying to go in as blind as I can. On my watch list for Friday night. Thx Emma!!!
I liked this movie a lot. It reminded the tamer version of a David Cronenberg film. Surprisingly, my recent horror convert brother loved it.
I love Dan! He is so fine and so talented! I can’t wait to see this movie! I hated Longlegs, so I hope this renews my faith in Neon.
I’ve been waiting for this review before watching! So excited to hear your thoughts
Watched it last night. All I knew about it was what I gathered from seeing various promotional images. No trailers. So...basically I had no idea what I was in for. I have to say it's been quite a while since Ive watched a movie that took so long to get an idea of what the movie is even trying to be. It's just so weird. And I love that.
Also.....I had the exact same thoughts about the time loop. Haha
The opening camera angles!! Not on cuckoo. On your video !!!👏🏼💯🤩
I just watched this movie. I kind of thought the blue eyes as a reference to eugenics because that is the vibe I got.
I loved this film . Mix of Cosmic horror and folk horror but in a whery artistic way . in my mind im wishing that some one would make a rebot on the body snachers buth with the same kind of layers as this movie weaving in mystic and psychological thriller.. im definitely going to follow this producers trail .. i havent watched all youre reviews .. does i have i liked. You mentioned Luz that im going to watch now right away... Cheers . Excuse me for bad spelling in English
I felt confusion when watching Cuckoo, like I didn't fully understand it. I'll need to watch it again but definitely not too close to bedtime. I agree with you, it's def not a movie that will keep you up.
Really enjoyed this film, it reminds me a whole bunch of old Jallo style suspense and horror from the 70's.
The main character was kinda unlikable/annoying in the beginning and middle but it works because it's very difficult than Hollywood stuff.she becomes a complete babyface by the third act.
I was really expecting her to puncture her own ear drum (s) during the bookcase scene.
Great movie!
4 stars , Joe Bob should check it out!
Did it not hit cinemas in Australia? We had to wait 6 months after everyone else for Pearl in the uk.
Yeah it’s not out at all here and has no plans to be
@@spookyastronauts ugh, that sucks. Any people wonder why we sometimes revert to illegal streaming.
It was a very weird film which I THINK I liked. It was certainly a unique concept, well acted and well shot with some suspenseful moments
@@spookyastronauts *HUGS* Sorry about that.
this movie was mad confusing but ewally intriguing. sometimes when your lost it ends up being better that way. after thinking and reviewing it from others it all make sense. if you like mind fucks and movies that bring u in, you will like this.
I really like this movie but made the mistake of watching "Strange Darlings" right after and later that night watching "My Soul To Take" on Prime liked both better and highly recommend
I saw this movie in the theater and I was genuinely horrified by the "creature". But overall it was okay. I wouldn't recommend going to the theater and just catching it on rental/streaming.
Watched it last night.Really enjoyed it because it was different ❤
didn't that very particular sound that is heard repeatedly, remind you of that iconic screech in the soundtrack of "the ring" when the video is playing..? my mind immediately went there, the first time you hear it in the movie..
What???? Objectively Cuckoo was umm sort of not that great. Not bad. I would give it 6/10.
I kind of think that the movie is actually about being a younger queer/lesbian through a modern horror movie experience. Also how is the main actor supposed to be 17. Looks 25-30 lol. Seems like a lot of people liked it and thats great
Yeah loved this one. 🎉🎉🎉
I’d also have to say my 2 fav movie studios is currently A24 (obv for horror fans it’s the easiest choice) & NEON now is in 2nd….we don’t even include BlumHouse cause gurl… TRASH 🔥
i agree, but their remake of SPEAK NO EVIL wasn't bad. not as good as the original, but good.
I love this movie too. I love the ideas!
I really loved this one. Was NOT expecting this movie to get me in the feels. 😂
Tilman being style over substance isn’t surprising. It’s an interesting concept with a meh story.
This is my favorite horror film of the year. I’m sorry you found it so low on the scare meter, but that bicycle scene was a recreation of an actual nightmare I’ve had, especially the shadow on the highway.
I wish I got to see it in the cinema!
I stumbled upon this movie online a few weeks ago. I felt like it shouldn't have been there, but it was so i watched it! :) It was a good film but did not leave a lasting impression on me.
Hunter Schafer's eyes are blue too.
I just rewatched it and liked it a lot more on the 2nd watch
Ok, rented before your take on movie, I didn’t get Luz, lol, but I enjoyed this, yes, loneliness, great acting, strange plot for sure, but ok! yes, fantastic scenery too. Keep up the great analysis
Thanks Emma! I will try it again. Tried once but found myself "WTF" moments, but it could have been my gummy (oops). But you always have the BEST reviews.
Hahaha
*SPOILER*
I totally believe dad was 100% in on it. There are so many shots in the movie where his interactions with Dan Stevens have a weight reflected in his face. Like he knows he's complicit in his actions but is gonna go through with them anyway. My only question is what happened to him and the step mom?
Loved the setting and cinematography, but did not find it interesting at all after the 2nd act. The 3rd act was a drag for me. I appreciate neon coming out with horror though and I'm hoping they continue to give us horror. This one was just a miss for me surprisingly.
Tbh i was excited when it released in theaters, but i came out not liking it at all.
Oh really, sorry to hear that
Same, just did not care for it and probably won't rewatch it. Had a good cast but didn't quite deliver.
i don't know if i'd call it somber... or sad. i thought it's sense of humor was straight faced, and never really calls attention to it's humor. i wouldn't call it wacky, either. i found the ending really optimistic and hopefull.
it's too bad you didn't get to see it in the theater. it does some really interesting things with sound that i don't think can be replicated at home.
Good review and cool video Emma!👉🏼🙂👈
Could you do a comparison review of SurfShark vs. NordVPN? 😂 JK, I loved Cuckoo, especially Hunter’s performance… and yes the sound design! The brooding bass line in that one scene… great film and rewatchable!
OKAY BUT IS NOONE SEEING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN LONG LEGS, LOVELY BONES, AND CUCKOO
The beef with Dan Stevens lol
It's not perfect, but it's definitely in my top 10 of the year
I was very excited to see this movie it seemed like it was going to be very interesting…unfortunately it wasn’t. I found it odd, & not in a good way. I couldn’t take the cuckoo “species” seriously because they looked too human; I felt like maybe this was done to them. What’s their purpose? Why are they here? How is Dan Stevens’ character able to control them with that flute device? Watching the “bleating” I guess of the neck as I believe the mother was the only one doing that (where are the others & what about the teenage looking young girl in the beginning) was cringe. Cool but once was enough for me. Watching the lead actress run around injured but strong enough to punch ppl & avoid all this danger with one arm….um ok. That would NOT fly with ppl on any other movie. Ppl talk about movies not making sense & “a character wouldn’t do this or that” all the time, but it’s interesting when it’s accepted or overlooked in indie movies. M. Night would get roasted if he had this concept for a movie, I’m sure of it. I’m over the “moody, rebellious, pissed off” teens trope in movies. The lead character made this movie exhausting for me. In my opinion, Dan Stevens saved this movie, he made it tolerable for me. It didn’t connect with me. Very interesting concept, I just didn’t like how it came out & if I had to choose watching this or Trap again, I’d choose Trap, sorry 🥺
* Accidental Spoiler In the Non-Spouler part... I think?
I don't think we knew that her mom had passed away until later in the film. I remember it being a really emotional reveal. Am I misremembering? I saw it like a month ago, I think.
Pretty sure it was revealed at the very start.
@@filmfangirls9163 thanks I'll have to re-watch. I have a palpable memory of thinking she was calling her mom for, like, the first two calls, and then finding out and feeling the weight of that moment.
I guess I'm like Pullman in Lost Highway on this one. I don't necessarily like remembering things the way they actually happen. Because I like the way I remember it better.
Thanks for the clarity
Personally this movie kind of bored me, heard people giving this more love than Long Legs. Which is strange because I far prefered Long Legs
I just wanna know why this wasn’t available for me in America (MI) like was it that bad?
Definitely creepy but I think I need to see it again.
Awesome 😊