Directors Series: Karyn Kusama

The goal for the Directors Series will be to take a deep dive into the entire filmography of either an up and coming director whose name should be on the tip of everyone's tongue or a potentially well known director with a diverse filmography. Some of the names on this list will surprise you, as they have been working as a director in Hollywood for a while and just gotten their big break, or have had a long time between projects.

THIS MONTH'S DIRECTOR: Karyn Kusama

Again taking another 5+ years in between films, Kusama returned to her roots on the indie scene with this tense horror thriller. Taking a break from the studio system, this was produced with Kusama and the writers having complete creative freedom.

MOVIE: The Invitation (2015)

Starring:

Logan Marshall-Green as Will

Emayatzy Corinealdi as Kira

Michiel Huisman as David

Tammy Blanchard as Eden

John Carroll Lynch as Pruitt

Mike Doyle as Tommy

Lindsay Burdge as Sadie

Budget: $1 Million

Box Office:

Opened: $67,877

Final: $231,737

Plot:

Will and Kira, reunited with old friends for a dinner party thrown by David and Will's ex-wife, Eden. While things are expectedly a little awkward, the party seems to be going well until the mysterious arrival of Pruitt. Soon, things spiral out of control as David and Eden's true intentions for the gathering come to the surface.

My Review:

This is such an underrated gem, fully reminding audiences that despite a couple flops, Kusama is a master filmmaker. The slow burn tension that seeps through the film over the course of its runtime is hard to deny and it's a testament to the filmmakers that the level of growing discomfort for the audience rivals that of the characters on screen.

I wish more eyeballs had seen this film if not just for Logan Marshall Green's performance. You might not recognize his name, but he does occasionally pop up in more mainstream fare (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Upgrade, Prometheus). Here he serves as the perfect surrogate for the audience, becoming more and more wary of what is happening as the night unfolds. His haunted past greatly informs his character and Green is able to simultaneously hide yet portray a real sadness in Will. While the rest of the actors are fantastic, John Carroll Lynch is downright terrifying. He tells a story about his wife that is absolutely chilling. It's awesome to see acting, directing, and filmmaking converge to make a jaw dropping moment like that. Outside of Æon Flux, Kusama has proven she is a fantastic actor's director.

Once the third act hits, the film switches from thriller to full blown horror movie. This transition feels very natural, with this maybe being one of my favorite third acts in any film. The stunning shot that concludes the film will give the viewer lots to talk about while the credits roll.

If it wasn't obvious, I really like this film. It's a well acted, taut horror thriller. I hadn't watched it in years before watching it for this series. It may have held up better than I remembered.

Critical reception:

88% on Rotten Tomatoes

Karyn Kusama:

Fright Meter Awards Best Director Nominee

iHorror Best Director nominee

Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi:

Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Screenplay Winner

Fright Meter Awards Best Screenplay Winner

Logan Marshall-Green:

Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Actor Nominee

Fright Meter Awards Best Actor Nominee

iHorror Best Actor nominee

Nominated:

Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Limited Release Film, Best Supporting Actor

Fright Meter Awards Best Horror Movie, Best Supporting Actor, Best Editing, Best Cinematography

iHorror Best Horror Film

Up Next: Destroyer (2018)