_Talk to Me_ is a brilliant and spine tingling evolution of _The Monkey’s Paw_ short story with an incredibly satisfying ending and a scene stealing performance from Sophie Wilde. Aaron McLisky’s cinematography featuring a ghoulish incline at just the right time makes _Talk to Me_, which is already a well-written nightmare and unique plunge into personal hell, visually and uniquely chilling. **Full review:** https://bit.ly/emotklat

When a group of kids get together under the thumb of the rather odious "Hayley" (Zoe Terakes) they are presented with a ceramic hand - that apparently encases a real one - that acts as a portal to a dimension in which live the dead. They have discovered that no harm can be done if they stick to a time limit, exceed that - and well they are in virgin and potentially perilous territory. Following on from her best friend "Jade" (Alexandra Jensen) who has a go, it falls to "Mia" (Sophie Wilde) and after the most bizarre of personally traumatic connections, she is soon addicted to the experience and is also soon providing a conduit that is causing havoc within their group - not least for poor young "Riley" (Joe Bird) who ends up needing danger money - and a soft play area! Wilde does quite well here and though the rest of the acting isn't really up to much, the story has an originality to it that genuinely creates a new avenue for a genre that has been really suffering from same old, same old storytelling of late. Bird is by far the star here - even if he is incapacitated for much of it, and the aforementioned Terakes creates a character I'd cheerfully throttle. There's too much dialogue and it's very very score-heavy which did annoy after a while, but it's at times quite scary and definitely worth a watch around Halloween on the telly.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ www.firstshowing.net/2023/review-australias-talk-to-me-is-the-best-horror-film-of-2023-so-far/ "Talk to Me lives up to the tremendous hype from festivals and initial reactions around the world. Without a doubt, one of the scariest horror films in recent years! Impressive practical effects, superb makeup, hypnotizing performances – Sophie Wilde clearly stands out the most – and impeccable execution of truly shocking, gory, unpredictable moments of violence. It doesn't have the most imaginative screenplay within the "spirit-possessed characters" subgenre and leaves some meaningful themes unexplored, but it's definitely one of this year's must-see horror flicks. Danny and Michael Philippou: remember their names!" Rating: A-

An astute, and at times, creepy analysis of grief and addiction and the lengths people will go to cope with their loss. Good acting, good script, good direction and some effective scares make this movie a must see for horror fans!

A really fun and fresh feeling horror genre flick, with some really solid performances. Highlight is the effects and some of the seriously brutal violence in it. When the little kid is smashing himself to pieces, outstanding, well done, hats off. Show this to some 12 year old you know.