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By: Marina Yang

*Warning: This review contains spoilers

The movie ‘The Black Phone’ was made on June 24, 2022. It was directed by Scott Derrickson and co-written with C. Robert Cargill, based on the short story of the same name by Joe Hill.

‘The Black Phone’ is a thriller and supernatural horror movie that revolves around our protagonist Finney Blake, Gwen Blake (sister of the main character), the antagonist/kidnapper being called the ‘Grabber’, the 5 other victims (Bruce Yamada, Billy Showalter, Robin Arellano, etc.), and others.

The movie starts off with missing posters of kids, indicating that the kidnappings have been going on for a while already. Our main characters’ family, as others are, are more wary and scared about this situation as the disappearances pile up with no lead. Then, one day, when Finney is walking back home after going separate paths from his sister (context: Finney’s sister sleeps over at her friend’s house every Friday night), he sees an odd black van with a man coming out of it. The man drops his groceries, and as most people who pass by in this kind of situation, Finney helps the man. Then the stranger pops up a question, “You wanna see a magic trick?” which Finney as a kid is easily fantasized by and answers, sure/yes. The strange man opens his door, revealing several black balloons, and then snatching him into his truck to his house. Finney then has to survive the next few days in an enclosed basement room as the mysterious, broken-like, black phone rings with advice from the past victims to help him escape. Meanwhile Gwen desperately is trying to find an answer from her dreams to draw a conclusion of where her brother may be located or a hint on the killer’s identity.

The story mentions the undetermined/unrevealed details of missing cases. Throughout the movie, we never really know what the killer’s true intentions were with these kids and why he hinted at creepy things. It greatly speaks about the terror and how scary it is being in the position of the kidnapped victims (children in this case), and the strategic thinking you need to plan an escape in a confinement-like area. This is heightened by switching the perspectives between the worried families trying to search for their lost family member(s) to the kidnapped person struggling to reach back home safely.

I’d rate it a 4/5 because I thought it was a pretty good storyline, even if it had been based off of something else, the plot is interesting. Though I’d by lying if I said that I wouldn’t feel some kind of emotion if the killer was never caught in the movie. Especially if Gwen never had this psychological dream-reading trait of hers because she was so helpful throughout the movie, helping the officers make leads and get a step closer to solving the case.

You can watch this movie through a subscription on Peacock or renting/buying it from other services (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, etc.).

By: Sasha Deans

‘Ma’, directed by Tate Taylor and starring Octavia Spencer, is a psychological thriller that blends teenage rebellion with creeping dread in a small-town setting. At first glance, the movie seems like a typical teen drama: new girl in town trying to fit in, high school parties, and awkward crushes. But it quickly takes a sharp left turn into something much darker and more disturbing.

The story follows Maggie, a seemingly sweet and well-behaved girl who’s just moved to a small town with her single mom. She’s adjusting to a new school, new friends, and the usual teenage awkwardness. Maggie is introduced to a group of classmates who are more outgoing and party-oriented. At first, she turns down an invite to hang out, choosing to stick with her mom instead. But when her plans fall through, she decides to give it a shot and go out with them just once.

That one night quickly snowballs into something much bigger when the group crosses paths with Sue Ann, a middle-aged woman who at first seems like any other local. They meet her outside a liquor store and, after some hesitation, she agrees to buy them alcohol. What starts off as a random favor turns into an open invitation to party at her house, in the basement, to be exact. She gives them rules: stay in the basement, don’t go upstairs, and one person stays sober. At first, the teens think they’ve hit the jackpot. A cool adult who’s not only letting them drink but giving them a place to do it safely? What could go wrong?

Well, a lot, as it turns out.

One of the strongest parts of ‘Ma’ is Octavia Spencer’s performance. She’s known for playing warm, empathetic characters, so seeing her take on such a twisted and unpredictable role adds an extra layer of tension. She plays Ma with such complexity you can sense there’s pain and trauma behind her actions, but that doesn’t make her any less terrifying. She shifts between friendly and frightening so fast that you never really feel safe when she’s on screen.

Visually, the movie does a great job of creating contrast. The bright, energetic scenes of teens partying clash with the dark, confined space of Ma’s basement. The further the teens fall into Ma’s world, the more unsettling everything becomes. The film uses silence and music effectively to build suspense, and there are moments that genuinely make your skin crawl not from jump scares, but from the slow, psychological unraveling of the situation.

Personally, I found ‘Ma’ to be a unique take on the thriller genre. It’s not your typical horror movie, it’s more about mood and tension than blood and gore. It plays with your expectations, especially with how it sets up Ma as a kind, slightly awkward woman and then peels back the layers to reveal something much darker. It also makes you think about how people carry emotional scars and how dangerous it can be when those scars are left untreated.

I do agree it kinda has it’s more cheesy parts though the movie is slow and the gore/scary stuff doesn’t happen to the very very end which gets kind of annoying if your a frequent horror movie watcher.

If you’re looking for a thriller with a strong lead performance, unexpected turns, and a creepy atmosphere that sticks with you after the credits roll, ‘Ma’ is definitely worth watching. Just be warned you may never look at a friendly stranger the same way again. I rate it a 3/5

You can watch on Netflix!