sad story about mothers & daughters

this is a film about motherhood, child custody, abandonment, and generational trauma. the general synopsis listed may suggest that it'll be your run-of-the-mill haunted apartment story; however, the plot runs much deeper than such. Threatened to lose custody of her daughter, Yoshimi also endures the stress of being perceived as a "good mother" while trying to find solutions for work, childcare, and their living situation. on top of all of that, she is also stigmatized for past issues with mental health. there is always a lingering sense of possible separation between the two, and this theme is further echoed throughout the storyline through other flashbacks and relationships. overall, 'dark water' is less of a horror movie than it is about the desperation of a mother trying her best for her child in an environment that doesn't do much to support her.

Read More

not so creepy

the premise of the film was what originally caught my attention. it's very interesting: a ghost who lurks within the crevices/gaps of your home. however, not much happened throughout its duration (or at least not enough happened) until the last 20 minutes or so. every so often, you'd get a glimpse of the spirit (which could be an effective technique in scaring the watcher); but it was honestly too far few and between. the concept is interesting enough for me to want to check out other films that mirror a similar plot. so although the idea was worthwhile, it could've been executed better and in a more horrifying way.

Read More