Director: Brooke H. Cellars
Year; 2026
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Creature Feature; Horror/Comedy
Plot:
Wanting to expand her life, a woman takes a job working at a salon with other people living on the fringe of society and is embraced by their sense of family, but when her debilitating menstrual cramps reveal themselves to be vicious monsters ready to kill, she must stop them.
Review:
This was a massively enjoyable and worthwhile genre effort. Most of the film’s positives center around a wholly likable setup that provides this with the kind of cheesy, campy atmosphere necessary for this kind of offering. Giving us an immediate look at the worthwhile qualities of the main girl compared to the controlling and condescending family who keep trying to shoot down her hopes and dreams to make them feel better, so that her upbeat and happy-go-lucky persona matches nicely with the rest of the workers at the salon where she works, all creates an immensely effective starting point to tie into the rest of the film going forward. Everything that takes place within the salon, from how lively and energetic they react to everyday customers to the style of camaraderie that brings them to helping her discover the true self she has buried inside of her under the layers of family guilt and repression, furthers that handily and makes the central setup engaging.
With that in place, the overall presentation of everything here makes sure that sense of camp and cheese has a healthy breeding ground to operate from. The glossy, candy-coated aesthetic and 1960s glamour that oozes from the screen in nearly every frame, from the makeup to the hair and costumes to the decor and aesthetic of the whole thing, all making this come off with the general aesthetic and vibe of overly-dramatic kitsch of the highest order. Joyously over-the-top in every regard and celebrating this kind of goofy value just as easily as it is embracing the outsider culture approach to the relationships being established by the main cast and crew. It’s all wonderfully likable with the way it’s so cohesive and designed to fit together in a bright, lively nightmare that it’s almost far more likely to want to be around the group within the film, outside of the more vicious elements present, as it’s so much fun to be involved with the family as a whole.
When it comes time to focus on the killer menstrual cramps coming to life and targeting others around her, there are still some likable factors, even if this becomes one of the few drawbacks present. The whole idea of the figure being a genuine being coming from within her to attack others as a form of an amorphous blob that renders the victim a quivering pile of blood and flesh is solid enough and contains some cheesy moments when it gets involved, especially with the handsy model trying to take advantage of her or the rival salon owners looking to sabotage her co-workers in a heated rivalry as these are fun enough when they occur. It’s just not all that often when it comes about, as if it’s intruding on these other storylines it wants to tell, since it’s not referenced all that often and doesn’t come into play for long stretches. It’s hardly important or necessary since there are other enjoyable factors within the film, but this does impact it only slightly.
Overview: ****.5/5
An extremely likable and effective genre effort, there’s so little to dislike here that it manages to keep this one enjoyable overall, with only a few minor drawbacks to bring it down. Those with an appreciation for this style or approach to genre fare will have a lot to like here, while most others out there should heed caution with it.
Comments
Post a Comment