XX - Women to Die For (USA - 2016) is the title of the all-female horror anthology distributed in Italy thanks to Midnight Factory. The four episodes that make up this choral horror are directed and starred exclusively by female protagonists. In fact, directing the segments are Jovanka Vuckovic (Self Portrait, The Guest), Karyn Kusama (Jennifer's Body, The Invitation), Roxanne Benjamin (Southbound, V/H/S, V/H/S/2) and American singer-songwriter Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), here making her debut in the directing booth.
Sofia Carrillo, on the other hand, tied the four stories together with a dark and intriguing frame made with the stop-motion technique.
Like all choral films, the XX - Women to Die For embraces good segments and weaker ones. Overall, however, it is an enjoyable horror anthology that manages to entertain the audience by dosing twists, touches of originality and suspense. The highlights are definitely the first and last episodes namely "The Box" e "The only son". Successful but weaker than the above two stories is the second, "The Birthday Party" while the third, "Don't fall", is the least convincing episode.
"The Box" by Jovanka Vuckovic, features Susan Jacobs (Natalie Brown), a woman who helplessly witnesses the slow starvation of her son and then the rest of her family. This is because of the (unknown to us) contents of a box that, precisely because it is unrevealed, exerts a certain fascination on the viewer, tickling his imagination.
With tragic implications, The Box is a well-packaged short that stands out from subsequent episodes.
In "The Birthday Party" (directed by Annie Clark), a woman (Melanie Lynskey) discovers that her spouse has passed away at his desk on the very day of her daughter's birthday. As the house fills with people invited for the party, the widow will try to get rid of her spouse's dead body.
"The Birthday Party" is a short film tinged with black humor. Simple in the unfolding of the story, it is able to provide moments of suspense and solutions that, while absurd (the final sequence for example), nevertheless manage to entertain.
Starring in "Don't fall" (directed by Roxanne Benjamin) is a group of boys who wander into the woods. Gretchen (Breeda Wool), one of them, scratches herself with a rock on which there is a painting made in blood. The images found on the spot unleash evil forces that cause a strange metamorphosis in the intruders.
“Don't fall" is the most boring segment of the choral film. Unlike the other three stories, that of Don't Fall is characterized by being trite and monotonous and, for that very reason, unable to engage the viewer.
Karyn Kusama, director of The Invitation, signs the direction of "The only son", a demonic horror film that pays homage to The Omen and Rosemary's Baby. In its short film, in fact, a mother discovers to her horror the true identity of her teenage son. The young man is actually the son of the demon.
Gloomy and imbued with sulfurous atmospheres, in keeping with its theme, The only son closes the female circle of the four episodes with dignity. This is an overwhelming short film that enjoys peaks of tension.
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XX - Women to Die For is part of the Midnight Factory catalog. In fact, the label is offering it on DVD and Blu-ray limited edition (both containing a collectible booklet).
Unmistakable and always polished is the Blu-ray packaging, available in a palatable limited edition that is flawless (neither audio nor video). Special contents include featurettes, interviews and trailers.
Also interesting is the booklet that collects the film review but also trivia and photos of the female directors involved in the project.
Blu-ray technical data:
Duration: 81 min
Format: 1080p; 1:2.35
Audio: Italian - 5.1 DTS HD master audio; English - 5.1 DTS HD master audio
Subtitles: Italian
Extras: Featurette, Interviews, Trailer
