February

I am a huge supernatural horror fan and this film was terrible. The only interesting moments were the fake, manufactured type. Everything else was under-developed or cryptic at best. No plot what-so-ever. I am most sad that I wasted the two hours watching this junk including having to say it stank to the rest of the world.

The Blackcoat's Daughter, or originally titled February is the first feature film from Oz Perkins, and it's warmly welcomed and loved if you love a slow- build horror in the likes of It Follows, The Babdook, The Tall Man, or recently surprise hit The Witch. This film follows the same beat, while not necessarily executing it in a lively fashion it does deserve to stand on it's own merit. Winter break is approaching so the students of Bradford Academy are all leaving to rejoin their parents over the two weeks... Expect for the exception of Kat (Kiernan Shipka) truly haunting each time on screen; and Rose (Lucy Boynton) who are forced to await the arrival of their parents who mysteriously fail to retrieve them. With their time spent there, we also meet Joan (Emma Roberts) another kindred soul trudging her way to the unknown. And thus, begins our film... A look at three different woman bound by a constant fear, ever present throughout the film. For a first time director, Oz gracefully masters the camera as he glides slowly across the scenery meticulously acknowledging every shot... From a long tracking shot down a dark hallway to the swinging of a door in the wind. Every detail cleverly puts you on ease as you await the next scene. Kiernan Shipka controls the screen as she chillingly embodies the physical turmoil of an adolescent girl confused and unsure of herself... The rest of this little cast are also good... with the exception of Emma Roberts showing us that she can also do more than American Horror Story or Scream Queens. While good, the film does fall in structure during it's second act and end as we never truly understand the intentions of our characters or simply where the movie is headed... while the tone stays the same... haunting and melancholy. The film can loose you if you are not truly invested during it's final two acts. Overall, The Blackcoat's Daughter is a well crafted horror that cleverly cuts between three characters while still juggling the fact that it is indeed a slow-burn horror well worth your time and money.

Im glad I found this movie; unfortunately it had a limited release and there was not much buzz about it. So when I found it, I did not expect much. But I couldn't have been more wrong. Although there is not much originality, it was well done and made me uncomfortable! The tone of the movie was dreadful and was beautifully supported by the score, the cinematography, and the acting. The pace of the movie was slow, but the payoff was excellent. No cheap jump scares, the right amount of gore, and a clever plot. Horror fans should definitely give this movie a watch!

I did a non-IMDB review of this back in 2016 but after enduring it accidentally a second time I feel the need to express my thoughts on this. February otherwise known as The Blackcoats Daughter is a horror though I use that term very loosely. It stars Emma Roberts, James Remar and rising star Kiernan "The new Sabrina" Shipka. It tells three girls tales and how they're interconnected. An incredibly slow burn it alas doesn't offer much in the way of a payoff that you'd certainly expect with this type of film. A payoff at all? Yes, an explanation? Yes, a good payoff and/or explanation? Absolutely not. Everyone looks bored which is kind of fitting because I'd imagine the viewer will be as well. The plot of convoluted but does get explained (Almost). As I walked away a second time there was still one unanswered question and I'm pretty sure it's one of those you need to suspend belief for and accept you won't get one. Gritty, dark, terrible. I had a catheter in for a full week around the time of this movie, that was less unpleasant. The Good: Comes together well for the most part James Remar The Bad: Dull and lifeless Unanswered question Performances are from people who behave like they regret doing the film

This director must've watched Pulp Fiction and the main thing that he took away from the experience was: "Non-linear storytelling is the bees knees guys!" Basically, the director focused so much on making this movie interesting to look at that he forgot he was supposed to be telling a story. It's really hard to feel a sense of dread or foreboding or to put yourself in a characters' shoes if you are spending the whole moving trying to figure out what order events take place in. I give it three stars because I think there was an interesting (if extremely simple) story somewhere in this over-edited mess. It has a lot of positives honestly, but it completely fails at storytelling and that's a dealbreaker.

'The Blackcoat's Daughter' is a dark and brooding suspense about two pretty but very different teenage girls left behind at a religious boarding school during a winter break. The eldest girl has devised to stay behind and has made plans to visit her boyfriend. The younger, more reserved girl seems anxious, and grows distraught about her dilemma. Our third lead character is a mysterious and troubled young woman (Emma Roberts) who has fled from a psychiatric institution and is making passage towards the school. She's helped by a concerned middle-aged couple. The film cuts erratically from girl to girl, to the girls together with the two remaining staff members, and to the traveling young woman. Interwoven with these cuts are some brief and confusing flashbacks. All hell begins to fly loose and the audience is tasked to make sense of it. This is fun for some, but frustrating for others. The tempo is mostly slow and the mood is dreary, but it's not tedious to watch. The sound effects and track were way over the top and became a distraction. I'm convinced that a blind person could piece things together just with the sound and a basic description of the scenes and characters. The set and costumes were unremarkable and lent nothing... a solid D. The acting was largely convincing and our three leading ladies did very well, B+ or better. Those who appreciate thoughtful suspense that presents the audience with a puzzle with minor twists, then you'll certainly enjoy this. It's for this reason that I strongly advise viewers NOT to read any reviews that contain spoilers or an extended synopsis, nor seek out trailers or clips. This is a good date or bestie movie for those who can enjoy a macabre suspense. It allows plenty of conversational material during and following. There are some moderate horror elements to the movie, increasingly so towards the end. These elements won't repel those who don't normally enjoy horror flicks nor fulfill the explicit horror fans.