Movies
‘All You Need Is Death’ Review – Bewitching Irish Folk Tale Sings of the Tragedy of All-Consuming Love
Everyone wants to be loved, but there is a fine line between a healthy, loving relationship and an unhealthy, compulsive kind of love. Some of the most beautiful, and terrifying, love stories belong to ancient Irish mythology. For instance, the tale of Clíodhna and Ciabhan tells the story of Clíodhna, Queen of the Banshees and member of a supernatural race of God-like beings, who made the mistake of falling in love with a mortal from Ireland named Ciabhan. Their forbidden romance angered the other gods, causing the God of the Sea to punish the lovers by playing an enchanting song, which hypnotized Clíodhna. Entranced, Clíodhna fell asleep and was swept away by the ocean, never to be with Ciabhan.
All You Need is Death, written and directed by Irish filmmaker Paul Duane (Best Before Death, While You Live, Shine), is a cleverly crafted story of young lovers Anna (Simone Collins) and Aleks (Charlie Maher) that feels like the sort of forbidden Irish fairy tale one would tell while sitting around a fire late at night. All You Need is Death begins with an unknown man being interviewed by police, before introducing Anna, who is being accused of recording a musician in a bar. Anna and Aleks attempt to make a living by spending their nights playing in a band in small bars and at weddings but believe they have figured out a better, faster way to the fame and fortune they desire. When they aren’t playing with the band, the couple seeks out old Irish songs, sometimes secretly recording them, and later sells them to wealthy buyers.
Eventually, Anna and Aleks attend group meetings led by Agnes (Catherine Siggin), an older, mysterious woman, with questionable intentions, who is also looking for ancient songs. When the couple tells Agnes they heard rumors about an old woman named Rita Concannon (Olwen Fouéré) who might know an obscure Irish song that they could sell, Agnes tells them the woman died several years ago. Anna and Aleks finally track down Rita Concannon, who is very much alive, only to find Agnes at her house trying to get the song from her before they can. Rita agrees to sing a song she learned from her mother that was passed down through generations of women, but she will only sing it for Anna. Rita explains that the song isn’t in Irish; it’s a much older language and was only allowed to be shared between mothers and their daughters.
Aleks is waiting outside Rita’s house and is surprised when Anna comes out visibly upset after listening to the unearthly, ancient song Rita sang for her. Anna was not allowed to record the song, but she can sing it from memory and the couple begins attempting to translate the song, hoping they can sell it and have a better life. Unfortunately, the song has an unusual, bewitching effect on anyone who hears it, especially men.
All You Need is Death is dripping with atmosphere and dread and doesn’t need to rely on flashy special effects or jump scares. Makeup and visual effects are minimalist, yet incredibly effective. Strong, convincing performances and a haunting, well-written script with themes of witchcraft and ancient rituals mesmerize the viewer in much the same way as the eerie song Rita sings for Anna. The film is an effortlessly hypnotic lesson on the horror of all-consuming love and the desire to consume another person.
Culminating in a jaw-dropping finale, All You Need is Death is an expertly executed, tragic love story and a beautifully written ode to ancient Irish folklore.
All You Need is Death premiered at 2024 Panic Fest, which offered a hybrid festival experience this year. It will be in select U.S. cinemas and on VOD from XYZ Films on April 11th.
Summer’s official start may not be for a few more weeks, but tell that to the weather. The blistering hot sun is already here, bringing with it buzzy box office releases and lots of exciting new horror. That includes this week’s theatrical release of In a Violent Nature, an experimental slasher that frames the bloody events from the perspective of the undead killer.
On the small screen, “Pretty Little Liars: Summer School“ is currently embracing sun-scorched slasher thrills on Max. So, this week’s streaming picks belong to summer slashers of all varieties, from quintessential summer camp slashers to comedic riffs on the subgenre.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
The Burning – MGM+, Prime Video, Tubi
When a group of campers decide to scare the crap out of Camp Blackfoot caretaker, Cropsy, they giggle as they sit outside his cabin window and wait for the worm and candle-filled skull they’ve set by his bed to elicit the intended scare. It goes horrifically awry and leaves Cropsy disfigured. Five years later he’s released from the hospital and sets his sights on the Camp once more for revenge. This summer camp slasher boasts gnarly deaths, gory makeup effects by Tom Savini, and a great killer design in Cropsy.
Party Hard, Die Young – AMC+, Shudder
This European slasher harkens back to the post-Scream slasher craze, but with a modern polish. Meaning if you’re feeling nostalgic for the teen slashers of yesterday, this is a worthwhile watch. For Julia, her friends, and hundreds of recent high school graduates, a getaway to a Croatian island resort is supposed to offer the best time of their lives. Instead, it turns into a fight for survival. It’s a straightforward, no frills slasher under bright neon haze and a contemporary setting. That’s not a bad thing here. While the killer’s ultimate motivation is familiar, the killer’s identity isn’t as predictable. The summery slasher was shot on location at X-Jam, so expect a lot of strobe effects during the rave scenes for those sensitive.
Tourist Trap – AMC+, freevee, Peacock, Pluto TV, Prime Video, the Roku Channel, Shudder, Tubi
A flat tire derails a summer road trip, stranding a group of friends at a secluded roadside museum that’s filled to the brim with creepy mannequins. These mannequins seem to have a life of their own as well as a blood lust. Of course, if you’ve seen this cult classic, then you know there’s much more than meets the eye here. The feature debut by director David Schmoeller (Puppet Master) boasts atmosphere for days and one haunting score by Pino Donaggio. Tourist Trap offers one of the best summer slashers not set at a camp. It’s not just the scorching heat that makes now a great time to watch this pick; there’s also a new Tourist Trap movie in the works.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil – Hoopla, Kanopy
Director Eli Craig delivers huge laughs through reframing the slasher from the perspective of its hapless “killers.” Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and pal Dale (Tyler Labine) expected a peaceful summer getaway after purchasing their dream vacation home – a decrepit cabin in the woods. Instead, they’re inundated by a snobby group of college kids who’ve mistaken the duo as murderous hillbillies; and they won’t stop killing themselves on their property. It’s splatstick with a whole lot of heart, made even more memorable for its subversion of slasher tropes and the lead performances by Tudyk and Labine.
X – Hoopla, Netflix, Paramount+
A group of aspiring adult filmmakers load up in a van and drive from Houston to the boonies for their production, in the middle of a blistering hot summer in 1979. Their shoot becomes a bloodbath thanks to the property’s unhinged owners. The lean, straightforward narrative gets straight to the goods and never wastes time on heavy exposition. It’s all in the little details and the talented cast making these characters feel lived-in with a shared history. X demonstrates why Ti West should be given full reign to go full throttle on deranged, savage, and intense horror comedies more often. It’s a great summer slasher with a sequel on the way very soon.
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