Do Not Disturb

I recently watched the Canadian film 🇨🇦 Do Not Disturb (2022) on Shudder. The story follows a couple on the verge of a breakup who take a vacation that could either save or end their relationship. Shortly after arriving at their resort, a man runs up to them and leaves them peyote. They decide to try it, embracing their feelings during and after the high-but they can't remember what happened while they were under the influence. As they continue using the drug, they wake up wounded, and a friend has gone missing. What exactly is happening when they're high?

Written and directed by John Ainslie (The Sublet), the film stars Kimberly Laferrière (A Brother's Love), Rogan Christopher (Footsteps), Christian McKenna (Missing Pieces), and Patrick McNeil (Foxation).

This movie far exceeded my expectations. The storyline is unique and unpredictable, with fun and intense twists. The high scenes are hilarious, and the flashbacks to what they did while high are absolutely wild. The relationship dynamics make every moment feel uncertain, and the horror elements are well-executed, with the gore hitting just the right level. The over-the-top conclusion is a perfect payoff for the journey.

In conclusion, Do Not Disturb is a fresh and unique entry in the horror genre that's a must-see. I'd score it 7.5-8/10.

Shudder strikes again, with another indie horror (allegedly) film that thinks it's SOOOO much more clever than it really is. This one got genre critics as well. It came highly recommended from the few critics I usually trust. The first issue is that the filmmakers have no idea what they are talking about with peyote. At all. Second, the movie has absolutely no idea what it wants to be and spends the first half pretending to be a relationship drama. When the supposed horror finally starts, it's just too little too late. Shudder has become a wasted monthly subscription due to exclusives like this. Not that this is remotely the worst on the service, it's just the average. 5/10 is generous.

Loved this film. Great storytelling- unexpected twists and turns, interesting and dynamic characters brought to life by a talented cast and amazing gore.

Granted this took place in an adult only hotel, yet with the blood and carnage that went on in their room. How is it that none of the other guest ever complained. Also the two dudes both went down without a fight and the cliched crawling on the floor instead of getting your arse outta there. So as interesting as this was, it did leave me with a few WTF moments of sheer "why in the Hell did they do that, and more often the usual "why didn't they do more" scenario when they found themselves in danger.

But it is what it is, and hopefully soon, these age old cliched tropes that are used to pad the run time, or cover--up for a weak script will finally be put to rest for good.