TIFF 2023: Sleep, Boy Kills World, Riddle of Fire | Festivals & Awards


One of the best horror films of the year is Jason Yu’s “Sleep,” which starts out like a comedy, shifts to marital drama, and then becomes something else altogether, all while barely leaving a single apartment. Yu has worked with Lee Chang-dong (“Burning,” for which Yu generated the English subtitles) and Bong Joon-ho (“Parasite”), and he has clearly learned a thing about building tension and playing with tone. “Sleep” is a phenomenal debut, a movie that rises to an incredible climax that should have people talking when Magnolia eventually releases it. It doesn’t premiere at TIFF until the end of the festival, launching at midnight on Friday night. Stay up for it.

Soo-jin (Jung Yu-mi) and Hyun-su (Lee Sun-kyun of “Parasite” fame) are a happily married couple, expecting their first child. The film opens with Soo-jin hearing something in the other room and Hyun-su muttering something about someone being inside. Is he just talking in his sleep? It’s just a door and their Pomeranian making the nocturnal noises, but Hyun-su begins to exhibit increasingly erratic nighttime behavior. He scratches himself bloody, eats raw meat out of the fridge, and, well, then, it gets a lot worse. Doctors begin treatment regimens, but Soo-jin becomes concerned that he could do something deadly to himself or their new baby. And then things get really weird.

Is ”Sleep” a tale of post-partum paranoia or possession? Yu playfully calibrates his tones, using the claustrophobic space of the apartment to great advantage. By the time the film reaches its fevered finale, we feel just as trapped and uncertain as Soo-jin, struggling with what we even want to happen next. The finale has one of the most spectacular reveals in the genre a long time, but “Sleep” isn’t just an exercise in unpredictable writing; it’s a tightly-paced and calibrated piece of genre filmmaking. If this is just Jason Yu’s warm-up act, we could be talking about him in the same breath as Bong a decade from now.

You can view the original article HERE.

N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
Kneecap to headline alongside CMAT, English Teacher and more
Kneecap to headline alongside CMAT, English Teacher and more
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards