The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches (2017) Poster

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9/10
The horror... the beauty...
gizmomogwai10 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
A psychological horror, in the vein of Les Bons Debarras surrounding an isolated family in rural Quebec, I went into The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches expecting an intense experience. The trailer hinted at it. The film itself lived up to that expectations and then some. It's completely horrifying, keeping me on the edge of my seat when the father is simply giving his daughter a haircut. Horror doesn't need to be slasher, doesn't need to be zombies or cannibal serial killers. It can be a family in isolation, under an abusive parent, and it can be sexual repression. That said, there is some violence and blood on top. The girl in the shed- referred to as a monster by the brother- is nauseating to behold. Not just her horrific condition, but the prison in which she is kept. . The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches is, in large part, a mystery that unravels before our eyes, and the truth is as terrifying as we would expect.

That said,. The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches is a crowning achievement in cinematography, art direction and film direction. Shot in black and white, the picture comes across as nearly silver. It's not just chilling, it's beautiful to look at. This is my pick for the Canadian Screen Award for Best Motion Picture.
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9/10
A bleak masterpiece
humphreybates8 November 2018
Unlike anything you've seen before, this film is not meant to be a fun ride, yet it is a rewarding one. From a visual standpoint, this films succeeds unlike any other Quebec film from recent years. The use of wide angle lenses and black and white reminds us of an unlikely cross between Terrence Malick and David Lynch. It is without a doubt one of the best shot films in recent Quebec cinema. As for the acting, it is stellar. The standout is obviously Marine Johnson, who has to play an incredibly difficult role and is simply unforgettable as the main character. How she appropriates herself the character, all the small details she puts into her performance to make this character believable makes this performance nothing short of heartbreaking. Antoine L'Écuyer is great as usual, giving here a dry, brutal yet nuanced portrayal of a despicable character. The father, played by Jean-François Casabonne, is... disturbing. I'll leave it at that. If you can handle the harsh subject matter and like being challenged a bit, maybe even provoked, while watching a film, then this is for you. Although I would be hard-pressed to find a film I can say is actually similar to this one, I would recommend it to fans of Yorgos Lanthimos' work, Kubrick's "The Shining" and Lars Von Trier's "Antichrist". In case you didn't catch my drift, faint of heart stay away! Everyone else, enjoy the show.
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