Swallow

When Hunter Conrad (Bennett), a soft-spoken young woman from a lower working-class family in Upstate New York, marries Richie (Stowell), the son of a wealthy CEO set to inherit his father's Manhattan business, they move in together to the couple's first home, an extravagant home on the Hudson River. After moving into the palatial house, Hunter finds herself both unfulfilled and isolated in her marriage and notices her new husband's lack of respect and coldness towards her as she slowly becomes powerless in her own home. One day, after finding herself alone in the house, Hunter develops the compulsion to swallow a marble. In doing so, she finally feels in control of her ever-worsening circumstances. As her new-found habit grows, she begins to swallow batteries, thumbtacks and small figurines, but then Hunter realizes she is pregnant, and a trip to the hospital for a routine ultrasound is bound to uncover her secret.

Director: Carlo Mirabella-Davis. Stars: Haley Bennett, Austin Stowell, Denis O'Hare, Elizabeth Marvel, David Rasche, Luna Lauren Velez, Zabryna Guevara, Laith Nakli, Babak Tafti, Nicole Kang. 2020. 94 mins. Thriller.

The Soul Collector

It's 1977 and William Ziel (Breytenbach) and his wife, Sarah (Beckmann), are forced to return to the abandoned family farm, Hemelop-Aarde, in the South African countryside due to bankruptcy. Their recently adopted orphaned niece, Mary (Luna), relocates with them to the property, which they inherited from William's estranged father. When the fragmented family returns, Lazarus (Sebe), the farmhand who seemingly took care of William's father, Frederick (Clarke), during his last days also mysteriously returns to the property. After a chance encounter with Mary, Lazarus and the small girl develop a special bond despite Sarah's immediate misgivings, and Lazarus is welcomed into the home to help return it to working order. When the local community gets wind of Lazarus' suspicious return, whispers begin to circulate and, unbeknownst to the family, the sack that is constantly slung over Lazarus' shoulder contains a dark secret: a demon child with an insatiable appetite for human souls.

Director: Harold Holscher. Stars: Tshamano Sebe, Inge Beckmann, Keita Luna, Garth Breytenbach, Chris April, Luxolo Ndabedi, Owam Amey, Sindiwe Magona, Graham Clarke, Eve Maxagazo. 2019. 100 mins. Horror.