Simplicity seems to be lost in today’s movies. In the rush to stay ahead of fans and constantly shock, films tend to deliver multi layered stories This is not a critique. Audience tastes and expectations have evolved over the years. That being said, an overly complicated film can be a chore to watch.
Tingle Monsters bills itself as the first ASMR horror movie. The story focuses on Dee, a live streamer. After a period of inactivity, she has returned for a new episode. Things do not go as planned and her followers do not know what to think.
More than other genres, horror needs do have sporadic jolts of simplicity. There is nothing wrong with a nuanced scary movie. Some of the best have dealt with many themes. Nevertheless, at its core, these films are all about fear. Many times, the oldest tricks work best.
Tingle Monsters takes full advantage of its premise. The lonely girl who is not as alone in her apartment as she thinks trope plays out as expected. The jump scares are perfectly timed. This due in great part to its use of ASMR. The room is brightly lit and there is no sinister soundtrack but there is still a tingling sensation throughout the entire short.
TINGLE MONSTERS from Alexandra Serio on Vimeo.
The people viewing the stream and their comments are an important part of the film. Movies have depicted social media comments before. They are usually incredibly sexual and or aggressive. Tingle Monsters may have the most realistic comments ever. They are a mix of hilariously hopeful to downright cringe worthy. The ending also perfectly sums up the Internet world.
Tingle Monsters is a fantastic horror movie. Its use of ASMR will quickly make some people think it is another case of style over substance. While it is a major part of the film, it is far from the only good thing about it. The movie is a must see for horror fans, film fans, and anyone who enjoys the occasional live stream.
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