X
- 2014
- Not Rated
- Alameda Entertainment
- 1 h 47 m
- 2014
- Not Rated
- Alameda Entertainment
- 1 h 47 m
Summary Kylie Bucknell is forced to return to the house she grew up in when the court places her on home detention. Her punishment is made all the more unbearable by the fact she has to live there with her mother Miriam – a well-intentioned blabbermouth who's convinced that the house is haunted. Kylie dismisses Miriam's superstitions as nothing ...
Directed By: Gerard Johnstone
Written By: Gerard Johnstone
- 2014
- Not Rated
- Alameda Entertainment
- 1 h 47 m
- 2014
- Not Rated
- Alameda Entertainment
- 1 h 47 m
Housebound
76
7.5
Where to Watch
Summary Kylie Bucknell is forced to return to the house she grew up in when the court places her on home detention. Her punishment is made all the more unbearable by the fact she has to live there with her mother Miriam – a well-intentioned blabbermouth who's convinced that the house is haunted. Kylie dismisses Miriam's superstitions as nothing ...
Directed By: Gerard Johnstone
Written By: Gerard Johnstone
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 Critic Reviews
76
100% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 Critic Reviews
76
100% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Housebound is that rare film that manages to be funny without defusing any of its scares.
Separating Housebound from most films of its type is super-smart plotting and confident tonal control, as Johnstone’s screenplay throws one terrific curve ball after another and never allows its goofy humor to compromise its genuinely scary components.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 79 User Ratings
7.5
81% Positive
64 Ratings
64 Ratings
10% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
9% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 79 User Ratings
7.5
81% Positive
64 Ratings
64 Ratings
10% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
9% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
This's not that sort of movie that is easy to adapt and understand. It is wonderfully packed with such flawless performance of every crew involved in the movie. All the few characters are very well scripted.
Why do we watch a movie? To be entertained and we know in the thrill that nothing is real. And later we make such fun of the horrors and mystery we see on screen. But this's such a movie that is already subconsciously make you feel relaxed with its mockery of the entertainment.
Gerrard Johnstone is not one of those known directors. He's young and yet intelligent enough to capture the essence of making a movie that is so dark, so thrilling, so emotional and so much sarcastic in such serious scenes. We experience something surreal in the whole movie that needs a little patience to get used to.
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This movie was underrated. It was barely advertised here in New Zealand, but turned out to be one of the greatest movies in NZ film history. The ending is unexpected and the film was just brilliant. It's one of my favourite movies ever!
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Gerard Johnstone, a first-time writer-director from New Zealand, demonstrates a sly command of deadpan humor along with an assured grasp of seasoned horror tropes.
Housebound is a standout, though, because of its satirical mood and its multiple scenes of almost screwball comedy.
The mishmash that results is by turns creepy, silly, inventive, darkly funny and, at one point, mind-blowingly bloody. Still, some smart streamlining would have sharpened the focus and amped up the power of this well-shot and edited spookfest.
A clever and claustrophobic thriller that will trip you up and leave you with a wicked, blood-stained grin.
You grow to feel as if you're arbitrarily changing the channel back and forth from a diverting horror film to a promising odd-couple comedy.
If you love suspenseful horror movies. Do yourself a favor. Don't read anything else about this movie. Just go watch it now and don't spoil the fun. The story is extremely well written, the movie is very well executed and all of the cast do a phenomenal job of their roles.
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OMFG! I totally didn't expect to see that coming. This is one of the best horror-comedy in ages. I've never been so thrilled by scary movies nowadays but this just threw me out of the window. If you wanna see a well-acted, well-scripted, well-executed, thrilling and funny horror movie, don't hesitate on seeing this. It will get you on the edge of your seat and your belly shaking!
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I never write reviews, but I had to review this one. This is proof that you don't need $100 million dollars to make a great movie, just a great idea, a great script, great acting and brilliant direction. How bizarre that a movie can be so scary and hilarious at the same time.
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Loved it! Great blend of humor, horror, mystery, twists and turns! Kylie is such an awesomely real character you can't help but want to see what next!
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Production Company
Semi-Professional
Release Date Oct 17, 2014
Duration 1 h 47 m
Rating Not Rated
Tagline Terror Gets Domesticated
Awards
New Zealand Film and TV Awards (II)
• 1 Win & 10 Nominations
Fright Meter Awards
• 1 Win & 6 Nominations
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations
