Fantastic Fest 2011

9-year-old Lisa has always thought that her mother, Christine, looked at her like she was someone else. As a result, Lisa feels disconnected from her mother, but is very close to her father, Paul. When her maternal grandmother dies leaving the family a huge old house, Lisa and her parents move from Holland to Belgium. The house was Christine’s childhood home, but she had a falling out with her mother and hadn’t been back in years.

Moving to a new location can be a very traumatic experience for a nine year old girl. Lisa is lonely, bored and frankly a little bit put out (particularly with her mother) for putting her through the move. To ease the isolation, Lisa creates an imaginary friend to keep her company and join her on her explorations of the large, old house. Her parents aren’t terrifically concerned about this development. Lisa has always had an active imagination and actually left an old imaginary friend back in Holland.

When her invisible friend starts to explain secrets about her mother’s childhood and her previously unmentioned twin sister, however, the fabric starts to unravel in this small family unit. Tensions increase, Lisa’s behavior becomes erratic and potentially dangerous, and nuances are unearthed about Christine’s childhood secrets that cast them in a very sinister light.

Two Eyes Staring steadily creates a creepy, unsettling atmosphere as it builds towards a tense climax. Young actress Isabelle Stokkel gives a great performance in the difficult role of Lisa. The film is well paced and beautifully shot, and handles the horror elements quite masterfully. A fantastic slow-build horror, Two Eyes Staring delivers plenty of chills and unexpected thrills. And we’re not the only ones who think so. Charlize Theron has already personally optioned the film for an English language remake. (Luke Mullen)