2022: A Very Good Year, My Witches
2022: A Very Good Year, My Witches
Witchy, pagan and occult-themed films & TV were pervasive and prominent this year
Sometimes the year-end round-up of pagan and witchy media is slim and disappointing. But this year was a veritable sparkly cornucopia of weird, witchy, wonderful films and TV steeped in occult and pagan imagery and storylines. No surprise, given how popular witchcraft is and how it keeps growing everywhere, across entertainment, literature and social media (and I will be writing about that soon, too! but if you’re interested I have already discussed it here previously).
I will give my favorite witchy media a brief mention here and link to any longer reviews I have written. This will be a two-part series: first films, then TV.
Best Witchy, Pagan & Occult Films of 2022
You Won’t Be Alone (2022, dir. Goran Stolevski) This gorgeous film (a Sundance 2022 premiere) set in Eastern Europe in the 19th century is a stunning debut by Australian/Macedonian filmmaker Goran Stolevski. It follows a young woman raised by a witch (drawn from a folklore legend) and the ways she learns about nature and humanity by inhabiting the bodies of different people. It’s a gorgeous exploration of empathy and the possibilities and limits of human existence. With a fine international cast (including Lamb’s Noomi Rapace and Beautiful Creatures’ Alice Englert), lyrical cinematography and a beguiling soundtrack, this was my favorite film of the year. (Full review in The Arts Fuse) (streaming/rental on Prime, AppleTV, Vudu, etc.)
Hellbender (2021, dir. The Adams Family, i.e. Zelda Adams, John Adams and Toby Poser) This fun, very original indie horror film is made by a small filmmaking collective who write, direct, and star in the film. It’s a coming of age story of Izzy, a teenage girl (Zelda Adams) who lives a rather isolated life with her mother (Toby Poser) in the Catskills. They play heavy metal music and forage for food in the forest. Izzy’s mom says her daughter has a “disease” and must avoid other people, but there’s more to the story. There’s no direct reference to witchcraft but Izzy’s family history has a very witchy vibe to it. The story expands on a earlier (and also rather witchy) film this collective made called The Deeper You Dig. (Full review in The Arts Fuse) (streaming on Prime, Roku Channel, Sling TV, etc.)
Men (2022, dir. Alex Garland) This rather disturbing horror film is also stunningly beautiful and often moving at times. Jessie Buckley (one of my favorite English actresses) is a woman who goes for a short stay at a country manor where she is in part healing from a recent trauma. Some unusual and unsettling things take place, punctuated with rustic pagan imagery like green men and sheila na gigs. Oddly, all the men she deals with, from the estate owner to the local pub keeper to the parish priest, look alike. They’re all played by Rory Kinnear in a brilliant tour de force performance that almost defies belief. Though I found the film’s climax rather gruesome and overdone, this generally was very haunting and memorable and I am still unpacking it months later. (Full review in The Arts Fuse) (streaming/rental on Prime, AppleTV, Vudu, etc.)
Master (2022, dir. Mariama Diallo) This Sundance premiere and directorial debut is a powerfully subtle thriller. Set at a fictional college campus in Salem, Massachusetts, the film portrays the ongoing racism that is the legacy of colonialism in New England. An African-American is named the first black female “master” of an historical residence, and finds she must continually endure subtle micro-aggressions and even blatant racism. She tries to advise a new student who also experiences racism, and who is disturbed by stories of her dorm room being haunted by a witch from the 17th century. Master is a smart, nuanced and very unnerving story of prejudice and persecution. (Full Review in The Arts Fuse)
Something in the Dirt (2022. dir. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead) Another Sundance premiere, this intriguing indie film follows two men in Los Angeles who meet by chance and decide to investigate paranormal phenomenon together. We’re seeing an increased interest in paranormal topics lately (like with the popular Netflix series Archive 81, based on a popular podcast, sadly canceled after one season), which, after The X-Files ended, saw a bit of a dip in popular media. What makes this film work are the quirky personalities of Levi (Benson) and John (Moorhead), whose motivations and secrets add a compelling layer to their shared interest in the occult patterns and occurrences in their building and neighborhood. There is plenty of humor here, but also a very authentic and human sadness, as both Levi and John (in excellent, nuanced performances from Benson and Moorhead) confront their own flaws, failures and loneliness. L.A. has never looked more spooky, or more fascinating. (Full review in the Arts Fuse)
She Will (2021, dir. Charlotte Colbert) This intriguing drama has just a touch of horror. The incomparable Alice Krige (who played the witch in 2020’s Gretel and Hansel) stars as a film star convalescing from cancer surgery in the Scottish countryside. Her kind young nurse (Kota Eberhardt) comforts her through her pain and distress. There’s an assortment of odd guests at the retreat, including a new age guru (Rupert Everett). Things begin to turn somewhat chaotic as the energies of the nearby forest, where witches were once burned (or so it is said), create an atmosphere of anger and revenge. The film’s central intriguing conceit subtly explores what it means to be a woman, aging past beauty and usefulness…and this is, after all, what the figure of the witch makes us consider.
Honorable Mentions
Night’s End (2022, dir. Jennifer Reeder) Reeder’s debut film Knives and Skin is a masterpiece. This one, from a script by Brett Neveau, is about a reclusive man, too much online, who discovers his new apartment is haunted and decides he must hire an exorcist. Reeder creates a wonderfully eerie atmosphere and pace, and the performances are excellent, but the plot wavers a bit from time to time.
Two Witches (2021, dir. Pierre Tsigaridis) This film is truly scary and with some great acting (especially Rebekah Kennedy as a young witch). Divided into two parts, the second one is much stronger, though both are somewhat stereotyped in their portrayal of witches, and the idea that witchcraft can be passed from one generation to the next.