“Hokum”, a clever horror film with a vintage feel

The very first sequence – in which the protagonist finds himself in his modern flat – is enough to show just how skilfully McCarthy plays with light and shadow, creating effective jump scares capable of startling even the most seasoned fans of genre cinema.

In this feature film, too, the Irish director alternates truly unsettling scenes with grotesque and amusing moments, which are perfect for ensuring the film doesn’t take itself too seriously and for making it all the more enjoyable to watch.

It is quite clear that *Hokum* pays strong homage to *The Shining*, both through references to its author, Stephen King, and to Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece adaptation from 1980.

The hotel in *Hokum* is a sort of Overlook Hotel set amidst the Irish countryside, with a room that, once again, must not be opened, and with various elements that intertwine the narratives of the two different works.

The only drawback of McCarthy’s film lies precisely in its rather predictable and familiar dramatic structure, but the director manages to mask these flaws thanks to an enviable pace and his talent for skilfully combining images and sound.

It is also interesting that the film has chosen to feature an extremely obnoxious and self-centred main character, whose journey of change throughout the film will take a thoroughly unconventional course.

The actor who plays him is Adam Scott, who rose to fame thanks to his role in the brilliant series *Fracture*.

Another new release in cinemas is *Greta and the True Fairy Tales* by Berardo Carboni.

The story centres on Greta, a ten-year-old girl who sees the world through clear, determined eyes. Inspired by Greta Thunberg’s environmental campaigns, she decides that simply observing is no longer enough: she must take action. So, together with her friend Sauro, she frees a polar bear cub being held captive by two poachers. It is an instinctive, almost naive gesture, but one destined to change everything. Discovered and hunted down, the two children choose not to turn back and set out on an impossible mission: to return the animal to the North Pole.

A coming-of-age story with a strong focus on animal welfare and environmentalism, the film is a family-friendly adventure that draws on the classic tales of friendship between children and animals, often seen throughout the history of cinema.

The intention is commendable, but the execution is only adequate, due to somewhat inconsistent visual direction: the CGI bear is really poorly done, whilst various action sequences are shot very well.

However, a number of shortcomings only partially detract from the appeal of a film that is well suited to a light-hearted viewing experience with the whole family. The cast includes Raoul Bova, Donatella Finocchiaro, Federico Cesari and Sabrina Impacciatore.