Jason versus Beware the Slenderman

Beware the Slenderman is a doc I've wanted to watch since it was first announced a year and a half ago.

I'd become fascinated with this bit of Internet-created folklore, partly because of how pervasive Slenderman has become in our culture, and partly because my then four-year-old son and his friends talked abut him like I'd talked about the Boogeyman.

Then I remembered the crime at the heart of Irene Taylor Brodsky's film and, having spent a decade covering crime as a reporter, seeing Beware the Slenderman became a priority.

On May 31, 2014, two 12-year-old girls lured their best friend into the local Wisconsin woods and stabbed her 19 times, an attempted murder meant to appease the Slenderman, Anissa Weir and Morgan Geyser admitted to the crime and were tried in adult court. Their victim, Bella, survived. The film explores what lead up to the attack, and its aftermath, as wells the Slenderman mythos that was created on Creepypasta in 2009.

Taylor Brodsky's work is a fascinating piece of true crime, but it's real impact comes from how this is a nightmare for parents. The director presents no easy answers -- bad parenting, the Internet is evil, children are gullible -- because there are no such answers in life.

Childhood loneliness, and a need to belong, played a role in this crime, along with a topic few like to discuss: mental illness. These segments proved the most chilling to me, and hit like a left hook to the gut. Could this happen to my kid? I don't know what would be worse, be the parent of the victim, or of the perpetrators.

I don't think I'll see a better piece of cinema this year. It's a beautifully shot and compiled documentary that works on multiple emotional levels. It can be riveting and painful to watch, often at once, and pulls no punches. And in that comes its power.

Beware the Slenderman is something everyone -- especially parents -- should watch. It's a cautionary tale for our times, and a reminder of how scary, and lonely, it can be to be a kid.

Comments

#CocktailHour: Slushtail

Summer approaches, inspiring thoughts of sunshine, backyard parties, and having a tip and sip with friends. With that in mind, I bring you this week sunny beverage. To make a slushtail, mix a can of frozen orange juice, a can of frozen lemonade (or limeade), a can of pineapple juice, a couple cups of black tea (or English Breakfast), and two cups of bourbon- such as Southern Comfort, in a pitcher. When it's all nicely mixed, put it in the freezer until it's a nice slushy consistency. Scoop the slush into a cocktail glass, and pour in some Sprite or 7-Up. Add a little umbrella for some frivolous fun, and a straw. Voila! Ready to enjoy. This is a very refreshing drink. The fruit juices, Sprite, and bourbon- when chilled makes for a great punch-like drink. The bourbon doesn't overwhelm juices. In fact, they are all nicely balanced in terms of flavors. The sourness of the citrus fruits contrasts well with the slightly sweeter Sout...

The Animated Addict: "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011)

If you're a 40 + white dude, like myself, you may remember a comic series called " The Adventures of Tintin ". I know I remember them. This series, dating back to 1929, got turned into a animated feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011. After buying a model of ship called The Unicorn, teenaged journalist Tintin finds himself on adventure that will take him from the high seas, to the low deserts, and from the distant past to the present. With his trusty dog, Snowy, by his side, Tintin uncovers a story connecting two men across the centuries.. . The story is really quite good. It's well crafted, and high paced- with just enough slow moments to build and develop the world and the characters. This is the sort of adventure story you'd find in the old serials of the 1930's and '40's. In fact, it felt like it was the sort of tale that you'd find Indiana Jones undertaking. I found myself swept up, and swept along as our hero swung from one e...

Unlock your fate with The Puzzle

When my dad wasn't working, building stuff or being my dad, he was making puzzles. It was a guaranteed way for him to unwind. So it was with great interest that I sat down to watch Italian filmmaker Davide Melini's award-winning short The Puzzle. You see, the mother in the five-minute film likes to relax with puzzles just like my dad. Unfortunately, her good-for-nothing son keeps harassing her for money. Losing herself in her favourite passtime, the mother soon discovers that completing this puzzle might unlock a nightmare. The Puzzle has been an official selection at more European film festivals than you can shake a stick at, and was voted Third Best Italian Film at the Rome International Film Festival in 2008. Having watched it, I'm not surprised. It's a tight little film that hits you hard in the final few seconds. You can tell Melini cut his teeth as an assistant director for legendary Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. But enough chit chat on my part. See if yo...

Search This Blog