10 Best Horror Movies Of 2023 (So Far)
3. In My Mother’s Skin
Produced in the Philippines and conducted in the Tagalog language, In My Mother's Skin is our second film to be set during the final year of World War II.
For those who don't know, the Philippines was invaded by the Empire of Japan during that conflict. We can see this in the movie, where a wealthy Filipino family are held captive by a group of Japanese soldiers.
The army are after some gold that the father allegedly stole, threatening him with death if he doesn't give it up. This leads to daughter Tala, played by Felicity Kyle Napuli, seeking the help of an ancient flesh-eating fairy.
Oh good, they're always trustworthy.
Writer and director Kenneth Dagatan struck gold with this script, as Filipino history isn't that well-represented in Western cinema. That keeps In My Mother's Skin interesting and stops it from becoming another tired historical allegory that we've all seen too many times before.
Furthermore, the film is utterly gripping, thoroughly gory, and clips along at a lovely pace.
If you're looking to expand your viewing habits outside of Hollywood, then you can't go wrong with this slice of folk horror joy.