Something Else (3 Stars)

This is the 37th film in the Stuttgart Fantasy Film Festival.

For me it's not just a matter of understanding a film's story. I also want to understand what the director's message to the audience is. Why does he tell a story one way and not another? "Something Else" has a very straight forward plot, but I have no idea what was going on in the director's head.

Hank and Abby are a couple who have been happily married for ten years. One day Hank comes home from work and Abby has left. A short note just says that she needs some time alone. Hank is devastated. His life falls apart. Worse still, from that night onwards a hideous creature comes to his house every night, scratching the door to get in. Hank's friends think he's gone insane under the stress of losing Abby, but he insists that it's real.

Then Abby returns after six weeks. She just wanted to experience a large city after ten years of living in a small village. Abby invites their family and friends round to celebrate her return. The sceptical friends say that now Abby is back the monster will be gone. Hank isn't so sure.

So what's the film about? I don't know. If the director doesn't tell me, I'll never know.