Female empowerment with a bang, this episode of anthology horror series ETHERIA lures the viewer oh so sweetly into traps and tropes that seem just the opposite of feminist, only to turn them around on us so fast we get rock & roll, kissing potion, and hairspray scented whiplash. This is exactly the kind of treat that’ll give this series staying power and had me rapidly bingeing episode after episode.

“Sweet Little Unforgettable Thing” starts off on the most perfect seventies-style foot –or should I say, roller skate–as a young girl just discovering her sexuality and sex appeal becomes a target for someone much more sinister than the innocent and idiotic boys of her hometown. Feathered hair, peasant tops, and the wonderfully nostalgic backdrop of a roller rink all shine a perfect rose colored light on Molly McIntyre as Maddy. She’s lovely, sweet, and absolutely nothing like the most popular (and fast) girl in town, Jolee (Kasia Pilewicz). When Maddy meets the new guy in town she decides to change her hair and take off her glasses, but she gets a whole lot more attention than she bargained for.

Sweet Little Unforgettable Thing” (acronyms are fun…) is written and directed by Chloe Okuno, an American Film Institute alum newly poached by A24 and Spooky Pictures to helm an upcoming feature. A hugely diverse production team built this 20 minute microcosm of fun, fear, gore, and girls which was originally produced as a stand alone short film through AFI. Using it to start off a fresh season of ETHERIA (now available on Amazon Prime) is a perfect female empowerment kick off to what I’m sure will be a wild ride of feminist horror.


8 out of 10

 

Etheria S2 Episode 1 – Sweet Little Unforgettable Thing
RATING: NR
ETHERIA: Season 2 (2020) - Official Trailer
Runtime: 22 Mins.
Directed By:
Written By:

About the Author

Makeup Artist, Monster Maker, Educator, Producer, Haunt-lover, and all around Halloween freak. When Miranda isn't watching horror films, she's making them happen. When she's not doing either of those things, she's probably dreaming about them. Or baking cookies.