This week we have two movies for you. First, we review V/H/S/99 (1:56), the latest annoyingly mixed bag in the V/H/S horror anthology franchise. Somehow it’s Shudder’s most streamed movie of all-time?! Next, we delve into Park Chan-wook’s intriguing, yet lengthy film noir-inspired romance and slow-burn thriller DECISION TO LEAVE (32:26). And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we talk about the winner of our zombie movie poll, Bruce McDonald’s 2008 movie PONTYPOOL!
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Spoilerpiece Theatre 
Hey Spoilerpiece Theatre,
Thanks for the great discussion on DTL. I really appreciated the thoughtful insights and observations offered. And I do share your concern about the ending as it regards to Seo-rae’s final act and wanted to chime in about that.
SPOILERS (jic):
It can be argued that in the final scene, Director Park might be broaching the unfortunate trope of a victim of abuse taking her own life out of despair and anguish, instead of overcoming and surviving. And this is potentially very problematic, even as we consider that Seo-rae has blood on her hands. She killed her abusive & possessive immigration officer husband who may very well have held her immigrant status over her head for years to keep her silent about the beatings. Her first killing was an act of mercy on her aging and ailing mother who asked her to let her go peacefully. She orchestrated a 3rd murder that she herself did not commit, to end the abuse of another man and to bring back Hae-jun’s attention/affections her way after their yearlong separation. Are any of these acts justified? She herself may have tried to justify the killings. But being that she is a very complicated soulful person, I don’t see how she would have been fully able to, especially in the light of Hae-jun’s genuine fascination and identity. But where I see the problematic in how she resolved her guilt, I also see a thematic conclusion of an entanglement marked by the gamut of pain, euphoria, sincerity and psychotic fervor. With her final act, Seo-rae will now forever occupy the place in Hae-jun’s mind where the wall of unsolved cases used to be. His intricate attention, searching rage and longing will wash over that burrowed space in his mind like the waves of the sea which is his spirit terroir. This is what she wanted. To never leave his gaze and attention. In a way, it’s selfish. But it’s also supremely giving. She’s allowing him to find closure, blood for blood, life for life, the scales balanced, to further heal his shattered identity, which was always bent on honoring the murdered, to seek out the truth and to administer justice. The irony is, will it further shatter him instead? We don’t know. But it’s fitting that the final shot is with Hae-jun searching in the tempest for an impossible love whose final murder if uncovered might be the final overthrow of his psyche.
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