When a group of kids get together under the thumb of the rather odious "Hayley" (Zoe Terakes) they are presented with a ceramic hand - that apparently encases a real one - that acts as a portal to a dimension in which live the dead. They have discovered that no harm can be done if they stick to a time limit, exceed that - and well they are in virgin and potentially perilous territory. Following on from her best friend "Jade" (Alexandra Jensen) who has a go, it falls to "Mia" (Sophie Wilde) and after the most bizarre of personally traumatic connections, she is soon addicted to the experience and is also soon providing a conduit that is causing havoc within their group - not least for poor young "Riley" (Joe Bird) who ends up needing danger money - and a soft play area! Wilde does quite well here and though the rest of the acting isn't really up to much, the story has an originality to it that genuinely creates a new avenue for a genre that has been really suffering from same old, same old storytelling of late. Bird is by far the star here - even if he is incapacitated for much of it, and the aforementioned Terakes creates a character I'd cheerfully throttle. There's too much dialogue and it's very very score-heavy which did annoy after a while, but it's at times quite scary and definitely worth a watch around Halloween on the telly.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ www.firstshowing.net/2023/review-australias-talk-to-me-is-the-best-horror-film-of-2023-so-far/ "Talk to Me lives up to the tremendous hype from festivals and initial reactions around the world. Without a doubt, one of the scariest horror films in recent years! Impressive practical effects, superb makeup, hypnotizing performances – Sophie Wilde clearly stands out the most – and impeccable execution of truly shocking, gory, unpredictable moments of violence. It doesn't have the most imaginative screenplay within the "spirit-possessed characters" subgenre and leaves some meaningful themes unexplored, but it's definitely one of this year's must-see horror flicks. Danny and Michael Philippou: remember their names!" Rating: A-