Very well executed

From my favorite movies..

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Not a great movie, but it's certainly not as bad as so many make it out to be, IMHO. I've seen much worse with higher ratings. It kept my interest, and, as much as I found myself vacillating between liking/disliking the main characters, I really wanted different fates for them. As for the enigmatic Corinne: I think she needed a good long walk on the mud flats or maybe a short pier.Didn't like all the slow motion, the fast motion, etc. I think the film's color palette worked well, but I really am tired of the artsy use of jump cuts and sunsettings in five seconds.The original THE WICKERMAN is probably the closest "family member" to this film, but it has some interesting 1950s/60s Brit sci-fi elements (I'm thinking John Wyndham here) in the villagers' hoodies and some of the reasons they do what they do.This is a slow-moving, dread-filled movie, and there is some head-scratching sequences, but I'm all for scratching my head if the mood is right.

Words fail me. This review will not seem to bear any resemblance to the 10 star reviews above; subjective as the world is, this truly was one of the worst films I've had the misfortune to sit through. Are they acting we asked? Is it irony, we wondered? Was it improvisation? No, it is none of these. Hammy acting, a series of unconnected scenes with a 40 minute lead up to nothing and a hideous stereotyped gay man coming across like a mix of that horrid character from Gimme Gimme Gimme and Ian Beale. What I would say is that some of the time lapse photography ain't bad - what I'd also add is if the director (was there one?) wanted to avoid make up on the 'actors', natural as that may be flattering it certainly ain't! Avoid.

okay...the plot summary above is weirdly off on the plot points and unhelpful. The PR copy on the DVD compares this film to both "Wickerman" and "Let's scare Jessica to Death". I thought 'how is that possible?'...Guess what? . . This film is a wonderful, strange mash-up of just EXACTLY those sorts of things! The acting is truly good, especially for such a low budget effort. The photography is very nice, and the stylistic and editing choices are nearly brilliant. The gore is very low key and contained but the creeping dread and superb building of suspense make it all the more shocking when it happens. The story is about a young woman and two men in a strange (but all too believable triangle relationship) who are drawn to an isolated tidal island--hence no one being able to leave while the tide is in. The group comes seeking to meet the woman's long-lost sister who appears to be part of strange religious community that dominates the island. Sexual ambiguity and the woman's new pregnancy bring extraordinary tension into the fragile 3- way. While on the island the sinister cult community becomes more and more menacing. From here the movies goes from merely 'moody' to terrifyingly CRAZY so simply and so deftly you just have to see it. In all... a stunning and beautiful effort in small/independent film making and a great little horror-movie.

It is extremely perplexing to me that a film as good as "Unhappy Birthday" could possibly be running a 2.4 rating on this site. Huh? I personally think it's one of the best small-budget horror films of the last 10 years-- dread-filled, well acted, and beautifully shot. I just watched it last night on On Demand and was blown away.The only thing I can think of that might explain the low rating is that there is a very frank sexuality to the film, both hetero and homosexual. Maybe that was too much for some folk? For me, it is the rare film where sex is an integral part to the overall story and characters, not just thrown in for titillation (and easier distribution).Otherwise, I am at a loss as this is a perfectly awesome little gem of a horror film that is really affecting and haunting.