213. 31 Days of Halloween '25: THE INVITATION (2015) dir. Karyn Kusama

In Karyn Kusama's THE INVITATION, Will (Logan Marshall-Green) is invited to his ex-wife Eden's (Tammy Blanchard) dinner party in the Hollywood Hills after two years of radio silence following the accidental death of their 5-year-old son.Returning to his old home and stepping back into his son's room conjures the guilt and pain Will's tried to bury for two years. Eden, however, not only seems to be unbothered by this but never acknowledges the awkwardness or sorrow of the situation.The dinner party clashes on these fronts as Will hyperfocuses on every change to the house and odd behavior while Eden, along with her new partner, David (Michiel Huisman), deflect any concerns.But wait a minute. Why - are - there bars on the windows? Why does David lock the front door from the inside so no one can leave without a key? If this is supposed to be a reunion of old friends, who are these random people David invited from his and Eden's retreat to Mexico? Why are they talking about this commune of wellness gurus with evangelical fervor? What pills are in that unmarked bag in Eden's nightstand? Why does it not...feel safe to be at this dinner?There's a reason this made it to the 31 Days of Halloween, friends.---Follow The Movies on Instagram & LetterboxdThrow a couple dollars in the tip jar!