Possum (2018)

In this episode of Cinema Callback, Andy and Michael discuss Possum (2018), Matthew Holness’s deeply unsettling debut feature that strips horror back to mood, repetition, and psychological decay. Set in a bleak, unnamed England, the film follows a man returning to his childhood home, carrying with him both a literal and emotional burden he cannot escape. Through the show’s voice note conversation format, the hosts talk about the film’s oppressive atmosphere, its use of sound and absence, and how it withholds explanation in favour of sustained dread. They explore the symbolism of the Possum puppet, the film’s relationship to childhood trauma and repression, and how its slow, punishing rhythm becomes the point rather than an obstacle.