Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Six friends hire a medium to hold a séance via Zoom during lockdown — but they get far more than they bargained for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realise they might not survive the night.
Host is a genuinely singular piece of pandemic-era horror filmmaking — a Zoom-based séance gone wrong shot entirely during COVID-19 lockdown in under two months. Its Novelty earns a 4 because the screenlife format is deployed with remarkable ingenuity and discipline: the constraints of multiple webcam feeds, environmental limitations, and real-time tension are turned into genuine strengths rather than excuses. The scares are effectively staged within the format, and at 57 minutes it doesn't overstay its welcome. Plot is functional rather than inspired — a straightforward supernatural escalation with little subversion — earning a solid 3. Acting is naturalistic and believable from the non-professional cast, again a 3. Cinematography within the screenlife format is cleverly managed — lighting differentials, webcam grain, and background staging all contribute meaningfully, sitting at a 3. The Ending delivers satisfying closure and a genuine gut-punch moment but doesn't transcend genre conventions, landing at 3.