LOCK YOUR DOOR!
Main Cast: Alexis Louder, Alfre Woodard
Director: Megalyn Echikunwoke
Gemina (Alexis Louder) has just gone through the greatest tragedy there is when she loses her baby during labor. On the heels of that, her husband leaves soon after. Her book deadline is looming, but Gemina is unraveling, sure someone is trying to kill her.
This is the set-up of the 20-minute short from writer/director Megalyn Echikunwoke, 2023’s WEATHERING.
There’s not a lot of plot to mention. Gemina is constantly fearing noises outside her house, thinking someone is trying to hurt her. Her mother, played by Alfre Woodard, insists she’ll be alright, she just needs to answer the phone when it rings. Her friend James tries to put her at ease, but he thinks this is a damsel in distress situation and he’s gonna swoop in and save the day, winning a kiss and maybe more. When Gemina makes it clear that’s not what’s going on, James vanishes, admonishing Gemina to lock her door.
I enjoyed this short for what it was, a look at a woman on a downward spiral, trying to survive the worst time of her life. Louder gives a strong performance while the script and direction, in the hands of someone with more experience in front of the camera than behind it (Echikunwoke has 67 acting credits including the title character in the VIXEN 2017 animated movie, while this is her one writing and directing credit) work well together. WEATHERING seems like both a passion project and a way of getting her feet wet behind the camera.
And while I enjoyed it, I didn’t LOVE it. It’s 20 minutes, and I didn’t see any of the dangers Gemina seemed to be reacting to until one particular scene in the swimming pool and even that seemed more delusion than danger.
It’s not a GREAT horror short and I probably won’t bother watching it again, but I won’t say no to more from either Louder or Echikunwoke.
WEATHERING is currently streaming on Netflix.
C. Dennis Moore is the author of over 60 published short stories and novellas in the speculative fiction genre. Most recent appearances are in the Dark Highlands 2, What Fears Become, Dead Bait 3 and Dark Highways anthologies. His novels are Revelations, and the Angel Hill stories, The Man in the Window, The Third Floor, and The Flip.
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