lullaby horror movie reviews

Lullaby (IV) (2022)

• User Reviews
• acting was good. People took their job seriously and no one went overboard.
• special effects look medium towards good. Definitely some room for improvement on CGI, but I guess it could have been worse too.
• the plot is good, considering how hard is to make something completely fresh today using this story alone, I think it came with a more complex script.
• no gore, no nudity, not even jump scares.

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Common Sense Media Review

Babies in peril in shallow, by-the-numbers horror movie.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Lullaby is a horror movie about new parents who accidentally summon a demon when they sing a lullaby from a centuries-old book. Those sensitive to children being harmed/in peril should take particular note: Babies are in danger, a baby's face is scratched, a baby's head is…

Why Age 15+?

Babies in peril; small slash in baby's face; baby crawling toward broken glass,

Sporadic uses of "f--k," "f---ing," "motherf----r," "s--t," "bitch," "hell," "po

One character unzips another's dress; they kiss and tumble into bed before the c

A couple share a glass of wine.

Any Positive Content?

It's not referenced in the film, but the actor portraying Rachel (Oona Chaplin)

The story centers on fighting impossible odds, but that goal is undermined by mi

The characters are likable enough, and they do their best to save their child, b

Violence & Scariness

Babies in peril; small slash in baby's face; baby crawling toward broken glass, etc. Parent accidentally bonks baby's head on mirror. Bird accidentally swatted and killed with fireplace poker; some blood and the dead bird shown. Dead adult body, bloody throat. Characters fighting, slapping, punching; woman thrown to ground, knocked cold. Person attacked by crone inside vehicle. Scary stuff/monsters: demon children, a crone, a golem, etc. Netherworld with a huge pile of demon babies; woman sinks into pile. Monster stabbed with shard of broken mirror. Bleeding from ears, eyes. Jump scares. Nightmares. Smashing mirror with hammer. Dead body in morgue.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sporadic uses of "f--k," "f---ing," "motherf----r," "s--t," "bitch," "hell," "poop." "Jesus Christ" used as an exclamation. Middle-finger gesture.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

One character unzips another's dress; they kiss and tumble into bed before the camera cuts away -- sex implied. A woman steps into a shower, caresses a man's chest from behind (interrupted). They're shown sleeping next to each other.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Diverse Representations

It's not referenced in the film, but the actor portraying Rachel (Oona Chaplin) is partly of Spanish descent, and the actor playing her husband, John (Ramon Rodriguez), was born in Puerto Rico. Movie attempts to incorporate authentic aspects of Judaism into its narrative, but it falls a bit short, feeling kind of like a checklist of terms ("dybbuk," "golem," etc.) dropped willy-nilly throughout. A supporting character is in a facility for the mentally ill and is initially depicted in a way that plays into stereotypes.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Positive Messages

The story centers on fighting impossible odds, but that goal is undermined by mistakes and a lack of genuine teamwork.

Positive Role Models

The characters are likable enough, and they do their best to save their child, but they make mistakes, and they're mostly victims of circumstance. Despite their assertion that "we're a team," they tend not to work together very well. (They each go seeking help from conflicting sources.)

Parents need to know that Lullaby is a horror movie about new parents who accidentally summon a demon when they sing a lullaby from a centuries-old book. Those sensitive to children being harmed/in peril should take particular note: Babies are in danger, a baby's face is scratched, a baby's head is accidentally bonked, and another baby reaches for a chunk of broken glass. In the netherworld, a character sinks into a huge pile of demon babies. A bird is accidentally swatted and killed with a fireplace poker, with blood shown. There are additional scenes with dead bodies, fighting, scary stuff/monsters, jump scares, nightmares, and blood. Sporadic language includes "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," "bitch," and "Jesus Christ." One character unzips a woman's dress; they kiss and (presumably) fall into bed (off-screen). A woman steps into a shower and caresses a man's chest from behind before being interrupted. A couple share a glass of wine. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (2)

Based on 2 parent reviews

Annoying and inappropriate for children

What's the story.

In LULLABY, Rachel ( Oona Chaplin ) and John ( Ramon Rodriguez ) are the proud new parents of a baby boy named Eli. Unfortunately, parenthood doesn't come easy, as Eli is a fussy baby who cries constantly. In a box of baby things sent by her mother, Rachel finds an old book that includes a special lullaby. Out of desperation she sings it, and, miraculously, Eli falls asleep. Soon after, though, Rachel starts seeing flashes of an evil crone who seems to be threatening Eli. She goes to visit her sister, Vivian (Liane Balaban), who's in a facility for the mentally ill, and learns that Vivian went through the same thing when she lost her own child, Zachary. Meanwhile, John gets a call from Rabbi Cohen (Constantine Alexander Karzis) and learns of other ways to protect Eli. But no one is ready for a showdown with the ancient evil being that's behind it all.

Is It Any Good?

Aside from a handful of committed performances and some effective set design, this horror movie is unfortunately all too formulaic, staying right on the surface and hitting many familiar beats. Directed by John R. Leonetti , Lullaby starts out well enough, using the fears and despairs of new parents and the unsettling helplessness that comes from a baby who won't stop crying. When Rachel reads the lullaby and it starts to work, it's understandable that she would surrender any possible caution for a measure of comfort. But things quickly go south as it becomes clear that perhaps a book decorated with drawings of demons, monsters, and mutations isn't one that you want to trust with a child.

So the characters begin to go through the usual motions, making the usual mistakes, reacting in just the way we'd expect. We even get the usual sequences in which the characters seek out "experts" to help. Rachel goes to her sister, who maybe can't be trusted, and John goes to a rabbi who also feels a little sketchy, but Lullaby fails to bring any friction to this issue. The rules for defeating the Big Bad are crisscrossed and broken, and it means nothing. The movie does attempt to incorporate authentic aspects of Judaism into its narrative, but it falls short of something like The Vigil ; this one is more like a checklist of terms ("dybbuk," "golem," etc.) dropped willy-nilly throughout the screenplay. In the end, it's just not worth your time.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Lullaby 's violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

How does the movie represent Jewish culture? Does it seem authentic? Respectful? Are any stereotypes used?

Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies ? Why do people sometimes like to be scared?

How does the movie handle its depiction of children in peril and its treatment of animals? Does it feel OK, or over the top? How so?

Should Rachel have known better than to sing the lullaby? Have you ever taken the "easy way out" of something? What were the consequences?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 16, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : December 16, 2022
• Cast : Oona Chaplin , Ramon Rodriguez , Liane Balaban
• Director : John R. Leonetti
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Indigenous actors, Latino actors
• Studio : Vertical Entertainment
• Genre : Horror
• Run time : 89 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : September 1, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Exclusive: Annabelle Director John Leonetti and Oona Chaplin Discuss Their New Horror Movie Lullaby

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Lullaby is a unique kind of horror film, a genuinely scary but allegorically rich movie about parenting, faith, and mental illness. The movie meticulously mines rich minerals of horror out of folklore and ancient Hebrew stories in a way that's seldom done, drawing on the mythology surrounding Lilith, the 'first woman,' to generate great unease. As a Jewish woman and her converted husband try to adjust to their new baby, they find themselves haunted by a demonic matriarch who was legendarily spurned by God at the beginning of time.

Lullaby is written by Alex Greenfield and Ben Powell, and directed by John R. Leonetti , who horror fans might recognize for not only his excellent cinematography in James Wan films ( Insidious and its sequel, The Conjuring, Death Sentence, Dead Silence ), but also his own directorial output ( Annabelle, Wish Upon, The Silence ). Leonetti has a lengthy history as a director of photography, creating indelible images in films like Jim Carrey's The Mask , Hot Shots! Part Deux, Mortal Kombat, and Piranha 3D , and he retains his great eye in Lullaby . At the film's center are Rachel ( Oona Chaplin ) and John (Ramon Rodriguez), who are either losing their minds or actually losing their child Eli to the terrifying Lilith. Leonetti and Chaplin spoke with MovieWeb about Lullaby and its rich array of themes.

Oona Chaplin on the Dangers of Lullaby's Quick Fix

Lullaby begins with an introductory montage, a clever bit of audiovisual exposition which subtly introduces the lore and the threat at hand — Rachel's sister, Vivian, is seemingly attempting to protect her own baby from Lilith, before the child is taken and Vivian is institutionalized. From there, the film follows the very relatable Rachel and John as they grapple with the surfeit stressors of a newborn child. Lullaby is very smart and compassionate in its depiction of Rachel, a mother who obviously loves her child but is endlessly frustrated, and whose career and life outside Eli have been essentially stopped. She doubts herself as a mother, and it's almost through the cracks of that doubt where Lilith can enter her life.

Rachel finds a nursery lullaby in an old Hebraic book which, after being translated, calms Eli down enough to actually stop crying. But as she sings this lullaby, literal cracks begin to form in the mirrors of the house, portending Lilith's demonic intrusion. It's the easy way out of the lullaby which allows for supernatural forces to take hold. "She thinks she's found an easy fix for her problems," said Chaplin, "or what she perceives to be her problem. She thinks that her crying baby is a problem, and so she finds this quick fix that seems to work, but because of the quick fix, a whole world of problems opens up, and they're very real. And I feel like that's, for me, just a good lesson in life. Whether it's motherhood or going into work and doing quick fixes and things that seem too good to be true are probably not."

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"You have to be careful what kind of things you invite into your life," continued Chaplin, "because you don't know what they come accompanied by [...] Also, realizing that a crying baby isn't actually a problem. The problem is when somebody comes and takes a baby. And so, Lullaby is putting parenting into perspective where it's saying, 'Yeah, it's gonna be hard, but this is also what we are literally here to do, a lot of us, and is how we've come this far as a human race.' So maybe it's not for everybody to have children, and thank God for that, but that's how the human race continues."

John Leonetti on Taking Lilith from Folklore and Into Lullaby

"Taking a baby away from their parents is terrifying, no matter who you are or however you think about it," said Leonetti. "I think what's really interesting, though, is the character of Lilith, the depth of that character, and that woman being the first woman, supposedly. Her being banned to the wolves and not being able to have her own baby, and the retribution, the wrath, and the drive that this creates, it's a paradox, because it's the power of love that creates the evil. And that dynamic threads all the way through the movie."

Lilith is a fascinating figure in the Talmud, Midrash, and other Jewish literature, and the way she is brought to life is one of the best aspects of Lullaby . Originally the first woman and partner to Adam (brought up from the same dust), Lilith saw herself as an equal to Adam and refused to be subservient to him. As a result, God banished Lilith to the wilderness outside Eden, where Lilith, deprived of love and motherhood, began procreating the wolves and birthing the demons which haunt humanity. "You would do anything to get your baby, and go to any lengths," explained Leonetti. In this way, Lilith is a complicated, almost sympathetic antagonist. Her deprivation and compulsion toward motherhood is said to be embedded throughout humanity.

"She is, in essence, beautiful. Every mother's so beautiful," continued Leonetti. "In the story, the lullaby itself that Lilith sends to these mothers was really a song that Adam sings to her with love. Even he, as well as God, banned her to the wolves because she was too strong of a woman, and it creates this relentlessness for Lilith to say, 'Okay, I'm going to be able to have that anyway,' so she takes babies. [...] Motherhood, in the beginning, is the most precious thing, and it's the scariest thing for new parents. The moment that little baby is in your arms, you know you're hooked for life. It's just the way it is. I think that the power of Lilith projects from the beginning of time, if you will. It's latent in Rachel, and it's very relatable, and it carries through her and her sister."

Chaplin Says Lullaby Explores Motherhood in a Different Way

There have been a handful of excellent horror films about motherhood , from Rosemary's Baby to Bryan Bertino's The Monster and Jennifer Kent's The Babadook . Lullaby fits nicely in their company, and not just for the attention to detail paid to the mythical 'first woman' and eternally childless Lilith. Rachel is a fully three-dimensional mother, and the film portrays all the fears, tenderness, annoyance, intensity, and even monotony of motherhood. "For Rachel at this point, like just having a poop is a challenge," said Chaplin. "The truth of the matter is that she can't even poop way that is normal. So she has to make peace with this new person that she's become. I think, weirdly, Lilith gives her the opportunity to do that in a really weird, twisted way."

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Chaplin ( Game of Thrones, The Hour, the upcoming Avatar sequels ) has a pretty iconic family tree of mothers and fathers (Charlie Chaplin, Eugene O'Neil, Geraldine Chaplin), though she isn't a mother herself. "I'm a godmother eight times, and I don't have any children of my own yet, but I love children," said Chaplin. "I think that I've just seen moms and been around moms, I've lived with moms for three years now in a land share, and I just I admire moms so much. Just making a meal, just keeping children fed is a huge accomplishment. It's such an amazing task. And so very, very small things come very meaningful. It was interesting to explore that from a place that is different to mine, because I think Rachel has the career and the mentality that I don't necessarily have, like I really enjoy motherhood as an archetype, as an energy."

Leonetti Talks Typecasting in Horror After Annabelle

Unlike Chaplin, Leonetti has become known for his work in the horror genre; he's able to navigate the supernatural (and the human interest in it) with ease. "I think that the connection between what's on this side of the curtain and what's on the other side of the curtain is that nobody really knows what's there. That's what creates all religions, all good, all evil, and all the fabrication of that in our minds. That's how it all conjures," said Leonetti, who has spent years figuring out how to visually explore such an abstract concept.

It's not what he always wants to do, though. "It's a result of the success of Annabelle , it really is," explained Leonetti. "I love making thrillers, creating suspense, so anything that goes into. I'm a little bummed, honestly, that you get locked into it, you get labeled in this, because I'm more than capable of delving into [other genres]. I mean, I could even do a romantic comedy, if you really want to know the truth. I just love working with actors and creating characters, and getting under the audience's skin and hopefully into their hearts and their soul."

Lullaby certainly gets under your skin, and if it's the last horror film Leonetti directs, it's quite the finale. An Envision Media Arts and Heroes and Villains Entertainment production presented by Alcon Entertainment, Vertical Entertainment is releasing Lullaby on December 16, 2022 in select theaters and On Demand.

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The emotional intensity and anxiety of motherhood meets supernatural terror in the new horror movie Lullaby , directed by John R. Leonetti ( Annabelle ). After young couple Rachel (Oona Chaplin) and John (Ramon Rodriguez) welcome a baby son in Eli, they find themselves haunted by the ancient demon Lilith and her brood of grotesque monsters ready to claim Eli for themselves. Determined to go to any length to keep her son safe, Rachel steps up to confront the creatures head-on as she protects Eli at any cost.

In an exclusive interview with CBR, Lullaby star Oona Chaplin shared behind-the-scenes secrets from the making of the movie. She explained her personal approach to acting in the horror genre and also revealed what she appreciated most about working on the dark, surreal scary movie.

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CBR: Oona, what was it about Lullaby that drew you to this project and the character of Rachel?

Oona Chaplin: For me, it was all about exploring what it means to have a mother's love . I'm kind of at that age now where that's an area of curiosity for me. What does a mother do? What does it feel like to be a mother? I'm a godmother eight times, and it was interesting for me, that piece going all the way through the gates of Hell to take care of my family; that piece was really great.

One of the things I love about this movie is that it shows Rachel confront her own heart of darkness in how far she'll go for her child. How was it exploring those darker colors to the character?

I feel like that's the piece that all mothers confront, a wearing of patience. I feel like, even though this is a horror film, it's really an exercise in motherhood, [with] those demons that just wear at your patience, and then you become a monster at least once a day or a week or however many times. Really learning how to make peace with that is an exercise that we get to practice for the rest of our lives. I feel like it's her own shadow that is there when things aren't going just so -- what happens when things aren't going just so. [ laughs ]

I feel like, with horror, you've got to have your emotions dialed all the way up, especially when you're in most of the scenes of the movie. How was it maintaining that intensity and sense of balance?

It was exhausting, but I feel like the main thing that I personally feed off of and nourish myself with is the relationships with my cast members and the crew. Everybody was so nice. Ramon [Rodriguez] is a total gem of a human being. I can't speak highly enough of this man. He's so lovely, caring, and thoughtful. We really went there together, and we got along really well. John [Leonetti] and the whole crew, everybody was a really amazing group of people. That makes it doable because those things energize me. [ laughs ]

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You and Ramon really have that lived-in couple quality right from the beginning. Do you remember first meeting him and developing that on-screen rapport?

We met on freaking Zoom because we were in the middle of the COVID madness. We met on Zoom and were like, "Okay, let's talk about what kind of relationship these people have." We started talking about relationships, and he's in a relationship, and I'm in a relationship, and the way that we are in relationships is very copacetic. We knew that it was going to be great.

John's an old hand at this. How was it having John R. Leonetti behind the camera?

It was amazing! I feel like he has such a classic way, and he was refusing to go with the high-tech easy way out. He was just right there, and that, for me, was almost like making theater, and I love theater. I'm really grateful for John for his commitment in creating a story that is beautiful and simple, and you can tell with the tools that we have right here, not putting anything fancy on top of it. That, for me, is my greatest admiration for him.

This really is a story about family, and your character has a sister in Vivian. How was it working with Liane Balaban to strike up that dynamic?

We had an instant sisterly rapport. It was a very well-cast film with everybody. The sisterly rapport was always really there, and I could feel that we were really good friends, but also a little tension, like, "How do we work together?" We were very committed to one another, and it was awesome. I had a lot of fun with her, and we had really interesting conversations. We would do a scene, wrap the scene, and then go straight back into the conversation that we were having. We were talking about motherhood, the world, all these things, and it was amazing.

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As an actor, do you tend to come up with a lot of your own characters' backstories or just stick with what's on the page?

No, I have a very overactive imagination. [ laughs ] I imagine the whole thing, and that's what draws me to this work. I like trying to understand people, and people are so much more complex than what an hour and a half can give you, so I like imagining all sorts of things about the past. [ laughs ]

I was talking to John, and he mentioned they tried to get your mother to play Lilith in the film. I know we're speaking in hypotheticals and at the risk of seeming Freudian, but how would it have been to play opposite Geraldine?

It would've been so cool! [ laughs ] I was really pushing for it, and I think I suggested it, and John was like, "I was thinking about that!" I can't remember exactly how it went, but the only reason that that didn't happen was the visa thing. It just didn't work out because of that, but I would've loved it. My mom and I have worked together multiple times on different configurations, so we know how it goes, and we play, and it's fun to play!

This isn't the first time you've played in the horror space after starring in Purgatory . What is the appeal in getting to play in the genre as a creative?

That was another mother character! I think it's getting to inhabit a character in basically the most extreme situations. For me, I've been extremely blessed in my life; every day I'm very grateful for my life and the way that it is. It does feel good to me to go and push my imagination to the limit to see what would happen if things were suddenly very messed up in unexpected ways. How do I feel? Where do I find my center and my strength? All this stuff, for me, is about horror providing a practice ground for extreme life situations.[ laughs ] Here, we probably won't have a hag in the mirror -- but what if?! [ laughs ]

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With something this intense, filming these big emotional scenes for hours at the height of production, how much of your performance do you take home with you?

There was one scene where I went home, and I was so fucking stressed out. My nervous system was shattered, and I really had to go into a very deliberate relaxation mode because I was shot after two of the scenes, actually -- one with the ocean of dead babies and then the one with the bursting mirrors. Shooting that was so fucking stressful. I didn't expect to have that much of my nervous system shot with the explosions. I know nothing's going to happen and that it's mostly safe and that it's all going to be okay, but the feeling in my nervous system was horrible. [ laughs ]

With so much in camera and on set, how much does that make your performance instinctual in those intense moments?

Yeah, the mirror scene when I'm running down the hallway and the mirrors are bursting everywhere, there's no fucking acting there. [ laughs ] I'm just running for my life there! There is no having a look and wondering about what my character is thinking, it's just go-go-go!

Directed by John R. Leonetti, Lullaby opens in theaters and is available on demand on Dec. 16.

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Lullaby Movie

Who's Involved:

Oona Chaplin, Ramon Rodriguez, Ben Powell, Alex Greenfield, Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, Liane Balaban, John R. Leonett

Release Date:

Friday, December 16, 2022 Limited Friday, December 16, 2022 VOD / Digital

Plot: What's the story about?

A new mother discovers a lullaby in an ancient book and soon regards the song as a blessing for her new baby. However, her world transforms into a nightmare when the lullaby brings forth the ancient demon Lilith.

4.00 / 5 stars ( 14 users)

Poll: Will you see Lullaby?

Who stars in Lullaby: Cast List

Oona Chaplin

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Ramon Rodriguez

Need for Speed, The One and Only Ivan  

Liane Balaban

Finding Joy, Last Chance Harvey  

Who's making Lullaby: Crew List

A look at the Lullaby behind-the-scenes crew and production team.

John R. Leonett

Screenwriters

Alex Greenfield Ben Powell

Production Company

Alcon Entertainment

Watch Lullaby Trailers & Videos

Official Trailer

Production: what we know about lullaby, filming timeline.

• 2022 - November : The film was set to Completed  status.

Shooting starts in Toronto on March 24 (likely delayed due to COVID-19).

Lullaby Release Date: When was the film released?

Lullaby was a Limited release in 2022 on Friday, December 16, 2022 . There were 19 other movies released on the same date, including Avatar: The Way of Water , Spoiler Alert and Black Adam . As a Limited release, Lullaby will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets. Please check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the film is playing in your area.

Lullaby DVD & Blu-ray Release Date: When was the film released?

Lullaby was released on DVD & Blu-ray on Tuesday, March 21 , 2023 .

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Follow the Updates

• Sat., Dec. 31, 2022 from Amazon
• added the US DVD release date of March 21, 2023
• Thu., Nov. 17, 2022
• set film release to VOD / Digital
• added the US film release date of December 16, 2022
• changed the US film release date from TBA to December 16, 2022
• set film release to Limited
• added Vertical Entertainment as a distributor
• added Liane Balaban as actor to movie credits
• added Ramon Rodriguez as actor to movie credits
• added Oona Chaplin as actor to movie credits

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Directed by John R. Leonetti

Have you checked the baby?

A new mother discovers a lullaby in an ancient book and soon regards the song as a blessing. But her world transforms into a nightmare when the lullaby brings forth the ancient demon Lilith.

Oona Chaplin Ramón Rodríguez Liane Balaban Moni Ogunsuyi Austin Ball Brian McCaig Kira Guloien Adam Bernett Hayden Finkelshtain Mark Reinhardt Sasha Rajamani Mary Ann Stevens Julie Khaner Alex Karzis Spencer MacPherson

Director Director

John R. Leonetti

Producers Producers

Broderick Johnson Andrew A. Kosove Lee Nelson David Tish Kenn Fisher

Writers Writers

Alex Greenfield Ben Powell

Cinematography Cinematography

Michael Galbraith

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

John Lewis Mark Holder Jeff Bowler Carl Rogers Scott Parish Bret Saxon Dick Hillenbrand Markus Goerg

Additional Photography Add. Photography

Alessandro Marvelli Ron Eli Cohen

Production Design Production Design

Oleg M. Savytski

Art Direction Art Direction

Joel Richardson

Stunts Stunts

Stephannie Hawkins Amy Szoke

Composers Composers

Joseph Bishara Alonso Lozano Arellano

Alcon Entertainment Envision Media Arts Heroes and Villains Entertainment Wonderfilm Media

Releases by Date

Theatrical limited, 16 dec 2022, 20 feb 2023, 23 feb 2023, 28 sep 2023, releases by country.

• Digital Myvideo
• Theatrical limited NR

86 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by ram<3 ★ 1

the name represents the movie in all aspects, because i actually fell asleep

Review by 🎃 Kyle 🎃 Johnson 🎃 ★½

Lullaby certainly made my wife and me appreciative that she had her tubes yoinked, meaning we won’t have to worry about dealing with either the perpetually shrieking menace that is a baby or the lingering spectre of a mythological hag just hanging out in the closet at odd hours of the night. It also has me looking forward to seeing the reactions when she busts out “I said shalom, bitch ” during first night seder next week, they ain’t even ready.

Review by joshrowley ★ 2

Review by DCrozier ★

So La Llorana and Insidious walk into a synagogue…

Review by Ian Kemper ★★

Starts off reasonably strong, and with the fun premise of a baby snatching she-hag, but around the halfway mark CGI demon babies and a trip to the netherworld tip things strongly into the ridiculous. It is nice to see the Jews get their shot at fighting demons but this film isn't going to be the one to kick the Catholics off their corner.

Review by MAGE ★★★ 4

I was scrolling around Hulu looking for a short, stupid horror movie to watch, and the poster art for this grabbed my attention briefly. Then I noticed it was directed by my boy, John R Leonetti. Anyone who knows MAGE, knows I’ve got a soft spot for journeyman genre directors nobody but me gives a shit about. Guys like Michael Chaves, Scott Stewart or the iconic Jonathan Liebesman. Well, my boy, John R Leonetti is basically the Apex of this venerated class of unsung filmmaker. A real renaissance man in the milieu of generic horror pablum. 

This movie is both exactly what you would think it is, while also being vastly weirder than you could possibly imagine. So yeah, it’s…

Review by Rob Hill ★★½ 5

Is it pretty basic creepypasta? Of course . But it's pretty competent creepypasta! The specter is creepy enough, any the premise is loaded with irrational fears for any parent. Not bad!

It was also fun to see another demon movie (loosely) based on a Jewish foundation, rather than using the Catholic base which seems to have a 99% market share in the subgenre. Some of it felt pretty cut & pasted in, however.

Review by Zahra ★½

This idea executed with a simpler production would've won me over, yet here we are with atrocious mutant CGI babies

Review by SpOoky Lukey Video 👻📼🎃 ★½

Hebrew folk/mirror horror from the man who brought you other such masterpieces as; The Silence (meh?), Wish Upon (blegh), Wolves at the Door (yikes) and Annabelle (…I actually kinda like this one..)

This is actually a just passable  Conjuring/Insidious  clone, the low score comes from my soul shattering into a million pieces when the dad accidentally whacks the cockatoo with a fire poker. 😡

Review by Oney M. ★★½

I didn’t hate this but it was ridiculously stupid.  I can’t even lie, once I embraced its moronic premise, I began to have a good time.

A Latino-Jewish household (lol) is under attack from a biblical entity that stems from Jewish lore. It’s insanely by-the-numbers and its generic plot basically just swaps Christianity with Judaism. They could’ve done something more interesting with the folklore but nah, I guess it was too much work.

The film is very reminiscent of a James Wan production or something from The Conjuring universe except done with less skill.  The introduction and use of mutant garbage babies was absolutely bonkers and quite hilarious.  The CGI was atrocious and at first, I asked myself if they were serious haha.

With all that said, I had a fun time.  The level of silliness that the plot dives down into was laughable.  My rating is higher than it deserves but whatever.  Watch it for the LOL’s.  5/10.

Review by lou_serr ½

shalom, bitch

Review by Zay ★★½ 18

Another ominous horror film about an evil demonic entity trying to steal a baby. This time the demon Lilith is summoned by a lullaby found in a creepy book. It's grim and foreboding with atmosphere for days. The fucked up mutant babies, the gollum, and Lilith made for some interesting looking demons. The cast was game but none of the characters were particularly likable. This happens to be another film that felt like it was missing Ed and Lorraine Warren. Overall a decent watch that mostly kept my attention.

There was a dark pit of dead baby bodies that made for an interesting visual. Though I'm not sure if I thought it was creepy or just laughable.

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Lullaby Reviews

When Pedro Almodovar endorses a movie, it is worth a watch.

Full Review | Aug 10, 2024

I can’t recall a recent movie that is more attuned to both the challenges and the opportunities that parenthood brings to bear upon not only the parents but also upon the entire family at large.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Jul 31, 2024

A generational drama about the complexities of parent child dynamics, particularly the much overlooked mother daughter relationship, its resounding empathy is matched only by its astonishing craft.

Full Review | Jul 17, 2024

Cinco Lobitos is one of the best films to have passed through the festival circuit last year. And better yet, when compared to the hundreds of directorial debuts that arise yearly, this one stands out.

Full Review | Original Score: A | Jul 18, 2023

As the movie progresses, it transforms into a clear and direct reflection on the role of women as caregivers, focusing on the imposed responsibilities of a patriarchal society. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Jun 16, 2023

Lullaby provides a soothing exploration of parenthood ... the impressive performance of Costa holds together the dramatic and emotional complexity ... Heartwarming and poignant

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 27, 2023

Though it’s nicely drawn, and the performances are good, especially from Sánchez, this is all fairly familiar stuff.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 10, 2023

The plot gradually concentrates throughout its sequences on an uninterrupted story between mother and daughter. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Feb 2, 2023

Despite the inevitable flirtations with melodrama, the film sustains itself with its sensibility, emotional intensity, measured mise en scène and brilliant performances. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Dec 20, 2022

A powerful punch that delicately affects an emotional pulse... [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Nov 7, 2022

A magnificent domestic drama whose numerous layers are gradually revealed, with great honesty and empathy, to reveal a study on cyclical motherhood... [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Aug 23, 2022

Above all, [Lullaby] is an honest story that portrays the ups and downs of motherhood to pull us away from the idyllic idea of a perfect mother.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jul 20, 2022

Beautiful without being precious... [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | May 27, 2022

Tells a story that can only happen to women. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | May 24, 2022

... Reminds us that it is possible to make up for lost time, to steal those kisses and touches that you couldn't or didn't know how to steal. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 23, 2022

It is cinema that aspires to merge with the surface of the skin. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 18, 2022

A much-needed reflection... on the value of those who care for us.  From love and feeling. Without idealism.

"Lullaby" exhibits a narrative control that eludes its main character, even as it studiously resists more obvious story beats in favor of the messier middle where decisions are less clear cut to make yet far more interesting to explore.

Full Review | Apr 24, 2022

Tender-hearted and acutely observed, Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s debut Lullaby is an absorbing if flawed mother-daughter drama.

Full Review | Mar 21, 2022