In any given year, there are countless horror films, documentaries, and shows, from mainstream franchises to brilliant independent works. And, out of that number, a few shine brightly as truly innovative works that elevate the genre. This year had a lot of horror gold, including Cabinet of Curiosities and Barbarian. But, for me, Smile just might be my favorite horror film of 2022. It played on some of my deepest fears, including being watched/followed/preyed on, losing autonomy over my mind and body, and not being believed when I know something is amiss. I knew 20 minutes into the film that I wanted to have a physical copy of it in my possession. And, reader, this Smile Blu-ray is worth having in your horror collection.
Of course, it comes with a digital copy of the film that you can stream or download to any device. But the real perks are its special features. Something’s Wrong with Rose: Making Smile takes you further into this unnerving saga and leaves you with some fun facts to share with your fellow horror fans. Flies on the Wall: Inside the Score is for those of us (it’s me, I’m a part of us) who always want to know the details behind crafting a sinister score.
While all of these things are great, a few other features stand out as my personal favorites. First, there’s stellar commentary by director Parker Finn. He dives deep into the creative decisions that went into crafting Smile’s narrative and scenes. You also get to see a host of scenes that didn’t make the final cut. There’s an option to include Finn’s commentary alongside them and you will want to hear that additional context.
And, the holy grail of bonus content is Laura Hasn’t Slept (2020), Finn’s original short film that caught the eye of Paramount Pictures and led to Smile’s creation. It is absolutely gripping and features the same actress, Catilin Stasey, that we saw in Smile’s intense opening scene. I will never get her face out of my brain. It is such a nice companion piece to the feature film. At this point, I want a full Laura prequel.
I say all of that to affirm that yes, it is 100% worth buying Smile if you are a fan of Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, and/or DVD formats. The additional features will amplify your understanding of its greatest concepts. And you’ll see this terrifying tale through new eyes.
Smile is now available on Digital HD and streaming on Paramount +. Smile will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™, and DVD on December 13.
