Filmmakers love to use horny horror and genre metamorphosis for tales of eroticism or queer eroticism: hell, it works, and it’s often a beguiling mixture of moods, tones, and feelings in our nether regions. And that seems to be what filmmaker Jacqueline Castel is going for with “My Animal,” a surreal, erotic, romantic werewolf movie that premiered at Sundance earlier this year.
Written by Jae Matthews, the film stars Bobbi Salvör Menuez (from “Euphoria”), Amandla Stenberg (“Bodies Bodies Bodies”), Heidi von Palleske, Cory Lipman, Charlie & Harrison Halpenny, Joe Apollonio, Scott Thompson, Dean McDermott, and Stephen McHattie.
“My Animal” sounds like a mood piece, and our review from Sundance described the film as a “trippy queer werewolf romance” while describing Amandla Stenberg as “luminous.”
An excerpt reads, “The unhurried pace of ‘My Animal’ gains from Castel’s hyper-stylistic flourishes. Working with cinematographer Bryn McCashin, the filmmaker relies on a chilly palette to craft the film as a rewarding mood piece. For much of the film, the filmmaker employs the color red to articulate Heather’s inner anxieties, a decision that adds a more ominous edge to ‘My Animal.’”
Here’s the official synopsis:
Bobbi Salvör Menuez (Euphoria) and Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies) ignite in this genre-bending supernatural love story. Tormented by a hidden family curse, Heather is forced to live a secluded life on the outskirts of a small town. When she falls for the rebellious Jonny, their connection threatens to unravel Heather’s suppressed desires, tempting her to unleash the animal within.
“My Animal” opens in select theaters and on Digital on September 8, 2023, via Paramount.
 and Amandla Stenberg (“Bodies Bodies Bodies”).){kind=link}