Come Play

Borrowing the basic plot of The Babadook, Jacob Chase's horror won't win any prizes for originality, but what it does have is heart. Oliver (Azhy Robertson) is an autistic boy whose parents (Gillian Jacobs and John Gallagher Jr) are splitting up, and who can only communicate through an app on his phone. He's a prime target for Misunderstood Monsters, an online story featuring the lonely, Lovecraftian monster Larry, who wants to reach through the screen and make friends - although once summoned he won't be easily dissuaded. Though it's about as subtle as a slammed door, the film provides some good scares involving an electronic rangefinder and face-recognition software, plus imaginative monster's-eye-view shots looking up through the screen. What hits home the most, though, is the poignancy of Oliver's plight, and only viewers made of stone could fail to be swept along.