Freaks

The opening of this slow-burning sci-fi mystery sees a paranoid dad (Emile Hirsch) isolating his seven-year-old daughter from the outside world in a heavily secured house. Ominous TV bulletins, the girl's ghostly visions and the presence of creepy ice-cream man Mr Snowcone (Bruce Dern), who's essentially a modern-day Child Catcher, create a suitably foreboding atmosphere, despite the sun-drenched suburban locale. However, directors Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky have twists, turns and some nifty special effects up their sleeves, and deliver a surprising and refreshing riff on "gifted child" flicks like Firestarter or The Fury. Hirsch and especially Dern give committed performances, but it's Lexy Kolker as the precocious poppet who shines brightest in this low-budget gem.