Shrew’s Nest aka Musarañas (2014)
Directed by Juanfer Andrés & Esteban Roel
Starring Macarena Gómez, Nadia de Santiago, Hugo Silva, Luis Tosar, Gracia Olayo, Carolina Bang

Okay first of all, why the hell aren’t more people talking about this movie??? Maybe because it came out five years ago and it still hasn’t gotten a DVD or Blu-ray release over here in the states? I finally found it on Shudder, and then quickly ordered an import Blu-ray. Yes, that is how much I liked it. I’m pretty sure this is going to be in my Top Ten for this year’s viewing too. Okay, okay, I’ll try not to hype it up any more. Let me say that I am a huge fan of Macarena Gómez so that could possibly be swaying my feelings towards this movie, but I really think this can totally stand on its own. Don’t worry, I won’t be giving any spoilers away here, and you really don’t want to know much about this before watching it. Which now that I write that, it might be a little tough reviewing this…

The story is about two sisters living together in an apartment. The younger one, who is just referred to as La Niña, is played by Nadia de Santiago, who has just turned 18. Her older sister, Montse, suffers from agoraphobia, and cannot leave their apartment. She is a seamstress and does all her work in their home, while the younger one works on the outside and does all their errands. Macarena Gómez plays the older sister who has a very dark and troubled past. Now that her younger sister has become a woman, Montse is terrified what may come next and that she might be left alone. Making things even worse is when a young man is brought into the apartment after a fall and is kept hidden. Then things get really weird.

This movie came to my attention because it was produced by Álex de la Iglesia. Shrew’s Nest is one wild ride, with some great performances and a story that will pull you in and never let go. For their first feature film, directing team of Juanfer Andrés & Esteban Roel give me high hopes for their future. Just when the story takes you to the edge, and you start to breathe a little easier, they are there to push you over. Hugo Silva, who previously worked with both de la Iglesia and Gómez the previous year in Witching and Bitching (2013), here plays Carlos, the poor soul who unwittingly steps past the boundaries of safety without realizing the horror that awaits him. Luis Tosar plays the father of the two women and once again has a very dark streak in him. After watching him in Jaume Balagueró’s Sleep Tight (2011), I don’t know if I can ever watch him in anything and not have him put chills up my spine. He’s one of those actors that you don’t know if you’d like him in real life because of the roles he’s played. This film isn’t helping that any.

Hopefully this either finally gets a release over here, or you have luck searching this one out because it needs to be seen and seen by many. While it has a slight take on a different American film, it has so much more going for it to stand on its own legs. Or, do what I did and splurge on the import Blu-ray. I mean, everyone already has a region-free player, right? So why wait?