Film Review – Umma

It’s unusual timing, and perhaps intentional timing, that “Umma” is debuting one week after the release of “Turning Red.” Both movies star Sandra Oh, and both productions deal with the internal struggles of a mother and daughter learning to live separate lives after remaining close for so long. “Turning Red” is the Pixar production, with comedy, bold colors, and sensitivity to the central crisis. “Umma” is co-produced by Sam Raimi and arrives with marketing pushing the endeavor as a creepy ghost story. There is a spirit of sorts in the film, but this is not a horror experience, with writer/director Iris K. Shim using the basics in genre exploration to support what’s more of a family tale of perceived abandonment. Those coming to the feature expecting to be shocked will probably leave disappointed, but quality performances are present, especially from ever reliable Oh. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com