A tedious gothic chiller turned captivating paranoid thriller; Kenneth Branagh delivers yet another worthy murder mystery with A Haunting in Venice. Ok, so it’s a little on the plodding side, but the Whodunit genre is inherently weary – you know, with all the many suspects and motives to go through. Luckily, there is an incredibly talented cast at hand to bring it all together. In addition to Branagh and his epic moustache, standouts include a deliciously shrewd Tina Fey and a mysteriously alluring Michelle Yeoh. The bonus “character” of the film, of course, is the gothic mansion it’s all set in. The production design is sublime here, as every inch of this house is as eerie and striking as it needs to be. Plus, the excellent cinematography and clever camera techniques elevate the atmospheric chills to the max. It’s all very unsettling. But don’t be fooled, this isn’t a true horror film. Yes, it’s tinged in minor supernatural-esque frights and ghastly tales (not to mention a few disturbing images), but it’s foremost a classic murder mystery. And with Hercule Poirot of the case, that’s only a good thing. Scratch that, a great thing!