The Australian filmmakers, the Spierig brothers, have made a pretty good mark in genre cinema. Their zombie black comedy brought them attention and allowed them to do the fairly popular Daybreakers, a new take on vampires. In 2014 they did the very interesting sci-fi thriller Predestination and only last year helmed the highly successful Jigsaw. Now, only months after the release of Jigsaw, their latest film, Winchester, starring one of today’s top actresses, Helen Mirren, was released in early February to some interesting buzz.

Based upon the actual Winchester mansion in San Jose, California, the story behind the mansion and its original owner is a story unto itself. Sarah Winchester was the heir to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, famous for its very successful rifle, the Winchester rifle. Sarah, during her time at the mansion, had built room after room with very true rhyme or reason. Most famously there is a set of stairs that lead to nowhere.

An interesting premise for a movie indeed. So the story begins with Sarah believing ghosts have begun to haunt her, all victims from tragic deaths by the rifle. Her executives are worried that she may be going insane. Hiring a doctor, played by Jason Clarke, they have him go to evaluate her. So begins our movie. Dark Discussions takes a look at this new entrance to the ghost story film and gives their critique.