A Monster Calls

13-year-old Conner refuses to accept the fact that his mother is severely ill, as the prospect of living with his strict grandmother is rather unsettling for this introverted boy who is being bullied at school. In consequence, Conner begins to increasingly retreat into his own fantasy world. Every night he is revisited by the same nightmare: a huge old tree that stands outside his window turns into a knotty monster made of branches and bark. As threatening as the monster at first appears, it seems to understand what Conner is going through. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the monster will guide Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth. Director Juan Antonio Bayona, a master of emotional cinema, turns the eponymous novel about fear and courage by Patrick Ness into a visual feast for the big screen.