Review: Her Name Was Christa

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
from the Internet

Her Name Was Christa
Directed by James L. Edwards
Buffalora Entertainment Group; RoseRed Lane Films; Flowtac Entertainment
120 minutes; 2020
www.facebook.com/HERNAMEWASCHRISTA/

In our lives, we have all met people like Steven (director James L. Edwards), who are lonely and middle aged, building a wall around themselves and acquiesces at work while living a shallow life. If I hadn’t met my wife, that could have been me. Bald headed with a “janitor’s” moustache and a bit of pudge, Steven is a telemarketer, making sales in a room full of others doing the same. He takes pride in his work, but is abused by his unappreciative boss. Mainly, Steven is lonelier than he will let on, perhaps more than he realizes, even joining an online dating service.

Steven meets the new guy at work, fast-talking Nick (Drew Fortier), a narcissistic and crude dude who is there for the moment because it was the only job at the time that would hire him. He’s young, attractive, and has latched on to Steven, convinced it is his job to get Steven laid. I have known guys like this at work, too, especially in the 1980s, but I digress…

Following Nick’s suggestion, Steven visits a girl of the night, Raven (Kaylee Williams) in a both humorous and cringingly unhappy experience with which I can sympathize. This leads to another idea by Nick: “the girlfriend experience,” where the paid party pretends to be a girlfriend to loosen things up a bit.

By a coincidence and a moment of kismet, he meets the future Christa, a corner hooker named Candy (Shianne Daye), whose favorite band is “The Velvet Underground with Nico.” Good start I would say. They set up the ground rules, and they start hanging out together. As the relationship progresses, they are sort of in a yin and yang situation. For Steven, he’s happy just to have someone to cuddle with, not necessarily looking for more, but for Candy, this confuses her since her entire life revolves around men using her for sex, and here is someone who is into something a bit emotionally deeper though he is aware of its parameters, and that is an experience she has never dealt with before, that someone would be interested in her as a companion rather than an object.

Over time, their bond becomes stronger until a series of tragic events unfold, taking the film into another level that might classify it into a horror (perhaps a psychological one). By this point, it comes out as a study of a mental breakdown that is reminiscent of a more romanticized version thematically of Decay (2015) or, if you want to stretch it a bit, Nekromantic (1987), without the “real-life” intensity, thanks of Steven’s mindset (such as it is). Oh, those crazy Akronites.

The film’s gore level picks up a notch or five, as we see the differences between what’s going on in the mind, flipping back and forth with the reality of the situation, most effectively displayed when a split screen is used. Another interesting way to approach the film, especially on a second viewing, is to realize that some conversations between two people are actually happening in one head, and the talk and motives reflect that. And this film is particularly dialogue-heavy, and while it keeps the interest in its long two hours (more on that after), it is important to remember that this is the director’s first feature, and he would show some of his humor more in upcoming releases.

The only two real complaints I have, as it were, is that it really didn’t need to be a full two hours, and could easily have about 20-30 minutes honed from it (just add it to the Deleted Scenes folder on the Blu-ray). The other is the main musical synth theme on the soundtrack, which sounds like he was trying to emulate Goblin in the 1980s, but I found it quite irritating. Loved the film, but not this aspect of it.

I am really looking forward to future films by James L. Edwards. Perhaps a nice text editorial work by a second party might be good, but he is so incredibly on the right path. His stories themselves are great, and he always seems to manage to throw in some nice twists and turns. That all makes it fun.

IMBD Listing HERE 

 

 

 

 

Review: Seobok: Project Clone

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Seobok: Project Clone (aka Seobok; The Clone)
Directed by Lee Yong-ju (aka Lee Yong Zoo)
CJ Entertainment; Well Go USA Entertainment
114 minutes, 2021
www.wellgousa.com/films/seobok-project-clone

Korean cinema is going through a bit of a Renaissance right now, in part thanks to Train to Busan (2016), a glorious zombie flick which set the fire burning in the West, along with the more mainstream and Oscar© winner for Best Picture Parasite (2019; though, personally, I would rather watch the 1982 film with that name).

But like every other culture’s art, there must be the B-pictures, which tend to fall into the area of genre films. For Seobok, it is two-fold, touching on both action and sci-fi elements. Think RoboCop (1987), Scanners (1981), and arguably Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) as the toe-dipping into these mutual categories of taking the human form and making it into the next generation of what is a person, as it were.

Part of the opening premise is a tale as old as time…well, at least since the 1960s secret agent film period. Through a bunch of intrigue that you know will make sense at some point involves a secret medical project under attack (it is not hard to figure out that it has something to do with cloning, considering the title), a retired and addicted government agent is reluctantly called out of retirement for one last job by the powers that be, referred to as (of course) The Company. In this case, that ex-retiree would be Ki-Heon Min (Gong Yoo).

Gong Yoo and Park Bo-Gm

As an aside, there was a cultural moment I found interesting. Ki-Heon is talking to a male doctor, Dr. Song (Ron Guan) on the project, and is introduced to the woman who heads the whole thing, Dr. Im Se-Sun (Jang Young Nam) and then Ki-Heon turns his back on her to ask him a question, which he mansplains. Why would he not ask the head? And it’s interesting to see someone smoking a cigarette in a scientific lab. Perhaps I am too woke? But, as always, I digress…

Obviously, Seobok (Park Bo-Gum) – which is alternatively spelled Seo Bok in places – is said first human clone (though I get the feeling that somewhere in the world there are real human clones). But he’s closer to Sil in Species (1995) than pure human, for he cannot naturally die (though under certain circumstances, and that he can be killed). He has grown to a full adult in 10 years, and can also control objects around him with telekinesis like Carrie (1976/2013), and his blood can cure diseases. Among other things, Ki-Heon is entrusted to save him from whomever is trying to squash the project through violent means. Seobok is also an innocent, Jesus-like character in his manner and the “miracles” he can perform through things like healing and telekinesis. But we all know how that story turned out for JC.

While K Ki-Heon is a bundle of tension and energy, Seobok is awkwardly stoic and unemotional, and a bit naive about the world, sort of like the Jim Carey character in The Truman Show (1998), but without the charm and peace of mind. He’s spent his whole life in a lab being painfully experimented upon, and no companion to entrust his thoughts, other than the doctors who are torturing him. He is both enlightened in some ways, and completely oblivious in others. Either way, he has no social skills.

Because we are dealing with secret government agencies, of course we must add in the genre of the likes of The Bourne Identity (2002), with a lot of intrigue, and double and triple crosses. Some you will see coming, such as the well-worn trope of a transport truck and cars being ambushed on the road. I am not giving anything away, because a 5 grader will see it coming a mile away.

One of the things I find amusing (because it is fiction) is in this film, as with many imports, the Americans are the villains. Remember, this was filmed during the Trump years, so I can understand the contempt considering this is made in South Korea, and Trump idolizes their enemy, the leader of North Korea. Jingoistic yahoos from the US South may be offended by this notion of US baddies, without looking at the socio-political implications that imbue it. For obvious reasons, while most of the film is in Korean (with pretty clear captioning), there is some English as well.

There is also a bit of a buddy movie subtheme going on, as Ki-Heon and Seobok bond trying to get out of dangerous situations. There is no real humor as with most buddy pics, but the bonding is there as both men need each other is other ways to save their lives. They are both reliant on each other, one for their abilities of the mind, the other of the body (i.e., shooting and martial arts fighting).

Unlike some of the Asian action films, this starts off more as a character study with occasional bits of violence thrown in, but I really enjoyed some of the quieter bits, such as Seobok experiencing a marketplace for the first time, or he and Ki-Heon talking over a bowl of instant Ramen Noodles, Seobok’s first “real” food (are those packaged soups really food?; it certainly is filled with sodium) as he’s only had “supplements” at the lab.

By the half-way mark, the two main characters are on their own, trying to survive a number of different elements after them, with Ki-Heon’s skill and arms (both physical and McLuhan-esque extensions, i.e., guns) and Seobok’s almost Buddha-like-calmness and telekinesis as their shields to fight their way to possible safety.

The film is overly long at 1:54, but some obvious moments are bound to happen, including some philosophizing about life and death since Seobok can stay alive under the right circumstances and Ki-Heon has six months to live. Also, you just know that Ki-Heon will bring up the “human” emotions in Seobok, and in return Seobok will give Ki-Heon strength to face the inevitable. Despite their differences and cliché distrust at the onset, they form a friendship that goes beyond their expected roles in each other’s lives.

While there are spirts of action sprinkled throughout, most of the film deals with the psychology of our two main protagonists, philosophizing about life and especially death, and what is our purpose, with just a hint of religiosity thrown in between the lines. Naturally, the main thrust of the real action is in the final reel, as it were, reminiscent of both Carrie and Lucy (2014).

The film is beautifully shot, with scenes of what I believe is Seoul, and the countryside as well. The visuals are crisp and the action is not overly edited, which is a rarity these days. While there are some cliches, as I have stated earlier, the story remains interesting albeit overly long. There is also a nice use of brief flashbacks that help us understand the protagonists and antagonists a bit better as far as motivation toward, well, let’s say good and evil. All in all, it was a good watch, even if it is, for me, a single-viewing film.

IMBD Listing HERE 

 

Review: Flee the Light

Text © Robert Barry Francos / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Flee the Light
Directed by Alexandra Senza
Mythic Trips Entertainment; Wazabi Films; Breaking Glass Pictures
81 minutes, 2021 / 2022
https://www.mythictrips.com/
www.breakingglasspictures.com

Perhaps, hopefully someday soon, there will come a time when having a woman director with a largely female cast and crew will not be something special to be applauded, but for now, it is still noteworthy. And yes, many times there is a completely different feel to a film – a sense of purpose and urgency, and often with a larger meaning – when a woman is at the helm. And that she is Canadian is the icing on the cake. For this release, the first-time feature director is Alexandra Senza, and the writer is also the head of Wazabi Films, Jennifer Mancini.

 Filmed mostly in North Bay, Ontario, which is 3.5 hours north of Toronto in a beautifully forested area and relatively not too far off the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1), we are introduced – post-prologue – to two sisters: there is sensible Andra (Annie Tuma) – whose name, a derivative of Andrew, means “warrior” – and troubled Delfi (Ariana Marquis) – whose name is an alternative spelling for where the mystic lived in Greek mythology.

Annie Tuma, Ariana Marquis

Action-wise, one would think that Delfi would be the focus of the film, but instead, it relies more on Andra as the gatekeeper for whatever is coming down the path. This is telegraphed a bit by an unseen psychic on a phone. The first act sets up the relationship between the college-age women and indicates some of the troubles Delfi is having (the one with her hair, that’s seen in the trailer, is brilliant). There is something chasing after her – or them – from the past. This leads to a (brief, thankfully) road trip to where they went to camp together, yes, in North Bay (which is name dropped in the film).

 While there, they both start seeing things, like Delfi sees a (beautiful) dog that I believe is a Husky/wolf mix, and Andra runs across an older woman, Kata (Canadian singer Jane Siberry) with mystical powers, who pops in and out. And what is the mysterious force that is after the sisters? Interestingly, Delfi’s eccentricities (for lack of a better word), has actually given her the means to protect herself against the demon or Kundalini, or whatever it is, better than Andra, for whom this is out of her ken.

 It's nice to see a possession film that is not the usual Catholic/The Exorcist (1973) type of well-worn motif, though I have been informed recently that exorcism actually dates back to Old Testament times and with Jews, but it has been relatively recently conscripted by the Catholic church and thereby become one of our cultural icons. Exorcisms have also been prominent in places like Haiti and parts of Central Africa. One thing that exorcisms have in common, in the real world, is that they often lead to the death of the person “possessed.” But I digress…

 Thrown into the story is some reincarnation concerning a guy name Sid (Jamar Adams Thompson), whose role reminds me of a younger version of the Scatman Carothers-Dick Hallorann part in The Shining (1980), who comes to the rescue after a bonding experience with one of the sisters.

Jane Siberry

I really enjoyed that this film totally avoids the “most women good / most men bad” formula, or as I call it, the Thelma and Louise (1991) Syndrome. That’s too Second Wave Feminism for my tastes (think Andrea Dworkin [d. 2005]), and is totally overdone and obvious in the cinema world. Though I may get some blowback for this previous comment; present-day Feminism makes much more sense to me.

 While dealing with covens and witches, the film thankfully avoids any The Craft (1996) types of tropes, or that witches are evil, such as in Suspiria (1977/2018) and still manages to be a modern story while talking about an ancient evil. That’s a nice touch that kept my interest.

 The evil, whatever it is, is the darkness though it “hunts” in the light, hence the title, seducing the possibly host with its glow, but honestly, the dark/light is more metaphorical for malevolence and goodness, than the literal sense. Again, this is a wise choice.

Generally, the acting, especially by the two leads, is excellent. This is enhanced by the make-up SFX by Rhonda Costin, Bill Buttery’s cinematography, and really fine editing by Brigitte Rabazo. There is some luscious drone work high over the woods of North Bay, a beautiful part of the country.

 This is a strong directorial debut for Senza, and if the indications for a possible sequel are correctly foretold, I look forward to it.

Available on iTunes/AppleTV, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Vimeo, and on cable and satellite.

IMBD Listing HERE 

 

Review: Brimstone Incorporated

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Brimstone Incorporated
Directed by James L. Edwards; Brad Twigg
Buffalora Entertainment Group; Fuzzy Monkey Films; Panic Button Films
97 minutes; 2021
www.facebook.com/Brimstone-Incorporated-100935518481130

As I have often postulated on this blog, I am a fan of anthology films, especially ones that were put together by few directors, thereby giving a more consistent feel to the films. The one exception here is a story by Brad Twigg, but we’ll get to that when we get to that.

What is interesting to me is that not counting the wraparound, there are only three stories spread across the time span, which means there is more of an opportunity to build suspense. This is a rare way to present an anthology film, but it is quite effective. Each of the stories lasts about half an hour.

The set-up wraparound tale, “Tempter and Associates,” is the titular Brimstone Incorporated, which is a law firm  that serves as the gateway to Hell, so the “cases” involved is good vs. evil/natural vs. supernatural matters. They are, one might say, fulfilling the St. Peter role, for those going in the opposite direction. The receptionist/assistant, Lilith (Tharasa DiMeo), serves the same purpose as Cerebos, guarding the sanctuary, but the three-headed dog is much tamer. Each person is interviewed by Gregory Asmodeus (Drew Fortier) to see whether they are worthy to be in Hell or not. Gregory is appropriately smarmy, but also a hoot.

James L. Edwards

The opening story, “First Date,” concerns a man named Richard (director James L. Edwards) and his first date with Renee (Shianne Daye), two-weeks after they met on a dating site. This takes place in a busy diner (because isn’t that where you would bring all your first dates, rather than a restaurant?).Things unravel quickly as we learn the truth about just how psychotic is Renee. As a sidenote, when I worked in the World Trade Center in the mid-1980s, there was a co-worker who was hyper Christian, as Renee claims to be, who was one of the most vicious human beings I have ever met, because she was sure Jesus was on her side no matter what horrible way she treated anyone (she tried to get me fired on a number of occasions because I was a non-believer). She was quite attractive, and the longer I got to know her personality, the uglier she became to me. I digress, but this is true of Renee and her devotion to Jeebus. The story ends with not one, but two twists that I didn’t see coming. That’s nice.

Drew Fortier

The next tale, “Mama’s Boy,” sees the titular Justin Parker (Tim Hale) arriving at Gregory’s desk to defend his honor, or lack thereof. Justin seems like the shy type, but he’s actually quite a ladies man beyond his level, considering he’s a bit of a dullard. The reasons are explained by the end. Anyway, mommy dearest, Priscilla (Sasha Graham), is overly protective of her son, and will do anything – and I mean anything – to keep him “safe” in her eyes. This includes donning a mask and cape and going on deadly adventures. We see a large body count in this story, dealt with in many gruesome fashions (e.g., fun). For our edification, we meet his latest flame, Brittany (Kaylee Williams, who stood out in The Horrific Evil Monsters in 2021; reviewed HERE) whom he brings home to dinner with has darling matriarch. Will Brittany be up to the task and win over murderous mom? While there are some, again, nice twists and turns, it’s not quite to the O. Henry-esque level of the first story, but is significantly satisfying.

Shianne Daye

The last story is “Skunk Weed,” and is directed by Twigg (see I told you we would get there!). It concerns John Simmons (Tim Novotny), a salesman whose job it is to sell jingles written by his agoraphobic brother, Bennie (Rick Jermain). While we meet John in the “Tempter” wraparound, in the main story, the only person you see in the tale proper is Bennie, who isa bit of a slovenly guy in an Oscar Madison kind of way. John has sent him some “special” skunk weed; I’d be shocked if you didn’t know that was another name for pot. But this blend is different, giving Bennie odd and gory hallucinations, such as some cooking eggs turning into a bloody brain. This could easily have been one of those late ‘60s “Dragnet” kind of “Don’t use drugs, kids” propaganda, but the twist at the end explains all and is, again, unexpected. I thought they were going to twist it in a different way, which would have been a bit cliché, but they avoided using old motifs. 

Kaylee Williams

The acting is quite well done, especially considering the impressive volume of the cast overall. That being said, Fortier really does steal his scenes, seeming quite natural in the role (well, after all, he is the guitarist of bands like Bang Tango and Zen from Mars). The SFX make-up is quite the joy. Yeah, it tends to be a sloppy mess rather than “surgical,” but honestly, I like it like that.

I don’t know if this is going to be a franchise, but I would look forward to seeing more of these stories.

IMBD listing HERE 

Review: Truly, Madly

Text © Robert Barry Francos / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Truly, Madly
Directed by Brian Dorton (aka Katrina Lizhope)
reel EPIC entertainment
75 minutes, 2020 / 2022
https://www.facebook.com/Reel.EPIC.entertainment/

Louisville, Kentucky, where this film was shot, is solid “Red” state territory, deep in the Bible belt, with Trump signs on every corner during the last election and a cross nailed on multiple walls of every house. It is a center of the New Republic of Christ, where the religious are self-righteous, unvaccinated, and full of love for themselves and everyone else, if’n yer not a heathen, or gay. Or vaccinated.

In this environment, lives Anthony (Adam Freeman), who is both non-religious and openly gay. He shares his home with his uber-righteous mother, buxom Barbara (the appropriately named Sondra Carver), who has recently lost her husband and is a bit bitter. She’s also willing to go to any extreme to keep her son (and others) away from the “lifestyle.” Even if it involves knives. Y’see, Barbara is a bit like Kathleen Turner’s character in Serial Mom (1994) in that she has a tendency to take what she considers sin into her own hands, but without Turner’s ‘50s sit-com-like charm. (“God and I have an understanding,” posits Barbara in a moment of delusion).

Sondra Carver

Be it her son’s lovers or the pedophilic guy in the church, Bob (Douglas Connor), who has been found out, Barbara is not going to stand for this outrage to her Lord. And in full hypocrite mode, she is often at full ire and willing to judge others, including her neighbors. No cheeks turned with this woman, it’s blades and burial.

There are other interesting characters filling the story, such as Fran (Dixie Gers, the titular Crazy Fat Ethel in 2016, by the same director), who is a member of Barbara’s church and is actually closer to what Barbara is deluded to believe she is, which makes her angry, and Anthony’s trans friend Geena (director Brian Dorton), whose life is possibly in peril due to his association with Anthony (though just friends) thanks to mommy. And there is a nice kill ratio here.

Adam Freeman

There are a few minimalist levels to the film. First, and I am making an assumption here, is the budget. This looks like a threadbare story despite the nice sized cast, and the production looks like it cost about as much as the catering. I actually respect that, seeing how much can be done with the bare minutest. The other minimalism is the film’s presentation. There is no fancy editing, and even the acting reminds me of the early films of John Waters and David Cronenberg, if you get what I mean. And, again, I’m fine with it. The most common SFX in the film is added scratches and the program to make the film look like it was printed off a time- damaged negative.

Considering the overlapping genres in this film, it should come as no surprise that there is nudity, but nearly all male (except for a woman in a bathtub in a definitely non-sexual moment). As an ally, I have no problem with man-on-man sex scenes, though I’m not turned on by it (same with women-on-women, but I digress…). That being said, the male lead (Freeman) and his partner in the scene are handsome men, I know a lot of my friends who would happily raise an – er – eyebrow at seeing the bods, especially if you are into bears.

Brian Dorton

This is a very dark comedy geared toward the LGBTQ community, but not exclusively. There were lots of little things that made me laugh, such as Barbara calling someone named Sloan (Athena Prychodko) as “Sah-lone.”

The third act feels like it is going to be a bit anti-climactic, but instead, there is a really nice twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. Well done! It’s a bit convoluted and left me with a big question, but still so worth it.

When you decide to see this film, and you should, I recommend making it a double feature with Death Drop Gorgeous (2020; reviewed HERE) 

The extras on the Blu-ray include Deleted/Extra Scenes, Writer/Director interview, a Blooper reel, a Photo Gallery, and Trailer, which can be purchased HERE. 

IMBD Listing HERE 

 

Review: Saul at Night

 Text © Robert Barry Francos / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Saul at Night
Directed by Cory Santilli
JawDoc Productions; Utopia
85 minutes, 2019 / 2022

Covid vaccines. Voting suppression. Conspiracy theories. In all of these, and more, there is a contingent of people who believe that the government is trying to control our lives. Of course, this is mostly nonsense, but this film takes it as reality in a dystopian, twisted way. No, there’s no martial law, no Big Brother monitors. It’s all sort of mundane, really. And it is expressed in the opening shot of sheep, which could be referring to sleep, or…

In this version of society, sleep is mandatory from 10 PM to 6 AM. For everybody. Well, everybody except the titular – unrelated to “Please Call” – Saul (Kentucker Audley). For he alone is, in the words of Rhonda Sheer, up all night, for the same 8 hours everyone else is in sleepyville. While he sleeps, the world goes on around him, including his wife, Kathyrn (Stephanie Ellis) and their early teenaged daughter, Cleo (Acadia Colan). Sleep is enforced and controlled, so you fall asleep and wake up on the dot, and do not wake up in-between (do people wear adult diapers to bed, or is that controlled, too, I wonder…).

Kentucker Audley

They’re all in the same house, at the same time, but when the females are sleeping, Saul is awake with nothing to do all night, and vice versa during the day as Kathyrn goes to work and the kid attends school. For him, there is no television (no one to watch it, technically, so nothing is aired), no radio, no open stores – though everything seems to be unlocked as he wanders about, including a shopping center (Swansea Mall) and museums – since no one else is awake to steal anything; and like a vampire, no sunlight (I hope he’s getting enough Vitamin D). There are only handwritten notes passed between Saul and his family. In this world, there are no home computers, and cell phones will not work for him since there is no one awake to talk. Well, the one computer proper we do get to see is an old cathode monitor rather than a slim type. And when Saul needs to check in with the government at an office, we see green text on black screen, like coding before WYSIWYG.

Suzanne Clément

When he’s not at home, he’s roaming around an empty Providence, RI (I’m surprised the street lights are on, because in real life, they would be turned off to save government funds), until he suddenly meets someone else who is awake, French-only speaking Amalur (Suzanne Clément, who is Quebecois). After being essentially alone after over 800 days with no one to talk to, or hug, this is a blessing, and a curse. Until they meet, there is perhaps only a dozen words spoken in the film. When Amalur talks, there are very easy to read big, yellow subtitles, I’m grateful to say.

For the longest time, this is a personality study about loneliness, and the lack of mutual spontaneous affection. Even though Saul and Amalur don’t understand each other’s monologs, talking past each other, the sound of another’s voice draws them to each other, even though they both have families. And yet, for some reason, we see the effects on the daytime side of Saul’s family, but not Amalur’s husband and three sons (we only see a photo of them).

There is a very subtle commentary on propaganda and mind control, as we see the rare television commercial (there is no new programming, apparently, as all we see is a clip from the politically safe The Dick Van Dyke Show from the early 1960s; MAGA?) and a billboard, both promoting sleep.

Stephanie Ellis

It’s interesting, of course, to see the slow burn relationship between Saul and Amalur, as they both try to communicate the best they can, and not let emotions muck things up, which of course they do, but not necessarily how one might imagine. The film does not take the easy or obvious road, but perhaps a more realistic one. Emotions and nerves are close to the edge for all involved, not just for Saul and Amalur.

The film has been described as science fiction, which is nonsense. I’m sure in the mind of whomever wrote their publicity the fact that it’s a dystopian, authoritarian existence that may be what gave them that idea as a descriptor, but with voting rights being stomped on and a possible Gilead in our future, where technology is controlled by the government, the alterations would be in shades of difference from our current reality, rather than some grand Zardoz (1974), Logan’s Run (1976) or even Orwell’s 1984 perspective. There is an old bon mot that states that films about the past and future are really about the present. This one is especially true.

Considering this is the director’s initial feature after a few shorts, it is quite the impressive debut. The acting is all top notch, though considering the history of the talent that is hardly surprising, and despite the slow and steady pace, there is still a feeling of tension and urgency among the angst. A beautiful and moving film, as well as a warning of what may be around the corner.

Available on AppleTV, Amazon, and Altavod.

IMBD Listing HERE 

 

Reviews: Nocturna: Side A – The Great Old Man’s Night; Nocturna: Side B: Where the Elephants Go to Die

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

 Both these films are on iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Vimeo, DirecTv, local cable and satellite providers, and on a single-disc DVD. The trailers for the films will be at the very bottom of the blog.

Nocturna: Side A – The Great Old Man’s Night (aka Nocturna: Lado A – La noche del hombre grande)
Directed by Gonzalo Calzada
Cine Argentino; Coruva Cine; La Puerta Cinematografica; Breaking Glass Pictures
107 minutes, 2021
https://alief.co.uk/NOCTURNA

This will be the third and fourth film from Argentina that I will have reviewed on this blog, the others being Francesca (2015) and What theWaters Left Behind (2017; aka Los Olivados). Each of these films is quite different, but one thing that runs in common is the intensity. If you were expecting light fare like Mexican Santo releases, you have ladrò up the wrong árbol.

This is an intense study, focusing on a 100-year-old man, Ulises (actor and playwright Pepe Soriano, who has won the Argentine Critics Association Award three times, was also a Valladolid best actor winner, and was nominated for a Spanish Academy Goya Award; he is in his early 90s), facing his mortality, is working his way through remembrances and forgetfulness, as his age tugs at his present and past, and the holes of memory in between. His past is represented by a childhood self (Jenaro Nouet) from the day he met his wife, Dalia (Marilú Marini, who is often known for a number of French films from the 1970s and ‘80s) that is also represented by her younger version (Mora Della Veccia).

Pepe Soriano

It almost appears as time is fluid in many ways, as the film plays with the reality of the moment and the tricky bits of memory and its holes. For example, an event might be mentioned at some point, and then it happens. While this is purposefully unsettling and occasionally confusing at some point, it shows the mind of this older man, and his relationship with his wife.

Also involved is the kind-hearted building manager, Daniel (Lautaro Delgato), who means well and is trying to help the occasionally befuddled Ulises as best he can. Then there is the mysterious and angry woman from upstairs, Elena (Desirée Salgueiro), who bangs on Ulises’ apartment door.

 While the film rolls out in its own time, getting the viewer a chance to get to know the characters a bit, what stands out is the emotions, which flow like rolling hills, as the old man’s chest continues to hurt and things are not always as they seem.

Marilú Marini

For some reason, some have categorized this a “horror” film, and on some level I understand why, but I beg to differ. Yes, there are intense moments filled with dread and possible ghosts, but is it corporeal remains of people or spirits of memories, or some level of senility? This is more emotional thriller that goes at its own slow, precise pace (with moments of chill thanks to the lightening storm sounds going on outside the window and the uncertainty of what is going on). That being said, when the film premiered at Screamfest Film Festival 2021, it won many awards including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor.

Desirée Salgueiro

The camerawork is gorgeous, especially a warped glass scene where the past and present unite in a blur of images. The lighting throughout is yellowed and dim, like an old light bulb to match the mood and perhaps to reflect Ulises’ dimmer brain functions. While most of the story takes place either in Ulises’ apartment or in the hallways of the building, it never feels claustrophobic thanks to the cinematography which is, again, fluid.

The orchestrated soundtrack fits the film perfectly, swelling and rising at the same time, to help hit emotional peaks. Yeah, this is more of an poignant film than a fright-fest, but do not be surprised if, by the end (or at the end), you have a couple of tears rolling down (yeah, I did).

IMBD Listing HERE 

 

Nocturna: Side B – Where the Elephants Go to Die (aka Nocturna: Lado B – Donde los elefantes van a morir)
Directed by Gonzalo Calzada
Cine Argentino; Coruva Cine; La Puerta Cinematografica; Breaking Glass Pictures
67 minutes, 2021
https://alief.co.uk/NOCTURNA

While the first film was a bit longer than average, this one is a comparably shorter nearly featurette, at just over an hour. Likewise, this review will be relatively short, as well.

The footage here, broken up into many chapters (as was the main feature). However, there is no narrative. Images are shown that reflect the full story, and are manipulated to look like they are 8mm (or an equivalent), with grain and varying speeds, many in black and white or muted, manipulated colors. In the first chapter, the images were going by so fast, I was getting a bit of motion sickness, and I would skip this part if I were an epileptic, honestly. Or, hide the top part and just read the captions. As with Side A, the captions are incredibly easy to read, being an almost orange color, making it pop out. Also, I find most captions go faster than I can read them, but that rarely happened in either Side.

As for the text meanings, well, honestly again, it was a bit lost on me. It’s philosophical and whimsical, and often I had no idea what they were discussing (yes, I have a Master’s in Communications). This caused me to stop reading and just enjoy the footage as it went by. It feels more like an art instillation than a narrative film.

By modern U.S. standards, Side B would probably be delegated as an extra on a DVD or Blu-ray (especially the latter), which is why it makes sense that both are being released together. It kind of has the feeling of a Making Of featurette, but the footage is unique, albeit shot at the same time as Side A, almost like Outtakes of extra footage. It certainly is a curiosity, but I did find myself getting antsy by the end, but that was most likely due to my confusion than an opinion of the film proper.

IMBD Listing HERE 

Side A trailer:

Side B trailer: