Reviews

The first thing that I want to say about this film is that it's clear that Director Chris Maes has a genuine passion for special effects, and has a deep admiration of the genre. As I was watching, it was fun for me to discover some of the inspiration that came from Sci-Fi classics such as Ridley Scott's Alien, and even some more obscure titles like Outland, starring Sean Connery and directed by Peter Hyams. It's also genuinely entertaining to me as an afficionao of independent films to see what can be accomplished when a Director/Producer has to overcome budget limitations. That's when real creativity comes to the fore. With that in mind, an ambitious film like this certainly can't be judged in the same category as something that came out of a major Hollywood studio and must be evaluated as such. That said, there were some scenes that rang true for the genre, Some beautiful composition of scenes, and others that brought a chuckle, such as a ceramic pedestal sink on a space station hovering on the dark side of Mercury. My wife and I got a good laugh out of that one! The script itself is interesting, and makes a 180 near the end of the film, to find out what that is, I guess you'll just have to watch, but it certainly caught us off-guard! The one real criticism I have is with this film is that some of the acting and directing didn't convey the gravitas of the situation that the main characters faced. Missing crew, a dead body, adrift on the dark side of Mercury, with no rescue team imminent, and IT that might be a little shady MIGHT be a situation where those who are still alive MIGHT have a little more urgency.

So. In end times, what happens to the humanity of ordinary people? Do people revert to the law of the jungle, or do they do their best to retain some semblance of decency and empathy in the face of impending doom? This film addresses these questions, as the main characters, Paul & Felicity try to come to terms with grief and mental illness even as the ultimate conclusion of mankind plays as a subplot. This film looks at the apocalypse on an indie level, with the human stories that continue to evolve despite what the universe has in mind for earth. It's a story that is earnest in its approach, as there is no humor to be found, given the heft of its subject. The opening scene sets the tone, as an acquaintance of main character Paul, deliberately ends his life, rather than face life on earth's ultimate conclusion. Ultimately though, it's the ability to find and embrace forgiveness that is one of the defining features of this film, just as forgiveness is a hallmark of an evolved human being. Its a smaller story of two people doing the best, regardless of the enormity of their larger reality. Overall, a well-made indie film with solid acting, directing and writing, plus a very polished look. It's a film that should inspire conversation, and for that alone, it's a recommended watch from me.

Talent Keyhole has some genuinely interesting visual compositions throughout the entire film, along with synthesizer music that harkens back to many of the thrillers that came out of the 70s and 80s. As I listened to the original compositions, my first impression was that multi-threat director and composer Michael Lauter took much of his inspiration from John Carpenter - who scored many of his own films, making him a great film auteur to emulate. I found the shot composition throughout to be very good, almost as if a set designer directed the film. Things bog down in the story telling, however. There are a lot of things going on, and sometimes the narrative isn't clear. The actors in the film are very good-looking too. Unfortunately, this is where the film loses some of its mojo. The lead actress's acting doesn't match their good looks and there are few particularly wooden sequences that may have been aided by tighter editing. Overall, it's obvious that writer/director Michael Lauter accomplished many of his creative visions for the look of the film, and it's clear he has a passion for visuals and shot composition.

As a connoisseur of indie films, I am often disappointed with the overall quality of many projects. However, this excellent film surprised me on multiple levels. The performances and direction are very good, the acting is professional, and the overall production clearly placed a premium on every technical aspect, with good sound and vivid imagery. The story itself is also compelling. Being able to cope with devastating loss through the use of virtual reality is an intriguing subject. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind " investigated this concept on an entirely different level, as it was a film about romantic loss. This one is about loss, yes, but the loss of a child, and a hi-tech way of dealing with trauma. It would be difficult for any human to predetermine how they would behave in such a situation, and in this film, virtual reality is utilized to exact revenge on those perceived to have contributed to a child's death. While watching this film, it was often difficult to determine what was real real, and what wasn't, adding to the intrigue. I also enjoyed the twist at the end. Overall, a recommended watch from me!

Came across this one on Tubi last night, and I'm glad that I found it. I think I would call this one more of a dramedy, because of some of the more adult situations in story, with laughs gently sprinkled throughout. I also thought that it portrayed men in relationships in a different way than I often have seen in the past. Instead of making the male lead a buffoon, the story presented him as a responsible, sane, and successful black veterinarian. I appreciate stories that show decency in men, in spite of some of the roadblocks that are thrown their way. Female lead was a little bit more complex, as she was shown to be a jumble of conflicting emotions. In addition, there are a couple of interesting subplots that add welcome wrinkles to the story. There are a few unavoidable indie imperfections, but I overall enjoyed this movie and I think that fans of more serious RomComs will enjoy too.

When I watched this film last night, I knew almost from the beginning that I was watching a quality piece. Often, when it comes to low-budget features that isn't the case, and I am grateful for the look and feel of this film. Also, this is the story of a murder that happened long long ago, based on a true story. However, the story is not a well-known one. Often times movies that take on mysteries such as this are televised on shows like "Forensic Files" or are highly publicized crimes that are been dramatized for Hollywood. This one, however, is much smaller than that. It tells the story of young jealous love, and the the emotional aftermath that it can have on a family dynamic. Filmed on the south side of Chicago, the locations are appropriately gritty and working class. The acting and direction are solid, the script is detailed, and the narrative is never left me scratching my head. If true crime stories are your thing, there's a lot to like about this film.

"Bugs: A Trilogy" is a fun, crisply made movie that goes deep into body horror, and has a unique female perspective with its subject matter. Each short segment picks specific little critters to move the story along, so if you dig the idea of watching creepy crawlies make characters squirm, this one is for you. Black widows, parasitic worms, and bedbugs are all utilized to maximum effect, and the actors all were properly mortified, given their very icky situations. The bedbug sequence was particularly gross to me, as I once stayed in a hotel that had a bad infestation, which at the time, literally gave me nightmares. This is a well-done indie body horrorfest..

I've been watching indies for a long time, and this film blew the doors off 99% of them in terms of unpredictability, which these days only indies seem to achieve. There are scenes that the only reaction can be is..."whaaaaaaa???" When Jesus made his first appearance as a very flamboyant, very gay, black man on skates and wearing daisy dukes with a metallic top, it became clear that the film makers have IDEAS. Then add Satan as a skeevy dude-bro, and The Supreme Being as a snarky, busty snark mistress, and you have a film that kinda exists outside most boxes. Like most indies, the acting goes from sublime to not-so-much, and there are the sound EFX and canned music that immediately shout "low budget", but don't let that stop you from checking this one out. The director and the writer have a quirky perspective that comes though on screen, and gotta say, I appreciated how those unique voices were shown visually. Disclaimer: I watched this film after a little bit of innocent imbibing, and I'm glad I did. It made the absurdity of the proceedings even more interesting!

Women and their adventures on motorcycle trips is the overall theme of this documentary, and the concept works very well to convey multiple stories and an eclectic collection of real-life characters who find meaning in their travels. This is clearly a passion project of the director, who does an outstanding job of presenting many angles of this interesting subject. Documentaries have lately become a go-to genre for my wife and I, as their narratives seem to carry far more weight than most movies these days. This film was an enjoyable watch, and we found it informative and entertaining. And after watching, I'm compelled to get my next bike!

First off, I read some of the reviews of this film, and I found a lot of the vitriol unwarranted. This is a low budget film and should be viewed through that lens. Perhaps aficionados of these types of films are snarky and difficult to please, which I understand, because making genre films like this is very difficult. Most every subject has been explored to the nth degree, and original ideas are few and far between in the genre. The last horror film I admired was "It Follows" which has a terrific concept for the script and very good execution. But these days, most horror is in the zombie sub-genre, and that is getting WAY long in the tooth. In "Terror Trips", there is the familiar storyline of Americans being in a far off land, and running into strangers that are FAR less than solid citizens, as they pick off the young Americans one by one. While watching, I could see that there is an aesthetic at work that transcends most indie films, with solid locations that fit the story well, generally solid acting, and crisp visuals. Having never seen "Hostel" and its various sequels and imitators, I don't have the ability to compare, but once this one got going, I was into the story and the plight of titscharacters. That said, I awaited the conclusion of the film to be a neat wrap-up, but instead I got something a somewhat more vague than what I would have liked, as one of the main characters' escape from the evil foreigners went unaddressed. Not certain why the film makers decided to forego that aspect of the story, which could have added a satisfying bookend to the movie, instead opting to show two of the other protagonist's nihilistic end. Perhaps others may appreciate the conclusion though. Overall, a solid effort, and something that horror fans and indie film connoiseurs may enjoy.

This film showcases quadruple threat Jody Mortara's emerging talents as a film maker. She has penned a sweet tale of two sisters trying to find success together but running into challenges that test them in ways big and small. The central conceit of the film is that they have a devised a delicious chocolate cake recipe that when you indulge, actually helps folks LOSE weight. Of course this brilliant idea has enormous business potential, but there is always the question of where seed money comes from. Naturally, there are businessmen of questionable ethics who are brought in on the deal, pushing the sisters into situations they never dreamed of. Overall this is a pleasant indie, with nothing offensive, other than a small threat of violence. There are ongoing comedic moments, in a couple instances, I found the acting to be a little too broad for my tastes, as the cast aims for slapstick and sight gags. Which upon a little reflection many viewers might enjoy. I think this film would have benefitted from more sharply written and crisply sites jokes, but that's a small issue. Ms. Mortara also edited and acted as music supervisor, and one can see the genesis of a multi-talented film maker. After watching, I feel that someday I'll be able to say I was one of the first on the Mortara Train!

One of the most difficult things to do in cinema is to convey deep emotional damage visually. Feelings aren't visual, but emotions can be captured in a variety of ways, and that was the approach adopted by writer/director Vineesha Arora-Sarin. Told in three distinct chapters, the film shows the recovery journey of a man who has experienced life-altering loss. The film is a visual journey at its heart, using nature as a both a catalyst and a metaphor, which is something that cinephiles will appreciate. Sumptuous shots of California's forested vistas create a mood of hope and understanding, as Amit Sarin's character of Johnny Morris ascends from the depths of his despair. This film succeeds from an artistic standpoint, but as I watched, I found myself wanting to relate to Johnny's recovery journey in a parallel storyline, that pulled me deeper into his back story, with perhaps a couple lighter moments to ease the deep sadness of the story. Still, film fests clearly love this film, and who would have ever guessed that iPhone footage could looks so great! An overall ambitious piece, one that may help others face their own feelings in the face of tragedy.

"Happy wife, happy life" ... it's a false truth. It should also read, "happy hubby, keeps you bubbly"! Anyway, when this one opens, it's pretty clear that wifey 'ain't happy. Not by a LONG shot. Hubby is, but that's because he makes constant choices to be happy, in spite of his angry spouse. And when dinner Easter plans change, unhappy wife becomes VERY unhappy spouse, making things even more challenging. Billy (Monte James) does a nice job playing a level-headed husband who is trying to balance home and work life, and it's not looking good. Anasio Obioha (Bobby) is a funky wife character. She's tough on her husband and is overall pretty demanding, wanting a life where SHE gets served, not the other way around. What's even more interesting is that she works as a marriage counselor, which is even weirder, because her own behavior would make any adult male divorce her in two seconds flat. Then TWO replacement couples drop in on the dysfunctional for a lovely easter dinner. It's goes about as well as you expect to, and then....well you'll just have to catch the rest for yourself. This one got a few solid laughs out of me, and it had me yelling at Bobby to be more decent to her obviously too-good for her husband. Anytime you get that engaged, that's a very good thing!