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Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated the Nintendo Switch version of PuPaiPo Space Deluxe in Video Games
Jan 21, 2020
Quick Gameplay (2 more)
Challenging
Adorable design
A Fun Fast Game
PuPaiPo Space Deluxe is a fun, fast paced game in which you battle wave after wave of enemies, shooting and dodging in order to survive and continue to the next stage. Each stage has it's own unique design which come with their own unique looking NPC's for you to dodge and shoot.
From developers BolHut, who also made the challenging yet entertaining game 'You Died But A Necromancer Revived You', have brought their adorable sprites to Nintendo Switch once again with their remastered deluxe edition of their very first game PuPaiPo Space.
You have a choice of characters to play as such as a rocket man, a pink octopus, a wooden character and a star man (not their official names), and with the choice to gather your friends and all play at once, you can enjoy a challenging battle to find the legendary space pizza. So gather your friends for a fun head to head co-op and see who can get the highest score and reach the pizza first, or play solo and take every slice for yourself!
The bosses of this game are challenging and fun to battle, as each loss is a learning curve in order for the player to learn each bosses move set, so that the next time you face them you can beat them with ease. Each sprite whether it's a common NPC, a boss, or the player themselves, has it's own unique personality that makes each design stand out from one another on screen, meaning you shouldn't get lost whilst flying around the armada of bullets and rockets fired.
The backgrounds for each stage give every level it's own personality as well, as each one comes with it's own types of enemies from fish in the deep water levels, to the fiery asteroids and bombs of the space levels. This keeps the game play interesting as there isn't much you can do with a shoot and dodge game, so each stage has to feel fresh and BolHut have managed to do just that with their retro art style and unique designs.
Among the battlefield, you'll also come across a variety of cool little power-ups that will aid you in your quest for the space pizza, from bigger bullets, to faster bullets, to a simple shield that helps add a little extra life to your character as you do your best to dodge the incoming dangers.
Overall the game is a fun and fast paced experience that you can either jump into to kill some time, or set up for a group of friends and challenge one another to see who can reach the pizza. It looks amazing on the switch and the sprites are adorable and unique to BolHut's style. I hope this company continues to bring more games out onto the Nintendo Switch because their designs and game play are always challenging and unique, which allows them to stand out among the ever growing library of indie games on the market.
PuPaiPo Space Deluxe is available on PC and will be available on Nintendo Switch on Thursday 23rd January 2020, but is available to pre-order now at a discounted price. However, talking of price, the release price of this game is £3.99 and any game that's this fun for under £5 is worth every penny, so go get this game, select which character you like best, give them a name that's better than any of the names I've given them in this review and find that delicious space pizza!
From developers BolHut, who also made the challenging yet entertaining game 'You Died But A Necromancer Revived You', have brought their adorable sprites to Nintendo Switch once again with their remastered deluxe edition of their very first game PuPaiPo Space.
You have a choice of characters to play as such as a rocket man, a pink octopus, a wooden character and a star man (not their official names), and with the choice to gather your friends and all play at once, you can enjoy a challenging battle to find the legendary space pizza. So gather your friends for a fun head to head co-op and see who can get the highest score and reach the pizza first, or play solo and take every slice for yourself!
The bosses of this game are challenging and fun to battle, as each loss is a learning curve in order for the player to learn each bosses move set, so that the next time you face them you can beat them with ease. Each sprite whether it's a common NPC, a boss, or the player themselves, has it's own unique personality that makes each design stand out from one another on screen, meaning you shouldn't get lost whilst flying around the armada of bullets and rockets fired.
The backgrounds for each stage give every level it's own personality as well, as each one comes with it's own types of enemies from fish in the deep water levels, to the fiery asteroids and bombs of the space levels. This keeps the game play interesting as there isn't much you can do with a shoot and dodge game, so each stage has to feel fresh and BolHut have managed to do just that with their retro art style and unique designs.
Among the battlefield, you'll also come across a variety of cool little power-ups that will aid you in your quest for the space pizza, from bigger bullets, to faster bullets, to a simple shield that helps add a little extra life to your character as you do your best to dodge the incoming dangers.
Overall the game is a fun and fast paced experience that you can either jump into to kill some time, or set up for a group of friends and challenge one another to see who can reach the pizza. It looks amazing on the switch and the sprites are adorable and unique to BolHut's style. I hope this company continues to bring more games out onto the Nintendo Switch because their designs and game play are always challenging and unique, which allows them to stand out among the ever growing library of indie games on the market.
PuPaiPo Space Deluxe is available on PC and will be available on Nintendo Switch on Thursday 23rd January 2020, but is available to pre-order now at a discounted price. However, talking of price, the release price of this game is £3.99 and any game that's this fun for under £5 is worth every penny, so go get this game, select which character you like best, give them a name that's better than any of the names I've given them in this review and find that delicious space pizza!
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Coup in Tabletop Games
Jul 17, 2020 (Updated Jul 18, 2020)
Easy to Learn (3 more)
Lying about who you are
Quick Rounds
High replayablity
Hard to Master (1 more)
Don't know who's who and who's lying
Lie, Deceit and Protray
Coup- is one of the two games i bought at this years Pax East. It is also one of the first board games that i bought. The second being Coup. Now since then I have like 25 board games. I love collecting board games cause i can either play them with my family or go solo. Personality i love going solo in board games.
I learn about this game through the Funhaus Channel. And personality wanted to buy it after watching it. It looked easy, fun and entertaining. So when i saw it at Pax i knew i had to by it. If you dont know what Coup is or never heard of it. Let me explain.
Coup came out in 2012 was published by Indie Boards & Cards for 2-6 players.
In Coup you are head of a family in an Italian city-state, a city run by a weak and corrupt court. You need to manipulate, bluff and bribe your way to power. Your object is to destroy the influence of all the other families, forcing them into exile. Only one family will survive...
Gameplay:
In Coup, you want to be the last player with influence in the game, with influence being represented by face-down character cards in your playing area.
Each player starts the game with two coins and two influence – i.e., two face-down character cards; the fifteen card deck consists of three copies of five different characters, each with a unique set of powers:
Duke: Take three coins from the treasury. Block someone from taking foreign aid.
Assassin: Pay three coins and try to assassinate another player's character.
Contessa: Block an assassination attempt against yourself.
Captain: Take two coins from another player, or block someone from stealing coins from you.
Ambassador: Draw two character cards from the Court (the deck), choose which (if any) to exchange with your face-down characters, then return two. Block someone from stealing coins from you.
On your turn, you can take any of the actions listed above, regardless of which characters you actually have in front of you, or you can take one of three other actions:
Income: Take one coin from the treasury.
Foreign aid: Take two coins from the treasury.
Coup: Pay seven coins and launch a coup against an opponent, forcing that player to lose an influence. (If you have ten coins or more, you must take this action.)
When you take one of the character actions – whether actively on your turn, or defensively in response to someone else's action – that character's action automatically succeeds unless an opponent challenges you. In this case, if you can't (or don't) reveal the appropriate character, you lose an influence, turning one of your characters face-up. Face-up characters cannot be used, and if both of your characters are face-up, you're out of the game.
If you do have the character in question and choose to reveal it, the opponent loses an influence, then you shuffle that character into the deck and draw a new one, perhaps getting the same character again and perhaps not.
The last player to still have influence – that is, a face-down character – wins the game!
Its a fun entertaining deduction party card game and a must play if you havent played it yet.
I learn about this game through the Funhaus Channel. And personality wanted to buy it after watching it. It looked easy, fun and entertaining. So when i saw it at Pax i knew i had to by it. If you dont know what Coup is or never heard of it. Let me explain.
Coup came out in 2012 was published by Indie Boards & Cards for 2-6 players.
In Coup you are head of a family in an Italian city-state, a city run by a weak and corrupt court. You need to manipulate, bluff and bribe your way to power. Your object is to destroy the influence of all the other families, forcing them into exile. Only one family will survive...
Gameplay:
In Coup, you want to be the last player with influence in the game, with influence being represented by face-down character cards in your playing area.
Each player starts the game with two coins and two influence – i.e., two face-down character cards; the fifteen card deck consists of three copies of five different characters, each with a unique set of powers:
Duke: Take three coins from the treasury. Block someone from taking foreign aid.
Assassin: Pay three coins and try to assassinate another player's character.
Contessa: Block an assassination attempt against yourself.
Captain: Take two coins from another player, or block someone from stealing coins from you.
Ambassador: Draw two character cards from the Court (the deck), choose which (if any) to exchange with your face-down characters, then return two. Block someone from stealing coins from you.
On your turn, you can take any of the actions listed above, regardless of which characters you actually have in front of you, or you can take one of three other actions:
Income: Take one coin from the treasury.
Foreign aid: Take two coins from the treasury.
Coup: Pay seven coins and launch a coup against an opponent, forcing that player to lose an influence. (If you have ten coins or more, you must take this action.)
When you take one of the character actions – whether actively on your turn, or defensively in response to someone else's action – that character's action automatically succeeds unless an opponent challenges you. In this case, if you can't (or don't) reveal the appropriate character, you lose an influence, turning one of your characters face-up. Face-up characters cannot be used, and if both of your characters are face-up, you're out of the game.
If you do have the character in question and choose to reveal it, the opponent loses an influence, then you shuffle that character into the deck and draw a new one, perhaps getting the same character again and perhaps not.
The last player to still have influence – that is, a face-down character – wins the game!
Its a fun entertaining deduction party card game and a must play if you havent played it yet.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Maggie (2015) in Movies
Nov 1, 2020
Maggie: More Drama Then Zombies In This Zombie Film (4/10)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Maggie is a 2015 Horror/Drama film directed by Henry Hobson and written by John Scott 3. It was produced by Grindstone Entertainment Group, Gold Star Films, Lotus Entertainment, Silver Reel, Matt Baer Films and Sly Predator and distributed by Lionsgate Films and Roadside Attractions. The movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, and Joely Richardson.
Society struggles to function in the aftermath of a zombie pandemic (Necroambulism) barely under control in the present-day Midwestern United States. Maggie's father Wade (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has searched two weeks for her, finally finding her in a hospital for the infected. Maggie Vogel (Abigail Breslin) had left a voicemail urging that he not seek her and that she loved him. Her arm was bitten and knowing she has only weeks before the "Necroambulist virus" turns her cannibalistic, she left home to protect her family. He brings Maggie home to care for her until she must eventually be quarantined.
As far as zombie movies go, this was a big let down. At first I thought the title was a red flag because what zombie movie would be called "Maggie" right? Well, I was right, not much of a zombie movie. And I was excited going into it too because Arnold was the most serious I've seen him in a role, like possibly ever. He did a great job and actually all the actors did a decent job, it's just the movie turned into a complete drama film and not a zombie movie at all. It was more of a coming to terms of the death of a person then about survival horror or anything close to it. If your looking for a really tame zombie movie then this is your jam. For me I was so disappointed because it's an ok movie on it's own and pretty emotional but just not for me. I give it a 4/10. And suggest if your are looking for a good zombie movie to watch, you skip this one.
Spoiler Section Review:
Man, I was so hyped for this movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a zombie movie, hell yeah. And that other girl Abigail Breslin from Zombieland, I was like this is going to be cool. From the trailer, I already knew that this looked like it was going to be a more serious tone kind of movie and very emotional but what a let down. I mean I was so disappointed in this movie. I was hoping it would be an "Arnold" kind of movie but it was more of an "indie" film. It was very emotional as it would be because the character's are dealing with death in a very surreal way and having a long time to contemplate everything about it. Very different from most zombie movies and really somber. Not a bad movie but not what I look for in a good zombie movie. That first zombie scene with Arnold and the zombie in the restroom was probably the best part of the movie and it sucked. Arnold kills the zombie by choking it or breaking it's neck from choking it. I mean c'mon, you can't kill zombies that way. Anyways I gave this movie a 4/10 and suggest watching a different zombie movie if you want to see something entertaining.
Society struggles to function in the aftermath of a zombie pandemic (Necroambulism) barely under control in the present-day Midwestern United States. Maggie's father Wade (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has searched two weeks for her, finally finding her in a hospital for the infected. Maggie Vogel (Abigail Breslin) had left a voicemail urging that he not seek her and that she loved him. Her arm was bitten and knowing she has only weeks before the "Necroambulist virus" turns her cannibalistic, she left home to protect her family. He brings Maggie home to care for her until she must eventually be quarantined.
As far as zombie movies go, this was a big let down. At first I thought the title was a red flag because what zombie movie would be called "Maggie" right? Well, I was right, not much of a zombie movie. And I was excited going into it too because Arnold was the most serious I've seen him in a role, like possibly ever. He did a great job and actually all the actors did a decent job, it's just the movie turned into a complete drama film and not a zombie movie at all. It was more of a coming to terms of the death of a person then about survival horror or anything close to it. If your looking for a really tame zombie movie then this is your jam. For me I was so disappointed because it's an ok movie on it's own and pretty emotional but just not for me. I give it a 4/10. And suggest if your are looking for a good zombie movie to watch, you skip this one.
Spoiler Section Review:
Man, I was so hyped for this movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a zombie movie, hell yeah. And that other girl Abigail Breslin from Zombieland, I was like this is going to be cool. From the trailer, I already knew that this looked like it was going to be a more serious tone kind of movie and very emotional but what a let down. I mean I was so disappointed in this movie. I was hoping it would be an "Arnold" kind of movie but it was more of an "indie" film. It was very emotional as it would be because the character's are dealing with death in a very surreal way and having a long time to contemplate everything about it. Very different from most zombie movies and really somber. Not a bad movie but not what I look for in a good zombie movie. That first zombie scene with Arnold and the zombie in the restroom was probably the best part of the movie and it sucked. Arnold kills the zombie by choking it or breaking it's neck from choking it. I mean c'mon, you can't kill zombies that way. Anyways I gave this movie a 4/10 and suggest watching a different zombie movie if you want to see something entertaining.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Little Miss Sunshine (2006) in Movies
Mar 24, 2021
Adorably heartwarming
Film #17 on the 100 Movies Bucket List: Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine is a quirky gem of an indie film from 2006 that whilst a favourite of mine and Oscar nominated, has likely flown below the radar for many mainstream viewers. Which is a huge shame as this is such a fun, heartwarming and enjoyable film
Directed by husband and wife team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Little Miss Sunshine follows the life of the dysfunctional Hoover family from New Mexico. The Hoovers are a family of unfortunates, misfits and losers, and probably one of the most realistic family depictions you’ll ever seen on screen outside of reality TV. There’s Sheryl (Toni Collette), the harassed mum who keeps her family fed on fast food. Dad Richard (Greg Kinnear) who’s trying to peddle a failing business that focuses on teaching others the secrets to success. Grandpa Edwin (Alan Arkin), an ageing hippie with a drug habit that has been kicked out of his retirement home. Sheryl’s brother Frank (Steve Carell), a gay man currently recovering from a suicide attempt after his partner left him. Son Duane (Paul Dano) who’s goal to get into flight school has led him to take a vow of silence. And finally there’s young daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin), who’s obsession with beauty pageants leads the family to take a cross country trip in an ageing VW van to help her compete in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. Along the way, the family encounter a variety of mishaps and events that can potentially change their lives.
The Hoover family for the most part are ridiculously lovable and this is entirely down to their flaws that they are so likeable. Aside from Dad Richard who has a number of questionable ethics and morals that demean others, the family and their unique quirky personalities are the main reason why this film is so enjoyable. And the fact that the entire family are all brought together by young Olive across the span of the film makes this incredibly heartwarming. Olive is an underdog and being realistic, not the type of girl who you’d see in your typical American beauty pageant, but you still find yourself rooting for her all the same.
The cast are fantastic and while you can always rely on Toni Collette, Alan Arkin and Greg Kinnear, it’s Steve Carell and Abigail Breslin that shine brightest. Until this, I didn’t think Steve Carell could do serious and especially not a role that like. But he excels, bringing a sad, intelligent air to Frank and personally I think this is his best role to date. And then there’s Abigail Breslin, a 9 year old who steals the show and pulls the entire cast and film together. Together with a clever, well written script, the cast pull together a heartwarming and surprisingly funny film where emotions and family are key to an eventful road trip.
What I enjoyed the most about Little Miss Sunshine is that while the journey the family take is obviously most important, we do at least get the joy of seeing Olive enter the beauty pageant and this is such a fitting end to the story. There may be some slightly unbelievable or predictable events that occur across the journey (the police traffic stop being one), but ultimately you come out of this feeling incredibly satisfied and rather warm and fuzzy inside. One of the most enjoyable family road trip movies I’ve ever seen.
Little Miss Sunshine is a quirky gem of an indie film from 2006 that whilst a favourite of mine and Oscar nominated, has likely flown below the radar for many mainstream viewers. Which is a huge shame as this is such a fun, heartwarming and enjoyable film
Directed by husband and wife team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Little Miss Sunshine follows the life of the dysfunctional Hoover family from New Mexico. The Hoovers are a family of unfortunates, misfits and losers, and probably one of the most realistic family depictions you’ll ever seen on screen outside of reality TV. There’s Sheryl (Toni Collette), the harassed mum who keeps her family fed on fast food. Dad Richard (Greg Kinnear) who’s trying to peddle a failing business that focuses on teaching others the secrets to success. Grandpa Edwin (Alan Arkin), an ageing hippie with a drug habit that has been kicked out of his retirement home. Sheryl’s brother Frank (Steve Carell), a gay man currently recovering from a suicide attempt after his partner left him. Son Duane (Paul Dano) who’s goal to get into flight school has led him to take a vow of silence. And finally there’s young daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin), who’s obsession with beauty pageants leads the family to take a cross country trip in an ageing VW van to help her compete in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. Along the way, the family encounter a variety of mishaps and events that can potentially change their lives.
The Hoover family for the most part are ridiculously lovable and this is entirely down to their flaws that they are so likeable. Aside from Dad Richard who has a number of questionable ethics and morals that demean others, the family and their unique quirky personalities are the main reason why this film is so enjoyable. And the fact that the entire family are all brought together by young Olive across the span of the film makes this incredibly heartwarming. Olive is an underdog and being realistic, not the type of girl who you’d see in your typical American beauty pageant, but you still find yourself rooting for her all the same.
The cast are fantastic and while you can always rely on Toni Collette, Alan Arkin and Greg Kinnear, it’s Steve Carell and Abigail Breslin that shine brightest. Until this, I didn’t think Steve Carell could do serious and especially not a role that like. But he excels, bringing a sad, intelligent air to Frank and personally I think this is his best role to date. And then there’s Abigail Breslin, a 9 year old who steals the show and pulls the entire cast and film together. Together with a clever, well written script, the cast pull together a heartwarming and surprisingly funny film where emotions and family are key to an eventful road trip.
What I enjoyed the most about Little Miss Sunshine is that while the journey the family take is obviously most important, we do at least get the joy of seeing Olive enter the beauty pageant and this is such a fitting end to the story. There may be some slightly unbelievable or predictable events that occur across the journey (the police traffic stop being one), but ultimately you come out of this feeling incredibly satisfied and rather warm and fuzzy inside. One of the most enjoyable family road trip movies I’ve ever seen.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Every Time I Die (2019) in Movies
Oct 26, 2020
Not to be confused with No Time To Die, this indie supernatural thriller is lacking in big-budget polish and characters that you feel invested in, but manages to get by on an interesting concept and some sharp execution.
We begin with Sam (Drew Fonteiro), seeing what he sees as he gently blinks open his eyes to reveal Mia (Melissa Macedo) alongside him in bed. Sam has had a nightmare, and as he heads into the bathroom, he begins to experience an uncomfortable buzzing in his head, which leads to a blackout. When Sam comes around again, he’s crouched on the floor at work, with no memory as to how he arrived there. He’s wearing a paramedic uniform and holding a photo of two children, a brother and sister. On the back of the photo is written ‘remember Sara’.
Sam’s work colleague and friend, Jay (Marc Menchaca) invites Sam to join him and his wife Poppy (Michelle Macedo) at a lodge for the weekend. Poppy is the twin sister of Mia, who we saw in bed with Sam earlier and both Mia and her husband Tyler are also at the lodge. Tyler is a soldier, suffering from PTSD, and it’s clear that Sam and Mia have been having an affair behind his back, which now puts Sam in a bit of an awkward situation.
By this point, we’ve already witnessed Sam experiencing several more blackouts, including one while driving to the lodge. Each time, Sam has no recollection of what happened during the blackout, although a video recorded during one of the blackouts by his friends, shows that he does remain conscious and able to hold a conversation. Occasionally we get flashbacks and dream sequences which reveal that the brother and sister from the photo earlier are in fact Sam and his sister Sara, who drowned in a terrible accident when they were both children.
The first half of Every Time I Die is a slow, frustrating experience, not helped by the fact that the character of Sam is incredibly dull. Consequently, we feel no emotional connection to Sam, despite the childhood trauma he suffered and the turmoil he now experiences as an adult. Thankfully, the second half picks up when a jealous Tyler discovers that his wife has been cheating on him with Sam and murders Sam out by a lake in the forest. Thanks to the first-person perspective that was utilised earlier, we discover that Sam then transferred into the body of friend Jay, and must now try and convince his friends what Tyler has done. Not an easy task when Jay has a history of mental illness, leading the others to believe he’s had a relapse.
From there, Every Time I Die is just a roller coaster ride of clever ideas and twists, constantly dragged down by further flashbacks and confusing dream sequences, which are meant to help us and Sam understand what happened to him and his sister, but repeatedly stall the narrative momentum instead.
That being said, for the most part, I really enjoyed Every Time I Die. Aside from the slow first half, and the character of Sam, it’s well written, well crafted and with a satisfying, heart-warming finale.
We begin with Sam (Drew Fonteiro), seeing what he sees as he gently blinks open his eyes to reveal Mia (Melissa Macedo) alongside him in bed. Sam has had a nightmare, and as he heads into the bathroom, he begins to experience an uncomfortable buzzing in his head, which leads to a blackout. When Sam comes around again, he’s crouched on the floor at work, with no memory as to how he arrived there. He’s wearing a paramedic uniform and holding a photo of two children, a brother and sister. On the back of the photo is written ‘remember Sara’.
Sam’s work colleague and friend, Jay (Marc Menchaca) invites Sam to join him and his wife Poppy (Michelle Macedo) at a lodge for the weekend. Poppy is the twin sister of Mia, who we saw in bed with Sam earlier and both Mia and her husband Tyler are also at the lodge. Tyler is a soldier, suffering from PTSD, and it’s clear that Sam and Mia have been having an affair behind his back, which now puts Sam in a bit of an awkward situation.
By this point, we’ve already witnessed Sam experiencing several more blackouts, including one while driving to the lodge. Each time, Sam has no recollection of what happened during the blackout, although a video recorded during one of the blackouts by his friends, shows that he does remain conscious and able to hold a conversation. Occasionally we get flashbacks and dream sequences which reveal that the brother and sister from the photo earlier are in fact Sam and his sister Sara, who drowned in a terrible accident when they were both children.
The first half of Every Time I Die is a slow, frustrating experience, not helped by the fact that the character of Sam is incredibly dull. Consequently, we feel no emotional connection to Sam, despite the childhood trauma he suffered and the turmoil he now experiences as an adult. Thankfully, the second half picks up when a jealous Tyler discovers that his wife has been cheating on him with Sam and murders Sam out by a lake in the forest. Thanks to the first-person perspective that was utilised earlier, we discover that Sam then transferred into the body of friend Jay, and must now try and convince his friends what Tyler has done. Not an easy task when Jay has a history of mental illness, leading the others to believe he’s had a relapse.
From there, Every Time I Die is just a roller coaster ride of clever ideas and twists, constantly dragged down by further flashbacks and confusing dream sequences, which are meant to help us and Sam understand what happened to him and his sister, but repeatedly stall the narrative momentum instead.
That being said, for the most part, I really enjoyed Every Time I Die. Aside from the slow first half, and the character of Sam, it’s well written, well crafted and with a satisfying, heart-warming finale.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Buster's Mal Heart (2016) in Movies
Jan 22, 2021
Remember before the digital revolution and on demand TV channels when you had to stay up late and watch the films shown after midnight to see anything outside of the mainstream? Quite often they were awful, cheap, rambling experiences that maybe had one or two memorable scenes, or something so weird that you had to find out if any of your friends had seen it. Well, this is one of those films, except it was made in 2017 and I saw it in 2020 on Netflix.
I had added it to my watchlist some time during my obsession with Rami Malek and Mr Robot, knowing he had popped up in several cameo roles in big films over the years, but keen to see him take a lead role before the Oscar train of Bohemian Rhapsody and A-list fame. It is also that kind of film that arthouse cinemas would show during indie festivals or on late night double bills; stepping stones, hopefully, for all concerned to bigger things.
Writer director Sarah Adina Smith hasn’t quite made it yet, so you probably haven’t heard of her. She directed 2 episodes of Hanna, which I liked a lot, and will be talking about on The Wasteland at some point, and a few other bits of TV, but that’s about it. Judged on this oddity there is a good deal of vision and talent going on – but not yet an eye for total coherence.
Buster doesn’t know what it is, and neither do the critics, listing it as a mystery, a drama, a thriller, a sci-fi and a crime film, which… ok, yes, it has elements of all those, but isn’t really any of them, also. The titular character played by Malek is an ethereal enigma trapped in his own weird existence, and through a series of out of time and out of sequence flashbacks we come to understand his journey and descent into madness, after encountering a down at heel salesman with a big conspiracy theory to pedal, called The Inversion.
It remains shrouded in ambiguity and strangeness for most of the modest, but not off-putting, 96 minute running time, as Malek grows a beard, loses a beard and grows a beard again. Even when all is said and done, it takes a minute to put it all together and figure out what the point of it was. As something curious to let wash over you, I have to say I kinda liked it. Malek was as committed and interesting to watch as he always is, and I was just happy that films like this can still get made.
Ultimately, possibly a short film idea stretched too thin into a feature, which is an all too familiar phenomenon for new directors. But, an idea interesting and original enough to earn the right to be thought of as “showing potential”. If Smith ever does make it as big as say Jim Jarmusch or Kelly Reichardt then the arthouse geeks like me will be looking back on this with great interest. You just wonder how many people will see it at all, now the days of post midnight movies on a set channel are pretty much over?
I had added it to my watchlist some time during my obsession with Rami Malek and Mr Robot, knowing he had popped up in several cameo roles in big films over the years, but keen to see him take a lead role before the Oscar train of Bohemian Rhapsody and A-list fame. It is also that kind of film that arthouse cinemas would show during indie festivals or on late night double bills; stepping stones, hopefully, for all concerned to bigger things.
Writer director Sarah Adina Smith hasn’t quite made it yet, so you probably haven’t heard of her. She directed 2 episodes of Hanna, which I liked a lot, and will be talking about on The Wasteland at some point, and a few other bits of TV, but that’s about it. Judged on this oddity there is a good deal of vision and talent going on – but not yet an eye for total coherence.
Buster doesn’t know what it is, and neither do the critics, listing it as a mystery, a drama, a thriller, a sci-fi and a crime film, which… ok, yes, it has elements of all those, but isn’t really any of them, also. The titular character played by Malek is an ethereal enigma trapped in his own weird existence, and through a series of out of time and out of sequence flashbacks we come to understand his journey and descent into madness, after encountering a down at heel salesman with a big conspiracy theory to pedal, called The Inversion.
It remains shrouded in ambiguity and strangeness for most of the modest, but not off-putting, 96 minute running time, as Malek grows a beard, loses a beard and grows a beard again. Even when all is said and done, it takes a minute to put it all together and figure out what the point of it was. As something curious to let wash over you, I have to say I kinda liked it. Malek was as committed and interesting to watch as he always is, and I was just happy that films like this can still get made.
Ultimately, possibly a short film idea stretched too thin into a feature, which is an all too familiar phenomenon for new directors. But, an idea interesting and original enough to earn the right to be thought of as “showing potential”. If Smith ever does make it as big as say Jim Jarmusch or Kelly Reichardt then the arthouse geeks like me will be looking back on this with great interest. You just wonder how many people will see it at all, now the days of post midnight movies on a set channel are pretty much over?
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