Krisha (2016)

(Flash Review)This was a tough tale to watch to play out. A supposedly recovering alcoholic and substance abuser, who has avoided her family for a long time do to erratic behavior, gets invited to a large family dinner. Even from the start, you can see the ominous writing on the wall by the sounds she hears in her head and how she perceives the crowded and bustling house accentuated by clever cinematography. As the event goes on, her emotional state and anxiety begins to ramp up. Will she be able to keep her emotional state in check or will she fall back to her old ways? This movie was not super fun to watch because it was depressing and highlights this type of person's problems and how they affect others around her. This was well-made and had an independent film feel. But in the end, I was left with nothing to take away or ponder. What was the director's message?

I've been highly anticipating the film, It Comes at Night, opening in theaters on June 9th. From watching the trailer alone, I was impressed by the look and feel of the film. It Comes at Night is only the second feature film by director/writer, Trey Edward Shults. His first feature film was released in 2015 entitled, Krisha. This film follows a woman named Krisha as she sets out to spend Thanksgiving weekend with her family. Krisha has been estranged for her family for ten years, apparently due to a substance abuse problem she used to have. Newly clean, Krisha reaches out to her sister with the hopes of reconnecting with her family and regaining their trust. However, it seems that Krisha is still battling her demons, and a downward spiral is imminent.Read more on my blog - http://sffilmbuff.blogspot.com

I love Indies! I'm myself an independent filmmaker. But I hate twisted dysfunctional people vomiting their nonsense within the garb of offbeat movies! I mean what the hell was the point of this film. There is this neurotic, troubled loser of a woman torturing us for 83 minutes. Such people need help, not glorification through films. Not sure what was going on in the minds of Cannes or SXSW jury to award this film with so many accolades.

Where to begin? . . . . Cinema, at its best, is an experience. It is a medium through which the viewer is engaged; titillated, repulsed, shocked, confounded, angered, humored or otherwise incited to feel any number of emotions among the spectrum of the human experience. As an avid movie- watcher, it is sometimes easy to forget the potential and power of the medium.Going into the film, I knew close to nothing: something about a thanksgiving dinner complicated by an estranged and drug-addled family member. I had no expectations other than to be entertained, which has unfortunately become the basic function of most mainstream filmmaking. One and a half hours later, I was absolutely floored. Mouth agape and scrambling to find out who the cast and director were, as well of the title of an immaculately applied Nina Simone track in one of the most poignant scenes I remember having seen in a long time.The film's 27-year-old director (writer and editor to boot) Trey Edward Schults exhibits such a masterful technical literacy in the editing and execution of this film, it is hard to believe that it is his first feature. I am so pleased to see a filmmaker who is so consciously aware that the camera, not the actors, is the primary storyteller. It reminds me that the director is still the auteur, and not just a shot-manager who is paid to dress up performances.Even so, Krisha Fairchild's performance will forever be burned into my brain. It is not always easy to watch, as it surely was not easy to perform, but even if the film's execution had been otherwise mediocre, it would still be worth the rental price to watch this gem in action.I hope I've piqued any prospective viewers' interest. I will keep it short from here on out. I give the film 9 out of 10 stars for several reasons.1. Aforementioned Shults' direction and Fairchild's performance. 2. The film's testament to the fact that vision and execution will always trump budget and star- power. Let that be a lesson to the industry! 3. The soundtrack is unique and extremely emotionally manipulative.I hope Mr. Schults will grow and continue to do very promising things in the future. I also hope that other young independent film-makers like Shults will emerge, paying homage to the greats (as Shults seemed to have done with the Shining here) while offering their own novel and idiosyncratic language. Bravo.