Silhouette

I attended Bare Bones Film Festival this week and was personally invited by director Mitch McCleod to watch his movie Silhouette.

I don't really like horror movies but my husband does so we went to watch it.

I have to say that my high rating is because I appreciated that it was a well done movie despite some of my own feelings. I did not like this movie. It's scary, disturbing, depressing, and unpleasant and I felt nauseous after watching it, mostly because of the finale.

Still, McCleod did a wonderful job evoking those emotions and the movie is a well told story with good acting by everybody involved.

It wasn't for me but I give it a high rating because if you like scary movies then you're going to enjoy this.

It is certainly not the best movie in terms of production, but the story is interesting - with a good twist at the end, and the acting could be a little better.

But then - it is a really low budget film, so it deserves huge kudos for pulling off a film like this.

I see other reviews singing I praises but honestly this movie left me flat and actually a little annoyed. The sound is a little off, too high pitched and irritating. Also assume overly loud or unusual effects used but they aren't scary and decrease from the visual action. You can say that these things are deliberately to try and unsettle and put the audience on edge. However I just think they don't work and come across as distractions. Likewise some visual filter effects.

The dual lead actors are both very good in their roles. You can get into their respective world's and understand their actions.

Overall I found the pace too slow to really hold my attention. I do love art house movies and also quite enjoy ponderous movies. Unfortunately this one just didn't create enough to engage me.

This is a dark movie. I mean that every scene is shot in very low light, sometimes to the point of making you strain to see what is going on. Probably this was intended to add to the depressing and gloomy feeling of the main characters, but some light and less shaky camera work would hardly cheer it up. The woman is clearly a basket case, and maybe the film seems slow because so much time is spent showing this. For a low budget film, it's a worthy effort, and it's a good story, but I found it kind of dragging along. I would have liked a clearer understanding of how the husband felt, without just seeing him look sad all the time. His character is left to just show us that he seeks out other female company, but he is never shown explaining why. I guess his wife has always been a bit of a basket case? Or has been since the child got sick? This is a very grim tale, but not particularly scary. I watch a lot of horror movies, so those who do not as well may find it more scary. It is not gory, there is some blood but nothing gross. Personally, I like my grim tales to be a bit more terrifying, or more of a thriller. The actors are good, it's not a bad movie, especially for the budget, but I can't help feeling this could have been better.

I really enjoyed this movie, a lot really. And the twist, omg. I'm not gonna spoil it but yeah... A Haunting In Texas aka Silhouette is a really good movie.