Windcroft

A standard "who is the real crazy" plot sends a troubled man and his dumb as rocks wife to the farm he inherited his father. There they encounter his childhood friend, who happens to be a beautiful young woman.

The story itself isn't that bad. It takes is down a respectable series of detours before it gets down to business. But the business isn't nearly as interesting as the screenwriter wants it to be. It's all something we have seen before, and all we want is for it to be over,

A good editor could have fixed the pacing. A better actress could have made me feel less homicidal about the idiotic and simpering wife. More back story about the job could have fixed the plot holes about the lead's relationship with his job. A shorter script could have chopped the parts that were like watching paint dry. More outdoors scenes could have made the setting seem more farm and less like a suburban house.

Filmmakers- don't give up. Get a more experienced director and a good script doctor.

Where did this film come from? I saw this at a festival here in Oklahoma over the weekend and it blew away the competition. It was like a cross between The Shining and Wuthering Heights, with strong characters and and a seemingly standard love story - but then it all goes crazy and turns into this scary thriller. It caught me completely off guard.

The acting was amazing, even for a cast of unknowns. The two female roles were very strong, and the lead actor seems a bit blah at first but then as the movie progressed, he got more and more sinister and frightening, ending with a performance that rivals some of Hitchcock's better villains. (The fact that I never saw the actors before this film made it more believable, and I was easily swept into the story).

The score (and the photography) was unbelievable too. It looked like a "Hollywood" movie instead of some crummy video. The rest of the movies at the fest were mediocre compared to the quality of WINDCROFT. It really is a MUST SEE for anyone who likes a truly independent film, and a great story.

First, the three main actors were great!

Second, the plot was a great, surprised me, though I was thinking something else! Great twist!

Third, on a low budget, B- movie, did pretty well.

Main thing I came away with feeling okay with a satisfactory feel. Finally an ending that is acceptable. Although it could have a different ending - perhaps with the woman coming out of a doctor's office, leaving viewers assuming what needed to happen.

(2007) Windcroft HORROR

Co-produced, co-written and directed by Evan Meszaros that has John (Joe Ryan) who has learned of his fathers death, lead his already married son, Murry (Ray Wasik) to visit an isolated farm. The movie then dwells on his odd behavior before turning on to his wife whose trying to have a baby, but before that, he meets with an old female school chum who takes care of the farm but who is also demented as well and the film never fully explains it either. All it is, is another poor variation of Kubrick's interpretation of "The Shining" except that this mad character is not indeed interesting in comparison to Jack Nicholson's performance and Kubrick's direction!

The DVD box is covered with a dozens awards and glowing quotes from legitimate critics - so already my expectations were high. And honestly, the movie didn't disappoint.

Windcroft starts as a love story about a man going through a mid-life crisis who inherits the family farm. He returns with his newlywed wife to sort through the place and almost immediately the dread begins to pile on. The atmospheric tones of the music and the camera work set a pace for building and building tension throughout the movie. Once the ex-girlfriend comes in the picture, the love story turns into a love triangle, and then it unravels as this tightly wound thriller that I never saw coming - but was still believable.

Sure, this may not be a glossy Hollywood thriller, but for the apparently very low budget this was made with, it was very impressive. Even the documentary on the DVD was enjoyable. There were tons of behind the scenes clips and very little "ego stroking" which is what I hate about most DVD featurettes.

I easily recommend this to anyone looking for the next wave of talent, because this little movie has it in spades.