I will always love discovering new filmmakers that clearly have the potential to grow throughout future projects. Even if their first outing doesn't quite blow me away, talent is talent, and I believe this exact statement is worthy of mentioning director A.T. White. Directing short films and working in the music industry, those are two very similar fields, in terms of expressing visual style in a short period of time. Starfish is his first official feature film to be given a wide release and although it does feel like an elongated, independent music video, there is also a lot to like here.
Following Aubrey, as she grieves the loss of her best friend, she also wakes up to realize most of the world has ended and she may be the only person living, among a few new creatures that have found a new resting place. The premise of this film alone is what sucked me in and many of the visuals held my interest, but I have to admit that the way this story is told kind of wore thin by the time Starfish reached its third act. I actually almost started disliking it when a certain fourth-wall moment happens, but I forgave it for not lasting too long.
As mentioned earlier, director A.T. White comes from a background of short films and music, which is why this movie felt like a long music video at times. Told through many bizarre visuals and many high-key dramatic scores, quiet is definitely not a term to describe this one. There were times when, even though very good, the score felt incredibly unnecessary, but I admire the desire to place music in certain scenes. Also composed by White, there's a clear vision here and all I can do is commend the effort.
Having worked with White in the past, Cinematographer Alberto Banares is another standout here. The way certain things are framed or manipulated was clearly done in-camera, which is always something I admire in any film. If for nothing else, this is a movie that benefits from a solid score, some superb cinematography, and very coherent direction that is seen through from start to finish. Having a talented star in Virginia Gardner (known most notably for Marvel's Runaways) didn't hurt either.
In the end, Starfish is a film that I loved in concept and enjoyed quite a bit throughout the first two acts, but I could see what it was going for and the revelations didn't work for me throughout the final few minutes. Everything about this movie is admirable, but that's all I really got out of it in retrospect. I can't recommend this movie to average filmgoers, but it may be worth a shot for those wishing to pursue a filmmaking career. There are a lot of impressive techniques throughout this movie.
