Hemisphere

This cheap production has a better storyline than most high-budget Sci-Fi films

Forget the "spare bedroom set" (like, why would a spaceship have colonial shutters and laminate flooring?!), the dodgy equipment (fat laptops with USB plugs), etc., etc. And focus, instead, on the story.

• AI that is given absolute control and is used to evaluate every move and decision of the human user
• Highly commercialised space and planet-exploration, where decisions are taken against stock market decisions
• An employee base made up of underpaid individuals recruited solely to keep their lives afloat
• I could go on with the details of an excellent plot

Think of it as a stage production and it is really captivating, and very clever.

Sitting through this film I didn't know what to expect. What a pleasant surprise. Independent films sometimes out perform and Hemisphere is definitely one of them.

The director did a great job holding to those elements that were entertaining and impactful. I liked the conspiracy elements and the characters felt fleshed out - not an easy thing to do on a smaller budget. The sets were imaginative and visually compelling. The team here felt committed to what they were doing and it sure pays off. I've always liked these kinds of films and the filmmaking team pulls off a genre that is not easy to get right. Well done!! I couldn't recommend it enough!

For those who enjoyed Sean Connery's Outland from 1981, Chris Maes' "Hemisphere" might be the film that appeals to you.

The film has two central performances from Julie Kashmanian & Paige Rion. Telegenic Julie Kashmanian gives an enigmatic and "can she be trusted" type performance.

Julia Kashmanian is a one to watch, along with her performance in "Ghost Planet," I think it's only a matter of time, before she shines in a film which can show her true versatility as an actress.

Meanwhile Paige Rion has a great look on camera. A cool voice and fine acting chops.

With limited resources Chris Maes and his team have made a film exploring isolation, abandonment and the loneliness of space.

These reviews blow my mind. Are they all written by the same person? This movie was so... not good. I get that it had an extremely low budget, but the plot was trite, acting was unconvincing and overdone, dialog was incredibly poor, and the set - parts of this "space station" were obviously made of cardboard.

Look, I can forgive a lot for an indie production, but this is one that's worse than what an average freshman film major could do. Pass on this and save yourself 90 minutes.

EDIT: Four of these raving reviewers have reviewed only this movie and nothing else. Interesting. I'm the fifth I guess. I'm here to provide some much-needed counterbalance to this peculiar parade of praises.

An amazing, off-the-beaten path film, the kind of outlier that gets made through sheer determination and comes out shining. You quickly forget the low-budget conceits and become engrossed in the characters, beautifully played by two actresses I had not seen before (Paige Rion and Julie Kashmanian) but who are compelling and engaging. They bring to life a tense story that careens from paranoia to corruption to an ultimate reveal that is pretty shocking, and will have you thinking afterwards. If you are curious to know what indie films can do differently than gargantuan studio films, here you go. Thumbs up !