Dark

Twenty-somethings Kate and Leah are in a rocky relationship when Leah plans on heading out of town. Kate lives in the heart of NYC, pretending to like it just to make her relationship survive. Once a blackout occurs, Kate starts to have an internal struggle on what to do without Leah and coping on her own. I would have rather had Leah stay during the blackout and Kate go out of town, but the actress that played Kate (Whitney Able) did a superb job at bringing out all of Kate's character flaws. Leah didn't show any character flaws while she was onscreen. There are some editing flaws - as in the sound doesn't match up correctly with the characters' lips on screen. This happens about five times in the movie. Check out this movie if you like psycho-dramas. I watched this on Netflix.

I literally don't have words to describe how awful this movie is. The ENTIRE time all the main character does is do random stuff around the house that has literally no point and there is absolutely no context or background. Absolutely nothing interesting happens until the last five seconds of the movie and it still doesn't explain anything. Even after finishing the movie I still had no idea what was going on or what the point of the movie was. Don't WASTE YOUR TIME. I'd rather watch sharknado for the rest of my life than watch this movie one more time.

This film rather took me by surprise. I went into this with no preconceived notions other than it was about the North American blackout of 2003 and had Alexandra Breckenridge (The Walking Dead) in it. This film hit me on a deeper level than expected and stayed with me for quite a few days after seeing it. It's portrayal of a young woman with mental issues, suffering from a very deep depression played to perfection by Whitney Able (Monsters) related to me. Knowing someone personally who dealt with depression, I thought the movie captured that state of mind completely. The subtle depiction of the lead, Kate's, slowly devolving emotional state through to it's brutal ending was uneasy to watch. I can see why some people may find the movie slow but I was gripped throughout because of the lead character. The acting is superb as well as the "jump cut" editing style and the cinematography, naturalistic and beautiful. The sound design, particularly in the second half, was really well done, especially considering most indie films usually fail on sound. It makes NY seem like a very intimidating place, at least in the main character's mind. Even though the film is set in NYC, it feels very much like a European film. Having grown up in the UK and loving a lot of art house films, most European cinema has never been plot-focused. European directors usually focus on the accurate representation of internal states, rather than external drives. This film's goal can be described in the same way and pulls it off quite successfully. It's definitely a movie that will not please everyone. It's not "entertaining" in the traditional movie sense but rather a cathartic, intimate experience for 93 minutes. If you like arty cinema with dark subject matter, you'll absolutely appreciate this indie gem.

WARNING: This is a thinking person's movie. After watching it the other night I was on the fence. I didn't know if I loved or hated this movie. Looking at reviews on here, it seems like other people have the same split reaction. On one hand it was NOT the movie I was expecting. From the description I thought it would be a thriller about home invaders during a blackout, instead of the slow psychological drama about a very depressed and paranoid woman who is coming apart from the inside. The blackout only works as a catalyst for her mental disintegration. After it was over I wasn't sure what the filmmaker was trying to say. Then as the next couple of days passed I realized the movie stuck with me. Whitney Able's performance was emotionally heartrending and the film has a way of getting under your skin. Certain aspects of the film started to impress me more 24 hours after I had watched it. So much of going to the movies today is about being mildly entertained for two hours and then walking out and forgetting about the experience. This film is the opposite. I can see why now some people hate it and others seem to love it. The film grew on me and I am really impressed with what the filmmakers did, especially on a low budget. It's not a perfect film but it is an emotional one which feels very personal. And that is refreshing in this day of mostly forgettable entertainment.

After seeing this I can understand why this film seems to be so polarizing. If you go into it expecting a typical plot driven suspense/horror film you'll be disappointed. If you go in with an open mind and click into what the film is doing you'll be treated to an experiential, character driven thriller which pays off in the end. At its center is an award worthy performance by Whitney Able as a very damaged young woman (ex-model) whose internal demons manifest themselves in the darkness of her New York city apartment during the 2003 blackout. The performances are strong all around and it's beautifully shot, especially it's use of darkness and what you don't see. The film can be slow in parts but is ultimately in the service of character arc and building atmosphere. If you have patience you'll be rewarded with an astounding performance and suspenseful voyage into the id.