SMP Reviews
 Holly Blair - Girl Upstairs Agoraphobia has been used quite often in film. The idea of being afraid of the outside world presents an opportunity to explore different aspects of human nature. It is also something that I think resonates with more people after the pandemic. Girl Upstairs is about Dulce, a successful artist who has a major case of agoraphobia. She lives a secluded life in an apartment above a movie theater, with her only human interaction being with her agent on the phone. In a recent shipment of art supplies, Dulce finds a number of rolled up skins. Her agent sent them to her for inspiration. Dulce discovers that what she paints on the skins will come to life. Soon, she has two new friends to keep her company. Unfortunately, one of her new companions does not share in Dulce’s desire to stay away from the outside world. Things take a dark turn as the drive to explore the world outside overrides Dulce’s insistence to stay inside.  Gustavo Centra & Holly Blair - Girl Upstairs Director Kevin Van Stevenson gives us a dark, slowly burning drama that will keep you intrigued with unpredictability. As we learn more about the main character, you'll come to understand how suffering a very traumatic event as a child can affect a person later in life. Dulce is a complex character played perfectly by Holly Blair. Blair shows a full range of emotion, from the childlike delight at the sight of her crush, to the torment she feels from her past, and the deep-seated fear of the outside world. Child-like is also a good way to describe Gustavo Centra’s Webster. This is the first creation to come to life, and he is almost a blank canvas. Dulce takes it upon herself to teach her new companion about the basics of being human. The interaction he has with Dulce reminded me a bit of the interaction between Edward Scissorhands and Kim, Winona Ryder’s character in that movie. Dulce seems to have a subconscious joy in having control over Webster. She discourages him from going out into the world and he complies. This dynamic gets upheaved when Webster asks for Dulce to bring one of her other paintings to life; a portrait of a woman Dulce names Mimi.  Sara Catherine Bellamy - Girl Upstairs Sara Catherine Bellamy is Mimi, who is completely the opposite of Webster. She learns quicker, has her own ideas, is confident and defiant. Mimi also has a darker, devilish side. I loved how Bellamy was able to convey this through her facial expressions as well as her line delivery. There is a scene involving the three having dinner where Mimi is so mischievous that she gets Webster into trouble. The look on her face as she did it was chilling. It is left to the audience to decide why Mimi is more advanced in development when compared to Webster. I think it is because the Mimi painting has been around longer. It was a painting that Dulce talked to often, sometimes even insulted. Mimi’s drive to see the outside world changes the power structure between the three, culminating in a shocking yet thought provoking ending. Girl Upstairs is not going to be for those looking for a high-tension drama or dark thriller. This one is for the fans of character-driven slow-burns that keep you guessing until the end and beyond. There are no fancy special effects, save for some wonderful practical gimmicks at the end. The strength of the film comes from the solid performances by the three principal actors and the clever direction of Stevenson, making it worth a watch. You can check out the trailer for Girl Upstairs below and see it on Tubi now.
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 One of the joys of covering independent movies is seeing how resourceful filmmakers can be when telling their story. Some focus on a small cast or singular location, while others find creative uses of stock footage. Then there are those who choose to tell their story through the art of animation; enter Max Beyond. Director and co-writer Hasraf Dulull presents an ex-marine named Leon who goes to great lengths to attempt and rescue his 8-year-old brother Max from a science research company. The company is doing experiments to try to use Max’s ability to travel across multiple dimensions, through time and space. As Max travels through dimensions, the story plays out in the same tragic way in each. Max hopes to find the one dimension where he can live happily ever after with his brother, before it is too late.  Max Beyond is a rich story that pulls you in and keeps your attention. While the animation style may not be for everyone, I would suggest you look past it to experience the wonderful voice acting and heartbreaking story. It manages to keep the looping story gimmick fresh, with each instance of the same story having enough variation to keep it interesting. The characters continue to develop depth as we are presented with each reality. The audience gets to see all aspects of Leon as well as Ava Johnson, the main scientist working with Max to understand his power. Johnson is voiced by Jane Perry, who does an excellent job in conveying Ava’s true feelings about Max. You get the idea that Max is more than just a project to her, regardless of which version we see. Leon’s love for Max is also very evident throughout. Dave Fennoy really brings Leon to life. I felt for all versions of Leon, even those that were less than honorable. All versions of Leon loved Max and were determined to rescue him. Those emotions come through crystal clear thanks to Fennoy.  There is a lot of action taking place over the course of the story. These scenes were well choreographed and animated; you could tell what was going on in every frame. There were a number of times I felt legit tension even when the outcome was obvious. Leon did have too much plot armor in the earlier fight scenes. While some of it can be attributed to the fights being shown through the eyes of a child, there were still a number of times where the bad guys should have had Leon dead to rights. They shot like stormtroopers from Star Wars. There was one main bad guy soldier who was deadly accurate, The Sync. I loved the design of this assassin. Not only was it intimidating, but it reminded me a bit of TRON.  The animation style of Max Beyond took a little getting used to, as it is quite different when compared to other modern animated films. The animation is sharp and vivid in color, while the designs of the world and characters were like something you might see in the late 1990s or early 2000s. This may be a bit jarring for the first few minutes but thanks to the direction and high quality voice acting, you will soon forget that you are watching an animated film. Quick content warning: this isn’t a cartoon meant for young kids as there is quite a bit of blood and mature language.  Max Beyond is an ambitious artistic project that works for the most part. You can tell a lot of hard work and dedication was put into telling this story. The overarching theme of hope and persistence to change things is a positive message that I find is lacking in many movies nowadays. It is great to see filmmakers still taking innovative approaches in getting their story out into the world. There is a lot here to enjoy and I think it is worth a watch.  |
AuthorI have been reviewing films since high school. I love discussing films with those who share my passion for them. I also do video reviews on YouTube and on my podcast. Archives
November 2024
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