Watched last night, I'm very impressed about how a person could make with a tide budget a very enjoyable movie, those long scenes, especially the one that goes through the gym and the one of the switchboard operators with Fay, great job, congratulations to your cousin...
You should, i didn't for one moment saw it as low budget Only great a director or writter can make a 5+ min scene of board switches be interesting and imersive
I would also give it an A-... but I thought the lower budget was such a bonus. Can you imagine how terrible it may have become if the a big studio had thrown tons of money at it, and stuck a crappy director behind it? Sometimes... Most times... less is more.
TC Candler: I thought the same thing. I'm glad they had a low budget. And I didn't mind it was a slow paced movie like some people are complaining. Sometimes I like to slowly build up some suspense. I'm getting tired of 10 minutes cars chasing and unstoppable explosions. Indeed this movie got my attention and it's a really good one.
@@GPDF Idk why everyone says it's a "slow pace" when from the beginning till the end, everything goes so fast ! Not like in an action movie ofc but the camera work, it's like the characters are on a constant rush and you can't take your eyes off the screen if not you miss everything. Lol
I don’t think they were referred to back then as aliens, but either way I think they did well by not overly saturating the movie with alien references or visuals
The opening “scene” of this movie, up until Fay is at the switchboard, is so unbelievably fun and flowing, it’s great. They somehow manage like 5 different locations and great character development in the opening like 15 minutes.
@@gabrielborjas7923 The first 10 minutes of this extremely short movie is pointless. 90% of the things that happen in this movie are pointless. The best part is the last 20 minutes and it's too little too late. Extremely mediocre
@@Digger-Nick it's not about the destination, but about the journey (and about the characters). I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I even felt like I was reading a book. Plus, considering the micro budget, they gave the extra mile with the whole production; you can feel the passion behind the proyect... I guess it isn't your type of movie, and that's totally okay.
@@Digger-Nick I concur. My wife and I actually turned it off at the 10 minute mark. The incessant and pointless dialogue was unbearable. For context, out of roughly 500 films we have watched together during the past 4 years, this is one of THREE films we turned off.
Personally, I thought that 10 minute take of her on the switchboard wasn’t due to budgetary constraints, but rather to emphasize the storytelling. You become completely absorbed in what she’s doing because there aren’t any breaks or cuts away from it. It’s also perfectly timed with the songs on the radio, the conversations on the other end of the phone, and the DJ breaking back in to talk to her. I’d imagine it took a lot of planning and rehearsal to time correctly. It’s also followed by that go-kart+drone shot that travels across town, through a gym, across a court, and then out a window and to the radio station. Of the entire movie, it’s those two shots that are gonna stick with me. Pretty good for a debut filmmaker, but I wish it had just a little bit more substance at the end. Reminds me of a low budget “Super 8”, except with a fondness for radio and telephone rather than cameras.
Dude yes. Yes yes yes. And what about the scene of the phone call with the Black military man? Absolute masterpiece. Those 3 scenes immortalize this film for me.
I agree 100% and you said it well. I was also left wishing for more substance in the end; I was expecting a more rewarding ending due to the great build-up throughout the movie.
I really liked the ending....it was kind of a twist because i thought they'd just see some lights in the sky and that would be the conclusion/resolution (showing us there really was 'aliens' above the town), but instead Faye and Everett actually get abducted....plus the spaceship(s) actually looked really cool (actual miniature modeling and not fake looking CGI). I'm not sure what more they could've done (even if they had a big budget to show the inside of the ship, or the aliens themselves, it wouldn't have matched the minimal tone of the film).
It's even more amazing when you find out that that whole scene is totally one sided. The noises and callers where added months after Sienna did her switchboard stuff. Absolutely awesome!
@@RP_Williams Actually, the ending was my quibble. I don't think they should have shown the ship. It would have been better to just have them disappear with the suggestion of what they MAY have seen. It keeps the mystery, & keeps the story entirely human, which is what worked so well for the film. Other than that, this was brilliant. And I'm angry that I haven't heard more about it. It's astonishing.
He has a point about the lighting of the faces. But the "color grading" is almost a trivial criticism. Then again, he did give it an "A-," and I 'd give it a "B+," so it obviously didn't affect his judgement all that much.
@@TheVGC anything that could recoup the investment by selling to streaming is doing it, Netflix and Amazon are buying content more aggressively these days.
I watched this at a drive-in. The retro feel was perfect for the venue, but many of the scenes were so dark they were impossible to see in that low-contrast setting. Definitely watch this movie in a dark room on a good TV.
I love that the radio is called WOTW... or “War Of The Worlds”. It’s a great Easter egg considering that people honestly believed Aliens were attacking & started fleeing for their lives when War of the worlds was read over the radio for the 1st time (it was chaos). I love a movie that owns their trope. Edit: just read the comments & feel much less smart now
Love the Twilight Zone and Orson Welles easter eggs. Cayuga productions was Rod Serling's production company. The main character was named after character actor Everett Sloane, who was in Citizen Kane and the Twilight Zone episode, "The Fever". And, of course, the radio station call letters....
I was blown away by how this film pulled me in and kept me engrossed and engaged from beginning to end. I can't think of any film in recent years where I was so involved every moment as I was in this film. I agree about the color grade and lighting. But, by the end, it had little effect on my enjoying the movie. Wow. Great performances and direction.
I dunno why I get so excited when you actually liked a movie. I guess that’s because I can really see the passion transpire through your arguments. That’s something very important to me, everyone should be passionate about something as a human being, it’s the fuel we need to keep moving foward. Keep up the good work mate.
Im sure i dont speak for myself but i respect the shit outta chris' opinion. I cant remember the last time we disagreed on a film. There are plenty of movie critics on TH-cam n alot of em are good but i feel like not only is chris the every man, hes just got great takes. So when hes excited for a movie, im excited. Im gonna go watch this now
Stumbled across this film today, really enjoyed it then noticed you had reviewed it. Have to agree with you 100% that this film should be supported I would like to see more like it, There is a haunting charm to it that you see so rarely these days.
Just watched it on Amazon. AMAZING, it blew me away. The scene going through the town had me guessing: drone? Some sort of wheeled buggy? If I were to give a tiny amount of criticism to the pacing of the movie, it would be the opening dialogue/interviews in car park scene: it was a tad too long. The rest of the movie had me riveted. We need more of these "one night", tight movies. A perfect pastiche to American 50s TV. I grew up on reruns of The Twilight Zone etc, and will never regret a single second of it. Chris why don't you try your hand at one? As always a perfect review.
The acting, dialogue, and camera moves were really great in this film. The two main actors played so well off of each other. Sierra McCormick(?) is so engaging and I can’t believe how good her longer takes are. I hope she gets a lot more work. Totally agree with you on the color grading and lighting. Give these people some money and I bet a really great movie gets made. All in all, I’d recommend it to my friends that have a little more patience and love of the craft than your average movie goer.
This was an amazing watch, truly inspiring; reminded me of the old radio dramas I use to listen to from the 40s late at night. These guys get it, the subtle details and dialogue that immerse you into the time period and the mystery are phenomenally executed, the characters are super endearing and every resource is optimally called upon to create the experience. Thanks for the recommend Chris.
This! When i heard about it i was excited cuz it reminded me of this awesome pod “Welcome to Night Vale” and i expected this radio vibe of whole thing. And it truly delivers. It lands somewhere in between Lynch and Sorkin. Heavy emphasis on dialog alongside this soaking atmosphere of sci-fi horror. Given all that it is divisive movie. Some people will hate and be bored for exact same reasons i liked it.
What impressed me most, together with the expertly achieved suspense, was how incredibly authentic the characters behavior is written, acted and directed to fit the time period. The way Fay is intimidated by her high-tech tape recorder and how she works the switch board feels so genuine, same with Everett's expertise at reeling tapes lightning fast. Everyone looks and acts like they've been plucked right out of the 50s. That must have taken so much effort to get right.
My sister and I saw it at our local drive in and we loved it! There was this moment where wind was blowing on screen and then this gust of wind blew directly at us as if it was coming from the screen. We both got intense goosebumps. Like pure movie magic. It was amazing. The eerie sounds coming from our radio and the creepy stories had us spooked multiple times and on the edge of our seats. I was so impressed and inspired with what they were able to do with such a small budget. I agree that the lighting was too dim in some shots but I was having such a great time I didn’t mind it much. Thanks for another great review. I’m glad you did one on this so more people may check it out.
Chris, my late mother and I shared a love of movies as well. She took me to my first movie "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980, I was 3 months old. Thanks for continuing to review and hope to see you at "church" soon
Honestly, I've never been more excited to click on a Chris Stuckmann video. I watched this at TIFF last year - and it was one of my favourite movies at the festival. Funny you mentioned that all the other big festivals turned this down, because not only was this featured at TIFF's Midnight Madness line up, but it got the MM People's Choice First Runner-Up. The movie's characters are so relatable and the dialogue so great that you don't even bother that it's that dialogue-heavy. One of my favourite movies of last year, I'm glad you gave it a high grade!
I don't know if there are any Bioshock fans out there, but listening to Billy tell his story reminded me of listening to recordings on the voxophone in Bioshock. Hearing him speak with the static just got me thinking of that aspect of the game.
That's a pretty common trope in video games. Finding scratchy old recordings around is not unique to Bioshock. But the time period of Bioshock matches this movie a little better than most games.
Fair play it is a small budget movie... But it did very little for me other than that cool camera shot. The opening was so slow and it never picked up the pace for me. Maybe I was just tired, but I really struggled to stay awake and focused on what was going on. Tales From the Loop is a much better example of how to tell slow, but interesting stories
@Zed wow you're hard. I actually have neurological problems and I can't make long term memories or concentrate for long periods of time. So thanks for taking the time to single me out and make me feel more shitty.
I've been watching movies in chunks, these days, no wanting to sit for so long, often watching only during meals. But this: The stellar work by the cast (the performances, yes, but also the energy of those performances so this truly felt like it all happened in real time), the focus on character-building through dialogue, the setting, the extraordinarily well-choreographed long takes (and then those occasional shifts to well cut, faster scenes), and the fun vibe of this film-all of these elements kept me fixed to the screen. What a totally satisfying gem of a film. Bonus: The female lead running everywhere like her life depended on it.
I'd been waiting for this movie to hit Amazon ever since I watched the trailer a couple of months ago. I had high hopes for it and wasn't disappointed! The characters are incredibly likable, and the story is engrossing and delightfully eerie throughout. My heart pounded through a couple of scenes-something that hasn't happened during a movie in a while! I also couldn't help feel it was an homage to my favorite movie of all time, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which just made the movie more enjoyable to me. I've been telling pretty much everyone I've ever met about it. I'm so glad you reviewed it; it deserved to be Stuckmanized!
Thank you for letting us know about this movie! Super engrossing, and the way the story is told is very unique. Definitely a movie to watch late at night during these insane times!
I was blown away by this film! Had the opportunity to see it at a film festival last year and it ended up winning the Best Picture award at the festival. Highly recommend to all movie fans!
Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of _the story_ of this movie. It felt like one of the weaker episodes from the final seasons of Twilight Zone. Without going into spoilers, it felt like it took most of the plot-points from Close Encounters of a Third Kind, and rearranged it in a different order, switched the characters around, etc. My biggest problem is with the one of the main characters - while Fay (the female lead) was decently fleshed out, Everett (the male lead) was not. His character stays static throughout the entirety of the film, and I found myself connecting more to side-characters (such as the old lady and the black man) than to the literal protagonist of the movie. But that's just my opinion though! I'd highly recommend this movie to everyone simply for the genius filmmaking itself. I am still at disbelief that this has a micro-budget. Some of the shots feel like they belong in a Christopher Nolan movie. And even after the director explained how he filmed the long shot across town, I still have no idea how they fit the camera through narrow fence gaps and tiny windows. Filmmakers like Andrew Patterson should be greenlit more frequently. And the acting is phenomenal from both Sierra McCormick and James Horowitz. I heard somewhere that this is one of James Horowitz' first major roles, so major props to him. I wish him a successful career.
Yes, the acting and pacing of the dialogue (and the camera work) really stood out. Even the minor characters were well acted and believable. The actors and director deserve attention and more work.
Wow, Chris. I have to say, without your video, I wouldn't even know about this movie. But after seeing your review, I can't wait to see it for myself. I'm watching it tonight. This one deserves to be watched in the dark I think.
The main thing I love and appreciate about Chris is his ability to guide your understanding aspects of film and film making you might overlook. I can't wait for the day he's able to show us more of his film making because I know that at least on of his efforts will absolutely blow me away.
Chris. I will give you my SOUL if you do a top 10 list for your favourite movies ever. They don’t necessarily need to be in order just I would be so fascinated to see what you would put in there
As a former smoker, the opening scene with the lead ‘chain smoking’ was so unbelievable that it took me out of the movie. I do not understand why movies choose to let their actors smoke if it can’t be believable. It is such a simple mistake not to make. This happens more frequently than you think, ask any smoker. It’s like being a Brit and listening to Dick Van Dyke
This was a great movie. A back to basics sci-fi movie. The acting was on point. My son and really enjoyed it and discussed it the rest of the evening. A- is a apt grade.
I don't know if anyone else noticed, but Cayuga was the name of Rod Serling's production company and Everett Sloan (the d.j. guy) is the name of a character actor who starred in "The Fever", a classic Twilight Zone episode. He also starred in "Patterns", which was a a teleplay that catapulted Serling into fame. I really enjoyed this--kept me on the edge of my seat.
watched it last night, loved it. show me what happens in a movie don't tell me everything that's happening. let me figure it out. they did a great job and i had a blast watching it
Amazon marketed the hell out of this online, so I went in expecting something much bigger. I was disappointed at the end because it felt like I got 20% of a miniseries. Now that I know it was such a small production, I do have a bit more appreciation for it. The acting was great. One thing that stuck out for me was the main male character is written as having a lot of charisma and they pull it off without making him obnoxious. I just really wish they were given more and had the opportunity to really flesh out what could have been I really great story.
Hey Chris my high school basketball team got to play the Cayuga High team as extras in the movie back in 2016 haha I was number 24. Idk if you’ll see this but I’ve been a subscriber for a long time so seeing you review a movie that I was in is one of the weirdest things ever lol, keep up the good work man!
I had a chance to watch the film. I was a little concerned with the beginning scenes involving the tape recorder and interviews. Once it got past that I found myself getting into the film. I found the switchboard scenes fascinating for some reason. Not sure how I feel about the ending yet. Glad I watched it. 😃✌🏽
“Long takes” sounds a lot like the Amadeus line “Too many notes” when one of Mozart’s critics fails to understand the art form entirely. A character contemplating what just happened...or a moment in their lives, is a beautiful thing when done right. The Europeans found this out LONG AGO that if you respect the intelligence of your audience, you need not spoon feed them every sentiment. A LONG TAKE is what we all do when we sit in our cars, quietly reflecting on this whole year of Corona and the horrific damage it’s done to us an others. George Lucas feels you’ll get bored if there isn’t a special effect blowing up in your face every 3 minutes! This wonderful film, The Vast Of Night, much like Moon...excels precisely BECAUSE it has to rely on creativity and imagination instead of a big budget. It captures a time and place and makes you walk away as if you stayed up all night. Stephen Spielberg’s Jaws finally took off when all 3 of his mechanical sharks suffered salt water damage and he had to figure out how to scare people by only SUGGESTING a menacing presence. Spielberg stumbled onto something Sam Wise learned long ago in 1963’s The Haunting that horror isn’t always what you see. I think this is a much more important film than you gave it credit for. Here endeth the lesson!
Have to say overall it was awesome BUT the payoff just didn’t really deliver for me. I thought the storie(s) were creepy and as it went on got pretty suspenseful but the end just kind of petered out. But I guess that’s where the budget comes in,
So glad to see you liked this little gem, Chris. Don't think they exactly stuck the landing (pun intended) in the very last scene but that in no way takes away from the director's achievement in sustaining his concept for almost all of the film.
Everything you said is true and this is quite an accomplishment. But I hated the ending. If a group of humans abducted other humans -- kidnapped them in other words -- they would of course be regarded as evil. Why see the aliens any different? We see the damage left behind with the old woman and her tragic story. I wish that had been addressed more. Abducting people is an inherently evil act.
Thanks Chris. Your reviews are very comforting, honest, and dependable. No matter ones taste in film I always know you are going to help me decide if the film is worth my time. Even when I bicker, I know you are worth the review.
Missed this one at ff but caught it at a drive-in a few weeks ago. It’s definitely a perfect movie to see in that format. Good to see you spreading the word my friend
Definitely will... Wasn’t trying to be disrespectful with the comment btw, it was a Donnie Darko reference that the comment above mine reminded me of lol
It's a really good film considering it was made on a budget of $700,000. Really amazing camerawork. Well acted, as well, by the two leads and supporting cast.
Just got done watching this. I am absolutely stunned at what I just saw. Hell, I paused the end credits just so I could tell people about it. This film probably cost a few thousand dollars but the money is well spent on every minute that was shot and it will just knock your socks off. Totally micro budget. But goddamn! This is one of the best films of the year, hands down.
Movies amazing. Only issue I had was comical. The dark lit scenes at the beginning were very dark and some even had fuzz in it. Doesn't matter, this movies amazing. I mean, this is a movie man.
I mean the film is literally all about (SPOILER WARNING TO ANYONE THAT HASN’T SEEN THE MOVIE) An unidentified thing in the sky that has been around for years and it brainwashes people of all ages until they lure them out and snatch them up to join the Sky, that’s definitely not boring lol but hey I won’t stop you from enjoying your marvel movies
Alex Little it was unpredictable to me because I expected an original cool and disturbing thing to be in the Sky, I thought they were baiting the UFO typical alien reveal because it’s too obvious but it ended up being just that, which was admittedly disappointing, the lead up was great tho imo, it was just a big letdown when a basic ass UFO showed up
The opening 5 minutes of seemingly chaotic dialogue between multiple characters constantly switching all the memorized lines got my attention . Very charming stuff, I really enjoyed this impressive indie film. Major props to the creators and I look forward to any future projects.
Thank you for keep brining content during this time! Love it! Having said that, I'm excited for more Hilariocities . . . AAAANNNNDDDD could you review a few more that you said you missed from last year? Your list was like 20 movies or so. I feel like we'd all still enjoy those. Just a recommendation :)
I’m surprised Chris hasn’t reviewed ‘EMMA.’ I just watched it and I usually go to YT to see what’s Chris’ review of a movie is. Please do a review of it it is one of the most visually STUNNING movies I have ever seen.
It reminded me of my childhood, back with my grandma in the 90's listening to creepy late-night paranormal talk-shows on her old radio. She'll probably really love this movie too. I would recommend watching it alone to get full enjoyment. For me, everything about this was perfect! I loved that it was lower budget with no actors I recognized, (but still talented) allowing me to get fully immersed. Something about the way they captured the atmosphere, the moods, how the actors portrayed feelings of fear and anxiety- the creators must really have an interest in these topics to have captured it so perfectly. At some parts, I realized I was reliving some anxiety from horribly creepy dreams I've had, so that's a plus, I guess
All this movie is is dialogue... 2 kids talking in a room for an hour then driving around town and most exciting thing that happens is they talk to an old lady? WTF
I actually saw this film around this time last year at Overlook Film Festival, where it won the Jury prize. I went to see it the day after it won the award, and it was one of my favorite films at the festival. I'm glad it's finally getting released and people are able to check this out.
I disagree with the 9 minute switch board scene being a ‘budget cut’ or the scenes being too long. I think it made it way more believable than the average movie and allowed for dialogue to be played out like it would in ‘real life’. That being said, this movie is a piece of art, not a piece of entertainment.
I saw this movie about a year ago, but this is by far one of my favorite movies of all time. The way they mysteriously and ominously tell the story is so gripping. Sci-fi movies today are all about CGI and jump scares. The mystery in this movie is what makes it great.
I appreciate the indie movie reviews! Interesting. I struggled with the script in ways you didn't. It seemed something of an homage to radio dramas as well with the stories and the tape recordings, but without the same level of dramatization to keep it engaging. I thought the long takes were interesting, and found it jarring when they were followed by a lot of rapid cuts.
Hey my cousin made this film! I’m super glad you liked it and the whole family has just been so excited and proud for Andrew.
They should be so proud! Easily my favorite movie over the past couple years, definitely going on my all-time favorites list.
Watched last night, I'm very impressed about how a person could make with a tide budget a very enjoyable movie, those long scenes, especially the one that goes through the gym and the one of the switchboard operators with Fay, great job, congratulations to your cousin...
It’s amazing. Does Andrew have a Twitter or instagram that we can follow?
You should, i didn't for one moment saw it as low budget
Only great a director or writter can make a 5+ min scene of board switches be interesting and imersive
I wanna act too
I would also give it an A-... but I thought the lower budget was such a bonus. Can you imagine how terrible it may have become if the a big studio had thrown tons of money at it, and stuck a crappy director behind it? Sometimes... Most times... less is more.
TC Candler: I thought the same thing. I'm glad they had a low budget.
And I didn't mind it was a slow paced movie like some people are complaining. Sometimes I like to slowly build up some suspense. I'm getting tired of 10 minutes cars chasing and unstoppable explosions.
Indeed this movie got my attention and it's a really good one.
Totally right. Less is more.
low budget or limitation tend to push artist creativity
TC Candler
Yeah, just like in Signs, it's minimalistic and I love it that way.
@@GPDF
Idk why everyone says it's a "slow pace" when from the beginning till the end, everything goes so fast ! Not like in an action movie ofc but the camera work, it's like the characters are on a constant rush and you can't take your eyes off the screen if not you miss everything. Lol
The acting and dialogue was outstanding. Especially for a first time director.
Absolutely! Especially the beginning. The walk through the dj and the phone operator. So impressive. Seemed so organic.
@BLAIR M Schirmer the film one me over by the end. I see its flaws but its positives outway them for me
Gotta keep yr eye out for the 2 leads and the director. Just hope doesn't end up with bad luck, like Josh Trank.
This movie sucked.. 2 boring hours of 2 teenagers talking and listening to sounds over the radio.
@CA SA I know! Lost 2 hours of my life to this garbage fire!
I like how they never directly say "alien"
Just watched it, i thought i was amazing! When did we start refering to them as aliens? I dont think that was the term back then was it?
I don’t think they were referred to back then as aliens, but either way I think they did well by not overly saturating the movie with alien references or visuals
@@travisprather678 I agree!
or UFO
Taking a note from the "Nobody knows the word zombie" trope, but doing it right.
The opening “scene” of this movie, up until Fay is at the switchboard, is so unbelievably fun and flowing, it’s great. They somehow manage like 5 different locations and great character development in the opening like 15 minutes.
You are right, that scene is really great. You just get slowly sucked into another life
@Max you should try to enjoy the slow burn, those small details that makes things more real
@@gabrielborjas7923 The first 10 minutes of this extremely short movie is pointless. 90% of the things that happen in this movie are pointless.
The best part is the last 20 minutes and it's too little too late.
Extremely mediocre
@@Digger-Nick it's not about the destination, but about the journey (and about the characters). I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I even felt like I was reading a book. Plus, considering the micro budget, they gave the extra mile with the whole production; you can feel the passion behind the proyect...
I guess it isn't your type of movie, and that's totally okay.
@@Digger-Nick I concur. My wife and I actually turned it off at the 10 minute mark. The incessant and pointless dialogue was unbearable.
For context, out of roughly 500 films we have watched together during the past 4 years, this is one of THREE films we turned off.
Sierra did those 9 minutes compellingly well, with dexterity of finger and mind.
I didn't even notice it was so long
It was a very interesting scene
I'm glad to see Chris happy about talking about new movies again
Me too
Yeah😆😌
Yeah, glad to see he's doing well and not worrying about everything else. Good on him.
Spoiler alert lol.
Me too @Ethan Butler - He's top.
Personally, I thought that 10 minute take of her on the switchboard wasn’t due to budgetary constraints, but rather to emphasize the storytelling. You become completely absorbed in what she’s doing because there aren’t any breaks or cuts away from it. It’s also perfectly timed with the songs on the radio, the conversations on the other end of the phone, and the DJ breaking back in to talk to her. I’d imagine it took a lot of planning and rehearsal to time correctly.
It’s also followed by that go-kart+drone shot that travels across town, through a gym, across a court, and then out a window and to the radio station. Of the entire movie, it’s those two shots that are gonna stick with me. Pretty good for a debut filmmaker, but I wish it had just a little bit more substance at the end. Reminds me of a low budget “Super 8”, except with a fondness for radio and telephone rather than cameras.
Dude yes. Yes yes yes. And what about the scene of the phone call with the Black military man? Absolute masterpiece. Those 3 scenes immortalize this film for me.
I agree 100% and you said it well. I was also left wishing for more substance in the end; I was expecting a more rewarding ending due to the great build-up throughout the movie.
I really liked the ending....it was kind of a twist because i thought they'd just see some lights in the sky and that would be the conclusion/resolution (showing us there really was 'aliens' above the town), but instead Faye and Everett actually get abducted....plus the spaceship(s) actually looked really cool (actual miniature modeling and not fake looking CGI).
I'm not sure what more they could've done (even if they had a big budget to show the inside of the ship, or the aliens themselves, it wouldn't have matched the minimal tone of the film).
It's even more amazing when you find out that that whole scene is totally one sided. The noises and callers where added months after Sienna did her switchboard stuff. Absolutely awesome!
@@RP_Williams Actually, the ending was my quibble. I don't think they should have shown the ship. It would have been better to just have them disappear with the suggestion of what they MAY have seen. It keeps the mystery, & keeps the story entirely human, which is what worked so well for the film. Other than that, this was brilliant. And I'm angry that I haven't heard more about it. It's astonishing.
Radio station’s call letters WOTW = War Of The Worlds
You caught that too.
Also close encounters of a third kind and twilight light zone. 😁
@@tophers3756 Most people have. It's also referenced in every review of the film.
LMAO how subtle
Clever girl. (Australian accent)
When the complains where about colour grading, you know you're on for a treat
And I think part of that might just be the fact that it's streaming on Amazon
He has a point about the lighting of the faces. But the "color grading" is almost a trivial criticism. Then again, he did give it an "A-," and I 'd give it a "B+," so it obviously didn't affect his judgement all that much.
Color grading helped to portray the era
@@davidmilesviers I colour grade for a living, trust me I know
@@TheVGC anything that could recoup the investment by selling to streaming is doing it, Netflix and Amazon are buying content more aggressively these days.
This movie is a solid gem. I'd never have heard of it if it wasn't for you Chris - thank you!
Oh yeah? What colors this solid gem
I enjoyed it
I watched this at a drive-in. The retro feel was perfect for the venue, but many of the scenes were so dark they were impossible to see in that low-contrast setting. Definitely watch this movie in a dark room on a good TV.
Where can you find where this is screening in drive-ins?
@@Halo4Lyf I think you just have to check your local drive-in, if you have one. Mine played it before it was released on Amazon.
I'm envious. This would have been superb in a real theater!
I love that the radio is called WOTW... or “War Of The Worlds”. It’s a great Easter egg considering that people honestly believed Aliens were attacking & started fleeing for their lives when War of the worlds was read over the radio for the 1st time (it was chaos). I love a movie that owns their trope. Edit: just read the comments & feel much less smart now
Love the Twilight Zone and Orson Welles easter eggs. Cayuga productions was Rod Serling's production company. The main character was named after character actor Everett Sloane, who was in Citizen Kane and the Twilight Zone episode, "The Fever". And, of course, the radio station call letters....
I was blown away by how this film pulled me in and kept me engrossed and engaged from beginning to end. I can't think of any film in recent years where I was so involved every moment as I was in this film. I agree about the color grade and lighting. But, by the end, it had little effect on my enjoying the movie. Wow. Great performances and direction.
I dunno why I get so excited when you actually liked a movie. I guess that’s because I can really see the passion transpire through your arguments. That’s something very important to me, everyone should be passionate about something as a human being, it’s the fuel we need to keep moving foward.
Keep up the good work mate.
Im sure i dont speak for myself but i respect the shit outta chris' opinion. I cant remember the last time we disagreed on a film. There are plenty of movie critics on TH-cam n alot of em are good but i feel like not only is chris the every man, hes just got great takes. So when hes excited for a movie, im excited. Im gonna go watch this now
Stumbled across this film today, really enjoyed it then noticed you had reviewed it. Have to agree with you 100% that this film should be supported I would like to see more like it, There is a haunting charm to it that you see so rarely these days.
Is no one going to talk about Chris's Keanu Reeves Shirt? ok then...
John wick
It's not the first time we see this shirt on him !
At this point we’re all used to his awesome shirts
We weren’t going to, then you ruined it.
it's a boring topic to talk about
Just watched it on Amazon. AMAZING, it blew me away. The scene going through the town had me guessing: drone? Some sort of wheeled buggy? If I were to give a tiny amount of criticism to the pacing of the movie, it would be the opening dialogue/interviews in car park scene: it was a tad too long. The rest of the movie had me riveted. We need more of these "one night", tight movies. A perfect pastiche to American 50s TV. I grew up on reruns of The Twilight Zone etc, and will never regret a single second of it. Chris why don't you try your hand at one? As always a perfect review.
Totally agree....that opening 'interview' sequence was just a tad too long. Otherwise there's not too much i can criticize about this film.
I agree about the intro.
The acting, dialogue, and camera moves were really great in this film. The two main actors played so well off of each other. Sierra McCormick(?) is so engaging and I can’t believe how good her longer takes are. I hope she gets a lot more work.
Totally agree with you on the color grading and lighting. Give these people some money and I bet a really great movie gets made.
All in all, I’d recommend it to my friends that have a little more patience and love of the craft than your average movie goer.
This was an amazing watch, truly inspiring; reminded me of the old radio dramas I use to listen to from the 40s late at night. These guys get it, the subtle details and dialogue that immerse you into the time period and the mystery are phenomenally executed, the characters are super endearing and every resource is optimally called upon to create the experience. Thanks for the recommend Chris.
This! When i heard about it i was excited cuz it reminded me of this awesome pod “Welcome to Night Vale” and i expected this radio vibe of whole thing.
And it truly delivers. It lands somewhere in between Lynch and Sorkin. Heavy emphasis on dialog alongside this soaking atmosphere of sci-fi horror.
Given all that it is divisive movie. Some people will hate and be bored for exact same reasons i liked it.
When a phone call and an interview is more creepy than horror gore then you are in for a treat. This movie is amazing IMO.
What impressed me most, together with the expertly achieved suspense, was how incredibly authentic the characters behavior is written, acted and directed to fit the time period. The way Fay is intimidated by her high-tech tape recorder and how she works the switch board feels so genuine, same with Everett's expertise at reeling tapes lightning fast. Everyone looks and acts like they've been plucked right out of the 50s. That must have taken so much effort to get right.
Here for the review, but can't help myself from thinking where does Chris get those COOL shirts
That John Wick shirt looks lit AF
He always has the coolest shirts and I need to know where he gets them from 😂
Is a brand called RIPT Apparel, they do some crazy designs.
try redbubble.
most of chris' t-shirts can be found there.
Speaking of Amazon originals, could you review "Homecoming?"
Starring Tom Holland 🕷
@Adi SONIGRA speaking of which, he should watch mr robot.
Homecoming had a great first season. Chris should review that.
This was filmed 20 minutes from my house.
This was filmed 20 minutes from my graduation
This was filmed 20 minutes from my bathroom
This was filmed 20 minutes from my secret torture basement
This was filmed in my mind 20 years old. 😁
This was filmed 20 minutes from 1955
My sister and I saw it at our local drive in and we loved it! There was this moment where wind was blowing on screen and then this gust of wind blew directly at us as if it was coming from the screen. We both got intense goosebumps. Like pure movie magic. It was amazing. The eerie sounds coming from our radio and the creepy stories had us spooked multiple times and on the edge of our seats. I was so impressed and inspired with what they were able to do with such a small budget. I agree that the lighting was too dim in some shots but I was having such a great time I didn’t mind it much. Thanks for another great review. I’m glad you did one on this so more people may check it out.
Chris, my late mother and I shared a love of movies as well. She took me to my first movie "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980, I was 3 months old. Thanks for continuing to review and hope to see you at "church" soon
Honestly, I've never been more excited to click on a Chris Stuckmann video. I watched this at TIFF last year - and it was one of my favourite movies at the festival. Funny you mentioned that all the other big festivals turned this down, because not only was this featured at TIFF's Midnight Madness line up, but it got the MM People's Choice First Runner-Up. The movie's characters are so relatable and the dialogue so great that you don't even bother that it's that dialogue-heavy. One of my favourite movies of last year, I'm glad you gave it a high grade!
what's your other favourite movies? may be something rare like this?
I don't know if there are any Bioshock fans out there, but listening to Billy tell his story reminded me of listening to recordings on the voxophone in Bioshock. Hearing him speak with the static just got me thinking of that aspect of the game.
I'd love to see a film about Sander Cohen :)
That's a pretty common trope in video games. Finding scratchy old recordings around is not unique to Bioshock.
But the time period of Bioshock matches this movie a little better than most games.
Fair play it is a small budget movie... But it did very little for me other than that cool camera shot. The opening was so slow and it never picked up the pace for me. Maybe I was just tired, but I really struggled to stay awake and focused on what was going on.
Tales From the Loop is a much better example of how to tell slow, but interesting stories
I'm 20 mins in and the actor voices are grating on me. It's been really boring up until now.. Not sure if I can make it all the way to the end..
@Zed wow you're hard. I actually have neurological problems and I can't make long term memories or concentrate for long periods of time. So thanks for taking the time to single me out and make me feel more shitty.
Chris grew up watching these kind of movies.
It's funny because the low budget is what made 'The Vast of Night' so spectacular. It was a blessing in disguise.
Please review the Avatar: The Last Airbender TV Show!
He did!
Stay Fractalesque mans was asking him to review a popular show
Here it is: 10/10
@@StayFractalesque Don't be a dick, the guy just politely asked him to review a show he likes.
Stay Fractalesque he asked so politely! What kind of a person are you!?
I've been watching movies in chunks, these days, no wanting to sit for so long, often watching only during meals. But this: The stellar work by the cast (the performances, yes, but also the energy of those performances so this truly felt like it all happened in real time), the focus on character-building through dialogue, the setting, the extraordinarily well-choreographed long takes (and then those occasional shifts to well cut, faster scenes), and the fun vibe of this film-all of these elements kept me fixed to the screen. What a totally satisfying gem of a film. Bonus: The female lead running everywhere like her life depended on it.
I grew up in the vastness of space!
Prayer triangle
You will never be free
You have a funny pic of Gibi ASMR as your pfp lol.
I'd been waiting for this movie to hit Amazon ever since I watched the trailer a couple of months ago. I had high hopes for it and wasn't disappointed! The characters are incredibly likable, and the story is engrossing and delightfully eerie throughout. My heart pounded through a couple of scenes-something that hasn't happened during a movie in a while! I also couldn't help feel it was an homage to my favorite movie of all time, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which just made the movie more enjoyable to me. I've been telling pretty much everyone I've ever met about it. I'm so glad you reviewed it; it deserved to be Stuckmanized!
Thank you for letting us know about this movie! Super engrossing, and the way the story is told is very unique. Definitely a movie to watch late at night during these insane times!
Can you give us a list of movies similar to "The vast of Night" , "Signs" , "The Forth Kind", "Annihilation" and "Arrival" ?
I love how excited Chris gets about the nuts and bolts of the movie making process.
I was blown away by this film! Had the opportunity to see it at a film festival last year and it ended up winning the Best Picture award at the festival. Highly recommend to all movie fans!
Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of _the story_ of this movie. It felt like one of the weaker episodes from the final seasons of Twilight Zone. Without going into spoilers, it felt like it took most of the plot-points from Close Encounters of a Third Kind, and rearranged it in a different order, switched the characters around, etc. My biggest problem is with the one of the main characters - while Fay (the female lead) was decently fleshed out, Everett (the male lead) was not. His character stays static throughout the entirety of the film, and I found myself connecting more to side-characters (such as the old lady and the black man) than to the literal protagonist of the movie. But that's just my opinion though!
I'd highly recommend this movie to everyone simply for the genius filmmaking itself. I am still at disbelief that this has a micro-budget. Some of the shots feel like they belong in a Christopher Nolan movie. And even after the director explained how he filmed the long shot across town, I still have no idea how they fit the camera through narrow fence gaps and tiny windows. Filmmakers like Andrew Patterson should be greenlit more frequently. And the acting is phenomenal from both Sierra McCormick and James Horowitz. I heard somewhere that this is one of James Horowitz' first major roles, so major props to him. I wish him a successful career.
Yes, the acting and pacing of the dialogue (and the camera work) really stood out. Even the minor characters were well acted and believable. The actors and director deserve attention and more work.
Yea this was some BORING shit. Absolutely NOTHING happens.
That tracking shot from the switchboard...to the game...to the station was EPIC.
AAAYYYEEEEEEE YOU REVIEWED THE MOVIE I WORKED ON!!!!
Wow, Chris. I have to say, without your video, I wouldn't even know about this movie. But after seeing your review, I can't wait to see it for myself. I'm watching it tonight. This one deserves to be watched in the dark I think.
Awesome! I watched it yesterday and I thought to myself....."this is a Chris Stuckman film!!!"
The main thing I love and appreciate about Chris is his ability to guide your understanding aspects of film and film making you might overlook. I can't wait for the day he's able to show us more of his film making because I know that at least on of his efforts will absolutely blow me away.
Review "Dark" on Netflix already. For the love of God Chris... ITS THE BEST THING ON NETFLIX!
I somewhat doubt that considering breaking bad is on Netflix
I think he meant Netflix originals
The Hound breaking bad isn’t on Netflix here in Australia :/ but i haven't seen Dark either
yes please
yes but waiting last season
Somebody knows the Name of the Violin music theme which is played in the movie and during the end at the Credits?
Im curious what is his opinion of Dumbo (2019) and Christopher Robin.
Chris. I will give you my SOUL if you do a top 10 list for your favourite movies ever. They don’t necessarily need to be in order just I would be so fascinated to see what you would put in there
I suddenly realized that you did not review the movie The King 2019 with Timothée Chalamet. I would like to know your opinion about this.
As a former smoker, the opening scene with the lead ‘chain smoking’ was so unbelievable that it took me out of the movie. I do not understand why movies choose to let their actors smoke if it can’t be believable. It is such a simple mistake not to make. This happens more frequently than you think, ask any smoker. It’s like being a Brit and listening to Dick Van Dyke
This was a great movie. A back to basics sci-fi movie. The acting was on point. My son and really enjoyed it and discussed it the rest of the evening. A- is a apt grade.
I don't know if anyone else noticed, but Cayuga was the name of Rod Serling's production company and Everett Sloan (the d.j. guy) is the name of a character actor who starred in "The Fever", a classic Twilight Zone episode. He also starred in "Patterns", which was a a teleplay that catapulted Serling into fame.
I really enjoyed this--kept me on the edge of my seat.
watched it last night, loved it. show me what happens in a movie don't tell me everything that's happening. let me figure it out. they did a great job and i had a blast watching it
Some of the scenes were shot in my home town. My siblings/friends were used as extras. Pretty cool to see it out now
Amazon marketed the hell out of this online, so I went in expecting something much bigger. I was disappointed at the end because it felt like I got 20% of a miniseries. Now that I know it was such a small production, I do have a bit more appreciation for it. The acting was great. One thing that stuck out for me was the main male character is written as having a lot of charisma and they pull it off without making him obnoxious. I just really wish they were given more and had the opportunity to really flesh out what could have been I really great story.
Hey Chris my high school basketball team got to play the Cayuga High team as extras in the movie back in 2016 haha I was number 24. Idk if you’ll see this but I’ve been a subscriber for a long time so seeing you review a movie that I was in is one of the weirdest things ever lol, keep up the good work man!
That's cool. I'll go back and see if I can spot you.
So this movie was shot 4 years ago?
Thanks for putting this one on my radar Chris. I’m intrigued and want to check it out. Great review. Thank you. 😃✌🏽
I had a chance to watch the film. I was a little concerned with the beginning scenes involving the tape recorder and interviews. Once it got past that I found myself getting into the film. I found the switchboard scenes fascinating for some reason. Not sure how I feel about the ending yet. Glad I watched it. 😃✌🏽
“Long takes” sounds a lot like the Amadeus line “Too many notes” when one of Mozart’s critics fails to understand the art form entirely. A character contemplating what just happened...or a moment in their lives, is a beautiful thing when done right.
The Europeans found this out LONG AGO that if you respect the intelligence of your audience, you need not spoon feed them every sentiment. A LONG TAKE is what we all do when we sit in our cars, quietly reflecting on this whole year of Corona and the horrific damage it’s done to us an others.
George Lucas feels you’ll get bored if there isn’t a special effect blowing up in your face every 3 minutes! This wonderful film, The Vast Of Night, much like Moon...excels precisely BECAUSE it has to rely on creativity and imagination instead of a big budget. It captures a time and place and makes you walk away as if you stayed up all night.
Stephen Spielberg’s Jaws finally took off when all 3 of his mechanical sharks suffered salt water damage and he had to figure out how to scare people by only SUGGESTING a menacing presence. Spielberg stumbled onto something Sam Wise learned long ago in 1963’s The Haunting that horror isn’t always what you see.
I think this is a much more important film than you gave it credit for.
Here endeth the lesson!
That T-shirt he's wearing killed 3 men in a bar with a fooking pencil.
..a.. fucking.. pencil
Oh....
Nerd
I saw this at the Chicago film festival and absolutely loved this! I am so happy to see Chris review it
Have to say overall it was awesome BUT the payoff just didn’t really deliver for me. I thought the storie(s) were creepy and as it went on got pretty suspenseful but the end just kind of petered out. But I guess that’s where the budget comes in,
So glad to see you liked this little gem, Chris. Don't think they exactly stuck the landing (pun intended) in the very last scene but that in no way takes away from the director's achievement in sustaining his concept for almost all of the film.
I'm a slut for 50's sci-fi aesthetics and non-budget movies, so this sounds right up my alley!
Everything you said is true and this is quite an accomplishment. But I hated the ending. If a group of humans abducted other humans -- kidnapped them in other words -- they would of course be regarded as evil. Why see the aliens any different? We see the damage left behind with the old woman and her tragic story. I wish that had been addressed more. Abducting people is an inherently evil act.
I had no idea this movie existed but it sounds tailor made for my interests. Thanks for the review.
Great video Chris! I’d love to hear your thoughts on Gaspar Noe’s Irreversible (2002)
Reminds me of Pontypool.
Thanks Chris. Your reviews are very comforting, honest, and dependable. No matter ones taste in film I always know you are going to help me decide if the film is worth my time. Even when I bicker, I know you are worth the review.
Does anyone know what the budget was, all I've could find was mirco-budget
In order to get into slamdance where this debut, the budget has to be under $1 million.
IndieWire article said it was under 1 million.
Missed this one at ff but caught it at a drive-in a few weeks ago. It’s definitely a perfect movie to see in that format. Good to see you spreading the word my friend
I really think you’d enjoy watching The Half of It on Netflix 😊
SHUT UP
CHUT... UP
SwiF Nexus its a really good film. I bet you’d like it
Rudy S I think you’d like it if you gave it a shot
Definitely will... Wasn’t trying to be disrespectful with the comment btw, it was a Donnie Darko reference that the comment above mine reminded me of lol
It's a really good film considering it was made on a budget of $700,000. Really amazing camerawork. Well acted, as well, by the two leads and supporting cast.
Chris, that shirt is totally sick!
Just got done watching this. I am absolutely stunned at what I just saw. Hell, I paused the end credits just so I could tell people about it. This film probably cost a few thousand dollars but the money is well spent on every minute that was shot and it will just knock your socks off. Totally micro budget. But goddamn! This is one of the best films of the year, hands down.
I highly recommend a Netflix horror called The Ritual. It’s like a classically shot Blair Witch Project/The Wicker Man and it’s amazing.
Please WATCH and REVIEW MR. ROBOT! The entire show can be found on Amazon Prime!
Movies amazing. Only issue I had was comical. The dark lit scenes at the beginning were very dark and some even had fuzz in it. Doesn't matter, this movies amazing. I mean, this is a movie man.
Awesome review. You should do a tattoo review, the ones on your arm look really good love the shading and colors
That's how they got that chaotic little one-take drive through the town? Nice.
Very cool shot
Hope this is showing on Amazon Prine in the UK. Will certainly be checking this out.
Your review of this film was more interesting than the film itself.
Agreed. Talk about boring.
I mean the film is literally all about (SPOILER WARNING TO ANYONE THAT HASN’T SEEN THE MOVIE)
An unidentified thing in the sky that has been around for years and it brainwashes people of all ages until they lure them out and snatch them up to join the Sky, that’s definitely not boring lol but hey I won’t stop you from enjoying your marvel movies
travis la flame I mean the reason I consider it boring is because it was predictable as hell, good premise but has been done so many times
Alex Little it was unpredictable to me because I expected an original cool and disturbing thing to be in the Sky, I thought they were baiting the UFO typical alien reveal because it’s too obvious but it ended up being just that, which was admittedly disappointing, the lead up was great tho imo, it was just a big letdown when a basic ass UFO showed up
Would have been way better as a 20 minute short.
I'm in this movie!
It's thoroughly surreal to see a project I worked on getting so much attention from reviewers.
"They're in the middle of this crazy event they don't understand."
Topical.
The opening 5 minutes of seemingly chaotic dialogue between multiple characters constantly switching all the memorized lines got my attention . Very charming stuff, I really enjoyed this impressive indie film. Major props to the creators and I look forward to any future projects.
Is it just me or did Chris look like his younger self in the thumbnail.
Thank you for keep brining content during this time! Love it! Having said that, I'm excited for more Hilariocities . . . AAAANNNNDDDD could you review a few more that you said you missed from last year? Your list was like 20 movies or so. I feel like we'd all still enjoy those. Just a recommendation :)
Looks like a good film, right up my alley. Will have to check this one out!
_the truth is out there_
Don't its not worth the time. Most boring fucking movie i have ever seen.
I’m surprised Chris hasn’t reviewed ‘EMMA.’ I just watched it and I usually go to YT to see what’s Chris’ review of a movie is. Please do a review of it it is one of the most visually STUNNING movies I have ever seen.
The dialogue in this movie was headache-inducing.
Right? I thought it was just me. It's like they were trying to talk like real people, but it actually sounded like aliens trying to speak like humans.
Really? Man I loved it.
I found it amazing, akin to West Wing in its brevity and complexity.
It was super distracting, I fell asleep.
It reminded me of my childhood, back with my grandma in the 90's listening to creepy late-night paranormal talk-shows on her old radio. She'll probably really love this movie too.
I would recommend watching it alone to get full enjoyment. For me, everything about this was perfect! I loved that it was lower budget with no actors I recognized, (but still talented) allowing me to get fully immersed. Something about the way they captured the atmosphere, the moods, how the actors portrayed feelings of fear and anxiety- the creators must really have an interest in these topics to have captured it so perfectly. At some parts, I realized I was reliving some anxiety from horribly creepy dreams I've had, so that's a plus, I guess
Such a good movie! The dialogue is perfect.
All this movie is is dialogue... 2 kids talking in a room for an hour then driving around town and most exciting thing that happens is they talk to an old lady? WTF
I actually saw this film around this time last year at Overlook Film Festival, where it won the Jury prize. I went to see it the day after it won the award, and it was one of my favorite films at the festival. I'm glad it's finally getting released and people are able to check this out.
I disagree with the 9 minute switch board scene being a ‘budget cut’ or the scenes being too long. I think it made it way more believable than the average movie and allowed for dialogue to be played out like it would in ‘real life’. That being said, this movie is a piece of art, not a piece of entertainment.
I saw this movie about a year ago, but this is by far one of my favorite movies of all time. The way they mysteriously and ominously tell the story is so gripping. Sci-fi movies today are all about CGI and jump scares. The mystery in this movie is what makes it great.
You gotta review neon genesis evangelion next
I appreciate the indie movie reviews! Interesting. I struggled with the script in ways you didn't. It seemed something of an homage to radio dramas as well with the stories and the tape recordings, but without the same level of dramatization to keep it engaging. I thought the long takes were interesting, and found it jarring when they were followed by a lot of rapid cuts.
Chris is like a father to me
Even though he’s only about 8 years older than me
How old is Chris?
@@brockobama257 81 years old
@@brockobama257 He's 32 (born in 88)
@@Fuzzy_Spork too bad he can't be my father, I'm 31. 😂
He's just a couple of months older than me