Dark (2015)

Very disappointing...

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

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.

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.

Phenomenal performance by Whitney Able and the rest of the cast with great direction by Basile. One of the best arty indies I've seen this year. It's an atmospheric and intense emotional ride through the very disturbed brain of the main protagonist. I wish there were more movies made like this. It's also a terrifying and unsettling depiction of New York City during the blackout. I've read some comments where people complain about the film being too slow or too ambiguous. For me the gradual build and deliberate pacing is what set this film apart and allowed for me to really care about the main character. The finale of the film wouldn't have worked nearly as well if the buildup was rushed. I also really liked some of the ambiguous elements in the film. Today it seems like audiences want everything spelled out. The filmmakers here instead allow the audience to fill in some of the blanks which I find refreshing. Admittedly, this may not be everyone's cup of tea but I found it to be surprisingly well done. A very underrated thriller which I highly recommend.

Salutations. This title is marketed as Drama,Horror,Thriller. It's not horrific, or thrilling, so I suppose that leaves drama. It's a strange, cut and shopped together piece that takes the viewer through one night inside the head of a very disturbed young woman. She has no idea what's going on, and confesses the same; unfortunately, neither does the viewer. The film gets stranger and more deliberately confusing as it goes on. I suspect this is in the name of art, but some shots are painfully long and uncomfortably self-indulgent. I forced myself to watch it all, but frankly, I wouldn't recommend it. From the teaser 'lesbian sex scene' at the film's opening, through the distasteful running undercurrent of 'rape', to the final slide show of tenuously connected frames, it's not good cinema. *** for actually getting me to watch it through.