‘A girl. A mixtape. And the end of the world.’
Starfish is a 2018 American “cosmic” science fiction mystery film written and directed by A.T. White. The movie stars Virginia Gardner, Christina Masterson, Eric Beecroft and Natalie Mitchell.
Plot:
Aubrey, a young woman suffering from the death of a close friend. When a mysterious signal from an unknown dimension summons the end of days, it appears as if only Aubrey is left on earth.
Trapped in the apartment of her recently deceased best friend, the only clue she has is a single cassette left behind after her friends death, labelled: “This mixtape will save the world.”
Thrust into a mystery orchestrated by her friend and stricken with grief, Aubrey begins to piece the clues together, uncovering a series of tapes all with pieces of the mystery signal. Along the way, progress is impeded when monstrous creatures begin to overrun the world and enclose in on her.
Aubrey is forced to fight off the encroaching creatures and move beyond her own crippling grief in order to find the remaining tapes. But will completing the signal save the world?
Reviews:
“Music becomes a living part of the narrative, speaking for the character when she cannot and transporting her back to good times and bad. Enhanced by Virginia Gardener’s performance, an upbeat indie soundtrack, and beautiful imagery, Starfish mixes genre cinema and music to create a unique portrayal of loss.” Birth. Movies. Death.
“The disturbing, although natural, experience of death is a relatable foundation that he creatively tops with an allegorical storyline exemplifying the necessary need to face one’s demons and motion through life’s unpredictable pains.” /Film
“At its core, the film makes for a compelling psychological thriller in the vein of The Babadook in a Lovecraft scenario, but it doesn’t have quite enough science fiction to call it a science fiction film, nor enough horror to call it a horror film. Still, it’s lovely to look at and has well-crafted shots.” Goombastomp
“This little indie movie is a brilliant genre-bender that beautifully blends together horror, drama, and sci-fi […] In so many ways, Starfish is a little stroke of heartbreaking and terrifying (yet also strangely beautiful) storytelling. Do not miss it!” Heaven of Horror
” …even if all of the disparate elements don’t always coalesce, Starfish remains fascinating throughout. This is the rare horror film that accurately depicts loss and regret in a realistic way, human elements that can be just as defeating as the roving monsters that stalk Aubrey throughout the film.” Last Feeling Magazine
” …the film tends to meander, occasionally turning into a cartoon and also even breaking the fourth wall. The narrative is just a little too spongy. It looks good. The monsters are good, but it’s all too loose. Starfish tried to say a lot, but sadly says nothing at all.” Lewton Bus
“The movie keeps all important information on a slow, restricted drip. Until the ending when we are handed a string of exposition from the mysterious voice on the walkie-talkie. It’s not that all the answers are suddenly handed to you, and all-at-once everything makes sense, but it feels so unlike the rest of the film that it left me doubting the strength of the story’s intricacy.” Nightmare on Film Street
Release:
Starfish was released theatrically in select locations from March 13th 2019 onwards. It was available on Digital and VOD from May 28th 2019.
Trailer:
