Parallax is a 2020 American science-fiction psychodrama film about a young woman that suffers from psychological problems.
Written and directed by Michael Bachochin (Cascadia; God Forgive Us), the Primal Group production stars Naomi Prentice, Nelson Ritthaler, Hattie Smith (The Axiom) and Ted Gianopulos. It was produced by Bachochin, Brooke Lorraine and Yuself Baig.
Plot:
A young artist wakes up in a life that she doesn’t recognise, spending her time asleep haunted by nightmares of drowning in a black abysmal void. As she begins to uncover the truths of the life that she’s found herself in, the gravity of her failing reality weighs heavily on her psychological identity and the reliability of her sanity is called into question…
Reviews:
“This movie is only recommended to viewers who enjoy confounding mind game films and want to be left wondering what they just watched. If you’re not into “was it all just a dream?” films (or at least not into ones that don’t involve horror icons), this one isn’t likely to win you over because there’s not a lot going on in it.” Arrow in the Head
“It’s hard to ignore the shift change in the final 30 minutes that feels like a disservice to the quiet psychological thriller that had been building for the majority of the runtime. However, even if the ending does leave you unsatisfied, the core of the film gives an honest and raw portrayal of mental illness; one that’s hard to match or ignore.” CRP Writes
“The effect is more bland and numbing than the hoped-for depth, and the blandness is matched by the cast’s flat and stiff handling of the material. Perhaps one could be generous and say that the effect was meant to be hypnotic to match the film’s layered approach to consciousness, but in practice, it casts Parallax in an uninspired veneer of sterility.” Film Pulse
“Parallax runs nearly a full two hours, but it really ought to be more like ninety minutes. There is too much set-up to chug through, but the mind-tripping material is worth making the effort. This is ultra-micro-DIY filmmaking, but it is built around some smart writing and intriguing concepts.” J.B. Spins
“Bachochin doles out clues — flashbacks — like a miser determined to take it all with him. Parallax tests the patience with its sinking underwater nightmares, its wandering the seaside in a negligee interludes, its nosebleeds. This stinginess creates a disconnect which we in the movie-reviewing trade call “boredom.” Movie Nation
“This is an interesting sci-fi that could be analysed for hours to truly understand everything, but it will not be a casual viewing for anyone.” Movie Reviews 101
“It is heavy science fiction brilliantly disguised as an existential head trip that builds to a labyrinth of questions that takes some effort to understand. That will surely keep some at bay, but this is a movie carefully crafted for fans of a specific genre, uninterested in exposition and straight lines […] Highly recommended.” That Moment In
“Another allegory for ‘living a lie’ in some respect would have just been another allegorical film in a long line of them, but Parallax does far more than that. When it really begins to unfold and move in new directions, it rewards your attention. Above all, it has a clear sense of aspiration…” Warped Perspective
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Release:
Parallax was released theatrically on July 10th 2020.
Reviews:
There are no reviews of Parallax available currently; please bookmark this website and return again soon for a range of independent, aggregated reviews.
Cast and characters:
• Naomi Prentice … Naomi
• Nelson Ritthaler … Lucas
• Hattie Smith … Mikayla
• Ted Gianopulos … Doctor Hill
• Bette Smith … Linda
• Taylor Flowers … Jonas
• Brooke Lorraine … Garvey
• Keith Kelly … Mitchell (voice)
• Larry Jones … Jesse (voice)
Filming locations:
• Los Angeles, California
Technical details:
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
