Indie Showcase: Sinking Sand (2018)

The plot that is based on crime and punishment is as old as time itself, even before a particular Russian novelist used it for one of his famous books. After all, it is something we're all instantly interested in, no matter what the actual story or the setting might be.

The appeal of the concept is clear and also the reason why centuries pass and it remains as fresh as ever. Sinking Sand is a new indie thriller-drama that is utilizing the very same idea. Here is how the movie explains its plot:

After a loving wife murders a blackmailer to protect her husband�s flourishing law career, she must watch as he prosecutes another for her crime.

Through this simple premise, the trailer for Sinking Sand reveals an impacting film, one which is first and foremost a psychological drama about our decision and their wide-branching consequences. Through the plot, the film�s cinematography approach clearly puts a lot of emphasis on its characters. The slow shots of the faces of the actors reveal deep and terrible dilemmas in which most of them are placed.

Sinking Sand Official Trailer from Nandar Pictures on Vimeo.

Should the guilty step forward?

What is the price of staying quiet?

Will the transgression of the past die out or only come back as hideous monsters?

The director, Brian Yarbrough, clearly managed to explore all of these using modest means of an indie production. Yet, the result seems very polished and thought-out so I have no doubt that the movie will be a worthwhile experience, especially for those who are interested in deep-impacting cinema.

Sinking Sands is out on  DVD & VOD September 18, 2018. Until then, check out the movie�s official Amazon page right here.

Two Paragraph Review: Hostiles (2018)

There�s something about this film that I can�t quite put my finger upon. It is something elusive, barely visible and still impacting the entire experience of watching it. But, while I cannot pinpoint it, what I am certain is that it stops the film from being really impressive. Instead, it makes it linger between the average and the good categories, as something that belongs in neither one. Its story is about a late 19th century US army captain who escorts a family of native prisoners to their new home. He does this after many years of bitter US-Native fighting and crooked peace deals, now apparently nothing more than a jaded and violent officer, masterfully played by Christian Bale.

Now, why is the film lacking in such distinctive, slight and yet undeniable manner? It is not that the film features or forces some particular type of political message that would make it feel fake, even though it does tend to pile blame more towards the white settlers (no argument here from the historical perspective). The problem lies, for me, in those little cracks and fissures that appear from time to time, mostly in the script. A sappy moment here, an injection of banality there. At the same time, unlike small masterpieces of new-western like Bone Tomahawk, the film takes itself excruciatingly seriously. Thanks to this, it ends up missing the mark for me - not completely, but evidently.