![]() ![]() She believes these halos of energy reflect our innate way of being in the world and whatever we’re currently going through, whether it’s the “green” of aīreakup or the “orange” of dealing with a high-energy toddler. Susanna, it turns out, is an intuitive energy reader, meaning that she perceives visible auras and their colors. Was Susanna a spy? A therapist? A Republican political strategist? When I saw her the next morning, I rushed over to get answers. The possibilities set my imagination whirling. ![]() This reticence piqued my curiosity some of the girl bosses I’ve met there barely say hi before cheerfully downloading their entire CV into your brain. ![]() I asked her what kind of work she did, but she demurred, implying that she didn’t have time to explain just then, but I could come find her later if I was still curious. Still, while it does not fully stick its landing, the film is an emotionally raw experience that forces its audience to accept some hard truths about themselves and their path in life.I met Susanna Merrick-Klinkbeil while waiting for the phone booths at The Wing in New York’s SoHo. Since I have not yet seen it, I don’t have much to justify this fear other than my impressions that Calzada has nothing else to say by the time these credits roll. Considering that brief length, I fear the conclusion will be more of an extended epilogue than a solid second half. Nocturna: Side A – The Great Old Man’s Night is the first part of a two-part series, with its sequel Nocturna: Side B – Where the Elephants Go to Die running only 67 minutes. While the mystery thriller may be emotionally redolent, it is certainly not the slightest bit scary or unnerving. This tonal inconsistency is most apparent in the specific segments designed around Elena which, boast horror undertones. Because of this overabundance, many moments aren’t able to simply speak for themselves, and it ultimately neuters some of the latter half’s natural efficacy. The compositions are entirely appropriate for whichever sequence they’re being used, but they never seem to leave, regardless of the scene. However, while all these aspects work towards the benefit, the evocative musical score doesn’t quite. It’s easy to empathize with them as we experience their regret and denial amongst their endless routine and longing for their past. These elements bolster the stellar performances by Soriano and Marini. The camerawork is buttressed by the rich oranges, muted browns, and pale blues, which colorist Juan Manuel Casolati uses to charge the story with an ethereal and uncertain aura. ![]() The night quickly spirals into a fever dream of looping memories and lost time, shoving Ulises toward a reckoning with the ghosts of his past.īorders, artificial and symbolic, define cinematographer Claudio Beiza’s visuals: the main character is often seen through a fractured lens created from glass windows set into the internal walls which divide the rooms, adding further subconscious emphasis to his deteriorating health and mind. Ulises refuses to let her in, so Elena hurls herself out of her window, breaking her neck in the courtyard outside of his apartment. One night, they are startled by intense banging and screaming from the outside hallway, finding the distraught upstairs neighbor Elena (Desirée Salgueiro) demanding entry. His long life has culminated with his children estranged, his friends long buried, and a troubled marriage to his wife Dalia (Marilú Marini). Ulises (Pepe Soriano) is a man nearing 100, with recurring headaches and chest pains, living on the first floor of an old apartment building. In writer/director Gonzalo Calzada’s Nocturna: Side A – The Great Old Man’s Night, we are confronted with the inverse of the aforementioned utopian life, exploring an existence defined by what is absent and fading. However, a choice without a consequence is similar to taking a risk without a reward - nothing is learned, and we waste opportunities to improve ourselves and our relationships. Yet, if we look at the reality of this aspiration, what it actually means is that we aim to live a life without consequence. SCREAMFEST 2021 REVIEW! We all have wished, at one point or another, that we could live our lives without regrets and pursue our dreams free of charge. ![]()
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