...this psycho-supernatural portrait of an actor's descent into madness, for the most part tightly written and directed by two rising film-makers, is still worth a recommendation to genre fans of all stripes. Alex(andra) "Passion Play" Essoe is diabolically perfect as the aspiring thespian, Sarah, who willingly sells her soul to be a movie star; her dedication to the role very nearly makes you wonder if this is how she got cast in the first place.
That's a joke, albeit an easy and a poor one, but I suspect many viewers will wonder anyway. The rest of the cast is a somewhat mixed bunch, and perhaps hindered a bit by underwritten characters, but for the most part, folks like Pat "Ghost World" Healy, Noah "Looper" Segan, Amanda "Last Man Standing" Fuller, Fabianne "John Dies at the End" Therese, and even Gene "Kiss" Simmons' kid hold their own fairly well. The triptych of evil characters is a little difficult to accept as "real," but otherwise the three antagonists give consistently creepy performances. Personally, if I'd been in Sarah's shoes, I'd have backed away from that first audition without hesitation, but admittedly I have the advantage of age and experience in that regard.
The story's solid first two acts lead to a somewhat off-key close when the third act unleashes Sarah's aggressive ambitions in a paroxysm of bloody murder, and I do mean bloody. Squeamish viewers will be squeamed significantly.
Various sources have mentioned the David Lynch/Cronenberg influences on the film, and I suppose such argument can be made, but I'm more of a mind that films like Roman Polanski's "Repulsion" and the work of auteurs like Tobe Hooper, Wes Craven, and George Romero were far more the forebears of "Starry Eyes." Adam "Jake Squared" Bricker's camera-wrangling is efficient if un-flashy, while Jonathan "Room 237" Snipes' score sets an appropriate unsettling mood. The film looks great for a relatively low budget affair. Despite the accusations found elsewhere on these boards (many of which I suspect originate from industry competitors), "Starry Eyes" clearly evinces a dedication to the craft, as well as the story being told.
Definitely worth a look-see by genre fans despite its flaws, "Starry Eyes" contains one very satisfying breakout performance by its lead. I can only hope Ms. Essoe doesn't end up stereotyped and pigeon-holed by it.
That's a joke, albeit an easy and a poor one, but I suspect many viewers will wonder anyway. The rest of the cast is a somewhat mixed bunch, and perhaps hindered a bit by underwritten characters, but for the most part, folks like Pat "Ghost World" Healy, Noah "Looper" Segan, Amanda "Last Man Standing" Fuller, Fabianne "John Dies at the End" Therese, and even Gene "Kiss" Simmons' kid hold their own fairly well. The triptych of evil characters is a little difficult to accept as "real," but otherwise the three antagonists give consistently creepy performances. Personally, if I'd been in Sarah's shoes, I'd have backed away from that first audition without hesitation, but admittedly I have the advantage of age and experience in that regard.
The story's solid first two acts lead to a somewhat off-key close when the third act unleashes Sarah's aggressive ambitions in a paroxysm of bloody murder, and I do mean bloody. Squeamish viewers will be squeamed significantly.
Various sources have mentioned the David Lynch/Cronenberg influences on the film, and I suppose such argument can be made, but I'm more of a mind that films like Roman Polanski's "Repulsion" and the work of auteurs like Tobe Hooper, Wes Craven, and George Romero were far more the forebears of "Starry Eyes." Adam "Jake Squared" Bricker's camera-wrangling is efficient if un-flashy, while Jonathan "Room 237" Snipes' score sets an appropriate unsettling mood. The film looks great for a relatively low budget affair. Despite the accusations found elsewhere on these boards (many of which I suspect originate from industry competitors), "Starry Eyes" clearly evinces a dedication to the craft, as well as the story being told.
Definitely worth a look-see by genre fans despite its flaws, "Starry Eyes" contains one very satisfying breakout performance by its lead. I can only hope Ms. Essoe doesn't end up stereotyped and pigeon-holed by it.