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I Believe In Unicorns
R0 - America - IndiePix Films Review written by and copyright: Abraham Phillips (25th February 2016). |
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The Film
 "I Believe in Unicorns" is an emotional drama filled with dynamic characters and a storyline that is truthful, believable, and emotionally draining. The main character is Davina (Natalia Dyer), a teenage girl with an incredible imagination. It's her ultimate escape from the troubles of the world that surround her. She falls in love with an older boy, Sterling (Peter Vack), and all seems wonderful, enriched with her fantasy world that she creates. Soon the storybook whirlwind fantasy is halted and changes when the boy starts to show his darker side, which is violence. Davina's character is so flawlessly acted that her persona transcends off the screen, it allows the viewer to engage in her life. She runs away from home and quickly falls into a storybook romance, she finds her Knight in Shining Armor, but like all good things - they must come to an end. Davina quickly realizes that her dreams, fantasies are just that, make believe. The storybook Romance is not what she imagined it would be and she ends up in emotional turmoil. Starring a dynamic group of young performers. Natalia Dyer owns and brings to life this young woman in a way that leaves the viewer breathless. She is an amazing young performer with a long and promising career ahead of her. Peter Vack is another flawless example of solid acting, his part is an emotional undertaking that shines onscreen. Both Dyer and Vack play off each other’s emotions, actions, and create perfect chemistry together. I have to say this was directed flawlessly. I felt the film flowed with ease, with it’s slow burn mentality. It was captured as if life unfolding before you. Leah Meyerhoff directed a wonderful film that lingers with you long after you view it. It makes you question imagination. This film left me emotionally drained. It plays on you. It's an art house, stylistic undertaking of currents that pull you under its waves of emotions and holds you to the very end. This film has won many awards, the Grand Jury Award form Atlanta and many awards from other festivals across the country, Nashville, Woodstock, Anchorage, First Time Fest, San Francisco Film Society, each award it deserves. A wonderful film to praise. Very frank in nature which gives it a setting of believability that very few films have. This is a trip of ultimate young love. A road trip style film mixed with the emotional baggage of teenage romance. The movie is a complex telling of finding oneself, of a relationship, and its ups and downs. This is filmed with an imaginative flair, invoking powerful imagery that delves the viewer into Davina's world. To put it simply, the cinematography is mind blowing. The atmosphere to the story weaved together through wonderful performances make this film something to praise and talk about. The best way to describe this film is - emotionally haunting.
Video
Presented in the film's original theatrical ratio 1.85:1 widescreen anamorphic. The movie is filmed in an artistic way and it's a massive undertaking of images, flashes, or moments captured in silence or with a back drop of music as the story unfolds. Imagery is life-like, rustic imagery, crisp, very vibrant in color. Overall a terrific standard definition transfer.
Audio
A single audio track is included in English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, there is really no flaw with the audio. It’s a beautiful sounding film. The soundtrack, despite it's 2.0 sound field, comes to life through narration and music. The audio is very noticeable. There are no optional subtitles.
Extras
IndiePix have included a small selection of supplements, primarily in the form of four featurettes, a short film and the film's original theatrical trailer. Below is a closer look. Four behind-the-scenes featurettes are included with the actors discussing their parts, edited with moments from the movie, they include: - "Fairytale" running for 2 minutes and 5 seconds. - "Davina" running for 42 seconds. - "Sterling" running for 42 seconds. - "Daydream" running for 1 minute 33 seconds. A 2004 short film called "Twitch" is included, also directed by Leah Meyerhoff and running for 10 minutes and 3 seconds. It’s about a teenage girl who takes care of her crippled mother. She is obsessed that something is wrong with her legs. This short film is probably the basis or start of the idea for "I Believe in Unicorns". The film's original theatrical trailer runs for 1 minute 26 seconds.
Packaging
Not your standard single DVD case. This case is a single disc, slim, cardboard eco-friendly style case digi-pack.
Overall
"I Believe in Unicorns" is an artistic endeavor, an emotional roller coaster of ideas, thoughts, imagery and the very complexities of young love. It's a volatile story of two people lost inside the world and the actions of love, hate, anger, what-if’s, adventure, and most of all the unknown.
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