'Felt'
(Amy Everson, Kentucker Audley, Brendan Miller, Elisabeth Ferrara, et al / DVD / NR / 2015 / Anchor Bay Entertainment)
Overview: A woman creates an alter ego in hopes of overcoming the trauma inflicted by men in her life.
DVD Verdict: With a movie reviewing publication tag line quote (on the front cover, nonetheless) that says, "Felt Gives Rape Culture What It Deserves," Anchor Bay Entertainment and Amplify Releasing have brought us yet another interestingly dark, suspenseful and highly intense personal vision of a twisted reality!
Directed by Jason Banker (Toad Road, My Name is Faith) and featuring a breakout performance by star and co-writer Amy Everson, 'Felt' (which was also co-written by both Banker and Everson) brings us the tale of Amy, who plays this on top, in control (mostly, well, to an inner point of her own understanding, at the very least) feminist. In this thriller about a woman on the edge, as the character Amy, she struggles to cope with past sexual trauma and the daily aggression's of a male-dominated society, and so she creates grotesquely-costumed alter egos that give her a sense of power.
But when she starts a new relationship with a seemingly nice guy (Kentucker Audley of Ain't Them Bodies Saints), her vulnerability comes at a cost, and those alter egos lash out, threatening to lead her down a nightmarish path of vengeance. Given that this is Everson's movie debut, you have to stand up and applaud loudly, and heartily, her passion toward not only the character, but the script also. Sure, she helped co-write it, but she never once sways from its justified points on the curve to her.
Also, and this was a nice bonus to the 80 minutes, 'felt' is shot really nicely and looks good on screen, for the most part. Some of the cinematography is a bit shakier than I normally care for, but I’m always willing to overlook that in a lower-budget film. Strangely, I couldn’t peg what kind money this film had to work with, which means that it isn't overly obvious that they had not a pot to piss in; theoretically!
Sure, 'Felt' imparts en mass of skewed female behavior toward us at, nearly, every turn from the off. So much so that if there's an implied, or unintentionally submitted "feminist message" come the end, it would be close to the fact that our sexist culture results in some individuals that are permanently so screwed up they not only can't help the culture in question, they can't even help themselves! Or, well, being a guy, something like that, anyway!
Lastly, 'Felt' was an Official Selection at AFI Fest and won the Special Jury Prize at Fantastic Fest. A study of society’s rape culture seen through a lens of psychology and anxiety, 'Felt' is a hard watch at times, doesn't make total sense at certain points re: her actions and reactions, so to speak, but is 100% a movie that should be seen; if only to highlight a "culture" that indeed needs to be cut off immediately! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.
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