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The Vast of Night, 2019
In a small town in the 1950s, virtually the whole community turns out for a high school basketball game. On the other side of town, high school student Fay (Sierra McCormick) works the switchboard as her friend Everett (Jake Horowitz) hosts a radio show. But when a strange sound comes over the airwaves, Fay and Everett discover that something is happening in their town that connects to strange events from the past.
When this movie first came out, it was definitely the little sci-fi that could. When I initially tried watching it, it didn't really capture my attention. This time around, though, I definitely got into its rhythm and found it a very rewarding watch.
This film does a lot with a little, and it makes the most of a very solid cast. Horowitz and McCormick are both very engaging leads (although Fay is saddled with some dialogue that hews a little too "gee golly gee!" for my taste, something that thankfully ebbs in the second half). There's also an excellent vocal performance from Bruce Davis as a man who calls into the station to share his own experience with the strange sound. The final act is anchored by a fantastic near-monologue Gail Cronauer as a shut-in who summons Everett and Fay to her home to tell them about her own tragic past.
What works so well in the film is the way that it perpetually pushes contrasting tones and energies. Fay and Everett approach their investigation with youthful, borderline-reckless zeal. But their excitement is framed---via some gorgeous long sweeping shots--with the emptiness of the town. The teens worry about what the authority figures will say about them breaking into the library or leaving their posts unattended. It doesn't occur to them until much too late that there might be forces at play far more serious than an irate librarian.
This is, for the most part, a very low-key film. But it builds and builds all while keeping you and the characters on the border between fear and awe. A lot is built from very simple moments, such as the eerie effect of a recorded sound on two car passengers. Where the film ends, and where the characters find themselves, is very moving.
I didn't vibe with it the first time, but on this second viewing, I feel like I get the hype.
The Vast of Night, 2019
In a small town in the 1950s, virtually the whole community turns out for a high school basketball game. On the other side of town, high school student Fay (Sierra McCormick) works the switchboard as her friend Everett (Jake Horowitz) hosts a radio show. But when a strange sound comes over the airwaves, Fay and Everett discover that something is happening in their town that connects to strange events from the past.
When this movie first came out, it was definitely the little sci-fi that could. When I initially tried watching it, it didn't really capture my attention. This time around, though, I definitely got into its rhythm and found it a very rewarding watch.
This film does a lot with a little, and it makes the most of a very solid cast. Horowitz and McCormick are both very engaging leads (although Fay is saddled with some dialogue that hews a little too "gee golly gee!" for my taste, something that thankfully ebbs in the second half). There's also an excellent vocal performance from Bruce Davis as a man who calls into the station to share his own experience with the strange sound. The final act is anchored by a fantastic near-monologue Gail Cronauer as a shut-in who summons Everett and Fay to her home to tell them about her own tragic past.
What works so well in the film is the way that it perpetually pushes contrasting tones and energies. Fay and Everett approach their investigation with youthful, borderline-reckless zeal. But their excitement is framed---via some gorgeous long sweeping shots--with the emptiness of the town. The teens worry about what the authority figures will say about them breaking into the library or leaving their posts unattended. It doesn't occur to them until much too late that there might be forces at play far more serious than an irate librarian.
This is, for the most part, a very low-key film. But it builds and builds all while keeping you and the characters on the border between fear and awe. A lot is built from very simple moments, such as the eerie effect of a recorded sound on two car passengers. Where the film ends, and where the characters find themselves, is very moving.
I didn't vibe with it the first time, but on this second viewing, I feel like I get the hype.