Photo © Briarcliff Entertainment
Natalie Morales and Sonequa Martin-Green in 'My Dead Friend Zoe'
Natalie Morales and Sonequa Martin-Green in 'My Dead Friend Zoe'
Blue Desert
(IndiePix DVD)
Yoko Ono’s book Grapefruit inspired Brazilian director Eder Santos’ visually intriguing Blue Desert. Set in a near future that doesn’t look too different from the present (flying cars excepted), Blue Desert is largely the narrative of a young man dissatisfied with his techno-shallow society. He can’t stop thinking about “transcendence” and is frustrated by his own obliviousness. On his journey, he meets a mysterious old man painting blue symbols on the desert rocks and a woman who tells him: “Instead of looking into a mirror, look for another person.” The inexpensive SFX are ingenious. (David Luhrssen)
Last Breath
(In Theaters Feb 28)
This thriller, based on real-life events, features numerous nail-biting sequences. In 2019, director Alex Parkinson made a documentary to tell this story. It was released on Netflix. Adapted here into a feature film, Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Cliff Curtis play deep sea divers. Finn Cole portrays the ship’s captain. When a series of unforeseen occurrences leave one deep sea diver stranded hundreds of feet beneath the surface, the remaining divers refuse to give up on hopes of retrieving him. They persuade the captain to help them mount a daring rescue that imperils their malfunctioning ship, and yet, strikes viewers as the right thing to do. The PG-13-rated effort represents a collaborative venture between the U.S. and the UK, and it benefits from a tight script, along with credible special effects and action depicted by a game cast. Get a large popcorn. (Lisa Miller)
My Dead Friend Zoe
(In Theaters Feb 28)
The death of a loved one ranks first on the scale of traumatic events. When that death is witnessed while fighting a war, the trauma readily expands into PTSD. That’s the affliction describing Afghanistan Veteran Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green), following the death of her best friend (and combat buddy) Zoe (Natalie Morales). Back home in Oregon, Merit’s failure to adapt to civilian life lands her in court-mandated group therapy. Psychiatrist Dr. Cole (Morgan Freeman), is concerned when session after session, Merit refuses to speak. Seeing no value to continuing, Merit goes to live with her grandfather (Ed Harris) after he develops dementia. Meanwhile, an engaging and challenging Zoe has been manifesting in Merit’s imagination ever since Zoe died. Flashbacks that highlight Zoe’s attributes, illustrate that imaginary Zoe remains in character. A Vietnam War Vet with dementia and PTSD of his own, Merit’s grandfather conjures his dead wife with whom he believes he interacts. While Merit and her grandfather have similar problems, their separation; by gender, race, and two-generations, yields different perspectives. Written by director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, himself a vet, the film hopes to highlight the suffering of veterans, their plight worsened by a lack of effective rehabilitation programs. Rated 94% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, “My Dead Friend Zoe” mines a comedic mess hall while dropping emotional bombs. (Lisa Miller)
