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Blumhouse night! Reviews Nocturne (2020) and Black Box (2020).


 

Originally I had planned to watch 4 Blumhouse productions this night but I had a long day and was pretty exhausted after having seen both Nocturne and Black Box. Most likely I will watch The Lie and Evil Eye next weekend.




Review Nocturne (2020)




Nocturne has a very good atmosphere and feeling of dread. It plays around with horror convention. You aren't quite sure whether it's a psychological thriller or whether something supernatural is going on. Only at the very end you will be given a definitive answer.

But is it worth the journey? For a large part I found myself intrigued with the premise. Twin sisters Juliet and Vivian want to become the best classical musicians they can be. They both seem to have the talent only Vivian is considered to be the exceptionally brilliant one. When opportunity knocks Juliet screws over her sister Vivian by playing the same piece as her sister. Now me and Mrs. P almost had a big fight about this since she felt that Juliet was a bitch for doing that and that her jealousy was unwarranted. I had interpreted it differently. I saw it as a healthy competition or rivalry between them and felt more understanding towards Juliet. As depicted in Nocturne all the attention goes to Vivian. Still there is is a big chance we can't rely on this since it's very probably that most events are seen from Juliet's perspective. I was rooting for Juliet until she continually did things that make her unlikable. It's also here where Nocturne fails to deliver. All this time the film had been building up grave and serious events only they never occur. Or at least not as compelling as they should have been. Honestly I lost interest at one point and just wanted the film to be over. They kept repeating situations and scenes that ultimately lead nowhere. Then the final scene happens and I realized I wasted precious time.

It's here where you ask yourself if there is even a point to this film. I guess they are trying to say what some of the teachers have been saying in Nocturne that sometimes you should lower your expectations. Some teachers often say this too quickly because they fail to motivate or inspire a student. There are many cases where these teachers have been proven wrong. Although I do recognize that sometimes there is merit to their message. As it can lead to severe disappointment and destruction.

Overall Nocturne starts out real well but ultimately fails due to pretension and incredibly simple message. I can't recommend this.





Review Black Box (2020)




Black Box is superior in every way. It also builds up an atmosphere of fright and dread at first but then shifts the tone to something more relatable. 

Almost everything is outstanding in Black Box. The cinematography, the acting, the sound and the story. I think it's one of the few times I have seen that something truly creative has been done with amnesia. It's a cliche trope but in this film it's handled brilliantly. Of course I won't reveal what that is exactly but you will like it for sure. Can I with absolute certainty say that it hasn't been done before? I definitely can reveal a big and popular film that has dealt with the same premise although a little differently. But if I would to do that it would ruin the viewing experience. I also don't think it's that important for the story.

The bigger and most crucial part of the story is the relationship between father Nolan and daughter Ava. Due to a tragic car accident Nolan is far from his usual self. He has forgotten many things and basically is very reliant on daughter Ava to run their life. He does acknowledges her love and patience which is heartbreaking to watch. Ava truly is a patient kid. She is far too young to take on the role of a parent but is not going to give up on losing her father anytime soon. 

For the most part Black Box is really rewarding although it's far from perfect. One could argue that they don't go far enough with the premise. I think the film definitely could have gone deeper into the backgrounds of certain characters to give you more insight into the dynamics. Especially after the reveal. But perhaps that would have made this film longer and as much as I liked this film it was already pushing it. A must watch for sure!






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