Aiden

This afternoon, I had the unfortunate experience of watching "Aiden," directed by Carl Medland, and I can't help but feel frustrated with the current state of movies. It seems like a lot of new films, including this one, are getting high ratings even though they have serious issues with storytelling, screenplay, acting, and direction.

Right from the start, "Aiden" throws a messy plot at us that feels almost ridiculous. The story is all over the place, leaving viewers confused instead of engaged. The screenplay is filled with nonsense and cringe-worthy dialogue, making it hard to connect with the characters or care about what happens to them.

The acting is pretty bad-it's forced and unconvincing, like the actors weren't even sure what they were doing. And as for the direction, Carl Medland really missed the boat. "Aiden" comes off as a jumbled collection of scenes that never really mesh.

Honestly, I'm tired of watching films that, despite the high praise from friends and family, highlight a concerning trend in the industry. It's disappointing to see movies like "Aiden" getting recognition when they clearly fall short in so many areas!

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Lol Wow, did this movie ever take an about turn in its final act! I was enjoying this perfectly well as a drama about a man fleeing physical and mental abuse at his beautiful lover but the unbelievably ridiculous and out of nowhere sci-fi turn the plot takes just completely obliterated all of that, the guy was a robot or something? It didn't work and was just completely unnecessary and meaningless, it was would have worked fine enough if he'd have been hallucinating or something because of hunger and some weird sneaky sh@t the creepy little therapist was doing, I was enjoying the drama, the lead actor was quite good and sincere and it was to me poignant and pretty relatable when he was wrestling between sticking to his guns and calling his boyfriend to teIl him where he was, you don't generally get that brought up very often in movies when it's two guys involved. But when he very unexpectedly starts spouting alien gobbledegook at the end well, the damn movie is rendered pretty much worthless! The twist is just so very hackneyed and amateurish and just completely sends the movie totally careening and flying off the rails and it's one of the worst most poorly done plot twists I've ever seen in a ton of movies, sadly it's one to avoid because instead of being the drama with dark edges it was clearly meant to be, it tries to be a little too much and succeeds at nothing... What a total drag man!

So this is a story about a man with a troubled past. We enter upon him falling apart so to speak losing his grip on reality and conscious presence and stability.

Bouncing between not knowing what to do and trying to hard to do an impression of what one would at a glance think is the proper way (and probably expecting the blair witch around every corner) based on the camera quality.

Apparently aiden catches a cold and was forced to take a very long flight a few weeks before his world unraveled.

From there it gets pretty confusing very fast as the messages all seem different. The director seems to have one narrative and the main character seems to be following his own haphazard impulses while there is a third subtext that doesn't match either and will surely be spun off as the master of spin disasters and sold for scrap.

Turns out diversity is good in entertainment news as well. Someone should have explained that to them before they went off like a rocket and exploded like a one time firework.

Beautifully shot and some terrific suspense. The pacing is very good as well as some of the character conflict. Effect were very efficient considering the low budget.

Beautiful landscape. There was a lot of tension that kept me hooked in on the story. I also think the writers did a good job of establishing the characters. There was a perfect balance of internal and external conflict. I thought the character of Aiden was a well-written and relatable character.

The cinematography was very creative and fluid. The film makes a good use of it's landscape to reflect the character's inner turmoil. Definitely recommend it.

Plot: Aiden has spent years trapped in a tumultuous and abusive relationship with his partner, Ivan, whose charming facade masks a volatile temperament. After a particularly harrowing incident, Aiden makes the courageous decision to escape, seeking sanctuary in a secluded cabin nestled deep in the woods. This safe haven represents not just a physical refuge but a chance to reclaim his life and confront the haunting shadows of his past. In the isolation of the cabin, Aiden is introduced to an unconventional therapist, Dr. Williams, who employs unorthodox methods to help him process his PTSD. Through intense and often unsettling sessions, Aiden is pushed to confront his feelings such as fears, insecurities, and the emotional scars left by Ivan's abuse. As he delves deeper into his psyche, Aiden begins to unearth memories and truths that threaten to unravel everything he thought he knew about love, trust, and his own identity.

It's one of those movies that gets great reviews here, you watch it, and scratch your head and say, "why?" But we know. It stinks.