I had a chance to see Nara at the Mississauga Independent Film Festival two night ago. Nara starts off to a slow start and really picks up after 30 minutes to become a fascinating story about obsession. The main actor, Dylan MacDonald, is believable in this part as a strange social outcast and his subdued interpretation contributes to the eeriness and mysterious atmosphere of the whole movie. The imagery is really beautiful, heightened by a very colorful production design. It may be hard to believe that the aspiring social worker, unknown yet very talented Nicole Maroon, develops such a reckless fascination for this loner even after discovering that he keeps the head of a young woman on top of a shrine, yet this film sustains the attention until the very end thanks to the power of its haunting imagery and confident directing from its debut director. We follow her journey with an increasing sense of dread and become more and more engaged as the intricate story unravels. Despite obvious budget constraints, "Nara" shows a strong visual style, an original voice and a knack for building up an eerie, creepy atmosphere. One moment of scare is truly memorable, playing with our nerves with a rare and delicious sense of timing. The director's sense of composition and pacing are impeccable, which is rare for a first movie. His attention to small details is outstanding. I am eager to see what else this talented, visual filmmaker will come up with in the future once he is granted bigger budgets to bring his stories to life.
