Miracle Valley

Greg Sestero brings us his directorial debut with Miracle Valley. This time around the man we all know from The Room jumps into the indie horror world and nails it! As a fan of horror this film hit all the right buttons. I love the set up of the story with a group of friends deep in Arizona which leads to a wild 3rd act that will have you wanting more! See this film with a group of friends if you can.

Culty, ridiculous, funny and entertaining. It follows a couple who plan a vacation in an Arizonian desert. They are magically joined by another couple who give more of a back story to the two main characters. The couple are then stalked and seduced by a blood cult., while searching for a mysterious silver hawk. The trouble starts after they come in contact with the leader of the cult, where infidelity, death and disease ensue.

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It's no fault of his own, but it's safe to say that Greg Sestero's name carries a small measure of infamy with it. For anything he's done in his career, his collaboration with Tommy Wiseau on 'The room' is what he's best known for. What might a movie look like that he has written and directed, in addition to starring in? What level of sincerity should we expect from it?

There's an uncomfortable tension carving through 'Miracle Valley' as oddities and conflicts pile up of one form or another. There's also a certain lack of subtlety dancing around the edges, such as in the dialogue, sound design, and music cues, and arguably in the lighting and cinematography. Something feels Off about the film from the very start, and it's hard to get a grasp on whether it's an intentional unease about the course of events leading into the major turn, or an inelegance and indelicacy in how the picture is put together. It's not wrong to say that this is a little bit of a mixed bag, so maybe it's some Column A, and some Column B. For while this would benefit from being tightened in its writing and direction, as the narrative ramps up it carries a dark atmosphere adjoining its violence that's quietly enticing. When all is said and done, you know what? This is pretty fun!

While all aspects of the presentation would benefit from a tad more finesse in Sestero's direction - not least of all the acting - I nonetheless recognize a fairly firm command of the medium that he's obviously developed in the past 18 years or so. Independent movies exist on a wide spectrum of quality, and to me 'Miracle Valley' comes off as being in the upper middle of that range: imperfect, but sincere and hard-working after all, and satisfying. The production design and art direction are fairly strong, and while the special effects aren't the absolute best, they're quite suitable. More readily commendable are practical effects including blood, and any special makeup that's employed. Despite rough edges, I think overall this feature is quite well made - including, yes, the sound design, lighting, and cinematography; some cues aside, I rather enjoy Jimmy Lagnefors' score as it lends to the disquiet.

Just as importantly - as with his direction, there's a strength in Sestero's screenplay that in my mind far exceeds the assumptions we might have formed of him in the past two decades. The scene writing is especially vivid and detailed, more than enough to keep one's attention as the plot develops. Some story beats are perhaps a little too on the nose, certainly including the ending, but by and large I must say I'm kind of impressed. The tale is complete, coherent, and cohesive, not to mention compelling. There may not be any new ground broken as a horror-thriller, yet is well-written all around; I detect no apparent faults.

And so it is for the picture as a whole, really. The most concrete criticism I have to impart is a mild deficiency of polish; while noticeable, it's never so severe as to substantially detract from the viewing experience. The end result of all the effort is a genre film that's rather solidly made, and thoroughly enjoyable, to the point that the name behind the production scarcely even enters into the equation. What I think this really goes to show is how capable Sestero really is; if 'Miracle Valley' is any indication of where he is as a filmmaker, I can honestly say I'm looking forward to what he might do next. And if that's not praise, then I don't know what is.

Over the years, Greg Sestero has become something of a renaissance man. While many would climb into their niche and gladly stay in their lane, Sestero has built himself a career on the heels of one of the greatest cinematic atrocities in recent memory. He may always be Mark in our hearts, but he at least is branching out into other avenues.

Aside from his foray into the world of publishing (where he gifted the world The Disaster Artist) Sestero is starting to make his own films. Thanks to the help of many people, we got the admirable effort in Best F(r)iends, a decent showcase for himself and Tommy Wiseau as they look to build and even move on from their post The Room fame. Now Sestero has completely gone on his own, giving us his first solo horror project in Miracle Valley. Based on a cult that actually existed in the scenic Arizona landscape the film was shot in, Sestero churned out the script during a quiet sabbatical to get away from Hollywood and touring for his previous project. What we get is a slow burn film reminiscent of the 70s Grindhouse scene.

The story is simple enough as Sestero and his girlfriend (who definitely appear to be on the outs), are about to spend some time in Southern Arizona along with some friends. Sestero's "David" is looking for an elusive bird that would gift him plenty of monetary fame, but while he is searching he and his girlfriend Sarah stumble upon a weird cult led by the preacher Father Jake. Madness ensues when they find out Sarah has a special blood type the cult has been looking for, and all hell breaks loose in the final third of the film.

The best aspects of the movie is the great care Sestero put into the project. Rather than just live of his name and let his legion of devoted fans lap up anything he makes, he worked for a good year to get the look, sound design and editing to make the film look as legit as it can be. And for the most part, it succeeds. While the film will most likely end up on a streaming service, it is well made and tries to be the best film it can be. I especially liked Rick Edwards, who had the most interesting arc in the film. First he seems like a shoulder to lean on, and next thing you know he is beating people up in all his shirtless glory. What a pro.

Watch this film when you can, for I think you will be satisfied in the final product. Hopefully Sestero takes what he learned from this when he makes his next film.

Miracle Valley is the first movie directed by Greg Sestero who has also written the script and acted in this film. This refreshingly simple horror movie revolves around an occult cult that kidnaps unsuspecting victims to find perfect blood types for sinister experiments.

This directorial debut by Greg Sestero qualifies as a good horror film. The movie is tense from start to finish and keeps viewers interested until the dramatic resolution. This film has a chilling atmosphere that gradually increases throughout the film. The locations have been chosen with care and combine beautiful landscapes with sinister buildings.

The most notable flaw of this film are the restrained acting performances. Lead actress Angela Mariano offers stylish looks but few acting skills. Greg Sestero has delivered the goods in the directing and writing departments but fails to get viewers attached to his role in the movie. Rick Edwards incarnates an antagonist who is portrayed so exaggeratedly that he almost becomes a grotesque caricature. If the actors and actresses involved in this film had been more dedicated, experienced and talented, Miracle Valley might have qualified as one of the greatest old-school horror films in recent years.

As it is now, Miracle Valley still qualifies as a good horror movie going back to the style of American horror cinema of the sixties and seventies in particular. This movie convinces with a decent script that is partially based upon true events, fitting locations enhancing the flick's vibes and a grippingly chilling atmosphere that increases steadily throughout the film. Horror movie genre fans and cineasts interested in Greg Sestero's career should certainly give this film a chance.