The Confessional

A disturbed sculptor assumes the identity of a small town priest.

He designs a game of divine madness for a unsuspecting town.

For the genre and the budget this is an effective movie.

Yes, a lot of the actors are not very good, it's true.

However it's relatively well paced.

And the story does a good job keeping your attention.

It's an interesting story that is not all blood for blood sake.

I'll admit it get a bit tedious about 3/4 in.

But it's still worth a look see.

You can catch it for free if you have Roku.

Once in awhile an independent film comes along where only some people have heard about it, and more people should. The Confessional is that film. Written and Directed by James Anthony Cotton, The Confessional is a psychological thriller that is both intriguing and creepy. Fans of Hitchcock horror will definitely appreciate it.

The cast includes Peter Quartaroli (The Scorpion King), Jane Longenecker, (JAG) Patrick Kilpatrick (Minority Report) and Victor Browne (Tremors), all of whom have some well-known acting gigs. Quartaroli plays Leonard, the main psycho who was abused by a priest as a child and seeks to find his own fulfillment. It is Quartaroli's performance that carries the whole story from beginning to end. The creepy factor is a high "10" on the Creepy Scoring Scale. His mannerisms, his voice and the pacing of his words all make your skin crawl up the back of your neck. It is his character that makes you want to know what happens next, and it is intrigue that keeps your eyes glued to the screen.

The entire cast of characters was very well done; each one had great chemistry on screen with the other. The script was well written, with great dialogue and scene setting, which brought the story to life. The twist at the end was a fantastic way to bring everything together.

So If you're looking for an independent thriller to watch, The Confessional is one you don't want to ignore.

I have seen Bettina Devin in several movies and on stage. Her stage and movie presence is, Not only brilliant and captivating but she has "That Thing", that draws you in and makes you sit up and take notice. That quality that makes you know that she should be a "STAR". She is such a believable character in this movie that you feel like you really know her and feel what she is thinking and doing and feeling through out the performance. Qudos to her on a great job. Lets hope we see a lot more of her. I felt the other characters did a very good job on there roles, however the lead may have over played his part a little but showed he also has a real talent.

Kip Mackey

I have been in the business for many more years than I would like to count on both sides of the camera. This film has a look many times higher than its actual budget. This film would do very well in the marketplace. The characters are well defined and the actors are of high quality. The story will keep you in suspense and the ending will be a surprise. I usually am able to guess the storyline in advance with ease but this film kept me guessing until the very end. The locations fit the story nicely and I understand the filmmakers had a lot of cooperation from the local town folk as well as enthusiasm from both the cast and crew. I think that the distributor that picks this film up will come out on top.

In order to fully love this movie, I recommend boiling a vat of your favorite soup, turning off the lights, and confess your sins the day before watching this movie. Oh, and having some clay is great as well. Unlike the typical blood and guts thrillers, this movie forces the audience to pay attention to details (believe me there are lots of small details). It's definitely a unique movie with the correct amount of suspense.

My favorite part is where creepy priest (played by Peter Quartaroli)fully shows how amazingly demented the main character is. The minute twitching and facial expression made me feel like he was truly insane. So, just don't forget to finish ALL your soup. There are consequences if for those who don't. *Insert Dramatic Music* If for no other reason, you should watch this movie because Peter Quartaroli plays a rather brilliant role.

I think my least favorite part was the lack of some common sense by certain characters (you will know when you see it). It is the typical, why didn't you do this or call that person. However, this lack of common sense is rather apparent in most thrillers and should be taken as entertainment value because it teaches the audience what not to do in said situation. Well, at least I hope so. If not, I will have at least finished all my soup.