hippiedj

"You're walking in the woods. There's no one around. Out of the corner you spy him... Shia Labeouf?"

Well, no... What it IS are your anxities, fears, even guilt following you, surrounding you, taunting you... or is it the woods with a life all its own?

Sam Mason Bell has an amazing knack for turning out features at very frequent rate. That can be a good or a bad thing, but fortunately even in lesser projects there's that spark of imagination that seems to come out of improvisation, which can offer opportunities to give more creative freedom in editing. SENSELESS might seem a simple enough task by having Jason (Ryan Carter) wander around in the woods in the dark, being scared. Therein lies the beauty of it, thanks to Ryan's natural talent to convey emotion with very little effort; even him sitting by a tree and smoking has us wondering what he's thinking due to his subtle changes in expression, slight body movement, and his eyes. Ryan carries a good 95% of SENSELESS, and shows he was up to the task.

And then there's the appearances / apparitions of other people, including a very enraged girlfriend Diane (Ella Palmer), Evil Jason, and other ghosts that keep you wondering if he's really experiencing all this, the woods messing with him, or is it his own madness?

Then there's the sound design an exceptional score by Craig Barry (hey Sam, let's have some Trash Arts soundtracks!), sounds of the woods... and the ghostly voices provided by 25 folks willing to taunt, plead, moan, and more (trust me, doing voice work like this can sound strange and silly on its own, but mixed in properly it can raise the hairs on your neck). The sound design was most likely a huge task, and much care comes through (I like to use good headphones for an experience like this). As the pace becomes more frenetic, everything amps up with ease, including the visual effects.

Another technical aspect that was handled well was the lighting. You see just what you need to see, and enough of the woods around him without it looking too lit (no day for night, thank you) nor so dark you're distracted from the story and looking too hard. The cinematography is really nice. Even the shots of trees and plants whether with Jason walking by or by themselves is framed well. It's not just a walk through the forest, there's a presence always surrounding him.

Those looking for a straight out stabby-stabby horror and cheap jump scares, SENSELESS is not really for you. It's a bit arthouse, a bit thinky, and smart. And yet never a boring moment. There's a prolonged sequence of ghosts in multiples (including regulars Simon Berry and Chris Mills), with Jason's face superimposed while they're pleading, and his face begins to spiral within itself. Some could say it goes on a bit, but SENSELESS is supposed to be an experience visually and aurally. This sequence, if you allow it, will draw you in and make you lose track of time. Remember that extensive space/color light show in 2001: A Space Odyssey? It can be divisive, but I found this all to be like a strange nightmare, drug trip, or surreal visual headache. All the while, Ryan's precise expressions also vying for your attention.

While SENSELESS might not be for everyone, I'm grateful there are filmmakers willing to offer up something out of the ordinary in a midst of quick cash-grab sameness. I was wondering when there'd be another strangeness-in-the-woods experience since YellowBrickRoad that would captivate me well, and SENSELESS was a welcome experience.

Full disclosure: I was one of the ghostly voices. I've always hoped to be a part of a Bell / Trash Arts project and was happy to have been chosen. I can honestly say that doesn't cause any bias, as I was drawn into the story I had forgotten about my participation (at least until I recognized my voice and I cracked a smile). SENSELESS is definitely something different, even thoughtful. That's something daring in a time of the mass of low budget indie features for short attention-spans that are trying to win you over.

SEEN AT SCREAMFEST 2021, LOS ANGELES

While many directors play it safe by giving us films that contain similar aspects (particularly in big budget films), Michael Mongillo's films over the past 20 years have proven to each be a different beast, making each one a new idea. The Changed is a welcome addition to that line. Though people will make comparisons to Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and countless other films in that style, Mongillo does a nice approach of paring things down and making it more personal by containing most of the story in a home, creating claustrophobia, which helps build the story and ratchet up the tension to such a level that the viewers will feel their own fear and dread. This is a fresh approach to the home seige scenario. While other reviews are more specific in revealing the specifics, I'm going to hold back just enough to let the surprises pull you in when you view it.

The introductions to the three main characters is conceptually fascinating. Mac, Jane, and Kim are each first seen center positioned in their frame, with another character entering and ever so slightly igniting your suspicions as the three are also realizing something has been subtly going on for nearly a month by then.

Kim (Clare Foley of SINISTER) conveys a believable sense of loss even before her suspicions of things going awry are validated. Coming from a troubled home life and socially awkward situation of lack of friends, her already existing helplessness either has her able to keep her sanity or slowly just letting go and giving in to the threat. It keeps you wondering, and worrying for her. Married couple Mac and Jane (Jason Alan Smith and Carlee Avers, reunited from Mongillo's DIANE) each experience increasing strangeness from co-workers, as well as a bizarre morning chat between Mac and neighbor Bill (Tony Todd of another claustrophobic horror NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD - 1990). When new neighbor Sara jogs by (Olivia Freer) and stops to chat with Bill as he's leaving, her glances over at Mac made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. While that wasn't horrifying, my body told me this was going to get weird. Jane's experience at work escalates quickly, then the nightmare truly begins.

While the three converge at Mac and Jane's home, Kim's gruff uncle Kurt (Doug Tompos) arrives and adds to the tension that's already strong. As the threat of something taking over the population closes in on the four trapped in the house, with Bill and Sara equally being representatives -- ambassadors? -- of the Change and seductively trying to convince the four that this new consciousness is the best for all. Is it a virus? Is it aliens? Is it a cult of mass brainwashing?

THE CHANGED doesn't try to wow you with big nor gooey CGI special effects and big shiny Hollywood antics. Mongillo's approach is more direct, with dialogue that keeps you paying attention and keeping you on edge as things start snowballing, which is basically right away and just keeps getting more intense as it goes along. That's quite a feat, and a film that will linger in your mind. As Michael Mongillo creates more films, it will be interesting to see which different beast (or "Michael Mongillo Conspiracy") comes next. I'll be looking forward to owning one on disc in the future for my special collection.

"Nothing in lie that's worthwhile is easy. It is the struggle and the fight that makes us who we are."