Akrasia

Director - Samuel Vainisi (Violet, Breathe)
Starring - Kyle Thacker, Jessi Winston (Senses, Violet), and Dominic Vainisi (Senses, Breathe)
Release Date - 2018
Genre - Drama/Fantasy
Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     People that know me often say that I like stupid movies.  I don't take offense to that because it's true.  I often gravitate toward the oddball side of indie cinema.  I've watched movies that were musicals about incest, homophobic cops forced to go undercover as gay porn stars, a living fetus, and a killer turkey.  Hell, as I write this I'm watching a movie where people are smoking weed and get the munchies so severe they become cannibals.  Anyway, not everything indie is for me.  That doesn't mean it's a bad movie but it just doesn't fit my tastes.  Sometime back I befriended filmmaker Samuel Vainisi.  This young filmmaker has already made a name for himself with his short films Senses, Akrasia, and Breathe but really made a wave in the horror groups with his first feature Violet.  I wanted to support this upcoming director and picked up his movies knowing they didn't look like something I would enjoy.  Regardless, I'm glad I picked them up to show some support.  The first film of his on the chopping block was his 2018 short Akrasia.  

     The film follows a teen who is wondering through the woods uncovering photos.  He has no idea why he is there or how he got there but with each photograph he finds a little piece of his memory comes back.  However, nothing can prepare him for his last discovery.  

     I was very curious and interested in these films.  When I received them in I was really drawn into the artwork for Akrasia.  It made my mind race with the possibilities about what it was about.  Sadly, I just wasn't into it.  It's not a bad movie but just not my kind of movie.  Akrasia shows great promise for the young filmmaker.  We get some beautiful shots, a smooth flowing story, and the beginnings of what I'm sure will be an unforgettable career.  The acting in this one is rather one sided.  The film mostly follows Kyle Thacker as he wonders through the forest looking for answers.  There is flashbacks with him and Jessi Winston interacting but the scenes show dedication but inexperience.  The story for this one is not the most original story but it does set Vainisi apart from other indie filmmakers.  I'm a horror fan but I have to admit that almost every filmmaker starts their indie career by making a zombie or slasher so it's nice to see someone go against the norm.  Sadly, the story is one that I found taxing to follow.  It was simple but the uneventful scenes made it a bit of a chore to finish.  Finally, this is not a horror flick as I stated earlier so if you want some gore you are barking up the wrong tree.  The artwork, featured above, does paint a horror picture but the film is more of a dramatic fantasy film.  Overall, Akrasia isn't for me and those of you that dig Troma, Rock Bottom Video, and other goofball horror films will not find entertainment in this one.  However, if you like the more story driven side of cinema then this one might be right for you.