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[Review] ‘Felt’ Is a Powerful Psychosexual Horror Film
Early in Toad Road director Jason Banker’s new film Felt, friends Amy (Amy Everson) and Allana (Allana Reynolds) joke about a killing spree against men. It seems like the only way to heal the psychological wounds inflicted upon them by the opposite sex. They laugh about strangling men with their thighs and stabbing a needle through their penises. It’s a humorous and compassionate scene between best pals that begins to hint at the challenging psychosexual drama to unfold.
There’s a vital and crucial conversation that’s been happening the past few years about rape culture and the seemingly inherit aggression towards women that bubbles in our society. Felt addresses the issue not through pretentious preaching but by charting one woman’s experience to her breaking point. And what a nasty breaking point it is.
That woman is Amy, an experimental artist who’s recovering from her past terrible relationships. Details are never fully disclosed but sexual trauma is suggested at through the body suits she makes crafts out of yarn and felt – complete with male genitals. At one point she makes a stocking mask with a coarsely painted face that I assumed was mean to be her rapist. She wears her outfits in the woods, where she idles and dances around. It seems to be her place of security. Just her and the trees united in despondency.
The emotional instability of Amy slowly escalates into a tension that makes an otherwise meandering film feel downright horrific at times. The approaches by men Amy endures on a daily basis may seem mundane at first, but Banker’s naturalistic docu-style gives them a hefty dose of dread. The narrative thread throughout the film is kept very loose, leaving it up to Everson’s performance to be our constant. She’s in nearly every frame of the film and brings with her a realism and fierce presence that’s equally charismatic and sinister.
Felt’s loose cinéma vérité style and improvisational approach may rub a lot of viewers the wrong way – dismissing it as another mumblecore flick where 20-somethings bitch aimlessly about their problems. This is not that film. It sucks us in through the character of Amy and forces its audience to confront the ugly truths about gender in our culture. The film does amble along at times and the stroke of violence that occurs during the climax comes fast and, despite its gore, left me underwhelmed. The tension leading up towards the third act is terribly effective, however, making Felt a must- and most-uncomfortable watch.
Editorials
Arrow Video’s ‘Stranger Things: The Complete Series’ is the Ultimate Collector’s Box Set for Fans
Available as of today from Arrow Video is a new box set that might arguably be the definitive way to watch Netflix’s blockbuster series Stranger Things.
At the very least, Stranger Things: The Complete Series puts emphasis on “complete.” That’s evident in its special features alone.
Special and Deluxe editions of Stranger Things: The Complete Series are available for purchase now, featuring an array of exclusive bonus content, including bloopers, interviews with the cast and crew, and behind-the-scenes featurettes, designed for the ultimate Stranger Things experience.
The Deluxe Edition is presented in custom packaging featuring newly-commissioned artwork, alongside a wealth of extra material: a 148-page booklet, exclusive art cards, a Hellfire Club patch, double-sided posters for each season, and much more.
This limited-edition release features all 42 episodes of the show’s five season run on more than 25 discs, all housed in a set featuring gorgeous artwork by Juan Ramos. “We always dreamed that Stranger Things could be owned in its entirety,” said Matt and Ross Duffer, “not just as a collector’s set, but as a way to preserve the show for decades to come.”
Their imprint looms large over the release, including writing in the 148-page book that also includes original design sketches, concept art, and storyboards. All of which would warrant the steep price tag alone for the diehard Stranger Things fan, but Arrow Video upped the ante with collectible surprises as well. Arcade patches, stickers, Hellfire Club dice, and an extremely detailed map of Hawkins, Indiana- double-sided to account for the Upside Down, of course – are among the highlights for this all-ages set.
Adorn your walls with posters representative of your favorite season! That’s also an option with this set’s offerings.
All of which to say that it’s rare for Netflix to make the jump into physical media, and they’ve enlisted Arrow Video to give it the best possible treatment. They certainly brought utmost care and attention to this release. As such, both the standard and deluxe sets come with steep price tags that start at $160 depending on format. While that’s likely a deterrent to the casual viewer, it’s more than worth it for fans.
It may be less convenient than hitting play on Netflix, sure, but there’s a lot to be said about the potential for quality upgrades to your viewing. No spotty internet or compression issues to be found here when it comes to the 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray discs.
That’s really the biggest takeaway from this release: the untapped potential still of Netflix’s streaming library of originals that are ripe for similar treatment. Series and films that could receive Arrow Video levels of treatment on physical media.
Fans of Stranger Things can venture into the Upside Down one last time this Halloween season at Halloween Horror Nights, but there may be no better way to ring in the series’ tenth anniversary than a rewatch with this expansive, well-curated box set.
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