Reviewer:
zehnder99
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
June 12, 2021
Subject:
Entertainingly Awful, Visually Stunning Opus
Craig Denney’s multi-meta-layered and recursively self-referential “rags to riches and back again” masterwork needs to be seen AND DOWNLOADED by every fan of Le Bad Cinema. “The Astrologer” contains sumptuously gorgeous, widescreen location shots of Thailand, Kenya, Long Beach CA, and an anonymous graveyard which are all mystically interconnected with rough edits that will make your eyes bleed. One of those amazing edits consists of stock footage (every bad director’s refuge) sourced directly from the first reel of the movie itself while another is a jump cut clearly inspired by Kubrick. Jaw-droppingly ad-libbed dialogue enhances the infused, rough hewn authenticity of Denney’s confessional tale of smuggling, murder, mayhem, booze, drugs, and international racketeering. While the underlying tale and the character dynamics are compellingly engaging and wrapped in professional cinematography, the overall package is amateurishly presented. And that’s what makes this film an entertainingly delightful gem.