Director – Brandon Colvin (Frames, Sabbatical)
Starring – Robert Longstreet (Halloween Kills, Midnight Mass), Rosalie Lowe (Other Ghosts, The Followers), and Rachel McKeon (Jessica Jones, One Dollar)
Release Date – 2020
Rating – 3.5/5
Sometime ago Vinegar Syndrome began their partnership with several labels which has resulted in them releasing some seriously underrated and unnoticed films that would have been criminally overlooked otherwise. One of the companies they partnered with was Altered Innocence which focuses on LGBTQ+ and coming of age films.
I’ll be completely honest and admit that these movies are movies I would typically overlook if Vin Syn wasn’t attached which is foolish on my part because most of these releases were extremely entertaining. A few weeks ago Altered Innocence released the 2020 comedy A Dim Valley. It looked interesting so I pulled the trigger on the pre-order. I’m glad I did because it was a fantastic film.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a biologist and his two students who are staying in a cabin deep in the woods when they come across three beautiful backpackers camping nearby. An unexpected campfire accident results in them staying in the cabin with them along with experiences they never expected.**Spoiler Alert**
I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I ordered A Dim Valley but I honestly enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun and I absolutely enjoyed the cinematography and characters. I know it will not be everyone’s cup of tea but I think those with a feel for the artistic side of cinema will enjoy it.
The acting in this one is really impressive. The film is not dialogue heavy so a lot of the story, as small as it is, is delivered by the characters interactions with one another. The cast works so well together and some of the scenes requires the cast to get extremely close but the cast does so in a way that it’s not awkward to watch. Their interactions together feel genuine.
The story for this one is not something that is complicated and difficult to follow but some scenes are more important than others. The film does take awhile to get rolling but it is thoroughly enjoyable. It’s simple and effective especially when put in place with the visual images. Finally, this is not a bloody flick. It’s a character driven story with beautiful images and great character interactions. Overall, A Dim Valley may not be for the typical Vin Syn crowd but if you are open to the experience you will really enjoy it. It’s omni-sexual and very enjoyable. I liked it and I’m sure a good bit of you will as well.
