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Sick Product of a Sick System

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

First things first —- the best part about this film is the well defined craft its director was able to showcase for such a lack of experience. Tristen James Jensen shot, produced, wrote, and directed his debut The Unearthing, a solid coming-of-age drama with an effective mix of adventure and mystery. Its narrative structure is understandable and well-made, progressing with a simplistic and blitheful flow of events, making it an effective and admirable gem of how friendship and imagination can provide a bit of beautiful succour. Oh, and this director is 16 years old.We follow Autumn (Riley Yeary), a girl who moves to Minnesota for summer. She and her dad move every 3 months from place to place, resulting in her feeling desolate from the world and the people around her. She then meets two local teens --- one a joyful girl, Charlotte (Angelina Masciopinto), and the other a slightly shy boy, Parker (Kaleb Miller). Together they unravel a supernatural secret, but these youngsters aren't just curious, and their intentions are more intriguing than the usual and conventional family-friendly drivel. On the other hand, directorial decisions are discrepant with the quality. There is an abundance of panning shots, the execution of the themes and plot can be perhaps a bit too sentimental, and the ambiguous ending, although surprisingly dense, seemed to be included to fill in some plot holes. However, this indie film is all about the characters, and The Unearthing delivers in that aspect greatly. It is very entertaining to watch the antics of these three very different teens. Their attempts to unearth (hence the title) this layered and creepy local legend is something very entertaining to watch, and their performances are mainly the reason for that, carrying this story from start to finish. I personally favoured Masciopinto's performance because of her comic relief and energy. Yeary's narration throughout is her character's best quality, representing the development of Autumn (cleverly named to symbolise this transformational state of hers). And, lastly, Miller's Parker is subtle. Out of a myriad of inspiring things for directors The Unearthing presents, it represents the fact that you can get very decent performances from volunteers.At one point, there is even a notable tonal change in the film, with the plot becoming increasingly darker and scarier after a big reveal that will genuinely leave you with chills the way a fully fledged horror film would. Generally, the supernatural aspect of this film is superbly implemented, with great effects to boot. But most viewers should not stop there, as The Unearthing has clear and lush-filled camera angles, vividly striking lighting and an overall great sense of production which you cannot find many flaws in. And all of this was carried out with no budget whatsoever. The Unearthing is a pure embodiment of what can be accomplished with a bit of creativity and audacity, just like with these three Minnesotan teens.

Made in Stillwater, Minnesota by teenage Stillwater resident Tristan James Jensen, this small, independent film is a surprising delight to watch. The bright and colorful palette sets the mood for an adventure that is full of fun and humor, but also grounded in it's own verisimilitude. This movie has a heart and soul that is sorely lacking in most box office cinema. The story centers around characters that are realistic, but neither boring nor over-the-top. We witness these characters in one moment unlocking a mystery all the while reveling in the small things in life and then, they find themselves in an adventure classic characters like The Hardy Boys or even a teen-aged Indiana Jones might have wound up in.This is a shoestring-budget film but the resourcefulness of the film-makers is a testament to independent features on how a little creativity while working within limits can still create production value. The small budget has almost no baring on the value of how much an audience member can be entertained by this story. The production is executed as well as anything you see on television or from a small studio.The musical score is perfect. It isn't so bombastic that it draws attention to itself nor so low-key to be forgettable. The well-composed music genuinely mirrors the mood and compliments the atmosphere.The sound is clear and mixed well, although the ambient noise is a little low at times so there is almost silence, but if the audience is engaged in the moment, they probably won't even have noticed until repeat viewings. It is said that sound is half of what makes a movie technically proficient, and there are no real complaints in that department here. The acting may not be consistently Academy-award winning, but it is overall very natural. The acting abilities in no way ever takes the audience out of the moment due to the usual pitfalls of young actors. In a movie of this type, audience usually cringes through performances that are either monotonous or wrought with over-acting; almost every line would be stated in a matter-of-fact manner. None of that here. With experience the actors may feel comfortable making different choices, but that is not to say the choices they do make here are necessarily wrong. In an independent film, one of the greatest blessings is a completely believable, natural performance; I believe the actors are successful in giving us that.The story - researching the Ghost of the Warden house to find out how to bring her peace - is misleadingly simple as it turns out to only be the framework to explore much bigger, deeper themes of quality time, friendship, love, and sacrifice, among others.Most movies can be classified as either character-driven or plot driven. This well-written tale balances a plot that moves the story forward with a focus on likable, but flawed characters the audience can both identify with and enjoy being on this journey with. Some people may say the plot is a bit confusing. Almost all the important clues are there. A few vital lines from Charlotte and Gertrude all but explain what is happening, and if that wasn't clear enough, the editing can also help the audience understand what and who the characters are referring to. The dialogue and editing is subtle, but everything you need to know IS there.Sure, there are a few minor details that are not fully explained, but those are not necessary when it comes to understanding the plot. Some ambiguity can be good. The brain needs exercise just like any other muscle. A thought-provoking cinematic experience can entice the audience's imagination and lead to theories and discussion.I will admit, at first, I was confused about one of the more surreal aspects of the plot dealing with Parker and the shotgun, but upon repeated viewings, I understood what was happening. This is ingenious writing, especially when it was written by someone who was only a teenager at the time. Once the viewer understands that the entire plot actually revolves around Parker and his battle with depression, the movie makes a lot of sense. Again, almost nothing is overtly, on-the- nose or out-right stated, but there is a sweet, quiet scene between Autumn and Parker that has some very revealing subtext - heartfelt, yet not overly melodramatic.The final seven minutes kicks the ambiguity into over-drive with an ending that would make M. Night Shyamalan proud - and I loved that!In conclusion, I personally found this small, independent film to be entertaining - enough that I have had repeated viewings. It is light- years beyond amateur you tube short films and well worth the money I spent buying the DVD. Tristan Jensen should be an inspiration to other aspiring and up-and-coming filmmakers for what he accomplished on "The Unearthing." Considering it had a shoe-string budget, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this movie just as much as a big-budget film any major studio offers. I believe the brainless non-stop action of the box office of late has desensitized audiences to the essential elements of what is expected in "good", quality cinema - elements THIS film has in spades. "The Unearthing" proves that competent directing and acting, along with interesting characters in a well-written story can thrill and entertain audiences without huge special effects and explosions.

More of a mystery intrigue film than a horror flick, "The Unearthing" was well done for a low budget film. Though it had a moment or two that felt slow, the overall flow and storytelling was well-captured. The score was terrific and the young actors show a lot of promise. It's simple, cleanly shot, and has good direction. I particularly enjoyed the interest invested in local history. Tristan James Jensen shows an eye for filming that isn't often seen at his age. I look forward to seeing more from him in the future. Great coming of age flick that I would recommend especially for younger viewers.

You don't find many independent films this tightly shot and written. And culling together a group of young actors and filming them in your hometown on a low budget, it's masterful. This film has professionalism in its framing, editing, storyline and even the acting. The film shows a student of the medium who is not afraid of telling a story simply and correctly. You don't need a lot of flashy camera moves or special effects. You just need a great script and a wonderful eye behind the camera. If you get an opportunity to stream this, or even purchase it from somewhere, do so. You won't be disappointed. I would watch the career of this director/writer very closely!