Coherence (2013)
On the night of an astrological anomaly, eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of reality bending events. Part cerebral sci-fi and part relationship drama, COHERENCE is a tightly focused, intimately shot film that quickly ratchets up with tension and mystery. (imdb)
Cast and Information
Directed By: James Ward Byrkit
Written By: James Ward Byrkit
Starring: Nicholas Brendon, Elizabeth Gracen, Hugo Armstrong, Lorene Scafaria, Emily Baldoni, Lauren Maher, Maury Sterling, Alex Manugian
Genres: Sci-fi, Suspense/Thriller
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Coherence belongs to 46 collections
1. Mindfuck (collaborative: moderated by Mockus - 87 stars)
2. Time Travel (collaborative: moderated by mpowell - 42 stars)
3. Directorial debut (collaborative: moderated by djross - 16 stars)
4. Intellectual Sci-Fi (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 16 stars)
5. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 12 stars)
6. Time loop (collaborative: moderated by djross - 12 stars)
7. A group of people locked/trapped in one place (collaborative: moderated by siweq86 - 10 stars)
8. What Follows Inception? (collaborative: moderated by paulofilmo - 9 stars)
9. Wierd / Mindfuck / Surreal (collaborative: moderated by neurophate - 9 stars)
10. Arthouse Horror (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 8 stars)
11. Mindfuck, surreal, strange and weird films (List by André "BadSmile" Byman) (public: stalebread - 8 stars)
12. One-Location Films (collaborative: moderated by TV+Film-Hub - 5 stars)
13. Capsules, guest reviews, list candidates... (366weirdmovies) (collaborative: moderated by sesito71 - 5 stars)
14. Top 3000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 5 stars)
15. Horror (public: fruititself - 4 stars)
16. Horror (public: horrorjames - 4 stars)
17. Improvised / Improv (collaborative: moderated by Ag0stoMesmer - 3 stars)
18. multiverse: parallel universes (collaborative: moderated by livelove - 3 stars)
19. Top 2000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 2 stars)
20. Low-Budget Films (collaborative: moderated by TV+Film-Hub - 1 star)
21. Stuart Wellington Recommends (collaborative: moderated by lexwhitfield - 1 star)
22. film puanlamalarım (collaborative - 1 star)
23. Alternative reality (collaborative: moderated by siweq86 - 1 star)
24. Unscripted and Improvised (collaborative: moderated by TychoCelchuu - 1 star)
25. DTC List (public: lineuphere - 1 star)
26. 2014 US Theatrical (collaborative: moderated by DrBroel)
27. SPIRITUAL Growth Movies (little violence) (collaborative: moderated by DONLEONE)
28. Fantastic Fest 2013 (collaborative)
29. Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast (collaborative: moderated by tipar)
30. Improvisational Films (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)
31. One Word Titled Films (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)
32. DtC Doubling the Canon 2021 Nominees (collaborative: moderated by lineuphere)
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34. Movies to See: Science-Fiction (public: Lady Moe)
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Browse the full list of collections
| Stars | User | Rating | |
| 8 |  |
Kojiless | 91 94th |
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One of the best science fiction movies in years! And I'm not just saying that because it's what's written on the poster displayed there conveniently to the immediate left of this mini-review text input window. No, I'm saying it because my friend who's over for dinner said that I told him to write that when he went next door and asked me.
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| 8 |  |
Luna6ix | 60 15th |
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The title is a misnomer, because the plot in this low budget sci-fi flick is hardly coherent. I found myself wondering what kind of evil people these were who'd take their random layman interpretation of tenuous theories and resort to murdering alternate versions of themselves in hopes that it could keep their reality from collapsing. In a more rational interpretation, everyone would have remained calm, stayed inside the house and would have been fine. But I guess that would be even more boring.
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| 7 |  |
Barthalen | 71 59th |
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Could have definitely gone in some more unexpected directions, but keeping the focus tight and the events low-key worked well enough. Some of the characters make weird/extreme decisions that don't really get an interesting follow-up though. Still, I'm a sucker for these kind of '90 minute Twilight Zone episode' movies. I prefer these over unnecessary sequels or CGI-driven blockbusters any day.
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| 6 |  |
Paxton | 74 75th |
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Not to go all Room 237 on you or anything, but the inclusion of the Sliding Doors reference certainly seems to suggest that Gwyneth Paltrow has been eliminated and replaced with an alternate Gwyneth Paltrow, which would explain so very much.
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| 5 |  |
KasperL | 80 86th |
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Pretty awesome low-budget sci-fi, praiseworthy for it brainy premise and highly effective minimalism. I don't think repeat viewing would be a good idea, but the first watch was very enticing. I can't wait to see what Byrkit comes up with next.
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| 4 |  |
oldgoat | 76 71st |
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For an indie movie it used all it's normal cliches and trappings to take on a reasonably large concept and does so well, almost despite itself at times. The dialogue when not directly related to the plot is horrible and very canned feeling. I wish it did more with the concept, but I guess I'm just glad they did anything at all. A blockbuster trying to do the same thing would spend the first hour explaining everything for a last half hour with CGI.
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| 4 |  |
DavidBlast | 65 59th |
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A 'Fringe' inspired minimalist mystery thriller that is at times ironically incoherent in its approach to character development and cause and effect in its narrative structure. I like that it never bites off more than it can chew, while never taking the low road of found footage schlock. In that sense it reminded me of a simpler version of 'Primer', and while the latter demanded repeat viewing, I don't think a revisit will do 'Coherence' any favors.
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| 4 |  |
d_drudges | 20 17th |
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After five minutes I was hoping the comet would hit the house and wipe out the pretentious assholes inside. Good writers use science fiction as a platform to emphasize aspects of society they think worth emphasizing. Here, science fiction serves only as a pretense for endless amounts of inane American indie pseudo-dialogue.
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| 2 |  |
PeaceAnarchy | 76 47th |
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Got mixed feelings about this. I like the script well enough; Even when the sci-fi goes a little overboard the characters reacting to events keep the film grounded, and except for possibly the ending it doesn't really go off the rails. But these people fit into this weird mold of where for all the personality the script gives them they feel like empty vessels. Part of it is the acting which isn't bad but not quite good, but it's also the sets. Together they give the film an aura of plasticity.
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| 2 |  |
AFlickering | 4 56th |
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PRIMER-influenced sci-fi, ingeniously micro-managed to the tiniest detail. twist is that the actors were thrown into this funhouse blind, asked to improvise from a variety of options based on what little they knew. the result is unusually convincing (in an above avg mumblecore kinda way), and the airtight headfuck of a narrative is even more riveting/resonant as a result. i could maybe have done without the last 5 mins (bathroom scene onwards), but i have a major weakness for this sort of thing.
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| 2 |  |
sebby | 55 36th |
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What value is a good idea if you have no idea what to do with it?
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| 2 |  |
JakeAesthete | 20 18th |
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I wish these guys could have just walked through the 'dark space' into a better movie, maybe one that wasn't like The Anniversary Party copping moves from Primer. Also seriously enough with Schrodinger's fucking cat already...
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| 2 |  |
astrakhan | 88 96th |
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Stunning. I'm in awe of these indie film-makers like J.W. Byrkit who, with a negligible budget and a left-field script, manage to hit such a home run. This type of sci-fi may be based on a flimsy metaphysical premise, but boy, is it executed well. Tension here there and everywhere, mystery, plot twists, characters and audience equally in the dark but totally gripped. I loved the experience from start to finish. Loved the aesthetic. Loved the storylines. A real gem & film of the year contender.
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| 2 |  |
Superargo | 51 32nd |
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As with most other offerings of its ilk, this is intriguing and provocative until it starts explaining shit. After that, it becomes progressively less interesting and less original until you're finally fighting off the urge to take a nap. Well-acted and well-mounted, but goddammit all. It's okay to be ambiguous and leave stuff unexplained sometimes, guys; I promise.
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| 2 |  |
bof | 60 39th |
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Much like "Another Earth", an admirable low-budget low-key sci-fi that focuses more on the impact on a personal and interpersonal level - in this case, a dinner party among old friends. Unlike "Another Earth", though, it doesn't quite deliver on the character side, which is a problem when the whole movie is people talking to each other (and alternate versions of each other).
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| 2 |  |
filmseeking | 72 76th |
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Pretty mind-blowing and clever, especially if you consider how it was done. Unfortunately, the all-time shaky cam and bad lighting distracts from the story. But nevertheless, the plot is gripping and the twists manage to stay long in your head.
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| 1 |  |
djross | 50 43rd |
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Does its best to generate the feeling of a bunch of flawed characters stumbling their way through a bizarre situation, proposing ludicrous strategies and spouting nonsense ideas. How the events should be understood is indeed quite complex, it seems, and perhaps cannot be reduced to a single interpretation. Audiences will either find this intriguing or frustrating, just as they will either find the shaky camerawork defensible or indefensible.
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| 1 |  |
Kavu | 95 99th |
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Oh boy. I might be overrating this by 10 points or so, but it's really something, especially after reading _afterwards_ how it was made.
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| 1 |  |
prowler | 69 68th |
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fun low-budget movie that will get you paranoid about alternate realities for days after
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| 1 |  |
Icarus | 81 66th |
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Coherence is an impressive feature built around a fascinating and well-executed concept. The story follows a number of traditional beats one would find in a thriller, but the minimalist approach effectively brings an atmosphere of approaching dread into the film. I would have liked to see more development in the characters, and the editing felt intrusive at times. But overall a pretty enjoyable film that's easy to admire.
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| 1 |  |
Duder | 70 75th |
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I love this low budget thing.. Not the most amazing movie ever but shows the things that can be done with a good idea and an OK script with now budget.
The shooting style was kinda like for TV but it was still watchable. Liked the idea, liked the concept, got me really really tense at moments, and got me to grip the edge of my seat, quite a fun watch.
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| 1 |  |
Snazz | 90 96th |
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As Coherence is obviously drawing inspiration from the master piece that is Primer, of course I loved this! I was hoping for more of a puzzled feeling when the end credits appeared (not that I was completely without, I should mention), but Byrkit probably went for a one-time-view experience on purpose. I however consider revisiting it anyway. Oh, and it is fun at times too.
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| 1 |  |
cgcore | 40 14th |
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odd but i didn't buy it. has its moments though.
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| 1 | scurry | 65 85th |
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This is very good stuff and I suddenly feel like rewatching Primer.
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| 1 |  |
chemical404 | 78 93rd |
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No budget, no script, no crew - a tense, original, mind-bending sci-fi drama, much better than Hollywood 100-million productions. No new science fiction film after The Man From Earth left such a strong impression. The ending is a bit of a let down; I would have preferred hard sci-fi to relationship drama.
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| 1 | topaz420 | 75 37th |
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The premise is so fascinating that I really wish they had sat down and hashed out a screenplay rather than relying on improvisation.
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| 1 | thefriedone | 100 95th |
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Awesome. Terrifying and mind-bending thriller with great pacing and solid acting. 90 minutes is just right. I recommend giving it a shot cold as the less you know about the plot beforehand the more enjoyable it will be. 5 stars. Can't think of anything I would have changed or done differently to make it better.
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| 1 |  |
SirStuckey | 80 78th |
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Sci-fi I really enjoy yet I don't see too often. Mystery/Drama instead of action/adventure. It feels like great pains were made to make the plot based in some kind of scientific logic. Plot seems convoluted when looked at it in a big scope, but it's not hard to follow. What you don't get is purposeful for the mystery and when the characters figure stuff out they don't leave the audience behind with their logic. Character relationship developments seemed silly at times but were logical by end.
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| 1 | CarsonWid | 71 61st |
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Extraordinarily bad dialogue and characters but interesting concept.
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| 1 |  |
EbelC | 60 47th |
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I didn't find anything special about it, it seemed correct in many ways, certainly not bad or boring, but I've certainly seen this concept better executed, having better dialogues and more interestingly done. For example, there are many characters when there's really not use for that many, they don't serve the story, you could took like 3 out of the story and it wouldn't change at all. Meanwhile, the rest aren't specially developed either so they took time from them for nothing in exchange.
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| 1 |  |
hellboy76 | 70 79th |
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A fun little sci fi thinking piece. Its hampered only by some less than stellar performances and poor production value. None of that makes it less than fun though.
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| 1 |  |
closedmouth | 70 41st |
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Pretty good, though it's hard not to make the unflattering (and unfair) comparison to Primer. The premise is neat, and it isn't completely ruined in the third act, though it also isn't really explored as well as it could have been. The characters are set up quite nicely, though it's not carried along very well (for example, Mike's sudden alcoholic relapse just comes off as silly). Considering this kind of movie usually falls completely apart in the third act this is definitely above average.
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| 1 |  |
Jerky | 70 89th |
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Enjoyable sci-fi time shifting flick that places imagination and creativity where it's budget should be. Like all good things, it leaves you wanting more.
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| 1 |  |
glumpy_99 | 77 51st |
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More of an elaborate thought experiment than a "coherent" sci-fi story; this feels like more of a vehicle to put Byrkit on the map, which it does to middling effect - more interesting as a dive into the various paradoxes of time-travel/alternate realities than a psychological study; performances vary from average to adequate, but if you have a soft spot for these sort of films that tie themselves up in increasingly frantic knots, this should work for you.
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| 1 |  |
guy piranha | 70 69th |
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After a somewhat lame exposition, in which everyone pretty much swallowed the "facts" without questioning anything, it ultimately went to a very philosophical place. At that point, i began enjoying it. Sadly it merely touched the wide range of possibilities it should have explored.
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| 1 | damil | 70 67th |
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Heh, this was pretty cool. I had no idea what to expect from this film, and that worked to its benefit, I think. It's a small scale and simple movie that explores big scale and complex ideas. There could have been some improvements made in the writing, but that would kind of betray the purpose behind the film. It's all very impressive, considering how it was made. I liked that the characters and actors felt nice and realistic. I recommend giving it a try - it might just surprise you.
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| 1 | klea | 50 48th |
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Evidently the characters in this movie were transported to the year 2013 from the year 213, when people still thought that a comet in the sky was an omen of end times & general spookiness. Tip for Mr. Byrkit: next time, just let it be a random event that happens, don't try to tie it to a comet for no apparent reason at all
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| 1 |  |
eCitizen | 30 18th |
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It takes too long to get interesting. It's slow, boring and confusing. The final 10 minute are supposed to make it all worth watching, but it doesn't come close. Very low budget, short on thrills and too many forced scares. The characters and dialog are stupid and mostly tedious. The plot is an absurd mess. It was a nice try, but it was not at all satisfying. The ending was lame and it felt unfinished.
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| 1 |  |
mattorama12 | 82 91st |
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I started out annoyed with the camera and editing, but the story very quickly drew me in. The improv-style helped create grounded characters whose reactions felt genuine. As the cerebral premise unfolds, things got interesting and the movie did a great job of keeping the emotional stakes at the forefront so it was more than just a puzzle film. I ended up really loving this.
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| 1 |  |
hisblob | 35 21st |
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The actors try to act as friends at a dinner party but end up on camera as people who barely know each other, lacking shared ties or knowledge. They are nonsensically scared to death of a comet and the dark because the script requires it. The director has trouble cutting down his material to get to the core of it, instead choosing to cut endlessly between confused characters. It's completely impossible to suspend disbelief because people don't normally behave anything like we see on screen.
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| 1 | jspidah | 75 72nd |
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This film is one of the whitest things I've ever seen. The yuppie dialog is absolutely improvised and from the heart. Otherwise, it's got a great concept and by the end when they're actually doing something with it it works really well. Though it's just as annoying but for entirely different reasons, I think I liked 1 better.
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| 1 |  |
christof | 84 70th |
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Spoiler alert: Look! its Xander from Buffy punching himself at a dinner party!
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| 1 |  |
Korsoh | 80 77th |
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Another in the genre of mind and reality-bending sci-fi thrillers that will keep you thinking for a few days. The film is well filmed and acted, given its low budget, though some of the dialogue is a bit awkward. Its fast-pace keeps the concept from feeling stale. I wanted more from the ending than the 'twist' that Byrkit went for, but overall it was still an entertaining and thought-provoking thriller.
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| 1 | FriskyGecko | 95 96th |
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I really loved this movie. It needs a PTPM counter (plot twist per minute), if you are up for not eating popcorn, but your fingernails instead (ok don'really do that) then watch this movie.
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| 1 | mrci | 75 78th |
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Great low budget time travel flick without over-complicated plot making it quite coherent (sic!). Slightly disappointing ending, felt rushed. Has the Ketamine cocktail been taken by all of them?
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| 1 | MenialRetcon | 68 24th |
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Decent lo-fi sci-fi / slipstream that hits some notes of nightmarish existential dread.
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| 1 | Arberwaticus | 92 62nd |
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This movie plays with the idea of multiple realities and executes it amazingly.
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| 1 | SLP405 | 95 37th |
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Good movie to keep your attention. Definitely a weird little twist.
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| 1 | baseballs | 65 35th |
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The themes of the film require the characters to behave like stupid, self-centered dickheads which, while I can see what they were going for, makes it a frustrating watch.
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| 1 |  |
nforvendetta | 69 75th |
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Its has a too much unnecessary talk. First 40 minute is a little bit rubbish.
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| Average Percentile 58.74% from 2194 Ratings |  |