Review: ‘SPLIT’- M. Night Shyamalan’s Best Movie in Over a Decade

The last thirteen years have not been kind to M. Night Shyamalan’s career. After several failed films, it looks like the once “master of suspense” has finally found his way back to making quality films with Split, the most ambitious and downright thrilling film of Shyamalan’s since Signs. Described as a psychological horror film, which is both written and directed by Shyamalan himself, the film stars James McAvoy as a man living with twenty three unique personalities and a moment of impulse that will unearth a side of himself not yet experienced.

Kevin (James McAvoy) has made a life changing decision, one that he will never come back from. Kevin has kidnapped young friends, Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia (Jessica Sula), and their troubled friend Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy), and is now holding them captive in a windowless room somewhere underground. Frightened and unsure of why they’re in this predicament, the three young girls soon find out that their captive is more than he appears. Having first been introduced to Dennis, the forceful leader of Kevin’s personalities, more emerge to suit the situation. Patricia, the elder statesmen and the calming voice and Hedwig, a nine-year-old boy looking for a friend, arrive to meet the young ladies and help them understand why they have been chosen. Casey, the more road weary of the three girls, pitches an idea that they must try and convince one of the personalities to betray the others and free the girls before it’s too late, but a twenty fourth personality begins to emerge as “The Beast” is growing and threatens to consume all that Kevin is.

The performance of James McAvoy is truly spellbinding. His commitment to the multiple roles inside Kevin are portrayed in widely unique ways, with each personality granted its own separate thought process. It’s McAvoy‘s finest role since Filth. Betty Buckley portrays the calming and mothering figure of Dr. Karen Fletcher. Her involvement in the film adds a unique substance and understanding the to workings of Kevin and creates doubt in the audience’s thinking about the man. Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula embody the spirit necessary to create the fear and confusion of being captive and compliment the emergence of Anya Taylor-Joys Casey as the strength of the group. Casey’s backstory is a powerful twist that parallel’s the situation at hand and Joy’s portrayal the perfect vessel to tell it.

Overall, Split is a great psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. The shocking ending will have fans of Shyamalan‘s earlier films gasping in disbelief. A true return to form for the proud director.

Stars:

3 1/2 out of 5

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Review: ‘The Edge of Seventeen’- The Perfect Coming of Age Movie for a New Generation

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From director Kelly Fremon Craig comes The Edge of Seventeen, a story centered around a young high school girl named Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) and the trials and tribulations known simply as, “her life.” This coming of age movie provides a comedic, yet brutally honest look at what it’s like to be different and face the daily struggle of growing up. Like many films that have come before and spoken to a generation that yearns to be seen for their individualism, this film screams for millennials in a way no other could.

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High school junior Nadine leads a complicated existence. Between her awkwardness, dealing with a family tragedy, and a mother (Kyra Sedgwick) trying to understand how to connect with her, life hasn’t exactly worked out the way she planned. Nadine has navigated most of her life with best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), her only friend who has helped curb her feelings of being an outcast and stands as the lone bright light in her dark world. All of that changes when Krista begins to date Nadine’s older brother Darian (Blake Jenner), which leads to a total meltdown mentally for Nadine. Faced with the unknown of her life once again, Nadine turns to her teacher and reluctant mentor Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson) for words of wisdom to help her face the world that she now faces, but it’s an unexpected friendship with Erwin (Hayden Szeto), an equally as awkward student who might be the one to show her that things aren’t that terrible after all.

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This film connects with the psyche of every person who ever felt out of place in a big world where nothing makes sense. Hailee Steinfeld is quirky and wonderful as the unpredictable Nadine. She embodies the essence of being an awkward outcast with perfection. Woody Harrelson is wonderfully cast in the role of Mr Bruner and offers a raw, carefully restrained voice of reason for Nadine which, at times, seems to speak directly to the audience to provide some free therapy for our own lives. The stand out star of the film is Hayden Szeto whose thoughtful, awkward Erwin shows Nadine that it’s OK to be live by different rules and not allow it to exist as a negative in your life.

Overall, The Edge of Seventeen is the perfect coming of age film for this generation and stands as a reminder to us all to take a look inside and remember what it’s like to grow up.

Stars:

4 out of 5

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