“I just feel so empty inside.”
Is depression horror? Absolutely, yes! It’s what Space Jockey Reviews calls real-world horror. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Twenty-five million Americans suffer from depression each year, and over 50 percent of all people who die by suicide suffer from major depression. Depression affects nearly 5-8 percent of Americans ages 18 and over in a given year. It is a leading cause of disability that haunts and kills the spirit, making victims feel worthless, alone, and hopeless. So, yes again! Depression is horror, 100 percent! Lone, the latest short film from Lien Mya Nguyen (writer, director, and producer of Lonely Holidays, Would You Change Anything, and Pray on Darkness) is an emotional tour do force, and one of Nguyen’s most dramatic performances, highlighting the terror of depression as much as anything we’ve seen at Space Jockey Reviews!
Lien Mya Nguyen in her latest short film, Lone
In Lone, a “one-lady cast and crew” accomplishes more than numbers of cast and crew might accomplish in other productions. Yes! As the movie’s writer, director, editor, and sole actor, Lien Mya Nguyen truly does it all, making us launch rockets at SJR for that alone. But, is there more here than an impressive of a one-woman production? Yes! Lots more! Of foremost importance is Nguyen’s performance as the depressed and desperate young woman, languishing, slipping ever closer to suicide. Nguyen owns the performance entirely, as if she is the woman, in every way, with every emotion expressed. Tears, hopeless stares, and bouts of uncontrollable crying, depict a woman drained of a will to live, but desperate for a lifeline. All are acted in a most believable, realistic way, allowing viewers to participate vicariously. The most indelible image is that of Nguyen crying, as her face recedes and fades, symbolically becoming one with darkness….and death.
One of the many haunting images from Lone that could be, unto itself, a painting or an art print, freezing a dramatic moment and emotion, as a timeless reminder of real-life horror.
As for cinematography, the black-and-white production, with matted, oval borders, gives viewers a miopic, candid view of a depression victim’s life, or what there is of life, dragging her more toward death than anything for which to live. Like a fly on the wall, we see the film’s “lone” character experiencing hopelessness and longing, working together, creating despair that is endless. Monochromatic tones compliment the struggle subconsciously. As the Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard wrote, in his book by the same title, despair is “the sickness unto death.” In Lone, we see that despression is, indeed, the essence of everything that decays and decomposes all that we are, dehumanizing us even to ourselves, making our lives less important, less worth enduring another day. In Lone, poetically, depression is the seductress of death.
As for music, mellow, reverberating piano notes match the mood and tone perfectly, complimenting, but never distracting from the film’s visual impact. Voice overs by Nguyen, as stream-of-consciousness narration, pull viewers into her thoughts, ever deeper. Images, music, and emotions snynergize flawlessly to achieve the movie’s goal, with resounding success!
As stated by Soren Kierkegaard, despair is the “sickness unto death.” Here, the emotion is portrayed perfectly, as it flows, ever so surely, to despair. (Image from Lien Mya Nguyen’s Lone)
Clocking in at an effiient seven-and-a-half minutes, Lone is loaded with images that, unto themselves and out of context, are art prints and paintings, freezing dramatic moments and emotions, as timeless reminders of real-life horror. Selections in this review are just a sampling of the countless images I observed in a single viewing. The portfolio of such images is almost endless.
As a well-delivered message (and distress call) to the world, Lone is a ten-rocket movie at Space Jockey Reviews any day! A top-notch, realistic performance by Nguyen, a just-right melancholy score, and images to fill an art gallery, make Lone a short film to remember for more than the message. Already an “Official Selection” at Miami, Florida’s 2017 Fun Film Festival, rewards are sure to follow!
As a metaphorical slice of life, Lone is a most impressive cinematic analogy.
Be sure to watch Lone below, and tell your friends about it too! As an SOS for the nameless millions of victims of depression the world over, watching Lien Mya Nguyen’s short film is the least you can do; reaching out to a friend with depression is the most, possibly enough to save a life! Don’t be the one who says, when it’s too late, “I wish I would’ve picked up the phone,” or “I should’ve taken a few moments to listen to her.” One person can be the world to some. Be that person!
Below, are more haunting images from Lien Mya Nguyen’s Lone, followed by the complete short film!
“Like” Lone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lonetheshortfilm/
Follow Lien Mya Nguyen on Twitter at @LienMyaNguyen and on Facebook!
Rocket Rating – 10
Chris Rennirt (the author of this review) is a movie critic and writer in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as editor in chief at Space Jockey Reviews. He has been a judge at many film festivals, including Macabre Faire Film Festival and Crimson Screen Film Fest, and he attends horror and sci-fi conventions often. Chris’ movie reviews, articles, and interviews are published regularly on Space Jockey Reviews and in Effective Magazine. His mission statement (describing his goals as a movie critic and philosophy for review writing) can be found on the “Mission” page, here at SJR. For more information about Chris Rennirt (including contact details, publicity photos, and more), click here.
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OMG! Thank you so much! Its amazing to get 10 rockets from you!
You are very welcome, Mya! They are 10 rockets that are well deserved! Congratulations on all of your successes!