Curse of the Sunset Starlet

This is a gentle yet powerful film with wonderful performances. Lyrical and poetic, with a script co-written by renowned novelist Steve Erickson, "Curse Of The Sunset Starlet" is an impressive debut for director and co-writer, Lori Precious. The movie's themes of abandonment, love and forgiveness are explored in a domestic setting haunted by the ghosts of Old Hollywood and L.A.'s desert winds. Kathleen Wilhoite as Zarianne, and Oscar nominee Sally Kirkland as her mother Gigi, a fading starlet, seem connected by a painful history that is real, not imagined. Newcomers Bailey Tait and Niko Baur, as Zarianne's children, become the conscience of the film through their touching performances. Visual effects are first rate, creating a sense of magical realism rarely seen in American films. The cinematography and editing work together to build a family drama in an intimate space that feels focused but never small. The artful inclusion of stock footage of Old Hollywood and photos of long-forgotten starlets adds to a sense of loss and the longing for a bygone era.