Great performances, well made and with an extremely beautiful backdrop. I'm guessing this was a low budget project because when you don't have the Hollywood cash to splash on cgi and big stars etc then your movie needs to be story rich with believable acting which produces characters you really like and care about and this film ticks all of those boxes. Whimsical, wise and heart-warming, this is a wonderful way to spend ninety minutes and when it has finished, that is when you will start really thinking and you will start to appreciate it all the more. Outstanding effort, well worth the watch.
6 Reviews
Interesting debut by a promising director - not quite there yet.
freydis-e29 November 2019
This film is all about New Zealander Hayden Weal. He wrote, produced, directed and takes the lead, on screen almost throughout, and this is his feature debut. It has likely been produced on a shoestring budget and it's one of the film's best points that this isn't ever apparent - all departments doing a thoroughly professional job.
I didn't find this film so very wonderful, though it's better than a lot of high-budget rubbish coming out of Hollywood. When I wrote this, there were only five reviews posted, all by people who loved it, and I thought it worthwhile enough to add a bit of perspective. The best things: Weal seems to be good at everything. He's a convincing actor, with the rest of the cast all doing a good job too. His direction has a couple of glitches where things get unnecessarily confusing, but never for long and most of the time the pacing is fine and he keeps control of a complex plot. He also writes some great dialogue.
I wasn't so happy about the plot itself, and the main character, who dominates the film, is very irritating at times. He goes through the early scenes mostly just not replying when people speak to him - the kind of guy who, despite his good looks, would end up alone, watching TV or playing computer games. In this case he's very fortunate that several well-meaning people make determined efforts to get through to him. Once he sets his sights on Sophia, things do improve, with a likeable caring personality starting to emerge. He's somewhat inconsistent though, reacting differently for plot purposes in identical situations - as when one time he chases the mysterious stranger, who runs away from him, while another time, the two simply look at each other, then walk away with no word spoken.
As for the plot, it makes a kind of sense and mostly works in that its oddness keeps the film feeling fresh and interesting through most of the journey - often a feature of Australian or New Zealand cinema. However everything is based on a long series of coincidences, which go beyond unlikely to silly to ridiculous and sometimes give the impression that these half-dozen intertwined characters inhabit a cut-off village where they make up around half the population and that's why they keep meeting up around every corner turned. For this reason the film needs to be viewed as a fantasy or morality play, rather than anything anywhere close to real.
Right at the end everything sadly falls apart, all quirkiness abandoned for more piled-on clichéd coincidence as the director rushes to tie up every possible loose end. I personally don't like over-neat endings - though many others do. In this case it's just another reminder that the real world was never invited anywhere near this party.
I felt I should have got some message here, following the morality play interpretation, and perhaps there is something there for more perceptive viewers. The very obvious one, 'actions have consequences', which gets spread on very thickly, seems belied by that cliché ending, which suggests that things would end up that way more or less regardless of what anyone does or says. Two things I did take from this film though: Summer is definitely a cool person: and Beni really, really cannot play!
I didn't find this film so very wonderful, though it's better than a lot of high-budget rubbish coming out of Hollywood. When I wrote this, there were only five reviews posted, all by people who loved it, and I thought it worthwhile enough to add a bit of perspective. The best things: Weal seems to be good at everything. He's a convincing actor, with the rest of the cast all doing a good job too. His direction has a couple of glitches where things get unnecessarily confusing, but never for long and most of the time the pacing is fine and he keeps control of a complex plot. He also writes some great dialogue.
I wasn't so happy about the plot itself, and the main character, who dominates the film, is very irritating at times. He goes through the early scenes mostly just not replying when people speak to him - the kind of guy who, despite his good looks, would end up alone, watching TV or playing computer games. In this case he's very fortunate that several well-meaning people make determined efforts to get through to him. Once he sets his sights on Sophia, things do improve, with a likeable caring personality starting to emerge. He's somewhat inconsistent though, reacting differently for plot purposes in identical situations - as when one time he chases the mysterious stranger, who runs away from him, while another time, the two simply look at each other, then walk away with no word spoken.
As for the plot, it makes a kind of sense and mostly works in that its oddness keeps the film feeling fresh and interesting through most of the journey - often a feature of Australian or New Zealand cinema. However everything is based on a long series of coincidences, which go beyond unlikely to silly to ridiculous and sometimes give the impression that these half-dozen intertwined characters inhabit a cut-off village where they make up around half the population and that's why they keep meeting up around every corner turned. For this reason the film needs to be viewed as a fantasy or morality play, rather than anything anywhere close to real.
Right at the end everything sadly falls apart, all quirkiness abandoned for more piled-on clichéd coincidence as the director rushes to tie up every possible loose end. I personally don't like over-neat endings - though many others do. In this case it's just another reminder that the real world was never invited anywhere near this party.
I felt I should have got some message here, following the morality play interpretation, and perhaps there is something there for more perceptive viewers. The very obvious one, 'actions have consequences', which gets spread on very thickly, seems belied by that cliché ending, which suggests that things would end up that way more or less regardless of what anyone does or says. Two things I did take from this film though: Summer is definitely a cool person: and Beni really, really cannot play!
Thought provoking beautiful story
meganhinge29 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I watched Chronesthesia last night at its premier in the New Zealand International Film Festival, and it had me hooked from the beginning. The concept of Chronesthesia (mental time travel, the ability to be aware of one's past or future) was cleverly and sensitively woven into this story about love, loss, opportunity, connection and mental health issues. The Eastern suburbs of Wellington, NZ provided beautiful and emotive backdrops for the story to unfold. A stand out moment in the film was the park bench scene between the main character (Dan) and a seemingly homeless man. It was funny and touching, and it stayed with me. Today I was approached on Cuba Street by a familiar Wellington woman who appears to have some mental health struggles. Prior to seeing Chronesthesia I don't think I would have taken the time to stop, listen and interact with her. Today I did, and I have this film to thank for blossoming my desire to connect with others who seek to connect with me. I can't imagine anyone watching this film and it not changing the way they see the world.
Woke writing in wondrous Wellington
linkogecko4 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
"Chronesthesia" is a bit of an odd beast; part magic realism, part love story, part "Forrest Gump"-esque conversations with strangers, part "City Symphony" celebration of New Zealand's cool little capital, part plight for the understanding and non-judgment of people afflicted with mental illness. If it sounds like these parts would make for an unbalanced, clashing concoction, then you wouldn't be counting on the clever script director/star/screenwriter Hayden J. Weal has come up with. A tricky balancing act kicked off by Weal's character Dan finding a message written on his bedroom window one morning. Following the instructions on the message lead him to a series of events breaking his routine and a very fortunate encounter. The morning after, another message, this time with some mental images that he's not sure if are dreams or memories.
Dan's life takes a turn thanks to these messages and he starts to realize their nature as time-traveling prompts from his future self. Why, how and how far into the future they're coming from are some of the questions he'll try to answer in-between dealing with their present consequences. While this general description might make it sound like a mystery film, it differs from most films of that genre in that the main driving force isn't on the third act revelation, but rather in the journey as a whole. The plot does have a few revelations up its sleeve, but for the most part they're spread out, a bit telegraphed and not shocking enough to make it to the category of "twists", leaving the most satisfying moments to be those almost devoid of mystery. Dan's new-found willingness to help and listen to (former) strangers who could really use a pair of ears, how this changes his mindset, the Wellington-and-its-surroundings scenery and, most importantly, his budding romance are what make the journey of "Chronesthesia" worth your time.
In Psychology student Sophia, Dan finds a great inspiration to change his life and the chemistry between the actors playing them makes for awkwardly natural dialogue that is at once honest, heartwarming and at times hilarious; specially since it reflects some of the deep-seated fears of trying to woo a psychologist some people might harbor ("oh god, what if they're psychoanalyzing me right now? what if they can just tell I'm bullshitting? what if they already know my weirdest fetish?", etc.). Sophia's object of study also makes for some of the dramatic weight of the plot, as her understanding of mental illness and openness to people afflicted with them clash with Dan's; and this ultimately becomes one of the main themes of the movie.
In general, "Chronesthesia" is a sweet little movie unafraid to try its hand at some heavy subjects as well as some left-field plot choices. In terms of realization it does suffer from a few issues (voice sync being a bit off, grainy low-lighting photography, shaky camera-work, those Wellington time-lapses that, while stylish, usually seem out of place) that make the end result feel a little "student film"-ish, but nothing that's ultimately distracting or detracting from the story. As a love story dealing with "mental-temporal" issues, one of the easiest comparisons would be to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" but, while that film focused almost exclusively on romantic relationships, Weal's work also deals with other relationships: those we usually (don't) have with the people we see on the street everyday and never exchange a conversation, or even a few words, with, specially when we deem them to be "less fortunate". While the 2004 film has a sci-fi edge with memory machines, this film's more outlandish elements are closer to magic realism, which might be unsatisfying to some. For those who are willing to give it a chance, however, it could be like taking the leap and asking a stranger their name: a choice you just might be very glad you made.
Dan's life takes a turn thanks to these messages and he starts to realize their nature as time-traveling prompts from his future self. Why, how and how far into the future they're coming from are some of the questions he'll try to answer in-between dealing with their present consequences. While this general description might make it sound like a mystery film, it differs from most films of that genre in that the main driving force isn't on the third act revelation, but rather in the journey as a whole. The plot does have a few revelations up its sleeve, but for the most part they're spread out, a bit telegraphed and not shocking enough to make it to the category of "twists", leaving the most satisfying moments to be those almost devoid of mystery. Dan's new-found willingness to help and listen to (former) strangers who could really use a pair of ears, how this changes his mindset, the Wellington-and-its-surroundings scenery and, most importantly, his budding romance are what make the journey of "Chronesthesia" worth your time.
In Psychology student Sophia, Dan finds a great inspiration to change his life and the chemistry between the actors playing them makes for awkwardly natural dialogue that is at once honest, heartwarming and at times hilarious; specially since it reflects some of the deep-seated fears of trying to woo a psychologist some people might harbor ("oh god, what if they're psychoanalyzing me right now? what if they can just tell I'm bullshitting? what if they already know my weirdest fetish?", etc.). Sophia's object of study also makes for some of the dramatic weight of the plot, as her understanding of mental illness and openness to people afflicted with them clash with Dan's; and this ultimately becomes one of the main themes of the movie.
In general, "Chronesthesia" is a sweet little movie unafraid to try its hand at some heavy subjects as well as some left-field plot choices. In terms of realization it does suffer from a few issues (voice sync being a bit off, grainy low-lighting photography, shaky camera-work, those Wellington time-lapses that, while stylish, usually seem out of place) that make the end result feel a little "student film"-ish, but nothing that's ultimately distracting or detracting from the story. As a love story dealing with "mental-temporal" issues, one of the easiest comparisons would be to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" but, while that film focused almost exclusively on romantic relationships, Weal's work also deals with other relationships: those we usually (don't) have with the people we see on the street everyday and never exchange a conversation, or even a few words, with, specially when we deem them to be "less fortunate". While the 2004 film has a sci-fi edge with memory machines, this film's more outlandish elements are closer to magic realism, which might be unsatisfying to some. For those who are willing to give it a chance, however, it could be like taking the leap and asking a stranger their name: a choice you just might be very glad you made.
Completely satisfying
cberkman-898-33185820 February 2018
I rarely write reviews of films, but this one is a gem worth recommending. Yes, it's probably a low budget indie film from New Zealand, but the acting is sufficient with the performance of the main character very solid. Why this film deserves a good rating is because the story is fresh, enjoyable, suspenseful, and satisfying...part sci-fi, mystery, drama, and comedy. Other reviewers have already summarized the plot. What I'd like to add is a message to the person wondering if this is worth watching tonight - if you enjoyed the film Dear Frankie, you would probably enjoy this film like I did.
Best depiction of schizophrenia yet seen in film.
melissa-517-8536675 December 2017
For the best depiction of schizophrenia yet seen in film, I'm giving this a 10/10. Why? Just watch it, it is accurate.
In this film, writer/director Heyden Weal shows us the inherent vulnerability created by the presence of psychotic illness, and also what is protective when a person is vulnerable. If you watched it and didn't get both of these, watch it twice. For the number of years of experience this film synthesizes and feeds to you like snacks with the movie, it is well worth the time.
In Australia this is distributed under the title "Love and Time Travel". Still a great movie under any name.
In this film, writer/director Heyden Weal shows us the inherent vulnerability created by the presence of psychotic illness, and also what is protective when a person is vulnerable. If you watched it and didn't get both of these, watch it twice. For the number of years of experience this film synthesizes and feeds to you like snacks with the movie, it is well worth the time.
In Australia this is distributed under the title "Love and Time Travel". Still a great movie under any name.
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