Nora (2025) Cinequest 2025

A woman who gave up her singing career for a family, begins to rethink the choice when her husband goes on tour and leaves her to be a single mom.

Anna Campbell is a one woman band writing,diecting, starring and compsing NORA and should celebrated for doing so. There is some really good moments here and I want to see what comes next.

At the same time the film has one problems that hurts it.  The problem wth the film is the intergration of the music into the tale. While the performance sequences are fine, there are other sequences that are music videos. These sequences don't really feel as part of the film. They feel like the sequences were  created by someone not connected to the rest of the film. It feels like Campbells script was written with spaces left for the insertion of a musical sequence. Its not fatal but it hurts the film.

Uneven insertion of music aside NORA is worth a look.

Voices Carry (2025) Cinequest 2025

 

A Sam and Jack retreat to Sam’s ancestral home. There she becomes reacquainted with her childhood neighbor and she finds an old diary- which triggers weird feelings and strange experiences.

This is a well-made, if very low key thriller about the unwinding of a young woman.  The cast is excellent with Jeremy Holm shining as the eccentric neighbor. It’s a cozy film that pulls us in and drags us along.

As good as the film is the film’s low key nature works against it. The plot is similar to other supernatural thrillers so with out a heavy dose of suspense the film, while good, is less compelling than it should be.  The truth of the matter is that the film isn’t just a thriller, it is rooting around and examining Sam’s life and mental state. The film doesn’t just want to scare but also wants us to think. That sets the film nicely apart from the rest of the pack, but it will disappoint anyone who wants a nail biting thriller.

I liked the film and if you want something that isn’t your typical thriller, it is recommended.