Special Review: "Midwest Sessions"

Special Review: "Midwest Sessions"
Directed by Mario Ricciardi

Independent filmmaking is a fascinating concept, wherein the director and everyone involved sets out to make something unique, different, and go against the traditional status quo of what's defined as a "blockbuster." These films aren't usually seen by the masses and won't be included in the top ten highest grossing movies of all time, but they offer something those films don't: a heart and commitment by the people involved to craft something wholly distinctive that tell a story in their own way.

Such is "Midwest Sessions," a local film directed by Mario Ricciardi that centers on the city of Youngstown, Ohio, and the captivating people who live there. Told in different vignettes that seem distinct and different from one another but coming together as a whole in the end, it's an engrossing film that utilizes its shoestring budget and gives great performances, decent effects and a highly thought-out story.

The prologue and epilogue center on a ghost child at an abandoned steel mill that seeks candy, and encounters a person there. There's not much story with this part until later, but the visuals more than create the atmosphere needed to move the movie forward, opening and ending the film as perfect bookends.

The first story is "Dan, the Man" and focuses on a man named Dan who lives alone and seemingly has no direction in life. He doesn't have a job, he is going through issues with his girlfriend, and he has a quirky neighbor who likes mowing his lawn in the off-season. One day he's visited by a mysterious traveling salesman who leaves a product for Dan to test, and ultimately that test will determine Dan's future. This story is compact and light, and the lead actor has enough charisma to make you invested in his story.

The second tale is "Statues" and is the scariest segment in the film. It focuses on a priest who has begun worrying about aging and what little future he has left, as well as preaching to a dwindling congregation and not really caring anymore. The priest gives a great performance that blends reflective thought and comedic sarcastic timing (such as when he interacts with the only young parishioner who worries about his relationship with his girlfriend, and elicited the biggest laughs from the audience) that makes him a compelling character. It's also during this time he's haunted by a living statue with no face that acts like a ghost, moving silently in the shadows that torments the man, culminating in one of the most unique character designs I've seen in a small film like this.

The third outing is "Time Love Lost" that showcases Ricciardi's writing and editing prowess, as it's a simple story told in a complex way. It's a tale of a former couple who reflect on their past relationship as they also discuss the aspects of death and parallel universes. What makes this segment so intriguing is that the story is a continuous tale told by the two in different timelines, and so seamlessly edited that it flows perfectly. The performers themselves are equally strong, making an interesting premise more heightened.

The fourth story is a tie-in to the second called "The Beach" where we find the priest from the second tale interacting with three different beings who want to save him from oblivion by showing him his life's choices, much like "A Christmas Carol." As the priest watches the past, present and future intersect, he learns the value of the life he lives in hopes of overcoming his worst fears. Much like the second segment, this one is carried by the priest's performance as well as the eccentric side characters.

The final segment is "Paradox Podcast" which features twin brothers (played by the same actor) who hosts a podcast about the paranormal, and this episode centers around everything that's happened thus far in the film, bringing all the segments together. To me, this was the segment that wasn't needed, as something more original could've been told in its place. Essentially it serves to tie everything together when it wasn't necessarily needed, and while it was done well, seemed to just re-hash the previous stories.

“Midwest Sessions” proves you don’t need a huge budget to make something great - all you need is talent, dedication, tenacity and heart to see it through. The actors excelled at their work, the visuals were more than adequate, and the story was thoughtful and deep  

Proving himself an exceptional and daring director, writer and editor, Mario Ricciardi's first outing "Midwest Sessions" provides excellent performances, decent effects and set designs that relegates itself well to the overall tale, telling a thought-provoking story mixed with scares and comedy in equal measure.

The Score: A-