Movie spotlight
The Awakening
Paul Thomas has created a modern masterpiece with The Awakening, inspired by the true story of a 1970s adult film star who turned to new age religion to calm her sexual discontent before eventually committing suicide. Emotionally stunning, this psychological story of sexual healing ranks with Thomas` best work, like The Masseuse, Bad Wives, Justine and Bobby Sox. Inari Vachs delivers a stunning performance as the sexually confused starlet, as does Kobe Tai as her ex-junkie singer friend. Both deserve pre-noms for Best Actress. Equally good is Bobby Vitale, with a career-best performance as the link between the two girls that easily earns him a Best Actor pre-nom, as well.
Insights
Plot Summary
A British psychologist travels to rural Australia to uncover the truth behind a series of bizarre occurrences and a local legend. She delves into the psychological and spiritual reasons behind the strange events, confronting her own beliefs and fears along the way. As she gets closer to the truth, she finds herself in increasing danger.
Critical Reception
The 1999 film 'The Awakening' received a mixed to negative reception from critics. While some praised its atmospheric tension and Barbara Hershey's performance, many found the plot convoluted and the scares ineffective. Audience reactions were similarly divided, with some appreciating the psychological horror elements and others finding it slow-paced and confusing.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its moody atmosphere and Hershey's performance.
Criticized for a muddled plot and lack of genuine scares.
Some found the psychological elements intriguing, while others found it too slow.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for 'The Awakening' (1999) is not readily available. General audience reception appears to have been mixed, with some appreciating the unsettling tone and others finding it unsatisfying.
Fun Fact
Despite being released in 1999, "The Awakening" has a limited release history and is not widely distributed, contributing to its lower profile and lack of major accolades.
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