Psychonaut
Reviews
Brent Marchant
Imagine a film that’s capable of moving the needle forward in multiple genres simultaneously. If you can picture that, then you owe it to yourself to see this imaginative, impressive third feature from writer-director Thijs Meuwese, an offering that effectively advances smart horror and LGBTQ+ cinema at the same time. In this dark futuristic tale, when an accidental shooting leaves Dylan (Yasmin Blake) fighting for her life from a severe head wound, her girlfriend, Maxime (Julia Batelaan), desperately looks for a way to save her. But, rather than take Dylan to a hospital, Maxime drives her to the home of her estranged mother, Samantha (Fiona Dourif), an alternative physician who employs a special diagnostic and treatment device for healing the sick and injured. However, when Dylan is hooked up to the equipment, Maxime and Samantha discover that the outlook is bleak unless they can help Dylan isolate an essential root memory that can be tapped by the device to rewrite the wiring of the injured portions of her brain, a tactic that’s hoped will restore her to full health. Despite the promise of this treatment, though, the question remains, what constitutes that essential memory and how can it be found? That’s the task Maxime undertakes when she electronically links her psyche with Dylan’s in an effort to locate the memory that will enable her recovery. What follows is a surreal psychological odyssey in which Maxime and Dylan explore their minds together to find what they’re looking for. The result is a seamless fusion of past experiences and present forensic investigation, a journey that reveals more than either of them expected, including revelations about themselves and their relationship, Maxime’s longstanding troubled connection with her mother, and how their current circumstances have turned out as they have, much of which has little to do with the catalytic shooting that launched this internal adventure. The filmmaker thus leads viewers on a captivating saga that successfully blends a variety of engaging elements, masterfully edited without missing a beat, including through the unexpected plot twists that pop up along the way. This dazzling journey is further enhanced by its gorgeous cinematography (shot largely in a captivating mix of black, white and red) and an inventively detailed production design, including its quasi-Gothic sets and thoughtfully chosen background elements. And, thankfully, unlike many other contemporary psychological thrillers, the film doesn’t overstay its welcome, skillfully telling its tale with an economic 1:27:00 runtime and no unnecessary filler or padding. What’s most notable, though, is the filmmaker’s ability to present a horror film that goes beyond trite tried-and-true tropes, as well as an LGBTQ+ storyline that pushes the envelope of most typical narratives in this genre, and that it effectively does both in one film. That’s quite an accomplishment, one worthy of high praise. Admittedly, there are a few times when this release verges on being a little too clever for its own good, but those instances are hardly worth mentioning in the wake of everything else it has to offer. “Psychonaut” is a sleeper that truly deserves an audience, especially for fans of films in either of these categories, a release that delivers brilliantly on both fronts.
Movie Recommendation
Outerlands2025-11-15Cass juggles jobs as a nanny, restaurant server, and party drug dealer in order to make ends meet and pay for their tiny San Francisco apartment. After a one night stand with Kalli, a co-worker they have a crush on, Cass agrees to watch her 11-year-old daughter, Ari, while she goes out of town. But as days pass without word from Kalli, Cass and Ari form a bond that spirals Cass back to their own difficult childhood and the pain they’ve been running from.More...
National Family2023-12-28Don Poli, the patriarch of a family embedded in politics, faces the change of party in his state - after a hundred years in power - losing all his privileges. Humiliated and angry, he threatens to disinherit his family and leave to rebuild his life. This forces his children (Kippy, Ramses and Belén) to take extreme measures to ensure their future, causing everything that could go wrong to turn out worse.More...
Dune2020-06-15Sounds as witnesses. They blurr into memories, half-dreams, it is undecided if they are real or not. A fluctuation between imagination and reality.More...
Mad2017-06-29There is no descriptionMore...
Mobile Suit SD Gundam's Counterattack1989-07-15The first theatrically release of the SD Gundam series. Contains two shorts, "The Storm-Calling School Festival" and "The Tale of the SD Warring States: The Chapter of the Violent Final Sky Castle".More...
Transmorphers: Mech Beasts2023-06-0920 years after the events of Transmorphers, a newer, more advanced species of alien robot descends on a rebuilt Earth, threatening once again to destroy the planet.More...
Silberhochzeit2006-01-13Based on a short story by Elke Heidenreich, this TV movie focuses on a couple's silver wedding party and the revelation of some bitter, long hidden secrets. Alma and Ben invite their best friends to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, but what was meant to be a happy reunion leads to heated discussions and furious accusations...More...
Dragstrip Girl1994-09-02Johnny is a bad guy trying to go straight and becomes smitten with Laura, a wealthy good girl who is rebelling against her parents, all set among the backdrop of 1950s Los Angeles.More...
The Gordon Highlanders1899-04-20"A splendid marching picture of the brave Gordons in bearskins and kilts passing before Lord Wolseley."More...
Wait Please2002-10-08A wonderfully touching tale about loveMore...
Worst to First2022-02-11WORST TO FIRST is a feature-length documentary that portrays the against-all-odds inspirational story of the launch of the iconic and most successful radio station in history, New York City's Z100.More...
I Would Rather Kill You2025-02-26After leaving behind the hectic city life, sisters Sun-young and Ji-young move to a secluded rural village. Sun-young, the older sister, is practical and responsible, while Ji-young is carefree and detached. Dae-geun, the passionate youth leader who works tirelessly for the happiness and prosperity of the village, and Bong-sam, the village chief, both fall head over heels for the sisters who bring a fiery energy to their once-quiet town. Other suspicious men begin to obsess over the sisters, including a wanted criminal who causes a stir in the village. One man after another, the village's men fall into the wild trap of desire.More...- Venganza gaucha1917-01-01There is no descriptionMore...
- Au temps pour nous2024-12-19A young woman and a young boy will guide us through their eyes, offering a different and more poetic view of Montcalm Street in Gatineau. They will take the time to appreciate it and ask questions about it before time completely erases it.More...
The Peasants1939-12-28A historical revolutionary film depicting the struggle of peasants and the Baku proletariat against landowners and Musavatists in 1919.More...
MAD2021-04-23Have you ever felt lonely in a Relationship..., Marriage or Live_In , doesn't matter, when you can't share your feelings with your companion, it is like travelling to an unknown destination with a troublesome partner.More...
Similar Movies
The Wedding Banquet
1993-03-01A Taiwanese-American man is happily settled in New York with his American boyfriend. He plans a marriage of convenience to a Chinese woman in order to keep his parents off his back and to get the woman a green card. Chaos follows when his parents arrive in New York for the wedding.Maid in Manhattan
2002-12-13Marisa Ventura is a struggling single mom who works at a posh Manhattan hotel and dreams of a better life for her and her young son. One fateful day, hotel guest and senatorial candidate Christopher Marshall meets Marisa and mistakes her for a wealthy socialite. After an enchanting evening together, the two fall madly in love. But when Marisa's true identity is revealed, issues of class and social status threaten to separate them. Can two people from very different worlds overcome their differences and live happily ever after?Stonewall
2015-09-18Kicked out by his parents, a gay teenager leaves small-town Indiana for New York's Greenwich Village, where growing discrimination against the gay community leads to riots on June 28, 1969.Tendência
2018-09-14Lucio is a family man who secretly experiences a crisis with himself related to his sexuality. Living years of agony, he decides to assume his true sexual condition for his family and friends.Without
2014-04-30Oblivious to their close proximity to one another, two women reflect on a brief connection they shared six months earlier.Feed Your Head
2024-01-23Torn between the desire to protect his little brother in a violent world and the longing for the utopia of a queer community, Hector (23) embarks on a journey between reality and fantasy to reflect on his own experience of violence and to find closeness to his brother again.Spoiled Identity
2023-07-30The bizarre adventure of siblings Ann and Ben who’ve been sent to Sensitivity Training Boot Camp, where the principal Mrs. Schnapps leads them through hardcore training to became deplorable and effeminate. Meanwhile, a militant religious group tries to infiltrate the school to spread the word from the “Holy Nuntament.” Ann and Ben quickly become involved in the deepening rivalry between them. Will they surpass all the commotion and manage to graduate with a brand new identity?The Phone Call
1989-12-30A married man calls the wrong number for phone-sex and winds up being stalked by a psychotic man.A Sentença
2021-06-24There is no descriptionFloat
No data for this movieFollowing the death of her wife, Ruth encounters a fearless swimmer who pushes her to confront her pain and rediscover the joy of living.Vanilla
2025-05-27When Bastien has an affair with a woman, Matt finds it increasingly difficult to forget. And when they meet Florent, things take an unexpected turn.Deceitful Appearances...
1983-03-24The sexual misunderstandings caused by the real identity of a rich woman serve Hermosillo to satirize the moral and social hypocrisy of the provincial that every Mexican carries inside.In the Eyes
2014-12-31A Sunday like any other among a Russian community in France. Victor, a discreet young man, has to overcome the elusiveness of the one he loves in secret.All the Crows in the ...
2021-06-1318-year-old Shengnan is invited to a mysterious party by her cousin. Upon arrival, Shengnan finds herself surrounded by greasy middle-aged men, with the exception of Jianguo, who is different. Shengnan and Jianguo decide to bail on the party, embarking on a night of adventures in the adult world.Love Bites
2025-02-08Just out of their teens, young men Liam and Anatole were in the throes of an exciting relationship- until they had fight, and Anatole disappeared. Liam can’t accept breakup. And, since his boyfriend doesn’t reply to his calls and text messages, Liam decides to follow him to a Halloween organized by one of Anatole’s friends to try find him. The wild night that ensues will test boys’ true feelings for each other, as well as force them to confront some hard inner truths once and for all.A Woman Deceived
2017-05-18It’s been one year since Elizabeth’s husband, Bill, died in a tragic horseback riding accident and she is starting to move on. When she runs into Travis Brown, the cowboy she met the same weekend Bill died, the two immediately hit it off. Travis is just what Elizabeth needed to come into her life and they soon get married. When new evidence surfaces implying that Bill’s death wasn’t an accident, Elizabeth must find a way to protect herself and her son from the man she married.I Love You Phillip Mo...
2010-02-04Steven Russell leads a seemingly average life – an organ player in the local church, happily married to Debbie, and a member of the local police force. That is until he has a severe car accident that leads him to the ultimate epiphany: he’s gay and he’s going to live life to the fullest – even if he has to break the law to do it. Taking on an extravagant lifestyle, Steven turns to cons and fraud to make ends meet and is eventually sent to the State Penitentiary where he meets the love of his life, a sensitive, soft-spoken man named Phillip Morris. His devotion to freeing Phillip from jail and building the perfect life together prompts him to attempt (and often succeed at) one impossible con after another.Moreno
2007-06-20When Chris arrives at the village of T'boli in lake Sebu, South Cotabato, he thought he has left his dark recent past behind. He is working on commission as a video documentarist to make a profile on the women T'boli and their changing views on multiple marriages. The most affluent men, called Datu, marry more than once and each time pays dowry to the family of the women they marry. When a young T'boli woman, Ngapon, tells Chris that she wants to be free from a marriage that was set by her parents and to go to Manila, Chris begins to confront waht he left in the city. Like the proud Datu with many wives, Chris has Denver, a bronze skinned lover in Manila, who is proud of his relationships. Denver lives with Chris in an apartment as partners yet he still goes into sexual and emotional relationships with other men. Ngapon's quest for freedom becomes Chris journey to a very sad dark past. - Written by AnonymousJerry Maguire
1996-12-13Jerry Maguire used to be a typical sports agent: willing to do just about anything he could to get the biggest possible contracts for his clients, plus a nice commission for himself. Then, one day, he suddenly has second thoughts about what he's really doing. When he voices these doubts, he ends up losing his job and all of his clients, save Rod Tidwell, an egomaniacal football player.Billy Elliot
2000-09-28County Durham, England, 1984. The miners' strike has started and the police have started coming up from Bethnal Green, starting a class war with the lower classes suffering. Caught in the middle of the conflict is 11-year old Billy Elliot, who, after leaving his boxing club for the day, stumbles upon a ballet class and finds out that he's naturally talented. He practices with his teacher Mrs. Wilkinson for an upcoming audition in Newcastle-upon Tyne for the royal Ballet school in London.