Dark Hearts (2014)

I love this movie so much

The Worst Film Ever

Such a frustrating disappointment

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Taking the road less traveled, "Dark Hearts" is an edgy indie film that explores the dynamics of love and hate, creation and destruction in a modern subculture that is reminiscent of the salons in Paris during the 18th century. Set against the backdrop of the postmodern minefield of the contemporary urban landscape, the heady mixture results in a cocktail that takes the viewer through a psychological labyrinth rarely found in mainstream film. The performances are excellent and provide insight to the shadows and light that make the characters come alive with a gritty realism against an nearly surreal backdrop. This film is a must see for thrillers that travel off the beaten path!

I was lucky enough to catch this film recently at the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival (my neighborhood film festival). I wasn't sure what to expect as Indie films can be a mixed bag -- it can inspire or it can make you to cringe. I was very pleased to discover that DARK HEARTS was not only the former, but its actually a TRUE indie in the sense that it goes into darker and more boundary pushing places than most of what we see around us these days. I was immediately intrigued. Those looking for a simple, entertaining crowd-pleaser would be disappointed. But despite its dark premise, this is not a film that satisfies itself with being a mindless, violent blood-fest. Instead, Dark Hearts is cool, sexy, complex and artistic with just a touch of the disturbing (I mean this in the best possible way). It shakes you up a little by challenging you to think deeper. But it is also primal, raw and honest. The production value is impressive and sumptuous - honorable mentions to its featured artwork, cinematography, costumes and music. Not to mention a good looking and very charismatic cast.This film stayed in my mind for days. Now if only there were more films like this ....

I was lucky enough to attend the London premier of Rudolf Buitendach's wild excursion into the shadowed souls of the LA art scene and, whilst I expected great things, the movie, so resolute and confident in tone, caught me off guard. Firstly Dark Heart's freshness, much like the tubes of blood dimmed paint that scatter Buitendach's canvas of broken, sometimes lost characters, chimes through on every scene. There's also a knowingness and grasp of genre but a giddy willfulness to play the trump card and subvert expectations. It's true to say the threads of Jarmusch, Lynch, Bigelow and even perhaps Hal Hartley wind their way through this shady pantheon of the downtown LA art scene but director Buitendach juggles and panhandles them into his own unique voice. There's so much to admire here and so much fun to be had. The kind of stylistic bloodletting we haven't seen in such a long time, a smoky, mercurial turn by a wildly beautiful and wanton mysterious Sonja Kinski, a strong, soulful discovery in Lucas Til's Sam, who, ensnared by the brutally sexual and fetishistic interplay of our main characters, becomes our voice in the wilderness, our 'conscience' when the insanity kicks in full tilt. A special mention must also go to Suzanne Barnes costume design, sparse and dense in equal measure, which in itself very cleverly becomes indivisible from the set and production design. The use of Guy Theaker's moody, murky score shades and colors our ensemble of broken souls nicely whilst Kyle Schmid, Juliet Landau, Goran Visnjic and Rachel Blanchard all turn in compelling, memorable performances in a feature film debut completely worthy of your attention. Buitendach is clearly a director to watch, and watch closely. Delve in to Dark Hearts. You'll come out bloody and tangled, delirious and spent...but it's a exhilarating trip you'll want to savour again.

"Dark Hearts" is truly a fantastic film! It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me guessing to the end...which I didn't see coming. The story line is very unique and suspenseful. The acting was also very good, with notable performances from Kyle Schmid and Sonja Kinski. I've got to check out more of their films after watching "Dark Hearts". The cinematography is breathtaking at times and has some great shots. The director did a great job putting all the pieces together. Whoever did the location scouting I am envious of, and the set design was also very artistically done.I recommend this film to all you thriller lovers out there. You won't be disappointed.