WRITTEN BY GARY ANDREW HINDLEY AND S. J. CARTER
Sequence Break (2017) Director and Writer: Graham Skipper Cast: Chase Williamson, Fabianne Therese, Lyle Kanouse, John Dinan, Audrey Wasilewski What do you get when you cross a reclusive video game fanatic, a cute gamer girl, and an arcade on its last leg? Sequence Break does just that and the answer is not at all what one would expect. What sounds like the recipe for a John Hughes flick with a horror twist spirals into something much more sinister. Chase Williamson stars as Oz, who has turned to gaming to cope with his anxiety and introversion. Games provide comfort and security in an otherwise terrifying world and he has managed to put his talents to practical use as a videogame technician. His peaceful, predictable world begins going all topsy turvy with the revelation that his boss Jerry (Kanouse) plans to close down the shop where they work. Revelations abound when, on the same day, a beautiful woman shows up sporting both a passion for gaming and an obvious interest in Oz. It’s right around this point that the Hughes feel dies away. Since this film is best viewed without spoilers, the plot details have been kept to a minimum. The payoff is most definitely worth the lack of info. Williamson is so endearing and relatable, especially to outcasts familiar with the struggles of finding a comfortable space in the world. Therese’s performance is absolutely mindblowing, pulling the audience in as the caring, concerned love interest, leaving them questioning her ultimate role (protagonist/damsel/victim), and occasionally scaring the shit out of them. Perhaps even this is revealing too much, but Sequence Break leaves the audience feeling like a pack of filthy voyeurs. As if we’ve stumbled upon someone’s acid fueled wet dream. No one is forcing us to watch. We can always shut it off, or look away. Leave the room, even. But we choose to stay, mouths agape. Our heads spinning with vertigo as we wonder just how far down the rabbit hole we’re about to go. So avoid the full online synopsis. Skip the little description that pops up on your screen and... Just. Press. Play. Written by S. J. Carter
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