Anne Hutchinson promised Karen, her younger sister, when they were orphaned that she would take care of her and always be with her till the day they died. As they grew up, Anne worked hard to be the parent she knew Karen needed. They grew older and grew apart as Karen developed a relationship with a young man. He had his problems and Anne didn't like him or what it would mean for Karen. They argued and Karen left, vowing to never return. That night Karen's boyfriend was murdered and Karen was missing.
That is the starting premise of Sister Tempest,which is written and directed by Joe Badon (IMDb link). What happens after is a rollercoaster ride through Anne's psyche. As she deals with the trauma of her missing sister, her internal tempest swirls.
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The Story Side
Sister Tempest is summarized with the following.
"Anne Hutchinson's troubled relationship with her missing sister is under alien tribunal. Meanwhile, her new roommate's mysterious illness causes her to go on a cannibalistic killing spree."
I'm not going to say much about the plot. The story constantly weaves back on itself with flashbacks and flash-forwards, along with jumps through dimensions, as Anne recites her tale of events to a panel of "judges." They want to know the story from her point of view so they can get to the truth as Anne perceives it. And, that is the real question as the story unfolds.
Badon tells his story of Anne in an art house style. Throughout the movie, scenes are cut into and out of to produce chapters set apart by short scenes giving foreshadowing to the events about to unfold. This is a film that needs to be watched carefully. The story seems rough and a little hard to follow at first. But, as the chapters unfold, the pieces of the puzzle of Anne's stormy mind settles.
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The Production Side
I first met Joe Badon at the FilmQuest Film Festival (website) when he was screening his first feature film, The God Inside My Ear(IMDb link). If you liked his first film, you will enjoy Sister Tempest. Both have the aspect(?) of mental self-discovery.
Badon provides a lot of little tidbits in his film. Along with the foreshadowing within the chapter headers, there are a number of symbols, metaphors, and tokens used to bring the story full circle from the opening scenes through the "flashback" telling of the story by Anne to the final scene of discovery. It is because of these elements woven into the plot that it would be unfair to give an outline without giving away the end.
Sister Tempest is a low budget film. Instead of detracting from the film, if allowed, the level of technical special effects adds to the story. We are being told the story through Anne's viewpoint, her perception of events, her reality, which is not a good place. The special effects are reminiscent of older movies and Sister Tempest includes scenes from sci-fi, horror, and other classic films. Many times when people think of low budget, they think there isn't much talent involved. That is not the case.
The cast of Sister Tempest has a broad range of experience. The combination of talent provides depth for the style and budget. Two of the main roles are Anne and her new roommate after Karen leaves, Ginger.
Anne Hutchinson is played by Kali Russell (IMDb link). This is her second listed credit and her first feature film. Her portrayal of Anne gives us a woman facing a breakdown. Everything she has worked to maintain in her life for her and her sister is gone. The sense of loss is palpable. She brings this out in her dealings with the events of her daily routine and when dealing with new possibilities and other characters. For a first major role, I like what Kali Russell brings to the story and to the screen.
Ginger is portrayed by Linnea Gregg (IMDb link), who is returning to work with Joe Badon after playing the lead role of Elizia in The God Inside My Ear. She also brings an insight to the mental stresses taking place and how they are dealt with. She provides an excellent counterpoint to Russell's Anne. They show their connection to each other on screen and allow the story to grow.
Sister Tempest is prepared to be on the film festival circuit. At the time of this review, there was no mention of where Sister Tempest will be screened.
I recommend Sister Tempest for people who want to see a film that is different, thought provoking, and requires you to pay attention to what is happening on the screen.
You can find out more about Sister Tempest on IMDb (IMDb link).
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