Skyman

source: Skyman

This movie was made for stupid people. How did this family live in a shipping container for years when it is such a new concept? I can't watch such garbage. I had to check the age of the writer, because usually it is just youngling with ignorance of history writing unrealistic concepts, but this writer is old enough to know better.

The actors in this gave away it was a spoof documentary because of how bad the acting was. At least the way they act they play so straight face it comes off has bs and bad acting tbh.

I never like to be harsh for these indie low-budget flicks but this did nothing for me. I never felt the atmosphere, the tension or any kind of fear coming from here. Good acting tho.

Right, well as I sat down late in 2022 to watch the 2020 sci-fi movie "Skyman", I have to admit that I wasn't really expecting a whole lot from writer and director Daniel Myrick. But on the account of it being a movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to give it the benefit of the doubt. Well first of all, the movie is shot with a constantly in-motion and shaking camera, hand-held style. Yeah, I am not a fan of that. If I opt to sit down and watch a movie, I don't want to watch something that I could have shot myself with my own DV camera. And that was exactly what "Skyman" looked and felt like. As for the storyline in "Skyman", forget about it. Talk about a swing and a miss. This was essentially just about a wobbly camera following a conspiracy loon out in the remote desert, waiting for the grand return of a UFO. Yeah, not really the most riveting and thrilling of plots. The acting in the movie was adequate enough. I mean, it felt like the actors and actresses were just told to be themselves while delivering the dialogue that Daniel Myrick had written. So the movie had that natural atmosphere to it, though it did next to nothing to alleviate for the movie's piled up shortcomings in other aspects. This 2020 movie was a poor excuse of a sci-fi movie. And if you enjoy movies about UFOs and abductions, I strongly suggest you get your kick elsewhere, because "Skyman" felt like an amateurish homemade video. My rating of "Skyman" lands on a one out of ten stars. And absolute waste of time.

Checking up details for films in the final line-up of the Soho Horror Film Festival, I was intrigued to see this was by the lesser-known co-director of a landmark 1999 Found Footage Horror, leading to me witnessing the skyfall. View on the film: Whilst his fellow co-director of The Blair Witch Project (1999) Eduardo Sanchez has remained a highly visible figure in the Horror genre,directing a number of TV episodes,and films such as Exists (2014-also reviewed), writer/director Daniel Myrick returns to feature films, with an excellent, thoughtful expansion of the Found Footage stylisation he had first recorded with the Blair Witch. Flying the camera into real life UFO conventions where Merryweather meets other believers in aliens, Myrick displays a sharp eye for up-close,personal drama, with fake documentary (not Found Footage) fluid hand-held camera moves resting on wide-shots of Carl talking to his sister and pal, which Myrick presents in his stilted camera moves,as if a documentary crew is capturing an intimate, personal moment of their subject. Backed by an eerie score from Don Miggs & Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan, Myrick wonderfully slices off any hint of Horror with an excellent use of drone footage across the rural wilderness Merryweather is staying in on his birthday, which along with casting across the screen the outer space Merryweather is gazing into, also beautifully slots in with the melancholy final shot. Believing he had a close encounter when he was ten years old,and that the aliens will be returning decades later on his upcoming birthday, the screenplay by Myrick takes an outstanding grounded approach in the character study of Merryweather, (played with empathetic sincerity by Michael Selle in his first feature film role.) Refreshingly Myrick never belittles Merryweather for his beliefs,instead using excellent, well-written dialogue between Merryweather and his friend and sister that examines how alienated they each feel from society, as Myrick unleashes an emotionally-charged ending,when Merryweather sees the spirit in the sky.

I liked the idea of the story, but the dialogue is cringe-worthy and the acting is over the top. And the characters are weak - sometimes they'd say things that didn't jive with their personalities. Or they'd do the dreaded "look at the camera and shake your head." But worst of all - how did they get the found footage if Carl was still holding onto the camera to shoot it?

Myrick's Skyman is a look into the UFO sighting community, via the perspective of a fictional person: Carl Merryweather. This Myrick's follow up with the genre of found footage (Blair Witch Project). Yes, this film may get negative reviews since many want to see a straight-up horror film. And it doesn't help that it's a slow burn with Merryweather (helmed by Michael Selle) discusses his childhood "alien" experience: the Skyman. Merryweather is played very good, tries to humanize his experience. It has great connections and scenes to the existing gatherings or conventions for those to discuss alien-abducted experiences. If you are seeing this film for jumpscares, then probably see Blair Witch Project. This offers a different prospective, one follows the footage delving into Merryweather's life and obsession. It makes one think about Richard Drefuss's character from the Close Encounters of Third Kind. It shows how Myrick did his research on families and real cases examining the prolonged frustration on alien abduction beliefs This is done very well the main characters, that is Merryweather's situation.

Dan Myrick steps up to the plate, offering his most ambitious film since co-directing the legendary "The Blair Witch Project" which also happens to be my favorite movie of all time. I have two blair witch tattoos and am a seasoned horror vet having worked on multiple sets and am currently developing a feature film. "The Blair Witch Project" is nothing short of inspiring but, in my opinion, Myrick is the weaker of the two directors, the other being Eduardo Sanchez. Myrick hasn't released much following the success of Blair Witch, unlike his counter part, Sanchez, who took advantage of his critical success and went om the direct several truly terrifying films. Myrick has had one or two decent films over the past two decades but nothing above average. With that being said, I really like the subject matter Myrick migrates towards; it being dark, creepy, witch and culty, and sometimes very mysterious. I love this material but because of his constant low budget films, we never see a movie of his really take off. This leads us to "Skyman", Myricks most polished, most ambitious, and best directed film since Blair Witch. "Skyman" is the mostly fictional story of Carl Merryweather who witnessed something strange one summer night when he was just a boy. He claims he was visited by an alien being the same night many locals of his tiny town also noticed strange occurrences and lights in the sky. The encounters were documented by news stations and even aired, but was ultimately forgotten. Now, 30 years later and fatherless due to mysterious circumstances, Carl believes he is going to be revisited/reunited with the same alien being he saw as a child. He believes this whole heartedly and somehow knows all the details down to the exact day this will happen. What follows is a character driven journey into the unwaivering territory of alien abduction and obsession as Carl drags his sister and friend into his confused world. Most of this film is set up in a very basic character study format. While very well directed and produced, it makes for an interesting, yet kind of boring viewing. The viewer thinks they know this is all fake but the way the movie plays out seems like it's all too real as we have heard so many similar stories through out our lives. The acting is above average and Michael Selle is basically great as Carl. It isn't until the last 15 minutes or so that this sci-fi "horror" movie grows wings and starts to take flight. These moments are subtle, scarce, but perfectly creepy and very real feeling. Myrick has given us a slice of sci-fi realism. Every incident in this movie either would happen in real life or has happened to someone in real life. Even the unexpected ending. Myrick was smart to base this film in a very real reality, never asking for suspension of disbelief. This may not be "The Blair Witch Project" but it is still a good movie and possibly one of the best UFO films ever made. Great job Myrick, I am impressed

I'd sure like to see more of Nicolette Sweeney ;-)