Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: HOME BODIES [Fantasia Film Festival - Montreal, Quebec - Virtual]
The idea of a controlled facility where the controllers are unseen with a seemingly endless laundry list of experiments has been long trodden in genre films. Like “Buddy” in a way, "Home Bodies" [Septentrion Shadows] tries to use expectation against itself but never crosses its boundaries with too much darkness ("Buddy" did though]. Papa (a seemingly AI intelligence which is never seen) oversees Red (an early teenage girl) and Blue (a slightly younger teenage boy) who have lived life watching ready made shows, eating cereal and going to bed when they are told to. It is inferred that Blue was disciplined at one point by a burning doorknob. Christmas comes at random times with odd gifts.
This one comes with a new gift, a weirdly asexual being called Pal who really is only a molding piece that Papa says Red and Blue need to take care of. Blue sees a threat. Red sees someone that needs to be saved. After a misguided game of hide and seek, the idea of co-dependency and what the end game actually is continues to evolve though the intent at most points seems to be elusive. The layout of their domicile or cell is meant to be like rats in a maze. They are given shows to watch and yet when Pal comes in there is a change is programming. Eventually there is a sort of revelation but it is not as interesting as the psychological mind games that are being played earlier on. Again though the reasoning behind the concept is less than effective. B-
By Tim Wassberg
