the audience applauded

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

No, just no. Does not work. Script doesn't hang together, acting ain't great and the camerawork is awful. Avoid this total waste of your life.

I had the great pleasure of viewing this amazing little title after a seemingly random invitation via Twitter.The one constant that I have read online and personally experienced is what a surprisingly polished looking (and sounding) final product Horrocks has produced. Anyone who isn't an avid fan of micro budget indie film will be the first to tell you digital video doesn't look professional and is distracting. I tend to agree. I can't usually get absorbed into films like Inland Empire simply because of the format they are shot on. This is where Horrocks has done something rare and spectacular by making his budgetary restrictions really work for him. From the opening scene the film is instantly engaging and enthralling. The subject matter is challenging and not for everyone but rewarding nonetheless. The locations all look hauntingly familiar and yet skewed, like a bizarre dream. The score is superb and didn't rely on bombastic fanfare to elevate every key scene. The cast, especially Tim Scott- Walker did a fantastic job with the complex material and should be applauded for making some of these odd-ball characters so believable. There were a couple of lines in places with slightly clunky delivery but beyond that, I cannot find fault anywhere. Would it have benefited from having a much larger budget? Probably but It wouldn't make it any more or less watch-able. It's refreshing to see a director proving that buckets of cash aren't necessary to make a brilliant film, just a great story and a dedicated cast/crew.This is a definitely a director to watch out for. I imagine he could continue making little indie gems like this or move seamlessly on to big productions like Lynch or Nolan. I highly recommend anyone who loves film to seek this out.

One of the most remarkable films I have ever seen. Disturbing? Yes. I can see why there is a question and answer session with it. Brilliant? Yes. And it does leave one with many questions. It is totally unique. I came away with seeing it as the total breakdown of the main character. The "remarkable" man who is doing something to Erica and facing David near the end David himself? trying to cope with his profession and entering the minds of others literally and otherwise after his loss. David is "alive" at the end (back to the beginning) still in his torment. Which begs the question "Was it all a psychotic episode?" brought on by the incredible amount of alcohol and drugs taken by him? No police investigation into the "deaths" which would or could have been done theoretically and a lot of other questions. How much is real or surreal and how much of what actually happened did happen is up to viewer interpretation. Amazing and I would have to see it more than once and pause it several times to begin to figure that out but it works seen once to be incredibly intriguing and worth celebrating as a masterpiece.

Simon Horrocks low budget Sci-fi Thriller, Third Contact (2011) went down a storm last night at London's Waterloo IMAX cinema. Not only does Horrocks raise awareness about the issues surrounding mental health he effectively demonstrates an intellectual insight into depression. Third Contact immediately breaks the traditional rules of Hollywood with the absence of an establishing shot. Instead the audience is transported into a deep conversation about quantum suicide between a therapist, Dr David Wright and his patient. Tim Scott- Walker's convincing portrayal as the tormented therapist Dr. Wright, allows the audience to connect with the disoriented character.Horrocks filming techniques reminded me a lot of the pioneering filmmaker, Jean Luc-Godard. The low budget, the decision to edit the film in black and white and the use of hand held cameras, are just some of the reasons why. Similar to Godard, Horrocks purposefully created confusing and chaotic sequences that shrewdly leave the audiences guessing. In addition Horrock also utilizes filmmaking in order to express and explore mental illness and the key ideas of existentialism such as, despair, angst and facticity. Godard frequently explored the norms and values of society, and the notions of death. A sense of Film Noir shines throughout the story with Horrocks bold decision to edit the film in black and white, which positively impacts the mise en scene. Diegetic and non-diegetic sound is used to heighten and shape the poetic mood of the narrative. The actors convey emotions and thought through the use of body language and facial expressions when there is little or no dialogue sequences. Lighting is used to create a dramatic contrast between lightness and darkness.Props are intelligently used by Horrocks, with empty photographs frames dotted around several interior scenes. The picture-less frames connotes the characters are lost, unknown, empty and unrecognizable figures. Most importantly it is a direct reference to memories, which is another key theme that runs throughout the narrative. Photographs have the ability to preserve history. Not only does the physical evidence help to protect someone's memories, photographs are a great method used to illustrate someone's life story. Photos can evoke emotions from the protagonist concurrently they invite others to share your memory, even if they were not present at the time. Characters are unable to share each other's memories in the Third Contact with most of the photographs being absent. Additionally the protagonists lack the physical evidence that proves that their memories are in fact real and not a figment of their imaginations.A regular patient of Dr. Wright is shown crafting a children's doll at his workplace. As one life ends another life is being born, although the life is that of a doll this scene still exemplifies the concepts of life and death.Suicide is a prominent subject, running from beginning to the end of the film. If somebody thinks about committing suicide or attempts to take their own life, it is a clear indication that something is wrong in a person's life. Why do people commit suicide? Does depression steer people into wanting them to take their own lives? Can an individual single handedly encourage somebody else to end his or her life? Or is it society as a whole that drives people into such disappear, that they are left little choice but to depart this life? Suicide is a dark and complex subject to understand as each case is complex in its own way. These are the questions that Horrocks raises throughout the film. Third Contact kept me entertained for a whole ninety-nine minutes, as a vast amount of time and research has evidently gone into writing this script, it is far from being over-scripted or predictable. The non-linear narrative captivates the audience as it forces them to work hard in order to unravel the plot. Although Third Contact can be compared to other films, it maintains its originality and manages to keep an edge over its predecessors.As an aspiring scriptwriter and filmmaker I have studied Film, television and New Media for the last six years. I know how difficulties arise during pre-production, production and post- production. I have nothing but admiration for Simon Horrocks as he successfully taught himself how to write scripts, film, over come budgets and how to edit. Horrocks determination and passion for this film has definitely paid off, Third Contact is stimulating and intriguing. Long gone are the days where Horrocks used to sell popcorn to movie goers, instead he will be selling cinema tickets for people to watch his own films, as he can now proudly call himself an independent film maker.I would definitely recommend for others to watch.I rate Third Contact an impressive five stars out of five.Written By Miss Crawford