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Monday, July 13, 2020

Proximity 2020 * 1/2 Stars

ProximityDirector: Eric Demeusy
Year: 2020
Rated NR
Rating: * 1/2 Stars
Cast: Ryan Masson, Highdee Kuan, Shaw Jones

"Did you have an encounter with an extraterrestrial being?" Me personally, not a chance. But a bug-eyed character and his lady friend do with bells on in Proximity (my latest review). The extraterrestrials in Proximity look, talk, and flex sort of like the ones in 2002's Signs. They're just a little more friendlier, smaller, and for the most part, more readily tolerant.

So yeah, in Proximity you have low budget effects coupled with paperweight acting and synth, 80's-style tunes that feel out of place. The film although eager and astute, is a vast shift in tones as its over-seriousness gets punctuated by a pouncing musical score that John Williams would reject on the spot.

Movie Review - Proximity (2020)For all things Area 51, Proximity's Roy Neary story involves a scientist named Isaac (played by DJ Qualls and Keir Dullea lookalike Ryan Masson). Isaac gets abducted by aliens and instead of dealing with his own inner self, he downloads his abduction footage hoping to get media attention and legit, notarized documentation. Issac searches for the truth but he also wants every snooty news outlet to know about his eerie plight (get ready to be scrutinized dude).

With a running time close to two hours (when 90 or 100 minutes would have been enough) and edited by three people (that explains the flax continuity), Proximity is stock and unintentionally cheesy sci-fi that feels too little, too late. Bordering on being exaggerated and uncomfortably tongue-in-cheek, it's like 2011's Super 8 but with older millennials and laser guns involved.

Movie Review - Proximity (2020)Proximity wants to be profound and wink-y in a Spielbergian sort of way. Accompanied by a rookie, unknown director (Eric Demeusy) and a Lifetime movie setting of Los Angeles, it lands short on both counts. Verdict: Don't be in close "proximity" to renting this ode to all tools Martian. Rating: 1 and a half stars.

Written by Jesse Burleson

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