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The Vast of Night
The Vast of Night
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The Vast of Night

The Vast of Night

2020
Sci-fi, Suspense/Thriller
1h 31m
In the twilight of the 1950s, two youths seek the source of a mysterious frequency that has descended upon a town in New Mexico, in Andrew Patterson's pitch-perfect sci-fi thriller. (imdb)

Directed by:

Andrew Patterson

Screenwriter:

James Montague, Craig W. Sanger

Starring:

Gail Cronauer, Brandon Stewart, Bruce Davis, Sierra McCormick, Mollie Milligan, Jake Horowitz, Cheyenne Barton, Gregory Peyton, Mallorie Rodak, Ingrid Fease, Kirk Griffith, Nika Sage McKenna

Genres:

Sci-fi, Suspense/Thriller, Fantasy, Mystery

Country:

USA

Language:

English
imdb IMDb
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The Vast of Night

2020
Sci-fi, Suspense/Thriller
1h 31m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 53.07% from 742 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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anomalyAnomaly
Rated 19 Apr 2021
81
77th
Rough around the edges, but strong in style and tone. Patterson manages the tricky combination of a warm and lived-in world while paradoxically filming it in a clinical and calculating way. The ten-minute long take at the switchboard where Fay slowly realizes something's up in town is the highlight, a great work of building tension. Will be interesting to see how Patterson develops his voice from here.
Rated 19 Apr 2021
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 02 Nov 2020
70
34th
While "The Vast of Night" is a decent watch and a more than competently made movie, it suffers from pacing issues and a lack of imagination that lead it to become what looks like just a well produced dramatization of one or two real stories cobbled together. Alien encounters can be done with high entertainment value, but this one just misses the mark. Even so, Patterson made a solid effort, one that--if nothing else--shows promise.
Rated 02 Nov 2020
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 13 Jun 2020
70
46th
An impressive debut with a micro-budget and an energetic cast. The premise is stretched a bit thin, even for a ninety minute running time, but the few scenes that work have a real sense of atmosphere. The bookends, while cute, are essentially pointless but I appreciate the effort in making a throwback a-la The Twilight Zone.
Rated 13 Jun 2020
bofbof
Rated 24 Nov 2020
72
64th
One of THOSE debuts, messy but endlessly intriguing; Patterson throws everything at the what-if-Pontypool-but-in-the-50s script, using every trick he knows to keep us hooked. Which means he misses more than once (the completely unnecessary framing device, for one), but in the end he's the talent here rather than the script or the actors - I want to see what he does next.
Rated 24 Nov 2020
aaautinAAAutin
Rated 08 Jun 2020
44
34th
You're traveling through another dimension—a dimension not only of framing devices but of superficiality. Of walk-and-talks and tracking shots. Of facsimile and pastiche. Of Wellsian concepts and Wellesian broadcasts. Of distance and remove. A journey into a sleepy little world of boredom. Next stop, The Night-Night Zone!
Rated 08 Jun 2020
igormacheteigormachete
Rated 27 Jul 2020
92
93rd
Almost perfect, enjoyed everything in it – warm, cozy setting, likable believable characters, rich yet somehow simple and unobtrusive style with long takes, long dialogs, straightforward premise with straightforward line of actions, the suspense is weighted perfectly. The only gripe might be the somewhat over the top ending, but otherwise the film is very, very good.
Rated 27 Jul 2020
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 25 Jul 2020
68
33rd
A hefty and admirable swing-and-a-miss - Patterson's efforts at crafting a throwback to Welles' WAR OF THE WORLDS and TWILIGHT ZONE minimalism is fun for a while, but many of the directorial tricks (especially the long tracking shots) feel just like tricks, rather than adding anything to the drama; one-note performances from the leads don't help matters. Feels like a student film calling card and therefore lacks resonance; a pitifully weak and inconclusive finale leaves a somewhat sour taste.
Rated 25 Jul 2020
jschlanskyJSchlansky
Rated 10 Jul 2020
76
68th
A great grasp of tone and atmosphere with a nice, slow pace. The two lead characters are incredibly likable, and I enjoyed how talky this was. Could use a touch more intrigue and a little bit more in the way of plotting, plus a beefed-up ending.
Rated 10 Jul 2020
juntakinte99juntakinte99
Rated 06 Jun 2020
75
49th
The flick gets kudos for creating an homage to the UFO paranoia that came about in 1950's America after Roswell. There're shoutouts to the War of the Worlds radio play, the Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and 1950's alien invasion movies. Certain gimmicks can get in the way of the story--namely the radio audio, single camera takes, and tv screen closeups. But the creepy mood frequently makes up for it. While I'm not sure that it nails the ending, it is still recommended for a Friday night viewing.
Rated 06 Jun 2020
iconogassediconogassed
Rated 28 Oct 2021
65
45th
Very likeable despite the cutesy crap ("I believe the rocket tubes, but the tiny TV telephones, that's cuckoo"; W[ar]O[f]T[he]W[orlds] call sign deflating a key moment). The long takes bugged at first, walk esp., but there is unity/symmetry to it, rapid path back to the game underlining the narrative/thematic focus on circuits, searching for a signal in the noise. Withholding the rest of Mabel until That Moment is "justified" by the content, but hard to argue too much against cries of wankery.
Rated 28 Oct 2021
hawkinsHawkins
Rated 13 Jun 2021
73
53rd
The 'Pontypool' atmosphere and 'Gotta Light?' setting are immediately appealing, unfortunately the ending fumbles the slow build-up of long takes and creepy tracking shots. Shows a lot of promise for a directorial debut.
Rated 13 Jun 2021
filliganFilligan
Rated 01 Sep 2020
97
96th
This is creatively captivating and wholly successful in recreating that absorbing era's fascination with UFOs. I found myself adoring every second and wanted to applaud the filmmakers for their deceptively simple approach. One of the best of the year.
Rated 01 Sep 2020
davidblastDavidBlast
Rated 18 Jul 2020
80
80th
What an amazing little treat from newcomer Patterson, who delivers a lot of atmosphere on a shoestring budget. Some will say that (too) little happens, but I think it adds to the overall ambience, and the painted picture of a time before cell phones in small town America. Double thumbs up from me.
Rated 18 Jul 2020
nargNarg
Rated 13 Jul 2020
62
57th
The first 20 or so minutes was me wondering what about the movie was putting me on edge and I realized that the camera was "cold". It sort of clinically and carefully observes things even with the high velocity dialogue, becoming more overt in this respect once its just the two main characters walking in the dark and we follow behind at a distance, an outside presence. Genuinely creepy stuff. From the old lady to the end of the film was much less interesting
Rated 13 Jul 2020
edwardedward
Rated 20 Jun 2020
95
94th
One of the most impressive directorial performances I've seen in a long time. I'm in awe of how creative this film is. You'd never know this was a directorial debut made on a rather small budget. If the craft is there, a great director can make paint drying entertaining. You may not be thrilled with the film's subject (I wasn't), but that's really all pretty secondary. This is a gem in the art of filmmaking. A great period film. I'm greatly anticipating what Andrew Patterson does next.
Rated 20 Jun 2020
quintonjaminQuintonjamin
Rated 08 Jun 2020
70
66th
It took a while to get into the thick of it, but the long payoff was worth it. All the acting is great, especially in all of the long takes throughout the film. Nothing amazing, but the story was interesting enough.
Rated 08 Jun 2020
obdurateObdurate
Rated 30 May 2020
80
67th
Great directing with some great shots and believable performances from the two leads. Sometimes you get these indie sci-fi films that do the wise thing and focus more on being intimate character dramas with sci-fi backdrops, this succeeds there. Managed to be real eerie sometimes. 2 things kept me from loving: the framed-as-a-TV-show gimmick didn't lead to anything and the conclusion wasn't satisfactory as a whole, which I think ties in with the lack of going anywhere with the gimmick as well.
Rated 30 May 2020
aflickeringAFlickering
Rated 27 Sep 2021
5
73rd
agree with everything d'angelo said on this, pos and neg, 'cept i'll defend that oner as serving the rhythm, atmosphere, themes, you name it. ima always overrate genre movies with this level of formal bravado, confidently stylised dialogue/performances, carefully detailed worldbuilding, analog fetishism and fuckin' aliens, even when they're film-school showy, lack narrative substance/originality and employ inert radio-play monologues, strained freneticism and a doofy TZ framing device.
Rated 27 Sep 2021
mjoyamjoya
Rated 23 Jul 2021
100
99th
This movie would stand on its own among the best of Steven Spielberg and Wes Anderson any day of the week. It's also kid-friendly, short, and sweet.
Rated 23 Jul 2021
sproostsproost
Rated 22 Feb 2021
75
79th
The story is familiar, but the storytelling is high artistic quality and shows great love for the medium; unique in that it's driven by a menagerie of long takes, fast dialog, tracking shots, rapid fire editing, even courageously long segments where we go black and only audio is heard - all glued together tastefully and with perfect sound design sporting not a single boring second. Patterson creates an instantly memorable atmosphere and he's helped by a very impressive and funny McCormick.
Rated 22 Feb 2021
deaddillydeaddilly
Rated 27 Jan 2021
75
59th
Conjures up an enigmatic, nocturnal atmosphere that I found intoxicating. A simple invasion story told with precision and care. Gem.
Rated 27 Jan 2021
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 21 Jan 2021
40
2nd
Viewed January 20, 2021. Irritating. So many of the worst trends of current cinema - relentless posturing meant to emulate 80s Hollywood legends (Spielberg, Carpenter, Dante), needlessly elaborate tracking shots that mostly drawn attention to how ugly and ill-conceived they are, annoying attempts at kitsch - applied to a very thin story.
Rated 21 Jan 2021
kasperlKasperL
Rated 25 Oct 2020
60
50th
The long take 30 minutes into the film in which the camera floats across town is beautifully done. Everything else is okay, albeit somewhat yawn-inducing.
Rated 25 Oct 2020
therealj_roTheRealJ-Ro
Rated 01 Oct 2020
75
56th
Wasn't quite sure what to make of the first half-hour or so. I enjoyed the character interplay and the setting was fun. Framing it like an elongated Twilight Zone episode was at least conceptually interesting, even if it didn't really mean much beyond a callback. Adore the way it's filmed and genuinely would LOVE this as a podcast or radio drama; indeed, the times when the visual is taken away and all you have to focus on is auditory, are arguably the film's best moments. Shaky but memorable.
Rated 01 Oct 2020
mspraguemsprague
Rated 15 Sep 2020
68
53rd
Pretty basic but pretty good.
Rated 15 Sep 2020
comepeliculacomepelicula
Rated 06 Jul 2020
70
72nd
I really enjoy these talkative kind of stage-play movie with well build characters, with a nice fifties sci-fi mystery subject makes a different and very enjoyable watch.
Rated 06 Jul 2020
lupisterlupister
Rated 22 Jun 2020
50
53rd
Some interesting shots and atmosphere, but overall empty - plus the main character is pretty annoying with it's nonstop blabbering.
Rated 22 Jun 2020
dunetailsdunetails
Rated 09 Jun 2020
75
62nd
For a debut movie it's lit and directed incredibly for the budget. There's a brilliant tracking shot 30 mins in. The story isn't anything incredible, but the tone and unease throughout is great. I'd like this guy to do a HP Lovecraft movie
Rated 09 Jun 2020
matthagenmatthagen
Rated 08 Jun 2020
53
56th
Great camera work, kept me engaged, wow moments. But off-putting fast-paced dialogue and a maddening test of patience.
Rated 08 Jun 2020
letskillrobotsletskillrobots
Rated 07 Jun 2020
24
71st
Cinematography was kinda odd and I didn't love all of it (a couple times seemed more like "hey isn't this cool??" instead of finding the right vehicle for the moment) but it certainly was engaging and fresh. Not life-changing but it was organic in a way that it stuck with me for a few days after.
Rated 07 Jun 2020
yoshinarutoYoshinaruto
Rated 31 May 2020
55
31st
Impressive directing on a low budget. Really stretches it’s story though. Recommended if the subject is of interest.
Rated 31 May 2020
khamulKhamul
Rated 28 Oct 2024
68
28th
It's a charming little film, that tries a bit too hard to be charming and manages to drag despite its fairly short runtime. The cast is solid, but the movie itself never really goes anywhere.
Rated 28 Oct 2024
richardofrichrichardofrich
Rated 25 Apr 2024
65
25th
Not terrible, a little slow, and hard to follow at times
Rated 25 Apr 2024
dawdlingpoetDawdlingPoet
Rated 07 Jan 2024
80
79th
This is quite a spooky (in a non visual, a sort of a sounds eery, in a relatively atmospheric way) film. Nice characters and interesting situations. A good watch. It made me think a bit of the Jodie Foster film 'Contact' - its a bit like that, only set in the 1950s. I like that it's apparently based on true events, though how accurate it may be, I obviously couldn't say. Its a good film to huddle up and listen to, like a campfire ghost story of sorts. Yes, I'd recommend it.
Rated 07 Jan 2024
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 24 Dec 2023
7
58th
There are things happening in this film that at first glance come across as overdone and redundant but in the end can't help but feel incredibly inspring. Notably from a technical perspective for a first time feature, budgeted at 700K but shot, lit and performed like everyone has been in the game for many years. I can't help but think a more suggestive, ambiguous yet still visually indelible ending would've served the film better than the one they went for, but it's still totally worth a watch.
Rated 24 Dec 2023
maakalmaakal
Rated 28 Jul 2023
20
2nd
Got 20 minutes in, and couldn't watch any more. Awful
Rated 28 Jul 2023
stuie299stuie299
Rated 06 May 2023
90
90th
Why aren't more people talking about this? In terms of lower budget Indie movies it's extremely impressive. The writing and directing is so self assured. It has an excellent sense of time and place. The Cinematography is very stylish, and the beautiful score melds perfectly with it. I've never heard of the two leads McCormick and Horowitz, but they fit their roles perfectly. The one thing I can knock it for is the framing device in the beginning. It was a little too on the nose and unnecessary.
Rated 06 May 2023
scuffedScuffed
Rated 17 Mar 2023
80
86th
Charming and engaging with a great choice of location. More small town and less lifeless suburb.
Rated 17 Mar 2023
panzerwolfpanzerwolf
Rated 06 Jan 2023
50
20th
It starts out slow and remains that way, offering no real thrills at any point. It feels like a slice-of-life UFO story and I kept waiting for it to go somewhere. I liked the creepy mood and some of those ways the camera worked as a character was brilliant. Unfortunately it just didn't offer quite enough to really affect me in an way. Good if you want a really subtle mystery story, but don't expect too much.
Rated 06 Jan 2023
madmanMadMan
Rated 23 Nov 2022
93
79th
Finally got to see this, wish I could have seen it in theaters. Definitely one of the best sci-fi movies of the decade so far.
Rated 23 Nov 2022
sam_quentinsam quentin
Rated 01 Oct 2022
83
73rd
The craftsmanship of this film is top tier, even if the story itself is not extremely interesting. The Twilight Zone framing is unnecessary but some of the Easter Eggs are fun (I.e. “Cayuga”).
Rated 01 Oct 2022
luordluord
Rated 15 Sep 2022
74
80th
At first the rapid fire dialogue is a bit of a hindrance as it makes for a somewhat weak attempt at world building. Soon, however, it becomes its biggest asset once the movie grabs you and doesn't let go. As for the ending, perhaps I'd liked something a bit more ambiguous, but can't blame them for what they went for.
Rated 15 Sep 2022
akatemossfanAKateMossFan
Rated 09 Sep 2022
1
8th
siphus007siphus007
Rated 20 May 2022
68
20th
The amateur writing and inexplicable plot developments often pulled me out of what is otherwise a fascinating, lingering, sublime indie flick.
Rated 20 May 2022
jlewisjlewis
Rated 26 Mar 2022
85
58th
Solidly made and enjoyable. Wish it rode out the thin line between suspense and resolution until the end.
Rated 26 Mar 2022
braddad68braddad68
Rated 04 Nov 2021
94
74th
OK. Here's a good one! Like an extended episode of The Twilight Zone.
Rated 04 Nov 2021
vv238vv238
Rated 12 Oct 2021
67
70th
It has been a long time since I've been this enraptured by a micro-budget film. What begins as a fun Twilight Zone throwback won me over with a simple story that uses fantastic filmmaking to stretch it's small budget into something greater than the sum of its parts.
Rated 12 Oct 2021
duderDuder
Rated 23 Aug 2021
70
76th
Interesting film. It definitly has style but at times it is pushed slightly too far. Still, keeps you intrigued throughout and is acted well. The single take style is good and fun, but at times it is overdone and you lose context after a while. Still a decent entry on the sci-fi arena.
Rated 23 Aug 2021
spookymaskSpookyMask
Rated 09 Aug 2021
80
85th
A simple little flick.
Rated 09 Aug 2021
mustafatanismustafatanis
Rated 27 May 2021
69
9th
Average
Rated 27 May 2021
war_machineWar Machine
Rated 07 Apr 2021
77
71st
Nicefeel/dialogue/radioshitlol+blackarmyguy-deadonestapeslibrary+oldladysonwastaken-thinkstheyinfluencelittle/bigthings-wantstogotoship+heralienspeakputspeopletosleep+seetheshipabove+justrecorderleftindirt
Rated 07 Apr 2021
perrystroikaPerryStroika
Rated 15 Mar 2021
61
43rd
This movie kept me just interested enough to keep watching so I guess it did something right, even if there's a lot that irritated me and the ending isn't particularly satisfying. This feels like a Twilight Zone episode padded out to feature length. The story feels stretched thin for the running time.
Rated 15 Mar 2021
sadmanSadman
Rated 04 Mar 2021
80
63rd
Moves at a breakneck speed with 50s style banter that keeps the proceedings fresh and fun. The bravura camerawork is obvious but I feel the script doesn't get enough love.The characterization is excellent. Character choices feel natural and the main characters archetypal nature is nicely nuanced. The movie lulls you into a believable, charming world which makes the few instances of heightened suspense more effective. I was really not a fan of the narrative framing and could see no use for it.
Rated 04 Mar 2021
gabrielpGabriel_p
Rated 19 Jan 2021
65
33rd
The score is excellent and the acting is great. Other than that, the story is rather thin and hinges on two rather long expositions. Also the 20 min intro scene of the two characters chatting and walking across town is *way* too long.
Rated 19 Jan 2021
zanginZangin
Rated 17 Jan 2021
57
28th
I really love the retro-Americana pseudo-Twilight Zone aesthetic. However, the film doesn't have much to offer beyond that. It's very obvious where the film is going from the start, the ending is a let-down, and the characters while well-fleshed out were rather static and simply not enough to keep me engaged.
Rated 17 Jan 2021
psimpsim
Rated 22 Dec 2020
80
74th
A neat low budget sci-fi story with a love for analogue technology that explodes onto the screen with a stylish and energetic opening sequence that I'll be sure to remember.
Rated 22 Dec 2020
natebarriosnatebarrios
Rated 09 Dec 2020
70
58th
one of those "limited on sources, but not limited on inventiveness" exercises in style that's just the right amount of homage and sincerity.
Rated 09 Dec 2020
babamotsbabamots
Rated 02 Nov 2020
44
22nd
If someone started telling a story on this topic without any preparation, I feel like this is the story they would come up with. I was hoping for at least one surprise. There are artsy things I enjoyed like the lack of jumps in time or location, but overall I was bored.
Rated 02 Nov 2020
mpythonMpython
Rated 12 Oct 2020
7
57th
7-
Rated 12 Oct 2020
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 09 Oct 2020
65
73rd
Surprisingly good.
Rated 09 Oct 2020
omid_ranjbarOmid Ranjbar
Rated 20 Sep 2020
53
53rd
??????? ?????? ??? ?? ?? ?????. ????? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ???????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ????????. ?? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???. ??? ???? ?????????? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ???????? ??????? ???? ???.
Rated 20 Sep 2020
bruhcringeBruhCringe
Rated 16 Sep 2020
64
37th
????????? - 3 ???????? - 1 ???????? - 2 ????? - 2 ????????? - 2 ????????? ???? - 2 ?????? ????????? - 2 ?????? - 1 ???? - 2 ???? - 2 ?????????? ????? ???? - 2 ?????? - 2 ??????????? - 2
Rated 16 Sep 2020
theescapistTheEscapist
Rated 12 Sep 2020
73
65th
It has a great atmosphere and likable characters. At times it is extremely suspenseful and it almost never feels cliché. It does a lot of things very well. I didn't like the recurring "it's a TV show" gimmick however and the ending was a bit too simple for me. Great effort, but definitely not perfect. With a stronger ending, I'd have rated it higher.
Rated 12 Sep 2020
joojooJooJoo
Rated 08 Aug 2020
4
56th
Interesting atmosphere and technique displayed. Writing could use some work in the story and final bits.
Rated 08 Aug 2020
udippuyudippuy
Rated 27 Jul 2020
82
80th
Great atmosphere, great shots and excellent pacing. Just remember, this is NOT a science fiction movie.
Rated 27 Jul 2020
abunchofcatsABUNCHOFCATS
Rated 21 Jul 2020
82
59th
Really cool, great leads, interesting style.
Rated 21 Jul 2020
malcymMalcym
Rated 18 Jul 2020
6
55th
Although it never quite matches the sheer engaging energy of the first 15 minutes or so, this is modestly impressive. The 50s setting is appealing, the two leads highly charismatic and there is some nifty camerawork. The final quarter is disappointing but this is largely commendable. Jake Horowitz is one cute nerd.
Rated 18 Jul 2020
hofschneiderHofschneider
Rated 04 Jul 2020
87
86th
What a romp!
Rated 04 Jul 2020
calexicoCalexico
Rated 03 Jul 2020
75
51st
Great storytelling within a fairly minimal framework. Nice music too.
Rated 03 Jul 2020
fenixdownfenixdown
Rated 18 Jun 2020
66
25th
One of those indie films that buoys a simple concept with solid film techniques. Very disappointed by the ending
Rated 18 Jun 2020
antidood1antidood1
Rated 16 Jun 2020
60
34th
The filmmaking is really admirable. The cinematography, sound design, music and lighting all come together to create a fantastic atmosphere. However, the story is… quite boring. The first 20 minutes were mostly lost on me. Once the story tightens it does get better, but mostly because the filmmaking can now shine, not because of the story itself. The characters are well-acted but not really fleshed out or interesting in any way. I liked this movie from a distance, but it didn't suck me in.
Rated 16 Jun 2020
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 14 Jun 2020
70
72nd
Not a big fan of the Twilight Zone framing device -- just why? -- or the pretty by the numbers alien sci-fi finale, but this is either way a very interesting and kind of unique take on paranoia through orality, long shots sweeping around town like radio waves -- sometimes not even plot-related -- and a great sense of the unknown. At times a bit formally overthought, but either way impressively engaging and fun.
Rated 14 Jun 2020
amerigoamerigo
Rated 14 Jun 2020
76
41st
Cool, retro pastiche of classic alien abduction stories. There are moments where it really nails the atmosphere, but it's ultimately a little too unremarkable.
Rated 14 Jun 2020
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 06 Jun 2020
50
51st
okay movie
Rated 06 Jun 2020
maxmodemaxmode
Rated 01 Jun 2020
65
55th
A well-constructed film in many aspects, with a lot of attention to detail and great cinematography. But it doesn't add anything new to the genre, nor is the story itself remarkable.
Rated 01 Jun 2020
feritdgnferitdgn
Rated 31 May 2020
78
82nd
The Vast of Night, bu yılın kesinlikle görülmesi gereken yapımlarından. Tanımlanamayan frekans üzerinden bir gizem aralayıp, güçlü atmosferik teması, ilginç sahne geçişleri ve sürükleyici hikayesiyle hoş bir anlatım sunuyor. İzlediğim en iyi indie bilim-kurgu filmlerinden oldu.
Rated 31 May 2020

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