Reviews

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  ★★★★½ review by Jason Coffman on Letterboxd

  In 1968, inventor Foster Kalt (Mike Brune) presented at the biggest toy convention in the world and became one of the richest men alive from “The Kalt Cube.” Ten years later, an investigative journalist and her crew join Foster at his isolated home in the woods for his first interview in four years and the unveiling of his new invention. But Foster wanders away, still wearing his lapel mic, and begins spinning the tale of how the mysterious Sylvia (Tallie Medel) has figured into his life. THE ARBALEST is the debut feature from Adam Pinney, who worked as cinematographer and editor on the horror/comedy BLOOD CAR (a cult classic in waiting) as well as shooting Joe Swanberg’s 24 EXPOSURES and the Adult Swim short TOO MANY COOKS. While those previous titles may give a rough idea of where Pinney’s film lands, it’s even more perplexing than they might suggest. Mike Brune, star of BLOOD CAR, is very funny as Kalt, but the show really belongs to Tallie Medel as Sylvia. She’s hilarious and compelling, giving the film yet another unexpected facet in her deadpan performance as a woman whose apathy towards Foster is nearly matched by his dangerous obsession with her. The film looks gorgeous, and the period design and costuming are excellent, as is the appropriately dreamy score.

  Part of my coverage of Fantasia 2016 for Daily Grindhouse.

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  ★★★½ review by Corey Craft on Letterboxd

  Was more or less with this until the final 10 minutes — which I LOVED. Now I get why this is so divisive, though.

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  ★★★★½ review by Jason Coffman on Letterboxd

  #3 on my Top 50 for 2016:

  In 1968, inventor Foster Kalt (Mike Brune) presented at the biggest toy convention in the world and became one of the richest men alive from “The Kalt Cube.” Ten years later, an investigative journalist and her crew join Foster at his isolated home in the woods for his first interview in four years and the unveiling of his new invention. But Foster wanders away, still wearing his lapel mic, and begins spinning the tale of how the mysterious Sylvia (Tallie Medel) has figured into his life. The Arbalest is the debut feature from Adam Pinney, who worked as cinematographer and editor on the horror/comedy Blood Car (a cult classic in waiting) as well as shooting Joe Swanberg’s 24 Exposures and the Adult Swim short “Too Many Cooks.”

  While those previous titles may give a rough idea of where Pinney’s film lands, it’s even more perplexing than they might suggest. Mike Brune, star of Blood Car, is very funny as Kalt, but the show really belongs to Tallie Medel as Sylvia. She’s hilarious and compelling, giving the film yet another unexpected facet in her deadpan performance as a woman whose apathy towards Foster is nearly matched by his dangerous obsession with her. The film looks gorgeous, and the period design and costuming are excellent, as is the appropriately dreamy score. It’s a wildly absurdist take on Citizen Kane that is utterly unlike anything else out there.

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  ★★★½ review by Kai Perrignon on Letterboxd

  Until the last ten minutes, I found this consistently insufferable, Andersonian compositions devoted to a prick nursing a torturous obsession with an acquaintance. It had occasional moments that, in the moment, breathed with invention and wit and even a believable melancholy, but they seemed far and few between. Knockoffs of knockoffs, borrowed emotion and rage.

  And then those last ten minutes introduce an absurdist twist so bold and nuts that it took me some time to accept. And then everything clicked back into place. The Arbalest became not just another story about an irredeemable man-child, but a treatise on selling out, a truly powerful fable about what it means to build your life on guilt - the rage that never dies. I wish this was more straight absurdist drama than the annoying comedy it sometimes wants to be, and I wish I was keyed in sooner to its intentions, but that ending justifies most of it.

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  ★★★½ review by Jeremy Burgess on Letterboxd

  [Seen at the 2016 Nashville Film Festival]

  This black comedy about a disgraced toymaker is probably the kind of thing viewers will label as "too indie" or "one of those indie films." And they'll have a point. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't engaged in the narrative or I didn't laugh several times.

  It kinda falls apart in the last ten minutes or so, but I was entertained along the way thanks to great performances from Mike Brune and Tallie Medel and some cool retro set pieces.

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