“Regression.” / “Through Black Spruce” / “Acidman.”

“Regression” (2015, Plex) psychological thriller mystery. In Hoyer, Minnesota, in 1990, Detective Bruce Kenner investigates the case of John Gray, who admits to sexually abusing his 17-year-old daughter Angela but has no recollection of the abuse.

       In a general context, “regression” is the act of returning to a previous, less advanced state or condition, such as a disease improving or a child reverting to immature behavior.

       This movie by the cerebral writer/director Alejandro Amenabar (2001's “The Others”) tackles two interrelated subject matters. <>Day-care sex-abuse hysteria or the moral panic that occurred primarily during the 1980s and early 1990s, and featured charges against day-care providers accused of committing several forms of child abuse, including Satanic ritual abuse.

       And <>Recovered-Memory Therapy (RMT), a catch-all term for a controversial and scientifically discredited form of psychotherapy that critics say utilizes one or more unproven therapeutic techniques (such as some forms of psychoanalysis, hypnosis, journaling, past life regression, guided imagery, and the use of sodium amytal interviews) to purportedly help patients recall previously forgotten memories.

       Meanwhile, this movie gives us a horror/thriller that disturbs and shudders, right off Mr Amenabar's alley. Stellar acting by Ethan Hawke, David Dencik, and David Thewlis carry the message right in our face. Yet “Regression” offers more questions than answers. 🎥💻📽

“Through Black Spruce” (2018, Sling) Canadian drama film, an adaptation of Joseph Boyden's novel of the same title. Annie Bird, a Cree woman from Moosonee, is the identical twin of Suzanne Bird, a model who had last been seen in Toronto before disappearing with her abusive boyfriend Gus. 

       This movie touched a number of pertinent issues about the American Indian or tribal nations that Mr Boyden navigated in his book. The problem is, director Don McKellar tried in vain to tackle all of them in a single movie or 111 minute feature. So I lost focus. 

       But I can't say “Black Spruce…” is a badly-made movie, which it isn't. Still a fine movie. And I give utmost credit to the performance of leads Brandon Oakes and Tanaya Beatty. 🎥💻📽

“Acidman” (2022, PlutoTV) science fiction drama. Thomas Haden Church plays Lloyd, a reclusive man who is tracked down by his daughter Maggie, played by Dianna Agron, after a decade apart to tell him some important news. His UFO obsession makes communication hard.

      The plot is ordinary stuff and the treatment is the same. If not for Mr Church's involved performance, I'd reject this yawner outright. His focused yet restrained handling of Lloyd reminds me of his Oscar-nominated Jack Cole in 2004's “Sideways.” 🎥💻📽