The Flamboyance Films 2018 movie "Diminuendo" being a scifi psychological thriller featuring a gorgeous android who easily can pass for human makes it the ideal last film for late "Battlestar Galactica" legend Richard "Apollo" Hatch. The bigger picture is that this one builds on the concept of the 2002 Al Pacino film "S1m0ne" in which weird science creates a digital actress. One spoiler is that future cult classic "Dimineundo" lacks earlier-generation "toaster" models.
"Dimineundo" is making the festival rounds ahead of a broader theatrical rollout and DVD and VOD releases.
Hatch plays awesomely named alcoholic fallen-from-grace film director Haskell Edwards, who probably has never told anyone that he or she looks lovely. The action takes place nine years after the suicide of Cello Shea, who was a famous actress/arm candy of Haskell.
An even bigger nod to 21st century filmmaking comes via biotech company Lifeform simultaneously diversifying into show business and engaging in shameless product placement. This corporate giant is bankrolling a biopic of Shea and using a "living doll" (minus the claws) android who is her exact duplicate down to the carpets and the drapes matching as the star. They hire Edwards to direct.
The most fun of the film relates to the humor regarding Hollywood egos and or testicle assaulters. Edwards convinces ex-wife Adrianna (fellow "Galactic vet Leah "Racetrack" Cairns) to leave her gig running a hit TV series to poduce his film. The most awesome part of Adrianna is enforcing her policy of confiscating the cell phones of people who use them on set and reading the entire class their embarrassing texts.
More fun comes regarding arrogant womanizing actor Ballantyne who plays a younger Edwards in the film. Hatch channels Harrison Ford in quickly circumventing ego trips by telling this lout that Lifeform is not a studio and does not care if he is happy. Further highly relevant commentary comes regarding this actor having absolutely no boundaries regarding his co-star and not many more regarding the women on the production team. It seems that his victims are adequately numerous to form a Metoo group.
Another good scene comes during one of the many flashbacks; the flesh-and-blood Shea clearly expresses her opinion regarding the yellow journalism in the unauthorized biography on which the film is based.
The production presents Edwards with a trio of problems. The production is important to his career, Shea essentially coming back to life obviously stirs up deep feelings, and he must watch recreations of scenes from the worst part of his life.
The awesome twists at the end begin with reel- and real-life melding as Edwards determines that the small wonder is the next best thing to having the real McCoy. This leads to obvious therapy that provides a genuinely shocking "I did not see that coming" moment. This ends the film on the equally ideal moment.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Dimineundo" is encouraged to email me; you also can connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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