Michael Bachochin's 'Parallax' gets limited theatrical run at Richmond Heights theater

Bachochin will be in attendance for Sunday evening's screening.

Science fiction movies carry few rules. Create a complicated yet alluring atmosphere, and introduce supernatural/dream like elements into its plot. The sea isn’t wide enough for this genre, a few floors below the horror sector, and that brings on features both independent and studio produced.

Michael Bachochin’s Parallax falls into the former category. It began a limited theatrical run this weekend at Galleria 6 Cinemas in Richmond Heights. It’s the only theater in town running it for a full day’s schedule: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The new release lets its indie freak flag fly with a plot that bends the realities of both the characters, as well as the viewer trying to keep their head wrapped around what’s happening. It centers around a woman who has forgotten her everyday life suddenly, finding the mind and her reality forever drowning in a dream she can’t figure out. The people around her are strangers, and the only familiar faces are the ones in her sleep. Or, is she really asleep?

Her husband doesn’t understand her loosened grip on what’s real and what’s not, and then the movie switches gears into more of a thriller midway through. The change in tone isn’t wicked, and the actors do admirable jobs in their roles. The low budget feel can’t be ignored, as the look and aesthetic run along the lane of “made for television” land more than Bachochin may have intended.

Along with a despondent theme, the movie never quite figures out how to stick its landing with the message at hand. Are we supposed to embrace the lives we live in pieces during our dreams, or is there something directly tied to the dreams we experience having a domino effect on our real life?

I left with more questions than answers, but attached in the end to what Bachochin was chasing with Parallax. Out of the cast, Naomi Prentice (also Naomi in the movie) fares the best. She is given the most room to work with when it comes to building her character. The hook here is the allure of what our dreams mean to us, and the never-ending drive to figure out their relevance.

Science fiction fans can take a peek this weekend. Parallax has a very limited theatrical run in St. Louis, with the hopes of expansion down the road. If you are keen on something indie and ambitious, see the movie with its maker in attendance. Bachochin will attend Sunday night’s 7:00 p.m. screening. He’ll answer questions from the audience.

Whether I like it or not, give this indie a chance if you’re free this weekend. Indie flicks like this need the push. Perhaps you’ll wake up Monday wondering if you’re still asleep, or indeed living life with a clock attached.

When can you see it?

Showtimes:

4/28, 10:45 AM, 3:30 & 8:15 PM

4/29, 10:45 AM, 3:30 & 8:15 PM

4/30, 4:15 & *7:15 PM

5/4, 4:15 PM

Visit Galleria 6 Cinemas’ website for more showtimes and plot information. You can also visit the Parallax Facebook page.