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30-646: Afterschool is a 2008 American psychological drama film written and directed by Antonio Campos and stars Ezra Miller in their film debut. Filmed at the Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut, Afterschool premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in the program Un Certain Regard. The film gained an Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award nomination for Campos and won the Jury Prize for experimental narrative film at

60-559: A cat and mouse game. Sensation novels , examples of early psychological thrillers, were considered to be socially irresponsible due to their themes of sex and violence. These novels, among others, were inspired by the exploits of real-life detective Jack Whicher . Water, especially floods, is frequently used to represent the unconscious mind, such as in What Lies Beneath and In Dreams . Psychological thrillers may not always be concerned with plausibility. Peter Hutchings defines

90-424: A cell phone, is repeatedly shown, but always from the same angle: with Robert's back to the viewer. The viewer cannot see her death but only hear her cries slowly subside. This is all caught on a video camera Robert was using for a school project. After the deaths, an atmosphere of paranoia and unease sets in among students and teachers, Robert being affected as well. The school claims that the drugs were bought outside

120-424: A portrait of introspective personal struggle. It can be also characterized as primary character-driven , in which attention will be particularly paid to the psychology of the characters, to their intimate problems more than to the storyline context. The characters are confronted with doubts, dilemmas or inner personality conflicts. The challenges they encounter will often force them to react, making them go through

150-523: A psychological thriller. The same situation can occur when critics label a work to be a psychological thriller in order to elevate its perceived literary value. Many psychological thrillers have emerged over the past years, all in various media (film, literature, radio, etc.). Despite these very different forms of representation, general trends have appeared throughout the narratives. Some of these consistent themes include: In psychological thrillers, characters often have to battle an inner struggle. Amnesia

180-405: A thriller or thrilling setting. In terms of context and convention, it is a subgenre of the broader ranging thriller narrative structure, with similarities to Gothic and detective fiction in the sense of sometimes having a "dissolving sense of reality". It is often told through the viewpoint of psychologically stressed characters, revealing their distorted mental perceptions and focusing on

210-536: A whole psychological process during the film, even a metamorphosis. It often overlaps with other genres such as crime , fantasy , dark comedy , mystery and science fiction , and it is closely related with the psychological horror and psychological thriller genres. Psychological dramas use these genres' tropes to focus on the human condition and psychological effects, usually in a mature and serious tone, nearly similar to melodrama . The difference between "drama" and " psychological drama " that places emphasis

240-406: Is a common plot device used to explore these questions. Character may be threatened with death, be forced to deal with the deaths of others, or fake their own deaths. Psychological thrillers can be complex, and reviewers may recommend a second or third viewing to "decipher its secrets." Common elements may include stock characters , such as a hardboiled detective and serial killer , involved in

270-414: Is an intelligent, ambitious debut that boasts strong performances and plenty of ideas." Metacritic averaged the film at a rating of 66 based on eleven reviews from critics. Psychological drama The roots of the subgenre can be traced back to the early 20th century, emerging from a rich tapestry of literature that focused on the inner workings of the mind. As cinema evolved, filmmakers began to see

300-633: Is best known of creating anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion , a notorious example of the subgenre, delves into heavy psychological elements in its latter half of the entire series. The anime series was the subject to acclaim and controversy, especially for the latter centered on its final two episodes; this was resulted to reboot a feature film as an alternative ending . Additionally, some anime series employed in psychological elements including Akagi , The Flowers of Evil , The Fruit of Grisaia , Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai , Scum's Wish , The Tatami Galaxy , Welcome to

330-401: Is later hinted that Robert’s roommate may be involved romantically with Amy, as well. He fights with his roommate, who sold the drugs to the twins, and shouts that he killed the girls. The school questions him about this accusation, and is relieved that Robert says it was not substantiated. Robert is asked to take a leave of absence from the school. Toward the end of the film, we are finally shown

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360-471: Is suppressed and where thrills are provided instead via investigations of the psychologies of the principal characters." A distinguishing characteristic of a psychological thriller is it emphasizes the mental states of its characters: their perceptions, thoughts, distortions, and general struggle to grasp reality. According to director John Madden , psychological thrillers focus on story, character development, choice, and moral conflict; fear and anxiety drive

390-485: Is that in the latter scenario, the focus is more on the psychological character of the characters and on existentialism in general, and not on the context of the narrative itself. So, the end is not necessarily tragic: the main character can doubt himself and sometimes overcome his intimate problems. Psychological drama can be very clearly distinguished from dramedy , as there is no to minimal humor in it like Good Will Hunting (1997) and The Truman Show (1998) but since

420-455: Is the most notable example of animated psychological drama films, confronted with bitterness and human conditions. His films included Harvie Krumpet (2003), Mary and Max (2009), and Memoir of a Snail (2024). Psychological thriller Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in

450-474: The Nashville Film Festival . While doing a film project at a private school, Internet video-obsessed teenager Robert catches twin sisters dying due to drugs contaminated with rat poison . Confused, Robert does not call for help but rather simply walks over to the girls and sits on the floor with them, pulling one into his lap as she dies. This scene, caught on Robert's camera and by another student on

480-645: The Cuckoo's Nest (1975), The Ninth Configuration (1980), Pink Floyd - The Wall , Sophie's Choice (both 1982) Heavenly Creatures (1994), Breaking the Waves (1996), I Stand Alone (1998), Magnolia (1999), Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Piano Teacher (2001), Elephant (2003), Enter the Void (2009), Biutiful (2010), Shame (2011), Jagten and The Master (both 2012), Nymphomaniac (2013), Whiplash (2014), The Power of

510-448: The Dog (2021), and Blonde and The Whale (both 2022). Films have some thematically-linked franchises or trilogies to focus on aspects of human condition and psychological elements, notably Iñárritu 's Death trilogy (consists Amores perros (2000), 21 Grams (2003) and Babel (2006)) and Krzysztof Kieślowski 's Three Colours trilogy . Asian films have contributed

540-482: The End of History (both 2013), Black Stone (2015), Last Night (2017), and Family History and John Denver Trending (both 2019). Animated series are examples of this subgenre only focuses on characters' experience with mental health and psychological trauma ; these included Bojack Horseman , Morel Orel , Steven Universe Future , and Undone . Japanese filmmaker and animator Hideaki Anno , who

570-514: The N.H.K. , and Wonder Egg Priority . A Silent Voice , Anomalisa , It's Such a Beautiful Day , Inside Out (and its sequel ), The Missing , Puss in Boots: The Last Wish , and When Marnie Was There are among the examples of animated films used in the subgenre, usually having the characters' portrayal dealt with several themes such as anxiety attack , fear of abandonment and death , and society. Adam Elliot

600-457: The characters; guilty characters may suffer similar distress by virtue of their knowledge. However, James N. Frey defines psychological thrillers as a style, rather than a subgenre; Frey states good thrillers focus on the psychology of their antagonists and build suspense slowly through ambiguity. Creators and/or film distributors or publishers who seek to distance themselves from the negative connotations of horror often categorize their work as

630-456: The characters’ minds. It can be explore thematic elements include: denialism , depression , disability , distorted sequences , dysfunctional relationships , existential crisis , human sexuality , identity crisis , mass hysteria , mood swings , odd behaviors , post-traumatic stress disorder , psychological abuse , psychedelic art , and social issues . Psychological drama films have generally rooted with traditional drama genre in

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660-597: The complex and often tortured relationships between obsessive and pathological characters. Psychological thrillers often incorporate elements of mystery , drama , action , and paranoia . The genre is closely related to and sometimes overlaps with the psychological drama and psychological horror genres, the latter generally involving more horror and terror elements and themes and more disturbing or frightening scenarios. Peter Hutchings states varied films have been labeled psychological thrillers, but it usually refers to "narratives with domesticated settings in which action

690-782: The earliest years of 20th century, with these examples cited The Whispering Chorus (1918) and Greed (1924). Additionally, early examples of popular subgenre films in 1930s to 1950s include La vuelta al nido (1938), Death of a Salesman (1951), Johnny Belinda (1948), A Place in the Sun (1951), and The Snake Pit (1948) Several films generally used the subgenre have employed controversially social issues and/or psychosexual themes, most notably Stanley Kubrick 's Lolita (1962), A Clockwork Orange (1971), and Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Other acclaimed films with similar themes including Last Tango in Paris (1972), One Flew Over

720-410: The emotional intensity and draw audiences deeper into the psychological experience. These primary themes in the subgenre related to depiction of mental illness , psychological trauma , and society , but not limited to; other themes like alienation , self-doubt , and the quest for identity are common, with narratives often blurring the lines between reality and illusion to reflect the turmoil within

750-424: The potential for the medium to explore complex psychological themes and narratives. Similar with these psychological genres, but rather than using imagery to provoke fear, suspense or terror, they utilize dramatic settings to elicit a strong, emotional value from audiences. Psychological dramas commonly deal directly with the psychological state and mental health, emphasize on emotional conflicts and often serve as

780-523: The psychological tension in unpredictable ways. However, the majority of psychological thrillers have happy endings. Madden stated their lack of spectacle and strong emphasis on character led to their decline in Hollywood popularity. Psychological thrillers are suspenseful by exploiting uncertainty over characters' motives, honesty, and how they see the world. Films can also cause discomfort in audiences by privileging them with information they wish to share with

810-567: The scene of the girls' deaths from the front and see Robert pressing his hand over her mouth and nose, smothering her. Later, Robert is shown at the school nurse, taking a daily dose of pills, showing that Robert is now on medication. The film ends as an unseen person with a cell phone videos him while he looks at two pictures of the deceased twins. Afterschool has an 80% approval rating on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes , based on 44 reviews with an average rating of 6.55/10. The website's critics' consensus reads: "Antonio Campos' Afterschool

840-419: The school and enforces a new, much harsher, drug policy wherein bags are searched and students are expelled. Robert and another student, Amy, are assigned to make a memorial video. The school is not happy with the result and has it re-edited, to make a smoother version. While making the video, Robert and Amy begin a romantic relationship, wherein they both have sex for the first time in a wooded area. However, it

870-506: The subgenre is rather devoid of humor. Each films utilize a range of techniques to mirror the psychological landscape of their characters. Close-ups and subjective camera angles invite viewers into the character’s personal space, while disjointed editing and surreal imagery can reflect fragmented states of mind. The use of symbolism is also prevalent, with objects, settings, and colors imbued with psychological significance. Music and sound design play crucial roles, often used to heighten

900-437: The subgenre, often employs several psychological and social elements. For example: Akira Kurosawa , a Japanese renowned filmmaker, known for his landmark filmography with the subgenre, notably Drunken Angel (1948) and Ikiru (1952). Each films including The Demon (1978), Batch '81 (1982), Silip (1986), Taare Zameen Par (2007), Himizu (2011), Aparisyon (2012), Like Father, Like Son and Norte,

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