West Coast Gothic

Estranged fraternal twins Allen and Allie Foster are reunited by their mother's death, and return to their strange hometown of Obelisk Bay to attend to her lingering matters. Allen, struggling to resolve his latest novel, is enticed by Allie to take a powerful psychotropic drug she calls "the lotus." As if a muse were speaking through him, Allen begins recounting the winding story of a young woman's travels decades earlier. Her life in some ways parallels their own, as she journeys into the desert in search of a statue her own deceased mother left her with an old photograph of. The two lives begin to cross over in unexpected ways, and it becomes apparent that a dark secret at the heart of their old home has far broader ramifications than they could have possibly imagined.

Directed by Giovanni Iacobucci, West Coast Gothic leans on a strong ensemble — Arthur Roberts, John Kerry, Will Tomi — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2019.