Watch Skyman

In the sci-fi drama film "Skyman," director Daniel Myrick tells the story of Carl Merryweather (Lee Broda), a woman who has spent her entire life waiting for the return of an alien figure who visited her when she was a child. When Carl was 10 years old, a UFO landed near her home in the Mojave Desert, and she saw a being she calls "Skyman." Carl has spent her life obsessing over the event, believing that the alien will return to Earth and take her away to explore the galaxy.

Years later, as an adult, Carl has become a recluse, living in a trailer and working as a security guard. She is barely holding on to her job and her sanity, consumed by her obsession with the Skyman.

But when Carl learns that the Skyman may be returning to Earth, she decides to document the event on video. She takes a road trip with her best friend, the heavily medicated Lorraine (Willow Hale), to the site of the original encounter, hoping to capture footage of the alien's return.

As they journey into the desert, Carl's mental state begins to unravel. She stops taking her medication and becomes increasingly erratic, driving Lorraine to question her friend's sanity.

Paul Wilson plays Carl's cousin, a filmmaker who joins them on their trip to document the Skyman's return. He tries to bring Carl back to reality and help her confront the trauma of her childhood, but it becomes clear that her obsession with the alien is all-consuming.

The film is shot in a found-footage style, in which Carl uses her video camera to document the trip. The technique adds to the film's lo-fi, low-budget aesthetic and creates a sense of realism, as if we're watching a homemade documentary.

As the group arrives at the site of the original encounter, tensions rise between Carl, Lorraine, and Paul. The desert becomes a character in and of itself, with the arid landscape adding to the film's sense of isolation and madness.

Without giving too much away, "Skyman" is a slow-burning character study that explores Carl's deep-seated psychological trauma and the destructive nature of obsession. As the film unfolds, we're left to question whether Carl is truly seeing the Skyman or if it's all in her head.

Lee Broda's performance as Carl is raw and gritty, conveying the character's desperation and longing without ever becoming a caricature. Willow Hale is equally strong as Lorraine, providing a grounded, sympathetic counterpoint to Carl's manic energy.

Overall, "Skyman" is a poignant, unsettling film that is sure to resonate with anyone who has experienced childhood trauma or the pain of unrequited longing. It's a low-budget gem that packs a powerful emotional punch.

Skyman is a 2020 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.2 and a MetaScore of 57.