Review: Chase Masterson’s ‘Yesterday Was A Lie’

Writer-director James Kerwin’s Yesterday Was a Lie starring (and produced by) DS9 vet Chase Masterson opens in Los Angeles today. The independent film was extremely well-received on the indie film circuit, picking up several awards along the way. The film runs on a limited engagement, so see below for our spoiler-free review of Yesterday Was a Lie.

 

REVIEW: Yesterday Was A Lie

Very rarely does a film effectively combine contrasting genres with an engaging plot, all the while challenging the audience to think. Yesterday Was a Lie, the award-winning brainchild of writer-director James Kerwin, is a black and white neo-noir film with a science fiction twist. Seemingly set in 1940s LA as evidenced by the clothing styles and character behaviors, modern day tech makes its way into the film in the form of computers, cell phones, and e-mail. The choice by Kerwin to set the film in a non-timeframe helps the suspension of disbelief and adds to the mystery that carries the plot.

The film takes us on a wild journey through investigations of the power of the human mind, and it is difficult to summarize without giving away too much. What I write here is meant as a brief look into the movie. The story focuses around Hoyle (Kipleigh Brown), a sharp-witted gal with a weakness for bourbon, as she follows the work of a reclusive genius (John Newton). Her investigations take her on a journey into the unknown, surreal world of the human mind. In a smoky night club, Hoyle meets a mysterious singer, played by Star Trek vet Chase Masterson, who gets a chance to show off her stunning vocal talents and gives an engaging performance on screen. The relationship between Hoyle and the singer seems to go deeper than the surface, and Chase Masterson’s character follows and guides Hoyle on her journey of discovery.


Masterson and Kipleigh Brown (Hoyle) in "Yesterday was a Lie"

Yesterday is sure to please sci-fi fans with a top notch cast as well as an interesting take on the genre. Kerwin challenges his audience to think and understand some pretty heavy metaphysical concepts, which allows for a much more engaging and multi-dimensional viewing experience. Audio and visual clues bring us into the past, while investigations into the possibilities of the human mind thrust us into the future. It is incredible how much is jam packed into the 1.5 hour film, which leaves us begging for more at the end.


Chase Masterson as ‘The Singer’ in "Yesterday was a Lie"

Open in Los Angeles today – on DVD Spring 2010
Yesterday Was a Lie is playing at the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater in Los Angeles. Today’s showtimes are at 3:10pm and 7:40pm. Check out the theater’s website and the official website for more information. What’s next? The rest is up to you! Take a journey into the unknown; go and see the movie!

And if you aren’t in LA, you will be able to pick up the movie, which will be released in 2010.

Trailers and Featurettes


Official Trailer



Chase Masterson as “The Singer”

Look for a TrekMovie review with Chase soon, which will have more on the film and DVD release.


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I met her at a convention. She was very nice. Hope the movie does well…

It feels like Chase Masterson has been promoting this film for years, so it’s nice to see it actually getting a proper release and external reviews…

I doubt it will play theatrically here, but with such a positive take on the movie in this review, I’ll keep an eye out for the DVD. :)

Sounds very interesting. I look forward to getting the DVD whenever it is released.

By ‘metaphysical concepts,’ I hope you don’t mean Hollywood’s masterful interpretation of quantum mechanics and multiverse theory.

Actually, I WISH SyFy or some other outlet would run Indi theatre night with projects like this. Sounds like fun.

Erm, so when did SMOKING become a Parental Guidance issue? Aye-ya, I hate political correctness.

#5 i think that happened back in the 90s LOL the next parental guidance issue will be the presence of religion in a film… any religion…wait and see on that one…i wish next Star Trek film that JJ would throw Gene’s no-religion rulebook out the window and show, or at least tell, wait faiths various crewmembers practice, as faith-based morality, whatever religion someone practicing a faith subscribes to, can play a huge role in determining a person’s personality at large… at least put a Starfleet chaplain on the ship LOL

#5: I’d say since the Surgeon General’s report. That PC jerk!

What’s the big deal? If it isn’t an issue for you ignore it and bring your five year old. If it is then keep ’em away. Sort of like the power of the remote control. If ‘PCness’ is so worrisome ignore the one sentence comment (doesn’t apply to me) and live your life.

Okay, better go before an tangential thread explodes into being.

Aye-ya? Have you spent time in China? (Aiya), pronounced the same way is their sigh of frustration. Believe me, I get lots of practice using it.

BTW, speaking of time: Is Chase Masterson ageless? DS9 was about a decade ago, right? Was she 12 when she was Quark’s Dabo hostess? She doesn’t look plasticky, so either she has got good genes or she has the only plastic surgeon on the planet that doesn’t make their client look like a skinned chihuahua.

I can vouch that there has been no surgery involved. And yes, she is ageless. :)

As for the other questions:

– Smoking has been considered an MPAA issue for the past few years, which actually I am all for. There is very little smoking in this film, and even then only by the antagonist, but the MPAA warns viewers about it just the same, which I think is probably a good thing.

– I doubt religion will ever be an MPAA issue — the MPAA is very Republican.

– Be careful of interpreting Gene’s secularism as a “no religion” RULE. Religion is all over Trek, including in “Data’s Day” when Data mentions that the Hindu crewmembers are celebrating a festival, and even in TOS when Kirk mentions to “Apollo” that the majority of Earthlings are monotheists. Religion didn’t play a huge part in Trek, but it was definitely canonically established that religion is a part of 24th-century society, as it is today.

– As for Hollywood’s (mis)interpretation of many-worlds… You may find this film refreshing, in that it follows Penrose’s realization that Everett’s many-worlds “theory” is actually an unfalsifiable guesstimate that only exists in science fiction. Many worlds cannot exist mathematically, due to insufficient energy to overcome quantum gravity (Energy = reduced Planck’s constant / time). Making a choice actually _eradicates_ alternate realities within 1/37th of a second of their creation. Choices (literally) destroy universes, they don’t create them. This film plays on that fact.

I hope you guys all enjoy the movie. It’s been a lot of hard work for all of us and it is nice to see people really “getting” it. :)

This is such a great-looking production. I wish Ms. Masterson the best of luck and many happy prospects for its release.

I had the pleasure of meeting her during an event held at the LV Hilton, I believe, back when The Experience was still around.

I think it’s fantastic that SF has melded with the realm of film noir. Quite creative, and not a bad way to see how one of our favorite Trek actors has fared lately. (Very well, it seems!)

Congrats to James & Chase. I’ll have to wait for the dvd though with being halfway around the world so another few months to wait. Also, James, is that a veiled critiscism of a certain macguffin from a certain film released earlier this year…? ;p

Although hopefully Bob notices and then it’ll be a case of:

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/31808561/Michael+Jackson+Jackson_popcorn.gif

I joke, I joke… :D

Very intriguing- I will keep my eyes open for this.

I could definitely see this airing on the SPACE CHANNEL in Canada. They often show indie films with sci-fi themes that you wouldn’t see anywhere else on TV.

Not a criticism; I think using multiple timelines is a great dramatic device in fiction. But I think the whole multi-verse thing has gone way out of control in popular culture, with people not really understanding it and wrongly assuming that quantum physics MANDATES that there must be multiple worlds. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Can’t wait to see this.

Chase Masterson is a class act all the way; from “our” introduction to her abilities as an actress on Deep Space Nine, to other incarnations of ‘Trek (the fan series), and her devotion to the hoped-for-at-the-time continuation of ST:Enterprise (and her well-known support for that series at the time of their 4th season). It would be interesting to see how her ‘Trek character Leeta fared if they made a DS9 movie. And if they had continued the Enterprise series, she might have been tapped to appear as the Capellan lounge-singer “A’Tee-el” in the proposed ST:ENT Guinan story (read that about her on the Memory Alpha “Enterprise” page. Yeah, Chase is the cool of coolness. Keep up the good work, Chase: here’s hoping that you will, as the world-famous ‘Trek saying goes, live long and prosper.

I’m a big fan of what I call the “cool dude” actors like Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, and James Coburn. Pierce Brosnan and George Clooney probably come close to that in contemporary actors. But you don’t often hear people talk about the “cool” women. I’m talking about class acts like Veronica Lake, Diana Rigg, and Kathleen Turner. In YESTERDAY WAS A LIE, Chase epitomizes “classic cool” and the film truly is the most underrated SF film in recent years. I’m so happy it’s finally coming out on DVD next year… Highly recommended!

Chase is a wonderful person. Met her at the Las Vegas ST CONs and each time she talks with you as if you are her best friend, no pretense there at all. I first heard her sing during the Captains Chair dinner at STTE in 2008. When she started to sing Sinatra songs, that was all I needed to hear. I went up to her the next day and bought her CD’s and a photo. She in not like any current celeb who snubs the public becasue they think they are too good. Not at all, she is as real as any person and a pleasure to meet if you ever get the chance. As for her ageless appearence, you can be sure it is all real, she was kind enough to pose with me for a photo in a nice little nothing outfit she was wearing at the last Vegas Con, she is just a person who takes care of her self. Much to our male delight….

Dabo girl or lounge singer, she is top notch and a winner. I especially enjoy her parody of the song “diamonds are a girls best friend” entitled “latinum is a girls best friend”

Chase is my favorite actress! Looking forward to seeing Yesterday Was A Lie coming out on DVD next month!