Year: 2017

MOVIE REVIEW: THE MAN WHO DOESN’T SLEEP (Drama, Dramamentary)

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Played at the August 2017 FEMALE FEEDBACK Film Festival to rave reviews.

by Kierston Drier

A fifteen minute Mockumentary-Drama coming out of Canada, directed by Jana Stackhouse, follows a young filmmaker Sam as she explores the curious condition of her neighbor. Her neighbour, as it turns out, doesn’t sleep- or can’t sleep. Taken with the fascinating story of this medical miracle, Sam devotes her time to following her neighbor Craig and his story. What would you do with your newly found time, if you no longer had to sleep?

What she finds is an amazing introvert who is a jack of all trades, from Cosplay to self-taught chef, to botanist, to one-man-band, Craig can do it all- although he can’t do any of it perfectly. And slowly, the shy recluse opens up to his new friend. But when Craig suddenly begins to feel exhaustion, Sam learns that when he finally does sleep, he may sleep most of the rest of his life to make up for what sleep has been lost. Determined to finish her film and give Craig a chance to tell his story, they carry on the documentary. Craig however, must come to the realization that a person can live in a dream world, even if they never fall asleep.

 

This is an exceptionally well balanced film. The Man Who Doesn’t Sleep has emotional and genuine performances, charming tone and a beautiful mixture of subtle comedy and heart. It’s slightly unbelievable premise is easy to accept because of how authentically it is portrayed. A meaningful message is left with anyone who takes the time to enjoy The Man Who Doesn’t Sleep– life may be short, but it is worth being awake for.

THE MAN WHO DOESN’T SLEEP, 15min, Canada, Drama
Directed by Jana StackhouseA young filmmaker finds herself in a new apartment where her neighbour is literally up all night. Her anger turns to curiosity as she sets out to make a documentary about ‘The Man Who Doesn’t Sleep.’

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Audience FEEDBACK Video: THE MAN WHO DOESN’T SLEEP, 15min, Canada, Drama

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THE MAN WHO DOESN’T SLEEP, 15min, Canada, Drama
Directed by Jana Stackhouse

A young filmmaker finds herself in a new apartment where her neighbour is literally up all night. Her anger turns to curiosity as she sets out to make a documentary about ‘The Man Who Doesn’t Sleep.’

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

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MOVIE REVIEW: WE WERE SWIMMING, (Art/Surreal)

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Played at the August 2017 FEMALE FEEDBACK Film Festival to rave reviews.

by Kierston Drier

We Were Swimming is a metaphorical, musical, poetic short, laced with symbolism and poignance. The story, while abstract, follows two teenage girls who share (or have shared) an intense emotional bond. Directed by May Fisher and hailing from the UK, this short film has an exceptionally beautiful in its impenetrable mystery.

 

The piece is largely visual set against a dramatic spoken word piece, detailing a the heavy history and powerful bond shared by the two women. There is an emphasis on the symbology of water in the piece, but the meaning behind it is left for the viewer to contemplate.

Excellent performances and beautiful cinematography are found in We Were Swimming. What exalts this short above the standard are the bravely intimate non-dialogue moments shared between the heroines. It captures the closeness clearly shared between them, although the extent of their relationship is left up to the interpretation of the audience. Impactful and often profound, We Were Swimming has the tone of a love poem spoken in whispers, that nevertheless can resonate with any heart.

 

WE WERE SWIMMING, 3min, UK, Art/Surreal
Directed by Jesse May Fisher

We Were Swimming explores intimacies and tensions between two teenage girls. As the protagonist’s dreams and memories interweave with one another certain intricacies of girlhood and female friendship come to light.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Audience FEEDBACK Video: WE WERE SWIMMING, 3min, UK, Art/Surreal

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WE WERE SWIMMING, 3min, UK, Art/Surreal
Directed by Jesse May Fisher

We Were Swimming explores intimacies and tensions between two teenage girls. As the protagonist’s dreams and memories interweave with one another certain intricacies of girlhood and female friendship come to light.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

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MOVIE REVIEW: GRACE & GRIT (Thriller/Drama)

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Played at the August 2017 FEMALE FEEDBACK Film Festival to rave reviews.

by Kierston Drier

A dramatic and emotional roller coaster of a film, Grace and Grit directed by Olivia Applegate and Blair Bomar, is a strong cinematic endeavour. Following one woman who battles with two different personas inside her, we see the passionate internal battle of torn emotional soul. Our heroine stands at the crossroads of a broken and abusive relationship, fighting within herself as to stay or leave. Stay, and attempt to turn something broken into something beautiful, or leave fueled with anger and fury. A detailed portrait of human complexity, this piece will make you feel and think.

 

The actresses who play Grace (Blair Bomar), Grit  (Olivia Grace Applegate) and the “Woman” (Kelly Frye) are to be commended for their strong, tense and compelling performances. Superbly cast, the performances alone make this film a must-see.

 

Grace and Grit is an emotional gut-punch, because the real struggle of the film is not the relationship the woman has with her abusive partner, but the relationship she has with herself. Her equally torn sides each speak with their own twisted but compelling logic. It is hard to choose a side, and hard to look away as our heroine is swept up in the emotional chaos within her. Striking, bold and emotionally ambitious, Grace and Grit is not to be missed.

GRACE & GRIT, 3min, USA, Thriller/Drama
Directed by Olivia ApplegateA twisted celebration of me, myself and I.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

MOVIE REVIEW: MAGIC RADIO (Family/Comedy)

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Played at the August 2017 FEMALE FEEDBACK Film Festival to rave reviews.

by Kierston Drier

Bright, colorful and full of youthful wish fulfillment, Magic Radio is a true delight. Directed by Meng Yu, this nine minute short film captures the tale of a lovesick high school student who discovers a radio that can transport him ten seconds back in time- giving him the ability to replay immediate events with a different outcome. Charmingly honest and authentic with its comedy, Magic Radio boasts a lot of heart. From first frame to last we root for our Hero, even as he blunders through his mistakes over and over (and over and over) again.

 

There is a nod to films like Groundhog Day or Naked where the comedy comes from the repetition of events, but there is also an element of control, where our Hero is able to relive his moments at his own command. Pride comes before the fall, however, and he often gets himself in trouble by being able to change the future. While the comedy is fast, witty and endearing, it also has no lack of emotional depth. When he tries to use his radio to test the waters with his dream girl, it doesn’t go as planned.

 

Magic Radio is skillfully cast and the performances are solid and moving, even if the plot requires a suspension of disbelief. What is particularly notable about the work is the instantaneous attraction to our hero, who plays the loveable and awkward every-man that anyone teenager can resonate with.

 

Magic Radio is a quirky loveable comedy that anyone will enjoy, with a great message at the end. You don’t need a time-traveling radio when you listen to your heart.

MAGIC RADIO, 9min, USA, Family/Comedy 
Directed by Meng YuA magic radio gives a high school student ability to experience the future within 10 seconds, however nothing can change his life but himself.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

TIFF 2017 Movie Review: THE CRESCENT (Canada 2017) **1/2

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2017. Go to TIFF 2017 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

THE CRESCENT.jpgAfter an unexpected death in the family, a mother and son struggle to find spiritual healing at a beachfront summer home.

Director: Seth A. Smith
Writer: Darcy Spidle (screenwriter)
Stars: Britt Loder, Danika Vandersteen, Amy Trefry

Review by Gilbert Seah

This horror film from Nova Scotia, Canada has an excellent though slow beginning. Weird colourful patterns are formed and changed, which seems to flow naturally.

The film, after the opening credits and patterns turns to a funeral service where the preacher talks about suffering and pain before coming to a final rest.

The film then focuses on the single mother (Danika Vandersteen) and young son (Woodrow Graves), and advised by her mother than in order to survive: “You have to keep a level head.” Smith plays around with sounds effectively as he uses different sizes images to frame his film.

The frame sizes change when showing an image as seen from a window or from Beth’s paintings. Smith also uses tilted and upside down images, the latter as seen from the reflection of the sea water at low tide as Beth and Lowen walk along the beach.

The intermittent blaring sound is used at many points in the film. Smith’s film might be a bit too slow paced for a Midnight Madness selection. Normal horror fans will also not be too happy at this too arty piece of work that looks too smug for its own good.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bji7jatpHqA

Film Word Of The Week: Cheater-cut

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Cheater-cut.jpgby Kierston Drier

If you have ever tuned in to your favorite serialized show airing on Prime-Time, you have seen a cheater cut. You may not have heard the term, but the chances are high you’ve relied on it if you’ve ever missed an episode, in the era before you could download it.

 

A Cheater-cut is the small series of shots that break down the basic plot points in the previous episode, and often air just before the episode about to come up. It is, metaphorically, an information booster-shot, so that you’ll be able to generally keep up with what is going on in the current episode, if you missed last weeks’.

 

Orphan Black, is one of many shows that employs Cheater’s Cuts, the introductory footage that will recap the previous episode. Cheater Cuts can also serve other purposes- they can shine a spotlight on essential plot points, or even create red-herrings. In serialized dramas boasting multiple plots, Cheater Cuts’ are helpful, simply in helping jog the memory of a viewer, who is watching the episodes a week apart. Think of a Cheater Cut as reading the chapter summary at the back of a textbook, right before you have to take the test- except the test is your favorite TV show- and the summary is master editing.

 

Cheater Cuts’ are far more common in serialized drama. In serialized drama, the narrative carries over all season long, and more times than not, the entire series. As such, what happened in the previous episode will directly effect what will be happening in the current episode. However, we do see Cheater Cut’s in comedy. Far more rare, they usually occur in a special circumstance, like a season finale, where the comic story fails to wrap up at the end of the episode, and ends of a nail-biting cliff hanger…only to return next week for a sweet and heartwarming resolution. In this cases, cheater cuts’ often make a noticeable appearance, usually opening with something like “Last time on…”  whereas the opening of a serialized cheater cut would likely be more subtle.

 

Cheater Cuts are very effective and often crucial to the story. They allow the audience to get a refresher on the arch and be ready to jump directly into the action from frame one. The eliminate the need for expositional dialogue and allow the piece to continue its’ flow with an unbroken fluidity. So the next time you miss your favorite episode of a Sunday night drama, thank an editor- a Cheater Cut may save you next week.

Cheater-cut1.jpg