Author: festreviews

Short Film Review: JURASSIC WARD. Directed by Max “Amber” Bellomio

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A troubled employee for the “Wishes Come True Foundation” needs to bring a dangerous dinosaur through the hospital to fulfill a child’s only wish.

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Review by Julie C. Sheppard

The animated short Jurassic Ward cleverly mimics elements of the films from the Jurassic World franchise, with a wickedly funny edge. The visuals are colourful, textured and expressive and adeptly capture amplified human conditions such as the temper tantrum by the boy patient, and the biting sarcasm and sheer exhaustion of the resourceful, wish granting character, whilst showcasing the stellar work of the talented voice artists. The frenetic energy of the film is breathtaking, and the zany, high octane musical score does not disappoint. Worth noting are the various hospital areas that are defined with cheeky, hilarious signage. 

The student creators of this college production are off to an excellent start in their chosen profession. This romp rivals any production by a major studio. The dinosaur has a terrifying energy that drives the piece the second it appears onscreen, as any of the creatures in the Jurassic World series, but with a somehow endearing, dog-like comedic essence.  

FEATURE Film Review: The Christopher Nolan Experience

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When struggling creative Christopher Nolan is dumped by his girlfriend upon her discovery that he is not the legendary director of films such as Oppenheimer and Interstellar, he decides to prove himself by staging a play adaptation of The Dark Knight. “The Christopher Nolan Experience” captures the behind-the-scenes efforts leading up to this anticipated disaster.

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Directed by  Matthew Putnam, Diego Pereira

Review by Victoria Angelique:

The feature film, THE CHRISTOPHER NOLAN EXPERIENCE, is an easy to watch comedy that is shot in the style of THE OFFICE. It’s familiar, but makes it quicker to know the characters and each of their unique personalities. For this awkward assembly, this mock documentary style makes the story more realistic as the characters fumble around, while still trying to win the affections of a girl who is simply not interested in anyone that is not famous.

Sophie Lee is a clichéd trope. She is a groupie, chasing after what she thinks are famous men without ever questioning why they would be on dating apps or even knowing what these men look like in real life. She’s either not that bright or a gold digger that doesn’t care enough to look up the pictures of the men she meets for dates. She is first introduced meeting Chris, who has the same name as the famous film director, and later actually thinks she is dating Leonardo DiCaprio. She never once stops to look up the Leo that she is dating to see that the man is conning her. 

This concept plays into the trope of the film, the desperation of those living in Los Angeles. The fame seekers and the groupies alike, as Sophie Lee is the example of a groupie that will sleep with anyone as long as they are famous, there are also the ego driven wannabe actors that take advantage of a playwright and director just trying to make it. Anyone that is working in the arts has met these people, the ones that treat others like they are doormats and it’s often the nicest people that take the kicks. 

This film is a mix of a fan film, giving tribute to Christoper Nolan, and a satire, as it makes fun of all the people that those working in the visual arts come across. It’s light humor, making it nice to watch at the end of a long week. 

Today’s FilmFreeway Testimonial: WILDsound Festival (123 FIVE Star Reviews)

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Submit to the WILDsound Festival Today:

Fantastic–particularly loved the audience feedback. It tracked so well with our positive Premiere screening feedback, and an area that was a little confusing, so we are tweaking just a bit to address. Thank you for the award also!

Turning 75 Today: Bill Murray

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Watch the best of new films from around the world today by signing up for the FREE 3-DAY trial going to http://www.wildsound.ca (Also on Roku, FireStick, and your Itune (app))

  • The truth is, anybody that becomes famous is an ass for a year and a half. You’ve got to give them a year and a half, two years. They are getting so much smoke blown, and their whole world gets so turned upside down, their responses become distorted. I give everybody a year or two to pull it together because, when it first happens, I know how it is.
  • There aren’t many downsides to being rich, other than paying taxes and having relatives asking for money. But being famous, that’s a 24 hour job right there.

Turning 78 today: Stephen King

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Watch the best of new films from around the world today by signing up for the FREE 3-DAY trial going to http://www.wildsound.ca (Also on Roku, FireStick, and your Itune (app))

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock (9689901ac)
PEN a award recipient Stephen King
2018 PEN Literary Gala, New York, USA – 22 May 2018
  • I recognize terror as the finest emotion and so I will try to terrorize the reader. But if I find that I cannot terrify, I will try to horrify, and if I find that I cannot horrify, I’ll go for the gross-out. I’m not proud.
  • I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and fries.
  • For every six crappy poems you read, you’ll actually find one or two good ones. And that, believe me, is a very acceptable ratio of trash to treasure.

Turning 68 Today: Ethan Coen

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Watch the best of new films from around the world today by signing up for the FREE 3-DAY trial going to http://www.wildsound.ca (Also on Roku, FireStick, and your Itune (app))

Photo by MB Polay

We’ve always actually been remarkably commercially successful. Not in terms of making huge amounts of money, which we rarely do, but in terms of not losing money and making modest amounts of money. We’re actually strangely consistent in that respect. We’ve been able to keep making movies because of that and also because, strangely, we’ve had studio patrons, starting from Barry Diller. Sometimes they’re establishment people who know they’re not going to make huge amounts of money, but they like your movies. They’re moviegoers, too.

Watch the September DOC Shorts Showcase Festival (in case you missed it)

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Watch the festival by signing up for the FREE 3-DAY trial using the link, or go to http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch today’s Festival: https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/september-doc-shorts-showcase-festival

At The Edge of Skin, 20min,. Brazil
Directed by Danielle Villanova
“At The Edge of Skin” (20’, 2024, dir. Danielle Villanova) is an observational documentary guided by the lives of Laiz and Joselito, both Black and albino. By juxtaposing Laiz at the height of her 7-year-old childhood and Joselito at 60, the film weaves together and reveals the complex ancestral network that connects their two lives.”

https://www.instagram.com/tarrafaprodutora/

For The Love of Dogs, 26min., India
Directed by Mohanjeet Baldev Singh Kalsi
In the biting cold of North India’s winters, thousands of stray dogs struggle to survive, unseen and unheard. But in the bustling city of Gurugram, one man refuses to look away.

https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofdogs2025

ON TIPTOES, 23min., Brazil
Directed by Giovanna Romano
When Fernanda and Andressa received the autism diagnosis for their sons, Rafael and Martin, they found themselves facing a future that seemed to be decided by others—invasive treatments, heavy medication, and the fears and uncertainties that come with the diagnosis. But in their pursuit of dignity and autonomy for their children, the two mothers decided to rewrite their future. The key? Cannabis oil, which gave their sons the possibility to dream. A story of courage, where maternal love transforms into a fight. Each new step is taken with the hope of achieving what once seemed impossible.

https://www.instagram.com/tarrafaprodutora/

Watch Today’s FREE Festival: EXPERIMENTAL, FASHION Festival

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Watch the festival at 8PM EST FOR FREE by signing up for the FREE 3-DAY trial using the link, or go to http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch today’s Festival: https://www.wildsound.ca/events/experimental-fashion-festival-september

PUSH THROUGH, 4min., USA
Directed by Aki Aitos
A woman stuck in the monotony of daily life finds herself regaining her passion for music in a special place. From darkness to light, a visitor from above inspires her to push through, finding the hope to take back her life and follow her dreams.

ALEPH, 29min. Brazil
Directed by Joao Butoh
Can politics, religion and ethnicity force you to live up to established standards?

https://www.instagram.com/joaobutoh