shorts showcase

Movie Review of the short film “Redemption”

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“Redemption” is a thriller/prison drama that played at the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival, part of it’s best of horror/thriller short films event in October 2015. 

REDEMPTION, Australia, 7min, Thriller/Prison
Directed by Tom Vogel

A man in jail finds God and asks his son for forgiveness but is karma about to catch up with him before he can seek redemption.

Read the movie review of REDEMPTION by Amanda Lomonaco

One more point scored by the Aussies for proving that simple stage design, just a few characters, and not much equipment can still make for a good horror film. What’s more – they didn’t even pull out the fake blood! You could argue that the very fact that the cheapness of the production was noticeable makes it a bad film, but I guarantee you many a Blair Witch fan would disagree.

Most of the shots in this film were quite tight, and close-up.The wider two shots were mostly in dark spaces, where little to no background could be seen. This really drew a lot of focus on the acting, which definitely lived up to expectations. It’s a gamble to bank so much of your film on the actors themselves, but I would say Tom Vogel made some good casting calls in this case.

Vogel could have done just a tad better in the make-up department, though. Giving his main, most vicious character, what looked very obviously like a stamp-on temporary tattoo on the neck distracted a little from that character’s brutality. Everything else about the film compensates for this minor mishap, however. Particularly when that same character proceeds to kill someone in an incredibly aggressive and violent manner.

Once again the implication of violence proves more effective than the use of violence itself. It might have begun a little slowly, but Redemption‘s pace picked up quickly enough to not leave you bored or confused for too long. The finale was definitely a very satisfying climax for those of us who love vengeful justice (whether we admit to it or not). I would call this one a good film for cathartic viewing.

Movie Review of the Short Film “A Peaceful Man”

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“A Peaceful Man” played at the best of Thriller/Horror short film festival in October 2015, as part of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Monthly Film Festival. It was the winner of Best Cinematography in a short film.  

Australia, 4min, Action/Thriller
Directed by Harrison Norris

Beaten within an inch of his life, a peaceful man has a gruesome epiphany through violence.

Learn more about this short film HERE

A Peaceful Man Review by Amanda Lomonaco

All of us are capable of violence and cruelty under extreme circumstances. At least that’s what Harrison Norris, director of A Peaceful Man, wants to convince us of in his gory short film. His bloody, cringe-worthy, gory close-ups might distract you from that message a little though, or at least it will distract you from the voice-over narrative.

I’m not saying this movie is bad, in fact this was one of my favourite films of the night. What I really mean, is that the cinematography in this film was so brilliant that it almost overshadowed everything else about it. I would venture a guess that the cringes and gasps coming from the rest of the audience indicated they may have agreed with me. Even the special effects didn’t even have to be that great to appreciate this flick, although they were certainly impressive. The very thought of the level of violence being implied in the film was enough to make people curl up in their chairs and look away.

That, to me, is effective filmmaking. Making your audience feel something and react to the very idea of what is being depicted on screen. Even though I’ll admit to only paying attention to half of the spoken narrative in the film, I feel that Norris reserved the most important bits of monologue to the least impactful visual moments. I was able to still understand the gist of everything the narrator was saying while still being able to enjoy the bloody wonder that was being paraded in front of me.

I think Norris makes some really good points in his film. The level of gore and violence simply emphasized how far all of us can be pushed, or in fact need to be pushed, in order to reciprocate with the same level of anger. When it comes to survival, we are all animals, we all have to follow our instincts, and we will all defend ourselves, even if that self-defense involves something we would never imagine ourselves doing. That’s where Norris’ images almost don’t need a narrative. If you simply consider the film’s title, and then focus on the images and how they make you feel, you’ll probably catch on pretty quickly.

By now you’ll have realized that you should not watch this movie if you have a sensitive stomach. On the other hand, if you’re a crazy lover of guts and gore like me, this film should be mandatory viewing. Norris’ cinematographer deserves an award, and  would happily volunteer to make one for him.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of A PEACEFUL MAN:

Short Film Movie Review: REINVENTING THE REEL

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REINVENTING THE REEL
by Amanda Lomonaco

Review of the short film
Played at the September 2015 WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/september_2015_film_festival.html

reinventing_the_reel_1
Reinventing the Reel covers some very interesting and topical subject matter, relating to the portrayal of homosexuality in film and television. With so many global progressive moves towards the legalization of gay marriage, and global acceptance of homosexuality, it’s easy to see the importance of this film in today’s world. You would think that with such an interesting and important subject matter the filmmaker would be able to do so much more with it, but I found this film fell short in a few different ways.

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While Reinventing the Reel goes a long way towards describing all the different ways in which homosexuality is wrongly portrayed in film, it fails to provide a solution to how it could be better portrayed. For the most part the film seems to simply support the idea of more homosexual main characters, and more homosexual filmmakers in general. While there is nothing wrong with this concept, it’s a little incomplete as a solution, because it doesn’t analyze the numerous positive and normative ways that homosexuals could be portrayed in film.

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Moreover, although this film is largely about the film industry, the filmmaker limits his audience by focusing too much on film industry creators. It gives a brief statistical analysis of the popularity of some kickstarter campaigns that focused on the transgendered, and homosexual community, but there is little communication with the every day spectator. As important as it is for Hollywood and bigger commercial studios to make more homonormative films, it’s equally as important for audience members to accept this emergence.

The documentary genre is always a difficult one to tackle, and there is always a lot more that could be done and said to raise awareness to different issues. Reinventing the Reel manages to provide high quality intrviews, with very prominent and important industry members to convey an important message. I may have focused a little harshly on the flaws of the film, but I still believe it’s an important one to watch. For many of us, the media is our window into different cultures, worlds, and ways of thinking, and if we never allow the “different” to actually appear in that window, we’re just lying to ourselves about what “normal” really is.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of REINVENTING THE REEL:

Deadline TODAY to Submit your Short Film, Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Short Film Movie Review: MERKUR

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MERKUR
by Amanda Lomonaco

Review of the short film.
Played at the September 2015 WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/september_2015_film_festival.html

merkur_1
I’ve never liked the saying “a picture is worth 1,000 words.” I’ve often believed pictures can lie just as well, and just as often as words can. After watching this film I’m not so sure anymore that conviction.

Merkur is quite a simple animation, with simple, humanoid characters, basic chunky background structures, and an intricate play on light to enhance the composition. With these very basic structures, two minutes, and no dialogue, the makers of Merkur create a beautiful short film, that expresses and emphasizes the importance of curiosity, and exploration.

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The film itself does not parade a grand act of defiance, nor does it go through great lengths to explain the characters’ internal though process, or even the initial storyline. In fact the film seems to propel your focus almost entirely to the end result of the main character’s unique act. By simply turning and running in the opposite direction of the crowd, the humanoid is able to create something of great beauty, and seemingly release themselves from constraints that neither audience nor character seemed previously aware of.

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As it seems to be a theme for this month, and is in fact a general characteristic of short films, this one also has some room for interpretation. Despite the beauty of the ending, it could also be argued that the defiant humanoid’s actions led to its own destruction, as well as that of the rest of the group. But that’s what makes short films so wonderful; they’re not tied to the conventions of traditional cinema, they don’t need to give us a beautifully wrapped conclusion, they let us take from them what we will.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of MERKUR:

Deadline TODAY to Submit your Short Film, Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Short Film Movie Review: A SIGN

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A SIGN
by Amanda Lomonaco

Review of the short film.
Played at the September 2015 WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/september_2015_film_festival.html

a_sign_1
This one left me intrigued, and a little confused, but I couldn’t help but love it. It follows a mature Belgian prostitute who has lost her faith in God, and tries to find a greater meaning in life. The symbolism in the film is enormous, of course the title itself leaves you constantly searching for “signs”, symbolism, and messages that could hint at the final conclusion.

a_sign_2
If nothing else touches you about this film, the cinematography ia absolutely brilliant. I felt like I could have watched this film on mute, and I still would have thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the images parading across the screen. The contrast in colours, the lighting, the set dressing, it all helps convey the main character’s state of mind, and the “signs” that constantly surround her, silently trying to reach her.

a_sign_3
One of my favourite things about short films, is when they make you think you could watch them a dozen times and come up with a different interpretation every time. A Sign certainly achieves this purpose. The film tells you just enough to allow you to understand the plot, without explaining every aspect that goes on. It leaves you to wonder, and to guess what made the main character so joyful in what should have been such a miserable moment. It leaves you to piece together all the different moments in the film, and break them into their individual “signs” to build the puzzle of its full meaning.

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It’s often quite easy for experimental, poetic, and artistic films to leave with a sense of question. To open up a realm for numerous interpretation, and emotional response. It’s quite rare, however, for a film that follows a traditional storyline structure to achieve the same feat. There is very little that is abstract about A Sign, and yet so much of it is left to personal interpretation.

As I said, I would easily watch this film on mute, if nothing else to just enjoy the beauty of it. I would even watch it several times over, just to see how much of it I could piece together. I’m still not quite sure if there was a moral to this film, or quite what the ending was intending to achieve, and still I can’t wait to get a chance to see it again.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of A SIGN:

Deadline TODAY to Submit your Short Film, Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Short Film Movie Review: TURKEY

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TURKEY
by Amanda Lomonaco

Review of the short film.
Played at the September 2015 WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/september_2015_film_festival.html

turkey_1
Turkey is set in a credibly typical and familiar scenario to many North American families; the yearly drama that surrounds Thanksgiving. Of course, those same tragedies are always much funnier when they’re happening to someone else, a fact that Turkey takes plenty of advantage of. Moreover, by centering the film around Thanksgiving, and in particular around the world “turkey”, the film is provides even more comedic relief by suing different definitions of the word as “introductions” to certain scenes.

turkey_2
You know the scriptwriters have done something right when you continue to cheer for a main character even after they’ve done something terrible. Some of the reason for this might be the fact that the horrible act in question is kept hidden for most of the film. Maybe we can’t help but feel bad for the woman who is trying to juggle cooking Thanksgiving dinner, & forcing her family to get along, while trying to stay positive and pretend like nothing’s wrong. Perhaps some people might not feel bad for her at all,but the brilliant acting and dialogue certainly go a long way in keeping this story humorous and heartwarming throughout.

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For a film that does so well to keep the audience laughing, it seems to lose some of its steam towards the end. Although it’s not entirely predictable, everything seems to wrap itself up nicely in a neat and tidy little bow, which may be somewhat of a let down to some audiences. Then again, neatly wrapped up endings are a plague of the comedy genre. Despite this, somehow, the film still manages to make 17 minutes of your time seem like 5, and you’re left wishing you had seen more of that family’s story; whether in future or in the past tense.

Turkey certainly follows a more traditional narrative; a family gathering for a special occasion, mistakes & arguments popping up left and right, and a somewhat quirky but sweet conclusion. When described like this it’s easy to perceive the film as boring, but the overall experience of this short can’t help but leave a smile on your face

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of TURKEY:

Deadline TODAY to Submit your Short Film, Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Short Film Movie Review: ROBBIE THE RABBIT

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Review of the short film ROBBIE THE RABBIT.
by Amanda Lomonaco

Played at the September 2015 WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/september_2015_film_festival.html

So this one was… particularly unique. The child actors were amazing and the story itself, though rather dark, maintained a certain level of innocence and comedy throughout. The end, however, could be described as somewhat off-putting.

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Most classical stories tend to at least attempt some form of morally acceptable conclusion, and something about a story involving children seems to cry out for a “moral of the story”. Robbie the Rabbit, on the other hand, seems to have selected the unexpected as its ideal conclusion. Although the finale is alluded to throughout the film, some part of you can’t help but resist the idea that such an ending is even possible. Perhaps it was that very resistance that the filmmakers were attempting to invoke, forcing the question of why we are so unwilling to accept that anyone would choose to undergo such a procedure.

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Despite its disturbing ending, you can’t help but appreciate the cleverness of this short in all its detail. The production itself is of an impressive quality, and the quaintness of the characters hooks you from the start. The character of the sarcastic teacher, making cynical remarks to a group of kindergartners, disrupts the reality of the rest of the story, and is the first indication that something about this is a little odd. In fact the character of the teacher himself somewhat removes this film from the realm of traditional reality, if nothing else simply by the self-reflexivity of his comments. Or perhaps it is his very cynicism that traumatizes Robbie into the adult state we find him in.

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I feel like this could be a bit of a divisive movie; one of those “love it or hate it” situations. Granted that’s always likely to happen with oddball films like this one. Steer clear if you’re really squeamish, but otherwise give it a try; you might learn something new about yourself.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of ROBBIE THE RABBIT:

Deadline TODAY to Submit your Short Film, Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Short Film Movie Review: MOVING LONDON

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KEEPING LONDON MOVING
by Amanda Lomonaco

Review of the short film MOVING LONDON.
Played at the September 2015 WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/september_2015_film_festival.html

As part of the “Moving Cities” series of short films, WILDSound Feedback Film Festival last month showed the film that started it all; Moving London. This series incorporates such an amazing number of things, I often have trouble understanding all the different things it makes me feel. This film series is a celebration urban spaces, public life, dance, motion, & freedom, among so many other things. It demonstrates how the movement of our everyday lives somehow simultaneously clashes & fuses with the mechanics of the metropolis, while also illustrating how well dance mimics the pattern of our daily lives.

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For those who need traditional plot lines and story-telling techniques the “Moving Cities” can be a bit tough to swallow. However, even at the most superficial level it’s impossible to not appreciate the graceful movements of the dancers or even the music itself. It’s not hard to find the connection, or perhaps even the contrast, between the dancers and ourselves, in how we each move through urban space. Just like our own individual lives and personality, each of the dancers moves through their own space differently. The dancers that are grouped together or paired seem to simulate the repetitiveness of our daily actions, both on a daily routine basis, and in how large groups of people in a city will follow the same patterns without even realizing.

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The freedom, or even the indifference, with which the dancers perform in these urban spaces while life moves on around them, not only generates a beautiful and impactful image, it emphasizes our indifference towards each other as individuals in a society in urban centres. As an entire film series it’s interesting to see how the cultural, and architectural elements of each of the different cities impacts the dancers’ movements. The contrasts between these movements within the same kind of film structure emphasizes the concept of “similar differences” between every culture in major urban centres; emphasizing the humanity of all different cultures, regardless of their cultural differences. Moreover the fluid, flexible motions of the dancers also contrast with the rigid, mechanical movements of the cars, trains, bicycles, and other modes of transport that surround them. Rather than override each other, however, the film illustrates how well these elements coexist by juxtaposing them in beautifully composed moving images.

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As you can tell a lot can be said about the “Moving Cities” series as a whole, and there’s plenty to be interpreted and extracted from each of the films. Even if artistic, or dance films aren’t quite your thing, the series is definitely worth a watch, if nothing else for a small burst of inspiration or distraction. Much like all the different art forms that come together to compose these films, I’m quite sure each individual who watches these films will extract something very unique out of it; regardless of whether of not you’re able to put it into words.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of MOVING LONDON:

Deadline TODAY to Submit your Short Film, Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Watch WEATHER STORIES from the Film and Writing Festival

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Watch winning stories and movies showcased at the Writing and Film Festival with a weather plot or theme: Short, Feature, TV Screenplays. Short Stories. Novels. Stage Plays. Poems. Stories from festival made into movies.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/weather_stories.html

DIAMOND AND THE FOSTERS
Full Movie
Watch the entire 5 chapter novel.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/diamond_and_the_fosters.html

WIND
WATCH Audience FEEDBACK Video
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/wind.html
Germany, Animation

FEATURE SCRIPT – TO DIE IN TENNESSEE
February 2015 Reading
Written by Verlynn Kneifl & Laurie Larsen
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/feature_script_to_die_in_tennessee.html

Autumn Rose – Poetry Reading by June Helen Fleming

The Calm Before The Storm – Poetry Reading by Sasha Holden

Autumn in Connecticut – Poetry Reading by Debra Tammer

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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

July 2015 Twitter Short Story Contest – Read the 10 winners.

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Read the 10 winning Twitter Short Stories for July 2015. They will now have their stories turned into a video movie. Stay tuned for future posts when these 10 stories get turned into a film!

SOUL MATE by Silent Assasin

He knows how to stimulate my mind. When he speaks I smile, blushing when glancing into his eyes. I knew true love had been found from the moment our souls intertwined.

RED ALERT by Cameron Donnelly

Two people can be perfect for each other, but meet at imperfect times. Eve was a Doctor, Adam her patient. They met at a herpes clinic.

A RITE OF PASSAGE by Ethan Greenwood

Sara was psyched about graduating. She wished Mom and Dad were there. Finally after seventy years she’d be getting a biology degree denied to her by the Third Reich.

DAYDREAMS by Fitzjimi

I spied Dita in the park
Instant love what a lark
I sidled over and just said
Hello lovely are you wed
She smiled her smile and replied
Now that is something I’ve never tried

THE DANCE by Ashley Gamrat

Taking my hand, wrapping us into one. Gliding across the dance floor. Smiles surround us. The first dance is timeless, never outdated.

LITERALLY? by Alex Dzialo

Because others advised it, Peter pinched pennies. His fingers threatened to bleed, but he kept at it. He never handled metaphors very well.

DISAPPEARING INTO LOVE by Annie Avery

There was a knock at the door. She peeked through the window and saw him there. She opened the door, jumped into his arms and they vanished.

TWO WIVES by Joni Norby

The party knew the end was near as Belle turned to stare at my new, shiny wedding band, babe in arms, and her red-faced husband by my side.

DAWN TWITTER by George G A Wensley

Dawn the bird waited for the sun to arise,
to see who could tweet the loudest.
The rose coloured sun arose
and she was a great dawn twitter!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? by Myriam Hammami

Aly was fond of practical jokes. One day he jokingly pushed a woman into a river. She drowned. He’s been in prison since then.

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FREE – TWITTER SHORT STORY FESTIVAL
Submit your 140 character story and have it performed by a professional actor
Deadline July 20th

http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/140_characters.html

Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com