Kierston Drier

Movie Review: A FILM BY VERA VAUGHN (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERA FILM BY VERA VAUGHN, 10min, USA, Thriller/Sci-Fi
Directed by Sorrel Brae

In this supernatural digital-age thriller, a filmmaker falls through the looking glass when she must face her own terrifying creation.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Artfully shot, beautifully edited, high-intensity and highly compelling, Sorret Brae’s A Film By Vera Vaughn is a high-concept dual tale of a woman who winds up trapped in her own movie. (Or possibly trapped in someone else’s?) The story itself is hard to follow, but manages to be so utterly intense and compelling, it is difficult to care too deeply about the unanswered questions in the plot.

The plot’s structure may lack some basic skeletal features, but it does not mean the film lacks depth- on the contrary, the film has several layers of horror-thriller convention behind a supernatural element of unreality; the creepy light that keeps flickering in the hallway, the weird cameras’ that catch things they shouldn’t, the uncanny feeling you are always being watched- all expertly synchronized together to create an engaging tale of intensity.

Even though the film makes one walk away with some basic head scratching, it creates a sense of a movie well made- a feat of triumph for any short film.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: DO NOT DISTURB (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERDO NOT DISTURB, 13min, UK, Thriller
Directed by Jon James Smith

George takes a detour on his way home from the office, which sets off a dark tale of lies and confusion.

Seen at the August 2016 HORROR/THRILLER FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Do Not Disturb directed by Jon James Smith, is a compelling piece, composed of endless twists, turns and red herrings. Expertly shot, with keen focus and attention to detail, the piece follows a man’s untimely death and the intrigue that follows his mysterious end.

Smiths’ work is undoubtedly engaging- catching the viewer from the very first moments of screen time. The piece also employs interesting characters, compelling details, passion, and yes, even the occasional chuckle.

Where Do Not Disturb becomes troubled, perhaps, is that the plot is so rich, so detailed and so contingent on certain characters moving the story forward, there are moments where the plot gets confusing. Too meaty a story in too short a time, the film has the air or far too much matter condensed into too small a space. Smith’s work Do Not Disturb is definitely worth a watch, but it may take you two, or three to catch every nuance.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: I LIKE YOU, 2min, Italy, Drama/Romance (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERI LIKE YOU, 2min, Italy, Drama/Romance
Directed by Vito D’Agostino

A child falls in love with a girl, he is at an age where he does not know what love is, but he tries to explain what he feels with his heart.

Seen at the July 2016 Under 5min. FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Directed by  Vito D’Agostino with music by Chad Lewis I Like You is a childhood love story, a vivid imaginative account of the classic boy-meets-girl trope. Set against the poetic backdrop of winter, filled with mittens, ice skates, and winter nights set aglow with thousands of lights, a montage of loving moments are played out between boy and girl. The whole film, (save for the last scene) is enacted over the boy reading aloud his love letter to his love- words that are charming in the youthful innocence, yet poetically deep despite their simplicity.

I Like You is cinematic transportation to a world of romantic dreams. It exists in a place out of time- its space is inhabited by a world where we have not yet been touched by technology, not yet distorted by the bumps and scraps of life. It is the confidence of love when children are loving and in this way, deeply moving.

The film is beautifully executed with keen attention to detail. The casting was excellent. While the final image poses questions and leaves the viewer to answer them, the film is a study in beauty and the elusive love we all dream of knowing.

Critics of this piece may point to its resemblance to a Hallmark commercial, may comment on its singular male voice (for the female love interest has no lines) or even comment on its lack of diversity in casting. All of these things have accuracy in their own right. However, I will credit the production with this: from the initial image onward, I lived in the world of love the hero made. I was encapsulated and transported to a place where I believed love could conquer the impossible, and follow two people through their entire lives and beyond. In this way, despite its criticism, I Like You, holds the elements our dreams are made of.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: LOREN THE ROBOT BUTLER: TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE! (2016)

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festival posterLOREN THE ROBOT BUTLER: TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE!

Seen at the July 2016 Under 5min. FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Directed by Paul McGinnis

Loren, a proper British robot and formally the head butler for a very wealthy family, has been replaced with a Roomba and stored in the basement. Now the kids program him to teach them stuff.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Light, bright and whimsical, Loren The Robot Butler, written, directed and creatively lead by  Paul McGinnis, entices the inner child of us all. The film’s premise is established in just a few quick moments, and with the help of a charming opening tune, explaining that an outdated robotic butler sits unused in a family’s basement, and spends his retired life teaching children. Perpetually upbeat and sporting the quintessential British Accent, our friendly butler protagonist speaks directly to the audience as though they are the very children of the household where he is kept. At the children’s request, he takes on the mission to teach them how to “Dougie”, from the well known 80’s rapper Doug E. Fresh.

The humor comes easily on several level- most liminally, from the contrast of a British robot butler, attempting to recreate hip-hop music. The upper-crust British sound and robotic movement parodying the relaxed sway of the music beat and hip-hop/rap dialect. Further, there is humor in the form of breaking of the fourth wall with the audience, and from the shock that our robot friend not only executes the dance- but does so exceptionally well!

This piece is a delightful romp through the whimsical world of song and dance as seen through the eyes of a child, but there is a level deeper. It does speak to the element of old technology trying to keep up with the new, modern and current.

The most astonishing, staggering and interesting part of Loren The Robot Butler, however, is not it’s comedy or its use of social commentary. It is it’s artistry. At first glance, this piece could be mistaken as a completely CGI 3D animation. In reality, the entire piece is performed by three puppeteers, manning the upper bottle and each leg independently. The amazing truth is, this exceptionally complicated dance move is performed in perfect execution by highly trained professionals  (Lead by McGinnis) manning one doll behind a green screen, resulting in seamless and flawless dance that passes as computer generated. This is a feat of puppeteer mastery and specialized skill rarely seen in Cinema since Dark Crystal, (Let’s not talk about Team America) and at the very least should be applauded.

Whether Lorne The Robot Butler  is a proof of concept for a delightful children’s TV show, or a demo reel for some exceptional puppeteers, it is regardless a lovely, light comedy sure to entertain.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: 1Minute Nature. Directed by Stefanie Visjager & Katinka Baehr

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MOVIE POSTER1Minute Nature

Played at the May 2016 FEEDBACK Film Festival

MOVIE REVIEW:

In a world where words paint wonderful pictures, 1 Minute Nature follows three children as they individually recount memories from the world around them. Animated based on the story each child narrates, 1 Minute Nature is a creative reimagining of the natural world told through the eyes of a child. Both immersive and engaging, and wonderfully whimsical, each story contains cartoon animations elements moving within a real life background.

Each story narrated story recounts a child’s single isolated memory of an interaction with the world around them, but the visual spectacle is meant to shape both the children, and the viewers’ perceptions of the natural world and they way they interact with it. With the animated moving cartoon images overlaid against a stationary real-life background, there is a charming element of fantasy to the piece that is both engaging and delightful. Our three stories capture the tales of first encounters of underwater exploration, favorite animals and even school-age romance, each one weaving a wonderful portrait of childhood experiences with beautiful images.

Short, entertaining, charming and occasionally laughably honest, these three stories offer a break from the everyday world and invite us into a world of color, creativity, imagination and wonder.

by Kierston Drier
Founder of The Bathroom Stall Project
Consultant at TheKayWorks.com
Freelance Film and Television
www.thekayworks.com

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

Movie Review: EVERYBODY FALLS DOWN. Directed by Chris Hale

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festival posterEVERYBODY FALLS DOWN

Played at the May 2016 FEEDBACK Film Festival

Read Interview with the Director

MOVIE REVIEW:

Directed by Chris Hale, Everybody Falls Down steps into “ a day in the life” of Syrian Refugees living in a fenced in compound outside of Kurdistan after the mass displacement of Syrians due to social and political unrest in Syria. Shot in 2015 the piece is highly current and resonant with the issues populating north american as well as global media today. What is the fate of the displaced Syrian people? Everybody Falls Down is a deeply emotive tapestry evoking empathy, solidarity and hope for the Syrian refugees. The documentary follows the lives of families, couples and children, showing their working lives and living conditions. The film focuses on how the people manage to keep their culture, hope and joy in a facility stripped of any luxuries. At the same time film explores what many of the Syrians left have had to leave behind, their homes, livelihoods and in many cases their other family members. Heart Wrenching in some places, and joyous in others, Hale’s Work is successful at providing a glimpse into a world many of us cannot fathom, and the layers of the struggle and hope that transform displaced families into communities.

Everybody Falls Down is not omitted of scrutiny in its approach. Covering snippets of the lives of several people, and various families, Hale’s piece is highly condensed for 15 minutes. It can be argued that is is not able to provide a well rounded view of the lives of it’s subjects. Not without criticism, Hale’s piece shows only one side of the struggles of Syrian displacement. It has a clear angle for the refugee community, but does not touch on the many social, political or economic issues that displaced the population in the first place. It only briefly glosses over the politics and economic issues faced by the countries that house refugees currently. As a result, only a partial story is ever told. Everybody Falls Down is a piece worth seeing, if for no other reason than that it shows a side of life many of us have the good fortunate to never have to know. It is clear labour of love with a message that the displace people of Syria want to go home, as Hale explains, “I …try and show at least some of the people who deserve better.”

by Kierston Drier
Founder of The Bathroom Stall Project
Consultant at TheKayWorks.com
Freelance Film and Television
www.thekayworks.com

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

Movie Review: CHAMPION. Directed by Andrés Passoni

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champion_movie_posterCHAMPION was the winner of best film at May 2016 FEEDBACK Short Documentary Film Festival.

Directed by Andrés Passoni

Genres: Documentary | Short

Read Interview with the Director

MOVIE REVIEW:

Astonishingly beautiful and stunningly shot, Champion follows the world of competitive Racing Dogs in Argentina. Shot with a focus on the animals (not their owners) the film utilizes silence, space and spectacular imagery, downplaying the natural noise and eliminating all scripted dialogue. A powerful stylistic choice that pulls the viewer’s focus to the real story of the racers. Instead of the money or bets of the people owning dogs, we focus on the dogs themselves.

One may imagine that Passoni’s film is an exercise in Voyeurism, as it emphasis lies in the spectacle of the race without any blatant insight into the mind of the racer. Conversely, it can be said that Champion does the exact opposite – showing the mind of the racing dog by focusing on the event as a dog might see it- a flurry of color, the garble of indistinguishable human noise and a pulsating energy of a run waiting to happen. Andreas Passoni defines the luminous visual aspects with respect to a lifelong appreciation for the aesthetics, “All my life I felt attracted by image and sound.”

As a filmmaker, Passoni’s Instincts for the visual spectacle of cinema are seamless and lush, both riveting and gorgeous. In regards to a short that can propel the audience into emotion via image alone- Passoni is ahead of the pack.

by Kierston Drier
Founder of The Bathroom Stall Project
Consultant at TheKayWorks.com
Freelance Film and Television
www.thekayworks.com

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video: