Short Film Movie Review

Film Review: GEORGE, 7min, USA, Documentary

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERGEORGE, 7min, USA, Documentary
Directed by Mary Gerretsen

A short profile documentary about a man’s life and journey through love, loss and illness.

Review by Kierston Drier:

Directed by Mary Gerresten, George is nothing short of delightful. It is the story of the complex tapestry of one man’s life through love, loss and grief. George, our hero, is young at heart, vibrant, poetic, witty and utterly charming. A familiar character to anyone who has ever had a favorite uncle or grandfather.

Without spoiling the emotional rollercoaster, for a film under eight minutes long it is hard not to cry when it ends. Not because George’s life is unbearably tragic- but because in the short time the film takes, you fall in love with man. You fall for his spirit, his highs and his lows. You fall, hook, line and sinker, for his heartfelt connection with his wife. You slide head over heels for the clear love and devotion he has for his family. And you are sad when the credits roll. Because you already miss him.

What sparkles about this film, is it’s amazing ability to straddle comedy, tragedy and poignancy without feeling condensed or rushed. The piece flows naturally, and absorbs the viewer so thoroughly, that the film feels shorter than it is.

A beautiful piece of cinematic storytelling, watch George. It will remind you to never take life too seriously and that aging is a privilege denied to many.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

Film Review: HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, 12min, USA, Comedy

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERHAVE A LITTLE FAITH, 12min, USA, Comedy
Directed by Ashton Avila

A rebellious teenager is determined to get kicked out of her new Christian High School and teach the new boy she meets there what it really means to “have a little Faith”.

Review by Kierston Drier:

We all remember that one person in high school. They walked in a shook up your world- they oozed coolness or bravado. For Thomas, that girl is new student Faith, who wanders into his Christian prep school with her skirt hiked high, blowing bubble gum in his face. A manic-pixie-dream-girl with attitude. Enter offbeat comic gem that is Have A Little Faith directed by Ashton Avila.

Fresh, bright and funny, this is a charmingly little coming-of-age story. When Faith offers to have sex with Thomas he doesn’t actually seem to believe it- but then it happens! What keeps this story fresh and unique, is that it shows the honest, awkward and, yet- sweet moments that these two share while the try to get it on in the school auditorium.

Another great thing in this piece, is the performances. Faith is a rebellious, irresponsible troublemaker who is impossible not to like, and Thomas is a good boy bitten by the craziness that is adolescence. This piece also has some of the best closing music for it’s ending sequence. It is sometimes refreshing to take a step back into youth, when experiences were new and aching to be seized. Have A Little Faith will refresh you, for sure.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

Film Review: UNCLE ALBERT, 11min, USA, Dark Comedy

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERUNCLE ALBERT, 11min, USA, Dark Comedy
Directed by Summer Blake

A dark comedy about the nuances of emotional response; Karen’s left emotionless following the death of her distant Uncle, Albert, she’ll stop at nothing to prove to fellow guests that she can indeed feel “sad.”

Review by Kierston Drier:

Directed by Summer Black, Uncle Albert is an open letter of support to anyone who had to go the funeral of a relative they barely knew and didn’t care about. In Karen’s case, it’s uncle Albert who was probably the creepy uncle that gave weird hugs and asked you to pull his finger way too many times.

The main issue for Karen is that she can’t seem to fake it. Try as she might she can’t feign sympathy for this poor dead jerk. Following her on this comic trail of family obligation are the larger-than-life family members that attend every funeral; the distraught relative who does nothing but cry, the overly dramatic jackass who is deeply affected by this passing and having an existential crisis about it.

The flirt who might get to take someone home. And all through this, Karen has to find a way to fake it till she makes it- at least until she can get home and call it cocktail hour.

Funny, because in one way or another it is all too familiar, Uncle Albert takes the comic notes you can find in a funeral and puts them under a microscope. And it does a really good job at it.

So buckle up, grab some popcorn, and get ready to laugh yourself to death- it’s a pretty good way to go.

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Film Review: THE WHITE ROSE, 5min, USA, Thriller/Film Noir

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERTHE WHITE ROSE, 5min, USA, Thriller/Film Noir
Directed by Rebecca Scott

A lone gunman, interrogates his prisoner, to find the truth.

Review by Kierston Drier:

White Rose, directed by Rebecca Scott, is a powerful, symbolic and dramatic remodeling of a classic Noir piece. The interrogation, the cool agent out to track down the criminal, the quick, rapid fire dialogue pushing the criminal into the corner where he must confess- all here, all sharp and pulsating with tension.

There is a masked prisoner, and one armed interrogator filled with revenge, and victim dear to them both. Cinematically this is a piece filled with vivid images, bright contrasts and wicked symbolic representations. A thoughtful and well composed pieced with a killer twist.

If you like sharp, quick, dramatic crimes, this is a film that will have you biting your nails. And when the mask comes off our criminal, prepare your jaw to drop.

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Film Review: CONFESSION, USA, Horror/Thriller

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERCONFESSION, 5min, USA, Horror/Thriller
Directed by Sofia Vyshnevetska

The loving father, after kidnapping and cruelly killed his little daughter by pedophile, turns into a proficient butcher. Desire of revenge will be confessed in another way of expiation…

Review by Kierston Drier:

Revenge, is a complicated emotion. It burrows inside us and simmers slowly. Enter Confessions, directed by Sofia Vyshnevestka, a subtle, striking, beautifully short and terrifying film. Subtle, because you don’t immediately know what the motives of the two men in the room are- but they are there, and one is passing a wad of money over to the other.

And after a quick breakdown to what is and is not allowed, the first man is brought down the dirty hall to a dirty bedroom and let inside. On the bed, appears to be a young girl.

Feeling sick? If you are anything like this reviewer, you might be. But the twist will push you to your breaking point.

A gut wrenching tale with many moral layers, I’m Not Him is a fascinating story of love, loss, desire, damnation and the ultimate revenge. It’s a dark tale with a gut wrenching twist not to be missed, this piece also boasts beautiful colors and excellent shooting. Check out Confession but be warned- it is not for the faint of heart.

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Film Review: MY LIFE I DON’T WANT, Myanmar, Animation

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Played at the March 2017 ANIMATION Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERMY LIFE I DON’T WANT, 12min, Myanmar, Animation
Directed by Nyan Kyal Say

A short animated film about the life of a Myanmar girl inspired by a true story.

Review by Kierston Drier:

With bright simple visuals and powerful symbology, this dramatic and powerful Myanmar animation coming to us from director Nyan Kyal Say is the story of one sunny optimistic young girl put through the hardest sides of life simply because she is born female.

Victim of a systemic gender bias family and society, our heroine is a unrelenting easy to love, even when she walks alone down a road that will lead her to endless heartache.

What makes this piece so admirable is it’s ability to draw on hope- our character is broken again and again by life’s cruel circumstances. She is shuffled from family to family, from one abusive situation to the next, from one misfortune to another- all while appearing to never give up. Until, of course, all seems dark…

But what happens to our heroine is just one story in a sea of heartache. For the issues of gender injustice in our world are plentiful, and the fight for equality rages on.What choice does our heroine have?

Where does she go when all is lost? To know, you must watch the beautiful, simple, powerful and bright film that is My Life I Don’t Want.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO. Moderated b Matthew Toffolo:

Film Review: HANGING, USA, Animation

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Played at the March 2017 ANIMATION Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERHANGING, 6min, USA, Animation
Directed by Nick LeDonne

An abstracted animated documentary based off of Nick LeDonne’s personal struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts after a near attempted hanging in November 2014. His feelings of depression are personified through a dark luring fog and a loving mother desperately trying to keep her son alive.

Review by Kierston Drier:

Hanging a USA animation directed by Nick LeDonne, is a deeply emotional, deeply powerful piece that takes a raw and honest look at the seriousness of the depression in the mind of a misunderstood boy longing for comfort.

Told through a voiceless abstract lense, our character battles the onslaught of words and labels- symbologies for the troubling thoughts that plague his mind- and must choose between the relief of death or the trauma of continuing to live. The personification of a mind of suffering may be a difficult viewing experience for some- but for many it will be an eye opening and important film.

There are very few films that so clearly capture the sense of entrapment and suffocation of mental illness. The visual style personifies the depth of despair- something that is perhaps difficult to understand if never experienced first hand.

While Hanging has a darkness to it, it also has unspeakable bravery- a clear and heart wrenching look at the battle one men wages between his inner demons and the sanity of his mind and soul. A difficult film to distill, because it is such a powerful film to witness.

 

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO. Moderated b Matthew Toffolo:

Film Review: BABY AND GRANNY, Animation

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Played at the March 2017 ANIMATION Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERBABY AND GRANNY, 2min. USA, Animation/Comedy
Directed by Zheng Kang

A 2D animated action-comedy about a baby and granny who share a common bond (Baby’s Mother is Granny’s Daughter) but who fight like crazy when left alone. The visuals are highly-influenced by the work of 60’s Pop Artist Roy Lichtenstein

Review by Kierston Drier:

 
Short, punchy and full of action Baby Vs Granny will turn classic familial love of a grandmother and a grandchild on it’s head. This two minute UAE animation directed by Boubaker Boukhari boasted bright colors, lighting fast reflexes and two family members ready to square off when no one else can see them.

This piece totally delivers where color and character are concerned. Stylishly animated mostly in black and white with special attention paid to coloring the main characters, it is a lightening fast and never skips a beat.

It speeds through it’s short time with whirl-wind intensity, feeling like it is only a few seconds long, rather than a few minutes.

A comedy which needs little to know dialogue and is outstandingly visual, BABY AND GRANDMA is an awesome film to watch!

 

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO. Moderated by Matthew Toffolo:

Film Review: POKER NIGHT, 11min, Canada, Comedy/Romance

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Played at the March 2017 COMEDY Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERPOKER NIGHT, 11min, Canada, Comedy
Directed by David Metcalfe

A fun, comedic short film about a group of twenty-somethings living in Toronto; poking fun at stereotypes, and breaking expectations.

Review by Kierston Drier:

This subtle, sweet romance-comedy film will test your knowledge of relationship boundaries. Poker Night is a great Date-Night discussion piece directed by David Metcalfe. When the girls’ poker night is crashed by the hosts boyfriend, the tension is palpable. But it gets worse when the boyfriend invites over his own friends to alleviate his boredom.

His heart’s in the right place it would seem, as he brings his friend to set him up with the one single-lady of the group- but is this ill thought plan going to work?

Falling more on the romance spectrum of comedy, this bright, Canadian piece will remind you of (or make you think of) the youth en metropolitan. The cheap beer, late nights, romance-in-the-eyes-of-every-stranger intoxication that is so often associated with the youth that almost has life figured out. Too old to be kids and too young to be adults, Poker Night will make you chuckle at the good-will but sloppy execution of our leading man and will definitely lead a viewing couple to discuss who “crossed the line” in crashing poker night.

Poker Night does one more amazing thing- it gets tops marks with this reviewer for a kissing scene nothing short of magical. It captures the nervousness, delight and excitement that all the best movie moments have- maybe even more, as it feels so authentic. For that, bravo to Metcalfe, and the ensemble of Poker Night.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO. Moderated by Matthew Toffolo:

Film Review: A BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE, Australia, Comedy/Crime

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Played at the March 2017 COMEDY Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERA BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE, 7min, Australia, Comedy
Directed by Sam Reiher

This job doesn’t turn out quite as well as hoped for these two loveable, yet useless, thieves.

Review by Kierston Drier:

This Australian comedy from director Sam Reiher will remind you that there are bad days in every profession. Two professional criminals case a local house. Unfortunately, they are so practiced at their work and relaxed with their comical discussions that they forget the most important part of their job- like making sure the house is empty before they walk in to rob it.

 

This is one of those short, laugh-a-minute films that ties together slap-stick and witty banter. The characters are loveable flawed anti-heroes that you can’t stop watching. Like any good comedy, the stakes slowly mount higher and higher until our heros are undone by their own faulty desires. The best part of this film is waiting to the final joke. The entire film will keep you laughing, but that end punch line is totally worth it!

 

A classic structure, with a fresh take on a bad day at work, this is a delight little comedy to unwind to at the end of your own long working day.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO. Moderated by Matthew Toffolo: