Short Film Movie Review

Film Review: FOUR DAY WEEKEND, 20min, USA, Romance/Drama

festreviews 2017 movies, Kierston Drier, movie, Movie Review, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , , ,

Played at the February 2017 ROMANCE Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERFOUR DAY WEEKEND, 20min, USA, Romance/Drama
Directed by Nicole Jones

A middle-aged couple, married for twenty-three years, takes a four-day break from each other and the aftermath leaves their relationship shaken and tested but not broken.

Review by Kierston Drier

 Rich and deeply compelling, Four Day Weekend an American film from director Nicole Jones, is one woman’s recount of her journey through her 23 year marriage to her husband, through the lense of a four day weekend where they both have permission to seek extra-marital dalliances.

She, having been sexually adventurous in her youth, proposes the nourishes the idea in an attempt to give her husband a chance to explore his adventurous side. He, on the other hand, grapples with his feelings about this newly offered freedom.

This is a film that hits that magical sweet spot in the short film world- hitting every note perfectly. Emotionally compelling, heartbreaking honest, charmingly funny, expertly acted and brilliant composed, this piece still manages to be greater than the sum of its’ parts. Perhaps this is because, not only is it a well made film, but it tackles a unique subject matter with both sensitivity and sincerity.

Many love stories, address young love, or old and enduring love. Four Day Weekend tackles love right in the middle- a mature and well developed marriage of equals facing all the nerve-wracking insecurity that comes with trying anything new for the first time. Yet, despite the subject matter of infidelity, this is a piece that really does centre around love. The love of these two people in their marriage is unmistakingly clear. The lengths they are willing to go to make each other happy is a true testament to that.

A strong and powerfully made film, Four Day Weekend will engage you mentally, emotionally and philosophically, while still reminding you that love will always know no bounds. Bravo Nicole Jones, Bravo.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO:

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Film Review: SUNDAY AFTER, 3min. Canada, Romance/Experimental

festreviews 2017 movies, Kierston Drier, movie, Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , , ,

Played at the February 2017 ROMANCE Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERSUNDAY AFTER, 3min. Canada, Romance/Experimental
Directed by Nathalie Cusson

What to do on a Sunday afternoon? There are many ways to spend spare time; The one depicted in this short film might be among the best options.

Review by Kierston Drier

 A silky smooth symbolic look at sensual visual stimulation, Sunday Afternoon is a delight for the senses. A Canadian experimental film directed by Nathalie Cusson, this piece is a three minute dive into erotic visual metaphor.

Set against hypnotic music, soft, velvety images and alluringly entrancing close ups of feathers, silk sheets and pearly droplets of water, Sunday Afternoon will have you tingling all over and unsure as to why.

As a three minute experimental film, this piece leaves itself open to interpretation, and yet it remains unmistakably clear. We may not be sure what we are looking at as the audience but we certainly know it’s sexy. It is the testament to good filmmaking, that a metaphor can be so clear and appealing, and remain utterly innocent of overt references.

Tantalizing while remaining obscure, Sunday Afternoon is a delight for the senses, and may very well give you some ideas for how you might want to spend your next long weekend.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO:

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Film Review: CHARITY CASE, 3min, UK, Romance/Comedy

festreviews 2017 movies, Kierston Drier, movie, Movie Review, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Played at the February 2017 ROMANCE Film Festival

CHARITY CASE, 3min, UK, Romance/Comedy
Directed by Sam Tibi

A young man’s attempt to show a beautiful girl his charitable nature backfires…

Review by Kierston Drier

 This delightfully fresh and comic look at chivalry gone awry, Charity Case comes to us from the UK by director Sam Tibi. In this simple, short and hilarious tale, our male hero tries to impress a beautiful woman at a cafe by tipping the barista. His plan backfires when, trying and failing to get her attention, he gives too much in the jar and runs short for his coffee. While the barista’s back is turned, our hero attempts to get his coins back- an ill fated idea indeed.

A short, humorous film that makes us question- is generosity still generosity if the gesture is done for self-gain? Is there such a thing as true altruism? It should be noted how expertly this film is able to get it’s emotional point across. In under three minutes, and with only one set, three characters and minimal dialogue, we know exactly who everyone is, and exactly what their motives are.

A simple and inviting slice of life with a keen moral- that honesty really is the best policy when it comes to meeting the girl of your dreams, or tipping the barista.

 

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO:

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Film Review: RUN FREE, 8min, Netherlands, Romance/War

festreviews 2017 movies, Kierston Drier , , , , ,

Played at the February 2017 ROMANCE Film Festival

RUN FREE, 8min, Netherlands, Romance/War
Directed by Raynor Arkenbout

Escaping his execution at the hands of Nazi Soldiers, a rebelious Dutch teenager writes a brutally honest love letter to the girl who changed his life.

Review by Kierston Drier

The saying goes that all is fair in love and war. This is a film about both. RUN FREE is witty, charmingly comical and heartbreakingly innocent film about love that blossoms in the most unexpected places. Director Raynor Arkenbout tells the story of two Dutch teenagers who have fallen in love during the reign of the second world war. Naked and running for his life, our hero hides in a barn, where he composes a love letter to the young woman who made his life in the war worth living.

Touching and honest, this piece will strike chords with anyone who remembers the exhilaration and tragedy that often befalls young love. His letter outlines their meeting and the whirlwind romance that followed. Although our hero’s letter focuses strongly the sexual relationship the two of them have, he does not omit the emotional solace the two found in each other during the most trying times of their lives. The have both lost their families to war, and both had to learn fast how to make it on their own.

He ends the letter telling that if she can go on, and live in happiness, that’s worth it. To never feel bad for the way things ended. That knowing her made this war bearable. With that, he turns to face his pursuers.

A film of great simplicity yet packing maximum emotional punch, the most disarming and beautiful thing about Run Free is the way it captures the innocence of youth and recklessness of young love, the bravery it pushes us to, the sacrifice and compassion is breds in us. If there is something magical about Run Free it is knowing the love enables us see beauty in times of horror. It reminds us that a life filled with love is still worth living, even if it only allowed to live half as long.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO:

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Film Review: INDIGO, 19min, Sweden, Romance/Drama

festreviews 2017 movies, Movie Review, Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Played at the February 2017 ROMANCE Film Festival

INDIGO, 19min, Sweden, Romance/Drama
Directed by Paul Jerndal

Two young, lost souls in New York City share a common struggle – they are stuck in lives they do not feel they belong. She is an adored actress and he, a bike messenger. On the outside they seem like each others opposite, but on the inside they are the same- dehumanized by an internal loneliness that alienates them from feeling alive.

Review by Kierston Drier

What does it mean to have it all? Wealth, fame, beauty? Friends that love and support you? INDIGO discusses this concept with beautiful and evocative images and exceptional visual composure. Coming to us out of Sweden from director Paul Jerndal, this is a film that examines one day in the lives of two lost souls in the big city of New York. One is a beautiful and famous actress, the other is struggling bike courier. She is lavished with superficial compliments throughout her day working as a model and meeting with friends. He is scolded and shunned and generally mistreated all day.

Both have friends that go out of their way to meet with them and encourage them. Yet both seem utterly isolated- lonely in a crowded city. Both revert into their own minds once in privacy and both break down completely when faced with the prospect of meeting their friends for a night of drinking and dancing. When the two find each other on the dance floor at a club, their worlds meet and both are able to break out of their shell.

Subtle, thick with nuance and emotionally rich, this piece has stunning visuals and a staggering attention is cinematic detail. Gorgeous cinematography and the gripping complexities of the characters make this film worth more than one viewing. Not only is it visually dazzling, but it provides no easy answers. Our characters talk little of their feelings, we never hear their own thoughts or desires. We learn about them largely through the voices of their friends. Both are clearly loved and cared about, yet when we see them privately each one seems noticeably unhappy. Whether they are grappling with their mental health, their places in the world, the futility of their lives- it is unclear. What is obvious though, is that our characters are missing something. And it turns out to be each other.

INDIGO is a thing of beauty, it is a film that asks you to make up the backstory of the heroes, and focuses its’ attention on the moments they inhabit in the film. It is a film that sparkles with visual pleasure and reverberates with the messages “I was lost until I found you.” Check it out.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO:

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Film Review: OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS – LIVE ACTION

festreviews Short Film Movie Review, Uncategorized , , , , ,

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

OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS – LIVE ACTION

Just in time for the Academy Awards ceremonies at the end of February, there will be screenings of 2 programs of short featurettes – live action and animated shorts.  These run from February the 10th  and make a welcome change from feature films.  These are the budding filmmakers who might make it big one day in Hollywood.

The total running time of this animated shorts program is 130 minutes.  The program runs for Feb 10th to the 16th at different times each day at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.  The Live Action program is the most international of all the programs.

For complete showtimes, click on the link below:

http://www.tiff.net/events/oscar-shorts-animation

Capsule Reviews of each live action short are outlined below:-

ENNEMIS INTERIEURS (France 2015) **

Directed by Selim Aazzazi

An interview at a local police station turns into an inquisition during which a French-Algerian born man sees himself accused of protecting the identities of possible terrorists.  This close-up of France’s troubled history with its former colonies has one man controlling the fate of another with the stroke of a pen during a turbulent period in the 1990s.  The film is basically  two handler with the two men arguing with each other.  The film is clearly biased towards the Algerian, even though the narrative does not stay in one direction.

LA FEMME ET LE TGV (Switzerland 2016) ****

Directed by Timo von Gunten

This French short from Switzerland tells the tale of elderly woman, Elise Lafontaine and the Le Grand Trains Vitesse (GTV), the high speed train.  Her daily routine is to wave the Swiss glad every morning and evening the train passes her house by the tracks.  She leads a humdrum life cycling to work in her barry store in the town of Monbijou.  Things take a turn when she starts exchanging notes with the driver daily.  I want to live life again, she tells her son who thinks she should be in a home.  This is a very charming and beautiful film based on true events about hope and living.  Elise is wonderfully portrayed by veteran French actress Jane Birkin.  

SILENT NIGHTS (Denmark 2016) ***
Directed by Aske Bang

What is remarkable about this 30 minute short is the amount of material in the story that should easily fill a full-length feature.  The story follows Inger, a Danish single woman who volunteers at a homeless shelter.  She meets, pities and falls in love with an illegal immigrant from Ghana, Kwame who hides the fact that he has a family back home.  Ing has a mother who is old and eventually passes away.  SILENT NIGHTS is set during Christmas and shows how human decency prevails.  A touching and moving short, well acted and directed.

SING (Hungary 2015) ****
Directed by Kristof Deak

SING is my pick for the Best Live Action Short.  The entire project is a metaphor for the prejudice present in the modern adult world.  And the children in this choir show the audience how to deal with the problem.  Zsofi is struggling to fit in at her new school and singing in the school’s famous choir is her only consolation.    However the choir director may not be the inspirational teacher everyone thinks she is.  Zsofi is told her singing is not good enough.  She is told to mime during the performances.  Zsofi and her new friend Liza work to uncover the cruel truth and set things right.  Brilliant and wonderfully executed!

TIMECODE (Spain 2016) ***
Directed by Juanjo Gimemez Pena

This Cannes short Palme d;Or Winner tells the story of two parking security guards Diego and Luna.  Diego works the night while Luna the day shift.  They communicate through the video surveillance recordings at the timecode each of them leaves at the end of their shifts.  Irrelevant, comical and utterly charming, this is also Spanish dance at it most original.  Do not try to logically analyze the narrative, the trick is to just enjoy the its flow.

___________________

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

Film Review: 2BR02B: TO BE OR NAUGHT TO BE (2017)

festreviews 2017 movies, Kierston Drier, movie, Movie Review, Short Film Movie Review , , ,

Played at the January 2017 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival

MOVIE POSTER2BR02B: TO BE OR NAUGHT TO BE, 18min, Canada, Sci-Fi/Fan Fiction
Directed by Marco Checa Garcia

Based on the short story “2 B R 0 2 B” by Kurt Vonnegut. Set in a dystopian future where population is strictly controlled, a Father waits for his children to be born. In a deserted hospital waiting room, one man must ask himself exactly what he is willing to do, to give his children a chance at life, any life at all.

Review by Kierston Drier

 A short story by Kurt Vonnegut turned short film by director Marco Checa Garcia, 2BRO2B: To Be Or Naught To Be is a beautifully balanced, heart wrenching and well composed piece of cinema. To open, anyone who has read the original by Vonnegut will be delighted by the amount of literary detail that the filmmaker attempts to keep in the cinematic adaptation.
Set in the dystopian future, where death is rare and birth strictly controlled with rigid population regulations, a young man must choose which one of his three new triplets will live just after their birth. To add extra tension, the birth of this new child will be accompanied by the requirement to take his own grandfather to an early grave. Distraught and emotionally unwell, our hero must dissect the cause of this turmoil by unraveling its’ necessity with one of his society’s founders. This seemingly perfect world so strictly controlled is thrown into chaos when our hero attempts to kill the antagonist- making one more space available for another one his children to be able to live. With elements similar to Children of Men, and The Giver, this is film that does not allow you to watch it passively. It demands to be engaged with.

2BRO2B: To Be Or Naught To Be is one of those rare gems of short cinema that will set your philosophical mind in motion, make you question the nature of choice, freedom and safety, spellbind you with its’ cinematic beauty, all while bringing you to your emotional knees. There is true craftsmanship in this piece. There is a level of polish and richness that any lover of science fiction and literature will appreciate and admire. Bravo Marco Checa Garcia, Bravo.

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Film Review: QUESTIONS (2017)

festreviews 2017 movies, Kierston Drier , , , , ,

Played at the January 2017 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERQUESTIONS, 6min, USA, Fan Fiction/Action
Directed by Zack Russell Bartlett

Based on “Question” DC Comics. Two faceless vigilantes search for answers as they take on a dangerous criminal.

Review by Kierston Drier

QUESTIONS is a unique fan-fiction, as it is based on a DC comic that has yet to be turned into a movie. This allows a considerable amount of directorial freedom, while still providing a rich world on which to draw from to establish characters, setting and tone. Thick with Noir elements, director Zack Russell Bartlett brings us a hard-boiled detective with a quick wit, and his tough female accomplish within a vigilante crime case. The unique element here? Our detective and his partner have no faces. At least, faces with no discernible eyes, noses or mouths.

A fascinating opening to a crime-fighting duo. A faceless hero gives a sense of the unknowable to our heroes. Philosophically speaking, this can be considered an asset, as many DC comics’ heroes have an unknowable or other-worldly quality. From a cinematic view, a special nod must be given to both the director and the actors, for being able to so clearly indicate their emotional motives without the ability to show facial expressions. Even with this hinderance, our characters’ feelings and struggles are clear.

An interesting piece with action, comedy and clarity, QUESTIONS will make you want to read to comics, and want to see these characters on the big screen.

 
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK of the Short Film:

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Film Review: ARKHAM’S JOURNAL (2017)

festreviews 2017 movies, Kierston Drier, movie, Movie Review, Short Film Movie Review , , , , ,

Played at the January 2017 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERARKHAM’S JOURNAL, 7min, Canada, Fan Fiction/Mystery
Directed by Matthew P.H Rea

Based on “Batman” DC Comics. Filmed in and around Toronto, this short proof-of-concept film provides a small insight into the untold stories of Gotham’s darkest hour. With the timeline loosely based around the batman comic, “Knightfall”, Arkham’s Journal is told through the words of Dr. Arkham’s Journal, detailing the lives of all the Arkham Asylum patients.

Review by Kierston Drier

Director Matthew P.H Rea uses ARKHAM’S JOURNAL to explore the the question “where does evil come from?” in the DC Batman Comics. Told through doctors’ notes, this piece walks through the lives and backgrounds of those residing in the Arkham Asylum.

This vibrant short doesn’t give us the whole story, and this may be one of its’ stronger points. Instead of spelling out the complete and total backstory of each villain, it shows just enough to spike our emotional centres- our fear, our intrigue, our disgust and our sympathy.

Evocative and beautiful, with strong gothic visuals and the dramatic density that rings true to the series tone and makes the franchise proud, ARKHAM’S JOURNAL brings us right to the brink of wanting to know what comes next. A strong, engaging and visually riveting piece, that stands alone while still fitting within a rich and elaborate world.
 
Watch the Audience Feedback Video of the Short Film:

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Film Review: Star Wars “Revengant” (2017)

festreviews 2017 movies, Uncategorized , , , ,

Played at the January 2017 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Festival

REVENGANT, 7min. Germany, Fan Fiction/Sci-Fi
Directed by Ferdinand Koerner

KYLO REN is on the HUNT for a ancient SITH HOLOCRON that the Resistance gathered on the planet DAHENDOR in the Outer Rim. Will KANE ALTIS be able to rescue himself before the HOLOCRON is found by KYLO REN and his REVENGANT?

Review by Kierston Drier

Anyone creating Fan Fiction has put forth a challenge. While they may have landed in a fertile story and rich universe, they must also live up to the expectations of the audience, and must seamlessly carry on the pre-established world. Enter REVENGANT a seven minute German Star Wars Fan Fic from Ferdinand Koerner.

In Koerner’s piece, Kylo Ren is hunting on the Outer Rim’s planet of Dahendor for Sith Holocron. Full of action and special effects, our hero’s engage in an epic chase/fight sequence deep in the heart of the forest. As a film goes, these filmmakers show everything they can with their special effects, no easy feat for a cinematic team recreating the iconic franchise.

Hats off to the epic challenges that come with recreating a story in such a rich and well-loved world. And as for plot, there is a short and punchy story that leaves us wondering what our hero’s will do now. You’ll have to watch and see, but the good guys don’t always win.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the Short Film:

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 FILM CONTESTSUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival
writing CONTEST1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!		 SCREENPLAY CONTESTSUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed