USA

Movie Review: DIE YOUNG (USA, Music Video)

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Played at the July 2017 Experimental Short Film Festival

DIE YOUNG, 3min, USA, Music Video
Directed by Mimi Cave

Music Video for Sylvan Esso.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

A stunning music video by Sylvan Esso and directed by Mimi Cave, DIE YOUNG is a grippingly and lavishly shot short. A beautiful film with sumptuous and glamorous images, this piece follows a trouble making woman on her quest to escape her circumstances by stealing a cop car to drive into the desert- only to find the backseat is holding an unexpected guest.

Flawless editing and seamlessly smooth cinematic choices make this already strong music video hit new emotional heights. DIE YOUNG is more than just a music video- it is a modern day Thelma and Louise- a story of a women escaping where she was, to figure out who she is, and trying not to get lost in the process.

It may be the musically adventurous song and infectiously catchy beat, or the beautiful visuals, but there is something incredibly emotionally satisfying about this short- something that calls the viewers to get completely immersed in the story arch.

It is the sum of its parts- the music, the story, the cinema- the combination of it all, the begs the viewer to jump into off the cliff with our main character- to fall into the unknown with reckless abandon, and pray the landing never comes.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video

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Movie Review: BODY WITHOUT ORGANS (Experimental, USA)

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Played at the July 2017 Experimental Short Film Festival

BODY WITHOUT ORGANS, 2min, USA, Experimental
Directed by Mark Franz

Explores the mystical singularity of the body in terms of its separate functioning parts. Philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari use this term to refer to the “cosmic egg” of life.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

This two minute experimental hailing from the USA is a study is abstraction, art and simplicity. Set against a neutral background, animated images of body parts, from organs to nervous systems, is built together- assembled almost, to an abstract beat. Surrealist and highly experimental, this piece does not tell you it’s intent, but asks you to project your own emotion on it.

BODY WITHOUT ORGANS will remind us that we are so much more than the sum of our parts, while still showing us that those parts alone, are incredibly complex, intricate and marvelous. A special nod must be given to the detailed design put into the concept and animation. A strong piece, with even stronger style.

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Under 5min. Film: PROCLAMATION PUNCTUATION, 4min, USA, Dance/Fashion

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

PROCLAMATION PUNCTUATION, 4min, USA, Dance/Fashion
Directed by Sewra G. KidaneAn enthralling fashion film centered on a fabulously fascinating woman reciting a short soliloquy paying homage to her love for using exclamation points in her missives.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

This no-holes-barred larger than life experimental will test your fashion sense and your grammar. Our beautiful and fantastical heroine recites her thought-provoking monologue on grammar, punctuation and her “overuse” of exclamation points. The costume design in this work is utter artistry, and the actress’s highly stylized interpretation of the text makes this an engaging and sensual film experience.

One thing that must be noted in this piece is the incredibly apt timing. At four minutes, this piece is just enough sass and volume without being overwhelmingly “loud” from a symbolic point of view. Our heroine struts into our world, accents her thoughts with starting visuals and leaves us dazzled and satisfied. Full of attitude and sass PROCLAMATION PUNCTUATION is a fun, flirty and vibrant film.

Under 5min. Film: THE SNOWMAN’S HAT, 2min, USA, Animation

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

THE SNOWMAN’S HAT, 2min, USA, Animation
Directed by Jeff DraheimA stop motion snowman adventure.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

A cheerful wintry work of art, this two minute animation is a beautiful jaunt through the hardships of being snowman. Yes, our hero is a come-to-life snowman sitting in a backyard, when the wind steals his hat and lands it in a tree nearby. Despite our hero’s most handy efforts, he can’t seem to retrieve his hat, until one of his over reaching schemes takes him too far. Literally. He will take flight and meet an airplane with some unflattering results.

But does he get his hat back? That’s a question open for debate. A funny, whimsical, family-friendly piece about not sweating the small stuff, this adorable animation will delight anyone of any age. It might make you watch your own snowmen a little bit harder- just to make sure they aren’t up to something.

Under 5min Film: FAMILY SHADOWS, 4min, USA, Family/Drama

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

FAMILY SHADOWS, 4min, USA, Family/Drama
Directed by Laura MalatosEvery Friday night at 7 o’clock, Carter walks into the forest, and every single time, his father follows him. While wandering through the shadows, they discover what it means to be family.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

Beautiful and heartfelt, this four minutes family drama from the USA is a thoughtful meaningful look at human relationships, love and sacrifice. Poignet, deep and masterfully well composed, FAMILY SHADOWS recounts one man’s memories of his Friday evening walking adventures with his father. As a boy, he explored the woods, his father only steps behind him, ensuring his safety.

Laced through with childhood touchstones like well-loved childrens books, paper planes and board games, there is a timelessness to this piece. The cinematography, writing and performances and subtle, poetic and steeped in authenticity. WAtching FAMILY SHADOWS is to step back into childhood, and remember what unconditional safety feels like.

No film would be complete without a powerful, and FAMILY SHADOWS boasts a beautiful one. Touching and just a bit sombre, this four minute film takes childhood and adulthood full circle. Some things are worth remembering. FAMILY SHADOWS is one of them.

Under 5min: DATE TO THE CINEMA, 4min, USA, Romance/Drama

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

DATE TO THE CINEMA, 4min, USA, Romance/Drama
Directed by Giovanni Ferrari

Share the inner thoughts of a young man at the very fist date with a woman.CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

This 4 minute USA film follows a nervous man on first date. Our hero has the nervous-but-loveable vibe found in classic Woody Allen characters and the often-relatable habit of overthinking everything.

The charm in this films comes from its authenticity. It’s easy to believe the character’s personal concerns and anxieties as he gets ready for the date- as they are the concerns we all have- is my hair okay? Does this sweater give the right impression? Talk. Talk a lot. But not too much.

Our character also self-sabotages himself with his own concerns, making his date not actually go so well. And perhaps that’s the subtle beauty of this delightful offbeat romantic comedy. Everyone watching it knows that guy, has been that guy or has gone on a date with that guy. But this film, is about what it is like being in his own head.

Under 5min. Film: BLURRY, 5min, USA, Thriller/Mystery

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

BLURRY, 5min, USA, Thriller/Mystery
Directed by Jake HonerA young man cannot see his demise.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

Blurry is scary short cinema at it’s best, because it employs the super effective trick of never being able to see the villain. Literally. This American short follows a young man getting ready for bed in the early hours of the morning (He stays up late). When he takes his glasses off and puts his phone down and goes to brush his teeth, he realizes both have been taken upon his return. Unable to see what’s going on, he quickly figures out someone, or something is in his house with him.

Movies like the iconic Jaws and the suspense thriller The Fourth Kind are famous for employing the “never-see-your-villain” tactic, and it is psychologically brilliant. The scariest thing possible isn’t what the film can dream up- it is what the audience can dream up. The demon you can’t see will always out scare the demon you can see. In BLURRY, this is taken to a terrifying new extreme. Wwe see things from our hero’s point of view and thus sympathize with him more. On top of that, we get an incredible amount of emotional response from understanding his handicap. It is one thing to go against a threatening unknowable foe- it is another to do it handicapped.

Congratulations to BLURRY, it takes to a new level, and for that, make this simple short film terrifying and complex.

Under 5min. Film: MORE THAN LOVE, 3min, USA, Drama/Romance

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Played at the Under 5 Minute June 2017 Film Festival

MORE THAN LOVE, 3min, USA, Drama/Romance
Directed by Mitchel ViernesA woman sits on a beach one night and reminisces about her life. Amidst the nostalgia, she struggles with the more traumatic memories of her past, and considers the prospects of opening herself up to newfound love.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Review by Kierston Drier

There is an adage that when a man dies a library burns. And MORE THAN LOVE plays on that notion of a the depth of a life’s complexity from a different angle. It attempts to show a life’s story in just few moments.

A woman, sitting on the beach, recounts her life- in moments both good and bad, leading her up to this point. Falling in love, falling out of love, having children, loving her life, and being terrified within it. In only a few short minutes we are taken on an emotional roller-coaster of flashbacks through the triumphs and adversities of a human being. We hold our breath for her. This is a piece that reminds us that our destination is all the sweeter, for having had the journey.

Film Review: THE NEON STRUGGLE, 38min, USA, Documentary

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERTHE NEON STRUGGLE, 38min, USA, Documentary
Directed by Bert Simonis

A family fights to keep their neon sign business alive as the light of the industry fades away. The process of creating these delicate signs is beautifully photographed to capture the intricacy of this populist American art form. Interviews with neon historians and experts are interspersed with vintage neon signs from across the United States.

Review by Kierston Drier:

The Neon Struggle, directed by Bert Simonis, is a story that will take you back in time. It follows one family and their small business passing down the true art and craftsmanship of building and creating Neon Lights.

There was a glorious time when Neon was new, fun, flashy and authentic. It took nearly a decade to learn the trade of sculpting, crafting, installing and repairing it A viewer may remember the day when Neon Lights were the only lights to catch your attention. But Vegas, once the Neon Capital of the world, would one day switch to LED.

And though this is a dying art, this family, with unapologetic charm, and passion, takes us through the work they do, the journey they have made through decades of lighting up the night with electric ions and phosphorescent hues.

Cinematically, this is nothing short of a colorful, and it is a piece brimming with authenticity. It is like stepping into an episode of Pawn Stars, with the cheerful characters and the educational, yet conversational atmosphere that the family creates while recounting the truly fascinating history of Neon. We wouldn’t immediately think that Neon went out of fashion for political reasons- that it was the victim of Marketing tactics hailing it as “colorful clutter” instead of the message board of the masses. That LED hit the stage in a time of Public Relations and Marketing, a platform that mom-and-pop neon shops never had been made to work within.

A fascinating look at sliver of history- a history that is as rich and bright as the lights themselves.

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Film Review: THE LONG GOODBYE: AN ALZHEIMER’S STORY, USA, Documentary

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERTHE LONG GOODBYE: AN ALZHEIMER’S STORY, 5min, USA, Documentary
Directed by Christian J. Harris

An intimate short story about Alzheimers and it’s effect on it’s victims and caregivers. Get an inside look of what it’s like to live with this disease through the eyes of a couple who just won’t give in.

Review by Kierston Drier:

In this heart wrenching testament to love conquering all things, The Long Goodbye is The Notebook, come to life. Directed by Christian J. Harris follows a husband-wife couple, married over fifty years. The wife is slowly dying from Alzheimer’s. The husband refuses to put her in a facility.

This is a love story. A real, honest and touchingly human look at vulnerability of love. A film with no easy ending, it reminds us that love is not about the end- but the journey. It is an open love letter to all who take the leap the love demands us to take. A cinematic look at one man reaching into a void to hold on to his best friend, this is a not a film to miss.

Watch it, for the dive into a human heart. Watch it for a true story of love conquering all. Watch it to hear his wife turn to him and say “You are my best friend.” A film written, directed and starred from the bottom of many hearts, The Long Goodbye is a beautiful film.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video: