Hello, I Like You

Granted, there's no narrative here. You got me! But there is a whole lot of creativity and kitschy fun. Hello, I Like You is a piece by a clever group of animators and it quickly turns your expectation on its head. Household objects from light bulbs to clothespins to screws are brought to swirly, joyful, colorful life as a fantastically original song from Huma Huma sets the tone. Touted as a 'highly condensed happiness espresso," I'd say that Hello, I Like You delivers on that promise and is sure to inspire warm bubbly feelings in even the coldest heart.


Get Happy

Tune for Two

Today I watched a sick short film called Tune for Two, about a hit man singing a little ditty with his victim before proceeding to blow his brains out and bury him in the snow. First off I have to say I am in awe of all the beautiful, perfectly exposed shots in the snow despite gallons of pure white light pouring from every direction. I can barely control the light from an open window, and these guys are tackling all the photons in the solar system and making it look like angel rays. Aside from that, the editing is snappy and builds good tension without relying on excessive shot variety. The actors are both excellent, and although I had no idea what song they were humming, they both carried a tune pretty well! Clocking in at just over two minutes, anyone can make time to see this film. And they should.


Doo do, do do-do-

Kitty & Lala, 80 Impression

I can honestly say that I didn't know when I began watching this short that it was another Intel branded piece. I think that says something about what videos I seek out, and perhaps I should start looking to see if Intel has any job opportunities opening up. Kitty and Lala (not sure which is which) run a Chinese wedding photography business which has become very popular and profitable. This short nonfiction piece documents their daily work and their reflections on their careers. Many interesting techniques are used to good effect, including split screen, tracking shots, and alternative "interview" angles. I really admire the variety of shots and locations, as well as the fluid and energetic music. The clips of the actual photography sessions are especially striking. There's just something about taking video of people posed for a still camera that lends itself to beautiful compositions. As for Kitty and Lala, they have a good story to tell, and this video tells it in an all-around enjoyable way.


看看这里

The Chase

This week I watched a short film called The Chase. Ok, ok. I realize that The Chase is a fancy commercial on steroids. But you know what? I don't care– I liked it. In The Chase (made with/for new Intel processors) a secretive spy woman evades two bad nappers across multimedia platforms all while keeping a tight hold on to her elusive manila envelope. There is a discernible narrative, but of course the real treat here is the plethora of high definition tech-porn cascading from every open window. The symphony of videos and platforms is dizzying and more than enough to keep your eyes jumping the entire two-minute length. Yes, it's a commercial. But it's an elaborate and polished commercial that I wouldn't mind watching again.


Don't get caught!

Review of How to Fly a Kite

This might be my favorite short film of all time. It revolves around a man who is determined to start his very own cult, in order to expose the truth of the alien Hamitars (predecessor of our beloved American entrée, the Hamburger). Unfortunately, he is still the only member of his cult, and no one else seems to be interested in believing the nasty truth about Hamburgers, the Blarpin Cube, or Regis Philbin (an evil alien in disguise). I love everything about this short, from the acoustic guitar soundtrack to the half-matching voiceover narrator to the mountaintop climax with another lonely trailblazer. Everything is deliberately relaxed and meandering, but a lot of fun to watch. Others have complained that it gets dull in the middle, but I didn't find that to be true (it's only five minutes long!) and I actually laughed several times at the mismatching visual gags. Also I liked the retro set design (although possibly it's just someone's apartment) and the way the old pieces meshed with the 21st-century, scientology-esque plot. I can't say enough good things about this. Not too stupid, not too slow, and not without a good story. It may not be everyone's taste, but personally I loved it.


LEARN THE TRUTH

Ham Sandwich

This week I watched an entertaining comedy about a special ham sandwich with the power to time travel. If that sounds like an odd premise, that's because it definitely is. A sloppy intern buys a ham sandwich from Pappy's Shoppe and with each bite is thrust farther back in time. I liked this because it could very well have been one of the scripts we wrote in lab section. "When Adobe Attacks" is the new "When Ham Sandwich Time Travels." That being said, the cinematography was very nice, with some creative back-lighting in sets like Pappy's Shoppe, the dance club, and the castle belonging to Earl of Sandwich. There is relatively sparse dialogue, but the main character (who looks something like Jonah Hill) keeps us interested with his ever-changing expressions. Besides that, it's pretty silly. Check it out if you have some time to waste.


HERE

Review of Truth In Advertsising

I'm a little behind this week with the review, partly because my Google account decided to split itself like an early zygote and divide all my account information between two separate accounts with the exact same email address and password, making it a little hard to find the one linked with this blog. Anyway the short film I decided to review this week is called Truth In Advertising, and it's an early web video sensation from 2001.
Truth In Advertising  follows a group of employees at an ad agency throughout the completion of an average television spot, except all their usual banter is replaced by what they are really thinking. That is to say, their entire inner monologue is given vocal form instead of their usual conversational facade. The expressions, tone, and body language remain mostly the same, but in this altered world, "How are you, boss?" becomes "Go to hell, you egomaniacal prick" instead. While not exactly laugh-out-loud funny, the short seems pretty keen on the way the American people are very cautious to say things that sound good but are rarely true or meaningful, especially in the corporate workplace. Since classes this week are focusing on writing, I was paying more attention to the dialogue and the flow of the story than the visuals. The short is broken up into several segments depending on the phases of the ad's creation, and some new characters (such as the director) are introduced and promptly spoofed. This sectionalizing made the eleven minutes of mostly talking (a long video by my generation's standards) less boring and helped to clarify each scene's purpose. Not exactly a groundbreaking idea, the short was nonetheless well executed and fun. Go check it out!




HERE

Review of The Rules of the Game

This week I happened upon an entertaining what fourth wall? story about a man seeking revenge on his cheating wife-to-be. The script is easy to relish when delivered by a playful and charming solo actor, as he tells us directly about a not-so-familiar scandal. The fiancé is known to be cheating with the best man, but what does the groom do next? The answer to that question is what takes up the majority of the film's seven-minute run time, but it doesn't feel too drawn out. The film is also certainly not bad to look at, although the most unique elements are probably the narrating protagonist's frequent acting-out of events from his story (including a one-man wedding and some nasty squirts of fake blood). From the script to the technical to the score to the satisfying ending, this short film gets everything right from my perspective, and is pretty unique to boot.


Watch it HERE.

Review of Somalia

This week I watched a very short branded piece called Somalia about a group of pirates attempting to take over a ship, only to have their plans thwarted by a team of friendly robots. This short showcases a lot of midlevel special effects work, which is nonetheless impressive and effective for the purposes of the story. I liked the use of the sun as a light source on the open boat and the lens flares added a stylistic touch. There was also a lot of variety in the shots and a good amount of engaging camera movement. The spot as a whole is fast-pace and obviously well-designed beforehand. What all that planning makes for is a relatively short, two-minute piece that shows a lot of talent for different creative people (read: is useful) and also tells a satisfying story in the timeframe while frequently plugging the electronics company (read: does it's job as a promo). All in all, this is something I would be proud to have on my reel in a few years.


Watch it HERE

Review of Dennis

   This week I watched the short film Dennis, a Danish short about a painfully shy bodybuilder who lives with his needy mother. One day he decides to ask an acquaintance out on a date and, against his mother's wishes, sets out on an awkward and somewhat embarrassing evening. Dennis is preparing for the Danish National Championships, but his hard physical work doesn't seem to give him much confidence and on the contrary he sees his body becoming a freak show instead of an accomplishment in the eyes of women.
   Dennis is most notable for it's non-intrusive shooting style (likened to dogme-95 by the website review) and emotionally-driven plot. In my opinion, the emotional backbone of a story is the true bottom line; with or without a hundred other things (lighting, blocking, sound mix, etc.) the story and the emotions behind it are the only things that really matter to the audience. In other words, everything else is just icing on the cake. Unfortunately many short films seem to struggle to establish any meaningful characters or emotions within their limited time frame. Dennis succeeds in doing this by portraying the emotion of its characters not through excessive dialogue, but through effectively letting the camera be an observer into the silent actions of a man. I don't know if it qualifies as "dogma-95" filmmaking, but it certainly qualifies as an emotionally moving short film.


Watch Dennis HERE

Review of Wasp

This week I enjoyed the older short film Wasp from UK director Andrea Arnold. The short is about a young mother of four who is obviously burdened by her obligations to her children and her poverty. Far from an ideal mother figure, she is surprisingly irresponsible with her children, although her love and care for them shine through her immaturity. In the film, a former flame sees her outside with her children and invites her on a date that night. She jumps at the opportunity, telling him the children are someone else's and having them wait outside the bar while she tries to enjoy her lengthy date.
While the content of the film is, at times, uncomfortably realistic, the filmmaking behind it is intentionally restrained. The camera makes ample use of good handheld technique, while the frequent juxtaposition of poverty and nature make simple, beautiful scenes out of unpleasant realities. The child actors are particularly well played, as is the juvenile, trapped young mother, desperately seeking some adult interaction. Overall I thought Wasp was exactly what it set out to be, a realistic portrayal of a heart wrenching situation.


Watch WASP here!

Review of No Deal

   This week I watched several short films but chose to analyze the most light-hearted fare, No Deal. This short comedy tells the story of a familiar young man on the brink of a one-night stand with a cute blonde he met earlier that evening. Things start to go south, though, when they are interrupted by the girl's obnoxious and needy male roommate who seems intent on controling her attention.
   I enjoyed No Deal because it told a concise and entertaining story within a fittingly short time frame. The characters were familiar enough not to need lengthy development, but also not feel terribly one-sided. The young man is relatable in his uncomfortable quest for the female, and she is surprisingly easy to sympathize with as she caters to her irritating roommate. The camerawork was fairly clean and effective, with the handheld frame-shifts lending a sense of voyeurism without making anyone seasick. Overall, the plot is quick and the gags strong enough to make up for any missing elements. At just under eight minutes, you won't even notice there's no music!


Watch No Deal  HERE

Review of Portal: No Escape

   Based on the popular 2007 video game, Dan Trachtenberg's short film Portal: No Escape is a well-made and entertaining short fan-film. The action begins with actress Danielle Rayne waking in a prison-style cell and discovering a bar code branded onto her neck. She is being monitored by someone unknown and is fed through a sliding door in the wall. Soon she discovers a gun behind the wall that shots out portals and allows her escape via successive red and blue portals.
   Those unfamiliar with the video game are not at a particular disadvantage here, as Trachtenberg visually explains the basic concepts used in gameplay. The actress is quite good at expressing her thoughts without the use of dialogue, and the visual effects and stunts are very impressive. Additionally, I particularly liked the purposeful visual style, which kept a slim color palette and believable, of not original, set design. The music was decent but sometimes over the top in my opinion, and could have been improved with some subtlety. Overall, Portal was impressive in a host of ways and definitely worth checking out.


Check out Portal: No Escape HERE