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