Today I'm going to give some capsule reviews of the projects shown Thursday, August 11 at Microcinema Fest 2005. Some of these will appear in longer form at Microcinema Scene, someday. But, off the top of my head:
TOMORROW'S LULLABY by S. Tyler Wilson: Tyler Wilson looks like your average college student, but I think he has an old soul. Last year his short Abomination, about the parallel lives of two gay teens, brought home Best Drama Short and Best Score. And he won the same two awards again this year with this short, which deals with a shattered family in the wake of the mother's death. Great shooting, great storytelling, the best way to kick off the fest.
HER SUMMER by Bryan Woods: I already reviewed this one at Microcinema Scene here, and as I suspected it played better at the fest than it did in my living room. This half buddy movie, half skin-crawling horror flick walked out with Best Horror Feature. I have seen Travis Shepherd in three different movies from three different Iowan directors, and I think he's a really good talent. Travis Marxen is sharp here, too.
OH CANADA by Jay Neander: Canada attacks Illinois with a nuclear missle in this raw, funny short with an improvisational feel. The audience was rolling.
THE NIGHTWALKER by Brian Holcomb: Old-school tech (it looks like it was shot on VHS-C) and old-school scares Lovecraft-style in this supernatural short. Weird and edgy.
MUMBLE BABY by Matt Meindl: Optically printed film short is a real accomplishment in style and substance. Done by a well-spoken University of Toledo film student. Won Best Experimental. A lot of people talked about this one after, and I still am thinking about its visuals.
TUBER by Iskra Valtcheva: A warring couple get a glimpse of their future when a vegetable turns into a baby in this surreal short. Very well shot, very cryptic; sophisticated storytelling, European vibe.
REAL LEMONADE by Matt Meindl: Meindl gets another short in, this one very greenscreen-heavy and more whimsical, as a young man and woman rekindle their childhood fantasies. A talented guy.
LEGENDS by Gerald Godbout: A Friday the 13th Jason fan film, really as good as any of the real films (which is good or bad depending on your outlook); cuts a few corners and is sloppy at times, but I liked it for its representation of people of color in all of the main roles.
Day One of MCF! Tomorrow, a look at Friday's movies. Until then, give me a shout at johnoakdalton@hotmail.com.
1 comment:
I'm glad you got to attend the fest. Its great to see the quality of the products getting better.
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