Mr. Twister (2013) User Reviews

A Beautiful Mind

[jtho115 · 10/10 · 5 December 2015]

This short story delves into the life of Brian Tolley, a child with Autism. Withdrawn from society and living his life with poor verbal communication skills.He discovers his passion; making art from twist ties.

Through this passion we see Brian's true creative genius, that most of us only dream of having. Only in his mind, can he see all the opportunities to create using, what to us, are normal household items. Brian is able to create almost anything he puts his mind to.

We see in "Mr. Twister," that just because someone may appear different, they still can have an incredibly powerful mind that is open to all the creative possibilities in the world.

Mr. Twister - My take on the short

[kylehardy · 8/10 · 26 June 2015]

Mr. Twister is interesting and inspiring. Brian Tolley was destined to live inside his mind until he happened upon something he found in a grocery store. It changed his life, and now he does something he is passionate about and can share with the world.

It is an interesting line of work Brian Tolley is involved in, which delivers the message that you should follow your passion and talent and the rest will follow. It is inspiring because Brian does something he loves and is able to express himself the way he feels is appropriate.

This short is enjoyable and creative. Give it a watch and get inspired. Find your passion.

Just amazing!

[nickpetruzzi · 10/10 · 22 March 2016]

This short gives the audience a unique look into Brian's life. A child who is living with Autism and has found his own unique way of creating this amazing art. It's fantastic to see what Brian can make just from twisty ties you would get off of the bread you buy.

Brian brings you into his world! It is great to see his passion and dedication he has to creating something different. This short delivers a message that if you're passionate about something you need to pursue it.

One of the things I enjoyed about this short is that you really got to see Brian's passion and creativity he has to making this extremely unique art. This film was beautifully shot and really brought the audience into Brian's world.

A beautiful and intimate story

[TGianesini · 10/10 · 15 April 2015]

Succinct, well shot, and heartwarming, Mr. Twister tells the story of a young man with profound talent in a way that seems neither condescending nor overly dramatic, and really allows the subject matter to speak for itself. You'll walk away defining the young man by his art, not his condition.

The intimate and honest profile of Brian is subtly told with lovely cinematography and a light, non-intrusive soundtrack, all of which combine to create a portrait of a truly gifted individual. To see this story so well told within five minutes makes it easy to digest, and leaves you feeling inspired.

More interesting than expected!

[craigowaffles-1 · 8/10 · 23 July 2015]

When first watching this and hearing about Brian's gift, it doesn't sound very unique. I mean, I can can twist stuff up too! But then after seeing the amount of models and the detail he uses to make them is amazing! The shoe is my favorite!!! The cinematography is excellent, giving visual detail to the models. His autistic ability does give him attention to detail. For him to overcome autism and to become an entrepreneur makes this a truly inspiring short. Any longer would have been unnecessary. And that's all I have to say about that!!! But I thoroughly enjoyed this short and I would recommend it to anyone that has children with disabilities.

An inspiring and innovative film that sheds light on an increasingly common disorder known as Autism Spectrum Disorder.

[christinatumale · 10/10 · 11 August 2015]

Mr. Twister is an inspiring film about what amazing feats an individual with autism can accomplish. The film does a great job focusing on Brian's Tolley's strengths of being a natural artist rather than what it is like for him to live with ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder. For Brian, growing up with autism has not hindered his innate and extraordinarily gift but has merely enhanced it. Having worked with autistic children, I have a deep level of sentiment on the subject and I feel the film successfully captures this increasingly widespread disorder in a new and positive light. I would highly recommend this film to the families with children who have been diagnosed to shed some enlightenment on the idea that with their continuous support, their child can have a bright future.

"Mr. Twister" challenges the public's perception of people with autism by highlighting the creativity that can burst through the confines.

[RobertGWelner · 8/10 · 13 October 2014]

"Mr. Twister" is most effective in its open indictment of the perceptions of autism. Rather than being confronted by a character like Dustin Hoffman in "Rain Man", Brian is seen as a normal guy who, though he may have trouble explaining himself, is dedicated to his artwork. "Mr. Twister" focuses on the immense focus and creativity that can grow out of autism and Brian explains that, if anything, his disorder has helped his craft. Rather than being limited by the confines of his disease, Brian has used it to his lucrative and fulfilling advantage. Interesting camera-work and a strong sense of narrative highlight both Brian's story and his artwork and chip away at the deeply misguided assumptions of autism.

Brian's story is one that demands to be told and I am glad to see that this film was made. Just as "Rain Man" focused on the unique talents that often define autistics, "Mr. Twister" also highlights Brian's unique artistic abilities and his own belief that they are not only a product of his autism, but bettered by it. Just in the brief span of the short film, Brian becomes an immensely likable character and we the audience see him as a talented artist rather than a man who suffers under the confines of autism.

"Mr. Twister" should not only be lauded for drawing attention to an artist with autism, but also for drawing attention to an artist who creates unconventional work and has furthered the medium by utilizing materials usually not considered appropriate. The fact that Brian creates his work with twist ties, markers, and other household items shows the ways in which the art world is changing as well. Brian, perhaps fueled by his autism, is not limited to a canvas with paint nor the usual methods and compounds of sculpture. Rather, he has taken seemingly useless and uninspiring materials and created real art out of them.

"Mr. Twister" challenges the accepted perceptions of autism and art by looking into the mind of a man who sees the world differently and, as a result, changes our minds as well.

Brian the Twist-tie master!

[balzuro · 10/10 · 7 January 2015]

Mr. Twister was such a great documentary with an even more compelling story about a autistic boy who turned an unusual talent into such a sensation. I loved the way the shots were constructed and how the scenes blended together so effortlessly. I loved the voice-over of Brian telling us about how his hobby cultivated into his passion and how I visually got to see what he was making with the twist ties-none the less how he constructed them into amazing art pieces. I also loved the background music provided for this short film, it gave the film a great sentimental touch to it while also creating such a positive vibe throughout watching the film. This documentary was great overall, and i was nothing short from inspired after watching it. Great Job!

A Different Kind of Art

[brookecolor · 9/10 · 15 March 2016]

Engaging, interesting, and wholly unique, Mr. Twister gives the audience a peek into the life of the idiosyncratic. Anyone labeled with the term 'mentally disabled' is automatically associated with a stereotypical image and expectancy. Brian and his twist tie art defies that image and leaves the viewer in a sense of awe and wonder, leaving us to think, 'does disabled truly define what I'm seeing?' With detailed shots and flowing sequences, Mr. Twister is the kind of quality short film we all want. It's educational, it's simple to enjoy, and above all, it's entirely clever. The creativity between the film and Brian himself only further compliments how each is perceived.

Great Portrait

[roselauriewitmer · 8/10 · 9 February 2015]

This short documentary provides a great look into the achievements of someone on the autism spectrum who has taken a habit and made it into an art and a source of income.

What some may see as a quirk, Brian has managed to create an outlet for expression and beautiful art.

What most impressed me was the level of complexity he's achieved with his pieces. What started as a single, bent twist tie, has grown larger into a large robot statue and a full scale Converse shoe.

The short does a great job of showing that while people on the autism spectrum do face challenges in communicating, they are capable of expressing themselves in amazing ways.

Great Doc

[berenicemacias07 · 8/10 · 7 January 2015]

As far as short films go, Mr. Twister is by far one of the better ones I've seen. Not only is it well made, but the subject is exactly what a documentarian would hope for. Brian Tolley is a real person, with a real struggle and real talent. He struggles with autism but found a way to turn his handicap into creative fuel. He embraces his unique eye for shapes and translates it into art pieces made of twist ties, of all things. The piece was well shot in that the natural light was adequately manipulated and the set lighting was warm to capture Brian's warm nature. The editing is seamless. The over lapping of audio to footage between shots was relevant and placed appropriately, making this a successful and extraordinary story.

Short and Sweet

[cldmafia · 7/10 · 7 January 2015]

This was a short and sweet film about Brian who has autism, but rather than focusing on his condition we get to see how he is able to use it to his advantage and create interesting sculptures out of something as innocuous as twisty-ties. This short film was nice because it focused on his singularly unique artistic talent rather than making it into a sob story about his disability. As this film shows, autism is not so much a disability or handicap, but just another fact of life and one that makes Brian different. But just because Brian is different doesn't mean he is any lesser than anybody else and is able to create unique and interested pieces of art.

"Mr. Twister", a short doc that unravels the stigma around autism

[thwillisss13 · 9/10 · 24 April 2015]

Brian Tolley is a teen who has a interesting talent, he makes sculpture type art with twist ties--the metal encased in plastic or paper ties that keep bread bags closed. Oh and Brian is autistic, but this short bypasses dwelling on his condition and instead highlights that an unexpected person can create something unexpected. His art is an ingenuity I'd never heard of and was pleasantly surprised to see how Brian discovered his craft and how he's excelled. When we first meet Brian, he describes how he had trouble communicating and socializing, but then you see how he interacts with people about his craft and you don't see an autistic teen. I loved this short because it unravels the stigma around autism by illustrating that creative expression is solely and uniquely in the hands of the creator and that creator can be anyone. His personality radiates through his craft and the cinematography and score captures the individual beauty of Brian's personality and his creativity. The editing is light and engaging and pushes the story forward. Short and sweet, Brian Tolley is redefined as an artist and not just some boy with autism.

Fanastic Short!

[evetteallahverdian · 26 June 2015]

Who knew an everyday object like a twisty tie could create such amazing works of art! By sharing the story of Brian Tolley and his incredibly unique talent, "Mr. Twister" effectively explores themes of creativity and breaking away from social stigmas and proposed limitations of developmental disorders such as autism. It's wonderful to see Brian express himself comfortably through his creations. The film is beautifully shot as well, capturing great detail of Brian's work and giving viewers a chance to hear his story through an close one-on-one interview. Overall, it is a sweet, uplifting short with an inspiring message of individuality and embracing unique gifts and qualities.

A Fascinating Passion

[stephunspoken · 19 January 2016]

This short gives the audience a beautifully shot look at a how a young man with Autism can take something ordinary and make it extraordinary. The title of this short left me wondering what it could possibly be about, and this was not at all what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised.

For Brian to take a mundane object that most people don't notice as anything other than a nuisance when making a sandwich and turn it into a passion and career was wonderful to see and created such a compelling story.

This short showcased his talent in a gorgeous light that highlighted his work more than his diagnosis and provided a lot of inspiration in a short amount of time.