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Reviews
Do Geese See God? (2004)
short, enigmatic, probably profound (dunno for sure)
Hmm...
I didn't have a clue what this film was about but the style was amazing. Normally that alone wouldn't be enough for me to rate a movie highly but for some reason I feel compelled to recommend this short on its style alone. It really is quite unique. I particularly loved the sound design - listen to how Underwood's movements are synchronised with the sounds of traffic in some shots. Also, the colour was great - all blues and greens and muted shades. Simple shots seem to have been somewhat re-juvinated and made ten times more interesting, for example when he looks at his watch; or when he picks up the payphone in the station and we get that Homicide-style jump cut/dialogue repetition.
Can't say I get the story in any way whatsoever, even after reading the plot summary, but I'd recommend it just for how it looks and sounds.
Slash (2002)
Awful.
Um, where do I begin?
This film is simply awful. It started off not too badly, with a hokey-but-fun opening sequence, but just dived off a cliff from that point onwards. I couldn't believe what I was watching. There were so many clichés in both the story and dialogue, and they were handled with such a clumsiness and heavy handedness. Like the antagonism between the black band member and the farmer - we've seen it all a million times before, and we've seen it better done than that, too.
It also has some of the worst acting I've ever had the misfortune of seeing. And what's with the crazy extreme wideangle closeups? They look terrible. Oh, and how about cutting to both actors during a dialogue scene, not just one of them... And how about using the music a little more sparingly, instead of every scene in the whole goddamn picture.
Avoid at *all* costs. Please.
Shadowscan (2001)
Excellent BAFTA-winning short on the subject of stress and depression
I saw this short film on Channel 4 in the UK recently and was amazed. It looks superb, helped in part by being in Anamorphic. In fact, the cinematography is stunning, and actually seems to help tell the story, bringing out the best of the location in a way that most short films don't (or can't, because of budgetary reasons). The hospital seems dark and soulless, the type of place where someone might feel depressed. There's a beautifully shot sequence where the two main characters wander the hospital corridors and store rooms, basically having a laugh to cheer themselves up. It's strikingly juxtaposed with the moment when Amir reveals that he is depressed, as it emphasizes the dramatic mood swings depressed people go through in such a short time. And of course Paul Bazely's performance is spot on. Anyone who has ever suffered from depression will know what an amazing performance this is. When we see a tear rolling down his cheek and realise that Satinda will never see just how bad he feels is deeply affecting. This is the kind of directing one sees less and less of these days - simple scene staging, revealing to the audience something the other characters can't see. Hopefully it won't be too long before Tinge Krishnan gets a chance at a feature.