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Reviews
Nox (2019)
Meets and defies expectations!
I'm always awed when someone can tell a complex story in a short time. The film Nox is an excellent example of that.
The opening shots of a nighttime vista of water and woods sweep across the screen, with the ominous tones of the score in the background. In a few short scenes, we learn that the movie is dark, edgy, and about a crime (or crimes).
I don't want to give away too much, but I will say that the story starts off deceptively simple. However, buried beneath that facade are possible inferences, plot complications, secrets.
As someone who writes crime fiction and knows something about thriller and crime tropes, this film's ending really made me think.
And the final shot? Love the watery reflection off the pool. I'll leave the rest for you to mull over.
Another great short thriller from writer-director Keyvan Sheikhalishahi.
Three Fingers (2015)
Great short film!
Fantastic little film. So glad I found this through Seed & Spark!
The movie perfectly captures the difficulty of a female Marine's return to society, including the toll it takes on her relationships and interactions with others.
The entire story is economically told in only 13 minutes.
Well done!
The Last Hurrah (2016)
A must-see for film noir enthusiasts!
The Last Hurrah is both a cinematic love letter to the film noir genre and a story well-told with an economy of words.
From the opening shot, the movie establishes the social zeitgeist that set the stage for the film noir movement. In short form, it reflects the themes and images of post-WWII anxiety, cynicism, and pushback against society's expectations with regard to gender roles.
As is often true of such films, the story concerns a man, a woman, and money. We are left to imagine how they got the money, but their relationship is revealed over the course of a mere 17-1/2 minutes. This is accomplished with the deft use of dialogue and deep focus photography, not to mention a score and set decoration that complement the story. There is even the fleeting bit of foreshadowing squeezed in, here and there.
This is a captivating little film that captures the spirit of film noir, while telling an entire story without wasting a shot. A must-see for film noir enthusiasts.
Blessid (2015)
A must-see indie film!
I started watching this movie with no idea what it was about or expectations. That's why I'm not going to summarize the plot. Because the movie works best in discovering the truths that lie beneath the surfaces of the two main characters: a beleaguered pregnant woman and her odd neighbor from across the street.
I was singularly impressed with every aspect of the film. As a screenwriter, I was particularly impressed by the filmmaker's use of long takes, in which the two characters had conversations so gripping, I hung on every word. This is especially true for the big revelation made at roughly the mid-point of the movie. This speaks well, not only of the screenplay, but of the director's trust in and respect for the audience's intelligence.
The film has its creepy and unsettling moments, but I can't truly characterize it as a horror flick. It's more like a story of redemption and hope. And how, even when you feel you have no worth, someone may be looking out for you.
I will warn you, though, I'm not a big fan of depicting cruelty to animals. And while a certain scene with a cat nearly made me lose it, the movie's overall theme of forgiveness and spiritual renewal more than made up for that.