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bengoldwrites
Reviews
Speed Date Night (2019)
I was not expecting that!
Some would say modern cynicism becoming a desirability is genius. Speed Date is a short film which rides that sentiment in a way that took me by surprise. Brilliant!
Easter Egg: Listen to the announcer at the beginning then check the run time at the end. Thank me later.
Promised (2013)
Two Archangels. One Broken Promise.
Promised is a thrilling ten-minute ride into an imagined confrontation between the archangel Michael and the fallen Morningstar that leads to a betrayal that cannot be undone.
Beautifully and dynamically shot at an equally stunning location, Ozdemir shows real promise not only as a director, but also as an editor with the post-production being both slick and professional.
Chances are this short will actually leave you hungry for more!
High-Rise (2015)
Stopped watching halfway through.
This review is not intended to disrespect Mr. Wheatley or his team. Filmmaking is hard as it is.
High Rise, to me, feels like a slightly pretentious art film made by a few friends straight out of film school. The story as far as I could tell is set in 1970's England and is based on a class system akin to Blade Runner where the super rich live at the top of the building and the poor at the lower levels. Cue whatever drama comes out of that.
Technically, everything in this movie felt very staged and mechanical. As if the overriding goal was not to let the story unfold organically, but to shoe horn that "One Perfect Shot" in every scene.
It's quite frustrating when you try to give a filmmaker the benefit of your doubt. But in truth, I've never been able to watch a Ben Wheatley movie all the way through. His movies feel a little too niche for my own cinema going tastes in terms of narrative structure and execution. There's definitely some strong underlying message that's being played out. Trouble is, it seems that only he and the very few can decipher and enjoy whatever he's trying to say.
Alas, not for me.
B.