alstevens
11 Reviews
Reviews
Morgan Foster Presents: Mindcreep Cinema
Ah, Chess Club, always one to watch out for... I was a huge fan of this concept, but I think it would have been more cohesive in a 7-minute cut. Liked the use of that dreaded Wilhelm scream. Enjoyed the lead's performance.
Silent Night
First off, best team intro I've seen in years. A sweet little film, I really liked the concept and it had a few laugh-out-loud moments that the audience obviously really liked. A few technical gripes, like the boom shadow in the otherwise gorgeous slow-mo opening shot, but nothing too unforgivable. Wasn't a fan of the transition between scenes, it didn't really seem to fit the feel of the rest of the film. Lead actress is very talented and I really enjoyed her performance.
Panicked Room
UNE is one team I always watch out for in the heats. They're often criticized for the minimalist-shot thing they do, but personally I'm a fan of it. This year's submission was obviously a challenge, having landed the musical genre, but it was still had a nice production quality to it, and the lead actress has a lovely voice. My only real gripe was the gag with the Wilhelm Scream - the phone ringing thing seemed to be a lazy way out for a lot of teams. Had a few nice little comedic beats that I giggled at, and overall an enjoyable film.
STARSEED
Great art direction, and the costumes were incredible, though I found the story to be a little hard to follow. Good on this team for taking a risk.
Under The Bridge
By FAR my favourite film out of all the heats I went to. As a few people have mentioned, 'Under the Bridge' feels like something that was made with more time and money, and that would be found playing at the NZIFF. A beautiful, heartbreaking story that isn't afraid to take on social commentary. I loved it. This team is definitely one I'll be watching out for in years to come.
The Difference Between Us
Really loved this film. Great production quality in both audio and visuals. I guessed the ending pretty early on but there was some great misdirection that made me doubt my assumption. Can't say I was a huge fan of the use of the sound effect - it did stick out like a sore thumb, but to be honest, I can't think of anywhere better to put it in this film. Really hoping this team enters again next year - I'd love to see what they come up with. Well done, The Hive!
Some Body at the Lake
What a contender! Definitely my favourite from the heat. LOVE the concept. I found myself giggling aloud a lot at this adorable film. Great performances from both lead actors, and some great cinematography. Only let down by the slight sync issue, as pointed out already, but it was forgivable. Would be very surprised if I don't see this one at the Auckland finals.