SF50 - Boston Science Fiction Film Festival
Reviews are posted alphabetically by film. Features are listed first, shorts are categorized by showcase.
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Features
Shorts
Q & A Sessions with Filmmakers and Other Guests
Clone Cops
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: HiPhi Productions
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Danny Dones
Writer: Phillip Cordell and Danny Dones
Starring: Schyler Tillett, Quinnlan Ashe, Laura Halloway,
Allison Shrum, Ted Welch, Henry Haggerty, Ravi Patel, and Phillip Cordell
“You’re not in a fair fight. I rigged the system.”
In a probably not too distant future, cloning technology has become the norm to keep society as dumbed down as possible. At the center of this is Nefaricorp, the cloning factory created by Robert Nefari (Ravi Patel) and his right hand Murphy (Dean Shortland). They oversee the work of Frank (Henry Haggerty) who sends the clones out into the world, and not only are they used to fulfill various jobs within society, even the police force. The clones, a bit underdeveloped, are easily controlled and sent out as needed, and in this next “need” they are sent to stop a group of criminals who are holed up in an abandoned warehouse planning their next heist. Amongst the group, you have all the usual suspects, the leader, Porter (Laura Halloway), the weapons expert, Brick (Ted Welch), the hacker, Cipher (Allison Shrum) and the assassin, Fera (Quinnlan Ashe). They are a bit nonplussed when they learn they have a new team member to train, Kinder (Schyler Tillett), and they begrudgingly take him in. Eventually, they are interrupted by the Clone Cops, a group of clones played in all its variants by co-screenwriter Phillip Cordell, and they need to fight their way out to survive. However, as our gang picks off the clones one by one, we will see that not all is as it seems, and there is a darker truth at play.
In Clone Cops, which you can tell from the opening that it pays homage to the great satirical, cult comedies of a certain time, such as early Paul Verhoeven. Co-writer and director Danny Dones and Cordell know exactly what they set out to do. They have created a society where humanity isn’t worried about the ethical implications of something as tenuous as cloning, but will enjoy watching these exploits on a streaming television show and as we see something akin to the Hunger Games (including colorful commentary provided by TV hosts Persephone (Victoria Keum Jee) and Thongdaddy420 (Justin Tarrents).
The performances are a bit of a mixed bag. Some shine more than others as we follow this battle of criminal vs. clone. As the clones, Cordell is a standout demonstrating comedic chops like the missing member of a Broken Lizards film. Also, Patel and Welch make their mark providing genuinely funny moments. They understood the assignment, while some others are less engaging. This is a bit unfortunate because while this is a comedy first and foremost, there are certain moments of depth when we look at themes of friendship and trust that don’t land as we would like them to.
All in all, the film is a lot of fun and you can tell from the trailer that while Clone Cops lacks the mainstream bam and pow of a major blockbuster, the simplicity of its setting and commitment of the cast works to entertain. These are the types of films that don’t often get the attention they deserve because almost as Cordell and Dones posit, we go for the big bang, but sometimes a loud pop is good enough. If this film were to have a second chapter (and there is some suggestion it could based on its ending) I would be game to tune in once more.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Parallel Consequences (Consequências Paralelas)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Iskool Filmes
Rating: NR
Language: Portuguese
Director(s): Gabriel França and Cd Vallada
Writer(s): Gabriel França and Cd Vallada
Starring: Carol Macedo, Felipe Hintze and João Fenerich
“I turned into a monster…a monster.”
Entering into the home of Bruna’s mother, Bruna, played by Macedo, her husband Pedro, played by Fenerich and her friend Max, played by Hintze, have come to settle affairs as Bruna’s mother suffered a tragic death. Of these, Bruna feels she needs to determine what happened to her mother by using the time machine that her mother created, in the form of an armchair. Bruna explains this to Pedro and Max, along with the explanation about the way this works. It introduces the concept of parallel realities. Bruna explains that there are infinite, identical realities happening at the same time, and in traveling, you create various checkpoints based on when you travel to. For want of a lengthy explanation, I will leave it there, but I will say, the film does an incredible job explaining the theories and, unlike other films of this ilk, like a good teacher, models it with manipulatives in the form of cards and chess pieces. Hesitant to let her do this because it could cause her harm, Pedro decides that he needs to do this first, before his wife does it. One by one, each of our trio takes their turn, but after Max takes his, he returns to the present to see that Pedro has pulled a gun on him. While Bruna and Pedro used the chair only once, Max continually uses the device and each time he does it, cracks the reality they are within. For the remainder of the film, we will unravel the web that has developed between these three as we try to uncover the secrets that each one has that come about in different ways, however, it seems that in this web, death may be imminent.
First off, this is more than just another multiverse or time travel film. We have seen these, and depending on the execution can either be a very confusing science lesson, or, a simplistic view of complicated scientific concepts. Here, França and Vallada smartly sidestep these issues by keeping their story tight. While there is a lot of science to get through to understand what we are watching, they keep it explained in the beginning and then give us a tense three hander for just over an hour. The trio of actors is all excellent and the script allows them to cover a wide expanse of emotional depth as each time Max uses the chair, the stakes are raised. Also, setting the film in one claustrophobic room within the house raises the tension in an almost uncomfortably palpable manner. By doing so, we don’t have to worry about various settings or multiple characters. Everything we learn is through information dumps from the characters in bits and pieces which keeps it focused.
Additionally, all of the performances here are excellent. This trio clearly had camaraderie on set, or at least made it believable because their interactions are very intimate and powerful. They say a chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and there are none here. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight Hintze. As Max, he is incredibly magnetic and whether intentional or not, wears an excellent t-shirt that holds more meanings than you might think at quick glance. His range is astonishing as he goes from 0 to 60 and back again with almost no effort. As we follow his journey specifically, we see the potential impact that science like this could have if it were to exist. Supporting this is a grounded performance by Macedo who says more with her eyes than her words. Fenerich also has his moments to shine, and elevates a role that could have been sidelined, but isn’t.
França and Vallada ask some fascinating questions about science and how perhaps this science is not as beneficial as we may find it. In the creation of this, there is a wonderful shift in the cinematography which is masterfully shot by Rodrigo Prata capturing the tiny living room we are in. Also, Vallada and his co-editor Gabriel Keaton use unique edits transitioning from an approximate 20 minute single take to rapid quick cuts as we begin to see the world of these three fall apart all for attempting to mess with time. França on his first feature and Vallada on his second feature prove to be a powerful duo in storytelling where they keep you on your toes as we watch this tale unfold and will excite you to see what they will come out with next.
All in all, this is a tense, fast paced film that will keep you guessing until the last frame flashes by.
Review by Cinephile Mike
The Road to Nowhere (Droga Donikad)
⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Iskool Filmes
Rating: NR
Language: Polish
Director: Amadeusz Kocan
Writer(s): Amadeusz Kocan, Artur Beling and Natalia Dziadura
Starring: Karol Kopiec and Pawel Kaszkowiak
“Survival became the goal, and every man became an enemy.”
Piotr, played by Kopiec, once lived a very happy existence with his wife. Life was good and nothing could have been better, until circumstances that aren’t fully explained, we see that Piotr is now trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle, Piotr wanders looking for food, material and shelter. As he goes on his journey, he will come across many others looking for the same, and it becomes survival of the fittest, who will shoot first, and who will survive. As he goes, he will face the elements, rain, snow and an obstacle course of hanged men, in order to live. On his journey, he finds a cave, and, preparing to settle in, sees that it is not empty. It is occupied by an unnamed stranger, played by Kaszkowiak. Piotr wants to fight, but he’s weak, and on first meeting, passes out. Upon waking, we see that this stranger is different. He doesn’t want to hurt Piotr, he wants to help him. Taking care of him, he feeds him, and waits for him to get his strength back. As they remain in the cave, they begin to talk and share certain aspects of their lives with one another. However, given the world we are in, one can’t help but assume this will not lead to a happily ever after.
While this film appears to want to ask some of the big philosophical questions about what would cause our world to go this way, you can’t help but feel we’ve been here before and seen this. Honestly, at times I felt I was watching another spinoff of The Walking Dead, although this version of the world had no zombies. However, we do have the villainous out there looking out for number one. In fact, there was a very derivative scene that played like the majority of the season of TWD that introduced Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan and the Saviors. In the scene, a man is running with a child, and he is accosted by another man and his gang, confronted for his actions, and this Bandit Leader, unnamed but played by Artur Beling, handles it exactly the way you expect it to go down, with at least the young boy surviving, all while Piotr keeps watch from far away, not wanting to get embroiled in someone else’s drama.
The performances are not bad, and Kopiec and Kaszkowiak have an easy back and forth when we sit with them in the middle of the cave chatting about the evil world around us, but the script is very familiar. We are treated to some possible interesting subplots, but none of these are fully explored, and as the film leads up to its third act, it doesn’t feel fully earned. That said, visually, writer/director Kocan also served as a cinematographer along with Bartosz Wabno, and while this is an independent film, it has the look of a big budget feature with its vast, expansive post-apocalyptic landscapes, and there is great, intricate detail inside the cave we spend parts of the film in with Piotr and the stranger. Also, Alan Bucki and Zbigniew Tyc’s haunting score works wonders as we follow long stretches of Piotr’s journey.
Ultimately, while visually stunning, and Kocan wore many hats to make this film happen, the script will leave you wanting more as we have seen similar plots like these in other films such as I Am Legend and The Road. Even at a brief 80 minutes, stretches of the film feel a bit too drawn out.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Small Town Universe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Rescued Media
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Katie Dellamaggiore
Starring: George Behrens, Barbara Crist, Sue Howard, Karen O’Neil, Ellie White and Josh White
”We need to work hard to make sure this resource never goes away.”
Did you know that buried deep in the Appalachian mountains, there is the town of Green Bank, West Virginia, that is one of the most famous radio quiet zones in the United States. In the middle of this 13,000 square mile area between Virginia and West Virginia, sits the Green Bank Observatory and the largest radio telescope in the country. Often, telescopes are built on the highest peaks so as to get the best views, but, this one, buried in the mountains, is functioning because of the lack of cell towers and other electromagnetic interference. This is the famous telescope that was featured in Carl Sagan’s documentary Cosmos. Now, one would think this is a resource that needs to be protected, but sadly, many believe that progress for progress sake is the best means, but to this community, that is not always the case.
Director Katie Dellamaggiore began her journey on this film almost 10 years ago. While reflecting on communication, she wondered, is there a place without cell phones, and she discovered Green Bank. She journeyed there and began to speak with the citizens in the town and crafted the story about this whole community that has come together to protect this resource that not only provides critical information for scientists to research “what is out there” but also as a support for the way this community lives. Dellamaggiore crafts a moving story that is not just a documentary about the telescope and the science it provides, but how it impacts a community. This is woven with the tales of several people within Green Bank.
One is Ellie White, a homeschooled student, along with her brother Josh, they were homeschooled not because their parents didn’t trust the school system, but they wanted Ellie and Josh to explore more creative interests naturally, and for Ellie, it was science. We see how Ellie goes from a quiet 11th grade student to being a research assistant to some of the more prominent scientists in the country. She talks candidly about her experiences researching astronomy and the importance of seeing more women in the science field. Another strand in this film is the O’Neil family. Karen O’Neil, the director of the Green Bank Observatory recognizes the importance of the facility and the need to keep resources like this protected. Also, she appreciates that she has been able to raise her family without the constant need to have their faces buried in phone screens, and while her children still have access to technology as needed, there is a joy to family game nights of Catan and watching old Doctor Who episodes from the 1970s that have been burned onto DVD by old video tapes. One more of the many strands is Sue Howard, a New York transplant who suffers from electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). While she is apart from her husband who needs to remain in New York to assist with their family, she is able to revive and live a healthier lifestyle as she is away from all of those painful sources.
As we see the community come together, it is an empowering story of the human spirit and the need for science to prevail. Told with a mixture of spy footage, talking head interviews and intercutting such previous scientific programs as Carl Sagan’s Cosmos: A Personal Voyage and BBC’s Horizon, we get an almost decades long look at a truly united community. Directors of Photography, Tijah Bumgarner, Jeff Fisher, Brian Schulz and Derek Wiesehahn fill the screen with some gorgeous shots of West Virginia that would make impressive postcards and help show that there is a world where we can survive without the technology that addicts us. Additionally, there are some beautiful orchestrations by Jherek Bischoff and animation of solar activity by Lottie Kingslake that bring everything together.
All in all, this is a documentary for science lovers and those who love stories of wholesome communities who fight for the better good of society.
Review by Cinephile Mike
The Strange Dark
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: NJ Film School
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Chris Messineo
Writer: Chris Messineo
Starring: Nili Bassman, Caleb Scott, Carmen Borla, Bates Wilder,
John Beckwith, Carson Jean Holley and Athan Sporek
“The future’s not all dark.”
On a dark night, a pair of ominous individuals, Maria (Borla) and Frank (Wilder) have arrived to the home of Susan (Bassman). We quickly learn that they work at Double Star Accounting with her ex-husband Ed (Scott). After a short discussion, they inform her that Ed is in trouble and that Susan is in danger. We learn that Double Star believes Ed is suffering some mental health issues, possibly as a result of the divorce. He is the best at working with the company’s unique numbers, but lately he has been acting odd. Susan tries to explain that she hasn’t seen Ed in about a week, and hasn’t noticed anything odd. We then jump to Part 2 of the story (the film told in seven parts), and we see what happened 25 minutes prior to Maria and Frank’s arrival.
At this point, we learn that Ed actually showed up that night, in the kitchen, and reveals to his wife Susan that his job wasn’t what it always was. Yes, he claimed he was an accountant, but, he admits that he is actually a cryptologist, who breaks codes for his company.Through his work, he has discovered that there are star systems that were not as recognizable, and for lack of explaining the science in this sequence (a fascinating explanation), Ed admits that he is able to see the future, and now his company is after him, which puts Susan, and their daughter Taylor (Holley) at risk. Susan attempts to try to get him to explain what is going on, and Ed demonstrates and he gives some information about what will occur shortly which involves blindness, dancing, blood, and Fredo. He explains that he is working on the name for this, but he calls it phosphocy. After this, we jump to Part 3, which picks up where Part 1 left off and we continue to discover the mysteries at the center of The Strange Dark.
In this nonlinear approach, Messineo has crafted a highly entertaining story that in its brief 80 minutes is able to smartly blend elements of sci-fi thriller, comedy and at its heart, a story about the resilience of family. He keeps you in the palm of his hand as he unravels each clue into the next one. The cast is all game, with a solid anchor provided by Bassman’s Susan. It is following her on her journey of discovery that we see all these loose strands pulled together. Also, in some of the most dramatic moments, brought about by Borla’s powerful intensity as Maria, there is wonderful comic relief provided by Wilder’s almost gentle giant Frank. What drives the narrative is the powerful chemistry between the different pairs of partners we have in Maria and Frank and Susan and Ed.
The film, independent in nature, looks anything but. The film was shot entirely in one house in New Jersey and it fits the story perfectly. Cinematographer Teodoro Maniaci frames various shots all over the house with unique angles at times giving us the perspectives of the different characters we see. Also, its look is extremely polished. You don’t often see independent films look as sharp and clear as this one does. With sharp visuals and clean edits, we have a wonderfully haunting score by composer Chris Hurn whose ominous tones leave you off kilter in all the best ways. Writer/director in his first feature film in both roles after almost two dozen shorts present a clear voice and you can feel his love for the genre in almost every scene and proves an exciting voice to pay attention to.
All in all, this film has something for everyone. Whether you love sci-fi, comedy, drama, it is all here in an entertaining package.
Review by Cinephile Mike
Time Travel is Dangerous!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Shakespeare Sisters and Candr Pictures
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Chris Reading
Writer: Chris Reading, Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare and Hillary Shakespeare
Starring: Ruth Syratt, Megan Stevenson, Guy Henry, Brian Bovell, Johnny Vegas,
Sophie Thompson and Stephen Frye
“It’s a lot cheaper and faster when it’s free.”
Meet Ruth (Syratt) and Megan (Stevenson). These two besties, think Romy and Michele, are a pair of entrepreneurs who run the Cha Cha Cha vintage shop in Muswell Hill, in North London. Business was OK, and then one day, six years ago, they found what they thought was a school project out by the dumpsters. However, upon playing with it, learned it was a time machine, in the form of a revamped roller coaster car. Using it to expand their inventory, they travel to various time periods throughout history. They won’t bring back giant items like cars, but anything they can hold, they bring it back. It has effectively cut down on operating costs because as Ruth states, “It’s a lot cheaper and faster when it’s free.” They take advantage of this and keep the machine a secret, or so they think.
One day, a customer comes in curious about the wares Ruth and Megan are carrying. Unbeknownst to them, this man is Martin, played by Guy Henry, the self-elected Chairman of the Technology Engineering Scientific Thought and Innovation Society (or T.E.S.T.I.S.), an organization that was originally founded by Ralph Sheldrake, played by Brian Bovell and Valerie Lancaster, played by Sophie Thompson. Brought to a meeting, we learn Ralph had invented the time machine, but claimed it had been decommissioned. He warns Ruth and Megan that they should no longer use the time machine as the ramifications could be damaging. However, this is not fully heeded, and as we follow our pair, we see the implications of their actions.
Right at the start, this film evokes the can-do spirit of Christopher Guest mockumentary films with a company of actors that truly grounds the absurdity in reality, and as a result, leads to endless laughs. Reading and the Shakespeare Sisters have crafted a clever script that introduces the scientific concepts of time travel and blends them with the dry frankness of British humor (think The Office - either iteration, but this film revels in the British characteristics). While the script functions well as a scattershot look into the lives of its subjects, we see Ruth and Megan in Cha Cha Cha, meetings of T.E.S.T.I.S. and even journey to a mysterious place known as The Unreason, and it all gels together to tell its cautionary tale letting us know, Time Travel is Dangerous!
Syratt (in her second feature film) and Stevenson (in her first feature film), real life best friends, are excellent. Their natural chemistry and application of dry line delivery are laugh out loud funny and totally engaging for the entirety of the film. This is quite a testament to them as they are surrounded by a more seasoned troupe of actors including Tom Lenk, Johnny Vegas, Tony Way and the aforementioned Bovell, Thompson and Henry. When we get to see the various interactions you almost want more, and while this film reaches a satisfying ending, you almost hope there is going to be more entries as T.E.S.T.I.S. will have some self-revelatory moments. Also, Stephen Frye makes a pleasant addition serving as our narrator for this entire experience.
All in all, this film delights in the absurd and I was happy to spend some time with Ruth and Megan. The visuals, quite impressive for a low budget indie film, shows how you can in fact do a lot with a solid script and game cast.
Review by Cinephile Mike
The Laputa shorts are bite-sized visions from the dark edges of humanity. The name Laputa is so named for the fictional floating island in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726). The island is the home of the king of Balnibarbi and is used by the king to enforce his rule over the lands below.
“Absolution”
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Jill Yapsuga
Writer: Jill Yapsuga
Starring: Erika Sylvester
The character of Eike Granford is front and center at the hands of Jill Yapsuga’s “Absolution.” In voice over, we hear the narrator voiced by Erica Sylvester posit the question, “Like all good men who do bad things, his time has come.” What made Eike Granford do something so terrible? What was the terrible thing? While we don’t get answers to this question in this all too short film, we do see the ramifications on his actions take place in stunning animation. In its 3 minute run time, Yapsuga effectively ups the cringe factor as we see the body of Eike alter based on the ramifications of his actions and it is animated in stunning style often seen in motion comics. “Absolution” hints at a more fascinating story that needs to be told and yet, for its brevity, you will still ponder the ethical question at hand. It is also worth mentioning that Alex Luquet’s score is haunting in all the right ways as we see each crack and adjustment.
“Golden Hour”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Maureen McEly
Writer: Maureen McEly
Starring: Becca Howell and Daphne Steele
In “Golden Hour,” among the many questions writer/director Maureen McEly asks, one is “Who wants to live forever?” If you had a chance to never lose your loved ones, what would it cost? Is there enough? This is the query in this all too brief short where Katherine (Becca Howell) will have to consider what she can do. In a world where technology haunts us and monitors our everyday, we are under constant watch and do we control it, or does it control us. A simple game of Would You Rather? takes a dark turn in this philosophical debate by writer/director McEly. It’s difficult to say anymore, but, the film posits fascinating questions that I hope McEly has a chance to expand upon as she continues this journey. As we are on this all too brief journey, Catherine Capozzi in a matter of minutes is able to capture the mind with her haunting piano score as we feel the heartbreak which Howell is able to bring with a quick glance as we see interactions with her daughter June (Daphne Steele).
“Memories of Mother”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Lola Kenet
Writer: Lola Kenet
Starring: Armando Mieses, Carolina Parra, Tatiyana Alvarez and Niki Chernitska
In “Memories of Mother” we glimpse into the world of Manny, played by Armando Mieses, a 21-year-old man who is living at home with his mother, played by Carolina Parra, and opts to either hang and smoke with his friend Kayla, played by Tatiyana Alvarez, or, spend time fooling around with his girlfriend Lilly, played by Niki Chernitska. All this, while still living at home with his mother. However, as we see early, Mother’s battery is on low, and she needs a recharge. In a world where we all need batteries to function day-to-day, we see that this is not a free expense, and Manny will have to find a way out of arrested development in order to “recharge” his mother. Director Lola Kenet uses dark humor and a dimly illuminated New York City to tell this story that asks interesting questions, like, what would you do to keep a loved one fully charged? Are these decisions easy and worth the challenge that they involve? This brief glimpse teases an interesting alternative future that would have been fun to spend a bit more time in as we follow Manny’s journey.
“Ocean’s Playbook”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Pumpkin Monkey Pictures
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Samual Dawes
Writer: Samual Dawes
Starring: Jamie O’Neill, Keisha Atwell, Tristan Samuel, Mia Lacostena, Marc Aldridge and Nigel Betts
Samual Dawes’ “Ocean’s Playbook” is a very clever and enjoyable caper flick, set in the future of flying cars and teleportation jumps, that evokes the spirit of the Ocean’s 11 franchise. We have our team, led by Owen, played by Jamie O’Neill, evoking a George Clooney like swagger, and his trusty partner Penny, an enjoyable Keisha Atwell giving Brad Pitt-like comedic dryness who need to rally the troops to steal back “The Pamela,” a work of art that they stole from Owen’s older brother Michael, a delightful Marc Aldridge. Given a day to steal it back and return it, they gather the other members of their team, Tristan, played by Tristan Samuel, Marta, played by Mia Lacostena. As we see the team go through the paces, we will see if they are able to accomplish what they need to. Dawes has written a very clever script that provides both humor and a satisfying ending to the story that he sets out to tell. He has created a fun group of characters that would be enjoyable to see expanded on in a series format. I would be happy to see the weekly adventures of Owen’s crew.
“R E S E T”
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Selwyn
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Peter Stray
Writer: Peter Stray
Starring: Kezia Burrown, Peter Stray and Kevin McCurdy
In Peter Stray’s “Reset,” we are in a dystopian future where if you don’t like what is wrong with yourself or your loved ones, like say, wanting to prevent your child from growing up to be a serial killer, or converting one’s sexual orientation, or managing suicidal thoughts, you can change it. All you have to do is have a simple chip, that embed three microsystems within them, into the head of said loved one, and all will be well in the world. With technology such as this, what could happen? Well, after the film’s opening commercial presents a world of harmony thanks to Reset, we jump to two years after the fact and see what, well, is the science actually worked out. The scientific implications are brought to light when Stray, playing a man who has been arrested for a crime has an interaction with a police officer played by Kezia Burrows. The film serves almost as an interesting trailer for a more thought provoking feature that I would like to see. Mind control has always been a fascinating discussion point.
“The Shaver Mystery”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Lovecraft 21c Productions, LLC.
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Dean Bertram
Writer: Dean Bertrum
Starring: Dean Bertram, Tim R. Swartz, Gabriel Mckee, Steve Ward and Nathan Paul Isaac
Throughout history, the first solely published magazine for lovers of science fiction, Amazing Stories brought other worlds to our hands. With stories by the likes of HG Wells, Jules Verne and Edgar Allen Poe, our minds were captured. However, not so much so as during a resurgence of the magazine in the 1940s with the “The Shaver Mystery.” These stories, under editor Ray Palmer, presented “true stories” of Richard Shaver and his interactions with evil underground aliens. However, many wondered to the validity of this, and through a series of talking head interviews, archival footage and voiceover, director Dean Bertram, begins to dig deep into the mythology of these facts, and some of the information uncovered is quite eye opening. As he digs into this story that was at once lauded as well as experiencing much backlash by the science fiction community at large, we get a picture of what was actually true. This short film is only a brief 14 minute excerpt from what is being developed into a feature project which makes me want to dig up the story myself.
Review by Cinephile Mike
The Omelas shorts are shorts that tend toward the terrifying. The name Laputa is so named for the utopian city in The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (1973), a short work of philosophical fiction by Ursula K. Le Guin depicting a city whose prosperity depends on the misery of a single child - and its citizens who reject the moral cost.
“Carter”
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Good Movies, Inc.
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Xander Copp
Writer(s): Meg Rodgers and John-Paul Kaczur
Starring: Cormac MacCormac, Elizabeth Saunders and Brian Quintero
In this adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s recurring protagonist, we see Carter, played by Cormac MacCormac, digging away in the cemetery, working alongside Warren, played by Elizabeth Saunders. They are trying to find the correct portal entrance to the other side, which will allow them to get to the center of the earth. Carter wants nothing more than to go and find an unnamed individual, but Warren won’t allow this. This short serves as more of an opening scene to a tale that would be much longer, but we only get our brief introduction. While an interesting concept, this short, written by Meg Rodgers and John-Paul Kaczur, unfortunately leaves too many questions unanswered which leaves its ambiguous ending rather frustrating. The most engaging element of the short it must be said is the excellent sound design and mixing by Chris Anderson. Each step in the desolate cemetery, and each screech in the night provides excellent ambience with some creepily effective cinematography by Bradley Cherry.
“Escape”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Lorenzo Manetti
Writer: Lorenzo Manetti
Starring: Grace Frances
Chaos rages as the apocalypse comes in various attacks all over the world in this fraught thriller written and directed by Lorenzo Manetti. Fires blaze, alarms go off and no one is quite sure what is going on as we are in first person point of view as someone walks through an abandoned house and hears the sounds outside, hears the televisions reporting of strange activity, and eventually making their way to the garage. We are treated to one long, three minute shot by cinematographer Roger Nall, who moves in the exact pace one would expect someone in this situation to move, as it is all shot in first person point of view. However, as we are moving around this house, who are we? My biggest complaint is that this was only a three minute piece and I wanted to see so much more. Nall in this short time shows he has some ideas to express and I can only hope this short gets expanded, and, maintains its POV, which when you learn, makes quite the impact.
“Golden Shopping Arcade”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Quinta Studio
Rating: NR
Language: Italian
Director: Skino Ricci
Writer: Neri Ricci
Starring: Marco Sincini, Nina Torresi, Rosa Dilette Rossi and Gianni Lillo
In a probably not too distant future where you can get whatever you want, if you have the money to pay for it, drugs, weapons, prostitutes, clones, is right within your reach at the Golden Shopping Arcade. This is appealing to Carlo, played in an impactful world-wearied manner by Marco Sincini. Carlo spends his days caring for his invalid mother, and working at the admissions desk of a hospital, a job that beats him down because since the big company Farmax bought the hospital, not just anyone can be admitted, unless they meet specific requirements, and most importantly have enough credits. Carlo tries to act in the best interest of everyone, and this may lead to his downfall. After an unfortunate incident, he purchases a clone to go about and engage in the elements of his life he’d choose not to, and all seems to be working to his benefit, until it doesn’t. In this film, writer Neri Ricci and director Skino Ricci (the Ricci Brothers) ask some interesting ethical questions about a possible future utilizing clone technology. While this isn’t a new topic, they bring a fresh take to the issue with wonderful performances.
“Humanzee”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Electric Goo
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Taro O’Halloran
Writer(s): Taro O’Halloran and Brett Melican
Starring: Liz Bishop, Cheryl Dedora-Pynn and Zach Norton
In a slight variant of the Bates home, absinthe drinking and self-help tape listening Jane, played by Liz Bishop, comes home one night to hear a banging, coming from Ziggy, played by Zach Norton, the youth she has living in her basement. Ziggy is, well, for want of spoilers, more than meets the eye, but for his safety, Jane keeps him in the basement where he is able to live his life doing what he loves, coloring and watching movies. On this night, Jane’s friend, Annie, played by Cheryl Dedora-Pynn, comes to speak with Jane, but things get a bit heated between the two women as certain secrets begin to come to the forefront. Writer/director Taro O’Halloran, who co-wrote with Brett Melican, has crafted a tight, tense story of secrets and the past not being at rest. While at times, as parts of the story become clear, it is a bit disconcerting, things are effectively explained within the short 23 minute runtime. In his role of Ziggy, Norton demonstrates great flexibility and character work in his role and the special effects makeup by Beatrice Sniper is excellently done on both Ziggy and on Annie. A twisted tale, it explores the dark depths people can go.
“The Itch”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Film Production Companies: Scratchpost Films Production and Vertov the Noise
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Gordon Phillips
Writer: Gordon Phillips
Starring: Nathan Nagvajara, John Potvin and Eva Milania Méndez Martinez
Opening with the Oxford English Dictionary definition of the word itch, the film lives up to its name. Chronicling just under a week, we spend time with Will, played by Nathan Nagvajara, who is in a rather sparse apartment with a set of vaccines in the bathroom cabinet. On Day 1, Will begins to feel an awful itching sensation. He tries to go about his day to day, but the sensation won’t subside. We see that within this apartment, Will is under surveillance, and as the week progresses, the situation only worsens, despite the vaccines available in the cabinet. In a wonderfully, cringe-inducing short, writer/director Gordon Phillips shapes a story that will ultimately leave you uncomfortable thanks to excellent, Oscar caliber prosthetic makeup by Raúl Muñoz, and an anchored performance from Nagvajara who literally makes you feel every moment of pain and discomfort he goes through in the film’s brief runtime.
“Quiet”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: NR
Language: English
Director: Caro Ribeiro
Writer: Caro Ribeiro
Starring: Sam Kombo
In what almost plays out like a video game, in a tense three minutes, writer and director Caro Ribeiro is able to captivate and disturb you more than you would think in all the right ways. Evoking elements from a Hal 9000, if you think of the dread you feel from those shots, cinematographer Mike Sun gets that and more. Sam Kombo, as the unnamed lead character, is awoken from his sleep in the way that many apartment residents fear they will have to deal with, loud music from the floor above, and is treated to quite the shock. It is hard to say much more given the brief length of the film, but it still lands the same punch as if this were the opening scene in a Kevin Williamson horror film and Kombo makes his presence felt. In her second short film, Ribeiro shows they have a powerful voice to be shared and this provides just a taste. After this, I only wanted to see more of the story “Quiet” set out to tell. Also, the uniquely selected song, which for want of spoilers I will not reference, by Steve Furtado, works on multiple levels.
Review by Cinephile Mike