nothing, except everything.

Never have I see a short film strike me so hard, and I would've never thought this was produced and written by a HIGH SCHOOLER?

Just a great cinematic piece that really left me thinking after I watched. In only 13 minutes it felt like I already had watched a full 90+ minute movie.

Wesley Wang has a lot of talent and I won't be surprised if he's one of the next great writers considering he's already been signed. If you haven't watched the short film already it's on YouTube under the channel "Wesley Wang", and I hope it brings you the emotions that filled me when I watched it. Wang also has other short films if you also want to check those out.

Can't wait to see what Wang has in store for his future if he started a career like this.

I cant believe how relatable such a short film can be, I've watched this over 5 times fully already as its so thought provoking.

It really places a perspective on the watchers mind and makes them dive into their own train of thought within the last 2 minutes.

The quotes are a perfect way to break up each chapter of the film and force the viewer to find a relation between the quotes and the actions.

The subtle references through the film really portray the film as a personal reflection not just of the creator but of anyone who finds it relatable.

Lastly, If I was forced to use one word to describe it I would, but the only word I could possibly use is "art" and even then that's an understatement.

Style over substance, this was carried by the industry professional cinematographers. It also just completely rips off everything everywhere, from the title to the themes to the editing and the sound design. Very "fake deep". I wouldn't usually care but they are turning this into a feature film, I think that's a horrible idea. There's a decent premise of being over analytical and 4th wall breaking but the concept is too vague and the acting is very meh. In the kickstarter the kid who made it claimed to have written the most genuine gen z characters ever, which is just unequivocally false. Not a fan.

I saw a tiktok about Wesley Wang selling this to Sony, and decided that I had to give it a chance. The first thing that struck me was the fact that David Mazouz, a lead actor in Gotham, and I realized that this high school short film was nothing comparable to the films I have the ability to make at my university. Whatever the budget was, it was stretched perfectly. But it's not indie.

The acting was great. Harper and Miles' characters play the part of lost high schoolers extremely well. The directing was fantastic, with great lighting and sound. The segmented computer bits are a bit of a crutch, and a cliche, but for a young director, it's something to work on.

The biggest issue I found with this short is its writing. A lot of the lines are stilted, and the problem I find with that is that it plays on existential realism, yet it doesn't feel fluid. Wang is a fantastic director, who definitely has a bring future, but he is not a writer.

Nothing, Except Everything is a breathtaking cinematic masterpiece that defies conventional storytelling and invites the viewer into a realm of pure artistry and profound introspection. The film, a stunning fusion of visual poetry and narrative abstraction, takes you on a transformative journey that feels at once deeply personal and universally resonant.

From the first frame to the last, the film captivates with its minimalist approach, drawing on silence and subtlety to evoke a wide range of emotions. The cinematography is nothing short of exquisite, each shot carefully composed to maximize impact with an almost meditative attention to detail. Every visual element-light, shadow, color, texture-feels deliberate and imbued with meaning, creating an atmosphere of reflection and wonder.