lindseyloon

Zero spoilers: Soulful without being trite, Lion is a journey film that explores the tie of family, the way we map our memories, and the longing to fully understand identity. Ranging from India to Australia, this chronicles a spirited boy becoming a quiet but determined man, a focused dreamer. Performances and story are a solid 10, with only a few aesthetic choices in camera department and a few issues of narrative focus robbing it for what would be a perfect score and one of the best films of the past few years.

Dev Patel is mesmerizing, as are every one of the Indian actors who grace the screen for the first half of the film. Beginning with phenomenal aerial photography, the camera offers gorgeous visual narration and draws us into the themes of place and displacement from the first flicker of the projector.

The editing is also sensational, with beautiful pacing and way-- creating tension then exploring memory. The film rarely drags or feels that it is rushing.

Really, close to perfect. The aesthetic and narrative adjustments that I would have made come down primarily to preference-- the lighting, framing, and cinematographic choices made during a few scenes drew me out of the narrative, and as a fussy film festival director I could pinpoint them but it wouldn't matter.

A few moments made me loose a bit of faith in the aesthetic cohesiveness because of a feeling that things vacillated from a "shooting commercials" look to a more self- conscious indie style shoot (which I found unconvincing given the grandeur of the film, and unflattering to several of the female actors, there seemed to be an unawareness of portraiture in some key scenes that involved women). Additionally, it was a sad oversight that there were no female characters in the entire film that existed other than to forward the male story-- while there were fantastic female characters and wonderful performances by a number of actresses (NK, RM, and the Indian orphanage lady as well as another female key character spring to mind)-- still, when there is license to translate a real story into cinema there is also license to expand some of the characters, Nicole Kidman's mother had such depth it would have been easy to have a scene with her and a female friend that showed more of her depth of life outside the frame of being "the mom," or Roony Mara's "girlfriend" who also interacted with no other women. In an era in which awareness of the Bechdel test is so prevalent, and there are increasingly multi- faceted and wonderful roles for women as there are in this film-- it would really have been thoughtful and expanded the scope of story to include women whose purpose did not stop at serving this film-- because this is a gorgeous human story and not just a star vehicle. Likewise some of the camera department aesthetic choices seemed inconsistent and a bit insulting to the sensational aerial cinematography and superb editing. Truly worth a good watch, I enjoyed Lion on many levels. You're in for a treat!

A must-see for horror fans, the Muck is both thrilling and kitsch, and part of the upcoming compilation, World of Death, a massive undertaking to compile an international collection of horror films. The Muck is a great start. It is a classic thriller complete with a comedically horrific monster and a hot babe in 1980s jazzercise gear. I don't want to give anything away, so let's just say it does for the bath what Psycho did for the shower… But with over the top retro style and a sense of humour! This short screened to good reception at South by Southwest, and in generating buzz on the festival circuit Scotchworthy Productions has also peaked interest in the upcoming World of Death series.

A darling of the Connect Film Festival, Penny won 4 awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Cinematography. Nostalgic without being saccharine, the meticulous art direction in this short film creates a sumptuously coloured world. Teenage longing unwinds amid the whir of roller skates and the swirl of poodle skirts. The art direction is stunning. Best Director and Best Cinematography were well-earned rewards, reflected in Penny's captivating 1950's setting. Joel Frances' cinematography is superb. It is such a beautiful film the care with which it was made would be enough to win most audiences, and the performances, particularly Jodi Eames' Donna, induce a poignant smile. The story itself has been told many times before-- main character seeks unattainable beauty, friend helps win over unattainable beauty, one (or both) of the friends end up falling in love with the other (or each other). It is primarily the fantastic setting and the performances that make this such a compelling film. Jodi Eames' portrayal of Donna (which won her a Best Actor award), perfectly captures the struggle of a generous mentor whose feelings cross from friendship to romantic longing. With a gorgeous bright smile and expressive eyes, Eames creates a graceful character and lets the camera bring the drama--her performance is both dynamic and understated. Jason Agius's Timmy is awkward and endearing, his performance portrays the archetype of 1950s sweet geek aesthetic. In both looks and actions, he is reminiscent of a young Noah Taylor. Jacob Fyfe brings spirit and intensity to his villain role, and he and his his slick leather-jacket clad cronies add a touch of humour to their stylised machismo. As the unattainable beauty Penny, Steph Dunbar graces the screen only a few times, but her stylish redhead radiates both glamour and a touch of sweetness that hints she may be not just a pretty queen bee, but actually a sweet match for Timmy. Donna is such a wonderful warm character, though, while the story may leave her a bit heart sore, it's inevitable that she goes home with the audience's heart. Director Stuart Stanton has created a world we do not want to leave. Fittingly, Penny premiered at the Dromana Drive-in theatre.

The Karman Line is a rare delight-- a film both truly poignant and humorous. A treasure of a short film, it uses magical realism to gracefully navigate the issue of losing a family member. The performances are universally excellent, and support a compelling story. I had the privilege of seeing The Karman Line at South by Southwest film festival in March, 2014. Out of several dozen superb short films (and I believe over 1,300 submissions), it was one of the best. The story and pacing were compelling, it did not lag for a moment or succumb to the two common weaknesses of even the strongest short films: the "plot twist/joke ending" or "random slice of life trail off." Instead, the film had narrative integrity and ended with the same grace with which it began. The gently evolving character development and pacing were satisfying, and made me feel like I had seen a good feature length film. It was quirky without being pretentious, emotional without being melodramatic. I am not usually a fan of magical realism, but the heightened reality that shines through this film is why we make the enormous effort to make good film, in any genre. As a filmmaker and actor this is exactly the sort of team I would love to work with. This is a film with heart. See it.

Fantastic short. Powerful story enhanced by beautiful cinematography and superb acting. It is refreshing seeing a short film that has the emotional power of a feature. A profile of a matriarch who is an emotional vortex of need and self-destruction, Krisha's desperate desire to connect with her family is undermined by her own substance abuse. The film is compelling without being exploitative, empathetic without being naive. I have seen over 80 short films in the past few months both in submissions for the film festival I run and at other film festivals. This is a standout. An artistic and storytelling triumph. As a filmmaker and actor I would be keen to work with any member of this team in future. Simply superb.