TalisaO
Lifetime Total
1+
IMDb Member
19 years
Reviews
Gin & Dry (2010)
A charming little film.
Very rarely do you find a film that strikes the perfect balance between comedy and tragedy. Gin & Dry is only fifteen minutes long but the emotional journey it takes you on is moving and heartfelt.
The story centers around a group of residents at an old age home around Christmas time. Albie and Dee enjoy a drink to the dulcet tones of Nina Simone whilst reminiscing about the first time they met. Not only is this scene an introduction to the wonderful David de Keyser, it's our first look at Ross McLennan's beautiful cinematography. The sweet moment is interrupted by an angry elderly resident barging into the room to demand some of Albie's alcohol. This sets the comedic tone for the rest of the film.
When the elderly residents are unceremoniously informed that significantly less alcohol has been purchased for their Christmas celebration and that its going to be rationed, their reaction to the news (and it's bearer) is hilariously aggressive. They hatch a plan to steal the alcohol and, in the process, tie up an unwitting employee and take part in the world's slowest chase sequence. The ensemble is perfectly cast and lends itself to a great comedic dynamic.
The film takes a mellow turn when Albie, after stealing back the alcohol, gift wrapping each bottle and gently placing it by the sleeping residents of Twin Willows, settles back into his room with his wife, Dee. Nina Simone plays once again and as they repeat the conversation they first had we discover (through a wonderful moment of cinematographic movement) that Dee isn't really there.
We end on Albie- alone but happy to spend the evening with a good deed under his belt and the memory of his wife to keep him company. It's a wonderfully melancholic end to a delightful film.
The story centers around a group of residents at an old age home around Christmas time. Albie and Dee enjoy a drink to the dulcet tones of Nina Simone whilst reminiscing about the first time they met. Not only is this scene an introduction to the wonderful David de Keyser, it's our first look at Ross McLennan's beautiful cinematography. The sweet moment is interrupted by an angry elderly resident barging into the room to demand some of Albie's alcohol. This sets the comedic tone for the rest of the film.
When the elderly residents are unceremoniously informed that significantly less alcohol has been purchased for their Christmas celebration and that its going to be rationed, their reaction to the news (and it's bearer) is hilariously aggressive. They hatch a plan to steal the alcohol and, in the process, tie up an unwitting employee and take part in the world's slowest chase sequence. The ensemble is perfectly cast and lends itself to a great comedic dynamic.
The film takes a mellow turn when Albie, after stealing back the alcohol, gift wrapping each bottle and gently placing it by the sleeping residents of Twin Willows, settles back into his room with his wife, Dee. Nina Simone plays once again and as they repeat the conversation they first had we discover (through a wonderful moment of cinematographic movement) that Dee isn't really there.
We end on Albie- alone but happy to spend the evening with a good deed under his belt and the memory of his wife to keep him company. It's a wonderfully melancholic end to a delightful film.
Hawk (2011)
A big idea squeezed into a little film.
A big idea squeezed into a little film, Hawk is a short film that really needed to be much larger to realize the grandness of its narrative. With moments of beautiful cinematography and a sweeping score, there's a lot of promise that's let down by a slow moving storyline that never quite crosses the finish line. Set in the rolling hills and towering forests of a mythical land, the film centers on a young man's journey through the harsh dualities of the world he exists within. Wrapped in mysticism and folklore, the film bites off a little more than it can chew with an epic journey that often feels more like a pastiche of moments.
Rowan, the protagonist, starts off as a bright-eyed young boy in the care of his grandfather, Gawain. It's never quite clear as to what they're in pursuit of, despite the viewer spending a lot of time with them at the start of the film. This holds true for a lot of sequences that follow. The mysticism that Gawain indulges in and teaches Rowan is never really explored enough for us to grasp its relevance, in spite of the fact that the film hinges on understanding the importance of its existence in Rowan's world. The cinematic visuals are alluring and provide the grandiose atmosphere required but are lost to the rushed storytelling at vital parts of the film.
Overall, the story feels condensed and, as a viewer, you're constantly trying to fill in the gaps. The promise of the story is what brings you to the film and the cinematography and score keep you engaged but the story is never done justice. If ever there was a candidate for a feature film re-telling, this would be it.
Rowan, the protagonist, starts off as a bright-eyed young boy in the care of his grandfather, Gawain. It's never quite clear as to what they're in pursuit of, despite the viewer spending a lot of time with them at the start of the film. This holds true for a lot of sequences that follow. The mysticism that Gawain indulges in and teaches Rowan is never really explored enough for us to grasp its relevance, in spite of the fact that the film hinges on understanding the importance of its existence in Rowan's world. The cinematic visuals are alluring and provide the grandiose atmosphere required but are lost to the rushed storytelling at vital parts of the film.
Overall, the story feels condensed and, as a viewer, you're constantly trying to fill in the gaps. The promise of the story is what brings you to the film and the cinematography and score keep you engaged but the story is never done justice. If ever there was a candidate for a feature film re-telling, this would be it.