28.4.07

The Thing About Bannon's Lookout


USA - 2006


While driving down a dark Kansas road, a policeman tells his partner about the "thing" that lives in the woods. Is it just a story?

Rea might be sick of hearing this, but its a compliment nonetheless. His work often resembles that quality that made the Twilight Zone so unique and enjoyable - and today, when there's so much that can be done with CGI and distracting pyrotechnics and hyperdrama - its almost originally refreshing in this day and age to be able to sink into the depths of some of his films. Once more, Patrick Rea takes a super familiar and mundane situation and unravels it quickly to expose a Hell in waiting. Two policemen driving down a dark road - the rookie and the veteran - one questioning the other about the legend of the "thing" at Bannon's Lookout. Simplicity lulls us all in and slows our heartbeats, until the two come upon an abandoned car at the titular location. The ending is a bloody twist with bite .




Craig Boyd Keens

Bradley Meehan Murrow

Ashley Kaczorowski Kelsi

Ari Bavel Unfortunate fellow

Directed by Patrick Rea




27.4.07

Vanish

2005 - USA

Rachel Jones mysteriously vanished a year ago. We are about to find out why...

CAST
Justin Figueroa - Paul
Holly Persell - Rachel Jones
Kelli Shimada - The Girl

Directed by Matthew Junmar



25.4.07

Copy











In creative writing class back in high school, we used to be given a noun from the dictionary and pretty much have to write a three page story on it each week. Be it a house, a car, or in this case, a copy machine. Take the atypical job interview with a nervous and desperate applicant, a wary employer (hottie Jennifer Plas) who gets a death prediction from her xerox, sprinkle in the tension and final twist of your average SenoReality production and you have Copy. You can go into this, as I did, wondering and anticipating what the turn-out will be - knowing Patrick Rea, you know you're in for an unexpected turn of fate, but as he is so good at doing, you can't guess what will happen, and youre smiling that "...genius" smirk at the end. Its short, to the point and highly recommended.
CAST
Jennifer Plas
Andy Stowers
Directed by Patrick Rea


24.4.07

Saw ( The Original Short Film)



2003 - AUSTRALIA

David, an orderly at a hospital, tells his horrific story of being kidnapped and forced to play a vile game of survival . This is one of the very few thriller movies that have actually got my heart pumping and it's guaranteed to do the same to you. Even if you've been known not to react very emotionally to movies in the past (I definitely haven't until now), you'll find yourself to be holding your head at various times and yelling at the characters at others. Unlike other times i watched movies, i didn't stop watching this one when the credits appeared, partially because of the song (Bite the hand that bleeds by Fear Factory) which fits one of my favorite genres of music (industrial metal), but most importantly i personally thought that the makers of the movie were complete geniuses. I'm sure you've heard this in a lot of movie reviews but i sincerely and literally mean it when i say "You must watch this". Incredible movie i promise you'll enjoy it.

CAST

Leigh Whannell

Paul Moder

Katrina Mathers

Dean Francis

Directed by James Wan


23.4.07

The Long Walk Home


A couple's newfound relationship is put to the test during a drive through San Gimignano, Italy. Told in under two glorious minutes!
Written & Directed by
Sean Becker
CAST
Cooper Daniels
Robyn Hannah
Joanne Engelhardt
Ray Doherty

The Engineers



FINLAND - 2007
Thoughts travelling far on a short coffee break - and a sudden realisation that life could be completely different.
CAST
Rabbe Smedlund Tuffe Möller Markus Riuttu.
Directed by Oskar Silén.



21.4.07

The Man without Eyes

SWEDEN - 2000

It's an autumn evening and it's time to go home from daycare but Tobias' mother doesn't show up. The staff leaves for the night and, soon, Tobias is left all alone, locked in the spooky center. But things get really creepy at midnight when Tobias is forced to confront the evils lurking in the darkness of daycare.
CAST
Fredrik Jonsdter
Bjvrn Benckert
Chimney Pot
Linus Nord
Gvran Klintberg


20.4.07

10 Minutes



BOSNIA - 2002

10 Minutes (Deset Minuta), Ahmed ImamovicThe short film “Deset Minuta” juxtaposes the experiences of a carefree tourist and a hopeless child in Bosnia. The film relates the story of a tourist vacationing in Rome, who is amazed by the fact that photographs can be developed in ten minutes. The time passes quickly for this tourist. Yet for a Bosnian child living in a country shattered by war, the same ten minutes seem to last an eternity.

Ahmed Imamovic graduated from the Academy of Film & Dramatic Arts of the University of Sarajevo in 2002. During his time at the Academy, Imamovic worked for SaGA Production Company filming over thirty documentaries. He also helped to produce Ademir Kenovic’s film, “The Perfect Circle,” as well as Michael Winterbottom’s “Welcome to Sarajevo.” During his career, he has worked as a cameraman, an assistant director and a screenwriter producing documentaries and commercials. His documentary filmography includes “Father's Profession: Witchdoctor of Fortuneteller” (1996) and “Women” (1997). “Deset Minuta” was recently awarded the European Short Film Award presented by the European Film Academy.

19.4.07

Bullet in The Brain














2001
Anders is an over-critical writing teacher who carries is criticism into his own life. When he is involved in a bank robbery his critical remarks lead to his death. In the instant the bullet travels into his brain we are treated to writing par excellence as his life passes before his eyes.
The opening of the film sets up the character of Anders as an critical unpleasant man who is unwilling to make compromise or be polite to other people. This is enjoyable a sit is well acted and well directed. When the bank robbery happens it is well staged but is only the step to what I think is the best 5 minutes of short I've seen in ages. The murder of Anders sparks a narrator telling us about Anders's life flashing before his eyes.

It's hard to describe but this is excellent. The narration is written in a literary style that Anders would have approved of and is accompanied by perfect shots and images that leave the side issue of the robbery long behind. What Anders does and doesn't remember is wonderful and really tells you a lot about the nature and brevity of life. Plimpton's voice is absolutely perfect for the narration and he makes it work very well. However the direction is what makes his short so arresting. Every shot is captivating – whether it be a washed out silent classroom or a sun-soaked cornfield where you can feel the summer heat from the screen in front of you.

Noonan is excellent in the lead role and makes Anders feel real despite how unpleasant he is. The cast member I was most excited about seeing was Dean Winters – better known as O'Reilly from HBO's Oz. He is so very good in Oz that I was glad to see him in something else. He is good here but only briefly and his bank robber is too close to his O'Reilly for my liking. As I've said the short is sublime in the second half and praise should be given to the casting people for selecting Plimpton for the narration.
CAST
Cecelia Antoinette Samara Harris
Gina Merchan Tom Noonan
George Plimpton Tade Reen
Dean Winters Matt Young
Directed by
David Von Ancken


18.4.07

High Maintenance

2006

Jane is unhappy with her dull husband and monotonous marriage. Thankfully, in the near-future unhappiness can be made a thing of the past and upgrades are always available.

Directed byPhillip Van

CAST

Nicolette Krebitz ... Jane

Wanja Mues ... Paul

Judith Rohde ... Delivery woman

Anna Schenk-Rollman ... Marie


Das Rad



2003
Apparently, rocks are having conversations all around us, but they talk very, very slowly.
The stone-people Hew and Kew have seen a lot in their everlasting lives on top of their mountain. Therefore they're only mildly amazed by the ongoings in the valley below, they've got their own little problems to deal with - But all of a sudden, Mankind is discovering and inventing, instead of just woozeling, and this new behavior starts to threaten Hew's and Kew's stoic peacefullness...

Directors
Chris Stenner Arvid Uibel

CAST

Rainer Basedow
Michael Habeck


17.4.07

Monster









2005


The life of a single mother is never easy; and the domestic woes for one mom and her young boy are exacerbated by the child's visions of a haunting monster. Does the problem lie in his youthful imagination, or does the issue run deeper?
If you like F.W. Murnau and Fritz Lang, you will completely dig this short. This is one of the most creepy, atmospheric and scary shorts I’ve ever seen. I don’t really know if this is based on a kid’s spooky story like “Where The Wild Things Are” or “Hansel & Gretel” but it definitely creates a boogeyman all its own. This boogeyman is something that, if I had seen this as a kid, I would have spent many sleepless nights watching my closet door for the slightest creak or movement.

The film starts out with a young kid (Luke Ikimis-Healey) battling with a scary doll. The doll is quickly discarded into the basement by the boy’s mother (Susan Prior). The atmosphere and the beautiful attention to detail show in every frame as we aren’t quite sure what goes bump in the night. Through every passage and stairway we are lead on a childs nightmare. It’s hard to be sure early on if this short will be about a killer doll that is mad as hell at being tossed into the basement. The mood and tone slowly kick in as your not quite sure what awaits as the camera pans past each corner.
Director: Jennifer Kent
Writer: Jennifer Kent
Producer: Isabel Perez
CAST
Susan Prior
Luke Ikimis-Healy
Trash Vaudeville


The Shirt

2006
A lonely man searches for a perfect shirt that will change his life.
Director:Drake Doremus
CAST
Tobias McKinney
Leslie Zang

9.4.07

Zombie Movie




2005 NEW ZEALAND
Three mates are stuck in a car after running out of gas. Surrounded by Zombies they try to think of a way to get out of this mess. Running out of cigarettes does not help the situation the least bit.
CAST
Jason Docherty ... Harry
Chris Guise ... Zombie 'Rotten Eyes'
Freya Blackwood ... Girl Zombie
Sivannah Bassant ... Angels
Micah Brown ... Angels
Sydney Jackson ... Broadcaster
Des Morgan ... Darryn
Simon Niblett ... Paul
Ben Stenbeck ... Sam


Stripped



This is hilarious. What happens when a beautiful sexy woman takes it off... takes it all off. "Stripped" is a bit risqué but has an incredible and funny payoff. Brilliantly created by Mark Jackson. We'll never go on a date again without wondering
Director: Mark Jackson Writer: Mark Jackson Producer: Mark Jackson
Cast: Ashlie Walker, Brian Holdom, Mark Jackson


8.4.07

Tales From The Grudge



Following in the footsteps of Rings, comes Tales from the Grudge – a short depicting outside events related to the curse of The Grudge series. However unlike Rings, these three short episodes, with a combined length of around 7 to 8 minutes, do not relate story-wise to the events of The Grudge or The Grudge 2 albeit the rumours of the cursed house in Tokyo. Instead these episodes carry a theme that is relevant in The Grudge 2 – the widespread growth of the curse whereby it is passed onto others without those persons ever entering the house.

The three episodes each contain their own protagonist, with that person coming into contact with another who becomes the protagonist of the next episode. In each, the curse has been placed upon the main character, and it gets passed on though cell phone conversations. In 'Hotel', Ross (Daniel Sykes) receives a call from his girlfriend, Abby (Stefanie Butler), which inevitably involves her with the curse. In the following episode, 'School', Abby makes a call to her friend Brooke (Ginny Weirick), and the curse subsequently takes out its wrath on her. The final episode, 'House', doesn't involve Brooke passing on the curse to someone else, but the ending implication that she could, is there.

To clearly understand the thematic theme of Tales from the Grudge, one would have to watch The Grudge 2, which was released later. By themselves, the three episodes only serve as non-canon spin-offs to the Grudge curse, but when put in context, they actually serve as a great extension of the curse itself, and the horror of its expansion is much better felt in these episodes than in The Grudge 2. Each episode is short, and for good reason. We are given a quick scenario in which the protagonist will meet his/ her end. 'Hotel' is the standard Grudge affair, with 'House' adding a nice spin and clearly depicting ones entrapment to the curse. 'School' serves to yield the best scare, and can perhaps help some understand a certain death in The Grudge 2. Still these episodes don't prove to answer any questions but perhaps alternate trains of thought.

The unknown actors who star in Tales from the Grudge do a good job in their portrayal of their respective characters, but with so little screen time it's difficult to determine a full analysis of their acting abilities. The director, Toby Wilkins, an acclaimed short film director, does a great job with the short, but accurate filming. However, the beginning of 'Hotel' looks more accustomed to a documentary, and the ending scenes of 'House' are sadly B-grade in technique.

Tales from the Grudge presents is an alternate story to the curse which plagues its original source material, and the idea it brings about the curse, while akin to that of Grudge 2, is exclusive enough to sport further direction. These episodes might be fleshed out more in The Grudge 3, but they needn't be; they work well because they are separate from the main story arc, and fans of The Grudge will definitely fine much to adore here.
HOTEL
Ross (Daniel Sykes) receives an unwelcomed guest in his hotel room.


SCHOOL
Abby (Stephanie Butler) receives a strange picture from her boyfriend.

HOUSE
Brooke (Ginny Weirick), a babysitter, disappears in a closet while playing hide-and-seek.

Snow White 2



2005
A gangster cheating on his boss has to cope with more troubles.
CAST
Akasya Asilturkmen
Erkan Can
Serhat Ozcan
Levent Tulek
Ozan Daggez
Burak Gurpinar
Hakan Gercek
Kerem Kipcak
Rahmi Kerim Ozkan





7.4.07

Blind



2004


When a vicious killer is set up on a Blind date, all hell breaks loose.


Aaron Chandler Vesser Lomou

Marta McGonagle Angela Rosfe

Heather Kafka Anne Campbell

Neil Cook Sam Campbell

I'll See You in My Dreams

2003

In a village inexplicable haunted by a plague of zombies, Lucio, an honest worker, is the only person who can fight then. He has matrimonial problems and hides Ana, his adorable wife, now transformed in a horrible zombie with a violent behaviour and a bad attitude, in the basement of his house. This situation is temporarily forgotten in the local bar, where the strange inhabitants of the village get refugee. It's here where Lucio discovers again another chance for love in the relationship he starts up with Nancy, but the relation is threatened by the strange creatures and by the mortal jealousness of his wife. Will Lucio handle all his problems with the power of a gun and a cutlass?


CAST
Adelino Tavares Lúcio, the Zombie Killer

São José CorreiaNancy, the Girl in the Tavern

Sofia AparícioAna, Lúcio's Wife

Manuel João VieiraSam, the Man in the Tavern

João DideletDário, the Tavern Keeper

Rui UnasMiguel, the Priest

David AlmeidaMini Zombie - dwarf fighter

Cláudia JardimMain zombie - chubby

PART ONE

PART TWO

5.4.07

School of Life









2004

Young Stanley is bullied at school and can only dream of the day when he can turn the tables. In a lesson his teacher Miss Given declares this the most valuable lesson the class will likely ever have and Stanley is excited by the prospect. However when bully Garth sits next to him he finds himself cut out of the class and unable to share the lesson material.

Stanley – Nick Stockwell
Garth – Jack Doolan
Gordon – Jonathan Readwin
Miss Given – Susan Lynch
Teachers
Esther Hall
Derek Smith
Malachi Smyth
Barry Wasserman
Pupils
Daniel Bowers
Thomas Drew
Chris Keeping
Chris Mant
Christobel Gyasi
Ryan Gould
Katie Clipp
Rosanna McHugh
Pippa Fisher
Rhia Sanches
Tommy Gould
Garry Barr
Shamila Amin
Noreen Abubacker
Danny Gardner
Jaygan Ayeh

R.I.P

2001

Night has fallen. A thunderstorm approaches. In a lonely house a young woman mourns her deceased husband. In the cemetery across the street the shape of a man rises from a grave...
CAST


4.4.07

Staring at The Sun



Toby Wilkins' award wining 2005 short film "Staring at the Sun" tells the story of Clay Roberts, a Scottish expat, cautiously navigating his new life in America. Things take a turn for the unexpected when a fortune teller refuses to reveal her vision of his future. Clay becomes so obsessed with finding the truth that he unwittingly fulfills his fate.

Directed and Produced by Toby Wilkins

Starring Alec Newman with Saxon Trainor, Nick Nordella and Darin Brooks, Randy Crowder, Dirk Etchison, Jocko Sims

3.4.07

Still Life


2005


A young college student suffering from sleep deprivation discovers the townspeople are mannequins and not everything is as it appears.


Directed By: Jon Knautz
Producer: Patrick White
CAST
TREVOR MATTHEWS
KYLE BRYDGES
JOE NEWTON
SAM POLLACK
STEPHANIE MEADOWS
MATTHEW BRULOTTE

2.4.07

84715

URUGUAY - 2005

A man sees on his dreams a five-digit number. When he wakes up, the number starts to appear in various elements of his everyday life. Coincidence or a signal?

CAST

The Man GUILLERMO CARBONELL

Batman: Dead End


2004 - USA

The Joker has escaped from Arkham and Batman must once again bring him in - once and for all. Unfortunately for the bat, there is something even more sinister than the Joker waiting in the alley for the dark knight detective..

CAST
Clark Bartram Batman

Andrew Koenig The Joker

Kurt Carley Predator #1

Jake McKinnon Alien

Dragon Dronet Left Predator

Patrick Magee Predator #3

Common Practice

USA - 2005
CAST
ARTURO
Ryan Weltzier
BARBER
Steve Forbess
MOTHER & CHILD
Elsa & Halley Tabullo
GANG BANGER 1
Edward Meza
GANG BANGER 2
Cesar Garcia
SHOPKEEPER
Leticia Castillo
SHOPWORKER
Lauren Rigau
CUSTOMER
Renee Weltzier
YUPPIE COUPLE
Jennifer Goyne
Crispian Belfrage
LIMO DRIVER
Alan Hassan
BIKE MESSENGER
Hervé Clermont
GIRL ON FIRE ESCAPE
Yoivel Ferrero
LITTLE GIRL
Maira Soledad Diaz
LITTLE GIRL'S MOTHER
Gladys Corrizo
TEEN COUPLE
Monique Almanza
David Leon
FAN LADIES
Marina Pincus
Chi Chi Navarro
Socorra Mora
A young Mexican-American boy's gift for playing the violin brings his working class Latino neighborhood together in ways he never thought possible. Common Practice was conceived as a moving tribute to music's power to cross cultural boundaries and touch the hearts of everyone.

Elephant(Short Film Version)

USA - 2003
CAST
Alex Frost (Alex)
John Robinson (John McFarland)
Elias McConnell (Elias)

Elephant" is a film about a normal day in high school that ends in a Columbine-esque massacre. We become observers of the events that happen throughout the day, as the film is filled with long tracking shots of students going out of and into classes, the cafeteria, the gym, or the library. The characters in the film are mostly played by non-actors, and most of the film is improvised


The movie starts as a car has a hard time driving straight down the road in a residential area. We think some kid has stolen this car. Nah. It's the dad driving his son to school, and he's drunk. The teenage son must take over. So, adults give up all responsibility towards their children and mayhem can take place. The film shows one day in the life of several teenage students as they go in and out of classes. They live their student lives and we follow their steps through the corridors and doors, taking them as guides one by one, like avatars in a giant video game.

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